United Kingdom: The question of Scottish independence

Since winning assembly elections in 2011, First Minister of Scotland Alex Salmond pledged the promise of a Scottish referendum
Photo: Alamy 

It is unlikely that full independence will be achieved but political history and recent trends gravitate toward a Union based on autonomy away from Westminster.

Geopolitical Snapshot - 20.10.13

Geopolitical Snapshot seeks to condense world affairs by focussing its lens on regions and countries of relative strategic value. The world continuously changes on a daily basis so in order to properly manage and assess the geopolitical landscape, analysis must be condensed on the prominent pillars of international politics at any given time. In this installment, Geopolitical Snapshot will focus on the United States, Italy, Angola/Congo, Syria, Somalia, Iran, China and Russia.

Saudi Arabia: Consolidating regional uncertainty

Saudi Arabia finds itself in strategic complexities amid US-Iran rapprochement
Photo: AP 

On Oct 18, the Saudi government rejected a rotating seat on the U.N. Security Council. The government was cited as saying that the Security Council was incapable of ending wars and resolving conflicts. However, this diplomatic maneuver illustrates the difficult position Saudi Arabia finds itself in the region.

Korean Peninsula - North Korea aims to expand Special Economic Zones

The North Korean regime will aim to attract foreign investors to help in its depleting economy
NASA/Satellite Images 

North Korea's ambition of establishing new special economic zones in order to facilitate foreign investment highlights subtle desperation of Pyongyang.

Geography, culture and power: The prism of geopolitics

The inter-connectivity between geography, culture and power starts with geography. Even before organized society, humanity would bundle collectively to survive the testaments of nature. Tribes would form primarily on the basis that coherent interaction with one another on the foundation of mutual struggle for water, food and shelter would bind them unconditionally.