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Description: The United States has further bolstered Taiwan’s defense capabilities reaffirming their strong regional alliance and cooperation. The White House had stated that several assistance programs such as Foreign Military Financing, Presidential Drawdown Authority and International Military Education and Training have been implemented in the cooperation. Further cooperation was expected since Joe Biden’s administration authorized 19 arms sales to Taiwan as well as the regional cooperation with Australia, New Zealand and Japan. Impact: With the reaffirmation of Taiwan as one of their priorities, the US prioritized the Indo – Pacific geopolitical region
Description: Top level security officials from the Israeli government have been received in Doha, Qatar on 12 Jan 2025 amid continued peace talks for Gaza ceasefire. Among the officials are the head of the Mossad, David Barnea, and the head of the Shin Bet, Ronen Bar. Both Israeli and Palestinian officials have stated that backchannel talks resulted with some progress but not a concrete proposal or a resolution. Steve Witkoff, President Trump’s Middle East Representative, previously met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani. Impact: With the International Community actively monitorin
Description: The US Supreme Court is set to rule on the law enforced by President Biden’s administration of banning TikTok from the US market. Lawyers from TikTok had appeared before the Court and have been unfavorably received which put the possible ban high on the agenda. The law demanded TikTok to be sold to a US – owned company and for ByteDance, the current Chinese owner, to fully divest their stake. Although future Trump administration had stated support against banning the social media platform, the prognosis has been deemed unlikely. Impact: With the perpetual trade war between China and the US intensifying, the TikTok ban would not only have socio –
Description: Far – right President of Alternative for Germany (AfD) Alice Weidel, has been confirmed to lead her party at Germany’s general election next month. She was overwhelmingly supported at the party’s conference and reaffirmed her intentions of solidifying AfD’s key political priorities related to immigration and the consolidation of power within the European Union. Her checkered past and controversial background didn’t influence her election as a candidate although the conference was interrupted on a few occasions by protestors. Impact: The resurgence of right and far – right political parties would influence the European Union’s both internal and e
Description: Within the last two years, Russia has significantly raised the level of conducted covert operations within the European Union. Their activities have ranged from sabotage to targeted assassinations, disinformation campaigns and special operations involving members of the GRU (Russia’s Military Intelligence Agency). Ukraine being the main focus of their special activities, Russia expanded their covert operations all across Europe with Germany, France and the UK being among their top targets. Impact: Although plummeted by EU sanctions, Russia leveraged the somewhat diluted state of EU’s main members in a crucial period in the war with Ukraine. The
Description: Representatives from both the White House and the Kremlin have confirmed that an apparent meet between President – elect Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin has been set. The meet would obviously underscore the war in Ukraine and possible outcome scenarios with the Trump administration having promised of solving the war within 100 days. Kremlin officials have confirmed the Russian interest in the discussion and also reaffirmed President Vladimir Putin’s priorities. Impact: Even though Trump’s ambitions towards resolving the Russia – Ukraine war have been adamant, White House officials pushed the deadline from 100 days to up to 6 mo
Description: On 09 Jan 2025, the Lebanese Parliament elected General Joseph Aoun as their 14th President. The election ended a two-and-a-half-year vacancy in the Lebanese Presidency with plenty of political, security and socio – economical reforms waiting on implementation. Joseph Aoun had pledged to secure the country’s borders, enhance and strengthen the rule of law and reduce the Lebanese state’s untethered use of force within its ranks. Aoun’s priorities would comprise of securing the cease – fire agreement with Israel, establish continuity of government with the election of a Prime Minister, enlarge the national dialogue with Hezbollah and facilitate economic