Essential Stories of the Week
2026
El Salvador
Is Nayib Bukele committing crimes against humanity in El Salvador?
International legal experts warn that the draconian mass incarceration policies and arbitrary detentions orchestrated by Nayib Bukele constitute crimes against humanity.
Iran
Can the IEA's strategic reserves replace the Strait of Hormuz?
The International Energy Agency has mandated the release of four hundred million barrels of crude oil to stabilise global markets following military escalation in the Middle East.
Nepal
Will an insurgent rapper cure the political malaise of Nepal?
Balendra Shah and his Rastriya Swatantra Party have secured an unprecedented parliamentary majority in Nepal following violent youth-led protests that collapsed the previous communist establishment.
South Sudan
Has South Sudan become failed state?
South Sudan's worsening situation and lack of international support.
Iran
Has Iran become the monarchy it once overthrew?
A revolution that overthrew a shah in the name of republican virtue now appears to have produced its own dynasty, as Mojtaba Khamenei assumes power after the killing of Ali Khamenei in a joint American and Israeli strike.
China
What really happens at China’s two sessions?
The annual convergence of China's legislature and advisory body signals a hardening focus on economic self-sufficiency and technological sovereignty amid ongoing military purges.
Iran
How will the closure of the Strait of Hormuz reshape global energy markets?
The effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz following military strikes on Iran has triggered severe volatility across global financial and energy markets.
Iran
What happens to Iran after the assassination of its supreme leader?
The targeted killing of Ali Khamenei by American and Israeli forces plunges the Islamic Republic into a precarious succession crisis while escalating regional military hostilities.
United Kingdom
Is the UK by-election win by the Greens a sign of hope?
The UK by-election win by the Greens a sign of the changing political landscape in the UK.
Pakistan
Are Pakistan and Afghanistan sliding towards open war?
Airstrikes on Kabul and border clashes mark the sharpest escalation yet between Pakistan and Taliban-run Afghanistan after a fragile 2025 ceasefire.
USA
Did Huckabee just say what US policy really is?
Outrage in Arab capitals followed Mike Huckabee’s blunt answer to a simple question. Yet the comment may have been less a gaffe than a moment of honesty about Washington’s real stance.
Philippines
Will Rodrigo Duterte's 'war on drugs' face its final judgment?
Prosecutors at the International Criminal Court argue that former Philippine president Rodrigo Duterte was central to a campaign of extrajudicial killings.
Peru
Is Peru's new President any more reassuring?
Peru choses another President with a dubious background.
Iran
Will the arsenal force the handshake?
Donald Trump’s military buildup in the Middle East serves as a coercive backdrop to fragile nuclear negotiations with Tehran.
United Kingdom
Did Britain unlawfully brand an anti genocide protest movement as terrorism?
A UK high court has ruled the government's proscription of the direct-action group Palestine Action as unlawful, citing a disproportionate interference with free speech rights.
Asia
Can stablecoins fix the flaws of global banking?
Asia leads the global shift toward cryptocurrency as stablecoin volumes for remittances and business transactions reach 4trn dollars.
Bangladesh
Can Bangladesh escape its past?
The Bangladesh Nationalist Party has secured a two-thirds parliamentary majority in the first competitive election since 2008 following a constitutional referendum and the rise of Islamist opposition.

