RIO DE JANEIRO — Six months into the devastating war involving Iran, the ongoing standoff and closure of the Strait of Hormuz continue to violently rattle the global economy. While international traders, financial institutions, and governments frantically monitor the maritime chokepoint for signs of military escalation, households and corporations worldwide…
LONDON — History rarely repeats itself in exact terms, but it frequently rhymes. In the mid-1980s, the global economy found itself strained to a breaking point by towering external deficits, a runaway US dollar, and aggressive protectionist pressures. The resolution required a bold, coordinated act of statecraft: the 1985 Plaza…
WASHINGTON, DC — Across the globe, democratic governance is facing an unprecedented crisis of legitimacy. According to recent data from the V-Dem Institute, a staggering 74 percent of the world’s population now lives under autocratic rule. Even among citizens fortunate enough to reside in established democracies, profound disillusionment has taken…
NEW YORK — As developing nations grapple with compounding macroeconomic imbalances, severe debt distress, and narrowing pathways to sustainable growth, the architecture of international financial rescue is facing an unprecedented stress test. Against this turbulent global backdrop, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) has initiated its official Review of Program Design…
NEW DELHI — For decades, India’s economic narrative has been framed by a paradox: a surging, trillion-dollar economy boasting some of the world’s highest growth rates, running parallel to a stubbornly low female labor force participation rate (LFPR). While policymakers frequently point to cultural constraints and deeply entrenched social norms…
By Sami Mahroum Published: September 11, 2026 ABU DHABI — Governments worldwide are increasingly turning to artificial intelligence to process mountains of bureaucratic data, optimize resource allocation, and streamline public services. Yet, a fundamental paradox is emerging at the intersection of automation and statecraft: as machines grow exponentially more capable,…
COPENHAGEN/LONDON — In an era defined by unprecedented technological advancement, medical breakthroughs, and aggregate wealth accumulation, political leaders on both sides of the Atlantic are increasingly peddling a paradox: the persistent narrative that the West is in terminal decline. Even as their societies continue to grow wealthier in absolute terms,…
