Politics

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Briefing: Geopolitics may test the World Cup — a new book draws lessons from the past

Strategic angle: Roger Bennett explores how past competitions met cultural and geopolitical moments as countries prepare for one of soccer's biggest events.

Editorial Staff Mar 17

Politics

Briefing: Labor market reforms accelerate amid demographic growth

Strategic angle: Uzbekistan is overhauling its labour market to better match skills with employer demand.

Editorial Staff Mar 17

Politics

Briefing: French municipal elections: Socialists and LFI set aside differences to strike local deals

Strategic angle: After denouncing LFI leader Jean-Luc Mélenchon's 'intolerable antisemitic remarks,' the Socialists allied with the radical left in key cities ahead of the runoff votes on Sunday.

Editorial Staff Mar 17

Politics

Briefing: What does the Iran war mean for the US defense sector?

Strategic angle: US defense companies are being called on to ramp up production to meet fresh demand from the war in Iran.

Editorial Staff Mar 17

Politics

Briefing: Germany: A regional election overshadowed by the Iran war

Strategic angle: Voters will go to the polls in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany's wine-growing region and home of Donald Trump's ancestors.

Editorial Staff Mar 17

Politics

Briefing: Italians vote on constitutional justice reform to reshape judiciary

Strategic angle: Italians vote on the Meloni government-proposed justice reform to split judges and prosecutors, reshape the CSM, and create a new Disciplinary Court, amid sharp divisions.

Editorial Staff Mar 17

Politics

Iran negotiating with FIFA to move World Cup games to Mexico from US

Iran's football federation is in talks with FIFA regarding the relocation of World Cup matches from the US to Mexico.

Editorial Staff Mar 17

Politics

Briefing: Iran war: Europe's corporate winners and losers revealed

Strategic angle: As the conflict in Iran enters its third week, the market is telling a stark story — one of energy windfalls and industrial ruin, drawn along a single fault line: proximity to oil.

Editorial Staff Mar 17

Politics

IDF launches 'limited operation' in Lebanon as 'buffer zone expands significantly'

The Israeli military initiates ground operations against Hezbollah in southern Lebanon, marking a significant escalation.

Editorial Staff Mar 17

Politics

Briefing: Bringing marine life back to South Florida's 'forgotten edge'

Strategic angle: A new nature-inspired seawall add-on aims to enhance protection for marine wildlife while safeguarding property and people.

Editorial Staff Mar 17

Politics

Briefing: I'm concerned about my blood pressure. Can I check it at home?

Strategic angle: If you get a high reading at the doctor's office, it may not be definitive. Here's what to know about your risk — and testing your blood pressure at home.

Editorial Staff Mar 17

Politics

Briefing: US embassy in Baghdad attacked as Iraq pulled deeper into Mideast war

Strategic angle: A drone and rocket attack targeted the US embassy in Baghdad, escalating tensions in the region.

Editorial Staff Mar 17

Politics

Briefing: Why is Trump looking to China to help open the Strait of Hormuz?

Strategic angle: US president Donald Trump seeks China's assistance for safe maritime transit in a crucial oil passage.

Editorial Staff Mar 17

Politics

Briefing: 'Like buying a ticket to the Titanic': EU leaders reject Trump's Hormuz demands

Strategic angle: EU leaders have almost universally rejected US president Donald Trump’s demand to send warships to escort oil tankers through the Strait of Hormuz.

Editorial Staff Mar 17

Politics

Briefing: World Cup 2026: US-Iran war an ethical tipping point

Strategic angle: The US is the main host of the 2026 World Cup, but its ongoing war with Iran complicates the ethical landscape of the tournament.

Editorial Staff Mar 17

Politics

Briefing: 'This is not our war': Europe refuses to be dragged into Trump's war with Iran

Strategic angle: The American president has demanded that his allies help unblock the Strait of Hormuz for Gulf oil tankers. France aims to lead an international coalition to restore freedom of navigation, but only once hostilities have ended.

Editorial Staff Mar 17

Politics

Briefing: 'Macron alone in his tower': No candidates defending his govt or mandate in France's local elections

Strategic angle: The absence of candidates supporting Macron's government highlights a fragmented political landscape in France.

Editorial Staff Mar 17

Politics

Briefing: Last protester in detention after Trump's campus crackdown has been released

Strategic angle: Leqaa Kordia, a 33-year-old from the West Bank, is finally free after being held in a Texas immigration detention center since March 2025.

Editorial Staff Mar 17

Politics

Briefing: Ghassan Salamé urges Israel and international community to let Lebanon 'do Its job more efficiently'

Strategic angle: Amid Israel's military escalation and Hezbollah's activities, Lebanon faces a humanitarian and political crisis.

Editorial Staff Mar 17

Politics

Briefing: Gas on the line: will the Iran war squeeze India's piped gas next?

Strategic angle: The Iran war has already rattled LPG users. Will India’s piped gas network face the next squeeze?

Editorial Staff Mar 17