Whilst the World Cup is a target for both football hooligans and militant groups like Islamic State (‘IS’), several initiatives to strengthen the capabilities of the security forces are likely to mitigate the risks of terrorism and hooliganism at the tournament, writes Tim Geschwindt.
The dismissal of Rex Tillerson as the US Secretary of State, and the nomination of the hawkish Michael Pompeo as his replacement, is not expected to re-escalate the Qatar-GCC diplomatic crisis, but it could prolong it, writes Saif Islam.
After Putin’s unsurprising victory in the Russian presidential election on 18 March, focus has shifted to expectations for Putin’s fourth, and officially last, term in office. With few catalysts for change present in the Russian political landscape, inertia in the domestic sphere and uncertainty in foreign policy is likely to characterise Putin’s fourth…
Sporadic violent confrontations and incidents of intimidation threaten to tarnish the country's recent record of peaceful democratic engagement and stability, writes Thorne Godinho.
Eritrean and Ethiopian aggression has significantly escalated since the 12 June 2016 border clash in efforts to hide numerous domestic issues in both countries; however, the two states are unlikely to risk an all-out war, writes S-RM's East Africa team