Headlines

Iran ceasefire owes to rapidfire depletion of key US weapons

The fragile US-Iran ceasefire announced on April 7, 2026, after 40 days of war came at an opportune time for the United States. Several reports indicate it is running out of weapons amid the conflict. As a scholar focused on US military deployments, these reports are concerning

Asia

EU kickstarts Mercosur pact to counter US trade hit

BRUSSELS, April 30 - The European Union and South American bloc Mercosur will implement on Friday a contentious free trade agreement that the EU in particular hopes will benefit exporters and calm critics, even if it cannot fully offset the blow from U.S. tariffs.

Asia

Taiwan’s Cheng will face a tough crowd on US visit

Fresh from consultations with Chinese paramount leader Xi Jinping in April, Cheng Li-wun, the Chairwoman of Taiwan’s Kuomintang (KMT), plans to visit the US in June. It will be awkward. During her US visit, at which she hopes to talk with US officials and politicians and visit

Asia

Will UAE’s exit spell the end of OPEC?

The decision by the United Arab Emirates to leave the oil producers’ cartel OPEC after 59 years is more than a symbolic break. It highlights a growing divide among major oil producers over how to respond to a changing energy landscape, and will weaken the group’s ability to

Asia

Indonesia shows the non-aligned way through US-China rivalry

On April 13, 2026, Indonesia executed a rare feat of high-stakes diplomatic choreography. On one side of the planet, Defense Minister Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin stood at the Pentagon to sign the Major Defense Cooperation Partnership (MDCP) with US Secretary of War Pete Hegseth.

Asia

Turkey is Iran war’s biggest winner — without firing a shot

When US and Israeli aircraft struck Iran on February 28, killing Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and decapitating much of the senior Iranian leadership, Turkey’s reaction was striking for what it withheld. President Recep Tayyip Erdogan described the US-Israeli attacks on Iran as a

Asia