Pope Leo XIV has entered a new and more assertive phase of his papacy, using a high-profile tour of Africa to speak forcefully on war, inequality, and global injustice. As he traveled Saturday to Luanda, the capital of Angola, for the third stop of a four-nation African visit, the pontiff […]
Israel
Is Iran Negotiating Badly?
On Sunday, April 19th, Trump twice repeated his threat to destroy Iran: “We’re offering a very fair and reasonable DEAL, and I hope they take it because, if they don’t, the United States is going to knock out every single Power Plant, and every single Bridge, in Iran. NO MORE […]
Confused Closures And Opaque Openings: Continuing Dramas In The Hormuz Strait
Reading messages from President Donald J. Trump is an exercise in taunting masochism. It is one inflicted on commentators and the press corps the world over, and they are not better for it. The latest – and here, the latest will become distant and dated shortly – is that the […]
The New Missile Gap
The US Faces Significant Challenges from China, Russia and North Korea In 1958 Senator John F. Kennedy, getting ready for his upcoming presidential campaign, said the United States faced a serious and dangerous missile gap. The Senator, later President, said: “The Soviet Union is rapidly building up a missile striking […]
‘Ghost Gas’ Is Flooding The Global Market
In the world of high-stakes energy trading, ethics are often a luxury reserved for those who still have the lights on. As of April 2026, a significant portion of the globe is currently struggling with the latter. With the Strait of Hormuz effectively a no-go zone due to the ongoing […]
The War In The Middle East: Religious, Metaphysical, And Spiritual Interpretations (II)
Part I Iran has its own eschatology. In the tradition of Shiite Islam, it is said that the twelfth righteous Imam Mahdi, who remains in a hidden state, will return to this world on the eve of Judgment Day. Together with Christ (the prophet Isa in the Muslim teachings), he […]
Clearing The Strait: How The United States Could Remove Mines From The Strait Of Hormuz
As tensions in the Middle East continue to disrupt global trade and energy supplies, the United States has begun a complex and high-stakes mission: clearing naval mines from the strategically vital Strait of Hormuz. This narrow passage, through which roughly a fifth of the world’s oil and gas flows, has become […]
Prospects For Peace Rise In Iran Conflict, But Nuclear Disputes Persist
After nearly seven weeks of intense conflict, cautious optimism is emerging that a deal to end the Iran war may be within reach. Diplomatic efforts, particularly those led by Pakistan, appear to have made meaningful progress in addressing some of the most difficult issues that have stalled negotiations. However, despite […]
Escalating Tensions Between Turkey And Israel: Rhetoric, Regional Rivalry, And Strategic Competition
In a sharp escalation of rhetoric, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan has accused Israel of attempting to position Turkey as a “new enemy” following Iran, amid increasingly tense exchanges between officials from both countries. Fidan emphasized that ending Israel’s occupation of Lebanese territory and ensuring the protection of civilians are urgent priorities […]
Turkiye’s Planned Revival Of The Hejaz Railway Strategically Encircles Israel
The growing Israeli-Turkish rivalry might soon expand to Jordan. Turkiye, Syria, and Jordan signed a trilateral MoU in early April on transport cooperation that followed their meeting more than half a year prior last September where they first committed to reviving the Hejaz Railway. This late-Ottoman project connected Istanbul with Medina and Mecca but […]






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