The year 2020 turned out to be nothing like anyone could have ever imagined. The outbreak of the COVID-19 epidemic at the end of 2019 followed by its fast evolution into a global pandemic the next year took most of the countries by surprise. Levels of preparedness in both medical equipment and in government policies vary by countries.

It has become somewhat of an axiom in US political discourse that the Republican Party has a young people problem. With young generations seemingly much more liberal and left-leaning than their predecessors, American conservativism and the party that has acted as its standard-bearer are faced with a historical challenge and dilemma.

Migration and refugee movements have gained increasing global attention in the last few years. According to the European Parliament, in recent years Europe has had to address the most serious migratory challenge since the end of the Second World War, while in 2016 the United Nations described the migratory challenge as the “worst refugee crisis since the end of WWII.” The unprecedented arrival of refugees and irregular migrants in the EU, which peaked in 2015, has revealed a series of weaknesses and gaps in EU policies on asylum, external borders and migration, and consequently has generated various debates and deep divisions among the European Union’s Member States.

Tourism in Italy accounts for 13% of its GDP, it generates more than EUR 232 billion and it represents one of the main drivers of the country’s economy, society and culture. The coronavirus-related state of emergency has provoked a serious crisis in the tourism sector as a whole, and the important and necessary restrictive measures aimed to stop the spread of the virus have been, in fact, responsible for the progressive closure of all touristic activities.

Global population witnessed an unprecedented growth in recent decades. From reaching 4 billion in 1974, 6 billion in 1999 and 7.8 billion people this year, the world’s population is set to reach the 8-billion mark in the very near future. This rapid growth will affect less developed nations the most; however, in strong contrast, economically advanced countries across the globe will witness a sharp drop in population, due to a set of mutually-aligned trends. Fertility rates under the 2.0-2.1 threshold required for a stable reproduction rate, combined with an increasing life expectancy, mean that these states will not only have fewer citizens, but will also have to find a solution for the increasing pressure on their current pension system, as a declining number of workers will have to support a growing number of pensioners.

US presidential elections tend to invite superlatives, especially in the realm of punditry, but also in more detailed analyses. Campaign operations keep getting larger and more expensive, population growth and change are leading to an ever more diverse electorate turning up to vote in ever greater numbers, and each election inspires commentators to wonder if they had ever seen one that was more negative or “nastier” (the answer is quite confidently yes, in 1800).