Bertelsmann Foundation

— ASTROPOLITICS U.S. Space Force Officer's Perspective: The EU Must Join the U.S. to Protect Our Mutual Interests In, From, and To Space by Colonel Raj Agrawal, PhD

Despite increasing friction, the US & EU remain essential partners in the space domain. In the latest Astropolitics article series, BFNA 2025 Fellow US Space Force Colonel Raj Agrawal makes a compelling case for sticking together.https://www.astro-politics.org/articles/force

American Lithium: The Divide at Thacker Pass awarded Best Documentary at the Oregon Documentary Film Festival.
Screening next at the American Documentary Film Festival in March, and streaming soon on the Bertelsmann Foundation Documentary platform: www.bfnadocs.org
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New question in the 2026 RANGE College Forecasting Tournament: Will two or more additional Indo-Pacific countries sign the Artemis Accords by March 31, 2026?
Space governance is geopolitics To join the tournament go to:https://www.rangeforecasting.org/challenges/12-college-tournament-2026

In our latest Astropolitics piece, Marios Dafnomilis argues space must be treated as critical infrastructure — governed, protected & priced like the commons it is.
Sustain space to secure Earth’s future. Read more:https://www.astro-politics.org/articles/critical

Astropolitics Series: Space as Critical Infrastructure
Space is no longer a backdrop — it underpins climate monitoring, energy resilience, global communications & health innovation.

In Episode 4 of Indo-Pacific In Focus, Max Bergmann, Tara Varma, and Abdul Rahman Yaacob explore how security strategies across the region are evolving—and what that means for the U.S. and Europe.🎙️ Listen now.https://open.spotify.com/episode/2BSLJxFaghTPMRGJFyemJB?si=_u6Wii4BQ9K_fZhAgXYrSQ

The Indo-Pacific is a security story first and foremost.
Stretching from the Bab el-Mandeb to the Korean Peninsula, the region is defined by strategic competition, shifting alliances, and growing military tensions.

— INDO - PACIFIC NEXUS Back from the Brink: Takaichi Returns the LDP to Dominance

Japan’s recent general election reshaped its political landscape, and marked a decisive return to strength for the Liberal Democratic Party under the leadership of Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi. Read Marshall Reid latest article: www.indo-pacificnexus.org/articles/brink

They say never two without three, and our third space forecasting workshop proves it! A big thank you to our partner European Space Policy Institute (ESPI), and to all participants who joined us at the @bertelsmannst.bsky.social in Berlin to explore pathways to lunar exploration🚀

New Episode The Transponder: Arctic Frontlines
Host Samuel George talks with Arctic security expert Iris Ferguson about missile defense, new shipping routes & what climate change means for security, sovereignty & global trade in the High North.🎧https://open.spotify.com/episode/7BYvi6eXT9ZVNuTqV6ccPL

Thanks to Stephanie Rutten, Geraldine Wambersie, and the team at AmCham Belgium for hosting an outstanding RANGE forecasting decomposition workshop with business leaders in Brussels, focused on Belgian economic resilience within a volatile transatlantic ecosystem.

New question in the 2026 RANGE College Forecasting Tournament: Will the current ceasefire between Thailand and Cambodia still be in effect by March 31, 2026? Go to: www.rangeforecasting.org/challenges/1...

In Munich for #MSC2026? Join us for a screening of Astropolitics on Sat, Feb 14 | 7:30 pm | Amerikahaus.
Followed by a discussion with Lt. Gen. Nina Armagno (Ret.), U.S. Space Force, and Juliana Suess (SWP) on competition, innovation & governance in #space. Registration:https://eveeno.com/280134088

Cyprus holds the presidency of the Council of the EU. Check out the new #TransatlanticPeriscope Deep Dive for more information on Nicosia’s vision for the EU for the next six months:https://transatlanticperiscope.org/deep-dives/deepdive-cypriot-presidency-of-the-council-of-the-european-union

— ASTROPOLITICS Witnessing Atrocities from Space by Sam Arne Whalley Fras

Witnessing Atrocities from Space – Turning Satellite Imagery into Legal Evidence
In this latest article Bertelsmann Fellow Sam Arne Whalley explores how space-based remote sensing has become indispensable for conflict monitoring & accountability. www.astro-politics.org/articles/wit...

This short doc from @bfnadocs.bsky.social takes you to Bolivia & Chile to explore power, politics & local communities at the center of the global lithium race.👀https://www.bfnadocs.org/white-gold

Now streaming 🎬 White Gold: The Lithium of the Andes
The clean-energy transition depends on lithium but its impacts are felt far from climate summits.

PODCAST | Indo-Pacific In Focus | Insights on the Region Shaping Global Politics — INDO - PACIFIC NEXUS Explore the Indo-Pacific like never before. Indo-Pacific In Focus features expert interviews with academics, journalists, and activists, uncovering the region’s strategic importance and its impact on ...

Tune in for a timely conversation on why space is becoming a critical dimension of Indo-Pacific strategy. 🎧: www.indo-pacificnexus.org/indo-pacific...

The Indo-Pacific’s strategic importance increasingly extends far beyond Earth’s atmosphere. In the newest episode of Indo-Pacific In Focus, Clayton Swope, Namrata Goswami & Marco Aliberti explore the region’s expanding role in space, from security & governance to competition & cooperation in orbit.

The second question in this year's RANGE college forecasting tournament is live! Make sure to make your voice heard: Will U.S. tariffs on imports from South Korea, Japan or Taiwan meet or exceed 20% by March 31, 2026? Submit your forecast here: www.rangeforecasting.org/challenges/1...

— INDO - PACIFIC NEXUS The Long and Winding Road: The EU and India Forge an FTA

After years of deadlock, the EU & India have finally clinched a massive free trade agreement. In “The Long and Winding Road,” Marshall Reid explains why the deal matters, how Trump-era trade politics accelerated it & what it could mean for global trade. www.indo-pacificnexus.org/articles/long

🎓 Calling all students of international relations, security studies, and Asia-Pacific affairs: join the forecast.https://www.rangeforecasting.org/challenges/12-college-tournament-2026

This question puts Japan–China relations, regional diplomacy, and strategic signaling front and center—setting the tone for a tournament focused squarely on the Indo-Pacific.

The 2026 RANGE College Forecasting Tournament kicks off with the Indo-Pacific. Our first question is out:
Will Sanae Takaichi participate in an official visit to the People’s Republic of China by March 31, 2026?

s this moment a genuine opening for Venezuelan democracy—or a new era of managed instability in the Western Hemisphere? Listen here: open.spotify.com/episode/0HuK...

In Episode 5 of The Transponder, host Samuel George speaks with veteran Latin America analyst Eric Farnsworth about the dramatic January 2026 U.S. operation, the fragile interim government now in place, and the high-stakes questions surrounding democracy, oil, and sovereignty.

Venezuela & the U.S. What Now?
After Maduro Nicolás Maduro is gone. So, what comes next for Venezuela, and for U.S. power in the region? I

www.astro-politics.org brings together analysis, commentary & interviews on space geopolitics, governance, and the growing space economy. If you’re interested space, policy, or the space economy, subscribe to the site to stay up to date with the latest content.

From Orbits to Economies: Why Space Demands Strategy
Space is no longer just about exploration; it underpins global security and economic competitiveness. As commercial and geopolitical activity in orbit accelerates, smart rules and effective space diplomacy are essential.

“When it comes to China, the U.S. and Europe have taken parallel approaches. As Satu Limaye points out in the first episode of the Indo-Pacific In Focus, that may be changing". Check out the full episode here: open.spotify.com/episode/3jm0...