US Suspends Long-Range Missile Deployment in Europe

In the Gulf, trade between the states and the US exceeded $120 billion in 2024, setting the stage for deeper ties. The 2025 Riyadh summit produced trade and investment agreements surpassing $2 trillion between Gulf states and the US. That same year, Gulf sovereign wealth funds directed nearly $70 billion into US assets.

On May 14, 2025, Emir of Qatar Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, US President Donald Trump, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman, and Bahrain's King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa joined other Gulf Cooperation Council leaders for a group photo session in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

The gathering underscored the longstanding partnership spanning security, energy, finance, and diplomacy. Gulf countries had opened their territory to a near-unconditional American military presence for decades.

The US launched a war alongside Israel against Iran, sidelining Gulf partners despite their appeals. Now, the Trump administration is attempting to negotiate with Iran, again prioritizing Israeli interests over those of Arab allies. In this context, the United Arab Emirates decided to leave OPEC, a step that reduces collective leverage for oil-producing Arab states over the US and the world.

Beijing views Taiwan as part of China and has never ruled out the use of force to achieve reunification. It regards Taiwanese leader William Lai Ching-te as an obstinate separatist.

In November, popular Taiwanese YouTuber and bodybuilder Holger Chen Chih-han, known as Gym Boss, visited Xintian village. 3 million followers, including a stop at the Lai Clan Ancestral Hall, a repository of centuries of clan history. Clan association secretary Lai Hanzhong spoke to Chen during the visit.

"All of us hope he will repent and learn from his mistakes, and do more good for the cause of national reunification," Lai Hanzhong said, referring to William Lai Ching-te. Since the live stream, visitor numbers to Xintian village have spiked. The local government has urged the clan association to transform the village into a center for cross-strait cultural exchange, according to a clan member.

A new display hall for cross-strait cultural exchange is under construction in Xintian village and is set to be completed by the end of 2026. The village, usually a quiet rural backwater, now symbolizes Beijing's push to reinforce Taiwanese people's historical and religious links to the mainland. m.

M. Amid global tensions, only nine countries currently possess nuclear weapons. Analysts have examined potential candidates for a tenth, considering real-world constraints. Iran's enriched uranium lies buried under rubble, and it has almost no air defense left to protect any rebuilding program.

Ukraine stabilized its frontlines without nuclear weapons, facing a Russia too exhausted to advance further. Poland possesses the finances and industry for nuclear development, but NATO's nuclear umbrella already covers it through France and the UK. Taiwan, rich and backed by US protection as a short-term shield against preventive strikes, presents a distinct case.

Any mainland invasion of the island would immediately threaten Taiwan's capital and government continuity, lending nuclear credibility without needing many warheads. Xiamen, with 5 million people, sits 250 km across the strait from Taiwan. Shanghai, home to 25 million, lies under 700 km away.

China's demographic crisis means its leadership cannot credibly commit to never invading, making nuclear development a rational hedge for Taiwan, according to William Spaniel. No indications suggest Taiwan is about to test a device, but its position among potential candidates stands out. Hussein Chokr's analysis appeared in Al Jazeera on May 3, 2026.