Border Disputes

The fragile ceasefire between the United States and Iran has rapidly unraveled as both sides exchange new rounds of military strikes across the Middle East. The latest attacks targeted military sites, regional allies, and areas near critical infrastructure, raising fresh doubts over whether negotiations can still prevent a wider conflict.   The renewed violence comes only weeks after an interim agreement was intended to create space for ta...

Pakistan’s ambition to become a major defense exporter suffered a serious setback when a proposed billion-dollar arms deal with Sudan collapsed after Saudi Arabia reportedly withdrew its financial backing in April. The agreement was expected to be one of the largest defense export deals in Pakistan’s history and Islamabad's gateway into African defense markets.   The episode exposed a reality that has long shaped Pakistan&rsquo...

Sudan’s civil war is no longer confined to its own borders. What began as a power struggle in Khartoum is increasingly destabilizing neighboring Chad through refugee flows, cross-border violence, ethnic tensions, and allegations of foreign-backed arms trafficking.   If Chad is pulled deeper into the conflict, the consequences could reverberate across the Sahel and Central Africa.   Sudan’s Cycles of Civil War  ...

Brazil has made significant progress in reducing deforestation in the Amazon. Under President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, enforcement has increased and forest clearing has fallen sharply from the highs recorded under his predecessor.   But lower deforestation does not mean the Amazon is out of danger. Wildfires, illegal mining, logging, drought, and organized crime continue to damage large areas of the rainforest. In many places, the...

Illegal gold is becoming one of the biggest drivers of organized crime in Latin America, and in many ways, it may be even harder to stop than cocaine.   Across the Amazon and beyond, criminal networks, smugglers, and corrupt officials have found a commodity that is easy to move, easy to sell, and extremely difficult to trace once it enters the legal market. The result is accelerating deforestation, poisoned rivers, growing pressure on Indi...