Global Watch

For more than three decades after the Cold War, the world lived under a system shaped by one dominant power: the United States. That era is now ending. China’s rise, Russia’s assault on the post-Cold War order, and growing strains in the West all point to a world that is becoming more contested and more dangerous.   The question is not whether the old order will survive. It will not. The real question is what replaces it. The w...

Rare earth minerals have become one of the world's most strategic resources. They are essential for electric vehicles, smartphones, wind turbines, semiconductors, advanced military systems, and artificial intelligence. For years, China has dominated their production and processing, giving Beijing enormous leverage over industries that underpin both economic growth and national security.   New assessments suggest the United States and Canad...

The good news is Europe is generating more clean electricity than ever before. The bad news is it does not have enough infrastructure to store it. This imbalance is creating a paradox at the heart of the continent’s energy transition: it has abundant renewable energy on one hand, yet still has a deep dependence on gas power on the other.   Europe’s green energy transition refers to the shift away from fossil fuels like coal, oi...

For much of the past decade, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates appeared to be among the Arab world's closest strategic partners. Together, they shaped regional policy, launched military campaigns, coordinated oil strategy, and sought to counter both Iranian influence and Islamist movements across the Middle East.   Fast forward to today, and the partnership that once defined Gulf politics now appears to be entering a messy breakup....