Commentary

Russian President Vladimir Putin recently visited Tajikistan to attend the Russia-Central Asia Summit and a meeting of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS).

Public debt, the technology market bubble, and protectionism are casting a shadow over the agenda of the annual meeting of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank (WB), which are currently taking place in Washington, the US.

Despite significant efforts, the Republican and Democratic parties have yet to find common ground on the budget, causing the US government to remain “shut down.”

The global green energy transition roadmap marked a major milestone in the first half of 2025, with renewable energy sources generating more electricity than coal worldwide.

More than a decade after applying for ASEAN membership, Timor-Leste’s steadfast efforts have finally borne fruit. The 47th ASEAN Summit, scheduled for October 2025, is expected to mark a historic milestone for both sides, as Timor-Leste becomes the 11th member under the ASEAN “common roof.”

The European Union (EU) has unveiled detailed measures to protect farmers across the bloc, aiming to ease concerns over its trade agreement with the four South American nations of the MERCOSUR group.

The war in Gaza has entered its third year. After much disappointment, hope has been rekindled with US President Donald Trump’s Gaza peace plan. The international community has expressed a strong determination to seize this opportunity to end the conflict, even though the process is expected to face many challenges.

Emerging security challenges are not only exposing vulnerabilities in Europe’s defence system but also testing the region’s unity, as military capabilities, budgets and security priorities differ significantly among member states.

In his speech at Germany’s recent National Day celebrations, Chancellor Friedrich Merz called for the country to embark on a “new beginning.”

The rapid development of information technology and artificial intelligence (AI) has created a historic turning point for the world economy but also opened a fierce war against cybercrime. Ensuring cyber security has become a common challenge for all humanity.

The 20-point peace plan recently unveiled by the US is widely regarded as Washington’s most significant diplomatic initiative to date aimed at resolving the ongoing conflict in Gaza.

European Hydrogen Week is currently taking place in Brussels, Belgium, drawing keen attention from industry leaders, policymakers, and researchers in clean technology and green energy transition across Europe.

As one of the world’s largest free trade agreements (FTAs), the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) is increasingly asserting its role as a pillar of the global trading system, especially at a time when geopolitical instability and protectionist trends are on the rise.

Many countries see the US tightening of the H-1B visa programme as an opportunity to step up the attraction of international talent in the context of increasingly fierce global competition in technology and the knowledge economy.

The budget allocated to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) is severely short by trillions of US dollars, sounding an alarm about the risk that many countries will miss the 2030 targets set in their SDG commitments.

After 14 years mired in civil war, Syria has entered a new chapter of development, albeit accompanied by numerous challenges stemming from ongoing insecurity, ethnic divisions, and complex regional dynamics.

Several Western countries, including the UK and France, have recently made a historic decision to recognise the State of Palestine. Although largely seen as a symbolic step, the wave of recognition by numerous nations has injected fresh momentum into efforts to secure peace and stability in the Middle East.

On the sidelines of the 80th session of the United Nations General Assembly, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov held an important meeting with his US counterpart Marco Rubio on the Ukraine crisis.

Around 16,500 people have lost their lives due to unusual heatwaves in Europe this summer. In total, 181,000 people in the continent have died for the same reason over the past three years. These heartbreaking figures once again show that climate change is causing unpredictable impacts and immeasurable consequences for humans and the Earth.

The fragmentation and division of the global economy due to trade barriers, protectionism, or conflicts of interest are a major risk to sustainable development.