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July 30, 2026, 12:30 PM - 8 min read
The most effective way to reduce the proliferation risk of the deal is prohibiting indigenous Saudi uranium enrichment and plutonium reprocessing. Should the US allow enrichment, implementing a black box facility and stringent IAEA safeguards would mitigate any risk of Riyadh gaining expertise for a future nuclear weapons program.
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July 19, 2026, 06:49 PM - 7 min read
The hardliners in Tehran have a much larger appetite for conflict than more pragmatic leaders in other countries. Trump, meanwhile, wants desperately to be seen as a winner. And now that many of the conventional checks and balances that constrain a President’s power have been weakened, there is a real risk of reckless escalation.
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July 9, 2026, 05:18 PM - 5 min read
From shrinking reservoirs to sinking cities, Iran's environmental breakdown is emerging as a profound structural challenge for the country.
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July 9, 2026, 04:45 PM - 6 min read
The structural flaw in the ceasefire deal was visible from the outset. The MoU rested on Iran reopening the Strait of Hormuz in return for the lifting of sanctions on Iranian oil – almost the only lifeline sustaining the Iranian economy. But nothing in the agreement resolved the question of Lebanon.
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June 15, 2026, 12:34 PM - 5 min read
The first half of 2026 has been full of risks. Wars, tariffs and shaky military alliances have changed everything. NATO has been undermined, spending priorities have changed, and trading relationships are not as solid as they used to be. Perhaps now is the time for the EU to grab hold of some important economic innovations and stop being so dependent on the US.
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June 7, 2026, 02:14 PM - 6 min read
Although piracy manifests as a sea-based problem, it can only be solved on land. Building infrastructure that fosters regional trade and local development is a better approach than trying to control piracy at sea. The economic damages caused by higher trade and naval enforcement costs are orders of magnitude greater than what pirates have to offer to their communities.
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May 19, 2026, 04:51 PM - 6 min read
The Caspian Sea faces an uncertain future. Its north-south Russia-Iran strategic and military axis is increasingly contested by their adversaries. Its east-west trade and energy role, meanwhile, holds the potential to rebalance regional power dynamics towards economic connectivity, rather than conflict.
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May 17, 2026, 04:05 PM - 8 min read
Pakistan’s southwestern province of Balochistan has long been the site of resistance and armed movements involving Baloch, an ethnic group of an estimated 8 million to 10 million people that straddles parts of Pakistan and Iran. The Baloch insurgency has emerged as one of Pakistan’s most consequential internal security challenges.
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May 10, 2026, 04:13 PM - 7 min read
For ordinary Mozambicans, the deterioration in conditions over the past decade shows up in higher poverty, unreliable public services and a labour market that offers few decent opportunities – especially for the young.
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May 8, 2026, 02:59 PM - 6 min read
While few doubt Trump is desperate to put this disastrous war behind him, particularly before heading to Beijing on May 14, he massively oversold the impression of a breakthrough.
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May 5, 2026, 06:44 PM - 6 min read
Tungsten is used in armour piercing munitions, in components that need to withstand high levels of heat and is an important additive in steel. Militaries around the world would grind to a halt without this strategically important element.
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May 1, 2026, 03:30 PM - 6 min read
The closure of the Strait of Hormuz has triggered a huge energy supply crisis. Middle Eastern oil exporters are scrambling to explore alternative routes to get their oil and gas exports out of the region.
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