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Description: Israel and Iran continued exchanging missile attacks over the last day, with Israel targeting Isfahan, Najafabad and Kermanshah, also hitting a petrochemical plant in Mahshahr, while Iran targeted the industrial port in Haifa. After the exchange, Israel and Iran jointly ceased the attacks but promised retaliatory measures in case either side continues. President Trump has been criticizing both Iran and Israel for the most recent escalation, as Israel continued to ignore US foreign policy priorities in the region and position its military objectives ahead of the proposed peace agreement. Trump also heavily criticized Iran for attacking Israel unprovoked. Yemen’s
Description: North Korean leader, Kim Jong Un, hosted Chinese President, Xi Jinping, in Pyongyang for a two-day summit, which is expected to deliver an even stronger alliance between the two countries. The visit would mark the 65th anniversary of the mutual defense pact signed between the two countries, that in symbolic terms adds to the mutual strategic partnership today. The joint statements issued after the first day reverberated China and North Korea’s close strategic partnership and China’s solidification of international support for North Korea’s development. As North Korea’s largest trade partner, China would further strengthen trade and tourism ties with N
Description: The US government is reportedly considering to bypass the UK and offer a direct agreement to the government of Mauritius for the purchase of the Chagos Islands. The Islands host one of the most important US naval bases in the region, Diego Garcia, and late last year, the UK government agreed to cede control of the Islands to the government of Mauritius. President Donald Trump has heavily criticized the deal and labeled it as a strategic mistake that could cost both the US and the UK. Mauritius was a former UK colony, and the UK forcibly removed indigenous Chagossians from the Islands. After lengthy legal and political battles, the UK finally agreed to cede contr
Description: Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan hosted Venezuela’s acting President, Delcy Rodriguez, in Istanbul where the leaders discussed strengthening their bilateral ties and mutual partnership. Erdogan stated that Turkey would enhance cooperation with Venezuela in bilateral trade, energy and mining sectors in the upcoming period, accentuating the cooperation in the energy field. The meeting follows close cooperation between the two countries within the last 10 years, since Erdogan and Maduro cultivated close political ties and signed several agreements focusing on Venezuela’s mining sector. Impact: Venezuela is likely continuing to cultivate inter
Description: Eleven people were killed and 70 other were injured as Pakistani police and paramilitary forces clashed with protesters from a banned alliance of civil society groups called the Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC). The clashes took place in Pakistani administered Kashmir province where the JAAC has been calling for increased government attention and addressing issues such as rising cost of living expenses and providing the region with various economic subsidies. JAAC previously requested from the local government to not include votes from Indian immigrants in the region, potentially stoking renewed tensions with India. The last deadly clashes in Pakistani admini
Description: The European Union has heavily criticized the ongoing protests in Albania over a proposed project that could endanger maritime and coastal environment part of the EU Natura 2000 regulation. Albania is entering the closing stages of its EU accession talks, where Chapter 27 falls under the environment and climate change regulations. Prime Minister Edi Rama remained defiant continuing to support the project for its economic benefits. Protesters demand transparency from their government and oppose endangering the vital environment. The project is led by President Trump’s son in law, Jared Cushner, who through his company Affinity Partners, plans to develop a luxury
Description: The US and Iran exchanged aerial attacks with Israel continuing its ground invasion in Lebanon and operations against Hezbollah. Iran claimed its attacks were purely retaliatory and arrived after the US targeted radar sites on the Qeshm and Goruk islands in an apparent attempt to disable Iranian tracking capabilities in the Strait of Hormuz. The IRGC claimed the attacks and stated they would further escalate in case the US holds Israel responsible for its ceasefire violations in Lebanon. President Trump has stated that Israel’s attacks on Lebanon were not sanctioned or coordinated with the US while stating that return to war is not in Iran’s best interest at the
Description: Incumbent Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan secured his leadership status as his Contract Party managed to claim a slim majority in Parliament. Pashinyan’s rule has been marked with anti – Russian sentiment, as the Prime Minister managed to secure a peace agreement with Azerbaijan over Nagorno Karabakh and commenced the normalization of ties with Turkey. He hosted the European Political Community summit last month where EU leaders gathered to express support in Armenia’s EU ambitions and closer ties to the West. This, however, did not go unnoticed in Moscow, as Russia has threatened to cut energy ties with Armenia over its EU ambitions, warning Pashinyan that the c
Description: Right – wing presidential candidate Keiko Fujimori and left – wing Roberto Sanchez would face off in a highly contested runoff election in the midst of various instability factors in Peru. Fujimori has secured her place in the runoff much before Sanchez, promising tough crime measures, economic reformation and legislative policies that would create an economic ecosystem in the country favorable to both domestic and foreign companies. Sanchez on the other hand has focused his campaign on the rural Peruvian areas where economic inequality is the primary issue, garnering late support from rural voters. He promised to revise the national mining contracts with foreig
Description: Incumbent Kosovar Prime Minister, Albin Kurti, and his Vetevendosje party managed to secure a significant lead ahead of the Democratic Party of Kosovo and the Democratic League of Kosovo. Vetevendosje secured 43% of the votes ahead of DPK’s 21.7% and DLK’s 18%, in Kosovo’s third parliamentary election since last year. The country was plunged into a prolonged political crisis as the Parliament failed to reach a consensus on who should succeed outgoing President Vjosa Osmani. This left Kosovo without a functioning government for over a year, backtracked economic development and EU and NATO accession plans. Impact: Vetevendosje’s expected election