Global · Middle East · Iraq conflict

US Completes Full Military Withdrawal from Iraq After 12 Years

The United States military announced on Wednesday that it has completed the withdrawal of all American forces from Iraq, ending a coalition mission that began in 2014 to combat the Islamic State group. The last US troops departed an air base in northern Iraq under a deal negotiated between Baghdad and Washington, formally concluding over two decades of continuous American military presence in the country that began with the 2003 invasion.

Iraqi Prime Minister Mohamed Shia' al-Sudani hailed the withdrawal as the dawn of a new era of 'sovereignty,' and celebrations were held in Baghdad. However, the mood was more anxious among Iraq's Kurdish population in the north, who have long relied on the US military presence as a stabilizing counterweight to both ISIS remnants and Iranian-backed militias. Influential Shia cleric Muqtada al-Sadr called on the US to financially compensate Iraqis for damage inflicted over two decades of what he termed 'occupation,' and urged Iraqis to file legal claims.

The withdrawal carries significant regional implications. Analysts and Iraqi security officials warn that the departure could embolden pro-Iran armed factions operating inside Iraq, at a moment when ISIS retains a residual insurgent capability. The move also reshapes the US military footprint across the broader Middle East, coming alongside other shifts in American foreign policy in the region. What happens next in Iraq's internal security landscape — particularly whether Baghdad can fill the vacuum left by departing coalition forces — will be closely watched in the months ahead.

Latin America · Brazil politics

Brazil Presidential Election: Markets Recover, Lula-Bolsonaro Deadlocked

With Brazil's presidential vote just days away, polls show President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and former right-wing president Jair Bolsonaro running neck and neck, creating deep uncertainty over the direction of Latin America's largest economy. Financial markets, which had been rattled by election anxiety — reflected in a record fear gauge — showed partial recovery in stocks and the real in the final stretch of campaigning, with banks placing bets on currency movements as investors try to price in both scenarios.

The economic backdrop has given Lula a modest boost: Brazil's job creation figures for August beat all forecasts, handing the incumbent a positive headline just as voters are making up their minds. Nonetheless, the race remains too close to call, and the outcome will have consequences well beyond Brazil's borders. Argentina, whose government under Javier Milei has cultivated close ties with certain international partners, is watching the result closely, as are investors and governments across the hemisphere given Brazil's weight in regional trade, finance, and diplomacy.

The stakes are significant: a Bolsonaro victory would likely shift Brazil's foreign policy and economic management sharply rightward, while a Lula win would consolidate a left-leaning bloc across much of South America. Either outcome will reshape trade relationships, investment flows, and the political balance across the region. Voting is set for October 4.

Sub-Saharan Africa · Kenya business

Dangote's $16bn Lamu Refinery Launches amid Land Protests and Legal Battles

Nigerian billionaire Aliko Dangote and Kenyan President William Ruto are proceeding with the groundbreaking of a massive $16 billion oil refinery in Lamu, on Kenya's coast, despite significant opposition from local communities and unresolved legal disputes. A Kenyan court declined to block the launch, allowing the project to move forward on schedule, though residents of the area have filed suits demanding recognition of ancestral land rights and adequate compensation for land they say has been occupied for generations without proper redress.

The refinery, one of the largest infrastructure investments ever announced in East Africa, is intended to process crude oil and reduce Kenya's — and potentially the broader region's — dependence on imported refined petroleum products. Supporters argue it will create jobs, boost energy security, and catalyse industrialisation along the East African coast. However, critics warn that the project is straining unity within the East African Community, as competing regional energy interests and concerns over where crude supplies will be sourced have sparked tensions among EAC member states.

The controversy reflects a broader tension across Africa between large-scale industrial development and the rights of local and indigenous communities. Human rights teams operating along the Malindi-Lamu highway have reported being detained by Kenyan Defence Forces officers who covered their faces and refused to identify themselves — raising alarm about the environment of accountability around the project. With the groundbreaking imminent, attention will focus on whether the Kenyan government moves to meaningfully address the land and compensation grievances before construction begins in earnest.

East Asia · South Korea politics

South Korea to Invest $200 Billion in US Projects Including Alaska LNG

US President Donald Trump is expected to announce that South Korea will invest $200 billion in American projects, with the centerpiece being a $54 billion commitment to the long-planned Alaska liquefied natural gas pipeline. The announcement, confirmed by a White House official, represents one of the largest single bilateral investment packages disclosed under the Trump administration and signals a significant deepening of the US-South Korea economic relationship.

The Alaska LNG project has been under discussion for years but has struggled to secure the financing needed to move forward. South Korean participation at this scale could finally give the project the momentum it needs, with Seoul potentially securing long-term energy supply in return — a strategically important consideration for a country heavily dependent on imported energy. The broader $200 billion package is also likely to span manufacturing, semiconductors, and other sectors where Korean conglomerates have major US footprints.

The deal comes at a delicate moment for Seoul, which is simultaneously navigating warming ties with Beijing — ties that have drawn pointed concern from US lawmakers. The Republican chair of the congressional committee on US-China competition has already urged Secretary of State Marco Rubio to maintain heightened vigilance over the South Korea-China relationship. The scale of the investment announcement appears designed in part to reinforce Seoul's alignment with Washington, even as South Korea pursues its own diplomatic balancing act in Northeast Asia.

Europe · Romania politics

Romania's Political Crisis Deepens as Fifth Month of Deadlock Continues

Romania is mired in one of its most prolonged political crises in recent memory, now stretching into a fifth consecutive month without a functioning government. Parliament voted down the cabinet proposed by Prime Minister-designate Siegfried Muresan, denying him the parliamentary majority needed to take office. The rejection marks yet another failed attempt to break a deadlock that has paralyzed the country's executive branch since late 2024.

The crisis stems from a deeply fragmented political landscape following contested elections, in which no single bloc has been able to assemble a stable governing coalition. Muresan, a center-right politician and European Parliament member affiliated with the National Liberal Party, had been tasked with forming a government after previous attempts by other designates also collapsed. His failure means Romania remains governed only in a caretaker capacity, limiting its ability to pass budgets, implement reforms, or respond effectively to economic pressures.

The stakes are considerable. Romania is an EU and NATO member state on the eastern flank of Europe, bordering Ukraine, and the absence of effective governance hampers both domestic policy and its role in regional security discussions. Further rounds of nomination and parliamentary votes are expected, but with coalition arithmetic stubbornly unresolved, a path to stable government remains unclear. Fresh elections remain a possibility if the deadlock cannot be broken.