Global Watch

In October, Australia and Papua New Guinea (PNG) finalized a powerful new military agreement that could reshape security in the Pacific and influence tensions in the South China Sea. Both countries have long pushed for freedom of navigation in the disputed waters, where China’s growing claims continue to alarm nations from the Philippines to Vietnam.   Under the deal, Australia gets access to PNG’s military bases, while up to 1...

As US sanctions tighten, Russia is using a secretive network of oil tankers known as the “shadow fleet” to keep exporting oil. These ships allow Moscow to keep trading oil despite restrictions on insurance, financing, and tracking.   Since 2022, Russian-linked buyers have purchased more than two hundred secondhand tankers, many previously owned by European firms. The vessels operate under foreign flags and rely on non-Western i...

On October 23, the United States took one of its strongest steps yet against Russia by sanctioning its two biggest oil companies, Rosneft and Lukoil. The move, which has already impacted global oil trade, aims to cut off billions of dollars in revenue that Moscow uses to fund its war in Ukraine.   Washington Targets Russia’s Main Source of Money In October, the US placed Rosneft and Lukoil on its Specially Designated Nationals (SDN)...

The Philippines and Canada are joining forces to beef up military ties as tensions with China heat up in the South China Sea.   On November 2, Philippine Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. and Canadian Defense Minister David McGuinty signed a new agreement in Manila. It allows troops from both countries to train together, swap knowledge, and coordinate on disasters and cybersecurity. The deal is similar to what the Philippines already ...

In a surprise move, US president Donald Trump is attempting to broker peace between Morocco and Algeria, rivals locked in a decades-long dispute over Western Sahara. The effort aims to end more than 60 years of hostility in North Africa’s Maghreb region, a zone critical to global energy routes and counterterrorism efforts.   Trump aims to achieve a breakthrough within the next two months. The push follows his announcement of a fragil...