Latest news for 16 May 2025

SYRIA

UAE’s state-owned ports giant invests in Tartous.

As President Trump wraps his regional tour in the UAE today, the Gulf monarchy’s DP World has announced $800M to develop and run a multi-purpose terminal at Syria’s Tartous port, just after Trump announced he’d lift US sanctions. (Zawya)

Comment: Russia claims to still have a naval base at Tartous, but satellite imagery suggests Moscow has been withdrawing assets since at least January. Against that backdrop, this UAE-Syria deal looks a lot to us like Damascus reasserting control.

BELGIUM

Parliament votes to ditch nuclear phase-out.

Reversing two decades of nuclear-wary policy, Belgium’s lower house just voted to abandon its 2025 nuclear phase-out. Backed by a new conservative government, the 102-8 vote still has more hurdles to clear, but seems set to maintain if not expand nuclear’s 40% share of Belgium’s energy mix. (DW)

Comment: Why? Public sentiment has eased even since Belgium’s own 2022 decision to delay its phase-out by a decade — that not only reflects broader energy insecurity fears, but also the cautionary tale of Germany’s own nuclear phase-out in 2023.

RUSSIA

Abkhazia resumes direct flights with Moscow.

Georgia’s Russian-held territory of Abkhazia has now resumed direct flights to Moscow, prompting more condemnation out of Georgia (despite its increasingly Russia-friendly government). (Eurasianet)

UNITED KINGDOM

Former special forces general named UK naval chief.

The appointment of Gwyn Jenkins has turned a few heads, because he’s previously faced criticism for his handling of alleged UK war crimes in Afghanistan and resettlement efforts for allied Afghan forces. (Politico EU)

PHILIPPINES

Manila wants to export renewables.

Manila’s energy secretary has announced a plan to export surplus renewable energy across Southeast Asia and up to Taiwan. (Bloomberg $)

Comment: These ideas pop up periodically, but they keep hitting the same political, regulatory, and technical walls.

BRAZIL

China opens visa-free travel to select LatAm countries.

China has used a Latin American and Caribbean forum to announce visa-free travel for folks from Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Peru, and Uruguay. (AP)

Comment: This deal is already open to most advanced economies, in hopes tourism might help revive China’s economy. And there’s been a solid uptick, but arrivals are still lagging below pre-Covid levels, so China keeps expanding its list of eligible countries.

SUDAN

Drone attacks cut power across Khartoum.

Two years into Sudan’s civil war and two months after the military finally retook Khartoum from the infamous RSF paramilitary, the group is now responding with drone attacks on the capital, causing widespread power outages. (Reuters)