Cold War

The "Cold War" refers to the period of geopolitical tension between the United States and the Soviet Union and their respective allies, roughly from the mid-1940s to the early 1990s. While not a direct military conflict, it involved an arms race, ideological clashes, proxy wars, and espionage. It's newsworthy now due to the expiration of the New START treaty, the last remaining nuclear arms control agreement between the US and Russia, raising fears of a renewed arms race. This expiration evokes Cold War anxieties about nuclear proliferation and strategic instability. Furthermore, the legacy of the Cold War continues to influence global politics, as seen in US involvement in Latin American coups, strained US-Russia relations, and shifting alliances among countries like Canada, the UK, and China. The Doomsday Clock, a symbolic measure of global catastrophe risk, is also near its closest point to midnight, reflecting ongoing concerns about nuclear war and other threats, further highlighting the Cold War's enduring relevance.