Data Cutoff: January 26, 2024, at 9 a.m. Key Takeaway: The US secretary of state met with key US partners in West Africa as Russia and Iran are bolstering their ties with authoritarian regimes in the region. Russia and Iran have capitalized on the rise of a bloc of anti-Western …

Key Takeaways: Iraq: The Islamic Resistance in Iraq released a statement rejecting the US and Iraqi decision to begin negotiations over the status of US-led coalition forces in Iraq and vowed to continue attacking US forces. The Islamic Resistance in Iraq will likely continue to attack US forces in Iraq …

Pakistani and Iranian officials are working to cool tensions following a series of cross-border strikes between the two states Pakistan officially moved to restore all diplomatic ties with Iran on 19 January after a brief diplomatic row as both sides fired missiles into each other’s lands. “The apex security committee …