The issue leads with the impact of the four-month-old Gaza conflict between Hamas and Israel, which is steadily spreading around the region, bringing fresh instability to Iraq where the US and Iran-backed militia are engaging in an escalating series of strikes and counter-strikes.
GSN examines the Iranian elite, including power-brokers linked to Rahbar (Supreme Leader) Ayatollah Ali Hosseini Khamenei and the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corp, supported by an initial batch of profiles and an influence chart showing how they are connected.
Politics coverage includes a focus on Kuwait, where Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed Sabah Al-Salem Al-Sabah has presented his government’s legislative programme to parliament and the wait for a much-anticipated crown prince appointment goes on. Critics inside and outside the National Assembly are likely to make political life difficult for the premier in the coming months.
The Diplomatic brief section leads with a look at the European Union's sanctioning of two UAE-based companies over commercial and military ties to Sudan’s Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and a UN report that says evidence of UAE arms supplies to the rebel RSF are ‘credible’.
The issue also includes a new 'Wealth watch' section, covering developments within sovereign wealth funds and other Gulf-based investment plays.
A new expanded version of GSN's Risk management reports series- starts with Iraq.
The GSN View examines the art of soft power projection by regional heavy-hitters Saudi Arabia and the UAE.
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