Over the past three years, two U.K. companies with no prior record in the mining industry have won tens of millions of dollars in Uzbek state procurement contracts with a mining behemoth known as a “crown jewel” of Uzbekistan’s economy. One was owned, on paper, by a septuagenarian British bookkeeper …

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The Women’s Protection Units (YPJ), affiliated with the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), pledged to continue fighting despite the agreement between the Syrian government and the SDF. YPJ spokesperson Rukhsan Mohammed told the British newspaper The Telegraph in remarks published today, Tuesday, 3 February, that “the struggle of the Women’s Protection …

The return would deepen Iran’s sway in Iraq and erode the post-2003 state institutions built by the US and its allies Nuri al-Maliki, the former Iraqi prime minister long seen as aligned with Tehran, is edging toward a political comeback, raising alarm in Washington just as the US heads into …

Key Takeaways Syria: The Syrian government and the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) agreed to extend their ceasefire in northeastern Syria for 15 days on January 24. The continued ceasefire will help ensure that the government offensive does not inflict lasting harm on US counter-Islamic State in Iraq and al Sham …

The US-backed, Kurdish-dominated Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) capitulated to the Syrian government in a ceasefire agreement on January 18.[1] The government compelled the SDF to agree after a combination of government operations and tribal uprisings caused the SDF to withdraw from nearly half of its territory and most of the …

A minor power outage in San Francisco offered a quiet preview of a strategic vulnerability hiding in plain sight. As traffic signals went dark, dozens of autonomous Waymo vehicles stalled, unable to read the roadway. With hazard lights blinking, they gridlocked intersections and slowed large parts of the city to …

Introduction It’s the strongman’s dilemma. When one leaves power — one way or another — does one pave the way for a successor? With an aging leader, Turkey may have to face that question sooner rather than later. There is no official confirmation, but sources allege that Turkish President Recep …

President Masoud Pezeshkian has ordered the resumption of talks with the United States over Iran’s nuclear program, according to reports. Sources familiar with the matter told the Fars and Tasnim news agencies that Pezeshkian on Monday gave the green light for talks to begin. The timing and location of the …

The EU lacks leadership and strategic planning in the South Caucasus, while the United States is leading the charge. To secure its geopolitical interests, Brussels must invest in new connectivity for the region. To promote the planned new Trump Route for International Peace and Prosperity (TRIPP) across the South Caucasus, …