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Weekly Graphic

A Timeline of Tensions in the Persian Gulf

July 26, 2019

Every day, roughly one-third of the world's seaborne oil flows through the Strait of Hormuz, a chokepoint connecting the Persian Gulf with the Gulf of Oman and the Arabian Sea. But mounting tensions threaten to disrupt traffic through the strategic waterway.

Mapping European Shipping Routes

July 19, 2019

A new trove of data helps to illustrate the shipping routes of 18th century European empires.

Nuclear Weapons Around the World

July 12, 2019

The global inventory of nuclear warheads has been decreasing since the mid-1980s. Still, there are thousands of warheads deployed and stockpiled around the world, and only two countries account for 90 percent of them.

The Year in U.S.-Taliban Peace Talks

July 5, 2019

In our 2019 forecast, we predicted the United States and the Taliban would reach a deal in Afghanistan and that before the end of the year Washington would announce a schedule for withdrawing the bulk of its forces. That forecast seems roughly on track, but the year is only halfway over, and there is a long way to go.

Southern Brazil’s Economic Boom

June 28, 2019

South America’s largest economy is still trying to recover from recession, and growth remains slow. But there’s one region of the country that seems to be faring better than the rest.

Conflict and Competition in Sudan

June 21, 2019

Middle Eastern powers are closely monitoring the protests in Sudan.

Tracking African Swine Fever

June 14, 2019

African swine fever is an infectious disease that has already spread from Africa to Europe and Asia. The current outbreak has led to more than 1 million pigs being culled in China.

Rare Earth Elements: Global Reserves and Production

June 8, 2019

With China's recent threat to ban exports of rare earth elements to the United States, it may be time to find an alternative.

Who Benefits From the US-China Trade War?

May 31, 2019

Several markets stand to benefit from the escalating trade dispute between the United States and China. Here, we take a look at two countries that will likely see an increase in trade with the U.S. as a result of the trade war.