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Geopolitics

Geopolitics: wars, alliances, sanctions, trade and the decisions between governments that shape the world.

1256 articles · page 24 of 27

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Geopolitics

Syrian president appoints former SDF commander as advisor after dissolving Kurdish-led force

Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa has appointed Mazloum Abdi, the former commander of the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), as a presidential advisor — a move that comes just three days after the SDF was formally dissolved. The appointment signals a major shift in Syria's post-war consolidation, raising questions about Kurdish autonomy, Ankara's reaction, and the future of US-backed forces in the northeast.

·3 min
Geopolitics

Despite Civil War, Myanmar's Critical Mineral Exports Continue — Accountability Elusive

Critical minerals continue to flow out of Myanmar despite the country’s deepening civil war, according to a Foreign Policy analysis published Thursday. Authors Kristina Kironska and Jan-Sha argue that while international attention has focused on the humanitarian crisis, the opaque supply chains for tin, tungsten, and rare earths remain largely undisturbed — and accountability for human rights abuses and environmental damage is becoming harder than ever.

·3 min
Geopolitics

Israeli strike kills newlywed woman in south Lebanon despite ceasefire framework

An Israeli airstrike in southern Lebanon has killed a woman described as a 'newlywed' and wounded several other people, local officials report, underscoring the fragility of the region's security despite a recent US-brokered memorandum of understanding between Washington and Tehran and a separate framework agreement between Israel and Lebanon that had led to an overall reduction in hostilities.

·2 min·2 sources
Geopolitics

Settler attacks on Palestinian factories threaten to collapse West Bank economy, report warns

A coordinated campaign by Israeli settlers targeting Palestinian-owned factories in the occupied West Bank is at risk of collapsing the already fragile Palestinian economy, according to a detailed investigation published by Al Jazeera. The report documents dozens of incidents in which settlers have vandalized, burned, or forcibly occupied industrial facilities, with the apparent goal of driving Palestinian workers from their land and businesses.

·2 min
Geopolitics

Qatar Prime Minister Visits Tehran Amid Intensified US Economic Pressure on Iran

Qatar's Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani met with Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi in Tehran on Thursday, as the United States escalates its campaign of economic pressure against the Islamic Republic. The visit underscores Qatar's ongoing role as a mediator in regional conflicts and comes amid heightened tensions over Iran's nuclear program and its support for proxy groups.

·2 min
Geopolitics

Strait of Hormuz Crisis: Temporary Shipping Route Agreed as Iran Acknowledges 35% Trade Slump

Diplomatic efforts in the Strait of Hormuz crisis have yielded a temporary shipping agreement, even as Iran's president reveals sanctions and a US-led naval blockade have cut the country's exports and imports by nearly 35 percent. The deal, announced after Qatari mediation, comes amid warnings that British households face an energy price cap increase due to the conflict.

·2 min·3 sources
Geopolitics

Strait of Hormuz traffic plunges 95% as crisis disrupts global shipping

A crisis in the Strait of Hormuz has cut traffic through the vital waterway by an estimated 95%, according to reports from maritime tracking agencies and transport industry groups, triggering cascading disruptions across global shipping networks that carry about 80% of the world's trade by volume. The sharp decline, which began in late August 2026, follows escalating tensions in the region, with shippers rerouting vessels and major oil consumers scrambling to secure alternative supplies.

·2 min
Geopolitics

CIA Chief Warns Russia Against NATO Attacks During Moscow Visit, Kremlin Dismisses Reports

CIA Director John Ratcliffe reportedly warned Russian officials during a visit to Moscow that any attack on NATO member states would trigger a decisive response, while the Kremlin dismissed the US media reports as ‘scare stories,’ according to sources familiar with the matter. The visit comes as the Pentagon’s policy chief prepares to meet NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte to reaffirm alliance commitments.

·2 min
Geopolitics

Syria's President Makes First Visa Payment After US Removes Country from Terrorism List

A video released by the Syrian presidency shows President Bashar al-Assad making his first payment using a Visa card, one day after the United States removed Syria from its list of state sponsors of terrorism. The move marks a significant step in the normalization of Syria's banking and financial systems following the lifting of US sanctions, but raises questions about the pace of reintegration and the humanitarian impact of remaining restrictions.

·3 min
Geopolitics

UNRWA Chief Accuses Israel of Seeking to Eliminate Agency and Palestinian Refugee Status

The head of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) has accused Israel of deliberately working to dismantle the agency and erase the issue of Palestinian refugees, following the seizure of an UNRWA training centre in East Jerusalem. The claim, made on Tuesday, underscores deepening tensions between the UN agency and the Israeli government, which has long criticised UNRWA's mandate and operations.

·3 min
Geopolitics

UNRWA chief condemns Israeli seizure of East Jerusalem training centre as part of campaign to weaken agency

The acting head of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA), Christian Saunders, has condemned Israel’s seizure of the agency’s training centre in East Jerusalem, describing it as part of a broader campaign to weaken UNRWA and undermine Palestinian rights. The raid on the facility, located in the contested city, marks the latest escalation in a long-running dispute between Israel and the UN agency that provides education, health care and social services to millions of Palestinian refugees.

·3 min
Geopolitics

Analysis: Syria’s al Sharaa Wins Abroad, Struggles at Home as Sanctions Relief Yields Mixed Results

A year after the United States lifted sanctions and removed Syria from its list of state sponsors of terrorism, the analyst who originally argued that sanctions relief was a necessary tool for positive engagement with President Ahmed al Sharaa’s government has issued a sober reassessment: while al Sharaa has won diplomatic breathing room abroad, deep-rooted domestic problems — economic stagnation, lagging reconstruction, and questions over governance — threaten to undermine his leadership.

·3 min
Geopolitics

AI Lowers the Barriers to China-Linked Disinformation Against Japan, New Analysis Warns

A new analysis published by The Diplomat warns that China-linked influence operators are increasingly using artificial intelligence to craft more effective disinformation targeting Japanese audiences. The report, by analyst Cheng-Pu Kao, argues that generative AI has sharply lowered the cost and technical barriers to running influence campaigns, enabling smaller teams to produce large volumes of localized, convincing content and raising new challenges for Japan and its allies.

·3 min
Geopolitics

Opinion: Russia lures Latin Americans to fight in Ukraine with false promises, says former diplomat

In a stark opinion piece published Wednesday, former Nicaraguan diplomat Arturo McFields claims Russia is systematically deceiving Latin American migrants with promises of high pay and a path to citizenship, only to force them into front-line combat in Ukraine. 'They were promised the moon and the stars but found only hell in a foreign land,' McFields writes, drawing on his experience as a former ambassador to the Organization of American States. The accusation echoes a growing body of reports from Ukrainian and Western officials about Moscow's recruitment of foreign fighters from developing nations.

·3 min
Geopolitics

China Advises Citizens to Leave Eswatini, Citing Security Risks Amid Taiwan Ties

China has issued a security advisory urging its citizens to leave Eswatini, the sole African country that still maintains diplomatic relations with Taiwan, escalating a long-running campaign to isolate Taipei internationally. The notice, published by the Chinese embassy in Mbabane on August 26, cites unspecified 'security risks' but comes amid Beijing's sustained pressure on the remaining 12 states that recognize Taiwan rather than the People's Republic.

·3 min
Geopolitics

China Condemns New US Sanctions on Iran as 'Illegal', Warns of Trade Isolation

China has denounced the latest round of US sanctions targeting Iran and its trading partners as 'illegal', warning that Washington's threat to isolate nations doing business with Tehran risks destabilising global energy markets and undermining multilateral trade norms. The new measures, announced by the US Treasury this week, seek to cut off revenue streams to Iran's oil sector, which sells the majority of its crude to China.

·3 min