China’s export engine still runs hot

China remains the world’s largest exporter of goods , shipping an astonishing over $3.5 trillion in products globally during 2024, driven by electronics, machinery, and a vast manufacturing base.

In line with that broader picture, China’s top export categories in 2024 included:

This mix shows how deeply China has integrated into global supply chains for tech and transport goods, especially mobile devices and computer components.

China’s export strength isn’t just about scale; it’s also about global reach. The United States, Hong Kong and Vietnam are among China’s biggest trading partners, and electronics remain a dominant part of the export mix.

India ’s export basket: Energy and value-added goods

India’s export picture is narrower in scale but diversified in profile. In 2024, India shipped hundreds of billions of dollars’ worth of goods worldwide, with a growing emphasis on energy, pharmaceuticals, electronics and gems.

The top export categories for India in 2024 included:

Refined petroleum products, including petrol, diesel and other fuels, have taken on greater importance in India’s export economy , making the country one of the top global suppliers of processed fuels.

India’s pharmaceutical sector continues its ascent, building on its reputation as the “pharmacy of the world” thanks to strong global demand for generic medicines and active ingredients

The numbers explain how tennis dynasties rooted in individual greatness can elevate a nation’s global standing. Spain’s haul is anchored by Rafael Nadal, who alone amassed 22 major singles titles, most of them on the clay of Roland-Garros. Emerging stars like Carlos Alcaraz have bolstered the Spanish total with multiple Grand Slam triumphs of their own.

Hot on Spain’s heels is Serbia, with 24 Grand Slam wins, all credited to Novak Djokovic, the only male player in history to hold all four major titles simultaneously and complete a triple career Grand Slam. Djokovic’s consistency at the very top of the sport has cemented Serbia’s place among the elite nations in tennis.

Switzerland ranks third with 23 Grand Slam singles victories this century, fuelled by the careers of Roger Federer and Stan Wawrinka. Federer’s elegant all-court game produced 20 major titles, while Wawrinka added three of his own, giving Swiss tennis an enduring spotlight on tennis’s biggest stages.

The above map also highlights other countries with notable contributions: the United States (6), Great Britain (3), and Australia (2), reflecting a wider spread of success across continents. Lesser-represented regions in Latin America and Oceania also appear on the map with smaller tallies.

As the 2026 season unfolds, fresh challenges from rising stars like Jannik Sinner , Carlos Alcaraz and others will shape how this map evolves, potentially redrawing the balance of national pride in global tennis.

According to 2017 data, across the country, states struggled with different pressures, each striving in its own way to make sense of a fast-moving and deeply polarised political climate.

The five issues driving frustration

Each state is coloured according to the issue most frequently cited by residents as their biggest source of political frustration on the above map.

Across much of the South, Southwest, and West Coast, immigration emerges as the leading concern. States such as California, Texas, Arizona, Florida, and New York show high levels of frustration with immigration policy.

This aligns with reporting from the Pew Research Centre , which consistently finds immigration to be one of the most polarising national issues, particularly in border states and regions with large immigrant populations. Debates over border security, asylum policy, and labour migration have kept immigration at the centre of US politics for over a decade.

Several Midwestern and Mountain states, including Colorado, Wyoming, South Dakota, Wisconsin, and Minnesota, show civil rights as the top frustration.

Civil rights concerns often include voting access, freedom of speech, gun rights, and equality under the law. According to the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), these issues tend to rise during periods of political polarisation or when state-level legislation directly affects personal freedoms.

States such as Pennsylvania, Georgia, Tennessee, Missouri, Illinois, and Maine are marked by frustration over racial injustice.

This reflects long-running national conversations around policing, systemic racism, and economic inequality. Data from the Pew Research Centre and Brookings Institution show that concern about racial inequality increased sharply in the years following high-profile incidents of police violence and mass protests, particularly between 2014 and 2020.

In states like Iowa, Arkansas, Kentucky, West Virginia, and North Dakota, healthcare is the most cited frustration.

These concerns often relate to access, affordability, and rural healthcare shortages. According to the Kaiser Family Foundation, rural states and lower-income regions are more likely to report dissatisfaction with healthcare systems, hospital closures, and insurance costs.

A smaller number of states, including Nebraska, highlight frustration with executive leadership. This category typically reflects dissatisfaction with presidential authority, government accountability, and the balance of power between branches of government.

It is 2026, and these frustrations are yet to be nonexistent. From President Donald Trump’s repeated tariff threats to ongoing controversies around immigration enforcement, including ICE detentions and deaths in custody, many Americans are left feeling overwhelmed.

In Minnesota, protests against ICE operations have drawn national attention, particularly in and around Minneapolis, where demonstrators have gathered outside detention facilities and government buildings to oppose arrests, deportations, and what they describe as overly aggressive enforcement tactics.

Tensions escalated further following the death of Alex Pretti . On 24 January 2026, the 37-year-old intensive care nurse and U.S. citizen was fatally shot by federal immigration agents during a confrontation in south Minneapolis. Federal officials say Pretti resisted arrest and approached agents with a handgun.

But bystander video reviewed by multiple outlets shows him unarmed, holding a phone, and attempting to intervene amid a chaotic scene before agents pepper-sprayed and tackled him, then fired multiple shots. This marked at least the second death of a U.S. resident in federal immigration operations in Minnesota in January, following the killing of Renée Nicole Good earlier in the month.

Civil rights organisations and community leaders have demanded transparent investigations, while federal authorities have said the incident is under review. The case has become a focal point for wider concerns about the use of force and oversight in immigration operations.

One such moment occurred in Belgium and remains one of the most unusual political gaffes involving a national anthem.

In 2007, Yves Leterme , then Belgium’s prime minister-designate, was asked during an interview to sing the Belgian national anthem, La Brabançonne. Instead, he sang La Marseillaise, the national anthem of France.

The moment was broadcast publicly and quickly spread across international media. What might have been a minor slip became a symbol of deeper political tensions within Belgium.

Why the mistake struck a nerve

Belgium is a country with long-standing linguistic and cultural divisions, primarily between Dutch-speaking Flanders and French-speaking Wallonia. The national anthem itself exists in three official languages and represents a fragile sense of national cohesion.

Singing France ’s anthem, even unintentionally, was seen by some as symbolic rather than merely accidental.

The reaction was swift. Belgian media debated the meaning of the incident, while opposition figures questioned Leterme’s suitability for leadership. Supporters argued it was a human error blown out of proportion.

Leterme later acknowledged the mistake and attempted to downplay it, reportedly joking that it proved how well Belgians know their neighbours. However, the episode remained attached to his political image for years.

Washington’s departure follows a formal notification of intent submitted by President Donald Trump one year earlier, as required under U.S. law. The move makes the U.S. the first country in WHO history to withdraw its membership.

The Trump administration justified the exit by citing disagreements with the WHO’s handling of the COVID-19 pandemic, accusations of political bias, and dissatisfaction with pandemic policies.

Senior U.S. officials argued the country would continue to engage in global health through bilateral agreements and existing partnerships outside WHO structures.

"The Trump Admin is working to make sure that we have those bilateral agreements in place for that kind of health cooperation — but we don't need the WHO as an intermediary essentially to push Chinese interests on the American people," National Institutes of Health's Director Jay Bhattacharya told Fox News.

That rationale echoes what Argentinian President Javier Milei has stated in his decision to also withdraw Argentina from the WHO , a move scheduled to take effect on March 17, 2026.

The Milei government has framed its exit as a defence of national sovereignty and a response to what it describes as “deep differences” with WHO policies, especially concerning the management of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Argentina’s annual financial contributions to WHO have been comparatively small , and Buenos Aires has claimed that its withdrawal will not disrupt domestic health services.

Critics, however, warn that leaving a global coordination platform could limit access to information sharing, vaccine procurement mechanisms and technical cooperation that support responses to outbreaks and endemic diseases.

Why WHO matters

The World Health Organisation is the specialised health agency of the United Nations. Its core mission includes:

Nearly all United Nations member states have traditionally been members of the WHO. As of early 2026, with the U.S. exit complete, the organisation retains 193 members, the vast majority of the world’s nations.

Images from Al-Shaddadi Prison in the southern countryside of Hasakah province showed empty corridors littered with orange detainee uniforms following the takeover on Thursday, January 22.