The Defense Department Monday announced an increased presence in the U.S. Central Command’s area of responsibility, including an additional Navy destroyer along with fighter jets. “In response to a number of recent, alarming events in the Strait of Hormuz, the secretary of defense has ordered the deployment of the of …

Recep Tayyip Erdogan arrived in Jeddah on Monday on the first leg of a three-state Gulf tour with business and investment at the top of the agenda. The Turkish president is leading a massive delegation of government ministers and officials, and about 200 business leaders, investors and company owners. He …

IntroductionUzbekistan is a prominent player in Central Asian politics. In the recently held general elections, the populace eagerly engaged, with approximately 87% of eligible voters voting. However, the outcome of these elections had far-reaching consequences, since it awarded President Shavkat Mirziyoyev a third term, raising concerns about the country’s democratic …

Just after a band of mercenaries tried to oust the government in the Maldives back in 1988, I asked a Maldivian diplomat, using a familiar military catchphrase, about the strength of his country’s “standing army.” “Standing army?” the diplomat asked with mock surprise, and remarked perhaps half-jokingly, “We don’t even …

Israeli air strikes on Wednesday near Syria’s capital Damascus killed three fighters loyal to President Bashar al-Assad’s regime and wounded four others, a war monitor said. Syrian state news agency SANA earlier reported two soldiers had been wounded in the strikes overnight Tuesday-Wednesday. It quoted a military source as saying …

For a long time, the White House’s hardliners have tried to pull Europe into their conflict with China. They need this conflict to preserve their dominant position and to keep Europe more reliant on them. They use Russia’s war with Ukraine, China’s technological advancement, and their exaggerated emphasis on democratic …

Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas has the perfect opportunity to exit the stage. But he will not. Abbas’ brief visit to the devastated Jenin refugee camp last week demonstrated the absurdity and danger of the PA and its 87-year-old leader. As he walked, Abbas struggled to keep his balance, in …

Millions of lives at stake. Families in dire need of international aid. Russia plays games with them all at the UN Security Council. Repeat every six months until further notice. Welcome to the Syria debate at the UN. This has been the case ever since 2014. The UNSC authorizes the …

On Friday, July 7, 2023, news broke in the financial market media that the “BRICS” (that is, Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa) will implement their plan to create a new international currency for trading and financial transactions, and that this new currency will be “gold backed.” Most recently, …

Prime Minister Modi has just wrapped up a two-day visit to France, where he was guest of honour at France’s Bastille Day Parade. This is a rare honour, given that it’s not every year that the parade has a foreign chief guest—the last time was in 2018 when Singapore PM …