Are we ready for another ‘change of the World Order’?

After Nations: The Making and Unmaking of a World Order by Rana Dasgupta, published by William Collins, is reviewed here by William Crawley. We live in an age in which we think in terms of ‘the nation state’ – but what comes next? As globalisation seems to be coming to an end there is no shortage of books written within the same global framework. Rana Dasgupta’s After Nations: The Making and Unmaking of a World Order will rank as one of the most authoritative and entertaining.

Clan warfare in the Philippines takes on an international dimension

The International Criminal Court (ICC) in the Dutch city of The Hague has announced it will go ahead with the prosecution of Rodrigo Duterte, a former president of the Philippines, on three counts of crimes against humanity relating to the war on drugs, Duterte’s signature policy as president. Jonathan Miller, who has been following the saga, reports.

Gen Z takes power in Nepal

Nepal celebrated its new year last month (April) by welcoming a youth-led government from the Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP), which won a near supermajority in March’s election. Kunda Dixit reports on a mood of cautious optimism among Nepalis that the new government will bring a fresh start for the country.

How scam centres control Myanmar

A major problem facing Myanmar’s military leader Min Aung Hlaing, now rebranded as the country’s civilian-style president, is to take control of the myriad ‘scam centres’ - illegal operations that run online fraud schemes such as phishing, fake investments and scam romances. Despite efforts by the country’s army, Myanmar’s scam economy has not been dismantled but is instead dispersing, adapting, and embedding itself more deeply across conflict-hit borderlands, as Nyein Chan Aye reports.

Kazakhs vote for change in stage-managed referendum

On 15 March Kazakhs voted by a substantial majority for constitutional changes which some see as an exit strategy for President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, who is seeking political closure on the instability that embroiled the country in 2022. Chris Rickleton reports.

The war nobody is winning

The Iran war may be drawing to a close but with no clear conclusion, let alone any clear winner. The initial focus by the US and Israel on the country’s political leadership and its nuclear fuel has shifted towards control of the Strait of Hormuz. Beyond the combatants themselves, non-oil producing nations in Asia who get most of their fuel from the Gulf have been the main losers, as Nicholas Nugent reports.

What future for the Quad?

The Quadrilateral Security Dialogue, or Quad, is an informal strategic grouping of Australia, India, Japan and the US aimed at countering China’s growing military power and influence in the Indo-Pacific. Its leaders have not met formally for some time and, as Rahul Bedi reports from Delhi, the organisation is under strain following President Donald Trump’s disparagement of its three other members.

Who decides what counts as a democracy?

Democracy rankings are back in view this spring. The latest Democracy Index from the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) suggests that after eight years of global decline, democratic performance may be stabilising. Freedom House and V-Dem have also released updated assessments, offering fresh perspectives on how democracy is evolving across regions. Rahul Jaywant Bhise reports.

Musings on democracy in Asia

Humphrey Hawksley has been reporting from different parts of Asia for a quarter of a century. Here he muses on what democracy means in China and Hong Kong, in Sri Lanka, the Philippines and Taiwan, and elsewhere.

Bisinomics

Post-war reconstruction is in the minds of Arab partners of the United States, who were collateral casualties in the hostilities between the US-Israel alliance and Iran. Indeed, Saudi Arabia, among others, pressed Washington to return to the negotiating table, as The Wall Street Journal revealed.

Big Tech’s seatbelt moment

As lawsuits mount and governments move towards tougher safeguards, the question is no longer only what appears on the screen, but why the screen was built to behave that way in the first place. Sham Banerji reports that a new regulatory phase may be opening for social media and AI.

Dynasties at War