The way he has handled the transition could lead to his reign being an unexpectedly impressive one
The magnificent celebration of the life of Queen Elizabeth II, the longest-serving monarch in British history, has come to an end. She arrived at her final resting place, St. George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle, on Monday. Elizabeth was buried in the King George VI Memorial Chapel, which she had commissioned for her late father in…
Limiting gas imports from Russia has thrust the country into its biggest energy crisis since the Second World War
Germany is stuck between a rock and a hard place. On the one hand is its decision to limit crude and gas imports from Russia. On the other, its industrial might is under threat. Berlin’s political decision to limit gas imports from Russia has thrust the country into its biggest energy crisis since the Second…
From the UK to Sweden to Italy, progressive parties are losing ground
Queen Elizabeth II’s death may have consumed most of the oxygen over the past couple of weeks, but other interesting things are happening. Across the Atlantic, three (non-Ukraine) developments stand out. United Kingdom U.K. political governance has four great offices of state – prime minister, chancellor of the exchequer, foreign secretary and home secretary. And…
The West won’t dig itself out of the crisis unless it decisively responds to Putin’s strategic aim
The cost of living crisis is being misrepresented and mishandled by the political class. Misrepresented because only occasionally do politicians link the crisis to the Russia-Ukraine War and Putin’s use of hybrid warfare to destabilize the West; mishandled because, fundamentally, the solution lies not in economic measures but in ensuring first that Russia is defeated…
We mustn't let fear of China determine our relationship with Taiwan
According to recent news reports, a delegation of eight Canadian MPs and senators from the Canada-Taiwan Friendship Group and a parliamentary trade committee are planning to visit Taiwan as early as October. Although such visits are not unusual, this time around the announcement has attracted more attention than usual. This is largely due to China’s…
Doesn't matter. He was a very useful guy to have around when the chips were down
When Winston Churchill died in 1965, it marked the end of an era. Already a shade past his 90th birthday, he was the last survivor of the Second World War’s top political leadership. And given his youthful participation in a cavalry charge at the 1898 Battle of Omdurman, it was as if a relic from…
G7 agrees on devising a system that would only allow the sale of Russian oil at below-market prices
Well, they did it. During their virtual meeting last Friday, finance ministers from the G7 agreed on devising a system that would only allow the sale of Russian oil at below-market prices. “The price cap is specifically designed to reduce Russian revenues and Russia’s ability to fund its war of aggression whilst limiting the impact…
The situation got away from him. He was overwhelmed
Mikhail Gorbachev died in Moscow last week at the age of 91. Once the world’s most celebrated politician, he had quite the rollercoaster ride. First, what was dubbed Gorbymania swept the western world and the 1990 Nobel Peace Prize credited him with ending the Cold War. Then he was rudely relegated to political obscurity. What…
She was a young woman of scant personal resources who believed she was basking with dolphins when she was foundering among sharks
It’s hard to believe that Aug. 31 marks the 25th anniversary of Princess Diana’s death. The passage of time has a way of creeping up on you. In the days and weeks immediately following the tragic accident, the story consumed the headlines and the airwaves. You couldn’t escape from it, even if you wanted to.…
The terrorist group isn't a spent force yet
Extremism thrives in chaos. Since the Arab Spring plunged Syria into civil war, the country has been consumed by factionalism. For example, the northwest of the country is controlled by the Syrian National Army (which includes an Al-Qaeda faction), and the northeast is controlled by the U.S.-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF). Syria’s political landscape is…
Independence was declared on Aug. 15, 1947
Aug. 15, 1947, represented the formal end of the British Raj. India became independent, and what had once been the crown jewel of the British Empire was gone. The rest of the empire soon followed suit. Indian nationalism had been growing since the early decades of the 20th century, becoming increasingly focused on complete independence.…
As a disloyal conservative and Republican, her political fate has largely been sealed – and she has no one to blame but herself
There was a time not too long ago when Liz Cheney was regarded as a loyal conservative and Republican. The eldest daughter of former American vice-president Dick Cheney made a name for herself as an attorney and in several State Department positions during then-president George W. Bush’s administration. She won Wyoming’s at-large congressional seat in…
Weaker-than-expected demand growth means the oil market is likely to remain in surplus into early next year, say analysts
Oil markets were under considerable pressure last week. Both Brent and U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude oil prices fell, with Brent futures settling at US$96.72 and WTI ending at US$90.77 per barrel. Both benchmarks fell about 1.5 per cent on the week, as future contract values dropped to their lowest level in seven months…
The world must awaken to the reality of Russian nuclear blackmail and terrorism
After the U.S. forces killed al-Qaeda leader Ayman al-Zawahiri last week, one of my friends texted me, “Putin is now the most dangerous terrorist on the planet.” It is difficult to disagree. While nearly 3,000 people had perished in the deadly 9/11 terrorist attacks, the number of civilian casualties in the Russian war of aggression…
The prospects of a global economic slowdown are beginning to hit oil demand
The much-awaited ministerial meeting of the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries and its allies, including Russia, in the expanded OPEC+, opted to increase its September output by just 100,000 barrels per day (bpd). Despite the urgings of U.S. President Joe Biden to open Saudi Arabia’s crude oil taps during his visit there, the announced output…