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  • Is Biden’s reset on Iran paying off? 

    After spending his first two years trying to reconstruct the JCPOA, Biden has since shifted course to a robust mix of diplomacy, pressure and deterrence, as US Secretary of State Antony Blinken recently explained. The new approach depends on assertive and nimble diplomacy, including via trusted intermediaries, such as Qatar and Oman, as well as a ramped-up regional military deterrent in the Persian  Gulf, as Jared Szuba reports.

  • Has Regional Detente Paved the Way for Collective Maritime Security in the Gulf?

    Unhealthy rivalry and deep-rooted mutual suspicion have long led the Gulf littoral states to view the maritime domain as a battleground to settle old scores and sort out new frictions rather than a space for peaceful cooperation. However, they have recently shown a growing resolve to eschew zero-sum calculations and embrace a more conciliatory posture in managing maritime security affairs. The recent flurry of diplomatic interactions highlights this measured, sometimes contradictory, policy shift.

  • Would US Marines on merchant ships be enough to deter Iran in the Gulf?

    An Aug. 11 report from USNI stated that some 100 Marines of the 26th Marines Expeditionary Unit have been trained and are ready in Bahrain to provide armed security on board merchant ships crossing the Hormuz Strait. This would reportedly put small groups of armed American forces onto foreign-flagged ships, in order to discourage Iranian attacks. When asked about the report, Cmdr. Tim Hawkins, US 5th Fleet and Navy Central Spokesman, did not deny it, saying “There has been no announcement on this” and declining to “speculate” about future policy.

  • BRICS summit 2023: What’s likely to be discussed?

    The BRICS group of major emerging economies - Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa - will hold its 15th heads of state and government summit in Johannesburg from Aug. 22-24. South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, Chinese President Xi Jinping, Brazil's President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi are expected to attend. Russian President Vladimir Putin will not attend in person due to an arrest warrant issued by the International Criminal Court for alleged war crimes in Ukraine. Putin will participate in the summit virtually and will be represented in Johannesburg by Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov.

  • Middle East’s groundwater shortage: Will it soon run out?

    Another reason why it's so difficult to pinpoint exact groundwater levels is that water doesn't respect national borders. ESCWA estimates there are 43 transboundary aquifers in the region. But only a few countries in the Middle East have what the ESCWA described in a 2021 report as "adequate" groundwater management. Additionally, if one country is extracting a lot of groundwater but the other countries that share it aren't pulling out the same, it's very hard to tell, said Houdret. An example is provided by Libya, Tunisia and Algeria who share a groundwater basin. Recent reports suggest Libya runs roughly half of some 6,500 wells taking water out of the basin, while Tunisia and Algeria have far less.

  • Middle East’s groundwater shortage: Will it soon run out?

    As rivers dry up and rainfall declines, water stored underground is more important than ever in the climate-change-impacted Middle East. The problem is: Nobody really knows how much is left.

  • Why do luxury brands open their own cafes?

    “We hope to engage this new generation with emotional experiences and content that fuels their desire to express themselves through fashion; we’ve seen Coach products such as the Tabby family and Signature Soho bag, which guests can see in the Coach Café, are increasingly popular across this younger and diverse consumer group.”

  • Why is Japan opposed to Saudi Arabia joining UK-Italy GCAP fighter jet alliance?

    As Saudi Arabia pushes to join the United Kingdom, Italy and Japan’s next-generation fighter jet alliance, Tokyo is reportedly opposed to Riyadh’s bid for technical and geopolitical reasons, even as it tries to improve relations with the Gulf kingdom. Saudi Arabia’s request to be the fourth addition to the trinational Global Combat Air Program (GCAP) was confirmed by senior officials from London, Tokyo and Rome, to The Financial Times (FT) on Friday. Of the three member countries, the British daily added, Japan is the only one to boldly oppose their induction.

  • How Old Are the World’s Nuclear Reactors?

    Nuclear power saw a building boom in the 1970s, 80s, and 90s as countries expanded their energy portfolios and sought to capitalize on the advancements in nuclear technology. As a result, the majority of the world’s nuclear reactors began operating during this period.

  • Who’s Still Buying Russian Fossil Fuels in 2023?

    While Russia’s revenues from fossil fuel exports have declined significantly since their peak in March of 2022, many countries are still importing millions of dollars a day worth of fossil fuels from Russia. Revenue from fossil fuels exported to the EU has declined more than 90% from their peak, but in 2023 the bloc has still imported more than $18 billion of crude oil and natural gas so far.