VOL16 N1 includes articles on contemporary issues and a wide range of topics and methodologies, reflected in 21 articles, 3 notes and 2 critical reviews. Some topics and cases are analysed in more than one text, which enriches the approaches and allows for a deeper understanding of relevant scientific topics. This issue features contributions from 48 authors from Portugal (11), Ukraine (7), Turkey (6), India (6), Indonesia (4), China (4), Vietnam (3), Kosovo (2), Malaysia (1), Nepal (1), Spain (1), Colombia (1) and Brazil (1). These data give an idea of the journal's international reach. Only 23% of authors are Portuguese (77% are foreign). This issue discusses topics that intersect international crises with democracy, scientific diplomacy, paradiplomacy and international cooperation, geopolitics and security, international migration and refugees, including theoretical approaches and the Westphalian model. It also presents the results of various research projects, such as the relevance of Scopus databases, changes in the structure of oil-based markets, international relations with the PALOP countries from different perspectives, Asian cases involving several countries, and the critical situations in Russia-Ukraine, Israel and the US-Iran.