The Worry List

The start of 2025 brings a cascade of global challenges: the war in Ukraine, Middle East conflicts, tensions around Taiwan, environmental crises, and uncertainty about Donald Trump’s return to the presidency. While these dominate headlines, the global threat of terrorism has largely faded from public concern. Al-Qaeda is weakened, ISIS is defeated, and Iran’s influence appears diminished, leaving many to believe the era of major terrorist threats is behind us. But what if this complacency is misplaced? Dr. Rohan Gunaratna, a renowned expert on global terrorism, argues that the threat is rising. He shares why urgent, coordinated action is needed to address this growing danger before it’s too late. Are we overlooking the risk of a new wave of extremist violence?