Switzerland is the world’s largest—and very tolerant—offshore financial center. It has long been a hub for the global commodities trade and a magnet for seemingly endless flows of “less-than-licit” data, money, goods, and people that make up the dark underbelly of globalization. All of this is served by a dense and untransparent network of lawyers, consultants, and brokers.
Even before Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022, this state of affairs was a nuisance to many other countries. But in the context of Europe’s greatest security crisis since 1945, it allows the Kremlin to undermine Western sanctions (which Switzerland is at least participating in), thereby potentially prolonging the war. In geo-economic terms, this makes Switzerland a critical vulnerability in Europe’s security policy, writes Constanze Stelzenmüller.
Civics-focused extracurricular activities. Student participation in extracurricular activities is one proven practice for effective civic learning that has received limited attention. Melissa Kay Diliberti and Stephani L. Wrabel examine the prevalence of activities like debate teams and student government across U.S. high schools.
International standards on AI and emerging tech. “Technical standards can be easy to overlook. They are arcane, granular, and full of jargon. But as the world grapples with the risks and opportunities of artificial intelligence (AI) and other emerging technologies, mastering these details will be essential,” argues Cameron F. Kerry.
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