In the mounting tension between Great Powers, the Black Sea holds a particular strategic importance. It represents the waterway connecting Europe, Russia and the Middle East and is believed to host substantial reserves of hydrocarbons. It’s unique location makes it an important gateway for gas pipelines fuelling European markets and is a key theatre in the confrontation between Russia and NATO.

Long the site of great power competition, the Black Sea region appears to be heating up once again.

Ethiopia faces a variety of long-term environmental and societal challenges. Building a Navy won’t help solve any of them.

Turkey is reestablishing ties in a frontier of the former Ottoman Empire, but in the Western Balkans it finds a field that’s already crowded with outside powers vyign for influence.

Japan’s massive rare earth mineral discovery could break China’s monopoly and recast bilateral relations between the two countries.