Geopolitics - Global Briefing

• Early human settlement and archaeological heritage

• Ancient maritime trade networks linking the Gulf to Mesopotamia, the Indus Valley, and East Africa

• Arrival of Islam and integration into the Umayyad/Abbasid Caliphates

• European incursions: Portuguese, Dutch, and British competition for Gulf trade

• Emergence of local tribal confederations (Qawasim, Bani Yas) and sheikhly rule

• The “Pirate Coast” narrative and British maritime treat...

• Historical evolution of fintech: Fintech 1.0 foundations; Fintech 2.0 bank-led digital shift; Fintech 3.0 startup disruption; Fintech 3.5 globalization

• AI and Machine Learning applications in personalization, risk scoring, fraud detection, algorithmic trading, and operational efficiency

• Blockchain and Distributed Ledger Technology: cryptocurrencies & digital assets; DeFi; smart contracts; cross-border payments; secure recor...

• Turbine-Based Combined Cycle Propulsion
  TBCC engine architecture integrating turbine, ramjet, and scramjet modes—arguably the highest-risk technical hurdle for sustained Mach 6 flight .

• Materials & Therma...

• The War in Ukraine: Diplomatic Overtures Amidst Continued Hostilities

• Ceasefire Diplomacy: Proposals and Rejections (May 4–5, 2025)

• Sino‑Russian Alignment: Xi Jinping’s Planned Moscow Visit (May 4, 2025)

• Western Military Assistance and Strategy (May 4–5, 2025)

• Battlefield Developments: Drones and Border Clashes (May 4–5, 2025)

• US Policy Shifts and Global Repercussions

• Trade Tensions: The US–China Tariff Standoff (May 4–5, 2...

• The New Tech Geopolitics: how technology has become a central arena for 21st-century national competition and state power

• History and Evolution of Techno-Nationalism: tracing its roots from mercantilism and Meiji Japan to the Fourth Industrial Revolution

• Nationalism vs. Globalism in Technology: the spectrum from techno-globalist cooperation to new and neo-techno-nationalist strategies

• US-China Rivalry: the strategic contest drivin...

• Introduction: The political landscape of Canada leading up to the 2025 election, highlighting key stakes and public sentiment.

• Campaign Transformation: The shift from traditional domestic policy debates to a bold sovereignty referendum becoming the central issue.

• Election Night Verdict: The election outcome, and how the Liberal Party retained power amid a turbulent campaign.

• Liberal Comeback: Factors behind the Liberal resurgence,...

As Singapore approaches its 60th anniversary, it confronts a “fraying” international order driven by US–China rivalry, prompting a pragmatic “many-friends” foreign policy, deepening ASEAN centrality, and active bilateral partnerships to safeguard strategic autonomy . Domestically, Prime Minister Lawrence Wong’s smooth succession and the Forward Singapore consultations aim to refresh the social compact ahead of GE2025, fostering inc...

• US–Iran Nuclear Negotiations Delayed

• Rubio Becomes Interim National Security Advisor

• US Engagement in India–Pakistan De-escalation

• US–Ukraine Reconstruction Investment Fund Launched

• Congo–Rwanda Peace Accord and Mineral Investment Push

• Israel Strikes Near Damascus Presidential Palace

• Russia–North Korea Strategic Border Bridge Construction Begins

• Gaza-Bound Aid Ship Attacked by Drones off Malta

• Singapore’s General Election Tests New PM’...

• The emergence of non-state actors as new sovereigns, wielding influence comparable to or surpassing that of nation-states.
• The vast economic scale and market capitalisation of leading technology firms, often exceeding the GDP of many countries.
• The dominance of tech giants over critical digital infrastructure, including cloud computing (AWS, Azure, GCP) and mobile operating systems (Android, iOS).
• The strategic power derived f...

• The dramatic collapse of Bashar al-Assad’s regime in December 2024.
• The lightning offensive led by Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) and allies culminating in the fall of Damascus.
• The rise and dominance of HTS within the new political structures.
• The formal appointment of HTS leader Ahmed al-Sharaa as interim president.
• The establishment of the 23-member transitional government in March 2025.
• The composition of the new cabinet, including...

• The transformation of the Russia-Finland border from regulated interaction to a heavily secured frontier.
• Finland's closure of land border crossings.
• The unprecedented surge in asylum seekers from third countries arriving via Russia as the trigger for border closures.
• Finland's accusation that Russia deliberately orchestrated or facilitated the migration flows as a hybrid tactic, specifically "instrumentalized mig...

• US and Ukraine Finalize Strategic Minerals Agreement
• India Suspends Indus Waters Treaty, Escalating Tensions with Pakistan
• Russia and North Korea Launch Construction of Strategic Border Bridge
• US Issues Stern Warning to Iran Over Houthi Support Amid Yemen Strikes
• Liberal Minority Government Takes Shape in Canada Following Election
• Global Economy Navigates Inflation and Interest Rate Decisions
• Natural Disasters Update: Myanmar Quake R...

-Emerging from the devastation of World War II, the European project aimed to secure lasting peace and rebuild the continent by fundamentally changing the relations between nations.  
-The pivotal 1950 Schuman Declaration proposed placing Franco-German coal and steel production under a joint High Authority, making war between the historical rivals "materially impossible".  
-This initiative led six founding nation...