Global Affairs
Introduction In a bold escalation of the ongoing conflict, Ukrainian forces launched a surprise cross-border incursion into Russia’s Kursk region on May 5–6, 2025, breaching defenses near the village of Tetkino and advancing into Russian territory. The operation, supported by armored vehicles and drones, marks Kyiv’s most
Global Affairs
Executive Summary In a dramatic escalation of the ongoing conflict, Israel’s security cabinet has unanimously approved a plan to “capture” the entire Gaza Strip, signaling the most ambitious military operation in the enclave since Israel’s withdrawal in 2005. This decision comes on the heels of a Houthi missile
Global Affairs
The Asia-Pacific region faces a critical juncture as tensions between India and Pakistan over the disputed territory of Kashmir reach their most dangerous levels in decades. A deadly terrorist attack in April 2025 ignited a chain of military, diplomatic, and economic retaliations between the nuclear-armed neighbors, with both nations mobilizing
Global Affairs
Introduction The past 24 hours have seen a dangerous escalation in the decades-long India-Pakistan conflict, with cross-border skirmishes, diplomatic ruptures, and nuclear posturing bringing the nuclear-armed rivals to the brink of broader military confrontation. The flashpoint remains the disputed region of Kashmir, where a lethal terrorist attack on April 22,
Global Affairs
Introduction Ecuador, once celebrated as an “island of peace” in the Andes, now finds itself at the epicenter of Latin America’s spiraling drug war. In the spring of 2025, President Daniel Noboa made a dramatic and unprecedented appeal: he called for the deployment of U.S., European, and Brazilian
Eurasia
Global Affairs
Introduction On April 22, 2025, the tranquil meadows of Baisaran Valley near Pahalgam in Indian-administered Kashmir were shattered by one of the deadliest attacks on civilians in the region’s recent history. Multiple gunmen, emerging from the dense pine forests, opened fire on hundreds of tourists, killing at least 26
Global Affairs
Introduction A dramatic escalation in the Ukraine war’s fourth year unfolded on Friday, April 25, 2025, as a senior Russian general was killed in a car bombing outside Moscow just as U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff arrived in the Russian capital for high-stakes peace talks with President Vladimir
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 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
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