December, 2023

• 21 December

  How the EU Supports Authoritarianism in Egypt

  

  Brussels is overlooking Egypt’s lack of democratic reforms to secure Cairo’s cooperation in other fields. This short-sighted approach is emboldening the regime and hurting Egyptian civil society. On December 10-12, Egyptians will reelect Abdelfattah al-Sisi as their president. Nothing else can be expected, because his regime’s grip over Egypt’s political—and …

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• 21 December

  Operation Iron Swords (Updated to 1 p.m., December 13, 2023)

  

  The combat arena: IDF forces continued their integrated maneuvers in the northern and southern Gaza Strip, and during the past day, ground, air and sea forces attacked over 250 terrorist targets. Most of the activity now focuses on scanning shafts, uncovering weapons and revealing terrorists’ hiding places while engaging in …

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• 21 December

  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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• 21 December

  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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• 21 December

  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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• 21 December

  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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• 21 December

  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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• 21 December

  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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• 21 December

  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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• 21 December

  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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