The Arctic Century

Iceland will likely hold a referendum this August on resuming EU accession negotiations, which concluded in 2013. The enthusiasm of the country's political elite for this initiative is countered by the undecided population of this country, located on the border between the Americas and Eurasia, with a tiny population of 402,000.

Canada occupies a somewhat special position between the US and Britain. Modern Canada used to be a part of British America, and it was created out of the provinces which didn't join the American Revolutionary War on the Patriots' side. This separation triggered the development of a separate Canadian identity, distinct from the US one, but geography and economy soon started to push Canada towards its Southern (and Western) neighbor. Ottawa's main trade partners are the US, not Britain. Its most important trade deal is the free trade agreement with the US and Mexico (USMCA, formerly NAFTA), and Emmanuel Todd went so far as to ask himself whether Canada is actually an internal component of the American economy. But, at the same time, its deep-rooted ties with Britain are still relevant to understand the country.

Iceland, world's top-ten aluminum producer, is one of the main beneficiaries of Israel and the United States' war of aggression against Iran. The shutdown of three production lines of the world's largest aluminum smelter Alba (1.6 million tons per year) in Bahrain led to a sharp rise in global prices for this metal, essential for the global green transition.

On an early spring morning in Milan, Italy's shipping and logistics sector gathered for Shipping, Forwarding & Logistics Meet Industry, one of the most established forums in the country's maritime industry. The agenda was, as one might expect, dominated by port infrastructure, freight rates, and the competitiveness of Italian terminals in an increasingly volatile global market. And yet, one of the opening session's contributions was devoted entirely to the Arctic...

Before the meeting of foreign ministers in Brussels on March 16, the European Union and its member countries were unable to determine their position on the aggressive war waged by Israel and the United States against Iran.

Pele Broberg, chairman of Greenland's largest opposition party, Naleraq, has been surprised that the second opposition party, Siumut, is now going to the general election on the basis that they should establish what they call 'Kalaallit Rangers'. It is something that Naleraq has long warmly advocated, he says.

In the strategy of fighting for the Arctic and its resources, which the leadership of NATO Arctic countries foolishly chose instead of partnership, cooperation, and the absence of conflict, the decisive role is played by existing demographic resources, which continue to decline, as will be shown below, for example, in Norway's two northernmost counties, Troms and Finnmark.

A Finnish oil market expert believes that oil traders are clearly underestimating the danger of events in the Strait of Hormuz and points out that Iran's actions are more significant than those of the US and Trump, who managed to temporarily quell market panic with statements that have no basis in reality.