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Hana Kameyama is a second-year Politics and International Relations student. Who is Sanae Takaichi? Sanae Takaichi, known for her background in taking on various ministerial roles, including the Minister of State for Economic Security, a TV host, and a drummer in a heavy metal band, was elected as the first woman to serve as Japan’s prime minister on the 21st of October, 2025. Expressing desires to become Japan’s Iron Lady, she is a hard-line conservative member of the Libera

Keefer Ho On November 4, 2025, voters in California overwhelmingly approved legislation in a 64.4% to 35.6% vote, authorizing the use of a newly drawn congressional map until 2030 [1]. This map would heavily favour Democratic candidates. The amendment known as Prop 50 was introduced in response to redistricting attempts in Texas – under the direction of the Trump administration – that aimed to give Texas Republicans 5 additional seats in the U.S. House of Representatives. In

Sophia Halib 2:51 p.m. Wang Cheng House, Wang Fuk Court, Tai Po District. A building was still under renovation when the fire broke out. Within minutes, flames surged upward, leaping across scaffolding and engulfing neighbouring blocks. Wang Tai House. Wang Shing House. By the time the fire was brought under control, 83 people were dead. Another 279 were missing. When recent fires tore through residential buildings in Hong Kong, on November 26th, the images felt hauntingly fa

Jonathan Dusse is a first year Politics and International Relations student. He interned at the German parliament where he strengthened his interest in political cooperation and governance. (Jonathan Dusse on LinkedIn) Introduction The G20 or group of 20 as it is formally known has come under recent turmoil with publicised outfalling and diplomatic jabs between South Africa and the United States, both member states, surrounding the summit in Johannesburg. This diplomatic con

Lou Cardot is a third-year student at the University of Toronto, pursuing a double major in Law and Political Science, with a minor in European Affairs. She came to UCL on exchange this year. Raised in Paris and Washington, D.C., Lou’s interests include human rights, gender equality, and immigration policy. This summer, she interned for Deloitte in Compliance. She also writes as a freelancer for the French Ministry of Defense and various law reviews across Europe and North Am

Syed Bukhari is an International Management student, interested in global affairs and political economy. He is a member of Chatham House. [www.linkedin.com/in/syed-qamar-bukhari] Introduction For much of the last four decades, central bank (CB) independence was vital to economic policy globally. Governments gave control over monetary policy to technocratic institutions with clear instructions, limited tools, and protection from day-to-day politics (e.g. through staggered term

Sadie Broda-Bahm is a first-year Politics and International Relations student. She is passionate about comparative legal analysis. (https://www.linkedin.com/in/sadie-broda-bahm-907b08310/) Last month, the United Kingdom’s Secretary of State for Justice David Lammy announced his proposals for sweeping court reform in the midst of a severe judicial backlog. The submitted amendments include limiting the right to a trial by jury and establishing a new tier of “swift courts” to he

Yacout Benmansour is a first-year Politics and International Relations student. (Connect: LinkedIn: Yacout Benmansour ) Introduction The 'Gen Z 212' protests represent a significant fracture in Morocco’s social contract. In September 2025, youth-led demonstrations erupted following the death of eight pregnant women, exposing a crumbling public health sector. It is estimated that at least 3 people have been killed and over 400 arrested as a result of the initial crackdown[1].

Viktoriia Fylymonova is a first-year Philosophy, Politics and Economics student. (viktoriia.fylymonova.25@ucl.ac.uk) Introduction The EU has shifted toward greater use of renewable, domestically produced energy over the last decade. Following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, rising tensions in the Middle East, and other major conflicts, it is evident that the Union remains heavily dependent on external energy suppliers. But while Europe has acknowledged its structural reliance o

Taissiya Shegay is a first-year Global Humanitarian Studies student at UCL, with research interests in geopolitics, foreign policy, and Eurasian regional dynamics. (LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/taissiya-s-8500a129b/) Introduction Central Asia has long been viewed as a peripheral region in global politics, but with the development of an increasingly multipolar world, its strategic importance has grown significantly. Particularly, the region's geographic location, reso

Nethuki K. Geeganage is a first year History student whose research interests focus on political memory and modern Chinese history. Introduction The period between the 1960s and 1980s is often remembered by the global surge in youth mobilisation against traditional values. In China, however, youth radicalism developed a far more pervasive character. [1] Between 1966 and 1976, the Cultural Revolution vilified tradition as an enemy of revolutionary purity and used China’s youth

Aminah Hussain is a first-year BSc PIR student. She currently writes for The Rendezvous (EISPS Society Journal), as a Europe Columnist alongside contributing to The Diplomacy Review. Introduction: The Arctic is warming at a rate far exceeding the global average, transforming it from a remote, icy periphery into a central arena of 21st century geopolitics. Geographically, the Arctic refers to the region north of the Arctic Circle, encompassing the Arctic Ocean and the northern