Ukraine s Foreign Minister on December 26, 2022 said that his government is aiming to have a peace summit by the end of February, preferably at the United Nations with Secretary-General António Guterres as a possible mediator, around the time of the anniversary of Russia s war.

Having lost out to China considerably in its efforts to expand its influence in the global South and the ASEAN region, the West is giving every indication of making-up for lost time. While the US is in a stepped-up drive to cultivate the African continent, the EU is intensifying efforts to strengthen its economic ties […]

Analysis by Matthew Brooker It was the year that the scales fell from Europe’s eyes on China. Heading into 2023, the clarity engendered by Beijing’s stance on the Russian invasion of Ukraine is in danger of being lost. Leaders of a continent beset by soaring energy prices and economic hardship show signs of wanting to pick […]

The United States is planning to announce new sanctions against Russia and China on Friday, targeting human rights violations in both countries, the Wall Street Journal newspaper reported, citing sources. The report said part of the restrictions will be related to the Global Magnitsky Act, a law

(Al Jazeera) A plane believed to be carrying Brittney Griner landed in the United States early on December 9, 2022, nearly 10 months after the basketball star was detained in Russia and became the most high-profile American jailed abroad. Griner was exchanged for notorious arms dealer Viktor

Months into Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, it is becoming increasingly clear that the latter’s traumas would not end any time soon. Nor is the invader registering any notable gains from its fatal decision to annex Ukraine by armed means and might. However, it’s abundantly clear that the destabilizing economic consequences for the world from the […]

British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has reiterated the UK’s commitment to a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with India as part of the country’s wider focus on enhancing ties with the Indo-Pacific region. Delivering a talk Monday night at the Lord Mayor of London’s Banquet — his first major foreign policy speech since taking charge at […]

US President Joe Biden has said he would be ready to meet Russia’s Vladimir Putin “if in fact there is an interest in him deciding that he’s looking for a way to end the war”. Addressing reporters alongside French President Emmanuel Macron, he stressed Mr Putin had not yet done that.The two men stressed they […]

BY Ajeyo Basu New Delhi: Since its creation in 1947, Pakistan has based the very purpose of its existance on establishing Muslim rule over ‘Hindu’ India. However, the setbacks in the wars of 1965 and 1971 made the Pakistan Army – the actual rulers of the impoverished country – realise the futility of direct military confrontation […]

BY Lili Bayer At one end, China hawks like the U.S. are trying to converge NATO’s goals with their own desire to constrain Beijing. At the other are China softliners like Hungary who want to engage Beijing. Then there’s a vast and shifting middle: hawks that don’t want to overly antagonize Beijing; softliners that still […]

Support for Ukraine apparently cannot involve heightened diplomatic efforts to halt the bloodshed — after all, how would that help the weapons manufacturers and arms traders who are reaping a bonanza? All too many of those who justifiably excoriate the Chinese and Russian intolerance of dissent are blind to the transgressions against freedom of opinion […]

Poland said early Wednesday that a Russian-made missile fell in the country’s east, killing two people, though U.S. President Joe Biden said it was “unlikely” it was fired from Russia.The blast, which Ukrainian President Volodymr Zelenskyy decried as “a very significant escalation,” prompted Biden to call an emergency meeting of G-7 and NATO leaders. A […]

The meet between US President Joe Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping in the run-up to the recent Bali summit of the G20 countries has almost overwhelmingly attracted world attention and this is only to be expected, considering the importance to the world of the principal issues in US-China relations. However, of equal importance ought […]

By MAHADIYA HAMZA ECONOMYNEXT – Sri Lanka’s tourism revival is facing a challenge in bringing in more high spending foreign visitors due to increasing protests locally while monetary tightening, impacts of Russian invasion into Ukraine, and rising inflation globally.The move is likely to slow the island nation’s recovery from the unprecedented economic crisis as it is […]

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz could very well have broken rank with some of his fellow member states in the European Union by choosing to visit China with the aim of mending economic fences with the latter. Scholz sought to reassure the political leadership of the Union and their publics that he meant well by his […]

Bankrupt Sri Lanka is caught up in a China-US battle. The situation has been further complicated by India, Japan and Australia becoming part of the US-led military alliance meant to counter China. The US-led grouping is hell-bent on enhancing its influence in Colombo as both parties woo lawmakers. Recent declaration by the ruling party that […]

By Rebecca Bundhun India’s economy and equity markets are outperforming most of their global peers. Despite a slew of challenges including macroeconomic headwinds stemming from Russia’s war in Ukraine, elevated crude oil prices and tightening liquidity globally, the growth story of Asia

Tamil Guardian asks: The UK policy, regarding mainly Sri Lankan Tamils held in Diego Garcia, is likely to remain unchanged. Some of those who reached Diego Garcia, home for the strategic US military base, over a year ago, have already been sent back “voluntarily” to Sri Lanka. They returned in the wake of the UK […]