Azerbaijani reporter Sevinc Vagifgizi was terrified after discovering that her mobile phone had been infected by Pegasus, a controversial spyware whose latest variant can be invisible to its victims. The knowledge that all activity on her mobile could have been viewed by the state security services was deeply disturbing, she …
Read More »Yearly Archives: 2021
Saudi Arabia: King Dismisses Public Security Director For Alleged Corruption, 19 Officials Also Sacked
Saudi Arabia’s King Salman dismissed the Kingdom’s director of public security and referred him for public investigation according to the Saudi Press Agency (SPA). The dismissal of Khalid bin Qarrar Al Harbi comes as part of a royal decree that also includes the sacking of 19 other officials that were …
Read More »Prospects Of Armenia-Turkey Rapprochement – Analysis
Potential Armenia-Turkey rapprochement could have a major influence on South Caucasus geopolitics. The opening of the border would allow Turkey to have a better connection with Azerbaijan beyond the link it already has with the Nakhchivan exclave. Moscow will not be entirely happy with the development as it would allow …
Read More »Is Afghanistan A Quagmire Of International Politics? – OpEd
Many incidents in Afghanistan have been rocking the world for several days. The horrific scenes of Afghans rushing out of Kabul Airport, crowding on the same plane to depart the country, many young Afghans being dropped off a plane are being widely reported in the international media. Besides, IS’s suicide …
Read More »Resurgent Taliban And Implications For Central Asia – Analysis
The dramatic siege of Afghanistan by the Taliban has posed serious questions about the stability, security, geostrategy, and geopolitics of the Central Asia Republics (CARs). A recent UN report highlights the presence of over 10,000 foreign fighters from the neighbouring countries of Central Asia, Pakistan, and the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous …
Read More »9/11: US and Israel learned to stop attacks, but not terrorist groups – analysis
Twenty years after 9/11, the lessons of that day are still inconclusive. It was traumatizing for a generation. It was just after midnight when two Border Police officers on guard duty at a base near Kibbutz Bahan in central Israel were fired upon. According to the Foreign Ministry’s subsequent report, …
Read More »Welcome to World War III: The legacy of 9/11 20 years later
MIDDLE ISRAEL: The enemy that struck 20 years ago tomorrow will not be defeated until called by its real name, and confronted jointly by all its targets. “Good evening,” a stern-faced George Bush told a stunned American nation 20 years ago tomorrow. “Today,” he said, “our way of life, our …
Read More »What does the Deraa surrender mean for Iran and Russia in Syria?
BEHIND THE LINES: In the southwest, the outside powers of relevance are Iran and Russia. The arrangement in place from July 2018 until now was the product of an uneasy standoff between them. In a new ceasefire agreement that may bring an end to a 75-day Assad-regime siege on the …
Read More »Are the Taliban descendants of Israel?
Pashtun practices include circumcision on the eighth day and refraining from mixing meat and milk — Is there a connection to ancient Hebrews? With the fall of Kabul into the hands of the Taliban just shy of the 20th anniversary of the September 11 attacks, the world’s attention has once …
Read More »Who is who in Taliban’s caretaker cabinet?
The Taliban announced their caretaker cabinet 24 days after taking control of Kabul, but more than half of the cabinet members are on the UN sanction’s list. The Taliban seized capital Kabul on August 15 hours before President Ghani fled the country and they are now in full control of …
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