An analysis of regional balance, internal challenges, and institutional sovereignty Iraq today is one of the most strategic countries in the Middle East. Its geographical position, its immense oil resources, and its history make it a central player in regional balances. Since the fall of Saddam Hussein in 2003, the country has sought to rebuild…
It is a scene that would have seemed unthinkable just a few months ago. In late June 2026, in the dead of the Baghdad night, Iraqi security forces sealed off all access points to the highly secured Green Zone. In a raid unprecedented since the 2003 US invasion, 47 high-ranking officials, including members of parliament…
Late in 1928, the Guardian made plans to give its readers a weekly cryptic puzzle. At the time, crosswords were considered a waste of time; other newspapers campaigned against them as a distraction keeping the working man from his duties, but the cryptic was different. Sly and witty rather than purely definitional, the cryptic makes…
OPEC will be less powerful without one of its leading members, the United Arab Emirates. The question is: How much? The emergence of the United States as the world’s largest oil producer has diminished the grip that the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries had over the global market, as has the departure of several…
The news last week that the Trump administration sounded out Fifa, world football’s governing body, about replacing Iran with Italy at this year’s World Cup jolted insiders and pundits on the beautiful game. It has also cast fresh light on the unusual and evolving relationship between Donald Trump and Giorgia Meloni. In recent weeks, the…
Opponents, including an al-Qaeda-linked group, join forces. Former enemies in Mali, including an al-Qaeda-linked group, have join forces to target military sites. The defence minister has been killed. Russian mercenaries backing the government have come under attack. What are the implications of this unrest? Presenter: Imran Khan Guests: Oluwole Ojewale – Regional co-ordinator for West…
Ukraine gets multibillion-dollar loan; Russia rakes in oil revenue. A loan drama tied to geopolitics. Kyiv is getting a much-delayed lifeline from Brussels, as it fights Moscow’s invasion with nearly empty coffers. Recommended Stories list of 4 itemsend of list That is after Ukraine repaired a pipeline carrying Russian crude to Hungary, Slovakia and beyond….
