Taking an invention and claiming it as yours is called intellectual property, based on practices followed by US and European businesses. But what happens when your neighbor argues that inventions can’t be owned, and that intellectual property is no longer applicable based on the rules...

Washington’s relationship with Russia appears likely to continue its decades-long decline, with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio saying on May 22 that formal diplomatic talks over the Ukraine war are effectively frozen. U.S. President Donald Trump’s last meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin...

In April, the General Services Administration announced plans to automate 1 million work hours annually after cutting nearly 40 percent of its staff since October 2024, with similar reductions being seen across the government workforce. ...

With the United States and Iran escalating confrontations along the Strait of Hormuz—including seizure of ships—the waterway has become “pivotal to negotiations” between the two countries. ...

Cuba’s deepening crisis has once again pulled the Vatican into a familiar role. In March, it was revealed that Cuban officials ​turned to the Holy See to help persuade U.S. President Donald Trump to ​ease its oil embargo, underscoring the Church’s position as one...

Missile inventories have become a focal point in the ongoing military confrontation with Iran. The Alma Research and Education Center estimates Iran’s ballistic missile count has fallen from 2,500 at the beginning of the conflict to around 1,000, and U.S. Secretary of War Pete...

China, which was the largest holder of U.S. government debt as recently as 2019, has cut its holdings to the lowest level since 2008, driven by changing trade patterns, geopolitical concerns, and domestic economic pressures. ...

China’s energy security may be put to its first true test in 2026 with the seizure of Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro in January and joint U.S.-Israeli military action against Iran beginning in late February. These events have disrupted two sources of China’s oil supply....

Rising tensions between Washington and Iran are now threatening to reach the United Arab Emirates (UAE), a U.S. ally. Hamidreza Moghaddamfar, an adviser to the commander-in-chief of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), warned in February that assets in the UAE linked to U.S. President...

Washington’s 2025 strike on Iran, the raid to remove Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro in early 2026, and its renewed interest in acquiring Greenland have clarified the country’s international priorities. Meanwhile, securing Ukraine’s independence, once a defining rallying cry of the liberal world...