

John P. Ruehl
John P. Ruehl is an Australian-American journalist living in Washington, DC, and a world affairs correspondent for the Independent Media Institute. He is a contributor to several foreign affairs publications, and his book, Budget Superpower: How Russia Challenges the West With an Economy Smaller Than Texas’, was published in December 2022. Follow him on X @john_ruehl.
Released for Syndication:
07/30/2026
A nominal ceasefire reached in April 2026 has done little to halt the escalation in the Persian Gulf. After Iran’s “attempted surprise attack” against US forces on July 28, the US retaliated by launching a “heavy wave” of airstrikes on July 30, according...
Released for Syndication:
07/16/2026
After Miami-based firm Affinity Partners secured their first building permit for major developments on Albania’s coast on April 29, outrage in the small Balkan country has steadily grown.
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Released for Syndication:
06/29/2026
Since the early 1990s, the Russian city of Blagoveshchensk, located on the Amur River, has steadily reemerged as one of Russia’s most important “border trade hubs.” Sitting directly across from the Chinese city of Heihe, migration for work, commerce, and education has become...
Released for Syndication:
06/23/2026
Taking an invention and claiming it as yours is called intellectual property, based on practices followed by US and European businesses. But what happens when your neighbor argues that inventions can’t be owned, and that intellectual property is no longer applicable based on the rules...
Released for Syndication:
05/28/2026
Washington’s relationship with Russia appears likely to continue its decades-long decline, with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio saying on May 22 that formal diplomatic talks over the Ukraine war are effectively frozen. U.S. President Donald Trump’s last meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin...
Released for Syndication:
05/13/2026
In April, the General Services Administration announced plans to automate 1 million work hours annually after cutting nearly 40 percent of its staff since October 2024, with similar reductions being seen across the government workforce.
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Released for Syndication:
04/23/2026
With the United States and Iran escalating confrontations along the Strait of Hormuz—including seizure of ships—the waterway has become “pivotal to negotiations” between the two countries.
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Released for Syndication:
04/14/2026
Cuba’s deepening crisis has once again pulled the Vatican into a familiar role. In March, it was revealed that Cuban officials turned to the Holy See to help persuade U.S. President Donald Trump to ease its oil embargo, underscoring the Church’s position as one...
Released for Syndication:
03/30/2026
Missile inventories have become a focal point in the ongoing military confrontation with Iran. The Alma Research and Education Center estimates Iran’s ballistic missile count has fallen from 2,500 at the beginning of the conflict to around 1,000, and U.S. Secretary of War Pete...
Released for Syndication:
03/20/2026
China, which was the largest holder of U.S. government debt as recently as 2019, has cut its holdings to the lowest level since 2008, driven by changing trade patterns, geopolitical concerns, and domestic economic pressures.
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