In their search for new ways to improve payment infrastructures and meet the changing national needs, central banks have been turning to innovative technologies. For instance, central banks worldwide are diving into Central Bank Digital Currencies (CBDCs), ushering in a new era of digital national currencies. CBDCs offer secure, efficient, …

The Federation of Security and Defense Industries of Latvia recently celebrated its ten-year anniversary. Although the military industry in Latvia predates the federation, the industry has grown markedly in the last decade. The military industry in Latvia has developed hand-in-hand with the Latvian defense sector. Following years of austerity, Russia’s …

Foreign ministers from BRICS countries Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa have expressed their willingness to admit new members, including Saudi Arabia, as the bloc seeks a larger voice in the international arena. At a two-day conference in Cape Town on Thursday and Friday, attended by Prince Faisal bin …

Violence flared in northern Kosovo last week between ethnic Serbs and NATO’s peacekeeping mission, KFOR. The clashes left NATO troops injured, Serbia emboldened, Kosovo weakened, Russia empowered, and the transatlantic community divided.

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un ordered this January that his country carry out “exponential” expansion of its nuclear arsenal and the manufacturing of a more powerful ICBM. “Today, China, Russia, North Korea and Iran continue to invest in technologies to expand their capabilities to hit the United States with …

At the Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa (BRICS) foreign ministers meeting in Cape Town early June, there were high expectations. The first on the agenda was International Criminal Court’s arrest warrant issued from The Hague for Russian President Vladimir Putin if he travels to the country. From historical …

Middle Eastern violence has come to be associated with the area, which is rich in history and cultural variety. The area is gripped by an ongoing sequence of violence and political instability that seems to never stop, ranging from the current civil conflicts in Syria and Yemen to the long-running …

Turkey is a country that straddles two continents, Europe and Asia, and has a pivotal role in regional and international affairs. It is also a country that faces many challenges, both internally and externally, that shape its destiny and identity. In May 2023, Turkey held its presidential election, which resulted …

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says Ukraine is ready to launch a counteroffensive against Russia. In a Wall Street Journal report published Saturday, the Ukrainian leader said, “We strongly believe that we will succeed.” “I don’t know how long it will take,” he said, “but … we are ready.” He said …

Lebanon has had no president since the departure from office of Michel Aoun in October last year, and the jockeying for position continues. Hezbollah and the Amal movement were banking on Christian division to push their candidate, Sulaiman Franjieh, but the Christian blocs surprised them by supporting the candidacy of …