Photo source: Hindustan Times By Naveed Qazi | Editor, Globe Upfront Sheikh Hasina’s victory in Bangladesh’s January 2024 general election marked her fifth consecutive term as Prime Minister, consolidating her position as one of South Asia’s longest‑serving leaders. The Awami League secured a majority in the Jatiya Sangsad, but the election was marred by controversy. The Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) boycotted the polls over the issue of a caretaker government, and international observers raised concerns about fairness. As BBC News reported, turnout was low at around 42 percent, and the absence of the main opposition cast doubt on the credibility of the process. Hasina’s dominance reflects both her political skill and her control over state institutions. Since 2009, she has overseen rapid economic growth and infrastructure development, but critics argue that her government has eroded democratic freedoms. The Guardian noted that opposition leaders have faced imprisonment and ...

  Photo source: Harper's Bazar By Naveed Qazi | Editor, Globe Upfront By joining NATO, Finland has abandoned a 75-year tradition of military neutrality. It is now in an agreement with the West against an increasingly isolated Russia. The announcement is undoubtedly a black eye for Russian President Vladimir Putin, as his neighbour takes a side. But US and European policymakers should not exaggerate what’s coming in the future. NATO expansion is not a panacea. It will neither resolve the war in Ukraine nor fix the more serious underlying problems of European defence. In an accession ceremony in April 2023, it allowed policymakers to take a victory lap. US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken, was in attendance to receive Finland’s accession documents. He noted that the alliance was now 'more united than ever' along with an offhanded remark saying that 'this is the one thing we can thank Mr. Putin for.' British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak went further, arguing that Finla...

  Photo source: CSIS By Naveed Qazi | Editor, Globe Upfront When Kosovo declared independence in 2008, it marked the beginning of diplomatic efforts by Serbia to dispute Kosovo’s statehood, leading Belgrade to establish unexpected partnerships with countries around the globe. Out of those efforts, and with the new agenda of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) to extend its global outreach, came the partnership between Serbia and China. Fifteen years after the separation from Serbia, Kosovo finds that its independence is still a thing of interest – not only to the parties directly involved but also to great powers trying to cement their positions on the question of territorial integrity and sovereignty. The official position of Belgrade regarding Kosovo’s status, defined by United Nations Resolution 1244, is that Kosovo is not an independent country. The institutionalised process of dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina is led under the framework of the European Union and supported b...