Politics

A cluster of countries across Asia, Africa and the Middle East continues to dominate the lower end of global democracy rankings, underscoring a persistent divide in governance standards worldwide, according to data compiled from the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) Democracy Index and World Population Review.

U.S. President Donald Trump’s approval ratings across major policy issues have deteriorated sharply over the past year, with new aggregated polling data from Nate Silver’s Silver Bulletin showing broad-based declines driven largely by economic concerns and inflation.

Iran launched thousands of drones and ballistic missiles in the opening weeks of its conflict with Israel and Western allies, with activity peaking early before declining sharply under sustained airstrikes.

NATO members are increasing defence spending, with Poland emerging as the alliance’s top spender relative to economic output, as European countries accelerate military investment in response to heightened security concerns.

Political parties across the world are amassing unprecedented membership numbers, with India emerging as the clear centre of gravity in global party mobilisation.

The world has experienced all forms of war over the years; however, World War II remains the most expensive conflict in U.S. history when adjusted for inflation, costing roughly $4.7 trillion, according to historical estimates.

A surge in military activity between U.S.–Israel forces and Iran saw thousands of strikes exchanged over 10 days, highlighting the intensity of the escalating confrontation in the region, according to data compiled by Eigenrac Risk Management, a Dubai-based security risk advisory company.

Escalating tensions across the Middle East have drawn renewed attention to the scale and reach of Iran’s missile and drone operations in the region.

More than 20 countries across Asia, the Middle East, Europe, Africa and Latin America have been bombed by the United States since 1945.

The United States maintains a commanding lead over Iran and Israel in overall military capacity, according to the 2025 Military Power Rankings.

As of February 2026, the global nuclear balance stands at a critical juncture, with the world’s largest nuclear powers holding thousands of warheads just as cornerstone arms-control agreements move towards expiration.