One month after the Trump administration’s abduction of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, the contours of a new oil order are beginning to emerge. U.S. authorities continue to seize “shadow fleet” oil tankers—at least seven, so far—carrying sanctioned Venezuelan exports in a pressure campaign that began in the run-up to Operation Absolute Resolve. President Donald Trump… Continue reading How Trump’s Venezuela Play Is Testing a New Global Oil Order

In the past year, a fractured and war-torn Syria has been prone to dramatic geopolitical change driven by rapid military advances. In December 2024, a force led by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) swept out of Syria’s northwest and ended the Assad regime’s half-century rule in a matter of weeks. Just more than 12 months later,… Continue reading How Damascus Reclaimed Syria’s Northeast, and What Integration Now Means

When regulators began discussing adjustments to the European Union’s Artificial Intelligence Act of 2024, mere months after its passage, it was a clear sign of the regulatory challenges in this sector. The comprehensive legislation was the first of its kind, and even seasoned regulators like the EU were struggling amid political and corporate pressure, unable to set realistic and effective measures to guide rapid advances in AI technology. For observers in the Gulf, these challenges were a warning sign of the urgent need to balance innovation with risk management.  … Continue reading Why the Gulf States Share in the AI Governance Dilemma