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The briefing examines the tensions within the WTO's MC13 negotiations, focusing on the need for binding commitments over non-binding declarations. It highlights a proposed export restriction exemption for Least Developed Countries (LDCs) to combat food insecurity and details the deep divisions between developed and developing nations over domestic support and public stockholding of agricultural products.

The report analyzes how disinformation actors, including right-wing influencers and AfD politicians, targeted the Green Party during the 2022 gas crisis. Using a dataset of over 1.2 million Twitter posts, the study finds that the Greens were mentioned more than twice as often as any other party, frequently as targets of narratives that blamed them for energy shortages while ignoring Russia's role in the crisis. Key narrative clusters identified include claims that the stop of Nord Stream 2 was an ideological act, that the gas levy was a 'war declaration' against the people, and that Minister Robert Habeck was implementing a 'planned economy' to force a climate agenda.

The document provides a comprehensive overview of conspiracy theories, defining them as explanations citing a secret group of powerful persons acting against the common good. It highlights the systemic link between many modern conspiracies and historical antisemitism, using case studies such as the 'Great Reset', 'QAnon', and 'The Great Replacement' to illustrate how these narratives erode trust in democratic institutions. The guide specifically addresses the risks posed by the spread of misinformation regarding Covid-19, 5G, and climate-related urban planning (15-minute cities), and offers practical recommendations for public officials to verify information and recognize conspiratorial structures.

The report identifies a complex threat landscape for the 2025 Czech elections, where foreign actors—primarily Russia and China—exploit domestic polarization and economic grievances. Key risks include the use of AI-generated deepfakes, the proliferation of pro-Kremlin Telegram networks, and narratives targeting the legitimacy of the new postal voting system. While Czechia's decentralized electoral infrastructure is considered resilient, the report highlights critical gaps in regulatory strength, specifically the delayed implementation of the EU Digital Services Act (DSA) and inadequate oversight of third-party campaign financing.

The research tested a semantic clustering technique to identify coordinated manipulation on Wikipedia, focusing on the Russo-Ukrainian war and 48 related pages. While the method did not consistently distinguish between legitimate and illegitimate editors globally, it successfully identified several dense clusters of sock-puppet accounts and coordinated IP-based editing. The study concludes that semantic clustering is a useful tool for grouping accounts with highly similar editing patterns, which can then be targeted for human-led investigation.

The report analyzes how Wikipedia is targeted by information warfare, including undisclosed paid editing, state-sponsored infiltration, and the use of biased sources. Through a case study of the English-language page on the Russo-Ukrainian war, researchers identified patterns where blocked editors used state-affiliated domains and split their edit histories across multiple accounts to evade detection. The document also highlights the risk of 'community capture' in non-English Wikipedias and the psychological toll on volunteer editors fighting these campaigns.

The document presents a statistical overview of Russia's demographics, economy, and military capabilities, alongside a strategic analysis of its 'Positive' achievements—such as energy sector consolidation and the halting of military decay—and 'Negative' challenges, including corruption and the expansion of NATO and the EU into Ukraine.

The report analyzes the intersection of private security services and international law, specifically focusing on the definition of mercenaries under Protocol I of the Geneva Conventions and the legal obligations of states where such companies are based. It explores the legitimacy of providing military support to governments versus dissident parties, the risks of privatizing security for corporations in weak states, and the ethical and legal dilemmas humanitarian organisations face when considering armed escorts. The text concludes that the rise of 'new mercenaries' requires a coordinated UN response to prevent the erosion of national sovereignty and ensure adherence to humanitarian principles.

The report 'Fuelling Failure' argues that fossil fuel dependence makes it impossible to achieve the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by driving climate change and causing widespread pollution. It details specific negative impacts across all 17 SDGs, including pushing 122 million more people into extreme poverty by 2030 and causing 8.7 million premature deaths annually from air pollution between 2012 and 2018. The authors propose a Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty to end new exploration, equitably phase down existing production, and accelerate a fair transition through financial and technological assistance, particularly from wealthy nations.

The document critiques the proposed nuclear power plant in Uyombo, Kilifi, Kenya, highlighting a lack of transparency in the Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) and a failure to follow legal requirements for public participation. It warns of severe health and environmental risks, including radioactive waste management failures and marine ecosystem disruption. The text further notes that Kenya lacks membership in key international nuclear safety agreements and that the estimated USD 5 billion cost per plant could increase electricity tariffs for consumers. The author calls for the Parliamentary Committee on Environment and Natural Resources to halt the process and prioritise renewable energy alternatives like solar, wind, and geothermal.

The report examines the ethical dilemmas inherent in preparedness policy, highlighting the tension between investing in potential future threats versus immediate needs. It identifies a need for a holistic 'preparedness ethics' to manage trade-offs between military and civil security, national and international priorities, and the protection of humans versus other species.

The text outlines the methodological toolkit of human geographers, distinguishing between quantitative and qualitative approaches. It explains the use of text analysis (from social media to archives), quantitative data for causal inference and pattern recognition, GIS for spatial analysis, and qualitative tools such as semi-structured interviews and focus groups. Additionally, it covers the role of visual data (remote sensing and photography) and the importance of field presence through ethnography and observation.

The report finds that 2025 was the third most violent year since 1989, with 245,000 battle-related deaths. It highlights a record high of 65 state-based conflicts and a concerning doubling of international conflicts to eight in 2025. While non-state conflicts decreased slightly, one-sided violence surged to 76,500 fatalities, primarily driven by massacres in Sudan.

The authors argue that International Financial Institutions (IFIs), such as the IMF and World Bank, exercise extraordinary leverage in post-conflict states to impose neoliberal reforms that often exacerbate gendered insecurity. By introducing the concept of 'gendered circuits of violence,' the paper demonstrates how macroeconomic policies—including austerity, debt-based financialization, and extractive resource economics—disproportionately burden women and marginalized groups. The text highlights that while IFIs have adopted the rhetoric of gender equality as 'smart economics,' these efforts are often superficial and fail to address the material realities of unpaid care work and structural violence. Case studies from Ukraine, East Timor, and the Western Balkans illustrate how IFI-mandated reforms can lead to increased household debt, the erosion of social welfare, and even the incitement of physical violence against women.

The document argues that AI can strengthen the information basis for peace-building by enhancing conflict data collection, improving the accuracy of conflict forecasting, and supporting scenario modelling for anticipatory action. While acknowledging risks such as surveillance and disinformation, the author suggests that AI tools—including large language models and satellite imagery analysis—can help humanitarian actors and governments better anticipate and mitigate the impacts of armed conflict.

The report argues that countering disinformation requires a shift from merely correcting false claims to building holistic societal resilience. It analyzes the 'psychological defence' model, specifically the Swedish Psychological Defence Agency (MPF), and evaluates Norwegian and European approaches. Key findings suggest that while Norway has high institutional trust, it lacks the centralized coordination seen in Sweden. The authors recommend that Norway strengthen national coordination, clarify conceptual terminology to avoid 'militarizing' social issues, and prioritize strategic, transparent communication to maintain public trust outside of crisis periods.

The authors use geo-coded data from 31 federal states to argue that both relatively rich and relatively poor regions are more prone to secessionist conflict than those with average wealth. The study also finds that the presence of politically excluded ethnic groups and the existence of regional autonomy further elevate the risk of violent secessionist conflict.

The author argues that while Pope Francis avoids the term 'just war' due to its historical misuse and the destructive nature of modern weaponry, he does not formally abolish the underlying doctrine. The text compares the Thomistic view of peace as a fruit of charity with Francis's emphasis on universal fraternity, concluding that the Pope's reservations are primarily about the terminology and the high threshold for proportionality in the nuclear age, rather than a total rejection of the right to legitimate defense.

The document provides a comprehensive overview of global conflict trends from 1989 to 2019, noting a record high of 54 state-based conflicts in 2019. It highlights the significant role of the Islamic State (IS) in driving recent conflict increases and the prevalence of internationalized civil conflicts. While battle-related deaths have generally decreased over the last 20 years, specific hotspots in the Middle East, Africa, and Asia remain deadly. The paper also analyzes the decline in peace agreements since 2015 and the persistence of non-state conflicts, particularly violent drug cartel activity in Latin America and communal violence in Africa.

The document examines the shift in Russian foreign policy under President Dmitry Medvedev, analyzing the tension between his proposed 'modernization' and the 'hard power' approach demonstrated during the 2008 conflict in Georgia. It explores Russia's strategic interests in the 'near abroad' (CIS), its pursuit of a multipolar world order to counter US unilateralism, and its complex relationships with the EU, China, and the US. Key themes include the use of energy as a political tool, the militarization of the Arctic, and the role of international law and institutions like the OSCE and Council of Europe.