Geopolitics

Zamir Awan The Gaza Strip, once densely populated and impoverished, now stands as a tragic emblem of one of the 21st century’s gravest humanitarian crises. Since October 2023, when the latest Israeli military offensive began, the enclave has witnessed devastation on an unimaginable scale—indiscriminate bombings, widespread displacement, collapse …

Yi Wang In 2025, China and the European Union mark the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations. According to public information, the EU-China Summit is scheduled to take place in Beijing in late July. Whether the summit can yield substantive outcomes is a matter of great …

Othon A. Leon & David Oliver* The Red Sea, particularly the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, has evolved as one of the world’s most hazardous maritime routes. Since late 2023, attacks by Yemen’s Houthi rebels on commercial shipping have hampered global trade, forcing massive vessel rerouting around Africa, raising insurance …

Seth J. Frantzman The IDF’s exhaustion and Hamas’ dogged survival points to the likelihood of a Gaza ceasefire in the next two months. The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) continue to expand operations in Gaza. On July 20, the IDF told Gazans to evacuate an area near the coastal …

Greg Priddy Sanctions targeting oil are often ineffective at changing governmental policy and often impose additional costs on companies and consumers. Amid the current media firestorm around L’Affaire Epstein, few people other than Chevron shareholders noticed the headline last Friday about the Trump administration loosening sanctions on Venezuela …

Lithuania may remove Russian as a second foreign language in schools by 2026, citing changing student preferences and rising geopolitical concerns, a minister said. Vice Education, Science and Sport Minister Jonas Petkevicius said Wednesday that consultations will begin with the Seimas Education and Science Committee, as well as …

Hadi Elis While much of the world remains fixated on conflict zones elsewhere, an enduring and consequential battle persists between the Turkish state and the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK)—a battle that, at least from one side, has repeatedly seen overtures for peace met with silence or military escalation. …

Gabriel Honrada Defense contractors cranking out low-cost missiles as worries mount US is ill-prepared for protracted fight with China Conceptual image of a Red Wolf missile. Source: L3Harris Technologies The US is betting on a new wave of cheap cruise missiles to win a high-tech war of attrition …

Francesco Sisci Rumors swirl Xi Jinping is losing his almighty grip but new bodies may refine rather than check his power China’s politics are suddenly in a state of flux. Image: Appia Institute In 2012, the year Xi Jinping took power, it was the 63rd anniversary of the …