Category: Europe

Signal of Opportunity: What the EU-India Free Trade Agreement means for Australia    

After almost a decade of stalled talks, India and the European Union have pledged to establish a free trade agreement (FTA) by the end of this year. The new deal aims to remove domestic market barriers and encourage foreign domestic investment, while maintaining protections around geographical indications to ensure respective agricultural markets are not misused in the name of economic growth. The path to finalising this FTA has not been straightforward, and more roadblocks remain as leaders from both sides face diplomatic delays, increasing tariffs and protectionist challenges from other great powers. … Continue readingSignal of Opportunity: What the EU-India Free Trade Agreement means for Australia    

Pan-Arabism in Egypt: A Mainspring in the Exodus of Greek-Egyptians and Foreign Diplomacy Today

To understand the decisions leading to the Greek exodus, we must first anchor ourselves in the early 1900s political climate and discourse that permeated Egypt at that time. Remains of these movements are visible in the Greek-Egyptian political relationship today, and multilateral efforts are being made to combat these challenges.  … Continue readingPan-Arabism in Egypt: A Mainspring in the Exodus of Greek-Egyptians and Foreign Diplomacy Today

21st Century Oppenheimer: The History and Future of Nuclear Weapons and the Fight to Turn Back the Clock on Doomsday.

From the recent success of Christopher Nolan’s ‘Oppenheimer’ to Putin’s threats of all out nuclear war, there has been a fevered reinvigoration of interest in nuclear weapons and the likelihood of WW3. This article will explore both the past and present of nuclear power, to judge truly just how close we are to midnight.  … Continue reading21st Century Oppenheimer: The History and Future of Nuclear Weapons and the Fight to Turn Back the Clock on Doomsday.

WHY CHECHENS ARE FIGHTING FOR – AND AGAINST – RUSSIA IN UKRAINE

At first glance, Chechnya — the small Russian republic in the Northern Caucasus region — appears an unlikely candidate for substantial involvement in Russia’s war against Ukraine. The republic is barely 0.1% of Russia’s total area, and contains less than 1% of Russia’s population. Perhaps even less likely is a scenario in which Chechens fight in Ukraine on both sides. Yet both situations are now playing out. To understand why, we must understand how Chechnya’s current religious and geopolitical circumstances developed. … Continue readingWHY CHECHENS ARE FIGHTING FOR – AND AGAINST – RUSSIA IN UKRAINE

Surging Prices: The Reasons behind Increasing Global Gas Prices

“Over the past two years, natural gas prices have more than doubled. Those of us who use gas every day, such as for cooking and heating our homes, have seen enormous cost increases but many are unsure why. So what has happened? Everything.”

Monique Westcott addresses this burning question. … Continue readingSurging Prices: The Reasons behind Increasing Global Gas Prices

Sports and Politics: Can They Be Kept Separate?

The implications of the Russian invasion of Ukraine continue to expand beyond politics and the economy and into new contexts, the latest of which has been sport. The highly esteemed English tennis competition Wimbledon has made the decision to impose a ban on Russian and Belarusian players as part of a global effort to sanction Russia for its attack on Ukraine.

Sneha Ramanan discusses the significance of this ban and asks the question: Can sport and politics ever truly be separated? … Continue readingSports and Politics: Can They Be Kept Separate?

THE WORST IS YET TO COME IF WE DON’T ACCEPT RESPONSIBILITY – AN UPDATE ON DISPLACEMENT CRISES AND ATTITUDES TO MIGRATION ACROSS THE WORLD

At the close of 2020,the UNHCR predicted that the number of displaced persons would, for the first time in history, reach 82.4 million people. The twenty-first century has seen many factors that have contributed to the number of peoples displaced; a global pandemic, climate change, economic crises, a surge in nationalist foreign policies, harsher border policies and domestic as well as interstate conflict. Many people have been left uprooted and unable to stay in their own homes, sometimes even their own country. … Continue readingTHE WORST IS YET TO COME IF WE DON’T ACCEPT RESPONSIBILITY – AN UPDATE ON DISPLACEMENT CRISES AND ATTITUDES TO MIGRATION ACROSS THE WORLD

Sanctions, Sanctions, Sanctions: What Are They and What Exactly Do They Achieve?

‘Putin’s invasion of Ukraine has stunned the world and left many of us reeling as scenes of horror and destruction are emerging from Eastern Europe. As we near the fourth week of the military conflict, a peaceful resolution for both countries still looks unlikely. NATO and its allies have remained resolute in imposing economic sanctions to oppose Russia, rather than engaging militarily.’

Sneha Ramanan takes a look at the purpose and actual effect of these sanctions. … Continue readingSanctions, Sanctions, Sanctions: What Are They and What Exactly Do They Achieve?