Lama Al-Rakad In a world that is supposed to be governed by clear international rules, the nuclear file in the Middle East stands as one of the clearest examples of distorted standards. While one actor is effectively allowed to possess the highest level of deterrent capability without meaningful …

A 10-day ceasefire between Lebanon and “Israel” took effect on Friday at 12 am, Beirut time, following sustained Iranian pressure linking any ceasefire agreement with the United States to a halt in Israeli attacks on Lebanon. During the first few minutes of the agreement taking effect, Al Mayadeen’s …

By Dennis Ross In international politics, we often confuse capability with inevitability. The assumption that military superiority guarantees strategic success has shaped countless decisions—and just as often, it has led to miscalculation. As Will and Ariel Durant once observed in The Lessons of History, nature and history do …

Dr. Shehab Al-Makahleh Diplomacy, in the Middle East, rarely arrives as a gesture of peace. More often, it emerges as an extension of war by other means—language replacing artillery, but not intent. The recent U.S.-brokered meeting in Washington on April 14, 2026—bringing together representatives of Lebanon and Israel …

Lama Al-Rakad History is not a passive record of events; it is a testing ground for human will under pressure. Across centuries and continents, one principle has endured: injustice, no matter how technologically advanced or internationally shielded, carries within it the seeds of its own collapse. The line …

Julian Borger Shah Meer Baloch Andrew Roth The US and Iran have been in indirect talks aimed at extending the two-week ceasefire beyond its expiry on 22 April, as Pakistan’s army chief arrived in Tehran to continue mediation efforts. Karoline Leavitt, the White House press secretary, denied on …

Lawrence J. Haas Iran’s economy is already crippled, but still resilient. The US economy is less threatened, but its political system is less tolerant of short-term economic pain. With its blockade of the Strait of Hormuz now in place, Washington faces the twin challenge of maintaining it in …

No one should be surprised by the growing number of voices calling for Britain to return to the EU, or at least to accelerate and deepen the “reset” currently underway. There are four sets of reasons for this: Economic: Brexit has turned out to be even more costly …

Cheng Li-wun, chairwoman of Taiwan’s main opposition party, the Kuomintang (KMT), visited China from April 7–12, 2026. Following a meeting with the Chinese President, Xi Jinping, both leaders indicated their wish to see a peaceful situation over the Taiwan Strait. The KMT leader too remembered the common cultural …