February, 2021

• 13 February

  After Trump: Lessons From Other Post-Populist Democracies

  Over the past decade, illiberal populist leaders from across the political spectrum have won elections and taken power in many of the world’s biggest democracies, from the United States to India, the Philippines, Turkey and Brazil. Once in office, they have often undermined democratic norms and institutions, including the media, …

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• 13 February

  Technocracy and Its Discontents

  Among the images that circulated in the aftermath of last month’s Capitol insurrection, one video stood apart, an almost iconic representation of the mob unleashed. In it, an enraged supporter of Donald Trump wields a pole flying the American flag to repeatedly strike a police officer who, having been dragged …

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• 13 February

  Ending Yemen’s Multilayered War

  or U.S. officials who worked under former President Barack Obama, many of whom are now beginning or contemplating jobs in Joe Biden’s administration, the war in Yemen casts a long shadow.

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• 13 February

  Russia, Iran compete for influence in Syria via private security companies

  Private security companies in Syria with ties to Russian and Iranian forces are busily recruiting young men with attractive salaries. Russia and Iran are taking every opportunity to increase their influence in Syria. They recently urged private security companies to open offices across Syria, offering young men large amounts of …

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• 13 February

  Turkey escalates attacks against PKK rebels across northern Iraq

  Ankara says it has captured a PKK militant responsible for “logistics,” while also launching a new operation against the group in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq. Turkey says it has netted a high-level Kurdish militant in a covert operation mounted by its national intelligence organization in Iraq’s Yazidi-dominated Sinjar region. …

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• 13 February

  What’s next for Turkey in Libya after election of new interim leaders?

  Universal goodwill messages to Libya’s new interim leadership indicate how complex the Libyan file has become for all foreign actors in the country ahead of potentially clamorous elections in December.

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• 13 February

  Will Sudan-Ethiopia border conflict affect GERD talks?

  Border tensions have escalated between Sudan and Ethiopia in the past few days, coupled with Ethiopian threats to Sudan if it does not respond to peaceful solutions, which has triggered questions about the impact of such developments on the GERD issue.

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• 13 February

  Russia seeks to outplay the US in Libya

  While Russia’s preferred candidates lost in last week’s vote for interim leadership in Libya, Moscow still has a strategy for reinforcing its influence in the country.

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• 13 February

  Oman content with Israel relationship, despite Abraham Accords

  Away from the Gulf, Morocco and Sudan have also normalized relations with Israel. Oman is satisfied with its current relationship with Israel, the foreign minister said on Thursday, even after two fellow Gulf Arab states normalized ties with Israel and raised US hopes others would follow suit.

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• 13 February

  Fakhrizadeh’s assassination carried out by Israeli, Iranian spies – report

  The report noted that the assassination was carried out using a “one-ton remote-controlled gun” that was smuggled into the country in pieces. Iran’s top nuclear scientist Mohsen Fakhrizadeh was assassinated with a “one-ton remote-controlled gun” that was smuggled into the country by the Mossad, The Jewish Chronicle reported on Wednesday.

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