Africa

Rare earth elements (REEs) are a set of 17 metallic elements that have become indispensable to modern technology and defense industries. Although they are not truly “rare” in the Earth’s crust, they are difficult to find in concentrated deposits and are expensive to separate and refine. The group …

Almost a decade ago, I would have wagered my entire wealth on the defeat of candidate Donald Trump in the primaries of the 2016 U.S. presidential election. My premises were clear: presidential elections should be contests among politicians, of which the U.S. has an abundance, making it unlikely …

When Ethiopia’s prime minister revived his call for sea access in early 2024, regional headlines lit up overnight. It was not just about trade or logistics, at least not entirely. It reopened a decades-old wound, the kind that never really heals in the Horn of Africa: who controls …

Dr. Shehab Al-Makahleh This is a summary of a paper I presented during a lecture at one of the leading global research centers, outlining my perspective on the similarities and differences between U.S. President Donald Trump and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin regarding domestic and foreign policy, and …

Madagascar’s president has fled the country, as confirmed by the leader of the opposition and other officials. Siteny Randrianasoloniaiko stated that President Rajoelina left on Sunday after army units joined the protesters. His current location is unknown. The president’s office, which had announced a national address for Monday, …

Azeem Ibrahim Abdelkarim Mgeg’s bid for Libyan leadership raises slim hopes for a brighter future in a war-torn country. Libya has long slipped down Washington’s list of priorities. Since the fall of Muammar Gaddafi in 2011, the country has been trapped in cycles of civil war, foreign interference, …

Dimitra Staikou Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s presence at the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Summit in Tianjin at the end of August underscores a shifting global order in which India is emerging not as a junior partner to China and Russia, but as a pivotal swing power. While …

Donald Trump’s tariffs on India signal that Washington, far from abandoning New Delhi, wants to see more effort and less hedging. When the State Department finally placed the “Foreign Terrorist Organization” label on the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) and its suicide outfit, the Majeed Brigade, on August 11, …

Resource competition has intensified between the two great powers, the US and China, due to trade and tariff wars. Recently, both the countries have made major policy shifts in the strategically significant rare earth sector. China discreetly issued 2025 rare earth mining and smelting quotas to its state-owned …