International

Energy extends far beyond fuel and electricity, serving as the foundation for industry, transportation, household well-being, and military strength. Because of this central role, it becomes a particularly powerful instrument in international affairs. Governments, corporations, and nonstate actors leverage supply, pricing, infrastructure, regulation, and technological oversight to pursue strategic objectives. This behavior endures due to four persistent factors: the uneven global distribution of resources, the long lifespan of infrastructure and contractual arrangements, the rapid economic strain caused by supply disruptions, and the wide-ranging ripple effects on alliances and domestic political dynamics.Fundamental dynamics shaping energy geopoliticsSupply manipulation: producers can cut or…

The presence of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) personnel in Italy ahead of the upcoming Winter Olympics is raising heightened concern among both lawmakers and the wider public, as debates intensify over jurisdictional authority, security methods, and previous incidents reported in the U.S.The Italian government is confronting increasing scrutiny after reports emerged that ICE officers will provide security support during the Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics. The announcement has reignited discussions about the role of foreign law enforcement agencies on Italian soil, particularly given recent violent incidents linked to ICE operations in the United States.The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS)…

Democratic stability depends on citizens who remain well-informed, institutions capable of earning public trust, a shared foundation of widely acknowledged yet continuously debated facts, and transitions of power conducted with order. Information manipulation — the deliberate shaping, distorting, amplifying, or suppressing of material to influence public attitudes or behavior — gradually erodes these foundations. It weakens them not only by spreading falsehoods, but also by reshaping incentives, corroding trust, and transforming public attention into a lever for strategic gain. This threat functions at a systemic level, producing compromised elections, polarized societies, reduced accountability, and environments in which violence and authoritarian…

Venezuelan opposition leader and 2025 Nobel Peace Prize laureate Maria Corina Machado arrives in Washington amid tense negotiations over her country’s future. Her visit coincides with U.S. debates over Venezuela’s leadership following Nicolás Maduro’s removal from power.Machado’s arrival in the U.S. capital follows a volatile year in Venezuelan politics, marked by shifting power and uncertainty. Only a year earlier, she had been on the campaign trail in Caracas, working to rally citizens against Maduro as he entered a third term despite disputed election outcomes. Although her candidate, Edmundo González, was widely reported to have secured a clear victory, Maduro’s administration…

Venezuela’s extensive natural resources have reemerged within Washington’s strategic agenda, with its potential mineral reserves now portrayed as matters of national significance, although specialists caution that transforming these aspirations into tangible results is considerably more intricate than political discourse implies.When Donald Trump announced that U.S. companies would be allowed to tap into Venezuela’s vast oil reserves, the spotlight swiftly broadened far beyond petroleum, and policy discussions increasingly began to encompass minerals, metals, and even rare earth elements thought to lie beneath Venezuelan territory, resources considered vital across sectors such as defense, aerospace, clean energy, and consumer technology, and now central…

Essential infrastructure such as power grids, water treatment facilities, transportation networks, healthcare systems, and telecommunications forms the backbone of contemporary society, and when digital assaults target these assets, they can interrupt essential services, put lives at risk, and trigger severe economic losses. Safeguarding them effectively calls for a balanced combination of technical measures, strong governance, skilled personnel, and coordinated public‑private efforts designed for both IT and operational technology (OT) contexts.Risk Environment and ConsequencesDigital risks to infrastructure span ransomware, destructive malware, supply chain breaches, insider abuse, and precision attacks on control systems, and high-profile incidents underscore how serious these threats can…

Artificial intelligence has shifted from research environments into virtually every industry worldwide, reshaping policy discussions at high speed. Global debates on AI governance revolve around how to encourage progress while safeguarding society, uphold rights as economic growth unfolds, and stop risks that span nations. These conversations concentrate on questions of scope and definition, safety and alignment, trade restrictions, civil liberties and rights, legal responsibility, standards and certification, and the geopolitical and developmental aspects of regulation.Definitions, scope, and jurisdictionWhat counts as “AI”? Policymakers wrestle with whether to regulate systems by capability, application, or technique. A narrow, technical definition risks loopholes; a…

Even amid political strains and economic unpredictability, the US stock market has continued to outperform projections, with the Dow Jones Industrial Average nearing unprecedented peaks.Investors are navigating a complex landscape: international crises, domestic unrest, and mixed economic signals have created a climate where traditional market reactions seem upended. Yet, the Dow, which tracks 30 of America’s largest publicly traded companies, remains on a trajectory toward historic levels, leaving analysts and observers asking why the market appears resilient in the face of apparent instability.Political news narratives contrasted with real economic conditionsRecent events have painted a turbulent picture. Internationally, Venezuela faces strikes…

Marco Rubio and the high-stakes U.S. gamble in post-Maduro VenezuelaThe sweeping arrest of Nicolás Maduro became a pivotal moment in U.S.–Venezuela relations, with Marco Rubio at its core, whose influence within the Trump administration has recast Washington’s strategy toward Caracas and stirred profound uncertainty over what lies ahead for a fractured nation.On a January night charged with symbolism and consequence, U.S. military operations against Venezuela unfolded far from Washington’s traditional command centers. From Mar-a-Lago, President Donald Trump followed the raid that led to the capture of Nicolás Maduro, while beside him stood Secretary of State and National Security Advisor Marco…

Venezuela awoke Saturday to an uneasy blend of reassurance, jubilation, and dread after U.S. forces took President Nicolás Maduro into custody in the aftermath of a night marked by blasts and precision assaults throughout the Caracas Valley.As residents cautiously returned to the streets, reactions split sharply. Some Venezuelans expressed hope that Maduro’s removal could open a path toward change after years of repression and crisis, while others condemned the operation and rallied to demand his release, calling the arrest an abduction and denouncing a breach of national sovereignty.Despite a few scattered moments of celebration, a sense of uncertainty permeated many…