Shadow Fleets and Teapot Refineries – The Shady Fuel of Chinese Growth
From the Persian Gulf to the Shandong Province, shadow fleets and teapot refineries are part of a strategy to fuel Chinese growth.
What factors drive the ongoing practice of FGM, and what interventions have struggled to stop it completely?
Despite legal and awareness efforts, one of the world’s most painful and harmful traditions continues to impact millions of women each year. Female
Explainer: Who is Sheikh Hasina?
In November 2025, the tribunal found Hasina guilty of crimes against humanity, citing unlawful killings, widespread brutality, and systematic repression of civilian protestors. She was sentenced to death in a trial held in absentia.
Opinion: Senae Takaichi: Japan’s Iron Lady
Last month, Japan elected its first female Prime Minister in its history, as Sanae Takaichi was became leader of the Liberal Democratic party
APEC 2025 – Shifting Alliances and New Realities in East Asia
The 2025 Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit concluded in South Korea with a mix of optimism and tension, reflecting how East Asia’s alliances
The Emperor’s Shadow – Xi Jinping’s New Great Purge
President Xi, now in an unprecedented fourth term has orchestrated the biggest set of purges since Mao. Justifying his actions by labelling those
Myanmar: The War We Choose to Ignore
While our attention remains fixed on the harrowing tragedies in Gaza and Ukraine, another conflict is unfolding largely unnoticed in Southeast Asia. In
Panda diplomacy: The Politics of Pandas
For decades, China has loaned its Giant Pandas to zoos worldwide, a symbol of generosity but also a gesture that blends cultural charm
Same-Sex Marriage Legalised in Thailand
Thailand’s long-awaited equal marriage law came into effect on Thursday 16th January after it passed both houses in June last year and gained
China Outpaces the US in South American Trade
In the wake of the US election results, future implications for international affairs and US global influence are being considered across the world.