Financial Sanctions : A Silent Weapon in Global Diplomacy

Reading Time : 2 minutesFinancial sanctions have emerged as a powerful tool in modern diplomacy, enabling countries to exert pressure without resorting to military action. By isolating targets from the global economy, these measures can force policy changes and deter illegal activities. However, their use is not without controversy, as they can also harm ordinary citizens and push nations to seek alternatives to dominant financial systems. As global connectivity grows, financial sanctions will likely play an even more crucial role in international relations.

Tech Tensions Force IBM’s Major China Exit

Reading Time : 3 minutesIBM is cutting over 1,000 jobs and closing research labs in China as geopolitical tensions between Beijing and Washington escalate. This marks a significant shift in the company’s strategy as it adapts to the increasingly challenging business environment for American firms in China. IBM, once optimistic about China’s growth potential, now faces declining revenues and heightened national security concerns, prompting this major pullback.

China Launches First Satellites in Rival to SpaceX’s Starlink

Reading Time : 2 minutesChina has launched the first 18 satellites of its ambitious Qianfan constellation, aiming to create a network of 14,000 satellites in low Earth orbit by 2030. This project, seen as China’s answer to SpaceX’s Starlink, seeks to provide global broadband internet coverage. The launch marks a significant step in China’s bid to become a dominant space power, with plans to expand its satellite network to over 600 by 2025 and 14,000 by 2030.