As part of China’s flagship ‘belt and road initiative’, the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) has formed the keystone of the two nation’s relations since 2013, with vast capital being poured into the programme. However, as Chinese infrastructure has appeared, so has violent opposition, including lethal bombings of Chinese workers by Pakistani insurgent groups, greatly […]

Ukraine’s independence day is on Wednesday 24 August: peaceful mass gatherings and celebratory events are common in urban areas to mark independence from the Soviet Union in 1991. This year, however, independence day events across the country (particularly in Kyiv and Kharkiv) have been banned after President Zelensky warned yesterday that the Russian military is […]

On 27 July, following months of political stagnation, tension among Shia protestors boiled, and thousands breached the secure Green Zone district in central Baghdad and broke into the Iraqi parliament building. Dispersed by security forces and tweets from their spiritual leader Muqtada al-Sadr, protestors returned three days later to rerun their storming of Parliament, but […]

Territorial revisionism pursued by Russia in Ukraine raises questions over the prospect of similar policies being pursued elsewhere. Amid souring relations between Washington and Beijing over the recent visit by Nancy Pelosi to Taipei it is not unrealistic to probe whether Beijing would seize a string of isolated islands in close proximity to mainland China: […]

Each year, The Spirit of Normandy Trust takes veterans of the 1944 Normandy landings back to northern France to commemorate the event. NGS is proud to sponsor the annual trip and support The Spirit of Normandy Trust.   This year the remaining veterans visited the new British Normandy Memorial where they saw for the first-time […]

Imran Khan’s Exit   Following the previous government’s mismanagement over a worsening economic and living crisis, Imran Khan was ousted from his position as prime minister on 10 April after losing a vote of no confidence. As a result, not one prime minister of Pakistan, in its 75 years as a country, has yet to […]

AMERCIAS   BRAZIL 07 September – Bicentennial anniversary of independence Mass demonstrations marking 200 years of independence are likely. As public dissatisfaction accumulates over persistent political and economic issues, government critics are likely to earmark this historic day for fresh nationwide protests, which may be particularly turbulent given its proximity to October’s presidential election. Last […]

Beijing’s “zero-COVID” policy has drawn worldwide attention and criticism, particularly as evidence suggests that the virus itself started in China. In this article, NGS intern Barney King looks at the detail of the policy, its impact on travellers, how it compares with other countries in Southeast Asia, and what the future might hold.      […]

Background   Fierce fighting has intensified along the Colombia-Venezuela border over the last two weeks. Bloody clashes between rival paramilitary groups, the National Liberation Army (ELN) and dissidents of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC), have left at least 27 dead, including civilians. The shared 2,200km frontier has long been a haven for organised […]

As politicians all over the world gather to prepare for the year ahead, COVID-19 will retain its place at the head of the global agenda. In 2022, the COVID-19 pandemic will continue to shape policy decisions, define the recovery of the world economy, and underpin freedom of travel. Government treasuries will have to contend with […]

Two connected border situations: Belarus-Poland and Russia-Ukraine   As many as 4,000 Middle Eastern migrants (primarily from Iraqi Kurdistan, Syria and Afghanistan) are currently stuck near the Polish border in Belarus. Having been invited there by the autocratic President Lukashenko of Belarus, with the promise of a swift entry into the EU, they have been […]

The UK city of Glasgow will host the 26th UN Climate Change Conference this November. The two-week-long event, beginning on 31 October, will attract large numbers of VIPs, including 120 heads of state. A further 30,000 delegates from 200 countries are expected to join to discuss changes to the climate and make commitments towards stalling […]