Could someone help to understand the sentence, please? Since N. had but recently agreed to recognise the administration of M. and had accepted the title "...", his position was, to say the least, somewhat anomalous. I don't understand "had" in the first case.

Is it correct to say "How I wish to....?"

could someone say, please, if there any article is needed? "especially during war time". Thank you!

population were living miserable lives, or population was living miserable live?

What will be the short answer for "You should have told me earlier!" - "Yes, I should/should have?"

can not and can not. I can not answer your question means that I dont have it (an answer). But how to say if I can answer the question, but I don't have to? Also I can not answer? Or it is not used like that? Thank you!

what does mean "ostensibly" in this sentence? Meanwhile, Daniel regularly received telegrams, ostensibly from his brother-in-law in the colonie, promising the leader of Movement that he would soon return, thus stalling him in any move he might make against the Order's forces. Did Daniel believe those letters were from his brother? Or he was trying to hurt him somehow? Thank you!

how to understand "in a development" in this sentence? In February, "in a development which emphasised the deeply conflicting interests of A and B in southern D, some place was recaptured for N not by the S, but by T." What does it mean "in a development"? Is it like "in the result"? or it is like a condition, version of what will happen? like "if the A and B keep conflicting ..." Thank you!

Could someone help, please, to understand a preposition? Khoja was reported to be negotiating with the Soviets, an unacceptable proposition for the Amirs, so in November of the same year they declared ..... - Khoja was negotiating? Or he reported that someone else negotiated? - the Amirs proposed something to Khoja? Or he made a proposition to the Amirs? Thank you!