Gulf

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.

Sudan’s Emergence as a New Captagon Hub

Sudan is emerging as a new hub for captagon production, with RSF-linked labs fueling its war economy and Gulf trafficking routes.

Make Europe Secure Again: Gulf Energy Underwrites Europe’s Transition

UAE LNG deal boosts Germany’s energy security and defence role, marking a new Gulf–Europe compact amid shifting global power.

A New Schengen Gulf Style as EU Puts Up Barriers

Gulf states launch unified visa for seamless travel across six nations, as EU border controls rise even in the Schengen amid migration tensions.

Oman: Rentier State No More

Oman breaks Gulf tradition with first-ever income tax on top earners, marking a bold step toward post-oil economic transformation.

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National Security Strategy: The Era of Investment Power

Washington has stopped acting like a global policeman and started operating like a hedge fund, trading lectures for massive sovereign wealth deposits.

Moscow’s Calculus: Guns Fall Silent, Commerce Speaks

As Moscow sheds the weight of defunct military pacts, it ruthlessly prioritizes the economic engines that bind it to Europe.

Italy’s UNESCO Victory: Shared Mediterranean Food Gets a National Label

UNESCO has crowned Italian cooking an intangible treasure, but in a shared Mediterranean kitchen it raises a question: how far can one country claim what ends up on the plate?

Transparency or Tyranny? EU Fines X, Musk Calls It Bureaucratic Overreach

EU fines X €120M under Digital Services Act, sparking US-EU clash over tech regulation, sovereignty, and global digital dominance.

Sofia Celebrates Open Borders While Clinging to Its Currency

While Bulgaria finally dismantles physical barriers to Europe, a dilemma rises: the country opens its doors to travellers but locks its wallet against the euro currency.