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The already war ravaged West Asian region has entered into a new phase of geo political turmoil with the ouster of the Syrian President Bashar-al Assad Government and the President fleeing from Damascus on Sunday to Moscow and granted asylum there by the Russian Government. The defeat of the Syrian Bath Party leader who ruled for twenty five years since the year 2,000 with iron hand backed by Russian assistance is a big personal defeat for President Putin and a major setback to his diplomacy in West Asia.

US president-elect Donald Trump’s threat to slap a 100 percent tariff on nine-member BRICS Plus countries if they try to replace the US dollar with a common BRICS currency may at best be called as a panic reaction to Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva’s wish to create a common BRICS currency to reduce the growing vulnerability to US dollar exchange rate fluctuations. President Lula made the common BRICS currency proposal at a BRICS summit at Johannesburg in August last year. More recently, Russian President Vladimir Putin called for a new international payments system at the latest BRICS summit at Kazan (Russia), saying "the dollar is being used as a weapon.” The Kazan summit underlined BRICS's ambition to foster relations with the Global South, and its aim of shaping an alternative multipolar world order, particularly in the global financial and trade system.

Last week, Americans and people worldwide were stunned by the news that President Joe Biden pardoned his son, Hunter Biden. This clemency controversy was significant because Hunter Biden, a family member, contributed to the debate surrounding the pardon.

Syria is witnessing seismic shifts in its prolonged conflict, with President Bashar al-Assad's regime having collapsed amid dwindling support from its critical allies, Russia and Iran. The rebel factions, spearheaded by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), are in control, creating uncertainty about the nation's political future. This precarious balance raises concerns of a potential power vacuum with regional ramifications.

KOLKATA: Since the anti Awami League (AL) coup of August 5, Bangladesh interim government authorities have employed grizzled army veterans/defence experts in media panel discussions , to counter what Dhaka perceives as 'hostile , biased Indian propaganda'. This group of influential people has now come up with a fresh narrative asserting that the new Bangladeshi rulers had foiled a major Indian plan to launch a major offensive in the NE region even as they ousted Sheikh Hasina from power. In other words, India far more than the AL or Sheikh Hasina — was the bigger loser in terms of the massive setback to its long term strategic objectives.

With reports that Syrian President Basher Al Assad has fled the country and the rebel coalition led by Hayat Tahrir Al-Sham has seized power and control of major cities in Syria, the bigger question is what will happen now in Syria. How is the West, particularly the US going to react to this victory of the Islamists in Syria?

OPEC+ has recalibrated its production strategy, extending voluntary output adjustments to stabilize oil markets in the face of uncertain global demand and geopolitical pressures. The alliance’s decision to prolong cuts until the first quarter of 2025 aims to counterbalance potential oversupply and demand fluctuations, particularly linked to Donald Trump’s policies and China's economic challenges.

Donald Trump’s re-election as U.S. President could have a big impact on India-US relations, especially in areas like technology, chips, and semiconductors. As he begins his second term on January 20 next year ,, both countries will face a mix of opportunities and challenges that could shape their tech and economic ties in new ways.

LONDON: The crisis of continuity liberalism engulfing France applies in Britain too. Our government may not have fallen, but unless it changes course it will, as soon as it has to face the electorate. President Emmanuel Macron is in denial. Addressing the French on Thursday night, he blamed everyone but himself for the collapse of the Michel Barnier government: an unholy alliance of far left and far right had conspired to defeat the centre.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi invited Russian President Vladimir Putin to visit India at the time of his visit to the BRICS summit at Kazan in Russia in October this year. This was immediately accepted by President Putin and in the last six weeks since the Kazan conclave on October 22-23 this year, the Russian foreign ministry came out officially twice with the statement about the Russian President’s India visit and why this was very significant for the boosting of bilateral relations.