As the 2026 Spring Festival draws to a close, fresh data suggests China’s holiday spending boom reflects more than peak consumption. It points to a deeper structural transition, as consumers shift from buying more goods to buying in different ways.
Despite its economic might, the European Union is often labelled a “geopolitical dwarf.” The only region where it acts as an indisputable player, able to assert its will with relative ease, is the Western Balkans, along with parts of Eastern Europe.
Against a backdrop of mounting environmental pressure across Central Asia, the Kazakh Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources has announced that the Regional Ecological Summit (RES) 2026 will take place from 22–24 April in Astana.
In an era of accelerating geopolitical realignments and shifts in the global economy, Azerbaijan is expanding its foreign policy beyond traditional regional confines. Southeast Asia has emerged as a key frontier in this evolving multi-vector strategy.
As the U.S. grows increasingly unpredictable, historical alliances are under immense pressure. Since WWII, Europe and the U.S. have shared a robust, multifaceted relationship. Once driven by Cold War rivalry and the Soviet threat, this alliance now faces serious challenges.
On 11 January, Russia’s war in Ukraine crossed a symbolic threshold. It entered its 1,418th day, matching exactly the duration of the Great Patriotic War of 1941–1945. Despite promises of “taking Kyiv in three days” the number has now exposed the limits of Russian power and strategy.
As Europe accelerates its energy transition, Azerbaijan is emerging as a pivotal supplier of renewable electricity. Through a growing network of green energy corridors, Baku could reshape energy security in the Balkans and beyond.
What has unfolded in northern Syria recently is not the dramatic defeat of a community, nor a humanitarian parable of “betrayal”. It reflects a familiar pattern in Middle Eastern geopolitics: the quiet removal of a proxy whose strategic usefulness has expired.
Whoever was responsible for scheduling the sessions at the recently held World Economic Forum in Davos showed a keen sense of geopolitical choreography.
Against a backdrop of mounting environmental pressure across Central Asia, the Kazakh Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources has announced that the Regional Ecological Summit (RES) 2026 will take place from 22–24 April in Astana.
Speaking on Armenian public radio on 9 January, Armenia’s Minister of Economy Gevorg Papoyan made some important announcements for 2026. Among them, discussions between Yerevan and Baku over the range of products Armenia can potentially export to Azerbaijan.
Fears of the end of the West, to paraphrase Mark Twain, may be premature. But they might not be premature for long.
Since the United States and other Western countries remain hesitant to formally recognise and engage with the Taliban-led government, Afghanistan has been left with little choice but to look closer to home.
Despite its economic might, the European Union is often labelled a “geopolitical dwarf.” The only region where it acts as an indisputable player, able to assert its will with relative ease, is the Western Balkans, along with parts of Eastern Europe.
The post-pandemic period marked a turning point in global debates over politics, economics, and governance. In late 2022, the release of ChatGPT accelerated the shift from abstract discussions of artificial intelligence to its everyday relevance.
The world has not fallen into disorder. What we are witnessing is the consolidation of a new global era shaped by power, influence, and competing centres of authority.
Last year, China’s imports hit a record value of 18.48 trillion yuan ($2.65 trillion). For decades, the orthodox view of the Chinese economy focused almost exclusively on its export prowess. However, the granular breakdown of the 2025 data reveals that this operating model has been superseded.
Speaking on Armenian public radio on 9 January, Armenia’s Minister of Economy Gevorg Papoyan made some important announcements for 2026. Among them, discussions between Yerevan and Baku over the range of products Armenia can potentially export to Azerbaijan.
Fears of the end of the West, to paraphrase Mark Twain, may be premature. But they might not be premature for long.
As tensions between Iran and the U.S. persist, authorities in Tehran are facing another problem—this time at home.
Over the past two years, Azerbaijan's engagement with Africa has evolved from promising diplomatic overtures into substantive, results-driven partnerships that are already delivering tangible benefits.
The United States’ actions in Venezuela have clearly demonstrated not only that Latin America remains firmly in Washington’s geopolitical orbit, but also that the U.S. is the only global superpower.
Japan's elevated interest in Central Asia reflects a combination of economic motives, such as access to resources and investment opportunities, as well as geopolitical goals aimed at promoting regional stability and enabling a counterbalance to other major powers.
Since the United States and other Western countries remain hesitant to formally recognise and engage with the Taliban-led government, Afghanistan has been left with little choice but to look closer to home.
Over the past two decades, Azerbaijan has transformed itself from a post-Soviet bureaucracy into a pioneer of digital governance in its region.
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