Al-Shabaab

Chameleon Diplomacy: Qatar and UAE Compete in the Horn

Qatar and the UAE vie for influence in Somaliland, with commentary from Moustafa Ahmad and Dr Andreas Krieg.

Al-Shabaab: Mogadishu on a Knife’s Edge

Al-Shabaab advances toward Mogadishu, seizing key towns. Rising threats spark regional tensions as Somalia faces growing instability.

A New Partner: Al-Shabaab and the Houthis

The Houthi war on Yemen is often analysed through a Iran-Saudi lens whilst the Houthis' growing ties with Al-Shabaab and Al-Qaeda in Somalia are overlooked.

Anything for a Dollar: Djibouti, Arms Smuggling, and Terrorism

Djibouti's role in arms smuggling fuels regional conflicts in Yemen, Lebanon, and Somalia whilst undermining Somaliland recognition.

Triangular Diplomacy: Djibouti, the Houthis, and Somalia

Somaliland emerges as a stable partner while Djibouti deepens China ties, fueling Red Sea tensions, illicit trade, and regional instability.

Popular

Scientology’s Public Relations Push: Community Service as Strategy in Europe

Scientology-backed volunteers boost drug-prevention across France, using community outreach to reshape the group’s public image.

On the Defence: The Militarisation of the Assembly Line

Economic shifts push skilled workers from closing civilian plants to defense factories as Europe ramps spending amid labor shifts.

Trafficked Antiquities: Where Southern Europe’s Treasures Actually Go

Global police dismantle a long-running antiquities trafficking network, seizing 3,000 looted artefacts worth over €100 million.

British Virgin Islands Hit by FATF Grey List

The British Virgin Islands, a tiny territory where businesses outnumber residents ten to one, holding billions in wealth within a system designed for silence.

EU Perception Shift: Albania Gains Ground While Croatia Appears Unsettled

No headline about European enlargement ever mentions temperament, yet it often shapes perceptions behind closed doors.