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TOPICS

Lee Jae-myung Could Help Restart Trump-Kim Jong-un’s Relationship

Dayon Lee South Korea’s new president, Lee Jae-myung, has prioritized de-escalation with North Korea, creating a diplomatic window for renewed Trump-Kim talks amid global instability and stalled US efforts elsewhere. During his inaugural ball on January 20, 2025, President Trump was on a video call with US troops …

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Sizing Up World Religions

Christians remained the world’s biggest religious group. However, Christians (of all denominations) did not keep pace with global population growth from 2010 to 2020. 2 The number of Christians rose by 122 million — reaching 2.3 billion. Yet, as a share of the world’s population, Christians fell by …

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From Plato to Populism: The Crisis of Democracy as a Moral Idea

Nourinne Akhtar The idea of democracy has been more than a political system over centuries; from Plato’s Republic to the rise of twenty-first-century populism, it has been a moral aspiration, a promise of collective self-rule based on justice, equality, and human dignity. And today, that moral core seems …

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Strategic Trust and the Limits of Personal Politics in Southeast Asian International Relations

Pham Quang In the international relations structures in Southeast Asia, “strategic trust” acts as a glue between countries that are diverse in terms of institutions, histories, and national interests. Strategic trust can be understood as the extent to which one country believes that another country will not harm …

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Israel and the Unattainable Dream of Regional Dominance

Brian Hudson Despite Israel’s considerable military power in the Middle East, it can never achieve regional hegemony—a position that requires unquestionable dominance over all competitors and acceptance of its authority by neighboring countries. Since its establishment in 1948, Israel, relying on its military superiority and broad Western support, …

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Britain Between Two Worlds: Imperial Legacy and Post-Brexit Possibilities

Throughout modern history, Great Britain has consistently stood as the most influential political and economic power in the world. The country led the Industrial Revolution, established global trade routes, and was the ruler of a vast colonial empire; thus, Britain not only significantly changed the nature of the …

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How Will China Leverage the Iran Crisis?

Yen Mo U.S. President Donald Trump’s direct military intervention in the Israel-Iran conflict has complicated the Middle East situation, posing significant risks to both U.S. interests and his personal political future. Meanwhile, Tehran has little room for concessions, as excessive compromise could lead to loss of control over …

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“Most important” NATO summit ever

Martin Banks As world leaders gather for a crunch NATO summit, new polling says that nearly two-thirds of U.S. adults see a benefit to NATO membership. The Pew Research poll comes on the eve of what many see as the most important NATO summit in many years. This will be …

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Russia Signs Agreements Aim at Bolstering Economic Partnership with Republic of Mali

On June 23, President Vladimir Putin held a diplomatic meeting with Interim President of the Republic of Mali, Assimi Goïta, during an official visit to Russia, according to the Kremlin reports. Last time Assimi Goïta participated in the Russia-Africa Summit in St Petersburg in 2023, and his delegation’s …

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