(REPORT) Italy and the BRI: in the Shadow of Sino-American Competition and Balancing National Interest

Italy’s BRI engagement economic promises fell short. Italy’s reassessing aligns with US priorities. Taiwan’s ties could help distancing from China but strain relations. Balancing interests, alliances, and economics, Italy navigates a complex situation. Exiting the BRI may offer security assurances while maintaining diplomatic and economic hedging with the US and China.

Resurgence of the Israeli-Palestine conflict: implications and consequences in a regional balance more precarious than ever

On October 7, the military group Hamas, which controls the Gaza Strip, launched an attack on Israel. The regional sphere is crucial to the evolution of the conflict. The Israeli-Palestinian war has always been an ideological clash in the region, lining up two sharply opposing factions; now, despite the strategy of normalization with the Arab neighbors brought forward by Israel in recent years, an escalation on a regional level could become a very serious matter. Overall, the resurgence of this conflict has left the world wondering what is the role and responsibility of the international community.

[REPORT] Table for Two?: Italy and Other Upper-Middle Powers in Modern Global Affairs

This February, France’s President Emmanuel Macron hosted Ukraine’s Volodymyr Zelenskyy as well as Germany’s Olaf Scholz. Italy’s Giorgina Meloni was not invited to the dinner and this has caused some tensions between European leaders. While a dinner may seem small, the challenges that the European Union faces are not.

The new axis of power: four MENA countries join the BRICS group 

The 15th BRICS Summit was held in Johannesburg, South Africa, on August 22–24, 2023. The latest summit marked a turning point in the membership debate, as six more countries will join the BRICS as of January 2024. With Argentina, Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates joining, the BRICS countries will be able to express an economic, financial, and demographic weight that will unavoidably redraw the power balance.

Bolivia’s Thriving Lithium Sector Bolsters BRICS Membership Aspirations

An article looking at Bolivia’s push for BRICS membership, owing to developments in the country’s lithium sector, which is expected to see a huge boost in production numbers.

Security Watch – BRICS: symptom of an emerging multipolar world ?

The BRICS – a loose association of developing nations – have been the focus of global attention in recent weeks, for the 15th BRICS Leaders’ Summit. While the goal is to establish a more multipolar economic order, the existing geostrategic differences between India and China risk hampering the organisation’s ability to reach its full potential over the medium and long term.

Democratic Backsliding and Self-Centered Foreign Policy: Hungary-EU Relations in Perils

The rise of Viktor Orbán’s right-wing populist party, Fidesz, in Hungary in 2010 has led to tension and conflict between Hungary and the EU. The Hungarian government’s numerous legislative acts undermine democracy, human rights, and the freedoms of its citizens, posing a pressing issue for both Hungarian citizens and the EU. The EU faces obstacles in holding Hungary accountable for its actions, but prolonged inaction could lead to increasingly severe consequences.

Let’s Tune In To The EU’s Periphery: Italy First Nation To Ban Artificial Meat

Tradition is everything in Italian cuisine and the nation refuses to budge. Lab grown meat will not be allowed to be produced within the EU member state without a hefty financial penalty.

Security Watch: Can Riyadh and Tehran Achieve a Lasting Détente?

Historically rivals on both geopolitical and sectarian grounds, the tripartite agreement between Saudi Arabia, the Islamic Republic and China is a diplomatic coup that could offer prospects for growth and stability in the Arabian Peninsula over the long term.