Smuggling
BUSINESS
The Rome-Moscow Connection: How Italy and Kyrgyzstan are Keeping Russian Trade Alive
While Europe builds a wall of sanctions against Russia, Italy has found a backdoor, shipping goods through the mountains to Kyrgyzstan.
BUSINESS
Troubled Waters: Return of Piracy and Somalia’s Governance
With fishing nets coming up empty and governments in conflict, the line between Somali fishermen and pirates is once again dissolving into the sea.
BUSINESS
Submarines in the Atlantic: Europe’s Invisible Drug Frontier
Portuguese authorities intercepted a semi-submersible vessel carrying 1.7 tonnes of cocaine in March 2025, exposing how traffickers adapt to Europe's maritime geography.
BUSINESS
The UAE and the RSF: Mercenaries, Minerals, and Might
Part 3 exposes UAE backing, Colombian mercenaries, and gold looting as RSF commit genocide in Sudan’s El Fasher camps.
EXCLUSIVE
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.
Popular
Caught in the Crosshairs: Gulf Countries Court a Multipolar Order
As American strikes set the region on fire, the Gulf found that massive wealth bought no seat at the table and its survival called for a whole new orbit.
Sánchez Says No to War. Washington Says Pay for It Anyway.
When Trump threatened to cut all trade with Spain this week for refusing to open its bases for strikes on Iran, Sánchez replied in three words: No to war.
Qatar’s LNG Shock: When Energy Security Meets Physical Reality
Iranian drones struck Ras Laffan last week, QatarEnergy halted a fifth of global LNG supply, and European gas prices jumped 52% by morning.
Baalbek Clans and the Return of the State
After Salam banned Hezbollah military activities this week, clans across Baalbek-Hermel backed the Lebanese state in terms Beirut rarely hears from that region.
Qatar’s Art Storage Signals Cultural Maturity
In November 2025, Qatar announced the Gulf's largest museum-grade art storage facility, marking a shift from spectacle to stewardship.
