From Hitler and Mussolini to South American dictators, world leaders have long seen in football's biggest tournament an opportunity to further an agenda
Some in Damascus think female protection units are better suited for police force work, but this would be a huge waste of their valuable military skills
The Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps and its proxy Hezbollah have been activating sleeper cells embedded across the Gulf States, but many have been found and detained.
Hezbollah is recruiting new cells in Syria's west, while Iraqi militias are doing the same in the east. For its part, Damascus readies its forces to respond to any threat.
Ankara's national security priority is no longer Kurds or Gülenists, but Israel. Likewise, in Tel Aviv, Türkiye is increasingly seen as a future Israeli adversary. Both are preparing accordingly
Having made strides towards peace with both Azerbaijan and Türkiye, the country's West-leaning prime minister faces frustrated voters next month in a contest that has stoked Moscow's interest
Cairo hopes that by helping the Americans establish relations with Egyptian allies in the region, it will be better placed to deal with the threats posed by Addis Ababa
From Hitler and Mussolini to South American dictators, world leaders have long seen in football's biggest tournament an opportunity to further an agenda
From 3D players to data-transmitting balls, the sport's biggest tournament is awash with technology to help with everything from offside decisions to viewer angles, but does this come at a cost?
Netanyahu continues to defy calls from Washington to pump the brakes on Israel's offensive in Lebanon, something Iran has linked to a future peace deal
While it could be tied to military calculations related to the current US-Iran war, it also reflects a deeper struggle between two opposing regional visions