World politics

World politics

The Royal Navy's preparations are being built around five key areas, he said, just one of which is the Hybrid Navy. This is a vision for a future fleet transformed into a mix of crewed, uncrewed and autonomous assets, comprising traditional air, surface and subsurface systems working with and alongside drones and other cutting-edge weapon systems.

The head of the University of Sydney's advanced carbon research lab, Prof Yuan Chen, states that the concept of avoiding petrochemicals is misaligned with scientific understanding, as almost all medical consumables come from petrochemical products.

High interest rates 'froze' housing markets and 'closed' construction markets, making stock markets super interest rate sensitive. Now, oil is becoming the primary economic lever.

Washington and its allies accused Beijing of detaining and holding up Panama-linked ships, claiming China's actions were a blatant attempt to politicise maritime trade.

Somalia's recent election to the African Union Peace and Security Council, alongside its membership in the United Nations Security Council, marks a turning point in its diplomatic trajectory. This shift reflects more than a procedural achievement; it signals the maturity of Somalia's diplomatic and security institutions, and the steady rebuilding of its international credibility after decades of conflict and state fragility.

In 2025, the five biggest military spenders were the United States ($954bn), China ($336bn), Russia ($190bn), Germany ($114bn) and India ($92bn), accounting for more than half (58 percent) of world military spending.

The concentration of growth in Catholicism has shifted towards Africa and the Americas, with more than half of the increase in 2022-23 occurring in Africa, indicating a demographic shift that began in 1970.

The war in Iran, now in its ninth week, is still setting the tone. The war disrupted global oil supply, which pushes energy prices and inflation higher. Inflation doesn't just hit gas and grocery bills - it also spooks the bond market, which mortgage rates tend to follow.

The over-reliance on punitive measures has led to their growing ineffectiveness, particularly evident in the context of the US-Israel war on Iran, which may further weaken the impact of US sanctions.

The US Constitution limits a president's war-making powers. A subsequent law passed in 1973, dubbed the War Powers Act, further codified that presidents must cease military action after 60 days, or receive congressional authorization to legally continue.