Society

In discussions about the Indian Ocean Region (IOR), naval spending, maritime chokepoints, and great-power competition usually dominate the headlines. Yet a quieter, transformative threat is emerging: cyberbiosecurity—the protection of digitally enabled biological systems and their associated data, from health facilities and laboratories to biomanufacturing and cold-chain logistics. This …

Across Africa, a new economic dilemma is taking shape. Squeezed between the allure of import substitution and the reality of entrenched dependency, many countries are pivoting away from traditional trade partners in the United States and Europe toward a patchwork of bilateral agreements with Russia, China, and other …

As 2026 begins, many in Asia and the broader Eastern world wish for a year of peace and prosperity. Yet, the events of 2025 suggest that hopes for stability may once again be tested. At the forefront of global attention is the U.S.–China rivalry, which will continue to …

As 2025 drew to a close, global markets and policymakers faced a rare confluence of political risk and monetary maneuvering that promises to shape the coming year. From the United States to Japan, Germany, and China, decisions taken in these final trading days underscored the fragility of economic …

  Greg Priddy The size of the 2026 oil glut is open to question, and OPEC+’s next move remains up in the air. As 2025 draws to a close, the world oil market reflects a near-consensus that the coming year will see substantial oversupply and inventory accumulation, pushing …

Abdulla Al Junaid President Donald Trump is intent on bringing about the second phase of the Gaza peace plan. As President Donald Trump hosts Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu at Mar-a-Lago today, the United States faces a strategic recalibration across multiple global theatres. And while framed as a …

By Dr. Shehab Al-Makahleh In a surprising move, the Houthis in Sana’a issued a sharply worded statement in response to Israel’s recognition of Somaliland, asserting that any Israeli presence in the region constitutes a legitimate military target. While brief and direct on its surface, the statement carries long-term …

Fatemeh Aman Oman’s Duqm port cannot replace India’s dependence on Iran’s Chabahar. But it can help challenge Pakistan in the Indian Ocean. India’s expanding presence along Oman’s coastline has unfolded without announcements, declarations, or diplomatic spectacle. Indian naval vessels have been making increasingly regular port calls to Oman, …

Rameen Siddiqui  The final week of 2024 delivered a stark message: the era of easy money is over. In a synchronized pivot, the world’s major central banks turned hawkish—the Bank of Japan hiked rates to a thirty-year high, and the ECB signaled an end to easing. This monetary …