(By Quratulain Mahnoor) As tensions in the Middle East reach a fever pitch in late January 2026, U.S. President Donald Trump has issued stark warnings to Iran: negotiate a nuclear deal swiftly or face consequences far more severe than previous actions. In a Truth Social post on January 28, Trump declared, “Hopefully Iran will quickly…
(By Faraz Ahmed) The conclusion of the India-European Union Free Trade Agreement (FTA) on January 27, 2026, during the 16th India-EU Summit in New Delhi marks a pivotal moment in global trade dynamics. Dubbed the “mother of all deals” by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and Indian leaders, the pact creates preferential access…
(By Khalid Masood) In late January 2026, the United States has significantly bolstered its military presence in the Middle East, centering on the deployment of the USS Abraham Lincoln Carrier Strike Group to waters near Iran. President Donald Trump has described this as a “massive armada” positioned to act with “speed and violence” if necessary,…
(By Quratulain Khalid) Introduction The Tirah Valley in Pakistan’s northwestern Khyber District has once again become a symbol of the fragile intersection between security operations, civilian vulnerability, and administrative preparedness. Long shaped by militancy, counterterrorism campaigns, and difficult terrain, Tirah’s population is no stranger to displacement. Yet the most recent episode of civilian movement reveals…
(By Khalid Masood) In the first weeks of 2026, U.S. President Donald Trump has returned to the White House with an intensified version of his signature “America First” playbook. Tariff increases on long-standing allies such as South Korea, explicit threats of 100% tariffs against Canada over deepening economic links with China, and unusually blunt military…
(By Quratulain Khalid) Introduction: The Stark Contrast of 26 January Every year on 26 January, India stages a spectacular display of military power and national pride in Delhi. Tanks rumble down wide avenues, fighter jets streak across the sky, cultural floats showcase “unity in diversity,” and massive crowds cheer what is billed as the world’s…
(By Faraz Ahmed) Pakistan’s formal accession to the U.S.-led Board of Peace (BoP) on Gaza—formalized at the World Economic Forum in Davos on January 22, 2026—represents one of the more intriguing foreign policy moves by Islamabad in recent years. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s signature on the charter, alongside leaders from roughly 19 other nations (including…
(By Ayesha Mahnoor) The launch of Sky47, Pakistan’s largest domestically hosted cloud and artificial intelligence (AI) infrastructure platform, represents a consequential development in the country’s digital and strategic evolution. While framed publicly as a technology initiative, Sky47 carries broader implications for data sovereignty, regulatory autonomy, AI capacity building, and economic resilience. As governments worldwide reassess…
(By Faraz Ahmed) In the space of just one week in mid-January 2026, three prominent Western leaders delivered powerful endorsements of closer ties with China, marking what many observers are calling a diplomatic hat-trick for Beijing. Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney completed a landmark visit to Beijing from January 14–17, emerging with a new strategic…
(By Khalid Masood) Trump’s Golden Dome represents one of the most ambitious and contentious defence initiatives of the second Trump administration. Announced via Executive Order 14186 in January 2025 as the “Iron Dome for America” before being rebranded in May, the project seeks to establish a comprehensive, layered missile defence shield for the United States…
