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

EU-US Trade Talks: Price of Sovereignty on the Factory Floor

Brussels rejects trading digital sovereignty for tariff relief, leaving European steel workers to bear the heavy cost of a deepening transatlantic deadlock.

The Pope’s Turkey Visit: Eastern Mediterranean as Christianity’s Foundation

Pope Leo XIV's first papal journey to Turkey from 27-30 November 2025 placed the eastern Mediterranean once again at the centre of Catholic imagination, inviting Europe to reconsider how geography shaped its tradition.

Europe’s First Moon Steps in a New Space Race

Josef Aschbacher picked a German astronaut for the NASA lunar orbit mission, starting a bigger European push into space exploration powered by fresh budgets and joint projects.

Finland’s Unemployment Paradox: Rising Joblessness, Surprising Calm

Finland recorded 10.3% unemployment in October 2025, the highest figure since 2009, yet public discourse suggests that economic pessimism does not always translate into social despair.

Brussels to Caracas: A Reckoning for European Intelligence

European powers quietly freeze Caribbean intelligence sharing with Washington, fearing their islands sit too close to the line of fire near Venezuela.