Al Majalla rolled out its cover story on Sunday titled Rivlarly in the Horn of Africa. In his piece, Abdullah F. Alrebh asserts, “In places like Yemen, Sudan, and Somalia, which all have long coastlines along key maritime routes, the authority of the state and its institutions needs to overcome the forces of disorder,” explaining how “Riyadh knows that the integrity of its own national security is now bound to the revival of state authority in the region.”

And of course, observers have been on pins and needles following US threats to attack Iran. Brian Katulis writes that while a strike appears imminent, several factors could still dissuade Trump from following through. Read his piece to learn what those are. For his part, Con Coughlin asks if a US attack on Iran could actually undermine regime-change efforts.  

And onto Syria: Ibrahim Hamidi points to four mistakes committed by the Syrian Democratic Forces that led to their abandonment by Washington. For his part, James Jeffrey says Damascus will now have to walk a fine line in its efforts to unify Syria without reigniting war, as the situation remains fragile. 

Onto Gaza and Elie Kossaifi interviews former Médecins Sans Frontières president Rony Brauman, who explains how Gaza has broken every record of modern warfare, noting that “the proportion of civilian casualties in Israel's war on Gaza is among the highest ever recorded in modern history, estimated at around 80 to 85% of the dead.” For her part, Hala Al-Naji paints a depressing picture of what "life" is like living in a tent in Gaza, noting that “those who somehow managed to survive starvation, bombs and disease now face a punishing winter in 'shelters' as battered as Palestinian existence itself.”

And Samer Abou Hawwach pens a piece titled Lebanon finds an anthem out of the reach of drones. In it, he says, “The economy is a mess, and the politics are askew, but the Lebanese are once again learning how to celebrate, these days to the tune of 'Badna Nrou', meaning ‘We need to calm down’.”

Meanwhile, Steve Hewitt asks the question Could Trump actually buy Greenland?. Using history as a guide, he concludes that it is possible, citing that large chunks of the United States were bought from reluctant sellers under pressure. For his part, Mohamed Sharki looks at how Trump’s Greenland threats and trade wars have sent gold prices to a record high as traders seek safety. And last but not least, Faisal Faeq pens a piece titled Cutting waste: Saudi Arabia paves the path toward circularity. In it, he says, “Building upon its exemplary energy leadership, Riyadh is also leading the way in waste management, using its know-how for the betterment of the planet.”