Josef Ernst The U.S. State Department has long been respected for its venerable tradition of thoughtful and sound policy analysis — an intellectual legacy that traces back to George F. Kennan’s famous “Long Telegram” from Moscow in 1946, later published anonymously under X in Foreign Affairs in 1947. …
Read More »Donald Trump Vs. Pope Leo XIV: A Tale of Two Americans
Stephan Richter Donald Trump has had his way in getting his U.S. budget — the “One Big Beautiful Bill” (OBBB) passed. As Americans grapple with the consequences of the Trump administration’s new budget law — a law that slashes vital programs for the poor while favoring the wealthy …
Read More »The Paradox of Energy Networks: Stability and Risk
The phenomenon of negative electricity prices has become a reality across Europe, and with the rapid expansion of solar installations lacking sufficient storage capacity, this phenomenon is emerging everywhere. In early May, European energy prices saw a significant decline due to low demand and increased solar power generation. …
Read More »Incoming Danish presidency faces multiple challenges
MEPs will debate the start of the latest EU presidency, now held by Denmark. They will discuss Denmark’s agenda for its six-month Council Presidency, which started on 1 July, with Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen. The debate will take place later this week in Strasbourg where MEPs are meeting …
Read More »Kazakhstan’s Diplomatic Resilience: A Crucial Catalyst in the Iranian Nuclear Conundrum
Dr. Shehab Al-Makahleh As tensions escalate across the Caspian region and the specter of nuclear confrontation looms ominously, Kazakhstan’s unwavering dedication to nonproliferation and its astute foreign policy position it as a potential arbiter in the Iranian crisis. By harnessing its diplomatic acumen and strategic location, Kazakhstan could …
Read More »“Most important” NATO summit ever
Martin Banks As world leaders gather for a crunch NATO summit, new polling says that nearly two-thirds of U.S. adults see a benefit to NATO membership. The Pew Research poll comes on the eve of what many see as the most important NATO summit in many years. This will be …
Read More »Metric Myopia: When Numbers Mislead Policy
Mohammad Fouad In economic policy discourse, numbers are presumed to speak truth. GDP growth, poverty rates, unemployment figures, and fiscal balances are the dashboards of modern governance—objective metrics designed to inform planning and enable accountability. Yet numbers can mislead. When indicators become ends in themselves—targets to hit rather …
Read More »Artificial Intelligence and Defensive Modernisation
Jenny Adams Yet another exciting session of the ‘Understanding AI Program’ presented by the Silkroad 4.0 Platform, the International Institute for Middle East and Balkan Studies (IFIMES) and their consortium of partners (such as Modern Diplomacy, ICCD, D-8, IAF, THC, and the like), the focus turned to how …
Read More »Nawrocki wins Polish presidency with narrow victory
Karol Nawrocki has won Poland’s presidential election with 50.9% of the vote, narrowly defeating Warsaw Mayor Rafal Trzaskowski in a fiercely contested runoff, according to official results released by the country’s Election Commission. The second round of voting, held Sunday, saw nearly 29 million registered voters choose between …
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