Asia's Olympic moment has its roots in Cold War politics
Mar 10, 2017 03:16 am UTC| Insights & Views Sports
China, host of the 2008 Summer and 2022 Winter Olympic Games, has turned into a major sports power, if its medal tally at the recent Rio Olympics is any indication. Japan, which will hold the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo,...
Why Assad's military gains don't translate to success in Syrian peace talks
Mar 10, 2017 03:15 am UTC| Insights & Views
The uprising in Syria will mark its sixth anniversary on March 15, but the Syrian war has far from run its course. Much has changed in the Syrian governments favour over the past 18 months. Russias decision to formally...
Global Geo-political Series: Is President Trump really good for Russia?
Mar 06, 2017 07:48 am UTC| Commentary
After the Republican candidate Donald Trump won the US election on November 8th last year, many in the United States and in the foreign capitals, a victory for the Russian President Vladimir Putin, who allegedly might have...

Why China may want to repair its fraught relations with the Vatican
Mar 03, 2017 06:04 am UTC| Insights & Views
A 65-year-long split between China and the Vatican may finally be getting repaired. Hong Kong Cardinal John Tong recently indicated that there might be an agreement over the thorniest issue between the two sides Vaticans...

Thieves in the night: can a slogan trigger real improvement in Romanian politics?
Feb 27, 2017 08:54 am UTC| Insights & Views Politics
It is rather unusual for a country like Romania to catch the eye of the international public to the extent it has in the past month. An unprecedented wave of protests saw thousands of Romanians take to the streets...
After a tense election, Ecuador is divided over its political future
Feb 27, 2017 08:50 am UTC| Insights & Views
After three tense days of waiting, Ecuadors National Electoral Council has confirmed that former vice president Lenin Moreno, of the ruling Alianza Pais (AP) party, won the first round in the countrys presidential...
Sons of Iraq: Mosul will only recover if we heed the lessons of the US invasion
Feb 27, 2017 08:42 am UTC| Insights & Views
After months of fighting, Iraqi Security Forces have finally regained control of the eastern half of Mosul, the last urban stronghold of Islamic State in Iraq. They are now advancing on the citys west. The recapture of...