Rare earth elements (REEs) are a set of 17 metallic elements that have become indispensable to modern technology and defense industries. Although they are not truly “rare” in the Earth’s crust, they are difficult to find in concentrated deposits and are expensive to separate and refine. The group …

Iraqis will vote for a new parliament on November 11, which is important for Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani and reflects the views of the young population that sees the political system as benefiting only those in power. Many voters feel disillusioned with democracy in Iraq, believing it …

Almost a decade ago, I would have wagered my entire wealth on the defeat of candidate Donald Trump in the primaries of the 2016 U.S. presidential election. My premises were clear: presidential elections should be contests among politicians, of which the U.S. has an abundance, making it unlikely …

Yang Xite The “plenary sessions” of the Chinese Communist Party’s Central Committee play a crucial role in determining the country’s future policy direction, and if one wishes to know where China is heading, it would be indispensable to understand these plenums. From October 20 to 23, the Fourth …

When Ethiopia’s prime minister revived his call for sea access in early 2024, regional headlines lit up overnight. It was not just about trade or logistics, at least not entirely. It reopened a decades-old wound, the kind that never really heals in the Horn of Africa: who controls …

Dr. Gad Yishayahu Ultimately, the war has shredded more than a few assumptions about Israeli strategic and military limitations. Exactly twenty-four months after the October 7 massacre that ignited the October 7 War, the first stage of President Donald Trump’s 20-point Gaza peace plan has taken effect. Under …

  Emily Vartuhi Great power competition is mushrooming beyond the old domains of land and warfare; it’s in the world of cryptocurrencies as well. The government shutdown has an unlikely casualty: cryptocurrency policy. You would think that because decentralization is a core pillar of cryptocurrency, advocates would be …

Aaron Bartnick In competing with China in global markets, the United States should not seek to create an imitation command-economy from scratch. At an October 15 event promoting investment in the United States, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent remarked: “When you are facing a nonmarket economy like China then …

Alexander Langlois The Trump administration must be ready to apply pressure to Benjamin Netanyahu if it wants to save its peace plan. Any semblance of a ceasefire in Gaza died this week with Israel’s brief resumption of total war against Hamas on October 28. While Israeli Prime Minister …