Somalia's government continues to battle Al-Shabaab militants with no decisive advantage. Mogadishu needs to strengthen its military and address civilian suffering in insurgent-controlled areas. Dialogue with the group may offer a way forward. The Somali government’s battle with Al-Shabaab militants grinds on, with neither able to gain a decisive advantage. To improve its lot, Mogadishu needs to bolster its military and alleviate civilian suffering in areas under insurgent control, while looking for openings for dialogue with the group.
Galip Dalay discusses Türkiye's evolving relations with NATO and the EU. This week on War & Peace, Olga speaks with Galip Dalay, senior research fellow at Chatham House, about Türkiye’s evolving relations within NATO and with the EU as Ankara prepares to host the upcoming NATO summit in July.
Colombia's president-elect Abelardo "El Tigre" de la Espriella has vowed to take a hardline stance against armed groups. His approach contrasts with outgoing President Gustavo Petro's "Total Peace" policy. Crisis Group experts discuss the implications. This week on Hold Your Fire!, Richard speaks with Crisis Group experts Renata Segura and Elizabeth Dickinson about Colombia’s turbulent election, president-elect Abelardo “El Tigre” de la Espriella’s hardline promises to fight armed groups and the legacy of outgoing President Gustavo Petro’s signature policy of “Total Peace”.
Crisis Group's analysts monitor global conflicts and crises. They identify under-reported trends and significant developments. Their insights inform responses to pressing issues. On Our Radar scans conflicts and crises around the globe every week and features some of the hotspots Crisis Group’s analysts are closely watching. Whether an under-reported trend or a headline-grabbing development, our field experts explain why it matters or what should be done.
The US demands Iran declare the Strait of Hormuz open and not attack ships. U. S. officials said that Donald Trump is giving U. negotiators limited time to reach a deal with Iran, but, in a sign of the challenges ahead, they underscored that the President had a wide range of options if talks fall apart. Publicly declare Strait of Hormuz open, won't attack ships: U.
The US has imposed new sanctions targeting an Iranian businessman and several exchange houses. The move aims to disrupt a global financial network used by Iran's Supreme Leader. The sanctions seek to limit Tehran's access to foreign currency. The United States imposed sweeping new sanctions targeting an Iranian businessman accused of managing a global financial network for Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei and several exchange houses that Washington says have helped Tehran evade sanctions and maintain access to foreign currency.
US President Donald Trump agreed to further talks with Iran. He warned Tehran the cease-fire is over. US President Donald Trump said Iran has as requested that “talks” between the two countries continue, although he emphatically warned Tehran that the current cease-fire is no longer in effect amid a flurry of tit-for-tat strikes by both sides.
Sudan's war-torn areas face a new cholera outbreak with over 100 dead. In war-torn Sudan, a deadly new cholera outbreak has already claimed more than 100 lives, heightening serious concerns for vulnerable communities including in besieged El-Obeid, where daily drone attacks have continued to hamper aid access.
James Jay Carafano says Trump holds all the cards in dealing with Iran amid diplomatic efforts. Despite days of military exchanges between the United States and Iran, Washington insists it remains committed to finding a diplomatic solution. To better understand Washington's posture, RFE/RL spoke with the Heritage Foundation's James Jay Carafano.
Nigeria's President ordered an investigation into a fictitious federal agency allocated 1.3bn naira in the 2026 budget. President orders investigation after fictitious body given funding, triggering renewed scrutiny of alleged corruptionA fictitious federal entity that was allocated 1.3bn naira (£700,000) in Nigeria’s 2026 budget has precipitated a political storm in Africa’s largest democracy in the run-up to a general election set for January. The fake agency came to light last October when Femi Gbajabiamila, the.
The Scarlet Lady, an LGBTQ+ cruise ship, was refused entry into Egypt after being blocked from Turkish waters. The ship's 2,000 passengers, including Broadway performer Patti LuPone, were informed of the change now "sparkle and spend elsewhere". Scarlet Lady’s 2,000 passengers told of change as one of those onboard says they will ‘sparkle and spend elsewhere’An LGBTQ+ cruise ship blocked from Turkish waters this week has been refused entry into Egypt. The Scarlet Lady’s 2,000 passengers, including the Broadway performer Patti LuPone, woke on Thursday morning to find a note placed under their cabin doors informing them that the ship was urg.
UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk urged the Democratic Republic of the Congo's armed forces and the M23 group to stop using explosive weapons. He deplored recent civilian deaths in eastern DR Congo. The M23 group is backed by Rwanda. UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk urged the armed forces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the Rwanda-backed M23 armed group to cease hostilities as he deplored recent civilian deaths on Thursday.
Renewed hostilities between the US and Iran have brought shipping in the Strait of Hormuz to a near-standstill, stranding around 6,000 seafarers on hundreds of vessels. Gulf countries are on high alert for further attacks, with the situation affecting global shipping operations. Renewed hostilities between the United States and Iran reportedly brought shipping to a near-standstill in the Strait of Hormuz on Thursday, leaving around 6,000 seafarers stranded aboard hundreds of vessels and Gulf countries on high alert for further attacks.
Ukraine's targeted drone strikes have severely impacted Russian-occupied Crimea, disrupting gas, lights, and communications. The blockade is affecting daily life, with Vladimir Putin's 2014 seized territory now facing intolerable conditions. Locals are struggling with the lack of basic necessities. With bridges cut and a drone blitz on shipping, Russian-occupied Crimea is reeling from a relentless Ukrainian campaign of targeted drone strikes.
Russia struck Kyiv with missiles, injuring six people, and damaging a non-residential building in one district. Smoke was seen coming from another area, with an office building on fire. The city military administration reported the incident on Telegram. The attack damaged a non-residential building in one district, while smoke was coming from another and an office building was in flames as a result of the strike, the city military administration said on the Telegram messaging app.
US senators and the Trump administration have agreed to advance a bill imposing tougher economic penalties on Russia and countries supporting its war economy. The move is aimed at Moscow's continued aggression. Kyiv has welcomed the decision. A bipartisan group of US senators said they had reached an agreement with the Trump administration to advance long-delayed legislation aimed at imposing tougher economic penalties on Russia and countries that continue to support Moscow’s war economy.
A brawl erupted in Lviv, western Ukraine, on July 8, between Ukrainian military recruiters and local residents as officers detained men who failed to register for duty. Authorities opened a criminal investigation. Russia was accused of using propaganda to incite unrest. A brawl between Ukrainian military recruiters and local residents erupted in Lviv, western Ukraine, on July 8, as the officers were detaining men who had failed to register for duty.
Ukraine launched multiple strikes against Russian energy assets, including oil terminals and tankers at sea. This forced Moscow to halt shipping through a major waterway. The attacks are part of Kyiv's "long-range sanctions" against Russia. Ukraine launched multiple strikes against Kremling energy assets, including oil terminals and tankers at sea, reportedly forcing Moscow to halt shipping through a major waterway as Kyiv intensifies what it has labeled its "long-range sanctions" against Russia.
Russian forces have destroyed over 150 gas stations in Ukraine using Geran-2 drones. The strikes are carried out 30-50 kilometers from the border and front line. Most attacks occur at a distance from the conflict zone. Ukraine's fuel supply has been impacted by these drone strikes. Over the past three months, Russian forces have destroyed more than 150 gas stations in Ukraine using Geran-2 drones.
The Venezuelan government reported 4,118 people killed and 16,740 injured in twin earthquakes on June 24 that flattened districts in La Guaira state. Thousands are listed as missing. The UN and President Delcy Rodríguez have called for financial help. Nearly 17,000 injured and thousands more are listed as missing amid calls by UN and president Delcy Rodríguez for financial helpThe death toll in Venezuela’s devastating twin earthquakes has topped 4,000, the government said on Friday. At least 4,118 people were killed and 16,740 injured in the back-to-back quakes on 24 June that flattened entire districts in the coastal state of La Guaira, Venezue.
Polygamy is illegal in Kyrgyzstan but remains common in some communities. Men often marry multiple times with the blessing of religious leaders. Women like Nodira face pressure to accept second marriages. Nodira, a mother of five, says her husband married a second time without her consent, and is now pushing her to leave their family home. Although Kyrgyzstan bans polygamy, it's common in some communities for men to marry multiple times with the blessing of religious leaders.
Indonesia rewrites the inflation playbook by not hiking interest rates. For over three decades, the standard playbook for taming inflation has remained virtually unchanged. Faced with surging prices, central banks invariably resort to hiking interest rates. The ripple effects are swift: demand cools, consumption slows and inflationary pressures gradually recede. This inflation-targeting framework has anchored global monetary policy since the 1990s, proving highly effe.
UNESCO urged international lenders to expand debt-for-education swaps, citing a report that many developing countries spend more on debt servicing than education. The organization warned that this trend threatens education in these countries. UNESCO made the appeal in a recent report. The UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) urged international lenders to expand debt-for-education swaps, warning in a Friday report that many developing countries are spending more on debt servicing than on schooling their children.
A NZ$3.5bn datacentre planned in Makarewa, New Zealand, has raised concerns among locals regarding electricity and water usage, as well as potential noise pollution. Residents are demanding greater transparency about the project's impact on their community. The datacentre is expected to be the country's first AI-focused facility. Plans to build a NZ$3.5bn datacentre in Makarewa in the country’s south has drawn concern about electricity and water use, and potential noise pollutionPeople living near the site of New Zealand’s first planned AI datacentre are calling for more transparency about the project, especially about how the centre’s huge electricity and water use and potential noise pollution could affect them. Singapore.
Human activities are overwhelming the survival strategies of various species, species. Desert frogs, snails in extreme ocean depths, and other species, such as limpets and clams, are threatened by mining and other destructive human activities. Newly endangered animals include desert frogs and snails in extreme ocean depths, both threatened by miningLife has colonised every corner of the planet by evolving ingenious survival strategies but these are increasingly being overwhelmed by destructive human activities, this year’s red list of endangered species has revealed. Many snails, limpets and clams have adapted to life at crushing depths.
