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Military & Security

The U.S. Federal Communications Commission approved new rules to accelerate the deployment and security of submarine cables, citing risks from adversaries and competitors like China, Bloomberg reported on Aug. 7.

U.S.: Federal Agency Approves New Rules for Submarine Cables

Germany

Energy

A German auction for offshore wind sites ended without any awards on Aug. 1, Germany's Federal Network Agency announced Aug. 6.

Germany: Offshore Wind Auction Fails To Attract Bidders for the First Time as Industry Confronts Slowdown

U.S. President Donald Trump said he would place a 100% tariff on imported semiconductors but would exempt tech companies that have committed to building manufacturing facilities in the United States, specifically mentioning Apple, Politico reported on Aug. 6.

U.S.: Trump's 100% Semiconductor Tariff To Further Incentivize Manufacturing Offshoring

Politics

The United States and the Cook Islands reached a bilateral agreement to develop joint seabed mining exploration initiatives around the island country's exclusive economic zone, the U.S. Department of State disclosed in a statement on Aug. 5. 

Cook Islands, U.S.: Two Countries Reach Seabed Mining Pact

Australia

Japan

United Kingdom

Australia's Defense Ministry announced on Aug. 5 that Japan's Mitsubishi Heavy Industries had won a contract worth upward of $6.5 billion to supply the Royal Australian Navy with 11 advanced frigates, marking Japan's first major export deal for warships.

Japan, Australia: Frigate Deal To Expedite Naval Buildouts, Integrate Japan Into Western Security Networks

Brazil

British energy company BP made its most significant oil and gas finding in 25 years in the deepwater pre-salt Bumerangue block in offshore Brazil, Reuters reported on Aug. 4. 

Brazil: Oil Finding Ahead of Climate Summit To Fuel Debate Over Government's Energy Policy

Cyber

Google's Project Zero will alter its vulnerability disclosure policy to publicly announce flaws in companies' hardware and software products within a week of privately reporting them to vendors, according to a company blog post published on July 29.

Cyberspace: Google's Project Zero Accelerates Vulnerability Disclosure Timeline

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency released a proposal on July 29 to repeal the 2009 "endangerment finding" that six greenhouse gases threatened public health and needed to be regulated.

U.S.: EPA Unveils Proposal To Repeal 2009 Endangerment Finding

The world is connected, but even the broadest topics deserve an individual look. Below are our latest and most relevant science and technology analyses. 

Technology

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The Geopolitics of Trade

Global Trade

Protectionist and security-driven data regulations are impeding digital and physical trade, potentially slowing global economic growth and innovation.

The Geopolitics of Trade: Diverging Digital Governance Threatens Data Flows

Snapshots

Morocco

A researcher from the International Center for Agricultural Research in Dry Areas (ICARDA) examines crops in a cultivated field in Morocco on April 18, 2024.

Despite a temporary boost in crop yields from spring rainfall, Morocco's persistent drought and structural water shortages continue to threaten its agricultural sector, food security and economic stability ahead of the 2026 elections.

Rainfall Boosts Morocco's Crop Yields, But Long-Term Water Crisis Persists

A digital illustration shows a digital human head overlaying the EU flag.

Growing internal and U.S. pressure will likely force Brussels to delay or amend its landmark AI law, fueling short-term regulatory uncertainty that could hinder the technology's development in Europe.

The Fate of the EU's Ambitious AI Act

Canada

China

A worker positions a robotic underwater vehicle that can be remotely operated to harvest mineral deposits in the deep ocean, after conducting tests in a lake in Collingwood, Ontario, on May 1, 2025.

Recent U.S. actions will likely accelerate commercial seabed mining operations in certain resource-rich waters around the world, despite international regulatory hurdles and ongoing environmental concerns.

Deep-Sea Mining: Opportunities, Risks and the Path to Commercial Extraction

India

Pakistan

Water runs in the Gurez valley in India-administered Jammu and Kashmir, near the India-Pakistan border, on June 3, 2025. 

Diplomatic talks between India and Pakistan will likely remain stalled due to ongoing airspace closures and disputes over water-sharing, sustaining the risk of a future conflict following the two countries' military confrontation earlier this year.

Unresolved Tensions: Water, Airspace and the Future of India-Pakistan Diplomacy

Media

Iran

Israel

Podcasts

What cyber limitations and capabilities do Iran and Israel have?

Essential Geopolitics: Increased Risk of Cyberattacks as Conflict With Iran Escalates

U.S.-Iran Relations

Australian Defense Minister Richard Marles and British Defense Secretary John Healey sit together for the AUKUS Defense Ministers Meeting at Old Royal Naval College on Sept. 26, 2024, in London, England.

Despite growing U.S. skepticism, strong imperatives to counter China's maritime presence will likely lead Washington to see a revised version of the AUKUS defense pact through.

U.S. Review of AUKUS Pillar I Puts Pact on Shaky Ground

U.S. President Donald Trump discusses his plans for a "Golden Dome" U.S. missile defense shield in the Oval Office of the White House on May 20, 2025.

The plan for a U.S. missile defense system will likely fall short of its expansive aims, but it threatens to accelerate an arms race with Russia and China, as well as hasten the commercialization of space.

The Feasibility and Risks of Trump's 'Golden Dome' Missile Shield

Cargo shipping containers are seen stacked at the Port of Los Angeles in San Pedro, California, on April 15, 2025. 

Regardless of any short-term concessions, the U.S. will likely eventually expand the scope of its technology restrictions against China, likely prompting Beijing to retaliate by once again restricting exports of rare earths or other critical raw materials.

U.S.-China Framework To Implement Trade Deal Will Only Temporarily Ease Tensions

U.S.-China Relations

A stock image showing industrial magnet parts.

China will likely continue to wield export restrictions on rare earth elements and related magnets in response to future U.S. restrictions, sustaining a high risk of supply chain disruptions, particularly for automakers.

In Trade War With U.S., China Finds a Pressure Point With Magnet Restrictions

Dunster House at Harvard University is seen on March 17, 2025, in Cambridge, Massachusetts. 

The Trump administration's latest salvo against elite U.S. universities highlights a broader campaign that will have lasting implications for domestic scientific research, innovation and competitiveness.

The Implications of Trump's Pressure Campaign Against U.S. Universities

What role does AI play as both a disruptor and a tool in the risk management space? 

Environment, Science & Technology

SITUATION REPORTS

U.S.: Federal Agency Approves New Rules for Submarine Cables

Germany: Offshore Wind Auction Fails To Attract Bidders for the First Time as Industry Confronts Slowdown

U.S.: Trump's 100% Semiconductor Tariff To Further Incentivize Manufacturing Offshoring

Cook Islands, U.S.: Two Countries Reach Seabed Mining Pact

Japan, Australia: Frigate Deal To Expedite Naval Buildouts, Integrate Japan Into Western Security Networks

Brazil: Oil Finding Ahead of Climate Summit To Fuel Debate Over Government's Energy Policy

Cyberspace: Google's Project Zero Accelerates Vulnerability Disclosure Timeline

U.S.: EPA Unveils Proposal To Repeal 2009 Endangerment Finding

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