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Iran and Israel long fought in the shadows — through intelligence operations, cyberattacks, covert sabotage and proxy warfare — calibrating pressure without crossing into direct war. That balance is faltering. The shadow conflict is tilting toward open confrontation, reshaping the Middle East’s security architecture and rippling through energy markets, shipping lanes and fragile regional politics from the Strait of Hormuz to the Red Sea and the Horn of Africa. For decades, Tehran relied on partners such as Hezbollah in…

Opposition parties in Namibia on Thursday united in opposing a petroleum amendment bill that would transfer regulatory authority over oil and gas from the Ministry of Industries, Mines and Energy to the Presidency, saying the move risks political interference, corruption and weakened parliamentary oversight. The bill, tabled in the National Assembly by Minister of Industries, Mines and Energy Modestus Amutse, has prompted an acrimonious debate as lawmakers weigh whether control of the country’s hydrocarbon sector should be…

Opposition parties in the National Assembly have united to reject a petroleum amendment bill that would transfer oil and gas regulatory authority from the Ministry of Industries, Mines and Energy to the President, saying the change risks political interference, corruption and weakened parliamentary oversight. The move, tabled by Minister of Industries, Mines and Energy Modestus Amutse, prompted sharp objections from a cross-section of opposition groups. The Affirmative Repositioning movement, the National Unity Democratic…

New Leadership in U.S. Africa Bureau Faces Complex Challenges Nick Checker, who stepped into the role of head of the State Department's Africa Bureau earlier this month, brings a unique perspective to the position after spending most of the past decade at the CIA. Unlike his two predecessors—career diplomats who served under President Trump—Checker has only four months of experience at the State Department. As the 'Senior Bureau Official,' a title currently used for acting positions across numerous agencies, Checker is…

Somalia’s month-long presidency of the UN Security Council, its first in 54 years, has arrived with an unexpected geopolitical twist: a fight to contain the fallout from Israel’s recognition of Somaliland and the wider regional implications it carries from the Horn of Africa to the Red Sea and Gaza. In its opening days, the council convened an emergency session on Venezuela. But Mogadishu has made clear it intends to use the gavel to rally opposition to Israel’s move and to defend Somalia’s internationally recognized…

Hassan Sheikh’s planned Las Anod visit would be first by a Somali president since 1969, signaling federal push in north MOGADISHU — Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud is expected to visit Las Anod this week, in what would be his first trip to the northeastern city and a highly symbolic bid to reinforce federal authority in northern Somalia, according to sources in the Northeastern Somalia presidency. If confirmed, the visit would be the first by a Somali head of state to Las Anod since President Abdirashid Ali Sharmarke…

Jose Antonio Kast won Chile’s presidency with about 58% of the vote, becoming the country’s most right-wing leader since the return to democracy 35 years ago. He defeated Jeannette Jara, a communist who headed a broad leftist coalition, after campaigning on a sweeping security and immigration crackdown and a promise to jump-start the economy. “Chile wanted change,” Kast told supporters, vowing to “restore respect for the law.” He has pledged to expel more than 300,000 immigrants in the country illegally, seal the northern…

Europe is bringing back the citizen-soldier. Since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, a growing number of European governments have moved to reintroduce conscription or expand voluntary national service, reversing three decades of reliance on smaller, professional armies. Germany and France are the latest to join the shift, betting that wider training for young adults is the fastest way to rebuild reserves, harden deterrence and prepare for a long era of insecurity. The trend marks a significant recalibration.…

Negotiations at the U.N. COP30 climate summit in Belém intensified Thursday as countries clashed over how explicitly the final text should require a phaseout of fossil fuels, even as a surge of delegations pushed for a roadmap and Brazil’s president flew in to press for an early deal. Mary Robinson, former president of Ireland and a member of the Elders, said the summit has “momentum and energy” but warned a firm decision has not yet been reached. Robinson noted about 85 countries, including Ireland, have joined a coalition…

Washington in fast-forward: a presidency remaking institutions while the rest of the country looks on In U.S. politics a week can feel like a season. But the last seven days have resembled a compressed year — decisions and dramas that stretch from Main Street farms to foreign capitals, touching courts, the Pentagon, and the very idea of a free press. For a global audience watching Washington, the pattern is clearer than the chaos: institutions are being reshaped, alliances recalibrated, and ordinary people are beginning to…