May 29, 2021 Africa, Eurasia
Egypt’s relations with Hamas have begun to warm up in recent months after years of tension following the 2013 overthrow of Muslim Brotherhood President Mohammed Morsi. Egypt’s diplomatic efforts resulted in a cease-fire agreement May 21 between Hamas and Israel. The deal, coordinated with the United States, ended 11 days …
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May 29, 2021 Middle Orient, Turkey
A spree of rattling allegations by a Turkish mobster has brought into focus the increase in cocaine trafficking in Turkey and its domestic and international ramifications. Long a major route of heroin smuggling from Afghanistan to Europe, Turkey in recent years has seen an increase in cocaine trafficking as well, …
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May 29, 2021 Middle Orient
The Syrian Democratic Forces closed the crossings connecting their areas in northeast Syria to government-held areas to prevent the participation of the areas’ inhabitants in the Syrian presidential elections. On May 24, the Kurdish-led autonomous administration in north and east Syria announced in a statement that it was shutting the …
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May 29, 2021 Eurasia, Iran, Middle Orient
If Biden administration re-enters a nuclear deal with Iran and lifts sanctions on the regime, this will be like giving them another airplane full of cash. President Joe Biden’s national security team appears to be insistent upon reversing policies just because they were attached to the Trump administration, regardless of …
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May 29, 2021 Eurasia, Middle Orient
Ireland’s parliament unanimously approved a resolution condemning “de facto annexation” in the West Bank with government support on Wednesday night, while voting down a motion to expel Israel’s ambassador. The Irish parliament unanimously approved a resolution condemning Israeli “de facto annexation” in the West Bank with government support on Wednesday …
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May 29, 2021 Middle Orient
The IDF used artificial intelligence and supercomputing during the last conflict with Hamas in the Gaza Strip. Having relied heavily on machine learning, the Israeli military is calling Operation Guardian of the Walls the first artificial-intelligence war. “For the first time, artificial intelligence was a key component and power multiplier …
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May 29, 2021 Eurasia, Middle Orient
Hamas is trying to build a winning narrative around the fighting and keep the link to Jerusalem alive. Despite a freshly signed ceasefire between Israel and Palestinian terrorist groups in the Gaza Strip, the IDF Military Intelligence Directorate is already preparing for the next round of violence to break out. …
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May 29, 2021 Eurasia, Middle Orient
Gilad Erdan pointed out that during the 11 days of Operation Guardian of the Walls, Israel was repeatedly attacked from its north, including three rockets and two unmanned aerial vehicles from Syria. Israel will act to protect its citizens from Hezbollah if it needs to, Ambassador to the UN Gilad …
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May 29, 2021 Middle Orient
Following Operation Guardian of the Walls against Gaza terrorist groups, for the first time ever the UNHRC has created a permanent fact-finding mission regarding a UN member state. The United Nations Human Rights Council voted 24-9 Thursday to launch an investigation against Israel for alleged war crimes, including during the …
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May 29, 2021 Middle Orient, South East Asia
U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin is expected Thursday to approve moving the only aircraft carrier based in the Asia-Pacific region to the Middle East, two defense officials told VOA. The rare movement of the USS Ronald Reagan, which is based in Yokosuka, Japan, and usually deploys around the Pacific, would …
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