Kurds ponder future in Turkey, Syria and Iraq with guarded optimism The mood among the Kurds has changed after Kurdish militant leader Abdullah Ocalan urged the PKK to end its struggle against Turkey.

A month after jailed Kurdish militant leader Abdullah Ocalan called on his PKK party to end its 40-year insurgency with Turkey, the future of embattled Kurdish communities there and in neighbouring Syria and Iraq hangs in the balance, I report.
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Pakistan vs Isis-K: inside the global crackdown that won Trump’s praise In a seven-month operation spanning 21 nations, Pakistani intelligence dismantled an Isis-K cell tied to bombings in Kabul, Moscow and Kerman.

In a seven-month operation spanning 21 nations, Pakistani intelligence dismantled an Isis-K cell tied to bombings in Kabul, Moscow and Kerman, I report.
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‘Mere document’: Arab states’ Gaza recovery plan fails to sway Trump The Arab proposal calls for a three-phase, five-year process without any displacement of Palestinians from Gaza.

A new pan-Arab plan for the reconstruction of Gaza has failed to persuade President Trump to drop his controversial proposal for the US to occupy the strip and redevelop it into a luxury resort after forcibly evicting the embattled Palestinian population, I report.
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Syria risks relapsing into chaos amid US sanctions, infighting The transitional authorities in Syria are viewed with suspicion by the US and Israel, while various groups want a decentralised government.

Optimism about Syria’s future that greeted the fall of the Assad regime in December is fast waning as sustained US economic sanctions against Damascus and distrust of its transitional government threaten to tilt the country towards chaos again, I report.
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From Gaza to Ukraine: Saudi Arabia, Qatar and UAE expand clout as mediators The international community is increasingly turning to the Gulf monarchies to mediate conflicts as trusted go-betweens, analysts say.

The Gulf monarchies’ expanding role in mediating conflicts ranging from Gaza to Ukraine reflects a growing belief in the international community that Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the UAE have the connections and leverage needed to “get things done”: my report.
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Trump's Gaza Riviera plan is seen across the Arab world, I told @scmpnews.bsky.social, as an “unrealistic ethnic-cleansing fantasy w/ profoundly disturbing potential."

Here are my other quoted remarks. Fully agree w/ what wonderful experts like @giorgiocafiero.bsky.social & Barbara Slavin said too.

Deadline diplomacy: Arab nations mobilise against Trump’s Gaza ‘Riviera’ scheme With lives at stake, the Arab world is rallying to counter what analysts described as the US president’s ‘deranged ethnic-cleansing plan’.

What would happen if Trump's plan to ethnically cleanse Gaza of Palestinians was enforced?
A blood-soaked catastrophe that would bring down Arab rulers: my report.
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Will Trump’s pressure tactics derail hopes for a nuclear deal with Iran? Analysts suggest Trump’s strategy may either force a breakthrough or trigger further confrontation, depending on Tehran’s response.

The US and Iran are expected to engage in talks in the coming months on a “verifiable nuclear peace agreement” proposed last week by President Donald Trump, despite Tehran’s objections to negotiating under the restored “maximum pressure” sanctions regime: my report.
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US walks back on Trump’s Gaza comments, but Arab leaders remain fearful The earlier call by President Donald Trump to assume control of a depopulated Gaza Strip has been rejected by Arab states.

US officials have walked back President Donald Trump’s “idea” of America taking control of a depopulated Gaza Strip, but Arab states remain fearful and are expected to assume the worst about his call to displace Palestinians from the territory: my report.
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Can the Gaza ceasefire hold while Trump attempts to broker Middle East peace? Analysts say the fragility of the truce agreement and escalating violence in the West Bank threaten US efforts to normalise Arab-Israel ties.

The future of the Palestinian population in Gaza and the West Bank may hinge on US President Donald Trump’s determination to oversee the normalisation of relations between Israel and the Arab world: my report.
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‘Big question marks’: experts doubt Gaza ceasefire deal will lead to lasting peace Israel and Hamas’ truce agreement is set to start on Sunday, but analysts warn unresolved core issues leave the future uncertain.

Gaza’s war-weary residents could soon receive a rare reprieve, with a phased truce agreement between Israel and Hamas expected to take effect on Sunday. But their future remains as uncertain as ever because the deal does not guarantee an end to the war: my report.
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Pakistan warns Taliban of air strikes over future attacks as Kabul vows revenge Islamabad has affirmed more retribution against TTP if cross-border assaults continue, further inflaming Kabul ties despite ongoing talks.

Pakistan has warned the Taliban it will bomb insurgents who have taken safe haven in Afghanistan in retaliation for any future lethal attacks against its security forces, sparking revenge threats from the neighbour, even as the two sides pursue talks: my report.
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Pakistan stunned by US fears over its missiles, assesses impact on South Asia Washington’s assessment comes as Pakistan aims to balance its relations with the US and China amid fears of collateral damage.

Pakistan has been blindsided by Washington’s designation of the entity overseeing the South Asian country’s ballistic missile development as a prospective threat to US national security, officials and analysts tell me.
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Israel and Turkey seize the chance to shape Syria’s future post-Assad While Turkey backs the HTS regime, Israel is destroying its military capacity and claiming territory – fuelling fears of fragmentation.

The fall of Bashar al-Assad’s regime has raised fears that Syria could now be carved up among its neighbours, with Israeli forces seizing territory in the nation’s southwest while Turkish-backed factions push into Kurdish-held areas in the northeast: my report.
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Fall of Syria’s Assad catches Middle East powers and the West off guard Several foreign governments have put out cautious feelers to Hayat Tahrir al-Sham after it toppled Bashar al-Assad’s regime.

The abruptness with which Syria’s brutal 54-year rule of the Assad dynasty collapsed on Sunday has shifted the balance of power in the Middle East so dramatically that none of the region’s power players were prepared, top officials have admitted.
My report.
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Trillion-dollar ambition: Saudi Arabia accelerates metal mining plans The kingdom has signed a slew of deals with Chinese, Indian and Australian companies amid growing interest in its massive mineral reserves.

Mining and metals giants from China, India and Australia are pumping billions of dollars of project investments into Saudi Arabia as the oil-rich kingdom seeks to accelerate its economic diversification and become a major industry player in Asia and Africa, I report.
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Not just any ole cow, would have to be a Holy Kash Cow.

‘More of this can come’: what Syria attack means for Middle East power balance Turkey and Israel’s ‘uncoordinated battle’ has raised questions about Iran and Russia’s ability to rescue Assad and his regime, analysts say.

Turkey and Israel’s "uncoordinated battle" in Syria has raised questions about Iran and Russia’s ability to rescue Assad and his regime, I report.
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‘Nixon in China’: can Trump and Iran reach a ‘grand bargain’ Middle East deal? Officials are aiming to reach agreements to end the Israel-Gaza war and on Iran’s nuclear programme following the Lebanon ceasefire deal.

Looking to build on the ceasefire in Lebanon agreed this week, top officials from the Middle East, US and Europe will begin meetings on Friday to seek an end to the war in Gaza and set the tone for decisive nuclear negotiations with Iran, I report.
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This word has great potential.

As Israel-Lebanon war intensifies, US-led ceasefire talks hang by a thread While both sides may be looking for a diplomatic off-ramp, serious sticking points remain, analysts say.

US-brokered negotiations over a ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah are hanging in the balance amid fierce fighting for control of southern Lebanon, I report
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Far fetched.

🙏

Hi Nick. Please add me. Thanks!

Rihla Initiative Policy Fellow (2025) — Bourse & Bazaar Foundation The Bourse & Bazaar Foundation is seeking a policy fellow to support its research and advocacy on issues related to green growth, sustainability policy, and climate adaptation.

📢 We're hiring!

The Bourse & Bazaar Foundation is looking for a policy fellow with expertise on green growth and climate adaptation as we rollout a new two-year initiative on mobilizing Gulf capital to support the green transition in the Global South.
www.bourseandbazaar.com/opportunitie...

Islamabad, so it would have to be military coups.

In Pakistan, creeping authoritarianism threatens democracy ‘for decades to come’ Experts predict new laws solidifying military influence will have lasting repercussions for civil liberties and political dissent.

Months after a contentious general election that was marred by accusations of ballot rigging, Pakistan’s ruling coalition has bulldozed a constitutional amendment through parliament that critics fear could erode the very foundations of the country’s democracy, I report.
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Will Trump’s cabinet picks ignite tensions in the Middle East and South Asia? While Israel and India may be ‘happy’ with Trump’s nominees, analysts say they have raised fears of conflict with Iran and regional instability.

US president-elect Donald Trump’s picks for key national security and foreign relations cabinet positions have not gone down well with Washington’s Muslim partners in the Middle East and South Asia, I report.
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Did you bump into @briancox.bsky.social? He was there, too.

Great initiative.