The Global Current

The Russian invasion of Ukraine has upset long-standing geopolitical trends and the balance of global politics in many different ways. One thing it has revealed is the precarious energy situation that most of Europe face as Russia cuts off its shipments of oil through the pipelines to the rest of the continent. European nations now face soaring energy prices as winter looms and people struggle to...

Conflict has once again broken in the Caucasus region between the nations of Armenia and Azerbaijan over the disputed region of Nagorno-Karabakh, as the ceasefire between the two nations overseen by Russia has once again been broken. Fears remain that the border clashes could escalate to full-scale war once again between the neighbors two years after the previous war, which bring us to the questio...

The United Kingdom has experienced its fair share of political turmoil and upheaval in recent months and years which has led to the resignation and departure of former Prime Minister Boris Johnson. In his place, Liz Truss of the Conservative Party has been elected to serve in his stead. The new Prime Minister faces no shortage of dilemmas as she ascends, in having to confront soaring energy prices...

French President Emmanuel Macron was inaugurated for a second term on Saturday, solidifying his next five years in office after winning France's presidential election on April 24. His victory over Marine Le Pen, the far-right candidate, came with a margin of 13 percentage points but reflects the increasing division in France, which backed Macron by over 32 points in 2017. Join the Global Current t...

The United Nations General Assembly voted in early April to expel Russia from the body's Human Rights Council. The final vote tally was 93 to 24, with 58 abstentions, with major world powers like India, China, and Brazil refusing to join the U.S.-led effort against Vladimir Putin. Since then, many debates have emerged on the role of international institutions amid the War in Ukraine.  Join the Glo...

For the past six years, Yemen has dealt with political turmoil and violence that has led to "the worst humanitarian crisis in the world." The conflict not only has caused famine but has exacerbated instability in the region. In the month of Ramadan, the UN has helped negotiate a truce between the warring parties.  Join the Global Current today as we delve into the history of the crisis and recent...

Join the Global Current today for an expert spotlight interview with Rajaa Altalli, the Sergio Vieira de Mello Endowed Visiting Chair in the Practice of Post-Conflict Diplomacy at the Seton Hall School of Diplomacy, conducted by Hamzah Khan.  Ms. Rajaa Altalli is a member of the Syrian Women's Advisory Board for the UN Special Envoy for Syria since it was established in January 2016 to ensure that...

The Rohingya genocide began before 2016, but only in recent years as come into international attention. On March 29th, 2022 the Biden administration declared that Myanmar's military government committed a genocide.  Join the Global Current today as we delve into the history of the genocide and U.S. response to the crisis Analysts Kasia Kostraba and Liam Brucker-Casey. Afterward, News Briefer Chris...

On February 24th, Russia began its invasion of Ukraine, which has escalated into a war that has killed at least 24,000 and displaced over 10 million people. The ongoing war has led over four million refugees to flee to neighboring countries in Europe. Some draw connections and contrasts to other European refugee crises such as the 2015 refugee crisis. Join The Global Current today as we analyze th...

Talks are ongoing to revive the 2015 Iran nuclear deal, which the United States exited under the Trump administration. Western and Iranian diplomats have described the deal as "very close", but a final agreement has remained elusive.  Join the Global Current today as we delve into the talks and what a potential deal could look like with Analysts Kieran Besancon and David Babigian. Afterward, News...

Russia launched its invasion of Ukraine nearly a month ago. Since then, Western nations have imposed severe economic sanctions, while Ukrainian forces on the ground have put up stiff resistance. Now, NATO is sending an abundance of military assistance while Russian President Vladimir Putin refuses to back down.  Join the Global Current today as we take a deep dive into the conflict and its origins...

Join the Global Current today for an expert spotlight interview with Dr. Yanzhong Huang, a global health expert who teaches at the Seton Hall School of Diplomacy, conducted by Sydney Dyer.  Dr. Huang teaches mainly on global health at the School of Diplomacy and recently published a book titled Toxic Politics: China's Environmental Health Crisis and Its Challenge to the Chinese State. He directs t...

The so-called Freedom Convoy in Canada saw hundreds of truck drivers and other right-wing activists protesting vaccine mandates. While the convoy was dispersed by police, the sentiment spilled south into the U.S., sparking new protests against pandemic measures.  Join the Global Current today as we dissect the convoy and its wider implications with Analysts Kieran Besancon and Christopher Benítez...

Since the Taliban took control of Afghanistan, aid groups have been warning the country's fragile economy could collapse amid a withdrawal of Western support. Now, Afghanistan is facing a full-blown humanitarian crisis amid widespread food security. While the United States and some other nations have sent limited aid, experts are warning that it's not nearly enough.  Join the Global Current today...

Tensions along the Ukraine-Russia border are soaring amid Russia's continued amassing of over 100,000 troops. U.S. President Joe Biden has warned of an imminent invasion, and Western nations are trying to pursue diplomacy to prevent a war.  Join the Global Current today as we dissect the crisis and its implications with Analysts Liam Brucker-Casey and Sydney Dyer. Afterward, News Briefer Bobby Kil...

The Beijing Winter Olympics are in full swing, and this year is no short of controversy. Allegations of human rights violations, censorship, and Western diplomatic boycotts all accompany this year's games. We dive into the details. Join the Global Current today as we dissect the crisis and its implications with Analysts Maryam Ali and Christopher Benitez-Cuartas. Afterward, News Briefer Joshua Pow...

Join the Global Current today for its third expert interview conducted by Kristen McGuire. Aviva Rosenthal is the Director of the Office of International Relations at the Smithsonian Institution, where she oversees the successful implementation of the Institution's extensive variety of programs, projects, and research. As Director, she also continues to help develop and sustain strategic partnersh...

Join the Global Current today for its second expert interview conducted by Liam Brucker-Casey. Phil Gurski is the president and CEO of Borealis Threat and Risk Consulting Limited, and hosts his own podcast and YouTube channel where he discusses counter-terrorism and intelligence. Gurski has extensive experience with counter-terrorism and government intelligence in Canada as an analyst for the Cana...

EU nations are on edge following a surge of predominantly Middle-Eastern migrants at the Poland-Belarus border. Leaders within the bloc have condemned the Belarusian government, which some say has purposefully placed migrants on the border to apply pressure.  Join the Global Current today as we dissect the crisis and its implications with Analysts Catherine Anderson and Christopher Benitez-Cuartas...

Ethiopia is embroiled in conflict. A year after the beginning of the war in the country's Tigray, central government forces are on the retreat and momentum has shifted against Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed. Now, with other rebel groups joining the fray, Ethiopia looks to be headed in the direction of a full-blown civil war.  Join the Global Current today as we dissect the leak and the public reaction...

Brazil's fiery president, Jair Bolsonaro, has served as a global image of right-wing populism since he was first elected in 2018. Today, however, his authoritarian policies have spurred several legal and political challenges against him, including a new investigation at the International Criminal Court on crimes against humanity committed by the administration.  Join the Global Current today as we...

Tensions between Taiwan and mainland China are escalating amid a new wave of Chinese military aggression. The political situation, which is mired in historical issues dating back to the Chinese Civil War, remains fragile as the United States ramps up its support for Taiwan while attempting to avoid conflict. Although it seemed unlikely just a year ago, some analysts are predicting a Chinese invasi...

When former Facebook engineer Frances Haugen broke ranks and leaked a trove of internal company documents, the embattled social media giant found itself yet again in hot water and the public's disgrace. The documents reveal, among other things, awareness among Facebook leadership that its platform negatively impacts the mental health of some of its youngest users while being used to host hate spee...

It's been a rough month for some kleptocrats. The Pandora Papers, a trove of documents released by the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists this October, has revealed a huge network of connections between the world's rich and powerful and offshore money hiding institutions. Figures from the King of Jordan to the prime minister of the Czech Republic have been implicated in the leak...

Sit down with Global Current for its inaugural expert interview conducted by Jackie Ballard. Sean Mayberry is a former diplomat and social marketer who believes that treating depression in women in Africa is the most simple and cost-effective way to address systemic poverty. Sean implemented successful HIV/AIDS and malaria programs in Africa for years and saw firsthand how undetected, untreated de...