The global cocaine market is experiencing unprecedented growth, with the United Nations reporting that production, seizures, and consumption of cocaine all reached record highs in 2023. Driven largely by expanded coca cultivation in Colombia and improved yields, illegal cocaine production surged by about one-third to over 3,700 tons, cementing

Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum responded forcefully to new U.S. sanctions imposed by the Trump administration on three Mexican financial institutions—CIBanco, Intercam Banco, and Vector Casa de Bolsa—accused of facilitating millions of dollars in transfers for drug cartels. Sheinbaum criticized the U.S. Treasury Department for failing to

A new report from the European Digital Media Observatory (EDMO) finds that major tech companies—including Google, Meta, Microsoft, and TikTok—are falling short in their efforts to combat disinformation under EU guidelines. The assessment, which reviewed compliance with the EU’s Code of Practice on Disinformation from January to

Europe’s broken housing market is driving deepening inequality, with rapidly rising rents and property prices putting affordable housing out of reach for many, especially young people and low-income families. This crisis has created widespread frustration and a sense of exclusion, as more Europeans struggle to secure stable homes in

Both Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping will not attend the upcoming BRICS summit in Brazil in person. Putin is unable to travel because of an International Criminal Court (ICC) arrest warrant against him, which means Brazil would have to arrest him if he sets foot in

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov stated at the 11th Primakov Readings forum that the West is now urgently calling for a ceasefire in Ukraine without any preconditions, a stark reversal from just a few years ago when Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky firmly rejected such terms while aiming for Russia’s

A full-scale war between Russia and NATO, once considered unlikely, is now a growing concern among European officials as Vladimir Putin accelerates Russia’s military production and signals broader ambitions beyond Ukraine. Bloomberg Economics estimates that such a conflict would slash global GDP by $1.5 trillion in the first

Trump administration plans to restrict the sharing of classified information with Congress after a leak revealed that recent U.S. bombings of Iran's nuclear facilities were less effective than President Trump had claimed. The leak involved a preliminary Defense Intelligence Agency assessment, which was posted on CAPNET—a

Iran has arrested over 700 individuals accused of having ties to an Israeli espionage network amid heightened tensions following a nearly two-week conflict with Israel. According to Iranian state-linked media, these arrests took place within 12 days after Israel launched a broad air campaign targeting Iranian military, nuclear, and government

At the NATO summit in The Hague on June 25, 2025, member countries agreed to significantly raise their defense spending target from the long-standing 2% of GDP to 5% by 2035. This new target is split into 3.5% for core defense needs such as troops, weapons, and military hardware,

Chinese Premier Li Qiang, speaking at the opening of the 16th Annual Meeting of the New Champions (Summer Davos) in Tianjin, emphasized China's ambition to transform into a super-sized consumption powerhouse, building on its robust manufacturing base. He highlighted China's willingness to address global economic challenges

The night the bombs fell on Fordow, Natanz, and Esfahan, the world saw the United States—under Donald Trump’s orders—cross a line that international law and nuclear diplomacy had drawn decades ago. The official rationale was the same old refrain: Iran’s nuclear program posed an imminent threat.

Summary NATO allies are intensifying pressure on Spain to agree to a new, higher defense spending target—5% of GDP—a key demand championed by U.S. President Donald Trump ahead of an alliance summit next week. While most NATO members are moving toward endorsing this goal, Spain remains a

Summary Danish shipping giant Maersk has announced a temporary suspension of its vessel calls at Israel’s Haifa port, citing heightened risks due to the ongoing conflict between Israel and Iran. The company stated that this decision followed a careful analysis of threat risk reports, particularly concerning the safety of

Senior Pentagon officials are now warning that destroying Iran’s deeply buried Fordow uranium enrichment facility may exceed the capabilities of conventional weapons. While the GBU‑57 “bunker‑buster” is the most powerful non-nuclear munition in the U.S. arsenal, assessments show it might only collapse tunnel ceilings or delay

Summary According to Rafael Grossi, head of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Iran was not manufacturing a nuclear bomb at the time when Israel began its attacks. In an interview with the Argentine newspaper La Nación, Grossi clarified that while Iran has enriched uranium to 60%—a level close

Summary Seymour Hersh reports that U.S. and Israeli officials are preparing for heavy American bombing in Iran, potentially starting as early as this weekend. A U.S. official told him the situation would remain “under control” if Iran’s Supreme Leader Khamenei were to “depart,” though how that would

Colonel Douglas Macgregor, a retired U.S. Army officer and former Pentagon adviser, is not mincing words: the United States is already at war with Iran. In two recent interviews, he laid bare what he sees as a catastrophic military and political miscalculation by the Trump administration—one driven not

Thailand’s Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra is facing mounting pressure to resign after a leaked phone call with former Cambodian leader Hun Sen triggered a political crisis and fractured her ruling coalition. The Bhumjaithai Party, her largest coalition partner, withdrew in protest over the call, which revealed Paetongtarn urging Hun