The Debrief

King Maha Vajiralongkorn of Thailand was invited by President Xi Jinping of China, to a state visit to mark 50 years since both countries established diplomatic ties for the first time in 1975. China is believed to have been pushing for this visit to happen for some years, and it finally took place on Thursday,Continue reading “The Debrief 17 – What the Thai King’s Visit to China Signals for the West”

Donald Trump’s re-election has energised populist forces on this side of the pond, but is he doing more harm than good?

Canada heads to the polls amidst the spectre of Trumpby Daniel Cramphorn New Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney (left) meets with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer on 17 March 2025. (Image Credit: 10 Downing Street, Wikimedia Commons). On 28 April Canada will go to the polls for the first time in four years to electContinue reading “The Debrief: Issue Fifteen”

The profitability and availability of forced labour in Kyrgyzstanby Gavin Southway Image Credit: Ninara, Wikimedia Commons. The mountains of Kyrgyzstan provide a beautiful backdrop for a story. Cloud-crested mountains roll around the area, surrounded by traditional yurts, keeping the soul of the nation’s rich cultural heritage alive in this small pocket of Central Asia. TheContinue reading “The Debrief: Issue Fourteen”

Ukraine’s winter ahead: Why Biden’s latest weapons shipments could spell the war’s endby Joe Langham An apartment block in Avdiivka, Donetsk Oblast, destroyed by Russian bombing in 2022. Image Credit: National Police of Ukraine, Wikimedia Commons In Ukraine, winter is setting in. As the temperatures fall towards freezing, the solid ground makes trench-digging more challenging,Continue reading “The Debrief: Issue Thirteen”

Olaf Scholz’s beleaguered government collapsesby Daniel Cramphorn York Global Affairs’ Editor-in-Chief Daniel Cramphorn traces the long decline and fall of Germany’s governing coalition, as well as the prospects for the political parties in the upcoming federal election, and the subsequent coalition negotiations. The signing of Germany’s coalition agreement in December 2021. From left to right:Continue reading “The Debrief: Issue Twelve”

With protests, a hurricane, and power outages, what’s next for Cuba?by Gavin Southway Cuba hasn’t had it easy recently. It’s undergone its worst economic crisis since the ‘Special Period’ of the 1990s. It’s almost a country that is the opposite of the rest of the world: basic goods are cheap but hard to find. FuelContinue reading “The Debrief: Issue Eleven”

Third terms the charm: Lula’s first month backby Eleanor Austin Since his inauguration on 1 January 2023, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva’s homecoming has been tumultuous, with the first week of his presidency seeing an attempted coup d’etat by 5,000 pro-Bolsonaro protestors. The insurrectionists declared that the presidential election had been stolen, and that BolsonaroContinue reading “the debrief: issue ten”

The GOP in disarray: disappointing result for Republicans in US midterms spells trouble for the GOP 2024 presidential campaign by Fraser Cadman What next for the Republican Party? After a set of underwhelming results, GOP members have begun pointing the finger at who is to blame for their failure to take full control of CongressContinue reading “the debrief: issue nine”

disclaimer: this article is an opinion piece and reflects the views of the author Queen Elizabeth II was a European Queen by Orestis Sechas The message of Queen Elizabeth II’s death plunged most of the European community into deep grief. Although Her Majesty’s passing was mostly met with mournful reactions, some were less sad andContinue reading “the debrief: issue eight”