Spotlight
Waves of Destruction
Once a thriving Christian commune, the small Atlantic village of Ayetoro is being rapidly eroded by rising tides. After successive government sea walls failed, residents have taken the battle against the encroaching ocean into their own hands.
Strait Talk
The IRGC's strategy in the Strait of Hormuz isn't about naval power, it's about exploiting geography. By selectively allowing some vessels to pass while raising the commercial risk for others, Iran is turning the world's most critical energy choke point into a tool of coercive leverage.
Iran’s Afghan Refugees Flee Homeward
As Afghans travel across the Islam Qala border crossing, they are trading one form of desperation for another, leaving behind discrimination and economic survival in Iran for a homeland that offers little hope, especially for women and girls.
Pakistan’s Strikes Tear Open the Afghan Sky
Pakistan’s strikes on Afghanistan are spreading from contested border areas to the cities, and Afghans are uniting in response.
The Limits of the UAE’s Push for Food Security
The UAE has spent billions of dollars on African farmland, supposedly to address its food insecurity. Now, with Iran blocking food shipments through the Strait of Hormuz, the strategy’s limits are being revealed.
In Lebanon, There Are No More Clever Exits
For decades, Lebanese politicians survived by lying to everyone at once. Israel’s war has made that impossible. The country is facing a choice it can no longer defer: confront Hezbollah, or watch Israel do it for them, and then stay.
‘Those Who Wrap Themselves in America Are Naked’
A growing debate among Arab leaders and elites reflects deep divisions over the war with Iran, with some blaming the United States for dragging the region into conflict and others stressing the long-standing threat posed by Iran’s expansionism. Both groups agree that the region’s alliance with America is fraught.