Archive

1. In 2025, the Maldives approved a record National Budget of MVR 64.2 billion, while total expenditure stood at MVR 49.2 billion.

2. Revenue and grants for the Maldives in 2026 were projected at MVR 40.4 billion.

1. Bhutan’s governance model continues to emphasise Gross National Happiness (GNH), balancing cultural traditions with democratic governance and economic modernisation.

2. Since becoming a constitutional monarchy in 2008, Bhutan has maintained political stability through cooperation between the monarchy and parliamentary institutions.

1. In 2025, Bangladesh’s interim government under Muhammad Yunus faced political strain while trying to advance democratic reforms and build consensus among competing political factions.

2. Sheikh Hasina’s Bangladesh Awami League was banned from political activity in 2025, creating a political vacuum that was increasingly occupied by the BNP and Jamaat-e-Islami.

1. In 2025, Afghanistan remained under unchallenged Taliban rule, with authority concentrated in the hands of Emir Hibatullah Akhundzada and no movement toward constitutional or electoral reform.

2. Russia became the only state to formally recognise the Taliban government, doing so in July 2025, followed by commitments on deeper economic and counter-narcotics cooperation.

1. The 80th United Nations General Assembly began under the theme “Better Together: 80 years of peace, development and human rights” and focused on peace, development, and institutional reform.

2. At the 80th UNGA session, member states reaffirmed commitments related to the Sustainable Development Goals, climate resilience, gender equality, and the UN80 reform initiative.

1. In 2025, Russia operated in a difficult geopolitical environment shaped by the continuing Ukraine war, Western sanctions, and a broader transition toward a multipolar international order.

2. Domestic political stability in Russia remained strong in 2025, with President Vladimir Putin recording an approval rating of 86 percent in June 2025.

1. In 2025, China recalibrated its foreign policy under Xi Jinping amid intensifying competition with the United States, transatlantic frictions, and a shifting regional security environment.

2. China hosted the SCO Summit in Tianjin on 31 August–1 September 2025 and also participated in the BRICS Summit and the ASEAN–GCC–China Summit.

1. In 2025, the return of President Donald J. Trump was marked by assertive governance, deep political polarisation, and extensive use of executive authority in domestic and foreign policy.

2. The Trump administration used executive orders to reshape institutions, including a directive to review historical narratives in national museums and restore monuments under a “truthful” history framework.

1. In 2025, the global and regional security environment deteriorated sharply due to multiple conflicts, weakening of the international order, rising defence expenditure, technological militarisation, and the expanding terrorism–organised crime nexus.

2. More than 56 wars and armed conflicts were recorded worldwide during 2025, causing extensive casualties, habitat destruction, mass displacement, and the highest scale of violence seen since the Second World War.

1. The global Medical Value Travel market was valued at about USD 115.6 billion in 2022 and is projected to reach around USD 286.1 billion by 2030.

2. The global Medical Value Travel market is expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate of about 10.8 percent during the period up to 2030.