Middle East / Africa
Niger's security forces may face increasing strain
Military sources report attacks from various armed groups at different geographical extremities of the country
NigerSomalia’s domestic divisions may deepen further
Differences over policy towards Ethiopia are starting to open old faultlines
SomaliaCurrent account surplus will allow Oman to reduce debt
Oman’s trade surplus fell slightly as import growth outperformed export growth
OmanDigital gender abuse will increase in the Middle East
Traditional patriarchal power structures are supporting a growth in digital gender abuse
Middle EastFlooding may increase anti-government anger in Nigeria
A burst dam has led to the catastrophic flooding in Maiduguri, a major city in north-eastern Nigeria
NigeriaChinese supply squeeze to keep antimony prices high
Demand for antimony, a key ingredient in military and new energy tech, is high but China has just banned its export
InternationalAn Israeli-Hezbollah war looms closer than ever
Hezbollah is again having to weigh the urgency of responding forcefully to an Israeli attack against the risk of war
LebanonHungary may feel the heat for Hezbollah pager sabotage
An obscure Hungary-based company was allegedly involved in manufacturing exploding pagers
Hungary