Xi Jinping’s Visit Highlights Brazil’s Cautious Balancing Act

As Xi Jinping’s November visit to Brazil wrapped up, high-level talks between the two Global South giants expanded on a wide set of agreements. However, Xi’s visit also highlights a delicate and nuanced balancing game played by Brazil, fueled by domestic political struggles and the expectation of a second Trump tenure.

(Analysis) Watch Out – The Looming Arms Race in the Arctic

On July 24, 2024, a Sino-Russo bomber formation was patrolled in the Arctic Circle near Alaska’s Air Defense Identification Zone for the first time. While some might interpret the event as a move by the great powers to establish the Arctic’s military presence to contest future access to the Northern Sea Route and regional undersea resources amid climate change, the joint exercises reveal deeper security motivations. The findings show that the event is largely attributed to the intensifying military confrontations between global powers in other parts of the globe while also raising the risk of an arms race in the Arctic region. Future security studies warrant examining how great power struggles in non-Arctic regions might affect their military moves in the Arctic.

[Analysis] Rolling the Dice on the Development Road: Will Iraq and Türkiye Hit the Jackpot?

The Development Road aims to establish a trade route from Europe to Asia through Iraqi and Turkish infrastructure. It promises to boost the economies of both countries, enhance their geopolitical standing, and support key domestic objectives. However, obstacles to its success lie ahead.

(ARTICLE) EU – Israel Relations: Between Strong Ties and Strategic Ambiguity

The EU needs to develop a common position on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and speak with one voice on the topic. The endorsement of a two-state solution is an empty shell if it is not accompanied by coherent policies. Europe has moved from efforts to build a Palestinian state to attempts at managing an ever-worsening “status quo” to which it clings mainly because it sees no alternative.

Fold or Call: Is the Philippines’ POGO Problem a National Security Threat?

Philippine Offshore Gambling Operators (POGO) have shaken the Philippines’ perception of its internal security amid allegations of linked violent crimes and espionage. For several months the ongoing situation created more questions than any of the country’s officials can answer. Such issues have led to calls to raise it as a national security threat. However, security agencies refuse to do so despite the issue’s overwhelming severity.

[REPORT] The Broken Nation: Myanmar’s Struggle Towards a National Identity

For the entirety of Myanmar’s existence as an independent state, the civil war is the clearest opportunity for the country to form a shared national identity. The Tatmadaw’s repression effectively united the warring minorities towards the goal of peace and unity. If this emerging unity remains intact and further develops, it can be said that this conflict’s end may very well determine whether or not Myanmar will become a nation that identifies itself as wholly united in its diversity. 

What lies ahead for the EU-Mercosur agreement?

After losing its window of opportunity to close the deal in December 2023 and with EU farmers’ protests taking over Europe, the EU-Mercosur agreement is suffering a new major setback. The slow integration process within Mercosur and the increasing rivalries and criticism within it are also influencing the outcome at the negotiating table. How does the deal’s future look like?

Let’s Tune In To The EU’s Periphery: Italy Protects Made In Italy Label 

The Italian government raided facilities manufacturing purses for Dior and Armani in order to protect the Made In Italy brand.

The Golden Triangle’s City Built on Dirty Money

For decades, the Golden Triangle, a region wedged between Thailand, Myanmar and Laos along the Mekong River, has been synonymous with opium production, organised crime, and rebel militias. In recent years, in the northern part of Laos, the Golden Triangle Special Economic Zone (SEZ) has come under the control of Chinese casino mogul Zhao Wei, since his Hong Kong registered company, Kings Romans, leased the land for 99 years.