An Independent Scotland and a United Ireland for the World

Ten years after the contemporary Scottish independence movement began, Scotland’s independence and the long-awaited reunification of Ireland have become historic certainty. Political figures made the startling announcement that Northern Ireland will soon join the Republic of Ireland and that Scotland will be recognised as an independent country. The British Isles, as well as the distribution of power and international relations worldwide, are now redefined by these two significant events, which have their roots in decades of cultural revival, political unrest, and revolutionary catalysts.

The AI Revolution Comes to Drugs

Developing a drug is a complex process that often fails. It begins by identifying a target, such as a protein or gene, associated with a disease. Researchers then search for a molecule that can either block or enhance the target’s activity safely. This can involve screening as many as 1 million compounds before selecting just one or two promising candidates. Software can help to identify such molecules. But generative artificial intelligence (AI) can dream up entirely new ones to test. BCG, a consultancy, estimates that about 65 AI-inspired molecules are currently being tested on humans.

China Promised to Vigourously Boost Consumption

After their annual Central Economic Work Conference, which finished on Thursday, China’s leaders promised to “vigourously” boost consumption. New economic figures released on Monday will illustrate the size of the task ahead of them. Retail sales probably grew by about 4.5 percent in nominal terms in November, compared with a year earlier. That would be slower than the previous month, which was boosted by an early start to the “Singles’ Day” shopping festival. Consumer-price inflation, which has already been released, was only 0.2 percent, another symptom of weak spending.

Time for Europe: Forging a New Path Ahead

The US Elections are over and the victory is resoundingly for Donald Trump. Europe leaders are nervous about what it would mean for Europe, NATO and the war in Ukraine. European Union, the largest regional bloc, still doesn’t speak in one voice. French President Emmanuel Macron has been leading the charge in forging an independent Europe. Since the end of World War 2, Europe has been tangled with the US in all the ways possible which has created an atmosphere of dependence on the US.

How can China Respond to Trump’s New China Policy?

During his campaign, President-elect Donald Trump promised to impose 60% tariffs on Chinese goods and services coming to the United States. This time, Beijing seems already strategising to retaliate against the upcoming tariffs from the second Trump administration. Trump’s proposed tariffs on Chinese imports could disrupt China’s export-driven economic model, which has driven the country’s growth over the past few decades.

Sweden’s NATO Membership Rewrites Europe’s Military History

Sweden formally joined NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization) on March 7, 2024, becoming the 32nd nation to do so. Sweden’s membership, which follows that of neighbouring Finland, is a consequence of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. This move marked a major change in the country’s foreign policy and could influence the course of the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine. Membership marks a clear break with the past when for more than 200 years Sweden avoided the military alliances and adopted a neutral stance even in the war times. Swedish Prime Minister Ulf kristersson handed over the final documentation to the US government on 7th march. This was the last stage in prolonged process in gaining support for joining the military alliance.

What Does Sweden’s NATO Membership Signify?

On 7th March 2024, Sweden became the 32nd member to join NATO. Due to full-blown war between Russia and Ukraine, NATO is becoming key for the European countries to protect their territorial sovereignty. With Sweden’s accession, all Nordic countries became part of the alliance that was formed during the Cold War era. One of the key factors of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine was Kyiv’s attempt to join the anti-Russia military alliance, NATO. However, Russia’s belligerent move against Ukraine has provided detrimental results. Since Moscow’s invasion of Kyiv, nearly half a dozen countries in the region have increasingly expressed their willingness to join NATO

Sweden’s NATO Accession: What it Means for Russia-Ukraine War

After Finland joined NATO in 2023, Sweden followed and became an official member of NATO. After months of uncertainty caused by the hesitations of Turkey and Hungary, Sweden officially became a member of NATO. Turkey’s objections to Sweden’s membership were linked to concerns over the country’s policy towards the Kurdish militant organisations. A deal involving the transfer of F-16 fighter jets to Turkey appears to have played a role in unlocking Turkey’s changed stance on Sweden. Sweden, considering the deteriorating security environment since 2014, brought back its ‘Total Defence’ model in its defence policy

Rare Occasion of Cooperation between China and Taiwan

China Watch is our flagship newsletter and research programme offering critical insights, business intelligence and news on China and Taiwan. In this issue, the writer discuss about the rare occasion of cooperation between China and Taiwan followed by new milestone in India-China ties, China warning NATO, Evergande Fraud, and US-Philippines ties against China.