The Joe Biden administration has chosen to revive the peace process in Afghanistan. However, this involves several political risks and spoilers as there are many elements in the package that are unacceptable to either Kabul or the Taliban, or both. Any change in the political structure of Kabul will have …

Right out of the gate, the Biden administration seems to be at loggerheads with both China and Russia. Richard Nixon would be disappointed. Despite his reputation as an anticommunist, Nixon managed to get China and the Soviet Union in a competition to better relations with the United States. His diplomatic …

During the past two days, the Syrian regime sent military reinforcements to its forces stationed in the Sayyida Zainab area, south of the capital, Damascus. These reinforcements included dozens of soldiers equipped with light and medium weapons, in addition to armoured vehicles. They came against the background of escalating tension …

Arrests of top officials and royal family members are rare in Jordan. Former Jordanian Crown Prince Hamzah bin Hussein has been placed under house arrest amid reports that the kingdom’s security forces have foiled a coup against King Abdullah II. At least 20 Jordanians have been arrested in connection with …

Iran has begun enriching uranium with the fourth cascade of advanced IR-2m machines at its Natanz plant, a new report by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) says. Iran has already increased the number of its IR-2m machines, which are far more efficient than the IR-1, at the Natanz plant. …

Russia’s espionage agencies are redoubling efforts to penetrate NATO, Western intelligence officials say, and are focusing on recruiting moles in the defense ministries of the pact’s member states. Italy expelled two Russian diplomats this week after they were caught in a parking lot in Rome handing cash to an Italian …

The militant group al-Shabab has launched attacks on Somali military forces in Lower Shabelle region, Somali regional officials said. The attacks in the early hours of Saturday, around 4 a.m. local time, targeted military bases in the towns of Barire and Awdhegle in southern Somalia. Al-Shabab claimed responsibility for the …

The 15th OPEC+ Ministerial Meeting has announced that the members of the group would gradually increase oil production over the next three months. Under the agreement, Opec+, which includes Russia, will increase output by 350,000 barrels a day in both May and June and by 441,000 barrels a day in …

Turkey is rich in fertile land, water and skilled farmers. But its agricultural industry is in sharp decline, blamed by critics on failing government policies, spiralling costs and meagre state support. For five generations, Ahmet’s family has farmed the rich agricultural land of Thrace in northwestern Turkey.

This is second in the series on the flux in the global scene by the seasoned diplomat, an expert on Middle East, Eurasia, Central Asia, South Asia and the Asia-Pacific…Third on Myanmar will follow. The “hidden agenda” of the war on terror in Afghanistan has been an open secret. The …