With member states pledging to increase defence spending, the recent NATO summit could, in many respects, be seen as a success. Yet beneath the surface, significant tensions and unresolved issues persist. Richard Gardiner examines the outcomes of the summit, and the key challenges the alliance is likely to face in the years ahead.
In May, the Safeguarding Health in Conflict Coalition (SHCC) released its annual report, highlighting a sharp rise in violence against healthcare organisations and workers in conflict zones. Richard Gardiner explores the underlying drivers of this trend and argues that the SHCC’s findings reflect deeper concerns about the state of the aid sector as…
A recent spate of politically motivated attacks in the US – including the killing of two Israeli embassy staff members in Washington, DC – underscores the complex threat posed by extremist actors. Richard Gardiner argues that a combination of domestic and external factors is driving a diverse range of actors to carry out such attacks.
Between March and May 2025, the US conducted a sustained campaign of airstrikes against Houthi targets in Yemen, while Iran signalled its intention to reduce its support for the group. Despite these developments – including a recent ceasefire agreement with the US – Richard Gardiner argues that the Houthis will continue to pose a threat to both regional…
The release of Marc Fogel from Russian detention in February came as the new US administration ramped up efforts to secure the return of detained Americans held abroad and recalibrate its approach to Russia. Richard Gardiner examines how these policy shifts under President Donald Trump could shape the future of wrongful detentions of US nationals in…
US President Donald Trump’s executive order pausing foreign aid has highlighted the global reliance on US funding as the new administration moves to streamline government spending. While concerns over the effectiveness of international aid and calls for reform are not new, Richard Gardiner examines how the sudden US policy shift will impact regions…
With Islamist militant groups and extremists carrying out attacks across multiple regions last year, Richard Gardiner examines some of the main actors involved and explores what may lie ahead in 2025.
The political and security landscape across Russia and the CIS is marked by significant diversity, reflected in the equally multifaceted travel security risks throughout the region.
Travel security threats in Sub-Saharan Africa remain influenced by the region's complex political and security dynamics, with escalating conflicts in Somalia, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Sudan, and the Sahel posing risks of piracy, kidnappings, and political evacuations.
The deployment of thousands of North Korean personnel to the Russia-Ukraine conflict marks a significant development in the nearly three-year war. Richard Gardiner examines how this involvement could impact not only the conflict itself, but also broader geopolitical dynamics in the region.
As the US presidential elections draw near, attention has focused on the divide in foreign policies between candidates Donald Trump and Kamala Harris. Richard Gardiner examines how their divergent approaches may manifest in a fractious yet geopolitically significant region like the Middle East – especially as the Israel-Palestine conflict intensifies.…
Following the recent closure of a prominent bar and eatery in central Cape Town, Richard Gardiner discusses the current dynamics driving extortion in the city’s hospitality industry, the tactics used by the extortionists and why it is unlikely to change any time soon.