North Korea’s party congress may signal strategic shifts on military, Korean unity by Kim
Five-yearly congress typically sets out Pyongyang’s military and political strategy
Global Briefing
The Global Briefing newsletter. Denis Staunton's guide to understanding world events - what’s happening, why it matters and how it affects you
The world could be about to get even more dangerous
Expiration of US-Russia deal raises risk of new nuclear arms race in which Europe could find itself in particularly uncomfortable position
What’s the deal between Donald Trump and Cuba?
US is reportedly seeking to negotiate regime change in Cuba, but the country has no oil and exports little
Will the ‘mother of all deals’ paper over the cracks between Europe and India?
Jilted by the United States, the European Union and India have agreed a trade deal after two decades of on-off negotiations
Why Enda Kenny may have paved the way for Moldova to unite with Romania
The Global Briefing: President Maia Sandu said she would prefer Moldova to give up its independence to become part of Romania
Donald Trump’s Board of Peace has important work to do in Gaza
Israel’s move towards opening Rafah crossing is vital step in starting work of Gaza’s new technocratic government under board’s supervision
Will Vietnam’s leader To Lam consolidate state and party power?
The Vietnamese Communist Party is set to re-elect Lam as general secretary, but it remains to be seen if he also becomes president
Mark Carney says rules-based global order is over, offers blueprint for ‘third path’
Canada’s prime minister calls on middle powers to act as counterweight to US and China in remarkable Davos speech
Congolese football fan’s tribute to Patrice Lumumba captures public imagination at Afcon
Michel Kuka Mboladinga evoked the pan-African struggle by mimicking statue of Congo’s first prime minister after winning independence
Japan’s Takaichi gambles with snap election to pursue radical agenda at home and abroad
It will be a challenge for the prime minister to turn her personal appeal into votes for her party
EU’s tricky discussion about talks with Vladimir Putin
Emmanuel Macron and Giorgia Meloni say it’s time to engage directly with Russia about ending the war in Ukraine, but who should lead negotiations?
Outcome of Uganda’s election seems certain, but what happens next will be revealing
Yoweri Museveni, in power since 1986, seems likely to extend his rule in a country that has become a key strategic ally of the West
Any US intervention in Iran ‘would be risky and costly, with no obvious benefit’
Leadership of the Islamic Republic is under unprecedented pressure following massive protests
Ukraine’s Zelenskiy is right to be sceptical over security guarantees
President is not sure if pledge from partner countries means they would protect Ukraine if Russia attacks again
China charms South Korea, pressures Japan in contrasting foreign policy stances
Beijing uses economic rewards and punishments to discourage what it sees as foreign interference over Taiwan
The EU doesn’t look ready to stop Donald Trump taking over Greenland
Annexing the territory is now US policy, says White House deputy chief of staff
The US attack on Venezuela threatens Chinese interests in more ways than one
China is the biggest buyer of Venezuela’s oil and the country’s largest creditor
Spike in Saudi Arabia-UAE tensions is good news for Houthis, bad news for US and China
Saudi Arabian air strikes on a southern Yemeni port targeted weapons supplied by the United Arab Emirates to local separatist forces
Main party affiliated with Myanmar’s military claims victory in first elections since 2021
Almost nobody believes that Myanmar’s first elections since the 2021 coup are free or fair.
Ireland spends record €330m to tackle humanitarian crises as others cut aid budgets
US remains the biggest humanitarian donor, despite making cuts, with European governments reducing aid budgets to fund more defence spending
Israel’s recognition of Somaliland could leave both more isolated than before
Donald Trump says United States would not be following Israel’s move, which has drawn broad condemnation
Algeria passes law declaring French colonisation of country a crime
New legislation makes call for reparations and official apology which Macron has so far refused to do
South Korea’s new president opens the door to renewed dialogue with North Korea
President Lee Jae Myung seeks to improve cross-border relations amid unprecedented hostility, but Kim Jong-un is not biting
Trump appointment of US special envoy to Greenland is worrying new development
US strategy has shifted to seeking to exploit discontent in Greenland towards Denmark
Unravelling of plan to use frozen Russian assets is good news for EU and Ukraine
New scheme for €90 billion loan to Kyiv is more straightforward and legally stable
Tunisia returns to autocratic rule, 15 years after Jasmine Revolution
Country saw first of a string of movements across North Africa and Middle East that became known as the Arab Spring
Trump’s chief of staff goes full Mean Girls in gossipy and illuminating interview
Trump has an alcoholic’s personality, JD Vance is a conspiracy theorist and Elon Musk is an ‘odd, odd duck’, Susie Wiles tells Vanity Fair
Jimmy Lai conviction offers evidence of Hong Kong’s twin-track justice system
Former media tycoon’s case came under draconian National Security Law that supersedes city’s common law procedures
New Chilean leader faces task of keeping good terms with both US and China
José Antonio Kast, who won Sunday’s presidential election, is ideologically aligned with Trump, but China is Chile’s biggest trading partner
Tensions in Tanzania as president calls off Independence Day weeks after election win
Samia Suluhu Hassan, re-elected with almost 98 per cent of the vote, faces a young, increasingly well-educated and independent-minded population
US and China urge restraint after fresh clashes on Thailand-Cambodia border
July ceasefire was reached after Trump threatened steep tariffs for both countries, and he may use this tactic again
Europe should reassess its relationships with Russia and China
Painful choices in Russia talks over Ukraine should not be left to US, while China’s status as a strategic rival deserves another look as Trump targets the EU
EU needs fresh thinking as Trump calls time on US ‘propping up entire world order’
Trump administration’s recently published security strategy is hostile to the EU and no longer identifies Russia as an adversary
Crosswords & Puzzles
Crosswords & puzzles to keep you challenged and entertained
Common Ground
How does a post-Brexit world shape the identity and relationship of these islands
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