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Das Konjunkturbarometer des Deutschen Instituts für Wirtschaftsforschung (DIW Berlin) ist im März auf 97,3 Punkte zurückgegangen. Im Februar lag der Wert noch bei 101,6 Punkten. Somit wurde der im Herbst begonnene Aufwärtstrend unterbrochen: Der Barometerwert ist erneut unter die neutrale 100-Punkte ...

Près de 54% des Italiens ont dit « non » au référendum sur la réforme de la justice visant notamment à séparer les carrières de juges et de procureurs. Son rejet, couplé à une forte participation des électeurs (59%) représente la première vraie défaite politique pour Giorgia Meloni, trois ans et demi après son investiture et, sauf élections anticipées, environ un an avant les législatives de 2027. 

« Je suis la résurrection et la vie. Celui qui croit en moi vivra quand même il serait mort. » Jean 11 :25

Les familles SAWADOGO, OUEDRAOGO , SIMPORE à OUAGADOUGOU, Kaya ,Kongoussi , Nabitenga , Monsieur SAWADOGO Charles agent des T.P à la retraite et Madame SIMPORE Solange remercient du plus profond de leur cœurs , les parents, amis , collègues , association et connaissances qui leur ont témoigné , les nombreuses marques de compassion et de soutient lors du rappel à Dieu de leur fille SAWADOGO Carine Amélie précédemment étudiante à L'ESTPO , décès survenu le samedi 22 et l'inhumation le dimanche 23 mars 2026.

Elles remercient tout particulièrement :
• La Coordination Sainte Élisabeth de Hongrie et ses différentes structures ;
• Le DG de BECA-Consult et tout son personnel ;
• Mr OUANDAOGO Poussi, Directeur Technique de BECA -Consult ;
• Mr le PDG de l'entreprise AMP et son personnel ;
• Le DG des Infrastructures de Transport (D.G.I.T) et tout son personnel ;
• Les retraités du Ministère des Infrastructures et du Désenclavement (ARMI) ;
• Mr TIENDREBEOGO Paul, Commissaire de police à la retraite et sa famille ;
• Les parents et amis de l'A.B.N. S à Ouagadougou ;

• Monsieur SAWADOGO Abdou et Barké et leurs familles ;
• Les professeurs, les promotionnaires, amis et collègue de la défunte ;
• Les voisins, les jeunes, et tous ceux dont les noms n'ont pu être cités.

Que Dieu tout puissant récompense tout chacun au-delà de ses espérances.

For the past few weeks, residents living in and around Dal Lake in Indian Kashmir have witnessed “a different phenomenon” as a green sludge has accumulated on the once pristine water. Photos circulating widely on social media triggered a public outcry. Some citizens and environmentalists warned that the transformation reflects heavy sewage pollution in this […]

Le Premier ministre Albin Kurti a annoncé que la Force de sécurité du Kosovo pourrait être déployée à Gaza dans le cadre d'une mission internationale soutenue par les États-Unis. Une participation que Pristina présente à la fois comme une contribution à la sécurité internationale et un levier de visibilité diplomatique.

- Le fil de l'Info / Courrier des Balkans, Israël-Palestine , Kosovo, Relations internationales

Le Premier ministre Albin Kurti a annoncé que la Force de sécurité du Kosovo pourrait être déployée à Gaza dans le cadre d'une mission internationale soutenue par les États-Unis. Une participation que Pristina présente à la fois comme une contribution à la sécurité internationale et un levier de visibilité diplomatique.

- Le fil de l'Info / Courrier des Balkans, Israël-Palestine , Kosovo, Relations internationales

It has about 226 field artillery regiments today and plans to increase that to 270 regiments.

Avant la guerre au Moyen-Orient, les drones intercepteurs étaient surtout une affaire qui regardait l'Ukraine. Mais depuis plus d'un mois, ces drones attirent tous les regards. Alors que Kiev continue à lutter contre l'agression russe, Wiy, l'une de ces entreprises de fabrication de drones intercepteurs, a signé un partenariat avec une entreprise allemande, Quantum Systems, qui permettra la livraison prochaine à l'armée ukrainienne de quelque 15 000 drones, une alternative efficace et bien moins coûteuse que des missiles, pour contrer les attaques de drones. Dans une région de l'ouest de l'Ukraine, sous haute sécurité, notre correspondante Emmanuelle Chaze a pu rencontrer les créateurs et les opérateurs de ces drones.

Les huitièmes élections législatives en cinq ans auront lieu le 19 avril. Cette fois, c'est le président de la République démissionnaire, le très eurosceptique Roumen Radev, qui part en position de grand favori.

- Articles / Courrier des Balkans, GERB, Bulgarie, Politique

Ghana dismiss manager Otto Addo, 72 days before the start of the 2026 World Cup, following a run of defeats.

À quelques heures du choc RDC-Jamaïque, la ferveur monte dans tout le pays. Entre messages d’encouragement du chef de l’État et espoir d’une nation entière, les Congolais rêvent d’une qualification historique.

Voici la revue de presse de ce 31 mars.

Invité dimanche du « Grand Jury RTL-Le Figaro-M6-Public Sénat », l’ancien premier ministre estime lui aussi que le « macronisme est mort ».

RÉCIT - Pour prévenir un second tour RN-LFI, des dizaines de personnalités macronistes et de LR pressent leurs dirigeants de « construire une démarche » commune.

Dans les rues de Kinshasa, le commerce ambulant de thé et de café s’impose de plus en plus comme une activité quotidienne. Il commence très tôt le matin et se poursuit, dans certains quartiers, parfois jusqu’à tard dans la nuit. Dès les premières heures de la journée, des hommes et des femmes poussant des chariots surmontés d’un parapluie envahissent les artères les plus fréquentées de la ville.

The Philippines has seen one of the world’s sharpest increase in petrol prices.

The Strait of Hormuz is one of the world’s most critical maritime chokepoints, carrying around a quarter of global seaborne oil trade and significant volumes of liquefied natural gas and fertilizers.

By Alon Ben-Meir
NEW YORK, Mar 31 2026 (IPS)

Trump’s Iran war has left the Gulf shattered: US bases turned into targets, economies battered, and the “oasis” myth destroyed. Gulf rulers now confront a harsh reckoning over their reliance on Washington and the uncertain search for a new, fragile security order.

As Trump assembled major US naval and air assets in the eastern Mediterranean and the Gulf, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Qatar, and others quietly urged Washington to avoid a full-scale assault on Iran, fearing a direct blowback on their territory and energy infrastructure.

Nevertheless, the US–Israeli air campaign began on February 28, 2026, without a clearly defined and publicly articulated political endgame beyond “crippling” Iran’s capabilities. This disconnect between military escalation and strategic purpose now lies at the core of Gulf leaders’ anger and sense of betrayal toward Washington.

Trump’s Strategic Miscalculation

Trump’s decision to launch joint US–Israeli strikes on Iran has produced far higher strategic costs than his administration appears to have anticipated, from energy shock and disrupted shipping to heightened regional fragmentation and anti-American sentiment.

Even if Iranian capabilities are significantly degraded, the war has exposed vulnerabilities in US power projection, unsettled allies, and invited greater Russian and Chinese diplomatic activism in the Gulf. The long-term “price” for Washington will be measured less in battlefield metrics than in diminished trust and leverage among its traditional Arab partners.

US Bases Turned to Liabilities

From a Gulf perspective, US bases in Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait, and the UAE were meant to deter Iran and guarantee regime security; instead, they became priority targets once the war began. Iran explicitly framed its strikes on these facilities as retaliation against Washington, but their location in densely populated and economically vital areas meant that nearby civilian infrastructure also suffered severe damage.

This experience is reinforcing a view in Gulf capitals that foreign basing arrangements draw fire without delivering the reliable protection they assumed for decades.

A Nightmare Realized

Gulf leaders long warned that a war with Iran would shatter their security and economies, a nightmare that has now materialized as Iranian missiles and drones hit oil facilities, ports, power plants, and cities across the region. They blame Washington for launching the campaign and Israel for pressing to “neutralize” Iran regardless of collateral damage in neighboring Arab states.

The sense in Gulf capitals is that their caution was dismissed, while they have paid a disproportionate price in physical destruction, economic setback, disrupted exports, and heightened domestic anxiety.

Shattered Oasis Narrative

The image of Gulf hubs like Dubai, Doha, and Riyadh as insulated “oases” open to business, tourism, and investment has been badly damaged by missile alerts, strikes on ports and airports, and the closure of key sea lanes.

Restoring confidence will require visible reconstruction, enhanced civil defense, improved air and missile defenses, and credible diplomacy that lowers the perceived risk of another sudden war. Investors and tourists will demand proof that the region can manage Iran-related tensions, not just high-end events and mega-projects.

Trump’s Misreading of Iranian Escalation

Trump publicly argued that overwhelming force would quickly coerce Iran and usher in regime change while keeping fighting “over there,” yet he appears not to have anticipated the breadth of Iranian retaliation against neighboring Gulf states or a prolonged closure of the Strait of Hormuz.

The IRGC’s effective shutdown of the strait, including attacks and threats against commercial shipping, has produced global energy shocks and exposed the fragility of US planning assumptions. For Gulf leaders, this underscores how inadequate Washington’s war planning was in accounting for second- and third-order consequences.

Calculated Decision Not to Retaliate

Despite heavy damage, Gulf rulers have so far avoided direct retaliation against Iran, calculating that further escalation would expose their cities and infrastructure to even more punishing strikes. Publicly, they stress restraint and international law, but privately, officials acknowledge their enduring geographic reality: they must coexist with a powerful and proximate Iran long after this US-led campaign ends.

By holding their fire, they hope to preserve space for postwar de-escalation and avoid being locked into a permanent state of open conflict.

Recasting Security Arrangements with Washington

Given their limited strategic alternatives, Gulf monarchies are unlikely to sever ties with Washington but will seek more conditional, transactional security arrangements. They are pressing for clearer US commitments on defense of their territory, better integration of regional missile defenses, and greater say over decisions that could trigger Iranian retaliation.

At the same time, they will hedge by deepening ties with China, Russia, Europe, and Asian energy importers, thereby reducing exclusive reliance on the US while keeping the American security umbrella in place.

Gulf Options to Prevent Future Conflagration

To prevent a repeat, Gulf states are also exploring limited de-escalation channels with Tehran, tighter regional crisis hotlines, and revived maritime security arrangements that include non-Western actors such as China and India. They may push for new rules of engagement around energy infrastructure and shipping lanes, seeking informal understandings that keep these off-limits even in crises.

Internally, they are reassessing missile defense, hardening critical facilities, and considering more diversified export routes that reduce dependence on Hormuz. None of these options are fully reassuring, but together they offer partial risk reduction.

Prospects for Normalization with Iran

Speculation about full normalization, including a non-belligerency pact between Iran and Gulf states, builds on prewar trends of cautious dialogue and economic engagement. Whether this is truly “in the cards” depends on war outcomes, Iran’s internal politics, and Gulf threat perceptions: if Tehran’s regime survives but remains hostile, Gulf states will likely revert to hedging—combining deterrence, limited engagement, and outreach to outside powers.

A more pragmatic Iranian leadership could make structured security arrangements and phased confidence-building measures more plausible over time.

No Return to Status Quo Ante

The Gulf States will not return to the prewar status quo; instead, they are likely to pursue a more diversified security architecture, combining a thinner US shield with expanded ties to China, Russia, and Asian importers. This shift will gradually dilute Washington’s centrality in Gulf security, complicating US force posture and Israel’s assumption of automatic Arab backing against Iran.

For Israel, a more cautious, risk-averse Gulf may limit overt strategic alignment, while for the US, enduring mistrust will make coalition-building for future crises far more difficult.

Trump’s Iran adventure is not an isolated blunder but the latest, and perhaps most explosive, expression of his assault on an already fragile global order. By discarding restraint, sidelining allies, and weaponizing American power for short-term political gain, he has accelerated the erosion of US credibility, fractured Western alliances, and opened new strategic space for Russia and China. The Gulf States are simply the newest casualties of this disorder: their cities struck, economies shaken, and security assumptions shattered.

Whatever emerges from this war, it will not be a restored status quo, but a more fragmented, volatile Middle East in which Israel and the United States confront a diminished margin for error and a far narrower circle of willing, trusting partners.

Dr. Alon Ben-Meir is a retired professor of international relations, most recently at the Center for Global Affairs at New York University (NYU). He taught courses on international negotiation and Middle Eastern studies.

alon@alonben-meir.com

IPS UN Bureau

 

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