A map in yellow and pink of China's Belt and Road initiative.

As Russia’s war in Ukraine continues, China’s role has been thrown into sharp relief. Prior to the war, some commentators suggested that China would openly side with Russia or seek to act as a mediator – so far Beijing appears to have resisted doing either. As Qin Gang, China’s ambassadorContinue Reading

How Russia is using intellectual property as a war tactic

ApostolisBril / Shutterstock As part of its deadly assault on Ukraine, Russia has taken the rare step to use intellectual property rights as a war tactic. In early March, the Russian government issued a decree saying that Russian companies are no longer obliged to compensate owners of patents, utility modelsContinue Reading

Pandemic parliaments: lessons learned from two years trying to run democracies living under COVID-19

Social distancing left Westminster's House of Commons virtually empty at times. UK Parliament/Flickr, CC BY-NC Parliaments matter more than ever in times of crisis. They oversee emergency responses, evaluate and pass legislation, and approve funds to meet urgent public needs. They have a key role to play in maintaining transparent,Continue Reading

The Conversation

As Russian military activity moves nearer the Ukrainian border with Nato, the potential for direct confrontation between Russia and the alliance increases. On March 13, Russian aircraft reportedly fired rockets at the Yavoriv International Center for Peacekeeping and Security, 20km from Ukraine’s border with Poland, a Nato member. The possibilityContinue Reading