With the continued increase in global vaccination levels, travel bans are easing as countries restart their tourism sectors. Erin Drake writes that while travel dynamics may look a little different in 2022, the usual security threats remain.
Democracy is at risk and the threat of political violence is on the rise write Gabrielle Reid and Gala Riani. According to the Global State of Democracy 2021 report, more than a quarter of the world’s population reside in ‘democratically backsliding’ countries. Together with those living in outright non-democratic regimes, these jurisdictions make up…
The Covid-19 pandemic and its knock-on effects have driven protests worldwide since 2020. Erin Drake writes that protests over climate change, anti-vaccine mandates and anti-austerity measures will remain disruptive, and in some cases gain ground through 2022.
Darren Davids writes that terror plots in Europe and the US will continue to manifest as traditional lone-wolf attacks in 2022. However, in weaker states in Africa and the Middle East, porous borders, security vacuums and a lack of governance will continue to enable the spread of Islamic extremism.
Anti-vaccine protests have become a global phenomenon with varying driving factors ranging from low levels of trust in government to safety fears over the vaccines. Darren Davids writes that, governments and businesses will have to find creative solutions to get people to vaccinate given the cost and impact of renewed waves of infection.
As ongoing government efforts double down on identifying, monitoring and preventing violent far-right attacks, Erin Drake considers whether such groups will look for alternative ways – like terrorist-type attacks – to air their grievances.
Much of the world waited in anticipation for the outcome of the November 2020 US presidential election and, when the results were announced, a Biden victory prompted much debate on what this will mean for US foreign policy in the Middle East. Gabrielle Reid explores what is likely to be on the new administration’s to-do list in the region.
President Joe Biden’s administration will yield a more predictable foreign policy approach than the erratic decisions made under former president Donald Trump. However, Trump has left a complicated legacy, and Biden will need to make amends with former US allies.
Virtual kidnappings increased in North America during the Covid-19 pandemic, as people spent more time online and increased their exposure to such scams. However, even as lockdowns lift, the profitable and low-risk nature of such crimes will continue to drive incidents in the coming year, writes Erin Drake.
While, initially, lockdowns in countries around the world had a notable dampening effect on the frequency of civil unrest, as the Covid-19 pandemic has persisted this effect has subsided. Markus Korhonen writes that the negative economic and social impacts of the pandemic have garnered increasing antipathy among citizens, prompting renewed anti-government…
Recent demonstrations triggered by George Floyd’s killing during an arrest by Minneapolis police have been unparalleled in terms of their scale and global reach, writes Saif Islam.
The Covid-19 pandemic is having an unprecedented impact on people, politics and business around the world. Many governments have introduced lockdowns of varying degrees to contain the pandemic. These measures, enforced by the police and sometimes the military, have brought down crime rates even in some of the most violent countries around the world.…