Beijing would like the week to mark a historic turning point in which a unipolar world finally gave way to multipolarity. To others, it was just tub-thumping bravura. In reality, it was a bit of both.
A pressure campaign by Washington to curb Tehran's influence over Baghdad seems to be yielding results, but any moves to disarm Iran-allied militias could stoke serious violence
Washington's long-term strategy to unshackle Iraq from Iranian influence is yielding results. Having pulled a potent mix of financial and military levers, the militias have been eerily quiet of late.
In areas like Daraa and Sweida, local groups are elbowing their way into some of the smuggling voids left by Assad's army and pro-Iranian groups like Hezbollah. That means more to fight over.
An international conference in New York this week generated momentum towards diplomatic recognition, but what precisely would be recognised? The West Bank is splintered and Gaza is under rubble.
Israel's war aims go beyond the defeat of Hamas to the collective punishment of two million Palestinians. It is losing friends fast, while Gazans lose far more than that.
Lebanon's president and prime minister have a big decision to make: whether, and how, to use the army to disarm Hezbollah. Today's army can be trusted, but its task must be well thought through.
The president and his base dislike the liberal bastions of America's elite campuses so have cut billions in funding. Whether they fight back or capitulate, this is only going to harm the US economy
A new axis dividing Khan Younis into eastern and western sections follows others splitting Khan Younis from Rafah, and north Gaza from central Gaza. The strategy is simple: divide and conquer.
Beijing would like the week to mark a historic turning point in which a unipolar world finally gave way to multipolarity. To others, it was just tub-thumping bravura. In reality, it was a bit of both.
The country now sits at an energy crossroads: will its recovery be anchored in oil and gas, or will it seize the chance to lean into renewables and build something more resilient?
After Israel dealt Iran and its regional axis a string of crippling blows last year, Lebanon now finds itself better-positioned to reclaim its eroded state sovereignty. Will it grab the chance?
Recent books from Yemen, Egypt, and Syria take a new look at the 10th-century philosopher's famed letter 'The Epistle of Forgiveness', which is said to have inspired Dante's 'Divine Comedy'
An earthquake in Afghanistan earlier this week levelled entire villages and left people trapped under rubble for days, but in the shadow of the Hindu Kush, saviours were thin on the ground