Global Rivalries

From April 24-29, more than 45 countries are meeting in Santa Marta, on Colombia’s Caribbean coast, with a clear message: climate talks cannot avoid the role of fossil fuels.   This summit comes at a tense moment. Conflict in the Middle East is once again showing how risky it is for countries to depend on oil and gas imports. That makes this meeting about more than the environment. It is also about energy security and national indepe...

The conflict around Iran is exposing a clear reality about Russia’s relationship with Tehran. Despite years of closer ties, this was never a full alliance. It was a practical partnership shaped by shared pressure from the West, not a guarantee of support in times of crisis.   Now, as tensions rise, Russia faces a mixed situation. It risks looking like an unreliable partner, but it may still find ways to benefit from the instability. ...

Central Asia is seeing a rapid rise in cryptocurrency use, and countries like Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, and Turkmenistan are emerging as key players. What looks like a tech trend is actually a deeper economic shift.   Crypto is becoming a workaround for slow banking systems, sanctions pressure, and cross-border trade limits. In a region where moving money has long been difficult, digital currencies are now filling critical gaps.   Kyr...

Canada’s Prime Minister Mark Carney is pushing for a bold shift in the country's foreign policy. He announced that Canada can no longer rely solely on its strong economic ties to the United States.   In a recent address, Carney highlighted that the once-powerful bonds have now become a liability due to growing trade tensions with the United States, particularly under President Donald Trump. Carney said the only path forward is for Ca...

Donald Trump’s threats against Iran have pushed a long-brewing clash with the Vatican into the open, drawing one of the strongest rebukes yet from Pope Leo XIV, who has emerged as an unusually direct critic of the US president’s war rhetoric, moral framing, and use of religious language.   Trump’s Threat to Eradicate Iran The rift became unmistakable after Trump issued a sweeping threat to Iran over the Strait of Hormuz,...