iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Bertelsmann Foundation @bertelsmannfdn.bsky.social · 25/09/2026

Can Canada become an EU associate member? In her latest B|Brief, Masa Ocvirk argues the future of the Canada-EU partnership will be shaped by concrete action, not creative labels. Read more:https://www.bfna.org/politics-society/substance-not-semantics-1otkgbjdmm/

Bertelsmann Foundation @bertelsmannfdn.bsky.social · 24/09/2026

The #TransatlanticBarometer shines a spotlight on #MediaFreedom in our newest thematic indicator. Check out key statistics and legislation for each of our 30 featured countries and the European Union here: www.transatlanticbarometer.org/topic/media-...

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Bertelsmann Foundation @bertelsmannfdn.bsky.social · 24/09/2026

As countries grapple with growing geopolitical uncertainty, Canada’s Indo-Pacific Strategy stands out as a practical blueprint for action. Bertelsmann Foundation Fellow Matt Jeneroux explains why. Read more www.indo-pacificnexus.org/articles/can...

Navigating the Rupture: Canada’s Indo-Pacific Strategy and the New Middle-Power Reality

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Bertelsmann Foundation @bertelsmannfdn.bsky.social · 22/09/2026

On September 6, the Alternative for Germany netted 44% of the vote in Saxony-Anhalt, raising the possibility of Germany’s first postwar far-right government. Check out the latest B|Brief from cflynnmartino@bsky.social for impressions from Magdeburg on election night: www.bfna.org/politics-soc...

Bertelsmann Foundation @bertelsmannfdn.bsky.social · 18/09/2026

What can Canada teach us about democratic resilience? In the latest How to Fix Democracy episode, Canadian essayist John Ralston Saul talks about dialogue, compromise and why the “boring” work of democracy may be what keeps it together.🎧https://open.spotify.com/episode/5zP1dgFKXQrp4cQndyDoiZ

Bertelsmann Foundation @bertelsmannfdn.bsky.social · 16/09/2026

How is the era of weaponized interdependence reshaping regulatory competition in the Indo-Pacific and what should the US and the EU do to regain strategic advantage in the region? Read the latest article from 2026 BFNA Fellow Koen Berden to learn more: www.indo-pacificnexus.org/articles/ind...

From Rule-Writing to Rule-Power in the Indo-Pacific Regulatory competition in the Indo-Pacific’s Weaponized Economy

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Bertelsmann Foundation @bertelsmannfdn.bsky.social · 15/09/2026

The next gold rush may not happen on Earth. A growing number of companies is betting that resources in space could power a future, off-planet economy while also supporting industries back on Earth. How to ensure that a single actor cannot control access? Read: www.astro-politics.org/articles/spa...

astro-politics.org

— ASTROPOLITICS

The Space Gold Rush: Commercial Endeavors, Great-Power Competition and Resource Security by Diego Guerra

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Bertelsmann Foundation @bertelsmannfdn.bsky.social · 14/09/2026

The U.S. midterms are fast approaching, and Congress hangs in the balance. Can Democrats retake the House and Senate? Add your voice to the conversation by forecasting on our new RANGE questions. Submit your forecast here: www.rangeforecasting.org/challenges/3...

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Bertelsmann Foundation @bertelsmannfdn.bsky.social · 14/09/2026

With the final votes being counted, our #TransatlanticPeriscope Deep Dive on the Swedish parliamentary election has launched! Check out the Deep Dive for more information on the election and its consequences: transatlanticperiscope.org/deep-dives/d...

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Bertelsmann Foundation @bertelsmannfdn.bsky.social · 09/09/2026

Radio frequency spectrum is the invisible infrastructure of the space age. It’s finite, increasingly crowded, and essential to everything from satellite communications to navigation. Our new infographic explains how spectrum is allocated and why effective governance matters for the future of space.

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Bertelsmann Foundation @bertelsmannfdn.bsky.social · 03/09/2026

Defense-industrial cooperation is emerging as a key pillar of the Japan-NATO relationship. In her new article BFNA Fellow Asako Takashima identifies 3 key areas where both sides can realistically advance cooperation & deliver results. Read here:https://www.indo-pacificnexus.org/articles/japan-nato

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Bertelsmann Foundation @bertelsmannfdn.bsky.social · 01/09/2026

2026 has been a year of rapid change for tech in the Indo-Pacific. In Season 2 of Indo-Pacific In Focus, BFNA Fellows Koen Berden & Michael McKeon explore what these shifts mean for the region’s future. 🎧https://open.spotify.com/episode/0cQAidnsMzvCZdLX9S10m1?si=inPoGF3DSvi_A0hQItAc0g

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Bertelsmann Foundation @bertelsmannfdn.bsky.social · 01/09/2026

Why the China shock is a security policy risk In her latest article @corajungbluth.bsky.social argues that the “China shock” is putting pressure on European industry in ways that could ultimately undermine its ability to defend itself. www.indo-pacificnexus.org/articles/risk

Why the China shock is a security policy risk

Bertelsmann Foundation @bertelsmannfdn.bsky.social · 31/08/2026

Blame Canada? In Episode 18 of The Transponder, we speak with Christopher Sands, Director of the Center for U.S.-Canada Studies at Johns Hopkins SAIS, about how US-Canada relations went sideways, and what happens if neither country backs down. 🎧https://open.spotify.com/episode/1qqV1iCXx7PyUgswLftHXp

open.spotify.com

Blame Canada? with Christopher Sands

The Transponder: Transatlantic Affairs and Beyond · Episode

Bertelsmann Foundation @bertelsmannfdn.bsky.social · 31/08/2026

From just 3 objects in low Earth orbit in 1957 to around 34,000 today, technological advances have transformed our use of space. But a more accessible space is also a more crowded one, with growing amounts of debris creating new risks for the satellites and infrastructure we increasingly depend on.

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Bertelsmann Foundation @bertelsmannfdn.bsky.social · 28/08/2026

The EU’s Global Gateway has significant potential in the Indo-Pacific, but can Brussels turn regional trust into lasting strategic relevance? Georgia Krüger explores what’s needed to make Global Gateway work. www.indo-pacificnexus.org/articles/gat...

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Bertelsmann Foundation @bertelsmannfdn.bsky.social · 27/08/2026

What makes democracy resilient? Former Minneapolis mayor and Minneapolis Foundation CEO R.T. Rybak argues it starts locally, with civic participation, strong communities, and local leadership. 🎧 Listen to our latest How to Fix Democracy episode: podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/r...

podcasts.apple.com

R.T. Rybak | Standing Up for Democracy

Podcast Episode · How to Fix Democracy · August 26 · 33m

Bertelsmann Foundation @bertelsmannfdn.bsky.social · 21/08/2026

One year on from the U.S.-EU joint statement on the Turnberry trade agreement, we are launching a #TransatlanticPeriscope Deep Dive on Transatlantic Trade and Tariffs: transatlanticperiscope.org/deep-dives/d...

Bertelsmann Foundation @bertelsmannfdn.bsky.social · 06/08/2026

The AfD uses symbols & rhetoric from East Germany’s democratic revolution while borrowing governing instincts from the authoritarian state it condemned. A recent rally exposed that contradiction as the party pushes for power in the East. By @cflynnmartino.bsky.social. www.bfna.org/politics-soc...

bfna.org

A Red Line for the Blue Wave | Politics & Society

The AfD uses symbols and rhetoric to lay claim to East Germany’s democratic revolution while borrowing governing instincts from the authoritarian state it condemned. A recent rally exposed that contra...

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Bertelsmann Foundation @bertelsmannfdn.bsky.social · 27/07/2026

For the U.S. and Europe, the closure of the Strait of Hormuz has been a headache. For much of Asia, it has been a disaster. In the aftermath, however, a growing number of states across the region are doubling down on renewable energy infrastructure. Read: www.indo-pacificnexus.org/articles/chain

Breaking the Chain: Asia Turns to Renewables

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Bertelsmann Foundation @bertelsmannfdn.bsky.social · 23/07/2026

Season Two of the Indo-Pacific In Focus has arrived! To kick off the new season, we sit down with Bertelsmann Foundation Fellows Ann Kowalewski and Randolf Carr to discuss the state of U.S. and EU policy in the Indo-Pacific halfway through 2026 🎧 open.spotify.com/episode/6Of4...

open.spotify.com

The Indo-Pacific In Focus Season 2, Episode 1: The Indo-Pacific in 2026

The Indo-Pacific In Focus · Episode

Bertelsmann Foundation @bertelsmannfdn.bsky.social · 23/07/2026

Now streaming on BFNA Docs: American Lithium: The Divide at Thacker Pass. As the U.S. races to secure critical minerals for the clean energy transition, one proposed lithium mine in Nevada has divided the local Paiute and Shoshone community. watch here: www.bfnadocs.org/american-lit...

bfnadocs.org

American Lithium

<p>As America races to secure its lithium future, a proposed mine at Thacker Pass divides an Indigenous community over ancestral land, environmental concerns and economic opportunity.</p>

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Bertelsmann Foundation @bertelsmannfdn.bsky.social · 22/07/2026

Chinese overcapacity is at the forefront of policy debates from Berlin to Brussels. It was therefore pleasure to host former MEP Reinhard Bütikofer for a roundtable discussion on how Germany and the EU are responding to the China Shock 2.0. Thanks to everyone who joined.

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Bertelsmann Foundation @bertelsmannfdn.bsky.social · 21/07/2026

9 in 10 Germans backed the nuclear phase-out after Fukushima. Today a majority supports a return to nuclear. Every party has adjusted, except the one defined by its opposition to it. New B|Brief from Iulia Sava on the Green Party’s bind: www.bfna.org/politics-soc...

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Bertelsmann Foundation @bertelsmannfdn.bsky.social · 20/07/2026

BFNA’s documentary Astropolitics is now available to stream on WETA, PBS.org, and the PBS App. Explore the evolution of great power competition in space and how this new frontier is reshaping global security, technology, and geopolitics. watch.weta.org/show/astropo...

watch.weta.org

Astropolitics

Astropolitics is documentary exploring the evolution of great power competition in space.

Bertelsmann Foundation @bertelsmannfdn.bsky.social · 20/07/2026

AI is driving one of the biggest infrastructure booms in modern history, but at what cost? In Ep. 16 of The Transponder Virginia State Delegate John McAuliff talks about why N. Virginia became the world's data center capital & it means for the communities. open.spotify.com/episode/69XO...

Bertelsmann Foundation @bertelsmannfdn.bsky.social · 15/07/2026

We are excited to kick off the first annual Young Professionals in Foreign Policy Rising Expert RANGE Tournament! Over the next six months, teams of fellows from YPFP's Rising Expert program will compete to forecast the future of some of the world's most pressing geopolitical questions!

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Bertelsmann Foundation @bertelsmannfdn.bsky.social · 10/07/2026

In our latest B|Brief in the Astropolitics series, Charles A. Smith offers a unique glimpse into a corner of the space commercial sector that has the potential to unlock new opportunities: space insurance. www.astro-politics.org/articles/fro...

astro-politics.org

— ASTROPOLITICS

Coverage for the Final Frontier: The Tumultuous Landscape of the Space Insurance Industry by Charles A. Smith

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Bertelsmann Foundation @bertelsmannfdn.bsky.social · 08/07/2026

From semiconductors to AI, many of the world's most vital technologies originate in the Indo-Pacific. But which countries are leading the charge, and how are supply chains shifting amid geopolitical uncertainty? 🎧 The Indo-Pacific In Focus.https://open.spotify.com/episode/2MlLfYHwyiLTZyT5fwDxjo

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Bertelsmann Foundation @bertelsmannfdn.bsky.social · 07/07/2026

The European Democracy Shield aims to protect EU democracy from foreign meddling. In their new B|Brief, Maša Ocvirk and Zachary Stoor examine how the EU should reinforce the Shield against the interference challenges seen in this year’s Hungarian & Slovenian elections: www.bfna.org/politics-soc...

Bertelsmann Foundation @bertelsmannfdn.bsky.social · 06/07/2026

Can democracy become more resilient by being bolder? In the latest #HowToFixDemocracy podcast, Andrew Keen speaks with John Kampfner about why resilience, imagination & political courage are essential to renewing democracy.🎧https://open.spotify.com/episode/3fRsEaQulEWLGrkpMLed90

Bertelsmann Foundation @bertelsmannfdn.bsky.social · 01/07/2026

AI isn't just about algorithms, it's about the infrastructure behind them. In her latest article, Georgia Kruger explores how Southeast Asia is emerging as a major hub for AI-ready data centers. A timely look at one of the key frontiers of the AI race. www.indo-pacificnexus.org/articles/fro...

The Next Frontier: A New Center for Data in Southeast Asia

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Bertelsmann Foundation @bertelsmannfdn.bsky.social · 01/07/2026

As Ireland begins its presidency of the Council of the EU, our #TransatlanticPeriscope Deep Dive takes a closer look at Dublin’s vision for the Union over the next six months. Check it out here: transatlanticperiscope.org/deep-dives/d...

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Bertelsmann Foundation @bertelsmannfdn.bsky.social · 30/06/2026

As NATO leaders prepare to meet in Türkiye this July, defense spending will again dominate the agenda. New RANGE Forecast: Will 8 or more EU Member States spend 3%+ of GDP on defense by Dec. 31, 2027? Make your forecast and compare it with the crowd!

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Bertelsmann Foundation @bertelsmannfdn.bsky.social · 29/06/2026

The #TransatlanticBarometer digs deep into #CriticalMinerals in our newest thematic indicator. Check out key regulations, projects and production data for each of our 30 featured countries and the European Union here: www.transatlanticbarometer.org/topic/critic...

Bertelsmann Foundation @bertelsmannfdn.bsky.social · 12/06/2026

As the CDU in Saxony-Anhalt seeks to best the far-right AfD in the state’s September elections, the roadmap may be found in neighboring Thuringia. Read the latest B|Brief from @cflynnmartino.bsky.social to learn more about the upcoming CDU-AfD showdown: bit.ly/4ef0opr

bit.ly

Open Debate and Unlikely Bedfellows | Politics & Society

In his first campaign to become chairman of the center-right Christian Democratic Union (CDU) in 2018, Friedrich Merz, now Chancellor of Germany, made two promises: get his party back up to 40% of the...

Bertelsmann Foundation @bertelsmannfdn.bsky.social · 11/06/2026

Gerrymandering is no longer just a once-a-decade process—it's become a year-round political battle. In Ep. 15 of The Transponder election law expert Nate Persily explains how redistricting wars are reshaping American democracy. 🎧https://open.spotify.com/episode/2fTW3YYVR8QaRvrOBMvwhN

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Bertelsmann Foundation @bertelsmannfdn.bsky.social · 04/06/2026

As Ljubljana shifts directions and Jansa returns to power, look back on our #TransatlanticPeriscope Deep Dive on the 2026 Slovenian parliamentary election for key developments in the campaign & government formation process. Click here to see: transatlanticperiscope.org/deep-dives/d...

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Bertelsmann Foundation @bertelsmannfdn.bsky.social · 04/06/2026

What happens to democracy when local news disappears? In this of The Transponder, Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Tom Hamburger joins Samuel George to discuss the decline of local journalism. podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/t...

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Bertelsmann Foundation @bertelsmannfdn.bsky.social · 03/06/2026

How can we strengthen democratic resilience? In this HTFD eps. James Traub discusses the role of civic education & how we can prepare the next generation of active citizens.🎧https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/james-traub-democratic-resilience-starts-in-the-classroom/id1451517552?i=1000770820481

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Bertelsmann Foundation @bertelsmannfdn.bsky.social · 02/06/2026

As a new government has taken shape in Sofia, look back on our #TransatlanticPeriscope Deep Dive on the 2026 Bulgarian parliamentary election for key developments in the campaign and government formation process. Click here to see the Deep Dive: transatlanticperiscope.org/deep-dives/d...

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Bertelsmann Foundation @bertelsmannfdn.bsky.social · 02/06/2026

In our latest RANGE forecasting question, we look at whether the station will complete its controlled deorbit by January 31, 2031, given shifting congressional timelines and the evolving shape of the commercial transition. Submit your forecast: rangeforecasting.org

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Bertelsmann Foundation @bertelsmannfdn.bsky.social · 01/06/2026

Partners in Orbit 🌍🚀 Five space agencies. Fifteen nations. One station that has kept people living and working in space for over 25 years. Even as geopolitical tensions strain relations on Earth, the ISS has remained a rare space where international cooperation still holds.

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Bertelsmann Foundation @bertelsmannfdn.bsky.social · 01/06/2026

From the first votes at the polls to the first votes in the new parliament, our #TransatlanticPeriscope Deep Dive on the 2026 Hungarian election catalogued every moment of this closely-watched election. Look back on it here: transatlanticperiscope.org/deep-dives/d...

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Bertelsmann Foundation @bertelsmannfdn.bsky.social · 28/05/2026

As the dust settles the Trump-Xi summit, governments across the Indo-Pacific are taking stock. For Japan & Taiwan, the meeting is unlikely to calm longstanding anxieties about China & U.S. commitment to the region. Read Marshall Reid's latest article www.indo-pacificnexus.org/articles/sum...

A Matter of Perspectives: Varying Views on the Trump-Xi Summit

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Bertelsmann Foundation @bertelsmannfdn.bsky.social · 27/05/2026

🚀 Las Vegas space & geopolitics folks — this is for you: Join the World Affairs Council of Las Vegas and Bertelsmann Foundation for ASTROPOLITICS — a documentary screening + panel on the geopolitics of the new space race.https://luma.com/2bcjz090

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Bertelsmann Foundation @bertelsmannfdn.bsky.social · 27/05/2026

Friedrich Merz undid a year’s worth of goodwill with Donald Trump after telling a group of students the U.S. is being “humiliated” by Iran last month. Read the latest B|Brief from @cflynnmartino.bsky.social to find out what this means for the U.S.-German relationship: www.bfna.org/politics-soc...