Iran is looking to come in from the economic cold and join the World Trade Organisation. Yet there are still many nuances of its long isolation to contend with and in terms of WTO membership the most pressing is a general…
With the recent unveiling of its new Izumo-class helicopter destroyer, Japan gets more than just added fire power for its naval fleet. The 19,500-tonne vessel also signals Tokyo’s determination to act as a counterweight to…
The world’s shipping is being held to ransom by a band of Somali pirates in battered launches. As yet another new president tries to take control of the failed state, perhaps it’s time we stopped playing nice and took…
He believes in playing classical music as a way to prevent road rage and he understands that better transport solutions mean a higher quality of life. Meet Peter Ramsauer, Germany’s minister of transportation, construction…
NATO notices the Cold War is over and devises a new navy strategy. The US Army eyes the phone app market and in Ukraine, Russia is allowed to train its jet pilots.
Singapore has felt the wrath of two neighbours already this year. Indonesia banned exports of construction sand claiming it was concerned about environmental damage (perhaps coincidentally, the two countries are also in…
With the sudden exit from Mogadishu of Islamist insurgents, life in the Somali capital has shifted yet again. Just as war has abated, famine has arrived. Who can fix this ravaged city?
The Danish Navy warship ‘HDMS Absalon’ patrols one of the busiest sea routes in the world, where more than 120 ships were attacked by Somali pirates last year.
The new president of Somalia, Sheikh Sharif Sheikh Ahmed, has a lot to contend with: pirates, a humanitarian disaster and deadly rivals. But is he the man to revive the failed state? We meet him in Nairobi during a round…
Germany is planning to build an innovative frigate that will be able to fight sustained wars against drug lords and pirates – or just help keep the peace. But it’s not only at sea that new designs and technologies are…
There is plenty of music in the Middle East but how do you hear it? Two entrepreneurs are launching English-language platform Dandin to help promote talent in the region; from protest songs to perfect pop, it’s an online…
Some say they’re a useful force for good, others say they’re an ungovernable hindrance undermining the good work of government troops. Either way, private security firms are playing an important part in conflicts around the…
