Global Affairs
Introduction On April 24, 2025, Russia launched its deadliest aerial assault on Kyiv in nearly a year, killing 12 civilians and injuring over 90, including six children and a pregnant woman. The attack, involving a coordinated barrage of drones, cruise missiles, and ballistic weapons, reduced residential buildings to rubble, ignited
Global Affairs
Introduction In December 2024, the arrest of Italian journalist Cecilia Sala in Tehran marked the beginning of a tense diplomatic standoff that reverberated far beyond the borders of Iran and Italy. Sala, a respected reporter for Il Foglio and host of a popular podcast, was detained while on assignment in
Global Affairs
Introduction In late December 2024, the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago—a twin-island nation long celebrated for its vibrant culture and economic dynamism—was thrust into the international spotlight for a far more troubling reason: a dramatic and deadly surge in violent crime. With more than 620 murders recorded in
Global Affairs
The Asia-Pacific region has witnessed two interconnected geopolitical developments that underscore its volatile security landscape: the formal elevation of Philippines-South Korea relations to a strategic partnership and North Korea’s intensified nuclear rhetoric amid joint U.S.-South Korea military exercises. These events reflect broader regional efforts to counterbalance adversarial
Global Affairs
Introduction The African Union (AU) is confronting an unprecedented convergence of security, governance, and economic challenges in 2025. A wave of military coups, protracted civil wars, and the rise of violent non-state actors have destabilized key regions, while shifting U.S. foreign policy—marked by aggressive tariff regimes and reduced
Global Affairs
Executive Summary As of April 2025, U.S.-Japan trade relations are at their most precarious point in decades. President Donald Trump’s administration has imposed sweeping tariffs on Japanese exports—most notably a 25% levy on automobiles and a 24% “reciprocal” tariff on all Japanese goods, with a 10%
Global Affairs
Global Affairs
Introduction On Easter Sunday, April 20, 2025, Pope Francis delivered what would be his final “Urbi et Orbi” (To the City and the World) Easter message from the balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica. In a message marked by both spiritual hope and urgent geopolitical appeals, the pontiff called for
Global Affairs
Introduction On April 19–20, 2025, Iran and the United States concluded a second round of nuclear negotiations in Rome, marking the most significant diplomatic engagement between the two adversaries in years. Both sides described the talks as “positive” and “constructive,” signaling cautious optimism for a potential breakthrough after years
Global Affairs
Global Affairs
Introduction The Sahel and West Africa have emerged as the global epicenter of jihadist violence, accounting for 51% of worldwide terrorism-related deaths in 2024. This crisis, fueled by a lethal combination of political instability, military coups, and the withdrawal of Western security assistance, has reshaped the region’s geopolitical landscape.
Global Affairs
Introduction On April 19, 2025, Russian President Vladimir Putin declared a unilateral Easter ceasefire in Ukraine, marking the first significant pause in hostilities since the full-scale invasion began over three years ago. The announcement, framed as a humanitarian gesture for Orthodox Easter, coincided with the largest prisoner exchange of the