Russia-CIS

Dr. Shehab Al-Makahleh There comes a moment in every geopolitical crisis when diplomacy ceases to be a pathway to resolution and becomes, instead, an instrument of entrapment. That moment has arrived. What we are witnessing is not the breakdown of negotiations—it is their transformation into a mechanism of …

Carla Davies Sudan’s self-appointed leader Abdel Fattah al-Burhan is finding that his co-dependent relationship with the country’s Islamist-Muslim Brotherhood elite is beginning to run interference on his relations with the Gulf States and his ability to restock his arsenal. He is, as Africa Intelligence recently reported, struggling to …

Digital ad spend worldwide is estimated to hit $836 billion in 2026. However, a big chunk of this ad spend will not be seen by a human eye. In fact, according to a study done by Juniper Research, ad fraud in digital advertising worldwide will hit over $100 …

Peter Rodgers In U.S.–Iran relations, there has been no shortage of “critical moments.” Yet what is unfolding today is of a different nature. Not simply because a 40-day war has taken place between the two sides but because, for the first time, military instruments and a diplomatic opening …

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 …

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 …

The war in the Middle East is driving major disruptions in global energy markets and risks worsening food insecurity, particularly in low-income, import-dependent countries, the International Monetary Fund (IMF), the World Bank Group (WBG), and the World Food Program (WFP) warned Wednesday. In a joint statement, the institutions …

After 40 days of sustained military confrontation that pushed the region to the brink of a broader Middle Eastern war—and threatened a global energy shock—the United States and Iran announced, on April 8, 2026, a ceasefire agreement mediated by Pakistan. The deal includes a two-week suspension of hostilities …

Amelie Shawn Some ships pass through the Strait of Hormuz after the ceasefire. April 8, 2026 (Shadi Al-Asaar/Anadolu) The Strait of Hormuz will remain the world’s central energy artery and the essential outlet for global oil and gas exports. It is a critical maritime chokepoint through which more …