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Beyond Geopolitics
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New York
October 16, 2026
NZ election poll watch: Opportunity holds as potential kingmaker in tight race
Politics

NZ election poll watch: Opportunity holds as potential kingmaker in tight race

Adrian Beaumont

U.S. and Japan Deepen Strategic Tech Alliance
Technology

U.S. and Japan Deepen Strategic Tech Alliance

Matilda Hexworth

What we talk about when we talk about US strategic ‘credibility’ – from Vietnam to Iran
Strategy

What we talk about when we talk about US strategic ‘credibility’ – from Vietnam to Iran

Christopher Nichols

India

Can India’s cockroach movement reverse its democratic decline?

Can India’s cockroach movement reverse its democratic decline?

Protesters in India have taken to the streets over a controversial revision of the country’s voter rolls.

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Maya Tudor
October 16, 2026
Coalition Pledges $75M to Counter ISIS in Iraq and Syria
Terrorism

Coalition Pledges $75M to Counter ISIS in Iraq and Syria

The Global Coalition to Defeat ISIS met in Rome on October 1, 2026, co-chaired by Italy and the United States, marking the end of Operation Inherent Resolve's m…

Dominic Ravenscar
October 3, 2026
Beijing Moves to Shape Global Order on Its Own Terms
Powers

Beijing Moves to Shape Global Order on Its Own Terms

China is increasingly acting to restructure international institutions and alliances rather than waiting for Western-led frameworks to evolve. From trade corrid…

August 29, 2026
Taiwan Weighs U.S. Resolve Amid Strategic Uncertainty
Geopolitics

Taiwan Weighs U.S. Resolve Amid Strategic Uncertainty

As Washington navigates shifting foreign policy priorities, Taiwan is closely monitoring American commitments to regional security in the Indo-Pacific. The isla…

August 29, 2026
Technology

Data Centers Rise as Critical Energy Infrastructure

Data centers have emerged as major pillars of national energy systems, drawing comparisons to traditional power plants i…

Data Centers Rise as Critical Energy Infrastructure
Politics

Global Elections Put Democratic Systems Under Scrutiny

Across multiple continents, electoral processes are facing mounting pressure from disinformation, institutional distrust…

Global Elections Put Democratic Systems Under Scrutiny
A Shifting Foundation: Global Order Faces Realignment
Global Affairs

A Shifting Foundation: Global Order Faces Realignment

Longstanding frameworks that have governed international relations since the mid-twentieth century are under increasing strain, as major powers contest the norms and institutions that once defined glo…

When Trade Becomes a Battlefield
Analysis

When Trade Becomes a Battlefield

Regional Conflicts Drive Shifts in Global Security Order
Conflicts

Regional Conflicts Drive Shifts in Global Security Order

Eurozone Producer Prices Jump 1.6% in July 2026
Economy

Eurozone Producer Prices Jump 1.6% in July 2026

Data Centers Rise as Critical Energy Infrastructure
Technology

Data Centers Rise as Critical Energy Infrastructure

Data centers have emerged as major pillars of national energy systems, drawing c…

Global Elections Put Democratic Systems Under Scrutiny
Politics

Global Elections Put Democratic Systems Under Scrutiny

Across multiple continents, electoral processes are facing mounting pressure fro…

A Shifting Foundation: Global Order Faces Realignment
Global Affairs

A Shifting Foundation: Global Order Faces Realignment

Longstanding frameworks that have governed international relations since the mid…

When Trade Becomes a Battlefield
Analysis

When Trade Becomes a Battlefield

Economic tools once reserved for diplomacy and growth are increasingly deployed …

Regional Conflicts Drive Shifts in Global Security Order
Conflicts

Regional Conflicts Drive Shifts in Global Security Order

Armed conflicts across multiple regions are producing cascading effects on inter…

Strategy

Modern Deterrence: Old Strategy, New Methods

Major powers are reviving deterrence as a cornerstone of defense policy, but the tools and theatres involved look marked…

Modern Deterrence: Old Strategy, New Methods
Alliances

Western Allies Shift Toward Strategic Self-Reliance

Governments across Europe and the Asia-Pacific are accelerating efforts to reduce their dependence on American security …

Western Allies Shift Toward Strategic Self-Reliance

Geopolitics

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China’s panda diplomacy: how Beijing combines conservation and trade

China’s panda diplomacy: how Beijing combines conservation and trade

China has pursued a policy of using its panda conservation project as a trade and diplomacy tool.

The Taliban has brought Afghanistan close to collapse, but resistance is growing

The Taliban has brought Afghanistan close to collapse, but resistance is growing

Armed groups are challenging the group’s hold on power. Can they present a united front?

Moscow has a long history of paranoia about Britain’s support for Russia’s enemies

Moscow has a long history of paranoia about Britain’s support for Russia’s enemies

Through the 1920s the fledgling Soviet Union was convinced that Britain was conniving at its destruction.

Europe Shifts Focus From Russia's Intentions to Its Reach

Europe Shifts Focus From Russia's Intentions to Its Reach

European governments have moved beyond debating whether Russia intends to halt its military expansion and are now focused on how far that expansion could extend. The shift marks a fundamental change in how Western policymakers frame the continent's security landscape.

Security

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Europe Races to Close Its Drone Defence Gap

Europe Races to Close Its Drone Defence Gap

As unmanned aerial systems reshape modern conflict, European nations are accelerating efforts to develop coordinated drone defence capabilities that have long lagged behind the pace of the threat. The war in Ukraine has exposed critical gaps in continental air defence doctrine and procurement.

U.S. Sanctions Hit Cartel del Noreste's Money Web

U.S. Sanctions Hit Cartel del Noreste's Money Web

The United States has sanctioned four individuals and 11 entities linked to Mexico's Cartel del Noreste, targeting financial networks spanning construction, trucking, and the oil and gas sectors. The action follows the cartel's designation as a Foreign Terrorist Organization earlier in 2025.

UN Urges Restraint as Northern Ethiopia Fighting Spreads

UN Urges Restraint as Northern Ethiopia Fighting Spreads

UN Secretary-General António Guterres has expressed grave concern over rapidly deteriorating conditions in northern Ethiopia, calling on all parties to immediately de-escalate after fighting intensified in and around Tigray. The seizure and occupation of three airports — Mekelle, Axum, and Shire — has heightened fears of a broader conflict spreading to neighbouring areas.

Iran's Strategic Moves Reshape the Middle East Order

Iran's Strategic Moves Reshape the Middle East Order

Iran's expanding influence across the Middle East has altered longstanding security arrangements, prompting regional powers and Western governments to reassess their strategic postures. The shifting landscape raises pressing questions about alliances, deterrence, and the future balance of power in the region.

Powers

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BRICS Pursues a New World Order, but Unity Remains Elusive

BRICS Pursues a New World Order, but Unity Remains Elusive

BRICS nations share a broad ambition to reshape global power structures, but diverging national interests complicate the bloc's path toward a coherent foreign policy. As membership expands, internal tensions between member states grow harder to manage.

Europe Moves Toward Strategic and Military Autonomy

Europe Moves Toward Strategic and Military Autonomy

European nations are accelerating efforts to reduce dependence on external partners across defense, energy, and trade. The shift reflects a broader rethinking of the continent's role in global affairs.

Beijing Moves to Shape Global Order on Its Own Terms

Beijing Moves to Shape Global Order on Its Own Terms

China is increasingly acting to restructure international institutions and alliances rather than waiting for Western-led frameworks to evolve. From trade corridors to multilateral diplomacy, Beijing is advancing a parallel architecture of global governance.

India's Balancing Act Fuels Push for Global Influence

India's Balancing Act Fuels Push for Global Influence

India has spent years cultivating relationships across competing geopolitical blocs, and its growing economic and diplomatic weight is now translating into demands for a larger role in international institutions. The country's multi-alignment strategy has positioned it as an indispensable partner to rivals and allies alike.

Regions

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Latin America Seeks Strategic Autonomy Amid Global Power

Latin America Seeks Strategic Autonomy Amid Global Power

Governments across Latin America are navigating growing pressure from competing great powers, seeking economic partnerships without binding themselves to any single bloc. The region's search for strategic autonomy reflects both its historical non-alignment traditions and its increasingly central role in global supply chains.

Asian Nations Navigate Competing Great-Power Rivalries

Asian Nations Navigate Competing Great-Power Rivalries

Across the Asia-Pacific region, governments are facing mounting pressure to align with either the United States or China as strategic competition between the two powers intensifies. Smaller and mid-sized nations in the region are increasingly caught between economic dependencies and security commitments.

Melting Ice, Rising Stakes: The Arctic Race Intensifies

Melting Ice, Rising Stakes: The Arctic Race Intensifies

As Arctic sea ice retreats at an accelerating pace, major world powers are positioning themselves to claim influence over newly accessible shipping lanes, energy reserves, and strategic military ground. The region has become one of the most contested frontiers of the 21st century.

South Asia Moves to the Centre of Global Affairs

South Asia Moves to the Centre of Global Affairs

South Asia's growing economic weight, strategic geography, and demographic scale are drawing sustained attention from major world powers. The region's trajectory is reshaping trade routes, security alliances, and diplomatic priorities across multiple continents.

Economy

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Eurozone Producer Prices Jump 1.6% in July 2026

Eurozone Producer Prices Jump 1.6% in July 2026

Industrial producer prices in the euro area rose 1.6% in July 2026 compared with June, reversing a decline the previous month, according to first estimates from Eurostat. On an annual basis, prices were up 5.8% against July 2025, driven largely by a sharp surge in energy costs.

Global Debt Levels Raise Alarms in Bond Markets

Global Debt Levels Raise Alarms in Bond Markets

Government and corporate debt has climbed to historically elevated levels, drawing attention to bond markets as a potential flashpoint for the next financial disruption. Analysts and institutions are monitoring yield movements and borrowing conditions with increasing caution.

Artificial Intelligence Drives Growth, but Risks Loom

Artificial Intelligence Drives Growth, but Risks Loom

Artificial intelligence has become a meaningful contributor to economic activity across multiple sectors, but analysts and institutions warn that the current momentum faces structural and cyclical constraints. Riedenstedt's international desk examines what is sustaining the AI-driven expansion — and what could slow it.

U.S. Dollar Holds Its Ground as Rivals Gain Footing

U.S. Dollar Holds Its Ground as Rivals Gain Footing

The U.S. dollar remains the world's dominant reserve currency, but a growing number of countries and institutions are actively developing alternatives. Shifts in trade agreements, payment systems, and central bank strategies are gradually reshaping the global monetary landscape.

Technology

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Industrial Robots Move Beyond the Factory

Industrial Robots Move Beyond the Factory

Robotic systems, long confined to controlled manufacturing environments, are expanding into logistics, healthcare, agriculture, and public spaces. The shift marks a broad restructuring of how automation integrates into everyday economic life.

Data Centers Rise as Critical Energy Infrastructure

Data Centers Rise as Critical Energy Infrastructure

Data centers have emerged as major pillars of national energy systems, drawing comparisons to traditional power plants in their scale, strategic importance, and demand on electrical grids. Governments and energy providers are increasingly treating large-scale computing facilities as critical infrastructure requiring dedicated planning and investment.

Quantum Threat to Encryption Grows Before Computers Arrive

Quantum Threat to Encryption Grows Before Computers Arrive

Governments and cybersecurity agencies warn that adversaries are already harvesting encrypted data in anticipation of future quantum decryption capabilities. Standards bodies are racing to deploy post-quantum cryptography before the window closes.

When Algorithms Become Scientists

When Algorithms Become Scientists

Artificial intelligence systems are increasingly being deployed in scientific research, raising fundamental questions about the nature of discovery and the role of human expertise. From drug development to particle physics, machines are beginning to identify patterns and generate hypotheses that researchers had not previously considered.

Diplomacy

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China Steps Into a Broader Global Diplomatic Role

China Steps Into a Broader Global Diplomatic Role

China has expanded its diplomatic engagement across multiple regions, positioning itself as a key mediator and partner in international affairs. This shift reflects a broader strategy to increase Beijing's influence in global governance and conflict resolution.

EU Pursues Independent Diplomacy on the World Stage

EU Pursues Independent Diplomacy on the World Stage

European governments are increasingly conducting trade and security negotiations outside of Washington's traditional orbit. The shift reflects a broader recalibration of transatlantic relations and growing pressure on EU institutions to act autonomously.

UN Authority Weakens as Global Diplomacy Shifts

UN Authority Weakens as Global Diplomacy Shifts

The United Nations is facing mounting challenges to its role as the world's primary diplomatic forum, as member states increasingly turn to bilateral and regional channels to resolve conflicts. Analysts point to structural limitations and geopolitical rivalries as key factors eroding the organization's influence.

Small States Reshape the Global Diplomatic Order

Small States Reshape the Global Diplomatic Order

A growing number of mid-sized and smaller nations are forging independent diplomatic frameworks that bypass traditional great-power channels. Forums rooted in the Global South, regional blocs, and multilateral coalitions are steadily redefining how international agreements are reached.

Politics

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Global Elections Put Democratic Systems Under Scrutiny

Global Elections Put Democratic Systems Under Scrutiny

Across multiple continents, electoral processes are facing mounting pressure from disinformation, institutional distrust, and legal disputes. Observers are watching closely as democracies navigate an era of heightened political tension.

Voters Increasingly Turn Ballots Into Protests Against Power

Voters Increasingly Turn Ballots Into Protests Against Power

Across multiple continents, electoral outcomes are reflecting a broad shift away from traditional governing parties and institutions. Analysts observe that voters are using elections less to choose between competing policy platforms and more to register dissatisfaction with entrenched political systems.

Centrist Parties Face Erosion Across Western Democracies

Centrist Parties Face Erosion Across Western Democracies

Mainstream political parties in Europe and beyond are recording declining vote shares as voters increasingly shift toward parties at both ends of the political spectrum. Analysts point to a structural realignment rather than a temporary swing.

Authoritarian Leadership Models Gain Ground Globally

Authoritarian Leadership Models Gain Ground Globally

Across multiple continents, governments led by centralized, strongman-style leaders have grown more common over recent decades. Democratic institutions in several regions face mounting pressure as voters in a range of countries have elected or tolerated leaders who consolidate power.

Resources

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Critical Minerals Reshape Global Power Dynamics

Critical Minerals Reshape Global Power Dynamics

Control over deposits of lithium, cobalt, and rare earth elements is emerging as a central axis of geopolitical competition. Nations and corporations alike are repositioning their strategies as demand for these resources accelerates alongside the global energy transition.

Fresh Water Joins Oil and Grain as a Global Power Asset

Fresh Water Joins Oil and Grain as a Global Power Asset

Access to fresh water is increasingly shaping diplomatic, military, and economic decisions across the globe. Nations controlling major river systems and aquifers are gaining leverage that extends well beyond their borders.

Lithium Becomes the New Battleground for Global Power

Lithium Becomes the New Battleground for Global Power

As the world accelerates its shift away from fossil fuels, lithium — a key component in rechargeable batteries — has emerged as the defining strategic resource of the energy transition. Nations and corporations are competing for control over deposits concentrated in a handful of countries.

The Race for Critical Minerals Reshapes Global Power

The Race for Critical Minerals Reshapes Global Power

Control over the world's critical mineral supply chains has become a defining axis of geopolitical competition, as nations and corporations position themselves to secure resources essential for modern technology and energy systems. From cobalt mines in the Democratic Republic of Congo to lithium deposits in South America's "Lithium Triangle," the struggle for access is accelerating.

Analysis

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When Trade Becomes a Battlefield

When Trade Becomes a Battlefield

Economic tools once reserved for diplomacy and growth are increasingly deployed as instruments of geopolitical pressure. Riedenstedt's foreign desk examines how this shift is redrawing the rules of international competition.

American Power: Influence Without Command

American Power: Influence Without Command

The United States retains formidable tools of global influence, but the era in which Washington could dictate outcomes unilaterally has passed. A structural shift in world affairs is forcing American foreign policy to adapt — or risk irrelevance.

When the Architecture of Order No Longer Fits

When the Architecture of Order No Longer Fits

The multilateral institutions designed in the aftermath of the Second World War were built to manage a world that no longer exists. As power shifts, new crises emerge, and old consensus fractures, the gap between institutional design and global reality continues to widen.

The Shrinking Cost of War — and Its Rising Price

The Shrinking Cost of War — and Its Rising Price

Modern conflicts ignite faster and burn longer than at any previous point in recent history. A convergence of political, technological, and economic forces has lowered the threshold for starting wars while making their resolution increasingly elusive.