Global Watch

The United Kingdom, the United States, and Australia are moving ahead with a major new defense project under the AUKUS alliance, focusing on advanced underwater drone technology. Their goal is to protect critical undersea cables, improve maritime surveillance, and strengthen military cooperation at a time of growing concern over maritime security.   The uncrewed undersea vehicle (UUV) technology is expected to be operational by 2027. The U...

Suriname sits on the northern coast of South America, but its official language is Dutch. It is the only independent country in South America where Dutch is used in government, schools, courts, and official business.   At first glance, that may seem like an unusual colonial legacy. In reality, it reveals something much deeper. Suriname’s language reflects a history shaped by empire, migration, slavery, and independence. Today, that l...

China is flooding global markets with low-cost robots. The concern is not just that these machines are becoming cheaper, smarter, and more widespread. It is that they are increasingly mobile, networked, and packed with sensors capable of seeing, mapping, moving, transmitting data, and interacting with the physical world.   As robots become more connected and autonomous, some security analysts warn that foreign-made systems operating inside...

Central Asia has long depended on rivers fed by mountain glaciers to support its cities, farms, and industries. Today, that system is under pressure.   Rising temperatures, shrinking glaciers, and growing demand for water are creating new challenges across the region. While Central Asia is often described as water-rich, experts increasingly warn that the real problem is not only how much water exists, but whether enough will be available w...

The Arab Gulf states are under growing pressure to pick a side in the ongoing United States-Iran-Israel war. But across the Middle East, many leaders now fear that choosing either camp could pull the region deeper into instability, economic shocks, and permanent conflict.   Saudi Arabia, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Oman, and Bahrain all sit at the center of one of the world’s most dangerous geopolitical fault lines. The ...