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OPI Seminar: Tech & Security
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Vibe Hacking: An Emerging Cyber Threat
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Airstrikes on Drug Traffickers in the Caribbean
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Ukraine’s Abducted Children: Humanitarian Impact and the Road Ahead
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MS-13 Unmasked: Anatomy of a Decentralized Network
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Promoting Evidence-based Policy and Good Governance

Cyber Security & Info Technologies

Oct 1 , 2025

Op-Ed

Vibe Hacking: An Emerging Cyber Threat

AI has become a buzzword in the tech world, often incorporated into many new products or services – even into things you would not expect, such as toasters and toothbrushes. It has the potential to enhance human knowledge, advance technology, and contribute to building a brighter future. However, it is

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Defense & Security, Americas

Sep 22 , 2025

Op-Ed

Airstrikes on Drug Traffickers in the Caribbean

Introduction In September 2025, the United States conducted a series of airstrikes against suspected drug traffickers operating off Venezuela’s coast, marking the first publicly known instance of U.S. airstrikes being used against traffickers at sea outside a traditional warzone. The strikes reflect a sharp escalation in counternarcotics operations. This article

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Cyber Security & Info Technologies

Sep 17 , 2025

Webinar

OPI Seminar Program on Tech & Security

Orion Policy Institute (OPI) will be hosting an online seminar program on Wednesday, October 15, 2025, between 10 am – 12:50 pm EST to discuss the latest trends and strategies shaping the modern landscape of technology and international security. Register here. The seminar schedule is as follows: 10:00 am –

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Democracy & Human Rights, Europe & Central Asia

Sep 10 , 2025

Op-Ed

Ukraine’s Abducted Children: Humanitarian Impact and the Road Ahead

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Three years after Russia’s full-scale aggression against Ukraine, the war continues to have devastating consequences for civilians. A quarter of Ukrainians have fled the country, and millions more have been internally displaced. Furthermore, nearly 13 million people are in urgent need of humanitarian assistance. As the attacks continue, the lives

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Africa

Sep 5 , 2025

Policy Brief

Betting on Addis Ababa: Meloni’s African Strategy Between Realpolitik and Risk

At a time when Ethiopia is experiencing domestic instability, Rome is doubling down on its support for Abiy Ahmed — a bold move that combines opportunity with significant political risk. The Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni’s visit on 27–28 July 2025 — which marks her second trip in two years

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Crime & Justice, Terrorism & Extremism, Americas

Sep 2 , 2025

Research Report

MS-13 Unmasked: Anatomy of a Decentralized Network

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Mara Salvatrucha (MS-13), a designated foreign terrorist organization (FTO) and transnational criminal organization (TCO) by the U.S. federal government, has its origins in Los Angeles, California, in the 1980s. At that time, El Salvador was engulfed in a civil war between the government and leftist guerrilla forces, most notably the

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Democracy & Human Rights, Africa

Aug 19 , 2025

Research

Women and the Path for Peace in Africa: Ethiopia

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Ethiopia today is characterized by growing fragmentation and eruptions of violence since the catastrophic Tigray war. The civil war, which lasted from 2020 to 2022, has claimed more than 500,000 soldiers and 360,000 civilians, making it one of the deadliest conflicts since the end of the Cold War. Beyond the

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Democracy & Human Rights, Terrorism & Extremism, Middle East

Aug 17 , 2025

Op-Ed

Another Kurdish Resolution Process Underway: Between Hope and Contradictions

This article was first published in the Manara Magazine.   Another fast-track Kurdish peace process[i] is underway in Turkey. Is it aiming to resolve the decades-old Kurdish issue or pull together a minimum winning coalition for Erdoğan to maintain his rule? The peace process has already led to the Kurdistan

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Latest Research

Africa

Sep 5 , 2025

Policy Brief

Betting on Addis Ababa: Meloni’s African Strategy Between Realpolitik and Risk

At a time when Ethiopia is experiencing domestic instability, Rome is doubling down on its support for Abiy Ahmed — a bold move that combines opportunity with significant political risk. The Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni’s visit on 27–28 July 2025 — which marks her second trip in two years

READ MORE

Crime & Justice, Terrorism & Extremism, Americas

Sep 2 , 2025

Research Report

MS-13 Unmasked: Anatomy of a Decentralized Network

, , ,

Mara Salvatrucha (MS-13), a designated foreign terrorist organization (FTO) and transnational criminal organization (TCO) by the U.S. federal government, has its origins in Los Angeles, California, in the 1980s. At that time, El Salvador was engulfed in a civil war between the government and leftist guerrilla forces, most notably the

READ MORE

Democracy & Human Rights, Africa

Aug 19 , 2025

Research

Women and the Path for Peace in Africa: Ethiopia

,

Ethiopia today is characterized by growing fragmentation and eruptions of violence since the catastrophic Tigray war. The civil war, which lasted from 2020 to 2022, has claimed more than 500,000 soldiers and 360,000 civilians, making it one of the deadliest conflicts since the end of the Cold War. Beyond the

READ MORE

Democracy & Human Rights, Americas

Aug 7 , 2025

Policy Brief

The Security and Humanitarian Crisis in Haiti and Implications for U.S. Foreign Policy

Haiti is on the verge of a total institutional collapse, with only 10% of the capital in control of the Haitian government—a government entrenched with corruption.[i] Instead, Haitian gangs are nearing total control of the capital and Haitian authorities can no longer combat the escalating violence.[ii] The current crisis goes

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Terrorism & Extremism, Middle East

Jul 26 , 2025

Research Report

The Houthi Drone Supply Chain

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The Houthi movement, designated by the U.S. as a Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO), has emerged as the most prolific violent non-state actor employing Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS). According to GTTAC data, the group has conducted 388 drone attacks from 2018 to 2024, targeting a wide array of actors, including the

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Indo – Pacific, Middle East

Jul 10 , 2025

Policy Brief

IMEC and the Battle for Connectivity: Why Trieste Matters

The India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC) is a visionary infrastructure and cooperation initiative that was officially launched at the 2023 G20 Summit in New Delhi. The IMEC’s primary aim is to enhance connectivity and promote robust economic collaboration between India and Eurasia. The corridor comprises land rail links and shipping

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