Generative AI – Astonishing but no reason to be afraid
1. Introduction Generative AI (GenAI) is a form of artificial intelligence that can create novel content such as audio, data, codes, or images. It will drastically change how we approach digital content in the future, and a range of jobs are executed.[1] GenAI gained...
Cultural aspects in multicultural mentoring-to-work relationships
Sirppa Kinos (Turku University of Applied Sciences, Finland)Ilse Van den Berckt (Eudres, University of Applied Sciences Leuven-Limburg, Belgium)Roza Pambukhchyan (University of Turku, Finland)Marja Kiijärvi-Pihkala (LAB University of Applied Sciences, Finland)Olga...
Two Major Earthquakes Hit Türkiye and Syria – An Evaluation of Crisis Management Efforts
Two Major Earthquakes Hit Türkiye and SyriaAn Evaluation of Crisis Management Efforts by Onur Sultan* and Jannis Figura** February 21, 2023| 17 min read 1. Introduction On February 6, 2023, a series of earthquakes struck southern Türkiye and northern...
Western weapon supplies to Ukraine in 2023 and potential Russian responses
1. New forms of Western weapon supplies to Ukraine in 2023 In my previous article, I discussed that Ukraine mainly needs three weapon systems to continue the fight against Russia in 2023. These systems are modern fighter jets, long-range artillery, and tanks (Hooker,...
Why is giving an old frigate to Ukraine such a bad idea?
Ukraine’s deputy Foreign Minister Andrij Melnyk called on Germany in a series of tweets to provide a class 212A submarine and a 32 years old decommissioned frigate Lübeck to Ukraine. Even though it was an important call, the issue was not covered as extensively as...
An assessment of the European microchip industry and its expansion strategy
Abstract The microchip industry will probably grow from $575 billion in 2022 into a trillion-dollar industry by 2030. The main obstacles are limited production capacity and unstable production chains. Europe’s strengths in the microchip industry are the presence of...
The Defrosting of the Arctic region and the interventionism of the European Union
Introduction The Arctic region presents itself as a complex geopolitical chess game. Given the emerging concerns of climate change and its consequences, the region has gained significant relevance. The Arctic Circle Zone is composed of a number of states, such as...
US-China Relations: Adrift Between Conflict and Tianxia
US-China Relations: Adrift Between Conflict and Tianxia by Mats Radeck[i], Fatih Civrillioglu[ii] October 18, 2022 | 8 min read Introduction On August 2, 2022, Nancy Pelosi visited the island of Taiwan (officially the Republic of China) to underscore America’s...
The potential directions of the Ukraine War in spring 2023
Abstract The Ukraine War slowed down over the past months due to the harsh weather conditions and the high casualties on both sides. Russia and Ukraine will likely launch new offensives between February and April 2023. While Russia’s battlefield destiny lies in its...
International criminal justice and the war in Ukraine
Abstract The international crimes committed during the Russian invasion of Ukraine can be prosecuted under the current international law framework except for the crime of aggression. Prosecution of the latter is the only judicial way to prosecute the Russian...
Japan: Proactive in the Light of Current Issues
Introduction Following World War II (WWII), just as Germany did, Japan disarmed itself. Since then, the country has prioritized economic development over political and military disputes, and it has determined a foreign policy strategy that fosters stability in its...
Digitalisation for integration of migrants: Necessity more than an opportunity
Digitalisation entered almost every part of human life with the pace of technology’s advance, fuelled by the pandemic and lockdown. Internet connectivity has unlocked new and faster modes of communication, and we are now more connected than ever before. Digitalisation...
South Sudan’s Vulnerability to Floods
South Sudan’s Vulnerability to Floods by Jannis Figura December 28, 2022 | 7 min read 1. Introduction Climate change is a global phenomenon, but its negative impact mainly affects poorer countries due to their dependence on natural resources and lacking coping...
Learning from experience: Comparing disaster management in the Philippines and Europe
Learning from experience: Comparing disaster management in the Philippines and Europe
EU Green Deal, Corporate Sustainability and Decarbonization of Global Supply Chains
EU Green Deal, Corporate Sustainability and Decarbonization of Global Supply Chains by İlyas Gülenç December 20, 2022 | 7 min read Introduction Achieving the net-zero target by the year 2050 is critical to curb the catastrophic impacts of climate change for...
The Political Crisis in Pakistan
Background A political crisis has erupted in Pakistan, following months of unrest since the removal of former Prime Minister Imran Khan in April. Khan lost a no-confidence motion in the parliament and quickly called for his supporters to take to the streets. Since...
Lebanon and the Janus-faced Border Deal
Introduction When a large amount of ammonium nitrate exploded in the port of Beirut in August 2020, it left a swath of destruction in the city. The incident caused, among others, 218 deaths, thousands of injured, and millions of dollars in property damage....
COP 27, EU Green Deal, and the Birth Pain of a New International Order
COP 27, the EU Green Deal, and the Birth Pain of a New International Order by İlyas Gülenç* November 22, 2022 | 6 min read Introduction Ending up the fossil fuel addiction of the global economy, which is the main reason for global warming, is a challenging task...
India’s Dilemma over Ukraine
Introduction The war on Ukraine has clearly transformed the political environment in Europe, but it has also divided the world. In this turbulent time, India has positioned itself as neutral, balancing between Russia and the West. While India has not officially...
Disputes in Government: Nuclear Test for Scholz’s ‘Zeitenwende’
Background In 2011, the German government, run by Christian Democrats (CDU) and Liberals (FDP) and headed by Angela Merkel decided to phase out nuclear energy in the wake of the Fukushima nuclear disaster. The move was met with great approval from the public and...
Dissecting the New Swedish Migration Policy
A new political era awaits Sweden as Ulf Kristersson (Moderate) has officially been elected the new Swedish Prime Minister with the support of the right coalition bloc consisting of the Swedish Democrats, the Moderates, the Christian Democrats, and the Liberals. The...
Reskilled and Integrated, but How? Navigating Trauma and Temporary Hardships
Abstract Immigrants are often pressed to show how they will contribute to a host country, thus proving through their conditions of entry and human capital whether they will be perceived as an asset or burden, and this is juxtaposed with the host country’s institutions...
Global Supply Chain After the 20th Congress of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP)
Strengthening his position in the Congress after winning the elections for the third time, Xi Jinping raised the Taiwan issue in the Congress. His harsh words and constitutional amendments have stoked up fears of a large-scale military operation against Taiwan. A...
When the clock strikes midnight!
At Midnight this Monday, President Aoun becomes Mr. Michel Aoun, a Lebanese citizen. This transition is the ancient Greeks’ greatest gift to humanity, a peaceful transition of power that does not involve familial inheritance. I was always struck by that almost magical...
The Implications of Nord Stream-1 Explosion within the Context of the EU Green Deal
The Implications of Nord Stream-1 Explosion within the Context of the EU Green Deal by İlyas Gülenç October 18, 2022 | 8 min read Introduction The latest sabotage attacks damaging the Nord Stream-1 pipeline, which carries one-third of the imported natural gas...
The New Global Order in the Making
The New Global Order in the MakingGeopolitics Task Force Brief by Onur Sultan[i], Mats Radeck[ii], Jeremy Alan Garlick[iii], Olena Snigyr[iv], Charles Joseph Sullivan[v] October 5, 2022 | 10 min read Background On August 29, 2022, the Ukrainian military...
Iran: The Beginning of a Feminist Revolution
Iran: The Beginning of a Feminist Revolution by Mats Radeck[i] and Avin Khodakarim[ii] October 5, 2022 | 10 min read For about four weeks, the people of Iran have been taking to the streets and were met by the extraordinary force of the Islamic regime. Often,...
Book Review: The Dictator’s Learning Curve
Dobson's (2012) book takes on a somewhat different task to provide us with insights from dictatorships. While the works of political scientists on this subject, such as Levitsky & Ziblatt's How Democracies Die (2019), or John Keane's The New Despotism (2020),...
Reception crisis’ for asylum seekers in Belgium and the Netherlands: What does it tell us?
Reception crisis’ for asylum seekers in Belgium and the Netherlands: What does it tell us? by Fatih Yilmaz, Director of Projects and Partnerships and Mert Serhan Arslan, Research Assistant October 5, 2022 | 13 min read Introduction Belgium and the Netherlands...
Follow-Up: Saied’s Project of Democratic Backsliding
Background In 2011, the Jasmine revolution brought Tunisia’s president Zine el-Abidine Ben Ali to fall and ended an entrenched dictatorship. The momentum further spread to other countries of the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) and initiated a protest movement...
Post Election Reflection – A New Political Era in Sweden
After a tense wait following the Swedish election on Sunday, September 11, the result came on Wednesday. After eight years of government by the Social Democrats with the support of the center-left bloc, there will be a shift in power as the right coalition bloc won...
A Play of Divide and Power: Making Sense of the Violent Unrests in Iraq
Background On October 10, 2021, parliamentary elections were held in Iraq about six months before schedule in response to protestors’ demands. Winning 73 out of 329 seats, the Sadrist movement, the party of influential Shi’ite cleric Muqtada Al-Sadr, settled for...
Tension in Taiwan increase as Western-Chinese rivalry intensifies
Background On August 2, US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi made a controversial visit to Taiwan while on a tour in Asia to show support for US Allies. At the beginning of her trip in Singapore on July 31, there was no mention of a visit to Taiwan. However, speculations...
Climate Action Failure and Its Implications on Military Security
Introduction Global Risks Report-2022 of the World Economic Forum has ranked “Climate action failure” as the most severe security risk at the global scale for the decade coming. It is followed by “Extreme weather” and “biodiversity loss,” both closely related to the...
The integration challenges of Ukrainian refugees in the Netherlands: What’s next?
THE INTEGRATION CHALLENGES OF UKRAINIAN REFUGEES IN THE NETHERLANDS: WHAT’S NEXT? by Kubra Tasbas, Research Intern September 01, 2022| 11 min read Introduction This policy brief analyses the rapid reaction of the Dutch government regarding the influx of refugees from...
Assessing Germany’s Potential Responsibility in a Rearming Europe
Introduction Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has moved the topic of defence to the epicentre of the political debate in the transatlantic zone. Responding to the new circumstances, the German government recently announced a massive scale-up of the country’s defence...
Finland and Sweden to Become NATO Allies Soon
While the discussions and musings on “strategic autonomy” after Brexit flooded corridors of EU, the brutal invasion of Ukraine by Russia brought back memories of Cold War. The war unleashed all sorts of strategic thinking at EU, NATO and European capitals. Naturally,...
Green or Brown Future for The World: Geopolitical Dimensions of The Eu Green Deal
Green or Brown Future for The World: Geopolitical Dimensions of The Eu Green Deal by İlyas Gülenç* June 24, 2022 | 13 min read Rising energy prices, ongoing negative impacts of the pandemic, and dependence on Russian natural gas have created a harsh political...
The Prime Minister elections, and government formation in Lebanon
Following the elections of Speaker Berri, the time is now for the choosing of a new Prime Minister followed by government formation. Although Lebanon’s political system might seem complicated and archaic, there is a clear order for the next few steps that will lead to...
A Two-way Process: Towards a new (better) environment for labour market integration of refugees?
European and OECD countries remain among the main destination points for refugees from all around the world. Since the 2015 Syrian refugee crisis, Europe has been experiencing another mass flow of refugees from Ukraine; the total number recorded is currently 5 million...
Post Parliamentary Elections Indicators in Lebanon
With significant help from the international community, channeled through the efforts of UNDP Leap and other agencies, the elections happened without any major logistical problems. Some polling centers had electricity cuts, others faced long queues, and there was some...
What is Tech Diplomacy? A Very Short Definition
Too many concepts, too much confusion Anyone trying to make sense of technology and international relations today will stumble into a plethora of closely related terms, such as e-diplomacy, cyber diplomacy, digital technology, tech diplomacy, and so forth. All these...
Intra-European migration. A gender perspective
The EU enlargement processes have resulted in the emergence of new patterns and forms of migration within Europe. In this new setting, the natives of member states exposed to financial instability look for better jobs in the West, South, or North Europe. According to...
EU-NATO and the Eastern Partnership Countries Against Hybrid Threats: From the EU Global Strategy till the war in Ukraine
In a period of geopolitical shocks, intensifying competition, regional shifts, external pressures, and rapid changes in the security environment, it is important to pay attention to instability drivers and threats that can affect the EU and NATO and their partners....
Vote Abstention in France
On April 24 2022, the second round of the French presidential elections took place with a 28% vote abstention rate.[1] In the first round of the elections, this rate was even lower, at 26.31%. The strong competition between France's two historical parties goes a long...
Does the EU move away from EU Green Deal in the wake of the Ukraine war?
Introduction Having adopted the EU Green Deal in 2019 and set the goal of being the first climate-neutral continent by the year 2050, the EU strives to be the world's climate leader. Overall, the EU wants to take the bull by the horns when tackling the catastrophic...
Tunisia’s Deadlocked Situation: President Saied Takes the Authoritarian Exit
Introduction On the 25th of July 1957, Tunisia was stripped of its monarchical superstructure and became a republic. 64 years later, this day is still special to Tunisians. However, besides festivities and protests, it has recently gained a further meaningful...
Will Sweden break with its military non-aligned policy?
The ongoing Russian war on Ukraine has abruptly transformed the political landscape in not only Europe, but also the world. In Scandinavia, political tensions are high as both Finland and Sweden are discussing the future of their security policies and potentially...
Early indicators from the expatriates voting in Lebanon
Tomorrow the parliamentary electoral process in Lebanon begins, starting with the expatriates voting worldwide. The voting will take place over two days, Friday for the country, in which the weekend falls on that day, and then Sunday for the rest. The elections will...
Analyzing the Lebanon Electoral Lists: What do the numbers really mean?
On April 7, the final number of the Lebanon Electoral Lists for the 2022 parliamentary elections were announced. 103 lists were officially registered, vying for 128 parliamentary seats in 15 districts. This year's elections have witnessed an unprecedented number of...
Analysis of The Sunken Russian Cruiser Moskva, Its Implications for Russia and Lessons for the World Navies
ANALYSIS OF THE SUNKEN RUSSIAN CRUISER MOSKVA, ITS IMPLICATIONS FOR RUSSIA AND LESSONS FOR THE WORLD NAVIES by Furkan AKAR April 28, 2022| 15 min read 1. BACKGROUND On 13 April, the Ukrainian governor for the Odesa region, Maksym Marchenko, said on his Telegram...
When the powers of the Middle East export their rivalries to the Horn of Africa
Located in the east of the African continent, the Horn of Africa, which includes Ethiopia, Eritrea, Somalia and Djibouti, is today the scene of considerable challenges, both for the traditional powers and for regional powers. In the past, the main emphasis was on the...
China’s Options in the Ukraine War: Bandwagoning with Russia or Being a Real Mediator
China’s Options in the Ukraine War: Bandwagoning with Russia or Being a Real Mediator by Tom Peeters April 15, 2022 | 12 min read Introduction Fukayama described the end of the Cold War as the completion of the ideological evolution of humanity and claimed...
Why Cold War is Not Such a Bad Idea
Depuis l’annexion de la Crimée, l’OTAN et l’UE peinent à trou- ver la juste réponse face au regain d’agressivité de la politique étrangère russe. En dépit de sa condamnation unanime de l’agression, la classe politique occidentale n’a jamais été à même de forcer la...
Truce, President Hadi’s Transfer of Power, and Prospects for Peace in Yemen
Introduction The last two weeks witnessed two extremely consequential developments that will give shape to the future of Yemen. The first is certainly the UN-brokered two-month truce. On 1 April, UN Special Envoy for Yemen Hans Grundberg issued a statement announcing...
The Conflict in the South China Sea: A Focus on a Possible Solution
1. Introduction Over the last 10 years, the conflict in the South China Sea has been constantly in the spotlight. As China builds islands in the middle of the South China Sea, once underwater reefs have become sandy islands with airfields, roads, buildings, and bases...
Rapid Response for Facilitating Ukrainian Refugees’ Orientation and Labour Market Integration in Flanders
Rapid Response for Facilitating Ukrainian Refugees’ Orientation and Labour Market Integration in Flanders (1) by Fatih Yılmaz (2), Samet Coban (3) April 07, 2022 | 14 min read Ukrainian refugees arrived in Belgium (Source: Belga)1. Background The Russian...
A Quick Overview of the Strategic Compass
A bit of a History The EU’s first strategy document, European Security Strategy, dates back to 2003, in the wake of the longstanding Cold War. Penned at a time of enormous hope, prosperity and an absence of a global rival, the EU’s self-confidence is reflected...
War in Ukraine: How NATO Responds and What NATO Summit Statement Tells?
War in Ukraine changed the security and defence perception in Europe drastically. Twenty-three years after the war in Kosovo, Europe witnessed another war inside its borders, this time between much more capable sides and with far-reaching effects. The war between the...
The role of naval forces in Russia’s war against Ukraine and its implications
The Russian Navy has and continues to provide an important supporting role in Russia’s operations against Ukraine. This has included undertaking highly visible deployments in the pre-invasion phase and maintaining a presence in the eastern Mediterranean (augmented...
The EU Energy Dependency on Russia and Historic Opportunity for Independence
The EU Energy Dependency on Russia and Historic Opportunity for Independence To exact a toll on Russia after its offensive into Ukraine and to squeeze channels that feed Russian military and economic might, the EU tries to impose onerous sanctions on the Russian...
Russian Invasion of Ukraine, China and Towards a New Global Order
Russian Invasion of Ukraine, China and Towards a New Global Order by Ibrahim Genc[1], Tuba Yalinkilic[2], Yunus Erbas[3] March 11, 2022| 13 min read Background In the Beijing Winter Olympic opening ceremony on February 4, 2022, Russian President Vladimir Putin and...
A new Russian “peaceful” attempt: Invasion of Ukraine
Europe and the Western World has been experiencing a big new wakeup call after Russian Armed Forces initiated its invasion of Ukraine on 24 February 2022. Putin announced a "special military operation" to "demilitarise and denazify" Ukraine with “no intention to...
For a new range of sanctions against Moscow
Sanctions have been considered by international relations scholars as states mechanisms to influence other governments on their policies. While the traditional view on sanctions implemented by J. Galtung and the Oslo Institute portrays sanctions as an instrument to...
A blitzkrieg or a war of attrition
Russia’s war on Ukraine is entering the third day of active fighting, Mr. Putin’s time is running out. It is a full-on race between a successful Russian blitzkrieg or a grueling war of attrition, where the Ukrainian drag Russia into another Afghanistan. Russia has a...
International Law Aspect of Russian-Ukraine Tension
1. Deepening Crisis in the International System The ongoing tension between transatlantic alliance and Russia over the invasion of Ukraine is a clear sign showing the break in the functioning of the international system that was established after the WWII. Ukraine...
Could Turkey Close the Straits to Russian Warships
Russian President Vladimir Putin, who amassed over 100,000 Russian troops around Ukraine in recent months but denied having any intention of invading the country, on Thursday launched a full-scale war in Ukraine, drawing international condemnation. The invasion of...
The EU’s Alternative to China’s BRI: Global Gateway Project
The EU’s Alternative to China’s BRI: Global Gateway Project by Yunus Erbas February 24, 2022| 13 min read Introduction Nearly one decade has passed since Chinese President Xi Jinping first made his announcement of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), originally called...
Book Review: Blockchain Revolution
In 2008, the world was in financial turmoil. To solve this problem, a person named Satoshi Nakamoto came up with an idea that would soon spread like wildfire among computer scientists, banks, and anyone who had ever tried to establish trust on the Internet. We don’t...
China Funds European Universities
Concerns rise over Chinese funding to the western universities and research institutes Being self-declared foreign language schools and educational institutions, Confucius Institutes are administered by the Office of the National Chinese Language International...
Can the US Dropping its Support from the EastMed Pipeline Change the Calculus of the Game in the Eastern Mediterranean?
Can the US Dropping its Support from the EastMed Pipeline Change the Calculus of the Game in the Eastern Mediterranean? by Furkan AKAR, Saban YUKSEL February 10, 2022| 10 min read Background The US notified Greece regarding its decision to withdraw the support from...
Repercussions of the Tension between Russia and the West over Ukraine on the Black Sea
Russian Objection to the Enhanced Relationship Between NATO and Ukraine The mobilisation of more than one hundred thousand Russian troops around the border of Ukraine rings an alarm for the transatlantic Alliance. The growing relationship between Ukraine and NATO and...
The Nature of War and Strategic Theory
1. Introduction We need to discuss what war is, whether there are certain fundamentals of war that do not change through time and circumstances—namely the nature of war—or whether war has been changing. Our understanding of war’s nature inherently influences how we...
A shift in the political landscape
Former PM Saad Hariri announced the suspension of his personal and political party’s participation in Lebanese political life in an emotional address. The former PM explained that despite his many efforts to compromise, some are unwilling to let the country move...
What Djokovic Affair Reminded Us
In light of recent developments surrounding the famous tennis player Novak Djokovic, Australia’s treatment of asylum seekers has once again drawn the attention of both national and international media. For those unfamiliar with the history of Australia’s detention...
Escalation over Ukraine in face of Russian Demands for an Uncontested Sphere of Influence in Former Soviet Space
Escalation over Ukraine in face of Russian Demands for an Uncontested Sphere of Influence in Former Soviet Space Geopolitics Task Force Brief by Samet Coban(1), Hasan Suzen(2), Olena Snigyr(3), Onur Sultan(4), Saban Yuksel(5) January 20, 2022 | 17 min read Background...
Making Sense of the Recent Unrest in Kazakhstan
Geopolitics Task Force Brief by Samet Coban(1), Victoria Clement(2), Hasan Suzen(3), Charles J. Sullivan(4), Saban Yuksel(5), Robert M. Cutler(6), and Onur Sultan(7) January 12, 2022| 12 min read Background On January 2 (Sunday), a spike in liquified petroleum gas...
Quelle est la probabilité qu’une IA précise à 99% reconnaisse un individu? Spoiler: ce n’est pas 9 chances sur 10
Les discussions sur l’emploi de la reconnaissance faciale[1] dans les espaces publics par les forces de l’ordre paraissent toujours particulièrement sensibles et ont fortement animé la préparation du projet de règlement sur l’intelligence artificielle (IA) de la...
Why?
Since the start of the severe Lebanese crisis, more than two years ago, practically nothing has been done. No reforms to speak of, no capital control, no aid measures, nothing! The situation keeps getting worse, illustrated by an ever-falling exchange rate, while the...
EDUC8 to Build Resilience Project kan bijdragen aan de preventie van radicalisering en polarisering
INTRODUCTIE Gewelddadige radicalisering (jihad, extreemrechts, antisemitisme, enzovoort) en polarisering zijn twee grote maatschappelijke uitdagingen die het sociale weefsel van Europa verscheuren. Radicalen zetten aan tot baldadige actie door de status quo te kaderen...
Networking towards a more sustainable working life for immigrants
Nasrin Jahan Jinia, Fatih Yilmaz, Janna Peltola, Essi Hillgren & Roza Pambukhchyan The contribution of migration to sustainable development has already been recognized which is a cross-cutting issue in the UN 2030 Agenda, relevant to all the Sustainable...
Handboek voor integratie-ondersteuners: Versnelde Integratie van Hoogopgeleide Vluchtelingen (HER) en Anderstaligen (HOA) op de Vlaamse Arbeidsmarkt
INTRODUCTIE Dit handboek is één van de outputs van het All-in-one 4HER/HOA project, uitgevoerd in de periode ‘december 2018 - juni 2021’ en gefinancierd door het Europees Sociaal Fonds (ESF) en de Vlaamse Overheid. Het nationaal projectconsortium bestaat uit Beyond...
Book Review: Factfulness – Ten Reasons We’re Wrong about the World – and Why Things are Better than You Think
This book is about “getting the big picture right”. Hans Rosling, the author of the book, advocates a fact-based worldview and struggles with ignorance. Rosling was a medical doctor, professor of international health, and public educator. He was an adviser to the...
Networking To Work: Introduction to the new models for immigrants in Belgium and Finland*
Abstract Social networks play a vital role as a source of information for immigrated people and affect many aspects of their lives. They provide access to information, for example about jobs and conditions in the host country. This article intends to highlight the...
Labour Market Integration Challenges of Highly Educated Refugees in Flanders*˚
ABSTRACT Flanders has been increasingly receiving highly educated asylum seekers and refugees (HER) for the last decade. It is interesting that native-migrant employment gap is higher for highly educated refugees than for lower educated refugees in Flanders. As a part...
The Belarus Crisis: the Weaponisation of Migration
“Nowadays, the security environment is more unpredictable and challenging to address. The environment to global security is seen as a challenge and emerging tool for peace and stability. For instance, autocratic regimes use all means and ways to fulfil their goals....
A Novel Approach to the Network Analysis: Multi-Space Analysis Model
Abstract The overall objective of this paper is to provide insight for the Multi-Space Analysis Model (Network Analysis) used in the Smart Navigator System at Hybrid Core; and visualise a state-of-the-art for the model structure for further studies. The model design...
Tunisia: Is He Living Up to His Words? Or is He Abusing His Power?
Introduction: On 25 July 2021, Tunisia’s Republic Day, President Kais Saied had announced the invocation of Article 80, which he used as pretext to freeze the work of parliament for 30 days, sack the Prime Minister, and lift the immunity from all members of the...
Iraqis Council of Representatives’ October Elections: What Kind of Change Will it Hold?
Introduction: On 30 July 2020, Iraq’s general elections were announced to be held in June this year. Yet, this early election date was pushed back to 10 October recently by an agreement taken by Iraq’s cabinet. The decision came in response to the Independent Higher...
The Real Jihad for the Taliban Begins Now
The Taliban toppled the internationally recognized government and now effectively rules Afghanistan. However, the country which has been in a state of war since 1979 - although showed some progress in the last 20 years - is almost totally devastated. In almost all...
Will Mikati Be Able to Sail Lebanon to Safety from Current Turbulent Waters?
Introduction Since the start of the revolution in October 2019, Lebanon has been grappling with political and economic crises. The devaluation of the Lebanese Pound that started to show itself in an unusual way with the 1975 Civil war, gained extreme momentum with the...
Days Before Taliban Takeover
Pace of events happening in Afghanistan became hard to follow. One month before the U.S./NATO complete pullout, Taliban forces stormed western and northern provinces and within one week Taliban -at the time of reporting - controls 14 out of 34 provinces, 66% of...
Tunisia: A Hero? Another Coup? Or a Return to Authoritarianism?
Introduction Creating the spark in the regional fire following the 2010 Arab Uprising, Tunisia was the first Arab country to depose its dictator. The first story of success, as widely considered, as its people managed to make a reversal from dictatorship as early as...
Gulf’s Alliance is Jeopardised
Introduction On the 5th of July, a new quarrel surfaced between the supposedly brotherly countries; the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA). On this day, a OPEC+ meeting that brings together 14 Organization of the Petroleum Exporting...
The Current Challenges of Lebanon and Repercussions for the Region*
1. Background October 17, 2019: revolution was sparked in the streets of Beirut, leading to protests in numerous other cities. Citizens demanded the resignation of the administration led by Prime Minister Saad Al Hariri. They also demanded the resignation of the...
Now what!
Unfortunately, every few months it seems that we are back to a new Prime Minister nomination and government formation. With each iteration, the economic and political conditions deteriorate, and the general security situation becomes even more dangerous in Lebanon....
What Happens in Afghanistan will not Stay in Afghanistan
The rapid pace of recent events in Afghanistan brought the country to the brink of total collapse. Now, the Taliban controls 85% of Afghan territory. Since April 2021, the number of districts controlled by the Taliban has nearly tripled (from 77 to 221 out of 407...
The threat racism in the U.S. poses to national security
Events and social movements of recent years have accused the United States of systemic racism. While there have undoubtedly been advances over the decades in both legislation and public opinion, the rise of nationalist ideology, the resurgence of racist practices, and...
Invisible Costs: Gender-based Violence and the Environment
Executive Summary Environmental issues, among which climate change, are not universal or neutral experiences: the impacts are differentiated along with dynamics of inequalities. Women are disproportionately affected by the impacts of environmental-related issues...
China-U.S. Tech war: New Hegemony
On 14 May 2021, China became the second country to have successfully landed a rover on Mars after its Zhurong spacecraft touched down on the surface of the red planet. Zhurong (祝融), carrying the name of the “god of fire” in ancient Chinese mythology, was the sixth...
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