What Is a Trade Bloc?
A trade bloc is a group of countries that agree to reduce or remove trade barriers between them. Here are the main types, from free-trade…
Liam Chen
World
International affairs, diplomacy, conflict and the forces shaping the global order.
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What Is Foreign Aid?
Foreign aid is the transfer of money, goods or expertise from one country to another to support development or relief. Here are the main…
Liam Chen
What Is the European Union?
The European Union is a political and economic union of 27 countries with a single market and shared institutions. Here is how its main…
Liam Chen
HMS Queen Elizabeth and HMS Prince of Wales: Britain's £6.2 Billion Carrier Gamble
The Royal Navy operates two 65,000-tonne aircraft carriers—the largest warships ever built for Britain. Yet chronic manning shortages…
Liam Chen
What Is NATO?
NATO is a military alliance of 32 countries built on the promise that an attack on one is an attack on all. Here is its purpose, what…
Liam Chen
British Army Recruitment Crisis: Why the Force Has Shrunk to 73,000 Troops
The British Army has fallen to 73,000 regular soldiers—its smallest size since the Napoleonic Wars—despite a government target of 82,000…
Sarah Mitchell
The Sixth Mass Extinction: One Million Species at Risk of Disappearing
Scientists warn we are in the early stages of Earth's sixth mass extinction, with species disappearing at 100-1,000 times the natural rate…
Liam Chen
The Plastic Pollution Crisis: 400 Million Tonnes a Year and Rising
Global plastic production has doubled since 2000 to over 400 million tonnes annually, and less than 10% is recycled. Plastic waste is…
Liam Chen
UK Defence Spending Hits 2.3% of GDP: Meeting NATO Target But Facing Capability Gaps
Britain's defence budget reached £57.8 billion in 2024-25, exceeding NATO's 2% GDP target. Yet equipment delays, recruitment shortfalls…
Liam Chen