Author: Mustansar Klasra

Labour holds power, but narrowly: Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre’s Labour Party secured a second term, but remains dependent on smaller left-leaning allies to govern. Populist surge reshapes politics: Sylvi Listhaug’s Progress Party doubled its seats, signaling a rightward shift that could pressure future policymaking. Energy and economy at the core: Norway’s role as Europe’s top gas supplier clashes with domestic calls to limit oil exploration, while inflation and rising costs dominate public debate. Foreign policy continuity with caution: Norway remains a strong NATO ally, but must carefully balance relations with Trump’s Washington and the European Union. When Norwegians went…

Xi Jinping flaunted closer ties with Vladimir Putin and Kim Jong Un during a military parade in Beijing, signaling defiance of the U.S.-led order. Despite the optics, China remains cautious: no formal alliance, no direct arms supplies to Russia, and unease over North Korea’s unpredictability. Beijing faces trade-offs—Russia provides raw materials and strategic leverage, but ties with Europe, vital for technology and markets, are fraying. China seeks to exploit U.S. disarray to project itself as a unifier, but risks entanglement in Russia’s war and North Korea’s brinkmanship. When Xi Jinping appeared in Tiananmen Square last week, clad in a Mao-style…

Shigeru Ishiba resigns after humiliating election defeats, leaving Japan in political limbo at a critical economic moment. Trade deal with Trump fails to shield Ishiba from public anger over inflation, wages, and living costs. LDP succession battle looms, with Shinjiro Koizumi and Sanae Takaichi emerging as top contenders. Populist Sanseito party surges, threatening to reshape Japan’s political order and drag fringe nationalism into the mainstream. Shigeru Ishiba, Japan’s embattled prime minister, finally bowed to the inevitable on Sunday. His resignation, coming less than a year after he clawed his way into office, underscores a deep political crisis in Tokyo at…

Federal Overreach Debate: Trump’s deployment of National Guard troops in Washington, D.C. sparks lawsuits and protests over executive power. Chicago in the Crosshairs: Trump threatens to expand the strategy to Chicago, raising fears of a wider urban militarization. Divided Local Response: Some residents welcome the troop presence for safety, while others see it as an “occupation.” Symbolic Test Case: Washington, D.C.’s lack of statehood makes it a proving ground for Trump’s federal authority play. The sight of armored Humvees parked near the U.S. Capitol, their camouflage crews standing guard under autumn skies, has turned Washington into something closer to a…

Trump’s candid post about India aligning with China was not weakness but strategic honesty. His “Howdy Modi” and Ahmedabad remarks underline enduring U.S.–India friendship. Tariffs and tough talk are leverage to secure fairer trade and stronger alliances. India’s flirtation with China is temporary; Trump’s strength ensures it returns to America. On a crisp January morning at the Capitol, India’s foreign minister sat prominently in the front row at President Donald J. Trump’s inauguration. The image captured a broader truth: U.S.–India relations, once tentative, had reached their warmest point in decades under Trump. It was the culmination of years of outreach…

Freedom Edge Drill: The U.S., Japan, and South Korea will launch Freedom Edge on September 15, aimed at enhancing aerial, naval, and cyber capabilities against North Korea’s nuclear and missile threats. Xi’s Grand Parade: China showcased its military might at the 80th-anniversary parade in Beijing, attended by Vladimir Putin, Kim Jong Un, Pakistan’s PM, and others—signaling a new bloc against Western influence. Troika Rising: The China-Russia-North Korea alignment is strengthening, with Kim holding summits with both Xi and Putin during his visit, highlighting growing strategic coordination. Toward a New Cold War: Analysts warn these moves reflect the formation of rival…

Nearly 30 pro-Ukraine allies met in Paris with President Zelenskiy to discuss security guarantees in response to Putin’s threat of ending the war “by force.” France, the U.K., and other European states finalized “technical plans” for security guarantees but acknowledged they cannot move forward without U.S. backing. Donald Trump’s envoy held side meetings in Paris, with European leaders hoping to pressure Washington into providing a credible security “backstop.” Analysts warned Putin’s statements were meant to divide the coalition, while diplomats stressed that peace remains a “remote” prospect. PARIS — With the war in Ukraine grinding into its fourth year and…

Donald Trump vows he is determined to secure peace between Russia and Ukraine. In a bold move, Trump presented Zelensky with a new map showing a 20% smaller Ukraine. The U.S. President claims to be in direct talks with both Vladimir Putin and Volodymyr Zelensky. Trump insists “something is going to happen,” raising hopes and fears about a possible settlement. It was the kind of revelation that can alter the course of history. In the middle of an otherwise routine telephone interview with an American television network, President Donald Trump dropped a bombshell: he has a plan to bring peace…

Xi Jinping’s military parade showcased China’s technological strength and sent a clear message that Beijing will not bow to Western pressure or containment strategies. Leaders from Russia, North Korea, and 24 other nations stood with China, signaling the rise of a multipolar world challenging U.S. dominance. Advanced weapons, including hypersonic missiles and underwater drones, demonstrated China’s ability to deter military provocations and defend its sovereignty. The parade tied China’s WWII sacrifices to its modern-day struggle for national rejuvenation, projecting strength, unity, and historical legitimacy. Under the bright Beijing sky, the thunder of marching boots, roaring fighter jets, and the precision…

Xi Jinping hosting Putin and Kim in Beijing signals the rise of a powerful Eastern axis challenging Western dominance amid the Ukraine war. Trilateral military and economic cooperation threatens to undermine Western sanctions and NATO’s strategic edge. Russia’s energy pivot to Asia deepens as China and North Korea provide lifelines to Moscow despite Western isolation efforts. Europe faces a geopolitical dilemma as the Ukraine war accelerates the birth of a multipolar world led by Beijing and its allies. By hosting Vladimir Putin and Kim Jong Un in Beijing for the first time on the same stage, China’s President Xi Jinping…