Can the Military Force Solve a Political Problem? Pakistan’s 77-Year Balochistan Crisis
On January 31, coordinated attacks across nearly a dozen cities in Balochistan killed more than 30 civilians and 18 law enforcement personnel. The Baloch...
When Writing Letters to Corporations Gets You Labeled a Terrorist
Francesca Albanese's children, ages 12 and 9, can no longer run freely around their Tunisia neighborhood. Her U.S. bank account is closed. Her $700,000...
Is Soft Power the New Hard Power? Decoding Brand Finance’s 2026 Rankings
While the world fixates on tariffs, sanctions, and military posturing, a quieter shift is reshaping international influence. At the World Economic Forum in Davos...
50 Years of Nuclear Restraint Ends Tomorrow
Tomorrow, February 5, 2026, the last remaining nuclear arms control treaty between the United States and Russia expires. There will be no dramatic denouncement,...
Financial Brief: A Weekly Roundup on the Geopolitics of Money | Feb 03
EXECUTIVE TAKEAWAYS
This week, the global economy sent mixed signals. Manufacturing rebounded across key economies as tariff fears eased, but Wall Street seesawed as a...
You Can’t Buy Peace: Trump’s Economic Fantasy Across Three Wars
President Donald Trump's son-in-law stood before global elites in Davos last week and unveiled renderings of a "New Gaza"—glittering skyscrapers along the Mediterranean, data...
Trump Can’t Bomb What He Already Destroyed: The Iran Contradiction
Seven months ago, President Donald Trump announced that U.S. strikes had "completely and totally obliterated" Iran's nuclear facilities. This week, he's threatening to strike...
China Isn’t Winning. America Is Just Losing
A year into Donald Trump's second presidency, a familiar narrative is gaining traction: U.S. allies and trading partners are pivoting toward China as America...
The World Isn’t “Unstable.” It’s Fragmenting
According to the Global Risks outlook, power has shifted decisively away from diplomacy and toward sanctions, supply chains, trade barriers, and financial pressure. Conflict...
Financial Brief: A Weekly Roundup on the Geopolitics of Money | Jan 27
EXECUTIVE TAKEAWAYS
Markets this week revealed selective amnesia about risk. Asian equities hit records and investors rotated into duration despite Trump hiking South Korean tariffs...