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.

Gaza Starts to Feel Forgotten amid Syrian Crisis

Many Palestinians in Gaza cheered the scenes in Syria this week, as rebels overthrew Bashar al-Assad’s regime. Last month they watched the war in Lebanon end; now Syria’s 13-year civil war might be at a close too. But Israel’s war in Gaza drags on. At least 28 people were killed in Israeli strikes on Thursday, according to Palestinian medics.

The Group of Seven is the new Saviour of Africa

Group of Seven (G7) is an informal grouping of advanced democracies (Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, United Kingdom and the United States) that meets annually to coordinate global economic policy and address other transnational issues. The G7 plays a significant role in global governance, as its member countries are among the world’s largest economies and have a substantial impact on international relations. The G7’s engagement in Africa is crucial for sustainable development, as the continent faces numerous challenges, including poverty, climate change, and security threats.

Role of the Indian Diaspora in 2024 General Election

This year is significant because many of the countries have their general elections. India, being the largest democracy, the general election set to begin on April 19. The major contenders in this election are the National Democratic Alliance (NDA), which the current ruling party Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is part of; and the Indian National Congress (INC). For this election, the Congress has formed a new alliance Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) with several regional political parties. The influence of the Indian diaspora on Indian elections eventually increased over the decades.