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Western Policymakers Are Panicking Because There Was No Plan B If The Counteroffensive Failed

It’s easier to continue throwing money into a problem than to accept that a new approach is required, but in this case, Ukrainian lives are continuing to be thrown away so long as the Zelensky refuses to recommence peace talks with Russia and the West remains hesitant to replace him …

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Yemen: Warring Parties Deepen Water Crisis, Says HRW

Houthi and Yemeni government forces have violated the rights of Taizz residents to water since the Houthis laid siege on Taizz city in 2015, creating a desperate situation, Human Rights Watch said in a report released today. The 45-page report, “‘Death is More Merciful Than This Life’: Houthi and Yemeni …

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Why China, Not the United States, Is Making the Rules for Deep-Sea Mining

Summary:China is leading the international rulemaking process to regulate deep-sea mining, but Washington can still blunt Beijing’s advances (and protect the environment in the process). There are still no international rules for the nascent deep-sea mining industry, which is only now gearing up to exploit the untold wealth of the …

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Israel Strikes Hezbollah Terror Targets in Lebanon

Latest Developments The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) struck several Hezbollah terror targets in Lebanon on December 20. “Among the targets attacked were several terrorist infrastructures and military sites where the organization’s militants operated,” the IDF said in a statement. The IDF released footage of the airstrikes, showing numerous targets attacked …

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The Atrophy of American Statecraft

How to Restore Capacity for an Age of Crisis The world has entered a period of high crisis. Wars rage in Europe and the Middle East, and the threat of war looms in East Asia. In Russia, China, and North Korea, the United States faces three hostile states with nuclear …

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Cyprus ignores Russian atrocities, Western sanctions to shield vast wealth of Putin allies

ICIJ-led investigation Cyprus Confidential reveals how the EU member state powered the Kremlin’s financial machine, moving vast sums for oligarchs, including after Russia’s 2022 Ukraine invasion. The Mediterranean island of Cyprus has long been a geopolitical crossroads, a prize contested by empires and a meeting point of peoples, religions — …

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A Ukrainian billionaire’s ties to a $122 million London penthouse raise questions about the UK’s foreign ownership crackdown

The Register of Overseas Entities was meant to “root out corrupt oligarchs and elites” in the U.K. real estate market, but experts say it’s falling short. Leaked documents show Ukraine’s richest person was behind offshore moves to buy a luxury penthouse in London, raising questions over why he isn’t listed …

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Alleged Hamas financier holds stake in Cyprus company that mines Egyptian gold, leaked files reveal

Sudanese businessman Abdelbasit Hamza — whose company holdings feature in Cyprus Confidential documents — has been accused of being “a central figure in Hamas’ investment portfolio.” An accused financier of Hamas has extensive business ties in Europe and owns a stake in a lucrative Cyprus firm that mines Egyptian gold, …

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An oligarch’s chef-turned-personal assistant, a Moroccan casino mystery, and more Cyprus Confidential stories from ICIJ’s partners

More than 270 journalists around the world collaborated on ICIJ’s latest investigation — here’s some of what they found in a trove of millions of leaked documents. A new investigation by the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists, Paper Trail Media and nearly 70 media partners around the world exposed how …

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Houthis Continue Threats Despite New U.S.-Led Multilateral Red Sea Operation

Latest Developments Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen vowed on December 19 to continue threatening international shipping in the Red Sea. “No matter how many alliances America mobilizes, our military operations will not stop,” said Mohammed Albukhaiti, a member of the organization’s ruling council. The statement came in response to the …

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