Month: October 2025

Whether they’re addressing climate change, global health or business leadership, summits offer an opportunity for leaders to gather and advance solutions to the world’s most urgent problems. But as the pace of change accelerates, can summits keep up? New leadership, expanded participation from emerging powers and reframed conversations may help.

The inaugural GIID Global Summit brought together leaders of both long-established and emergent innovation districts around the world to explore the latest research on their evolution and key drivers. The Summit was the first to be specifically tailored to the needs and ambitions of these distinctive urban geographies for innovation.

A year after the Paris Agreement, this UN ocean conference will focus high-level attention on the threats facing the world’s seas: bleached coral reefs, declining fish supply, and rising sea levels. With ocean-related greenhouse gas emissions responsible for most of global warming, this gathering will set a crucial agenda for advancing climate action in 2025.

The Global Summit features renowned speakers, interactive sessions and workshops, networking opportunities, exclusive merchandise, and more. Attendees can participate in the event’s live studio audience at Willow Creek Community Church in South Barrington, Illinois and join in the global conversation with hundreds of other host sites. Recordings of the Summit are also distributed to reach a broader audience over time. The Summit aims to equip participants with powerful inspirations and practical tools to prepare for, respond to and lead ongoing transformations in today’s challenging business landscape.

Debt can be a vital tool for countries to finance development and provide social services, but it becomes a burden when it’s growing too fast. This is the case in many developing economies, where debt is on a dangerous rise – with consequences for global growth and the world’s poorest people.

The roots of today’s debt crisis go back nearly 30 years. When the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries quadrupled oil prices in 1973, OPEC nations deposited much of their new wealth in Western commercial banks. The banks, seeking investments for this money, lent it to developing countries. Many of these loans were made hastily and with little scrutiny. Some of the funds were used for projects that did not benefit the poor, such as armaments or failed large-scale development programs. Others were diverted into speculative investments and corruption.

Today, the world faces a fourth wave of rapid debt accumulation in emerging and developing countries. This debt build-up is more severe than previous ones, mainly because it has happened at a time of weak growth prospects and elevated global risks.

Public debt is on a steep upward trend in most countries, with two-thirds of the 175 developing economies we study now carrying higher debt levels than before COVID-19 and borrowing at a faster pace. In addition, the cost of servicing external debt has risen sharply, reflecting rising net interest costs in advanced economies and higher inflation. Private-sector debt is increasing in some large emerging markets and developing countries, such as Brazil or India, while falling in others, such as Colombia or Thailand.

As the world becomes increasingly interconnected through trade and commerce, travel and migration, global climate change and social media, it is important for governments and businesses to understand international relations. This field examines the interactions between nations and their effect on global politics, economics, governance, security, diplomacy and culture. Students who choose a degree in international relations build a foundation of analytical skills that can be applied to a variety of careers like foreign service, business, intelligence, politics and nonprofit work.

International relations also explores the relationships between people from diverse cultures who live and work in different countries. This perspective is important, as it highlights that a country’s culture can impact how its citizens interact with each other and other nations. In addition, it can influence a nation’s views on issues and how those views affect policymaking.

While studying international relations, students learn the fundamental concepts of polarity and power. They also analyze theories such as the balance of power, a concept popularized prior to World War I, which believed that balancing power blocs would create stability and prevent war. Other influential theories include realism, liberalism, Marxism and constructivism.

Another essential aspect of this field is a commitment to personal growth. Those who study international relations gain a better understanding of the backgrounds and perspectives of people from many cultures, which can improve communication between individuals and nations. This can lead to more effective diplomatic solutions and a more peaceful world.

International alliance is a system of military and political relationships between states. It is a key element of global power politics, and it allows states to pursue complex grand strategies. It is difficult, if not impossible – certainly in the modern world – for a single state to seek global, or even regional, primacy on its own. Such a quest is usually enabled by an intricate network of partnerships, as was the case in the Cold War coalitions or in more ancient times, when the Indian strategist Kautilya (reigned c. 321–c. 297 bce) advocated the art of “the enemy of one’s enemy being one’s friend.”

As alliances multiply, their benefits may also become problematic. They do not come for free and they often require sacrifices of domestic interests. They can also become dangerous if countries rely too heavily on alliance-derived gains and develop dangerous habits. This is why alliance policy needs to be constantly reevaluated and re-calibrated.

Another potential problem is that alliances can encourage devolutionary movements by empowering local groups that feel disconnected from central governments or want greater autonomy. This can result in a widening of regional identity and the emergence of new territorial disputes among alliance members. It is also possible that alliances may be harmed by the behavior of individual members, such as when some alliance partners play a double game or are tempted to pursue their own geopolitical interests at the expense of their shared commitments.

An agreement reached between States or non-State parties to a conflict in order to bring an end to a non-international armed conflict.

Peace agreements are often the first step in a complex peace process, and they can determine whether a later framework or comprehensive peace agreement will be possible. They signal that progress is being made in resolving the conflict and help to build trust in a future without violence.

They may include provisions on power-sharing, elections and nation building. They also commonly address the social and structural roots of a conflict. These are the issues that often lie at the heart of protracted conflicts, especially those involving high levels of violence. Such issues include the activation of latent cultural identities to create power bases that can access and control resources, such as minerals; and the incentives to engage in horrific crimes, which reinforce those identities.

Creating conditions for sustainable peace depends on addressing these factors in a way that is mutually beneficial to all. For example, enabling the free flow of trade can unlock investment opportunities, improve the business climate and stimulate growth. Reducing barriers to trade is a key element of any peace agreement. It can also enable countries to benefit from the global value chain and develop a more interconnected world.

Diplomatic talks are international interactions aimed at promoting national interests, resolving conflicts and creating peaceful coexistence. Whether conducted face-to-face or digitally, they are generally framed by established protocols and conventions that provide structure for diplomatic negotiations. Diplomatic tools range from persuasive talks and incentives to coercive measures, such as sanctions or military intervention. Regardless of how they are employed, successful diplomatic talks often lead to a lasting peace agreement or other internationally recognized instrument that addresses the underlying issues.

A renowned British diplomat, Winston Churchill, once said, “Diplomacy is the art of telling people to go to hell in such a way that they ask for directions.” His words emphasize the value of finesse and tact when addressing sensitive topics in diplomatic conversation. In diplomatic negotiation, heightened emotions, misreading situations or ego and overconfidence can derail discussions and prevent a productive dialogue. Communication barriers may also include cultural differences and the inability to adapt to diverse communication norms, such as sarcasm or condescension. Finally, a lack of active listening can impede true understanding and the ability to communicate effectively in a negotiation.

Successful diplomatic negotiation interaction requires a deep understanding of the other party’s perspective. This includes an assessment of the other party’s domestic politics and how those might impact their negotiating strategy. Moreover, the successful negotiator will need to be able to identify and articulate the core issues at stake, how they can be addressed, and how a successful outcome will serve their nation’s interests.

Political exile refers to the situation of those forced to leave their home countries for political reasons. This often happens as a result of oppressive regimes or persecution for their activities. This can also occur due to a conflict or war, as seen in the case of a dissident like John Milton or in other cases when individuals were transported away from their homes during the czarist or communist regimes. The experiences of these individuals illuminate the struggles for freedom and expression in authoritarian contexts around the world.

The term diaspora carries a broad range of meanings, ranging from the geographic dispersal of Jewish communities to the belief that the Ottoman empire planned genocidal actions against the Armenian people to the formation of governments-in-exile such as that of the Dalai Lama. These different interpretations reflect the fact that for many people, choice and non-choice in terms of displacement/exile are difficult to separate from one another.

In contemporary times, the Russian anti-Putin diaspora in Western countries can play a crucial role by engaging with civil society in Russia. However, it is important to avoid fruitless attempts to unite them and focus instead on their diversity of ideologies and goals. It is also necessary to create a setting that allows each group of these political emigrants to work with different segments of the Russian civil society, as well as with Western leaders who have a stake in Russia’s future. This will allow the community of political emigrants to develop a dialogue that is uniquely informed by both perspectives and that can be of real value for the future of Russia.

Nuclear threat

A nuclear weapon creates an explosion that is much more powerful than the blast from a conventional explosive like TNT. The explosion gives off four types of energy: a blast wave, intense heat, light and radiation. Nuclear weapons can be in the form of bombs or missiles.

The most serious impact of a nuclear attack is the lethal radioactive ‘fallout’ that would spread out from the point of detonation. This ‘mushroom cloud’ could be visible for many kilometres downwind and contain dangerous radioactive material with harmful health effects. It is estimated that tens to hundreds of millions of people could die immediately from blast, fire and radiation. This death toll would be supplemented by the destruction of vital infrastructure – health care, water, food and energy supply systems – that would leave the survivors to cope in a brutalised and traumatised shattered world violently thrown back into a pre industrial age.

Implicit or explicit nuclear threats have been the default position of states possessing such weapons for decades – they are the essence of deterrence – if you attack us we will destroy your society and most important military assets. But in the hands of terrorists, the rules and limitations set by state militaries might be circumvented. Terrorists may not be concerned about the weight and size constraints of a fabricated nuclear device or the hazardous materials it contains. They might also not be bound by nuclear treaties and agreements.

A Peacekeeping mission is a military and police force sent to monitor the ceasefire in a country that has been at war, or whose government is being forced out by armed rebels. The UN Security Council gives it operational control, and it can be made up of troops from member states who remain members of their own armed forces and obey its instructions, or it can involve a “brigade” drawn from a number of countries that has been established for the purpose, usually with a mix of military and civilian personnel.

Peacekeepers are usually mandated with a number of tasks that range from separating the belligerents and providing law and order to establishing post-conflict institutions and public services, disarming and demobilising former combatants, implementing power-sharing arrangements, delivering humanitarian assistance and helping restore the rule of law. They are often referred to as Blue Berets or Blue Helmets, and they can be composed of soldiers, police officers, or civil police and support staff.

One of the unique strengths of the UN is its ability to deploy a wide variety of troops and civilian police from all over the world to perform peacekeeping missions. However, the nature of these missions has changed significantly since their inception in the aftermath of the Cold War, with a significant shift from narrow ceasefire monitoring deployments to more complex multidimensional missions in volatile and challenging environments. They have also become more politicised, as peacekeeping is now linked to ideas of liberal peace and development.

From the average consumer’s perspective, oil price fluctuation is something to be aware of when filling up at the gas pump. The price of crude oil is determined by thousands of transactions that take place at all points in the world from the oil rigs to your local gasoline station. These behind the scenes factors influence everything from production costs to storage capacity. They also impact the decisions made by producers like the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), independent petro-states like Russia, and private oil-producing firms like ExxonMobil. The laws of supply and demand influence prices, as do natural disasters that could disrupt production and political instability in the region of the world where oil is produced.

Often, the influence of these types of forces on oil prices tends to be relatively short lived once the problem is resolved and oil and product supplies resume their normal flows. However, these kinds of issues have a major impact on the economy of countries that rely heavily on oil revenue for their government spending and general economic development. High prices make it harder for these countries to spend money on worthy projects, and low prices make those projects less financially viable in the long run.

There are a few things that have been shown to help reduce the impact of these behind the scene forces on oil prices, including regular communication between OPEC member countries and restraint in discussing disagreements in public. But these are only partial solutions to a much larger issue that has persisted for decades and will likely continue to have some influence on the global economy.