As Millions Mourn Ali Khamenei, Iran Prepares for a New Chapter
Ali Khamenei’s six-day funeral drew vast crowds into Tehran, turning mourning into a display of grief, vengeance and state continuity. But beneath the red flags and public rituals, the ceremonies exposed Iran’s internal divisions, anxieties over security and uncertainty about the country’s unseen new leader, Mojtaba Khamenei.
Egypt’s Counterrevolution Erects a Monument to Its Own Survival
At the inauguration of the government’s new, centralized military headquarters, President Sisi linked the multimillion-dollar project to preventing a repeat of the 2011 uprising, validating long-standing criticisms that the New Administrative Capital was largely designed to insulate the state from popular unrest.
The Butterfly Effect of Mexico’s Cartel Violence
Drug cartels in northern Mexico are extorting locals and pushing illegal logging and avocado plantations. One victim is the country’s population of monarch butterflies, which migrate there by the millions in the winter and are at risk of losing a critical ecosystem.
Damascus Bombings Hint at Broader Campaign To Destabilize the New Syria
The bombing of a cafe in Damascus and a second attack during President Emmanuel Macron's visit reveal a new phase in Syria’s transition, as the institutions meant to replace war are targeted with violence.
The Ambiguities of Solidarity at Khamenei’s Funeral in Iraq
Expressions of reverence, grief and devotion will abound at the supreme leader's funeral in Iraq, but the Axis of Resistance’s messaging simplifies a much more complex reality.