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# New York Center For Foreign Policy Affairs - NYCFPA: A Foreign Policy Expert

## Sitemaps
[XML Sitemap](https://nycfpa.org/sitemap_index.xml): Includes all crawlable and indexable pages.

## Posts
- [The UN and governments should take immediate steps to support reparative justice in Yemen](https://nycfpa.org/07/28/the-un-and-governments-should-take-immediate-steps-to-support-reparative-justice-in-yemen/): Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, the Internationally Recognized Government of Yemen, the Ansar Allah (Houthi) armed organization, and other fighting parties have refused to compensate civilian victims of their regular, significant international-law breaches in Yemen for nearly eight years. According to a joint report, "Returned to Zero": The Case for Reparations to Civilians in Yemen, released by Allard K. Lowenstein International Human Rights Clinic at Yale Law School, UN member states should take immediate steps to support reparative justice in Yemen.
- [Saudi Arabia’s unwavering stance on the death punishment.](https://nycfpa.org/07/26/saudi-arabias-unwavering-stance-on-the-death-punishment/): Despite the global push to abolish the death sentence, many nations have preserved it in their legal systems, and others, like as Saudi Arabia, have further expanded its use. Saudi law creates an extraordinarily broad spectrum of capital offenses, and convictions typically use hasty criminal court processes and human rights breaches, contributing to Saudi authorities' discriminatory policies towards religious and political minorities, foreign labor, and women.
- [NYCFPA statement regarding the release of US lawyer Held in UAE.](https://nycfpa.org/07/17/nycfpa-statement-regarding-the-release-of-us-lawyer-held-in-uae/): Asim Ghafoor, a US citizen who previously represented murdered Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi and his fiancée Hatice Cengiz, was detained Thursday at Dubai International Airport on his way to Turkey for a family wedding, according to the group Democracy in the Arab World Now (DAWN), of which Ghafoor is a board member.
- [“Jamal Khashoggi” Way Street Sign Honoring Saudi Journalist’s Murder Unveiled in Front of Saudi Embassy in Washington, D.C.](https://nycfpa.org/06/16/jamal-khashoggi-way-street-sign-honoring-saudi-journalists-murder-unveiled-in-front-of-saudi-embassy-in-washington-d-c/): The new street sign for "Jamal Khashoggi Way" directly in front of the Saudi Embassy in Washington, D.C. is a living memorial to the former Saudi activist, journalist, and Washington, D.C. resident Jamal Khashoggi and a call for continued action to demand accountability against his murderers.
- [NYCFPA’s statement on Biden’s visit to KSA.](https://nycfpa.org/06/15/nycfpas-statement-on-bidens-visit-to-ksa/): The White House has revealed the itinerary for US President Joe Biden's first trip to the Middle East, which will include a controversial stop in Saudi Arabia and an expected meeting with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (MBS).
- [Report: Modern day slavery in Dubai.](https://nycfpa.org/05/12/reportmodern-day-slavery-in-dubai/): In a joint effort between New York Center For Foreign Policy Affairs, The International Institute For Global Strategic Analysis and the Washington Institute For Defense and Security, we bring you this report titled Modern Day Slavery In Dubai.
- [Tunisia’s transformation under Kais Saied](https://nycfpa.org/05/03/tunisias-transformation-under-kais-saied/): Nothing about President Kais Saied's decision to dissolve Tunisia's parliament on March 30 was unexpected. Since his coup last summer, he has already changed the Supreme Judicial Council, shut down the anti-corruption commission, and utilized a variety of exceptional procedures to make mass arrests and intimidate his adversaries. He replied to the first direct challenge to his power grab, when Tunisians MPs reassembled for the first time since he suspended parliament and voted to oppose the emergency powers he had granted himself last year, by abolishing the legislature completely.
- [NYCFPA condemns Saudi detention and tourture of Salem Almuzaini.](https://nycfpa.org/04/10/nycfpa-condemns-saudi-detention-and-tourture-of-salem-almuzaini/): According to Democracy for the Arab World Now (DAWN), Saudi authorities should immediately free Salem Almuzaini and hold responsible all Saudi government officials implicated in his arbitrary incarceration and torture.
- [The United States Congress must stand with victims and strengthen the Global Magnitsky Act.](https://nycfpa.org/03/29/the-united-states-congress-must-stand-with-victims-and-strengthen-the-global-magnitsky-act/): Over the last weeks, the world has been confronted with the awful realities of war and witnessed atrocities in Ukraine. The depravity of those fueling this conflict has been shown by harrowing pictures, such as a young pregnant woman being dragged from the debris of a maternity facility in Mariupol that came under Russian bombardment.
- [Russia’s invasion of Ukraine will damage the West’s relations with Africa](https://nycfpa.org/03/24/russias-invasion-of-ukraine-will-damage-the-wests-relations-with-africa/): Many Western governments, diplomatic specialists, and watchers of Africa's foreign relations have been baffled by many African countries' apparent hesitation to condemn Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
- [Could Nuclear Energy Reduce Europe’s Reliance on Russian Energy?](https://nycfpa.org/03/24/could-nuclear-energy-reduce-europes-reliance-on-russian-energy/): In the midst of the Ukraine conflict, the EU is seeking to minimize its reliance on Russian energy. Some pundits have advocated for nuclear power development, but many experts believe the shift would take too long to make an influence in the coming years and would not definitely lessen dependency on Russia.
- [Time to sanction UAE for helping Russia circumvent West sanctions](https://nycfpa.org/03/18/time-to-sanction-uae-for-helping-russia-circumvent-west-sanctions/): The UAE, and in particular, Dubai, has a reputation for being a playground for the wealthy. And with the increased Western financial pressure on Russia, the UAE is an even more appealing prospect for wealthy Russians seeking a safe haven for their cash and undercutting efforts to persuade Russia to withdraw from its invasion of Ukraine.
- [The US must impose sanctions on Saudi Arabia if they sell oil using Chinese Yuan](https://nycfpa.org/03/16/the-us-must-impose-sanctions-on-saudi-arabia-if-they-sell-oil-using-chinese-yuan/): Saudi Arabia is exploring using the Chinese Yuan to price some of its oil deals rather than the widely used US dollar.
- [Webinar Recap: UAE, Human Rights, and Global Relations](https://nycfpa.org/03/08/webinar-recap-uae-human-rights-and-global-relations/): On Monday, June 7th the New York Center for Foreign Policy Affairs (NYCFPA) held a webinar to discuss the unique relationship between the UAE and the US governments. The panel was moderated by Principal Director, Justin Russell along with expert panelists including: Raed McCracken Jarrar and Jordan Cohen. Raed McCracken Jarrar is the Advocacy Director at DAWN. He is an Arab-American political advocate based in Washington, DC. Since he immigrated to the U.S. in 2005, he has worked as a lobbyist on political issues pertaining to the U.S. engagement in the Arab world. Jordan Cohen is a Policy Analyst at the Cato Institute and a Ph.D. Candidate in Political Science at George Mason University. His work focuses on issues related to weapons transfers, alliances, Middle East politics, and the military budget.
- [NYCFPA statement on the avoidance of nuclear war and arms races](https://nycfpa.org/03/02/nycfpa-statement-on-the-avoidance-of-nuclear-war-and-arms-races/): Russia's foreign minister Sergei Lavrov addressed the Conference on Disarmament with a pre-recorded video message in Geneva, Switzerland, March 1, 2022.
- [NYCFPA: The United States should explain how it will assist activists fleeing Ukraine](https://nycfpa.org/03/02/nycfpa-the-united-states-should-explain-how-it-will-assist-activists-fleeing-ukraine/): The United States State Department promises us that "the Biden-Harris Administration is dedicated to putting human rights and democratic ideals at the forefront of our foreign policy," and it has established new guidelines for how its employees should help human rights defenders (HRDs). 
- [Sanctions on Corrupt and Abusive Russian Officials: What Civil Society Demands](https://nycfpa.org/02/28/sanctions-on-corrupt-and-abusive-russian-officials-what-civil-society-demands/): NYCFPA has argued the United States and other states to apply targeted Global Magnitsky penalties on corrupt and abusive Russian officials as soon as possible. 
- [NYFCPA calls on Russia to be held responsible for grave abuses of human rights.](https://nycfpa.org/02/28/nyfcpa-calls-on-russia-to-be-held-responsible-for-grave-abuses-of-human-rights/): NYFCPA strongly opposes and deplores Russia's unprovoked and unlawful attack in Ukraine. 
- [Russia has just sent soldiers back into Ukraine. What comes next?](https://nycfpa.org/02/22/russia-has-just-sent-soldiers-back-into-ukraine-what-comes-next/): On Monday, Russian President Vladimir Putin deployed Russian soldiers into the two separatist areas in eastern Ukraine after recognizing their independence, confirming weeks of grave Western warnings. The post-Cold War security order in Europe is now under risk, with many questioning if those forces will stop at the contact line dividing the separatist republics from Ukrainian government-controlled territory. 
- [NYCFPA’s statement on the situation in Ukraine](https://nycfpa.org/02/21/nycfpas-statement-on-the-situation-in-ukraine/): Fears about a possible second Russian invasion of Ukraine are growing, as are concerns about the impact of such an assault on people. The invasion would very certainly trigger an extreme catastrophe on top of the already-existing post-2014 humanitarian issues. Civilians will be harmed regardless of the type of the ultimate conflict, while the location, length, and lethality of future military operations will decide how severe that damage is.
- [The United States’ foreign policy should be targeted at deterring Russia](https://nycfpa.org/02/11/the-united-states-foreign-policy-should-be-targeted-at-deterring-russia/): According to the Atlantic Council in a report titled "Global Strategy 2022: Thwarting Kremlin Aggression Today for Constructive Relations Tomorrow," the US should nullify and deter the Kremlin's revisionist foreign policy, which seeks to weaken NATO and the EU while restoring Russian hegemony in Eurasia. 
- [NYCFPA welcomes US approval of $100m support deal for Taiwan Patriot missiles](https://nycfpa.org/02/11/nycfpa-welcomes-us-approval-of-100m-support-deal-for-taiwan-patriot-missiles/): In the midst of rising tensions with China, the US has approved a $100 million support contract with Taiwan aimed at bolstering the island's missile defense systems. 
- [What the US must do to counter Russian aggression against Ukraine](https://nycfpa.org/02/10/what-the-us-must-do-to-counter-russian-aggression-against-ukraine/): America's withdrawal from Afghanistan has put vulnerable democracies all over the world in jeopardy. Allies and partners who fought alongside us now question our country's commitment to those difficult tasks. Nations that routinely weigh the challenges of establishing democracies against the apparent ease of aligning with autocrats are now questioning the strength and legitimacy of American support in that venture. Worse, opportunistic adversaries are strategizing and calculating ways to undermine American efforts and capitalize on perceived weaknesses in our commitment and resolve.
- [Mohammed bin Salman between reform and the iron fist](https://nycfpa.org/08/16/mohammed-bin-salman-between-reform-and-the-iron-fist/): Mohammed bin Salman Between Reform and the Iron Fist.
- [NYCFPA: US withdrawal from Afghanistan is a strategic “mistake”](https://nycfpa.org/08/16/nycfpa-us-withdrawal-from-afghanistan-is-a-strategic-mistake/): Taliban insurgents have taken control of most of Afghanistan's 34 provincial capitals, as the they press on with their advancement while US forces prepare to leave the war-torn country. 
- [US Withdrawal: Afghanistan is at the Mercy of the Taliban](https://nycfpa.org/08/13/us-withdrawal-afghanistan-is-at-the-mercy-of-the-taliban/): In recent months, President Biden has made clear his commitment to end America’s twodecade-long war in Afghanistan. This has raised fears, both in Afghanistan and at home. Such a move could have highly adverse effects on gains made in areas such as the fight against al-Qaeda and the Taliban, democracy, and women’s rights.
- [NYCFPA: Tunisia Must Return to Constitutional Order, Coup Unacceptable](https://nycfpa.org/07/27/nycfpa-tunisia-must-return-to-constitutional-order-coup-unacceptable/): On Sunday evening, Tunisian President Kais Saied suspended the parliament and lifted the immunity of all its members. In addition, Saeed dismissed Prime Minister Hisham Mechichi from his position. The president announced that he would take over with the help of a new prime minister. The Ennahda party, in a statement on its Facebook page, denounced what it called a "coup against the revolution."
- [NYCFPA: Pegasus Spyware Is A Crime Against Privacy And Democracy](https://nycfpa.org/07/23/nycfpa-pegasus-spyware-is-a-crime-against-privacy-and-democracy/): New York Center for Foreign Policy Affairs vigorously condemns cyberattacks on journalists, human rights activists and opposition politicians.
- [NYCFPA Launches “Foreign Policy Review” Series](https://nycfpa.org/07/19/nycfpa-launches-foreign-policy-review-series/): New York, July 19, 2021. 
- [NYCFPA Welcomes Saudi Arabia’s Release of Prominent Women’s Rights Activists.](https://nycfpa.org/07/10/nycfpa-welcomes-saudi-arabias-release-of-prominent-womens-rights-activists/): New York Center For Foreign Policy Affairs welcomes Saudi Arabia’s release of the internationally recognized women’s rights activist Samar Badawi and the prominent women’s rights activist, Nassima al-Sadah who were held in detention for nearly 3 years. Samar Badawi and Nasima Alsadah are released from detention after the expiration of their sentences against them. 
- [NYCFPA: Women’s Rights in Afghanistan in Danger After US Troops Withdrawal.](https://nycfpa.org/07/10/nycfpa-womens-rights-in-afghanistan-in-danger-after-us-troops-withdrawal/): Nearly two decades after the United States invaded Afghanistan to topple the Taliban regime, Washington decided to withdraw its forces from the war-torn country. US President Joe Biden said it was time to put an end to the longest war the United States has ever fought in its history. NATO allies and other operational partners will withdraw from Afghanistan before the twentieth anniversary of the September 11 attacks.
- [What is the Cost of Security? – A Case of El Al Profiling](https://nycfpa.org/07/01/what-is-the-cost-of-security-a-case-of-el-al-profiling/): Every passenger flying into Israel has a unique experience. Part of the shaping of these experiences is derived from the use of profiling, both racial and predictive, by their security officials. Though Israeli airline officials are infamous for this intense security process, it is not particularly uncommon in any country in a post-9/11 world. The cost of this method of security though, especially when arbitrary, is discrimination and stereotyping of passengers. It can create a dangerous environment, not only for those vulnerable passengers being targeted, but for every other passenger as well.  
- [NYCFPA REPORT: The Last Obstacle for an Iron Curtain: Independent Journalism is Under Attack in Russia and Belarus](https://nycfpa.org/06/24/nycfpa-report-the-last-obstacle-for-an-iron-curtain-independent-journalism-is-under-attack-in-russia-and-belarus/): By Katya Moore & Shelby Doren
- [Webinar Recap: Freedom of Press in Belarus and Russia](https://nycfpa.org/06/24/upcoming-webinar-freedom-of-press-in-belarus-and-russia/): On Thursday, June 24th the New York Center for Foreign Policy Affairs (NYCFPA) held a webinar regarding the “Threat to Freedom of Press in Russia and Belarus.”  The panel was moderated by Principal Director, Justin Russell along with expert panelists including: NYCFPA Senior Policy Fellow, Katya Moore, Editor of Russia Beyond, John Varoli, and Co-Founder of EAST Center, Veronica Laputska. 
- [Lithium: 21st Century Gold Rush](https://nycfpa.org/06/24/lithium-21st-century-gold-rush/): Teslas are sexy. Electrified Ford F-150s are sexy. Lithium extraction and lithium-based battery supply chains—are not sexy.  
- [Leaning on Economics Sanctions: What are the Consequences for the United States?](https://nycfpa.org/06/22/leaning-on-economics-sanctions-what-are-the-consequences-for-the-united-states/): In recent history the United States has been increasingly using economic sanctions as a vehicle for change in other countries around the world. Whether the reason for the sanctions was selfish or moral, the reasoning always included consequences for the country. But what about the United States? This article will summarize the backlash and consequences that the U.S. has encountered as a cost of their modern, reckless use of economic sanctions. Most notably, the Trump Tariffs of 2018 and 2019 on Mexico, Canada, and China. 
- [Putin-Biden Summit: Not a Kumbaya Moment, but “A Glimmer of Hope”](https://nycfpa.org/06/19/putin-biden-summit-not-a-kumbaya-moment-but-a-glimmer-of-hope/): On June 16th, President Joe Biden and President Vladimir Putin met in Geneva at a time when relations between the two countries are at the lowest level since the end of the Cold War. That’s probably why comments by both Putin and Biden left journalists, experts, and the general public feeling puzzled.  Contrary to previous rhetoric, the normally sparring leaders declared a course to rapprochement in many areas, including strategic stability, cybersecurity, cooperation in the Arctic region, and the exchange of prisoners. For instance, they discussed the situation with imprisoned American citizens Paul Whelan and Trevor Reed.  At the same time, political experts on both sides of the Atlantic are very skeptical. American analysts say that Putin can’t be trusted at all, and the Russians are expecting new sanctions as was the case after Putin’s last meeting with ex-president Trump. Certainly, neither Biden nor Putin are celebrating a honeymoon together. As Putin said, the meeting only offered a glimmer of hope. In Biden’s opinion, this was not a kumbaya moment, but it’s clearly not in anybody’s interest that we’re in a new Cold War.
- [Leaning on Economics Sanctions: Why is Russia Different?](https://nycfpa.org/06/17/leaning-on-economics-sanctions-why-is-russia-different/): The United States and Russia have been in an ongoing standoff since the end of World War II when primacy for power over vulnerable and broken countries was both countries’ goal. With one country advocating for democracy and the other advocating socialism, the two were bound to come to odds. What resulted was endless competition in many sectors, the threat of violence, and the inability to concede in the interest of each powers’ agendas. In some views, the standoff has persisted to modern day, with alleged antagonization such as digital attacks and election inference. These are some of the reasons the United States continues to place economic sanctions on Russia, the latest of which were announced by President Biden on April 15th, 2021. Within these sanctions, Biden expanded restrictions laid by the previous administration in 2018, those protectionist policies that were the platform of former President Trump. President Biden is quoted in the press briefing on these sanctions, “If Russia continues to interfere with our democracy, I am prepared to take further action to respond.” This author questions though, if the United States has already found interference within its democracy why not take action as it has in other countries, such as Myanmar? Why is Russia different? 
- [Israel-Palestinian Conflict: The Importance of Keeping Freedom of Press Balanced](https://nycfpa.org/06/16/israel-palestinian-conflict-the-importance-of-keeping-freedom-of-press-balanced/): The Israeli-Palestinian conflict continues to puzzle governments worldwide and members of the international press who support their struggle. After the May 15th destruction of a Gaza Strip office tower that was home to the Associated Press and Al-Jazeera by Israel Defense Forces (IDF), it became a challenging task for these media to keep open-mindedness and impartiality toward Israel. Meanwhile, the two sides of the conflict blame each other for using the press to their advantage. On the contrary, both sides of the conflict need to understand that independent and transparent media coverage is in the interest of both sides.
- [Course Correction: Pending Report Offers Chance to Link Climate and Immigration](https://nycfpa.org/06/14/course-correction-pending-report-offers-chance-to-link-the-climate/): “Do not come. Do not come. The United States will continue to enforce our laws and secure our border....if you come to our border, you will be turned back.”   
- [Squandered Opportunity in Venezuela’s Oil Fields](https://nycfpa.org/06/08/squandered-opportunity-in-venezuelas-oil-fields/): In many ways, Big Oil is having a bad year so far in 2021. In January, a new American administration took office and rejoined the Paris Climate Accord. In the European Union, momentum continues to build for implementation of a carbon border adjustment tax. And in just a single day in May, Big Oil lost three important battles: Chevron investors demanded emissions cuts from the company, Shell was ordered by a Dutch court to accelerate its plans to reduce emissions, and a group of activist shareholders at Exxon replaced several directors on the company’s board in an effort to quicken the company’s transition to clean energy. Despite these headwinds, every oil company is still having a better year (and a better decade) than Venezuela’s state-owned oil enterprise: Petróleos de Venezuela, S.A (PDVSA). 
- [Leaning on Economics Sanctions: Will Sanctions on Myanmar Succeed?](https://nycfpa.org/06/04/leaning-on-economics-sanctions-will-sanctions-on-myanmar-succeed/): By Isabella Gabriele
- [Leaning on Economic Sanctions: Do They Hurt More Than They Help?](https://nycfpa.org/05/28/leaning-economic-sanctions-do-they-hurt-more-than-they-help/): Economic sanctions have historically been used as an emergency action, or a policy of last resort. They were used in war time to stop invading forces from overtaking economies as well as governments, to promote racial justice around the world, and expose humanitarian crises. When an issue couldn’t be resolved through diplomacy, an action to be taken could be economic sanctions. But has the United States’ constant use of economic sanctions in recent years hurt their credibility and legitimacy? Are they really solving the intended problem? This article will expose the rationale for such sanction, examine the effects of the United States’ recent sanctions on Iran, and uncover who and what is truly affected. 
- [Waiving Pipeline Sanctions, Biden Seeks to Parlay Political Capital with Germany](https://nycfpa.org/05/28/waiving-pipeline-sanctions-biden-seeks-to-parlay-political-capital-with-germany/): Bipartisanship is alive and well, at least when it comes to Russian pipelines. Last week Republicans and Democrats in Congress found common cause in criticizing the Biden administration’s decision to waive sanctions related to Nord Stream 2, a Russian pipeline that will export natural gas to Germany. When announcing the decision, Secretary of State Antony Blinken reiterated the longstanding American opposition to the pipeline as a project which will strengthen Russian geopolitical power in Europe. Nevertheless, waiving sanctions will serve the national interest of the United States according to Secretary Blinken.  
- [When Boxers Wrestle: A Critique on Counter Insurgency During the Global War on Terror.](https://nycfpa.org/05/14/when-boxers-wrestle-a-critique-on-counter-insurgency-during-the-global-war-on-terror/): Abstract
- [Bahrain’s Social Media Problem: The Government’s Online to Real Life Attack on Human Rights](https://nycfpa.org/05/13/bahrains-social-media-problem-the-governments-online-to-real-life-attack-on-human-rights/): Even at the risk of life and citizenship, the same demands for human rights and government reform are today called on by the Bahraini activists. Bahrain was one of the first Arab states to see widespread protests as part of the Arab Spring. The movement involved mass protests against corruption, lack of human rights such as freedom of speech, assembly, repression against Shi'a, and fundamental women's rights issues. The Shi'a majority protest movement sought a democratically elected government, a threat to the Sunni Monarchs grip on power. The Bahrain government responded through mass arrest, torture, and the killing of protesters with the assistance of Saudi intervention. Many prominent protesters and democracy activists are still imprisoned, on death row, and have had their nationality stripped. Instead of reform, the Bahrain authorities have doubled down on preventing a second popular protest movement. Women's rights and progress on human rights have regressed since the 2011 Arab Spring protest; the movement's legacy is still felt today from the streets to online activism.  
- [OP ED – For Whom the Bell Tolls: Why the Situation in Russia with Navalny is so Urgent](https://nycfpa.org/04/20/op-ed-for-whom-the-bell-tolls-why-the-situation-in-russia-with-navalny-is-so-urgent/): UPDATE: FBK recently called on Russian people to protest against lawlessness of authority on Apr 21st. “There are circumstances in which you need to act quickly, otherwise the irreparable will happen… We decided not to wait for the gathering of 500,000 people on our website… Wednesday, April 21, 19:00, the central squares of Russian cities,” they wrote on their Facebook page. According to media reports last night there were massive protests on the Russian streets again, and more than a thousand people are already detained. Time will tell what happens with the detainees and protestors. However, there are many suspicions that the Russian police will act more brutal than previously, and the Belarus scenario will be repeated in Russia.
- [STATEMENT ON NYCFPA VS. U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE LAWSUIT AND U.S. GOVERNMENT APPROVAL OF SALE OF ARMS TO UAE](https://nycfpa.org/04/14/statement-on-nycfpa-vs-u-s-department-of-state-lawsuit-and-u-s-government-approval-of-sale-of-arms-to-uae/): A statement from New York Center for Foreign Policy Affairs (NYCFPA) Principal Director Justin Thomas Russell:
- [Webinar – Unrest in Burma: Can Two Coups Make a Right?](https://nycfpa.org/04/02/webinar-unrest-in-burma-can-two-coups-make-a-right/): Burma (Myanmar) is in a state of violent uncertainty as protesters and the junta compete for Burma’s future that will either be a nod to the past’s brutal military dictatorship or a new and reformed democracy spearheaded by the new generation of Burmese youth. 
- [Webinar Recap – Ideological Dilemma: How to Keep Russia and China Accountable](https://nycfpa.org/04/01/webinar-recap-ideological-dilemma-how-to-keep-russia-and-china-accountable/): On Thursday, April 1st at 1:45pm the New York Center for Foreign Policy Affairs (NYCFPA) held a webinar via Zoom on US foreign policy entitled, “Ideological Dilemma: How to Keep Russia and China Accountable.”  The panel was moderated by Principal Director, Justin Russell.  Expert panelists included: Dakota Wood, Senior Research Fellow for Defense Programs at the Heritage Foundation, Yun Sun, Senior Fellow and Co-Director of the East Asia Program and Director of the China Program at the Stimson Center, and Professor Michael Kimmage, Author and Professor of History at the Catholic University of America. 
- [A Leader Against Her Will: Can Navalny’s Wife Be the Face of the Russian Resistance?](https://nycfpa.org/04/01/a-leader-against-her-will-can-navalnys-wife-be-the-face-of-the-russian-resistance/): Russian opposition leader, Alexei Navalny, is suffering from bad health in a prison camp. On March 31st, he launched a hunger strike due to the absence of urgent medical care. His wife, Yulia Navalnaya, again appealed to Russia’s President Putin in an attempt to save her husband's life. 
- [Webinar Recap: US-Arctic Foreign Policy](https://nycfpa.org/03/26/webinar-recap-us-arctic-foreign-policy/): On Thursday, March 25th at 1pm the New York Center for Foreign Policy Affairs (NYCFPA) held a webinar via Zoom on US foreign policy regarding the Arctic region.  The panel was moderated by Principal Director, Justin Russell.  Expert panelists consisted of Agne Cepinskyte formerly of the Stiftung Wissenschaft und Politik (SWP) in Berlin, Michael Paul currently of Stiftung Wissenschaft und Politik (SWP) in Berlin, and Nick Solheim, Founder of the Wallace Institute for Arctic Security. 
- [Russia Will Face a Hard Battle on Climate Change Issue](https://nycfpa.org/03/22/russia-will-face-a-hard-battle-on-climate-change-issue/): For many years the European market was a stumbling block for Russia and the United States (US). From the US standpoint, dependency on Russian natural resources makes the European Union (EU) vulnerable, and now with the world's increasing environmental requirements, this point has become a lot stronger. The EU needs to make a difficult choice between keeping on track its ambitious environmental policy and turning a blind eye on Russia's low climate responsibility. 
- [The Political Crisis in Burma – an Interview with Olivia Enos from Heritage Foundation](https://nycfpa.org/03/22/the-political-crisis-in-burma-an-interview-with-olivia-enos-from-heritage-foundation/): On February 1st, 2021, Burma’s military leaders seized power from the civilian-led government in a coup, plunging the Southeast Asian nation into a political crisis only a decade after the end of almost 50 years of strict and brutal military rule.
- [NYCFPA to Hold Webinar on US-Arctic Foreign Policy](https://nycfpa.org/03/19/nycfpa-to-hold-webinar-on-us-arctic-foreign-policy/): The Biden Administration has set many ambitious goals. However, foreign policy experts emphasize that Biden’s program and statements have not included enough Arctic topics, and that there is no clarity as to when, or if, this new administration will pay sufficient attention to it.
- [The Importance of Being Benin…The Political and Security Ramifications of the Upcoming Elections](https://nycfpa.org/03/15/the-importance-of-being-benin-the-political-and-security-ramifications-of-the-upcoming-elections/): As political tension grows in the West African nation of Benin, so does the pressure on current President, Patrice Talon.  After contradicting a promise to serve only one term as President; disqualifying almost every opposition candidate running in the upcoming election; arresting opposition political leaders in broad daylight; President Talon has shifted from democratic leader to autocrat in very short order.  With the validity of the April 11th elections now in question and the democratic future of this once shining city on a hill in doubt, the broader ramifications of the political instability in Benin could have adverse regional, continental, and even global effects.
- [Can a Successful Counter-Coup in Burma End the Rohingya Crisis](https://nycfpa.org/03/11/can-a-successful-counter-coup-in-burma-end-the-rohingya-crisis/): Burma (Myanmar) is in a state of violent uncertainty as protesters and the junta compete for Burma's future that will either be a nod to the past’s brutal military dictatorship or a new and reformed democracy spearheaded by the new generation of Burmese youth. Over 61 protesters are estimated to have been killed since the February 1st coup d'etat, which ousted the internationally disgraced but democratically-elected state counsellor, Aung San Suu Kyi. Protests have shown little sign of letting up as three more demonstrators are reported to have been killed on International Women’s Day in the wake of nighttime raids on alleged protest movement leaders. Six more demonstrators were reported killed as of Thursday, March 11th.  Protesters have been repeatedly gunned down in street demonstrations and military raids across the country. As reported by Amnesty International, videos across social media have emerged showing security forces beating protesters in detention, shooting at bystanders in their balconies for filming, and firing upon protesters in demonstrations in what amounts to extrajudicial killings. Many of the gunshot wounds have been recorded on the head, showing an intent to kill by security forces. The deaths of the U Khin Maung Latt and Zaw Myat Linn of the National League for Democracy died after alleged torture following police and military raids on their homes. These are the latest pro-democracy political figures to be killed while in detention. Former police officers who escaped from Burma into India have claimed in a BBC interview that the junta is ordering the killing of protesters and opposition leaders. The junta has threatened future relations with India if the officers are not deported. If deported, the safety of the officers would be in serious question given the killing of high-profile politicians while in custody. 
- [Navalny’s Case: Two Russias Without Love](https://nycfpa.org/03/05/navalnys-case-two-russias-without-love/): The poisoning and later detention of Russian opposition leader Alexey Navalny led to massive protests in his support, and could possibly lead to a political crisis in Russia and society's disintegration. To be more specific, we are witnessing a conflict between two Russias – one with Putin at the head, and the other with Navalny as the leader. These two groups can’t find common ground, or try to listen to each other, and see a mutually preferable future for their Homeland. 
- [NYCFPA STATEMENT ON THE ARREST OF BENIN’S OPPOSITION CANDIDATES](https://nycfpa.org/03/05/nycfpa-statement-on-the-arrest-of-benins-opposition-candidates/): FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 
- [NYCFPA STATEMENT ON THE APPROVED KILLING OF JAMAL KHASHOGGI](https://nycfpa.org/02/27/nycfpa-statement-on-the-approved-killing-of-jamal-khashoggi/): The New York Center for Foreign Policy Affairs (NYCFPA) is deeply troubled by the U.S. Government's declassified report implicating the Saudi government, the Saudi Crown Prince, and their alarming role in the horrendous murder of Jamal Khashoggi. The Office of the Director of National Intelligence's (ODNI) findings proves to be alarming of the character of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and Saudi government officials as well as demonstrates the apparent lack of remorse for their actions.  
- [NYCFPA STATEMENT ON U.S. MILITARY ACTION IN EASTERN SYRIA](https://nycfpa.org/02/27/nycfpa-statement-on-u-s-military-action-in-eastern-syria/): The New York Center for Foreign Policy Affairs (NYCFPA) is concerned by the news of U.S. military  forces conducting airstrikes in Eastern Syria on Iranian-backed militant infrastructure.  
- [NYCFPA HOLDS WEBINAR DISCUSSION ON US-AFRICA: EMERGING THREAT OF ISIL](https://nycfpa.org/02/25/nycfpa-holds-webinar-discussion-on-us-africa-emerging-threat-of-isil/): On Thursday, February 25th at 1pm EDT, the New York Center for Foreign Affairs held a webinar featuring expert speakers on US-Africa relations and the emerging threat of ISIL.
- [NYCFPA STATEMENT ON THE ONGOING DETENTION OF PRINCESS LATIFA OF DUBAI](https://nycfpa.org/02/22/nycfpa-statement-on-the-ongoing-detention-of-princess-latifa-of-dubai/): WASHINGTON, DC – The New York Center for Foreign Policy Affairs (NYCFPA)  continues to monitor the disturbing and developing information surrounding the kidnapping  and detention of Sheikha Latifa bint Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum. Our leadership grows  increasingly concerned by these events. It is quite clear that Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al  Maktoum, the ruler of Dubai, is illegally and immorally holding his own daughter Princess Latifa  against her will in conditions that can only be classified as unjust. 
- [Ideological dilemma: How to Keep China and Russia Accountable but Avoid Severe Retaliation](https://nycfpa.org/02/22/ideological-dilemma-how-to-keep-china-and-russia-accountable-but-avoid-severe-retaliation/): The new President Biden's administration's foreign policy is set to work. Judging by a few confirmation hearings at Congress, public statements, and several anonymous comments, Biden's top officials see the main threats for US national interests from China and Russia. Despite many concerns from the Republican side that the new administration will pay less attention to China, Biden's government signals that there will be no indulgence neither for Moscow nor Beijing. Both countries will be "held accountable." In this light, the ideological confrontation between East and West called Cold War 2.0 goes to the next higher level.
- [NYCFPA STATEMENT THE VIOLATIONS OF BASIC DEMOCRATIC RIGHTS AND POLITICAL UNREST IN BENIN](https://nycfpa.org/02/20/nycfpa-statement-the-violations-of-basic-democratic-rights-and-political-urest-in-benin/): WASHINGTON, DC – The New York Center for Foreign Policy Affairs (NYCFPA) is deeply troubled about the recent decision of the National Electoral Commission of Benin (CENA) to exclude all opposition candidates from the upcoming presidential election in Benin. It is concerning that the country's ongoing removal of basic democratic rights will lead to another electoral crisis and civil unrest in the country, thus undermining the region's stability and security.
- [CURRENT STATE OF AFFAIRS IN BENIN: THE BACKSLIDING OF DEMOCRACY AND THE DECONSTRUCTION OF DEMOCRATIC INSTITUTIONS](https://nycfpa.org/02/19/current-state-of-affairs-in-benin-the-backsliding-of-democracy-and-the-deconstruction-of-democratic-institutions/): CURRENT STATE OF AFFAIRS IN BENIN
- [WEBINAR // US – Africa: The Emerging Threat of ISIL](https://nycfpa.org/02/18/webinar-us-africa-the-emerging-threat-of-isil/): Join us next Thursday, February 25th for this expert line-up covering the many facets of the emerging threat of #ISIL in #Africa!
- [MESSAGE TRAFFIC: A Conversation with Gregory D. Johnsen](https://nycfpa.org/02/10/message-traffic-a-conversation-with-gregory-d-johnsen/): Presented by The New York Center for Foreign Policy Affairs, MESSAGE TRAFFIC is produced in Washington, DC and features government / foreign policy thought leaders discussing the pressing issues facing international affairs. MESSAGE TRAFFIC is moderated by Principal Director Justin Russell.
- [Webinar: U.S. & Africa – The Emerging Threat of ISIL](https://nycfpa.org/02/08/webinar-u-s-africa-the-emerging-threat-of-isil/): The Global War on Terrorism has been under a geographic transition that is culminating in a revamped African crisis in the Sahel and East. Emboldened Jihadist groups are increasingly borrowing the fighting tactics, training, and illicit financing of their Middle Eastern and Somalia based counterparts. The Islamic State has moved from the Syrian Civil war to Mozambique and the frontiers of Nigeria. Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM), Boko Haram, and Islamic State Central Africa (IS-CAP) are increasingly violent and threatening the expansion of their fights across the continent. The organizations are likewise playing on ethnic divides while incorporating long time rebel groups to take on Jihad for the Islamic State. The destabilization is a threat to international security and sets back critical human rights. 
- [NYCFPA STATEMENT ON PRESIDENT BIDEN ENDING US SUPPORT FOR SAUDI ARABIA LED OFFENSIVE OPERATIONS IN YEMEN](https://nycfpa.org/02/04/nycfpa-statement-on-president-biden-ending-us-support-for-saudi-arabia-led-offensive-operations-in-yemen/): FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE POC – Justin Thomas Russell, Principal Director (202) 696-4740 justin.russell@nycfpa.org 
- [For Immediate Release: NYCFPA Statement on the Detainment of Myanmar Civilian Officials](https://nycfpa.org/02/01/for-immediate-release-nycfpa-statement-on-the-detainment-of-myanmar-civilian-officials/): Tel. 571.232.6804 
- [The Sahel to Mozambique: The Emerging Threat of ISIL in Africa](https://nycfpa.org/01/25/new-africa/): The Global War on Terrorism has been under a geographic transition that is culminating in a revamped African crisis in the Sahel and East. Emboldened Jihadist groups are increasingly borrowing the fighting tactics, training, and illicit financing of their Middle Eastern and Somalia based counterparts. The Islamic State has moved from the Syrian Civil war to Mozambique and the frontiers of Nigeria. Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM), Boko Haram, and Islamic State Central Africa (IS-CAP) are increasingly violent and threatening the expansion of their fights across the continent. The organizations are likewise playing on ethnic divides while incorporating long time rebel groups to take on Jihad for the Islamic State. The destabilization is a threat to international security and sets back critical human rights. With Nigeria in particular, media coverage has manufactured false narratives that have emboldened jihadist groups like Boko Haram. The BBC reported an increase since 2014 of female suicide bombers and kidnappings of both boys and girls after gaining international news coverage of gender-based violence for the kidnapping of the 276 schoolgirls in Chibok, Nigeria. The short-lived hashtag “Bring back our girls” has thus, increased gender violence because such attacks are known to gain global attention, legitimizing the groups amongst other Jihadist networks. 
- [NYCFPA STATEMENT ON THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION APPROVING THE UAE ARMS DEALS](https://nycfpa.org/01/21/nycfpa-statement-on-the-trump-administration-approving-the-uae-arms-deals/): WASHINGTON, DC - The New York Center for Foreign Policy Affairs (NYCFPA) is troubled by various reports that, before the inauguration of President Joseph R. Biden Jr., the outgoing Trump administration had signed off on a massive arms deal with the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Our organization, as well as many noteworthy individuals, have expressed grave concern with the severe repercussions that will unfold if such a significant deal is granted. 
- [From the Last to the First Frontier: Why the US Needs to Include the Arctic in its First Priorities](https://nycfpa.org/01/19/from-the-last-to-the-first-frontier-why-the-us-needs-to-include-the-arctic-in-its-first-priorities/): Tomorrow, a new Biden administration will move into the White House. The new government has set many ambitious goals. However, foreign policy experts emphasize that Biden’s program and statements did not include enough Arctic topics, and that there is no clarity as to when, or if, this new administration will pay sufficient attention to it. Moreover, there are concerns from many international experts, including National Interest observer Nick Solheim, that the following US Arctic policy is “left to gather dust in the corner," which will play in favor of America’s current Arctic adversaries – Russia and China. To further highlight the gravity of the issue, Finland president Sauli Niinisto recently pointed out, the Arctic “is a matter of global significance. If we lose the Arctic, we lose the World.”
- [NYCFPA Files Complaint in US District Court Against US Department of State to Block Sale of F-35 Aircraft to the United Arab Emirates](https://nycfpa.org/12/30/nycfpa-files-complaint-in-us-district-court-against-us-department-of-state-to-block-sale-of-f-35-aircraft-to-the-united-arab-emirates/): FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE December 30, 2020
- [Is Benin Turning Rogue?](https://nycfpa.org/12/22/is-benin-turning-rogue/): In light of what is transpiring in Republic of Benin since 2016, under Patrice Talon Administrations it’s easy to conclude that the country once dubbed as the cradle of the democracy in Africa having now, settled in an autocratic state of affairs is lately taking a rogue approach vis-à-vis international treaties and international judicial proceedings. brandishing national sovereignty. The country’s authorities have deliberately and consistently refused to comply with judicial decisions from Africa’s  supranational courts such as the African Court of Justice and Human Rights (ACJHR),  and the Court of Justice of West African Economic and Monetary Union. 
- [Biden vs. Putin: How to Strong Deal with Russia “as it is”](https://nycfpa.org/12/15/biden-vs-putin-how-to-strong-deal-with-russia-as-it-is/): President-elect Biden has to devise a tricky equilibrium: How to work with Russia, keep bilateral relations at a neutral level, reach a new non-proliferation agreement and, at the same time, push back on Russia, making it accountable for its actions via new sets of "sanctions from hell." The task is more complicated for the President-elect’s administration due to the mutual distrust between Biden and Putin. Both sides show an apparent unwillingness to work together. The only way here is "to deal with Russia as it is" and not expect a miracle – the relations will be "overcharged" for an extended period.
- [Message Traffic: U.S.-Canadian Relations In A Post Trump World](https://nycfpa.org/12/14/message-traffic-an-interview/): In our inaugural outing for MESSAGE TRAFFIC, the NYCFPA's new podcast, we interview Ben Rowswell, President and Research Director of The Canadian International Council in Toronto. The discussion focuses on how badly the Trump Administration hurt the relationship with our neighbors to the north. Is the relationship broken beyond repair? How optimistic are Canadians on the incoming Biden Administration?  The discussion also addresses why Americans should be concerned about the important relationship we have with Canada.
- [Planes, Tanks, and Blown-up Automobiles](https://nycfpa.org/11/19/planes-tanks-and-blown-up-automobiles/): The catalyst for the future arms race in the Middle East will be in part driven by the sale of sophisticated US-manufactured weapons and equipment into the Middle East. The election of Joe Biden as the President-elect of the United States is an opportunity to push back on the Israel-Arab peace for arms agreements, causing two significant issues for the United States and the region now and into the future. The arms deals will further endanger civilians and US military personnel in the region through the use of more lethal military tech and the theft of technology in proxy wars in Yemen and Libya. The second is a three-party arms race for tactical and regional superiority between Israel, the Gulf Coalition, and Iran. While the Trump peace agreements are critical for regional stability between Israel, its neighbors, and in acknowledging Israel’s place as a regional power, the sale of arms to the UAE will cause an escalation of violence in the fractured and contested states; proxy wars between the Gulf and Iran. Israel will likewise seek out more advanced arms and tech to preserve its edge over the Gulf. Saudi Arabia, a close UAE ally, will seek to match the arms capabilities of the UAE. The shift of power from increased military sales will cause Iran to push for new trade deals with Russia and China to stay relevant. The planned agreement between Iran and China for trade, military, and intelligence sharing is proof of that direction. This will give the CCP a meaningful step into the Middle East, just as Russia has gained a foothold through the Syrian Civil war (and other proxy wars, i.e., Libya) and through an arms agreement with Turkey.
- [Venezuela: Elections Amid COVID-19](https://nycfpa.org/11/17/venezuela-elections-amid-covid-19/): Venezuela is plagued by political, economic, and humanitarian crises while engulfed in the most formidable election campaign it has seen in recent history. Venezuelans will select 167 members of the National Assembly, the legislative body, on December 6. While polls suggest that the opposition party, the Democratic Unity (MUD), is leading by 20 to 30 points, the playing field is primarily seen as rigged. The Venezuelan political system places most power within the Presidency. Still, a MUD majority would give the opposition the capacity to contribute to policy changes in the economy, public services, and government spending. With Venezuelan Parliament elections approaching in December, it is vital to explore the current state of affairs, the opposition party, and future implications to the December Parliamentary elections.  
- [Biden and Foreign Policy: Three Priorities](https://nycfpa.org/11/16/biden-and-foreign-policy-three-priorities/): The Trump administration has done more to shift United States foreign policy from established norms than any previous administration. Through sweeping executive orders, the Trump administration has alienated allies and aligned with autocrats that the United States normally views as adversaries. In a return to a policy approach akin to isolationism, the United States has dropped out of the Paris Climate Accords, questioned the necessity of funding and participation in NATO, and dismantled the Iranian Nuclear Deal. The past few years have resulted in the United States and China engaged in a tariff war and accusations of intellectual property theft. The incoming Biden administration should focus on three key areas of foreign policy in the first 100 days. They include rejoining strategic alliances, salvaging the Iran Nuclear Deal and a renegotiation of trade deals with China. These will serve to repair relationships with our allies and maintain relevance and strength in the global arena.
- [NYCFPA STATEMENT ON THE STATE DEPARTMENT CLEARING UAE WEAPON SALES](https://nycfpa.org/11/13/nycfpa-statement-on-the-state-department-clearing-uae-weapon-sales/): The New York Center for Foreign Policy Affairs (NYCFPA) is troubled by the State Department approving a potential $23 billion in military arms transactions to the United Arab Emirates. We are also concerned by the State Department's support of a deal worth $10.4 billion for 50 F-35's, but a sale worth $10 billion for air-to-air and air-to-ground munitions. And lastly, a sale of 18 MQ-9B unmanned aerial systems (UAS) worth a potential $3 billion. 
- [The U.S. 2020 Election: Questions Unanswered](https://nycfpa.org/11/10/the-u-s-2020-election-questions-unanswered/): The U.S. election in 2016 was marred by accusations of foreign intervention by countries such as Russia and Iran. While foreign intervention continues to be  a concern in the 2020 election, this time the questions of voter suppression and fraud are coming from elected officials at home. Both Democrats and Republicans have expressed concern about attempts to suppress the vote as well as concerns about voter fraud.
- [NYCFPA Statement on Recent ISIL Attacks in Mozambique](https://nycfpa.org/11/10/nycfpa-statement-on-recent-isil-attacks-in-mozambique/): The New York Center for Foreign Policy Affairs calls for the United States and its partners’ immediate support and assistance to combat the growing Islamic State threat in Northern Mozambique. Islamist militants tied with the ISIL have beheaded more than 50 people in a single attack during a football match in the province of Cabo Delgado in early November. A similar mass beheading occurred in April in another village of the same province.
- [NYCFPA Congratulates President-Elect Joseph R. Biden](https://nycfpa.org/11/07/nycfpa-congratulates-president-elect-joseph-r-biden/): November 7, 2020
- [New START Or New Agreement? The Future Of Arms Control Depends On The U.S. Election Outcome](https://nycfpa.org/11/05/new-start-or-new-agreement/): The last nuclear limitation treaty, “anchor of strategic stability" New START, is ready to expire in February 2021. If so, it will be the first time since the 1960's that neither Russia nor the U.S. has any limitations on their nuclear arsenal. Depending on the election outcome, there is a chance that START would be extended for one more year. Otherwise, until a completely new agreement would be reached, the world will have to be far more cautious experts say. This era of instability can last for many years or even decades.
- [Taiwan to Mainland China: Treasure Island or Pressure Island?](https://nycfpa.org/11/05/taiwan-to-mainland-china-treasure-island-or-pressure-island/): On October 11th, the Chinese central government announced through the CCTV Network News that the Ministry of State Security of the PRC uncovered a series of intelligence hacks committed by Taiwanese spies. The report claimed the arrest shattered a network built by the Taiwanese intelligence agency to target the mainland. All the identities of the Taiwanese spies were later revealed via a CCTV spotlight interview.  The story dominated all the main media platforms in China, and the strong tone adopted by them and the government was unprecedented.  Is the mainland signaling its intent to pursue a new approach toward Taiwan? Is Taiwan, the “Treasure Island” becoming more of a “Pressure Island” by resorting to or conspiring with others to create domestic trouble, thereby potentially opening the door to foreign “invasions” or declaring sovereignty? 
- [Virtual Conflict and Beyond: A Review on the US-China Cyber Conflicts](https://nycfpa.org/11/04/virtual-conflict-and-beyond-a-review-on-the-us-china-cyber-conflicts/): The development of technology benefits globalization. Access to information has become increasingly convenient, and it accelerates the knowledge and understanding of different cultures. The growth of the cyber world has brought a tighter connection in the physical world. While the world is enjoying the benefits of the cyber industry, one problem is concerning: is it safe? 
- [NYCFPA Statement on the White House’s Proposal to Sell F-35 Aircrafts to UAE](https://nycfpa.org/11/03/nycfpa-statement-on-the-white-houses-proposal-to-sell-f-35-aircrafts-to-uae/): The New York Center for Foreign Policy Affairs (NYCFPA) is troubled by the White House's informal notification to Congress about plans to sell fifty advanced F-35 stealth fighter jets to the United Arab Emirates for 10 billion dollars.
- [Technology in Africa](https://nycfpa.org/11/02/technology-in-africa/): Across Africa, technology is slowly catching up with the rest of the world. This is thanks to the innovative approaches of tech startups and investments. Along with a growing population of around 1.2 billion people, the concentration of growth will primarily happen in cities pushing the continent toward urbanization. In recent years, technological innovation has grown to contribute to the developmental progress in various countries. These include Rwanda, where a factory produced the first made-in-Africa cellphone, South Africa, where the country’s innovation in drones is peaking, and Nigeria where the country is leading in internet affordability. These are indicators of the efforts of innovative processes. However, challenges such as a lack of supportive government policies, a lack of adequate infrastructures, and a lack of electricity in most places, slow technological innovation and development. Additional roadblocks, such as a reticent investment from the U.S. in the technology development in Africa, shifts the balance of regional involvement which China is taking advantage of.
- [Russia and the Arctic](https://nycfpa.org/11/02/russia-and-the-arctic/): Recently, the Russian armed forces have conducted the biggest war games since the Soviet era off the coast of Alaska. These strategic and tactical simulations conducted by the Ministry of Defense included the participation of 30 countries with more than 50 warships and 40 aircraft. Since 2015, when these exercises began, both the United States and NATO have been invited to participate in these joint operations with Russian forces.  Since 2015, the two western powers have declined the offers as NATO relations with Russia have soured since the invasion of Ukraine in 2014. Russia’s Navy chief, Adm. Nikolai Yevmenov, asserted the importance of drills in the Arctic region to reflect the nation’s strategy to protect its resources and boost its presence in the region. These exercises come at a time when Russian-West relations have sunk to their lowest point and the U.S. has begun to revamp its vision for the Arctic. 
- [NYCFPA Launches Investigative Report on UAE Money Laundering](https://nycfpa.org/10/27/nycfpa-launches-investigative-report-on-uae-money-laundering/): The New York Center for Foreign Policy Affairs (NYCFPA) has issued an investigative report on recently leaked documents from the U.S. Treasury Department's Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) indicating the participation of the Central Bank of the United Arab Emirates in the money laundering activities that allowed Iran’s Central Bank to evade sanctions. 
- [NYCFPA Inaugural Board Meeting](https://nycfpa.org/10/14/nycfpa-inaugural-board-meeting/): The New York Center for Foreign Policy Affairs gives notice of the inaugural general meeting of the Board of Directors which will take place on Thursday 15 OCTOBER 2020 at 6:00 p.m. 
- [Webinar Recap: US – Russia Relations: The Cold War 2.0?](https://nycfpa.org/10/13/webinar-recap-us-russia-relations-the-cold-war-2-0/): Washington, D.C. – On Tuesday, October 13th, 2020, the New York Center for Foreign Policy Affairs held a webinar discussion on US-Russia Relations: The Cold War 2.0. The expert roundtable discussion consisted of participants Dakota Wood, Senior Research Fellow for Defense Programs at the Heritage Foundation; Editor, Index for U.S. Military Strength and Suzanne Massie, Former Advisor to President Ronald Reagan; Expert, Author, Scholar on US-Russia relations.  
- [America’s Blind Eye: UAE’s Sanctions Violations Set Dangerous Precedent](https://nycfpa.org/10/13/americas-blind-eye-uaes-sanctions-violations-set-dangerous-precedent/): Recently leaked documents from the US Treasury Department's Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) indicated the participation of the Central Bank of the United Arab Emirates in the money laundering activities that allowed Iran’s Central Bank to evade sanctions. An investigative report by the New York Center for Foreign Policy Affairs shows that there is increasing evidence, accumulating over decades, of continuous practices that defy US sanctions against Iran. Despite some US government and lawmakers’ efforts, these practices still exist and set a perilous precedent that poses a threat to American national security and economic interests, experts say. 
- [Cold War 2.0: A New Era of Confrontation](https://nycfpa.org/10/12/cold-war-2-0-a-new-era-of-confrontation/): By Katya Moore & Sydney Cox
- [Pressure on Hong Kong: A Retraction of Power](https://nycfpa.org/09/24/pressure-on-hong-kong-a-retraction-of-power/): Hong Kong is a special region for its history, its impact on global commerce, and trade, as well as being a key financial center in Asia. July 1, 1997 has become an unforgettable day in Chinese history. At midnight on this day, former Chinese Communist Party General Secretary Jiang Zemin announced the establishment of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China. On this date, China officially took over the sovereignty of this land after 156 years of British colonial rule. According to People’s Daily, the official state newspaper of the Chinese central government, “the crowd was boiling with excitement, many of them glistened with tears of joy. The prolonged applause was exciting and enthusiastic.” 
- [From Crimea to Syria: Putin’s Trans-Cyber Railroad to the Middle East](https://nycfpa.org/09/23/from-crimea-to-syria-putins-trans-cyber-railroad-to-the-middle-east/): The Russian bear has returned to the Middle East using its historical relationship with the Assad family as a springboard to manufacture more significant ties with the broader region. The Syrian Civil War became a cheap win for both the economy and Russia's military despite the United States' opposition to the Assad regime. Moscow has been able to use the war to build up its relationship with Iran and the US regional ally, Israel while making inroads with the Gulf States and North Africa. The goal and limits of Russia are to counterbalance, not displace the United States from the region. President Putin's plan for accomplishing this is by becoming an alternative to the United States' diplomatic, military, and economic weight that has dominated the region since the USSR's collapse and the 2003 Iraq War. The bold emergence of Russia in the region comes at a time of great transition as the region turns to a period of reconstruction and the reduction of US forces' footprint in the Middle East, as announced by Trump. Russia's effectiveness in both the Middle East and globally in competition against the United States has been largely overlooked. The Annexation of Crimea, the savior of Assad, targeted political assassinations, and the use of cyber warfare (Hybrid) to shape elections across Europe and the Americas has been left unopposed as the West wakes up to the reality, Russia is back online. The Middle East has historically been the symbolic battleground between the US and Russia's spheres of geopolitical influence. What emboldened Putin to take action in Syria and push to establish more significant ties is first seen in how Russia was able to annex Crimea and the response by NATO and the United States.  
- [(Postponed) Webinar: US-Russia Relations: The Cold War 2.0?](https://nycfpa.org/09/22/upcoming-webinar-us-russia-relations-the-cold-war-2-0/): Update: Due to unforeseen circumstances, this webinar will be postponed to NEXT Tuesday, October 13th at 12pm. We apologize for the inconvenience.
- [The Effect of Ginsburg’s Death on the Presidential Election](https://nycfpa.org/09/22/the-effect-of-ginsburgs-death-on-the-presidential-election/): Remembering Ruth Bader Ginsburg
- [NYCFPA Statement on the Passing of Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg](https://nycfpa.org/09/19/nycfpa-statement-on-the-passing-of-supreme-court-justice-ruth-bader-ginsburg/): Alyssa Bonk                                                                FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
- [A Problem Re-Ignited in a Chaotic Era: Tension at China-India Border](https://nycfpa.org/09/18/a-problem-re-ignited-in-a-chaotic-era-tension-at-china-india-border/): 2020 has been a rough year, COVID-19 being a major contributor. The outburst of the pandemic restricted most human activities and thus caused a global stagnation of the development. The global economy suffers much and it is highly likely that the world will experience another depression. In such a period with limited physical mobility and financial freedom, an ideal political status is that countries cooperate to overcome the disaster. However, the reality is just the opposite. Many frozen or temporarily eased political issues have become problematic again, the China-India conflict being one of them.  
- [Despite Women-led Resistance, There is a Long Road to Gender Equality](https://nycfpa.org/09/17/despite-women-led-resistance-there-is-a-long-road-to-gender-equality/): A month following the Belarusian election, thousands are still taking to the streets of Minsk to voice opposition to what they are calling a rigged election.  Among the most vocal have been women.  Svetlana Tikhanovskaya, the main opponent of President Alexandr Lukashenko, has become the face of the Belarusian resistance. After taking the place of her husband, who had been arrested as an opposing candidate to Lukashenko, Svetlana became a popular candidate.  Now, women are actively taking to the streets rioting against police violence and a rigged election in an unprecedented number. Simultaneously, the women-led opposition does not mean that women will have a direct road to equal rights.  Rather, a clear path to gender equality is still uncertain, and Lukashenko's regime has left many obstacles.
- [NYCFPA Statement on Israel-Bahrain Peace Deal](https://nycfpa.org/09/16/press-release-statement-on-israel-bahrain-peace-deal/): Email: alyssa.bonk@nycfpa.org
- [Webinar Recap: The U.S. Elections 2020](https://nycfpa.org/09/04/webinar-recap-the-u-s-elections-2020/): On Friday, September 4th, 2020, the New York Center for Foreign Policy Affairs held a webinar discussion on the upcoming U.S. elections. The expert panel consisted of participants Dan Lipner (Political Analyst), Jonathan Allen, Senior Political Analyst for NBCNews.com, and Editor-at-Large for The Hill, Steve Clemons. 
- [NYCFPA Statement on the Arrest of Paul Rusesabagina](https://nycfpa.org/09/03/nycfpa-statement-on-the-arrest-of-paul-rusesabagina/): Contact: Alyssa Bonk                                                    FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
- [NYCFPA Condemns Putin and Russian Assassination Attempt on Political Opponent](https://nycfpa.org/09/02/nycfpa-condemns-putin-and-russian-assassination-attempt-on-political-opponent/): FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
- [Iraq’s Struggle for Sovereignty](https://nycfpa.org/08/29/iraqs-struggle-for-sovereignty/): The same scenario persists in Lebanon and Mali, as it does in Iraq, but on a more intentionally violent scale. Protesters are being targeted by security forces and unknown militant gunmen for assassination, killings, and disappearances. After the US assassination of Iranian Major General Qasem Soleimani on January 3rd, 2020, an increased number of suspected Iran-backed militant groups have been continually killing and injuring protesters and activists by firing tear canisters point-blank at the head, birdshot, live rounds, and the use of kidnappings and assassinations. Unknown gunmen have been targeting activist leaders in Baghdad and Basra with the use of motorcycle hit squads and abductions. The killing of activist Tahseen Oussama on August 14th is reported to have been carried out by Iran backed militias in the city of Basra; three activists were ambushed on their way to his funeral a few days later. According to the Human Rights Special Report - Demonstrations in Iraq: 3rd update published on May 3rd, 2020, 123 verified missing persons had been kidnapped by militant groups and Iraqi security forces. Of those, 98 were found alive while 25 are still missing. Militant groups have abducted Twenty-eight of those confirmed, and 37 people declined to comment over security and reprisal fears. Over 30 human rights organizations across the world have called out the Iraqi government and militant organizations for the use of forced disappearances stemming from the war on ISIL. The same tactic of masked men abducting, torturing, and killing are being used on democracy, anti-corruption, and women's rights activists across Iraq. 
- [NYCFPA Statement on Recent Attacks in the Philippines](https://nycfpa.org/08/29/nycfpa-statement-on-recent-attacks-in-the-philippines/): Washington, DC - The New York Center for Foreign Policy Affairs is following the developments in the South Philippines as it is proving to be an increasing hotbed for Muslim militant and separatist violence.  On Monday, August 24th, the Associated Press reported Muslim militants allied with the Islamic State group set off a powerful motorcycle explosive followed by a suicide bombing that together killed 14 people on Monday, many of them soldiers, in the worst extremist attack in the Philippines this year.
- [Zoom Webinar: The U.S. Election 2020](https://nycfpa.org/08/28/zoom-webinar-the-u-s-election-2020/): The New York Center for Foreign Policy Affairs will be hosting a moderated round table discussion on the upcoming U.S. election on Friday, September 4th at 2pm.
- [Press Statement: New York Center for Foreign Policy Affairs Condemns Human Rights Violations in Belarus](https://nycfpa.org/08/27/press-statement-new-york-center-for-foreign-policy-affairs-condemns-human-rights-violations-in-belarus/): The New York Center for Foreign Policy Affairs (NYCFPA) is deeply concerned about the current situation in Belarus. The President of Belarus or “Europe’s last dictator,” Alexandr Lukashenko, is fighting his biggest battle yet in his 26-year reign. The August 9, 2020 Belarusian presidential election resulted in an 80% win for Lukashenko, setting off nationwide protests. The election largely considered rigged favoring Lukashenko seemed the final straw to many Belarusians. The protests have been ongoing for the past 10 days and government officials are starting to fight back to calm the protests.
- [A Hard Fork in the Road: Lebanese Exceptionalism in Transition](https://nycfpa.org/08/25/a-hard-fork-in-the-road-lebanese-exceptionalism-in-transition/): A government that divides the people also brings  people together by showing the true nature of their incompetence in the face of repeated crises, even amongst the base of political support. Lebanon has been facing an extreme economic downturn, mass anti-government protests, a pandemic, and now a devastating explosion caused by human error. The blast of 2,750 tons of ammonium nitrate at the port has created a re-spark of popular protests across the capital in the wake of the explosion. The protesters and the general population are placing complete blame for the economic downturn, lack of social services and the port explosion on the government. The protestors claim that the government is incapable and unwilling to provide honest transparency and reform to revive the economy, much less handle the investigation for the explosion. Corruption has eroded public trust of the government since the end of the Civil War in 1990. The economy can not function with extreme corruption as international aid will likewise be ineffective without transparency of the disbursement. As President Macron outlined during a state visit after the blast, “International aid will not go to corrupted hands.” The mismanagement by incompetent leaders in Parliament, the Cabinet, and the President and Prime Minister's highest office are echoed not just by the people, but high ranking government officials such as the former Foreign Minister Nassif Hitti's in his resignation letter on August 3rd. The question is whether Lebanon will become the next failed state or if they are an exceptional multi-ethnic democracy in the shaky transition to a third republic. Lebanon is in a crisis- how the government navigates the port explosion, economic reform, corruption, and the mass protests will signify the future direction of the state. 
- [Webinar Recap: The Strategic U.S.-Africa Partnership](https://nycfpa.org/08/24/webinar-the-strategic-u-s-africa-partnership/): Washington, D.C. – On Friday, August 21st, 2020, the New York Center for Foreign Policy Affairs held a webinar discussion on the Strategic U.S.-Africa Partnership. The expert panel consisted of participants Michael Rubin, Resident Scholar for the American Enterprise Institute, Emily Leslie, Human Rights Advisor and Board Member of NYCFPA, and former Ambassador from Benin to the United States, Omar Arouna. 
- [Zoom Webinar: The Strategic U.S.-Africa Partnership](https://nycfpa.org/08/15/the-strategic-u-s-africa-partnership/): An educated discussion about the strategic partnership between the United States and African nations.
- [Press Release: NYCFPA on OIG Report on “Emergency Arms Sales” to Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and Others](https://nycfpa.org/08/13/press-release-nycfpa-on-oig-report-on-emergency-arms-sales-to-kingdom-of-saudi-arabia-and-others/): Contact: Alyssa Bonk                                                    FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
- [NYCFPA Statement on Saudi Proposal to Invade Qatar](https://nycfpa.org/08/11/nycfpa-statement-on-saudi-proposal-to-invade-qatar/): Contact: Heather Hughes
- [EU Travel Ban: What the World Thought They Would Never See](https://nycfpa.org/07/29/eu-travel-ban-what-the-world-thought-they-would-never-see/): By Kayla Murphy
- [United Arab Emirates: The Aspiration of Citizens for the Termination of Violations Against Their Human Rights](https://nycfpa.org/07/17/united-arab-emirates-the-aspiration-of-citizens-for-the-termination-of-violations-against-their-human-rights/): By Julianna Iwasinski
- [The Middle East: Human Rights and Women Rights](https://nycfpa.org/07/17/the-middle-east-human-rights-and-women-rights/): By Kayla Murphy and Alyssa Bonk
- [The Hope and Horror That Troubles Libya](https://nycfpa.org/07/16/the-hope-and-horror-that-troubles-libya/): A mix of hope and concern permeates the international scene concerning Libya, following recent fighting around the city of Sirte. Specifically, such talks are intended to end the ongoing war between the Tripoli-based Government of National Accord (GNA) and the Libyan National Army (LNA), the latter primarily loyal to the rogue General Khalifa Haftar. This comes after a truce was called for by the Arab League in a recent emergency session. In it, Arab League Secretary-General Ahmed Aboul Gheit declared, among other things, that “ilitary action will not bring peace or establish stability on the Libyan soil.” 
- [The South China Sea, A Simmering Pot](https://nycfpa.org/07/16/the-south-china-sea-a-simmering-pot/): Much like many crises that befall the United States, few Americans concern themselves with their day to day lives until something from some faraway land draws the National attention. The World Wars, Korea, Vietnam, and 9/11 serve as great examples of this inclination. On almost a monthly basis, US and Chinese naval forces face-off in an adult game of chicken in another faraway region. And that game takes place in a region that most Americans would be hard-pressed to locate. The South China Sea figures as a place of simmering tension for some very good reasons. Much like other areas unknown to most Americans, the South China Sea bears watching.
- [NYCFPA Launches Major Report on Libya Conflict  The War in Libya: Ripe for Resolution?](https://nycfpa.org/07/15/nycfpa-launches-major-report-on-libya-conflict-the-war-in-libya-ripe-for-resolution/): Contact: Alyssa Bonk                                                    FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
- [Recruitment of Child Mercenaries in Yemen](https://nycfpa.org/07/06/recruitment-of-child-mercenaries-in-yemen/): To Congress: Calling on the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia to end recruitment of Mercenaries and child Mercenaries
- [Selling F-35s to Saudi Arabia Risks an Arms Race](https://nycfpa.org/07/06/selling-f-35s-to-saudi-arabia-risks-an-arms-race/): (Reposted: The Cipher Brief’s Academic Incubator program partners with colleges and Universities across the country to highlight the voices of the next generation of national security leaders.
- [Oregon senators renew push to punish Saudi Arabia over suspected role in whisking fugitives out of US](https://nycfpa.org/07/06/oregon-senators-renew-push-to-punish-saudi-arabia-over-suspected-role-in-whisking-fugitives-out-of-us/): (Reposted from By Shane Dixon Kavanaugh | The Oregonian/OregonLive)
- [Webinar Recap: Chaos in Libya: Mercenaries, War Crimes and Foreign Powers](https://nycfpa.org/06/15/webinar-recap-chaos-in-libya-mercenaries-war-crimes-and-foreign-powers/): Washington, DC - The New York Center for Foreign Policy Affairs held a webinar on Friday, June 12th, 2020 regarding the conflict in Libya.  The panel included expert speakers: Emadeddin Badi (Atlantic Council), Jalel Harchaoui (Clingandael Institute), Emily Leslie (NYCFPA) and Pervez Bilgrami (Foreign Policy expert).
- [Chaos in Libya: Mercenaries, War Crimes and Foreign Powers](https://nycfpa.org/06/11/chaos-in-libya-mercenaries-war-crimes-and-foreign-powers/): The New York Center for Foreign Policy Affairs will be hosting a Zoom webinar this Friday at 1pm EDT on the conflict in Libya. This discussion will focus on the dynamics of Russian-Haftar influence, intervention by foreign powers, and recent developments in the conflict in Libya.
- [Islamophobia and the COVID-19 Pandemic in India](https://nycfpa.org/06/05/islamophobia-and-the-covid-19-pandemic-in-india/): As the world struggles to overcome the COVID-19 pandemic, citizens, by and large, are expected to unite to thwart the crisis going beyond their religions, caste and other forms of identity. In India, it is a different scenario altogether. Communally charged disinformation targeting Muslims is becoming more and more frequent. 
- [The Pandemic Crisis, Economic Recession And The Rise of Extremism](https://nycfpa.org/06/05/the-pandemic-crisis-economic-recession-and-the-rise-of-extremism/): With over 5 million documented cases including more than 330,000 deaths, the coronavirus pandemic continues to spread globally. As many countries are adopting strict measures in curbing the spread, such measures – amplified with the pandemic crisis – are already having drastic effects on the economy. In the US, over the past 6 weeks, more than 30 million Americans applied for unemployment benefits and still the numbers continue to rise. In the UK, the Bank of England is already warning that the UK economy is heading for its deepest recession ever recorded. In the new projections by the EU commission, it was forecasted that Europe’s economy will contract by 7.4% and a worse decline is expected should there be a second wave of the coronavirus pandemic. For the Middle East, the negative impact of the pandemic on the economy is expected to be a hefty one. The situation can specifically be more dire to post-conflict countries like Afghanistan, Iraq, Libya, Syria and Yemen as well those countries with already preexisting financial turmoil such as Lebanon. The socioeconomic security of hundreds of millions of individuals across the world is at stake. 
- [NATO, China and the BSEC 4—Turkey, Romania, Bulgaria and Albania](https://nycfpa.org/05/28/nato-china-and-the-bsec-4-turkey-romania-bulgaria-and-albania/): China has been the focus of many policy debates across the globe, with individual states and regional alliance-based organizations contemplating their relationship with Beijing in a period of heightened geopolitical and geoeconomic tensions. Does Beijing present an opportunity or challenge? Does the nature of its economic relations with countries present a non-traditional security challenge? Given the nature of its relations, is cooperation or competition more likely in geopolitically significant regions? These are some of the broad, overarching questions that have been raised by policymakers and think tanks over the past couple of months.
- [NYCFPA to Hold Webinar on U.S. & China Relations Amid COVID-19](https://nycfpa.org/04/23/nycfpa-holds-webinar-on-u-s-china-relations-amid-covid-19/): Yukon Huang, Senior Fellow with the Asia Program for CEIP (former World Bank Country Director for China)
- [Iranian Threat Prompted Trump’s Secret Flight From Turkey, Reports Say](https://nycfpa.org/08/11/iranian-threat-prompted-trumps-secret-flight-from-turkey-reports-say/): The reported decision to secretly move President Donald Trump from Air Force One to a smaller military aircraft after the NATO summit in Ankara has exposed the extraordinary lengths to which U.S. security agencies may go when presidential travel is threatened. The operation reportedly involved a catering vehicle, a decoy aircraft, concealed flight information and a deliberate effort to keep the travelling press corps—and possibly some White House officials—unaware of the president’s actual location.
- [Trump Economic Pressure on Iran Replaces Immediate Strikes](https://nycfpa.org/08/10/trump-economic-pressure-on-iran-replaces-immediate-strikes/): President Donald Trump has signalled a tactical shift in the United States’ Iran strategy, moving the emphasis from immediate military escalation towards sanctions, maritime pressure and Iran’s worsening economic condition. The change follows months of American strikes, a naval blockade and repeated threats to attack again if Tehran refuses Washington’s demands.
- [Trump Gaza Plan Rejected by Israel as Netanyahu Demands Hamas Disarmament](https://nycfpa.org/08/10/trump-gaza-plan-rejected-by-israel-as-netanyahu-demands-hamas-disarmament/): The Israeli government has rejected a 15-point roadmap backed by US President Donald Trump that aims to disarm Hamas, establish a new governing structure in Gaza and advance a phased Israeli military withdrawal from the territory.
- [US Promises $1bn in Security Aid to Colombia as New Rightwing President Pledges Drugs Crackdown](https://nycfpa.org/08/08/us-promises-1bn-in-security-aid-to-colombia-as-new-rightwing-president-pledges-drugs-crackdown/): The United States has pledged $1 billion in security assistance to Colombia as the country’s new right‑wing president, Abelardo de la Espriella, was sworn in, vowing a hardline military campaign against drug trafficking and armed groups. The Trump administration described the package as a “cornerstone” of a renewed partnership with Bogotá, signaling a sharp policy reset after months of public feuding with former leftist President Gustavo Petro.
- [Iran Moves to Ban U.S., Israeli Ships and Charge Others in Hormuz](https://nycfpa.org/08/07/iran-moves-to-ban-u-s-israeli-ships-and-charge-others-in-hormuz/): Iran is considering a plan to prohibit U.S., Israeli and other “hostile” vessels from using the Strait of Hormuz while imposing charges on ships allowed to pass. The proposal, reportedly under review by Iran’s parliamentary National Security and Foreign Policy Committee, would also restrict military and civilian cargo considered connected to Israel or to operations against Iran and its allies.
- [US-Ukraine Intelligence Sharing Returns to Previous Highs](https://nycfpa.org/08/06/us-ukraine-intelligence-sharing-returns-to-previous-highs/): The intelligence-sharing relationship between the United States and Ukraine has reportedly returned to levels seen before Washington temporarily suspended cooperation in March 2025, according to U.S. lawmakers and regional experts cited by POLITICO. The reported recovery comes at a strategically important moment, as Kyiv intensifies long-range drone and missile strikes against Russian military, logistics and energy targets.
- [Trump-Hegseth Clash Over US Missile Shortage Amid Iran War](https://nycfpa.org/08/06/trump-hegseth-clash-over-us-missile-shortage-amid-iran-war/): US President Donald Trump reportedly confronted Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth at Camp David after receiving warnings that depleted American missile stocks could restrict his military options in the Iran war. The reported confrontation has been denied by both the White House and Pentagon, but it has intensified a wider dispute over whether the United States has sufficient high-end weapons to sustain its campaign against Iran and remain prepared for another major conflict.
- [China Hits Back at U.S. With Drone Export Restrictions](https://nycfpa.org/08/05/china-hits-back-at-u-s-with-drone-export-restrictions/): China has escalated its trade confrontation with the United States by announcing tighter export controls on drones and a ban on dealings with six American entities. The move is best understood not as an isolated trade step, but as a calibrated retaliation in a widening technology-and-security dispute that now reaches from robotics and certification rules to supply-chain scrutiny and human-rights pressure.
- [US Interceptor Stockpile Crisis Deepens in Iran War](https://nycfpa.org/08/05/us-interceptor-stockpile-crisis-deepens-in-iran-war/): The U.S. military’s air defense arsenal has entered one of its most strained phases in years, with reporting now indicating that the war with Iran has consumed a major share of America’s most important missile interceptors. The central concern is not just the volume of missiles fired, but the strategic signal it sends: the Pentagon’s stockpile of key munitions is being drawn down faster than it can be replenished, while senior commanders warn the margin for error is shrinking.
- [Trump Administration Plans Chinese Data Center Device Ban](https://nycfpa.org/08/04/trump-administration-plans-chinese-data-center-device-ban/): The Trump administration is reportedly drafting a ban on new U.S. imports of Chinese data center devices, a move that could deepen Washington’s effort to wall off the core infrastructure powering artificial intelligence from Chinese technology. The reported plan fits into a broader pattern of aggressive U.S. restrictions on Chinese hardware, but the precise scope, timing, and enforcement mechanism remain unclear because the measure is still being drafted.
- [Trump Calls Iran’s Deal Window ‘Last Chance’](https://nycfpa.org/08/04/trump-calls-irans-deal-window-last-chance/): President Donald Trump has turned the latest Iran diplomacy into an ultimatum, saying Tehran is running out of room to maneuver and calling the current window its “last chance” to strike a deal. In the same breath, he said he had no time constraints on the talks, a framing that mixes urgency with open-ended pressure and is clearly designed to keep leverage on Iran while leaving the door technically open for negotiations.
- [Trump Iran Backdown Boosts Tehran’s War Narrative](https://nycfpa.org/08/03/trump-iran-backdown-boosts-tehrans-war-narrative/): President Donald Trump’s latest retreat from threatened military escalation against Iran has handed Tehran a powerful talking point: the United States, not Iran, appears uneasy about where the confrontation is headed. What is remarkable about the turnabout is not just the fact that it indicates yet another sharp change of position by the administration, but also the way in which it squares so perfectly with the storyline that the Iranian officials have been trying to tell their own citizens, as well as their regional friends and enemies, all along: that the president is more afraid of getting drawn into a bigger war than they are. The fact that the president has threatened action, backed down, and offered a chance at negotiations has thus become the defining characteristic of the new phase of the conflict, as described by Reuters and television reports.
- [CENTCOM Is Searching for a Better Way to Punish Iran](https://nycfpa.org/08/03/centcom-is-searching-for-a-better-way-to-punish-iran/): The latest report that a senior U.S. military officer asked analysts for “new creative and unconventional ways to pressure and punish Iran” is more than a curious internal email. It reflects a widening strategic uncertainty inside the U.S. war effort against Tehran, where repeated strikes, coercive diplomacy and sanctions are all being tested at once, yet none appears to have delivered a decisive outcome.
- [Trump Backtracks on Ukraine Patriot License](https://nycfpa.org/08/01/trump-backtracks-on-ukraine-patriot-license/): Donald Trump’s latest remarks on Ukraine’s Patriot missile ambitions amount to a clear political and military reversal. After signaling earlier this month that Washington would let Kyiv manufacture Patriot interceptors, the U.S. president has now said the United States has “not agreed to that”, putting the brakes on a proposal that Ukrainian officials had framed as a major breakthrough.
- [Hamas disarmament agreement marks pivotal test for Gaza peace framework](https://nycfpa.org/07/31/hamas-disarmament-agreement-marks-pivotal-test-for-gaza-peace-framework/): Hamas has made commitments regarding a plan that entails the gradual disarmament of its military branches and other Palestinian groups in Gaza, a development that has been greeted with praise by U.S. President Donald Trump, who described it as a landmark towards the eventual disarmament of Hamas and the establishment of a unified Palestinian state. The commitment, which has been reached under the auspices of the Board of Peace of Trump’s administration, with the assistance of Egypt, Qatar, and Türkiye, comes at a critical moment of the second phase of the 20-point Gaza plan developed by Trump.
- [Saudi Arabia Joins US–Iran War With Joint Airstrikes on Proxies in Iraq](https://nycfpa.org/07/30/saudi-arabia-joins-us-iran-war-with-joint-airstrikes-on-proxies-in-iraq/): Saudi Arabia has entered the U.S.–Iran war, conducting joint airstrikes with Washington against Iran‑backed militias in Iraq and triggering urgent high‑level talks between Riyadh and President Donald Trump. The operation marks a decisive shift for the kingdom after five months of trying to avoid direct combat, and it underscores how attacks on Saudi energy infrastructure have become a central flashpoint in the wider regional conflict.
- [Iran Launches Surprise Attack on US Forces as Trump Meets Netanyahu](https://nycfpa.org/07/29/iran-launches-surprise-attack-on-us-forces-as-trump-meets-netanyahu/): Iran’s reported missile strike on U.S. forces in the Middle East has added a fresh layer of volatility to an already explosive regional confrontation, coming at the exact moment Donald Trump was hosting Benjamin Netanyahu in Washington. According to U.S. Central Command, multiple ballistic missiles launched by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps were intercepted, and no immediate U.S. casualties were reported.
- [Trump hosts Netanyahu, Zelenskiy as wars reach critical stage](https://nycfpa.org/07/28/trump-hosts-netanyahu-zelenskiy-as-wars-reach-critical-stage/): U.S. President Donald Trump is set to host Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy in Washington on Tuesday at a moment when the wars involving Iran and Ukraine are both entering sensitive and potentially decisive phases. 
- [US and Iran Pause Strikes, Testing a Fragile Opening for Peace](https://nycfpa.org/07/27/us-and-iran-pause-strikes-testing-a-fragile-opening-for-peace/): The reported pause in U.S. airstrikes against Iran marks a significant but highly fragile shift in a conflict that has repeatedly swung between military escalation and narrow diplomatic openings. After nearly two weeks of bombing, Washington appears to have stepped back for now, while Tehran and American officials continue indirect and technical talks aimed at preventing the crisis from spilling into a wider regional war. The development does not amount to a settlement; instead, it suggests both sides are testing whether a limited de-escalation can buy time for negotiations.
- [Netanyahu-Mamdani Clash Over Arrest Threat](https://nycfpa.org/07/27/netanyahu-mamdani-clash-over-arrest-threat/): The confrontation between Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani has quickly moved from a local political dispute into an internationally watched flashpoint, blending the Gaza war, the International Criminal Court’s arrest warrant, Jewish community fears, and the boundaries of municipal power. What began as Mamdani’s comment that Netanyahu should face arrest if he visits New York has now become a broader argument over rhetoric, legality, public safety, and the politics of Israel’s war in Gaza.
- [Trump Forced-Labor Tariffs Shake Global Trade](https://nycfpa.org/07/24/trump-forced-labor-tariffs-shake-global-trade/): The Trump administration’s decision to impose new tariffs on goods from 60 trading partners marks one of the boldest trade moves of the year and a clear sign that Washington is using forced-labor policy as a tariff weapon. The measure places 10% duties on some countries and 12.5% on others, including major economies such as the European Union and China, while a temporary 10% global tariff expires at the same moment. Framed as an enforcement action against countries accused of allowing imports tied to forced labor, the policy is already drawing scrutiny for its economic reach and legal durability.
- [Rubio, Lavrov Discuss Ukraine War in Manila](https://nycfpa.org/07/23/rubio-lavrov-discuss-ukraine-war-in-manila/): The meeting between US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov in Manila was short, tightly controlled, and diplomatically significant, even if it produced no visible breakthrough. On the sidelines of ASEAN talks in the Philippines, the two top diplomats discussed the war in Ukraine at a moment when peace efforts remain stalled, battlefield pressure continues, and both Washington and Moscow are trying to shape the narrative around possible negotiations.
- [B-1 Bomber Strike Signals Sharper U.S.-Iran Escalation](https://nycfpa.org/07/23/b-1-bomber-strike-signals-sharper-u-s-iran-escalation/): Use of a U.S. B-1 bomber in an attack against targets linked to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps in Iran represents a clear step up in the current conflict. As per reports published by Axios, a U.S. military mission employed the bomber on Tuesday, but the official public announcement made by CENTCOM did not specify the bomber. This difference is important since it shows how the U.S. tries to maintain operational secrecy while conveying messages to the public. What is important is that B-1 bomber is no ordinary bomber and is specifically designed for deep strikes and prolonged combat operations. That is why the usage of the bomber in such a campaign represents a significant increase in involvement of the U.S.
- [Trump Approves Saudi Uranium Deal, Raising Nuclear Fears](https://nycfpa.org/07/22/trump-approves-saudi-uranium-deal-raising-nuclear-fears/): The reported U.S.-Saudi nuclear agreement marks one of the most consequential shifts in Washington’s long-running approach to the kingdom’s atomic ambitions. According to multiple reports, President Donald Trump has approved a deal that could allow Saudi Arabia to enrich uranium for civilian nuclear reactors on its own soil, a move that critics say could bring the kingdom closer to a latent weapons capability.
- [Mamdani Calls Netanyahu a War Criminal, Urges U.S. Arrest](https://nycfpa.org/07/22/mamdani-calls-netanyahu-a-war-criminal-urges-u-s-arrest/): The remarks by Zohran Mamdani regarding Benjamin Netanyahu are not only politically biting but also represent an effort to coordinate the language used in New York City with that of the ICC regarding their war crimes arrest warrant for Israel’s president by putting pressure on Washington. It is reported that Mayor of New York says that the city does not have enough legal power to arrest him, but he describes Netanyahu as “war criminal.”
- [Trump, Burnham Call Sets Early Tone for US-UK Ties](https://nycfpa.org/07/21/trump-burnham-call-sets-early-tone-for-us-uk-ties/): Donald Trump’s first public readout of his conversation with new British Prime Minister Andy Burnham was strikingly warm, with the U.S. president saying he had a “very good conversation” with the Labour leader and that they would meet
- [Trump’s 50% Tariffs on Canadian Goods Threaten to Reignite Trade War ](https://nycfpa.org/07/21/trumps-50-tariffs-on-canadian-goods-threaten-to-reignite-trade-war/): The announcement of President Donald Trump to levy further 50% tariffs on various items imported from Canada in July is a clear case of escalation in an impending trade battle among the world's two most integrated nations. Justifying this action as a step required in retaliation to the alleged discrimination meted out to American automobile manufacturers, the Canadian government has levied further tariffs on products such as wine, cheese, dairy products and various industrial products, in accordance with the authority bestowed by the Section 338 of the Tariff Act of 1930. The response of Canada to “intensify” the process of talks is a harbinger of an impending economic and diplomatic showdown.
- [Trump Confronts Carney: Wildfire Smoke, World Cup and Tariff Threats](https://nycfpa.org/07/20/trump-confronts-carney-wildfire-smoke-world-cup-and-tariff-threats/): The 2026 FIFA World Cup Final in New York–New Jersey was supposed to showcase football and trilateral cooperation among the United States, Canada and Mexico as co‑hosts. Instead, it became an unexpected backdrop for a sharp political confrontation over climate, cross‑border pollution and economic pressure. At the centre of this clash: the moment “Trump confronts Carney” over thick wildfire smoke drifting from Canada into US cities, and the US president’s choice to escalate the issue into a tariff‑laden dispute rather than a purely environmental emergency.
- [US Strikes Iran For Ninth Consecutive Night As US Casualties Rise](https://nycfpa.org/07/20/us-strikes-iran-for-ninth-consecutive-night-as-us-casualties-rise/): The U.S. has entered an exceedingly perilous stage of confrontation with Iran, conducting its airstrike and missile campaign for the ninth straight night on a variety of targets throughout the country amid heightened tension surrounding the Strait of Hormuz and the rising number of American fatalities. This operation, which the U.S. government officially calls a defensive one meant to defend ships and prevent Iranian attacks, is raising concerns among world capitals that the situation is heading toward a wider war.
- [US–Iran War Over Strait of Hormuz: Civilian Toll and Gulf Strikes](https://nycfpa.org/07/18/us-iran-war-over-strait-of-hormuz-civilian-toll-and-gulf-strikes/): The US–Iran war over Strait of Hormuz has entered a dangerous new phase, with Iran retaliating against American military sites across Gulf states while Washington carries out repeated strikes that Tehran says are hitting civilian infrastructure inside Iran. As both sides escalate, the conflict is steadily disrupting one of the world’s most strategic waterways and deepening the humanitarian and economic fallout across the region.
- [China Condemns New U.S. Visa Regulations Tightening Stays for Students, Journalists](https://nycfpa.org/07/17/china-condemns-new-u-s-visa-regulations-tightening-stays-for-students-journalists/): The U.S. decision to tighten the duration of visas for foreign students, cultural exchange visitors and journalists marks a significant escalation in how Washington manages cross‑border mobility in an era of sharpened geopolitical rivalry. The move, unveiled on Thursday by U.S. authorities, shifts key visa categories from more flexible, “duration of status” admissions to rigid, time‑limited stays, with a particularly sharp change for Chinese journalists, whose permitted period in the country is now being shortened to 90 days at a time. For many observers, the measure is not just a technical regulatory tweak; it is a fresh front in a broader contest over security, influence and narrative control between the United States and China.
- [US Expands Strikes Into Northern Iran](https://nycfpa.org/07/16/us-expands-strikes-into-northern-iran/): The latest phase of the U.S.-Iran confrontation has moved far beyond a warning shot. According to the information provided, U.S. forces have expanded strikes into northern Iran while also disabling a ship accused of trying to break a blockade, signaling a sharper and more geographically broad military campaign than earlier rounds focused mainly on coastal and maritime assets.
- [China and Xi Gain Ground Over Trump and US](https://nycfpa.org/07/16/china-and-xi-gain-ground-over-trump-and-us/): A new Pew Research Center survey points to a notable shift in global opinion: China and Xi Jinping are now viewed more favorably than the United States and Donald Trump in many major countries. The findings do not show universal admiration for Beijing, but they do show a clear relative decline in how the U.S. is being seen abroad, especially under Trump’s leadership. In practical terms, the data suggest that China’s image is improving at the same time that American credibility is weakening in the eyes of many publics.
- [Trump’s provocative map reignites fears of expansionist politics](https://nycfpa.org/07/15/trumps-provocative-map-reignites-fears-of-expansionist-politics/): Donald Trump’s latest provocative post has once again pushed territorial ambition, political theater, and international diplomacy into the same frame. The image, which depicted the United States absorbing Canada, Greenland, and Venezuela, was widely interpreted as more than a casual online stunt. It came across as a deliberate escalation in the language of power, one that echoed Trump’s earlier expansionist remarks about Greenland and Canada while widening the symbolism to include Venezuela as well. The result was immediate controversy, with critics arguing that the post was designed to provoke allies, unsettle neighbors, and project dominance rather than offer any policy logic.
- [US-Iran Truce Collapses After Renewed Strikes and Naval Blockade ](https://nycfpa.org/07/14/us-iran-truce-collapses-after-renewed-strikes-and-naval-blockade/): The reported collapse of the US-Iran truce marks a dangerous turn from fragile restraint to active confrontation, with fresh strikes, renewed naval pressure, and a widening threat to maritime traffic in the Strait of Hormuz. What had been described as an interim peace now appears to be breaking down under the weight of repeated military actions, competing claims, and rising fears that the conflict could spill deeper into the Gulf and beyond.
- [Trump Campaign to Dismantle International Criminal Court Raises Sovereignty Clash ](https://nycfpa.org/07/14/trump-campaign-to-dismantle-international-criminal-court-raises-sovereignty-clash/): The Trump administration has launched a sweeping campaign against the International Criminal Court, marking one of the sharpest U.S. confrontations with the tribunal in recent years. The move is not a symbolic gesture or a narrow diplomatic protest; it is being framed by Washington as a whole-of-government effort to weaken the court’s ability to act against Americans and their allies. At the center of the campaign is the administration’s claim that the ICC poses an “intolerable threat” to U.S. sovereignty and should not claim authority over U.S. servicemen, officials or citizens.
- [Iran strikes Bahrain, Kuwait, Jordan after US bombings](https://nycfpa.org/07/13/iran-strikes-bahrain-kuwait-jordan-after-us-bombings/): Iran’s claimed missile and drone attacks on U.S.-linked facilities in Bahrain, Kuwait, Jordan and other Gulf states mark a dangerous new phase in a confrontation that has moved beyond bilateral retaliation and into broader regional spillover. The latest cycle of strikes, reported on July 12–13, 2026, came after fresh U.S. bombing of Iranian targets, with both sides presenting sharply different narratives about the scale, purpose and consequences of the escalation.
- [Trump Threatens to ‘Completely Destroy’ Iran Over Alleged Kill Plot](https://nycfpa.org/07/11/trump-threatens-to-completely-destroy-iran-over-alleged-kill-plot/): Trump threatens Iran with unusually sweeping language, warning that the United States could
- [Erdogan’s Revolver Gift at NATO Summit](https://nycfpa.org/07/10/erdogans-revolver-gift-at-nato-summit/): Turkey’s NATO summit was meant to project unity, urgency, and strategic seriousness, but it ended with a far more unusual headline: President Recep Tayyip Erdogan reportedly gave visiting NATO leaders engraved revolvers with six live rounds as parting gifts. What might have been intended as a symbolic gesture quickly became a discussion about protocol, security, customs rules, and the strange optics of handing out firearms at a summit focused on international safety and defense.
- [US and Iran Exchange Intensifying Fire Across the Gulf as Fragile Ceasefire Falters ](https://nycfpa.org/07/09/us-and-iran-exchange-intensifying-fire-across-the-gulf-as-fragile-ceasefire-falters/): The latest surge in violence between the United States and Iran has pushed the Gulf back to the edge of a wider regional war, with both sides now trading attacks that are testing a fragile interim arrangement meant to end hostilities. What began as a dangerous cycle of strikes in and around the Strait of Hormuz has now expanded across the Persian Gulf, drawing in regional states and raising fresh concerns over shipping, energy flows, and the survival of diplomacy.
- [Trump Prepares Possible Tariffs on Spanish Goods After NATO Dispute](https://nycfpa.org/07/09/trump-prepares-possible-tariffs-on-spanish-goods-after-nato-dispute/): The reported move by U.S. officials to prepare a list of Spanish goods for possible trade restrictions marks a sharp escalation in a dispute that began as a NATO defence-spending disagreement and has quickly widened into a broader economic and diplomatic confrontation. 
- [Trump Revives Greenland Control Call at NATO Summit ](https://nycfpa.org/07/08/trump-revives-greenland-control-call-at-nato-summit/): U.S. President Donald Trump has again revived his call for the United States to “control” Greenland, turning a long-simmering geopolitical argument back into an open dispute at a moment when NATO unity is already under strain. 
- [Trump says Iran ceasefire over after fresh strikes](https://nycfpa.org/07/08/trump-says-iran-ceasefire-over-after-fresh-strikes/): President Donald Trump’s declaration that the ceasefire with Iran is “over” marks a sharp political escalation in a confrontation already defined by strikes, retaliation and deep uncertainty. The remark came after the United States and Iran traded fresh attacks, and it effectively signaled that Washington no longer sees the ceasefire as a reliable framework for de-escalation. The comments, delivered as Trump was attending the NATO summit, also showed how quickly the crisis had begun to overshadow broader diplomatic business.
- [Hamas to Dissolve Gaza Government Under US-Backed Ceasefire Plan ](https://nycfpa.org/07/07/hamas-to-dissolve-gaza-government-under-us-backed-ceasefire-plan/): Hamas’s announcement that it will dissolve its government in Gaza marks one of the most significant political gestures in the territory since the group took control of the enclave more than a decade ago. The decision comes at a delicate moment, as a US‑brokered ceasefire and governance plan for Gaza struggles to move beyond paper commitments into concrete implementation on the ground. 
- [Trump Presses NATO at Ankara Summit, Piling Pressure on Alliance ](https://nycfpa.org/07/07/trump-presses-nato-at-ankara-summit-piling-pressure-on-alliance/): US President Donald Trump arrived in Ankara for the NATO summit aimed at changing the very conditions of the alliance. Using the summit, the US President insisted on much more defense spending from his allies, access to certain facilities and “loyalty.” The approach employed by him – a combination of public pressure, private bargaining, and the threat of withdrawal of the United States from the alliance – revealed the strength of the alliance during an important strategic moment due to the war in Ukraine. This paper analyzes the demands made by President Trump, the reaction of his allies and Turkey, specific items to be bargained about, and implications for the future of the alliance.
- [Trump-Zelenskyy NATO Meeting: A Renewed Push to End Ukraine’s War](https://nycfpa.org/07/06/trump-zelenskyy-nato-meeting-a-renewed-push-to-end-ukraines-war/): US President Donald Trump is scheduled to meet Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on the sidelines of the NATO summit in Ankara, Turkey, on Wednesday, 9 July 2026, as part of a renewed U.S. effort to bring Russia’s war in Ukraine to a decisive end. 
- [Russian Strikes on Kyiv Hit Before NATO Summit](https://nycfpa.org/07/06/russian-strikes-on-kyiv-hit-before-nato-summit/): Russia’s latest strikes on Kyiv arrived at a politically charged moment, hitting Ukraine’s capital on the eve of a critical NATO summit and just before Donald Trump’s expected trip to the gathering in Turkey. 
- [Trump rails against communism in US 250th anniversary speech ](https://nycfpa.org/07/04/trump-rails-against-communism-in-us-250th-anniversary-speech/): The speech that Donald Trump delivered for the 250th anniversary of the United States was much more than a formal act. The speech turned out to be a political act regarding identity, power, and ideology; the president delivered an anti-communist speech on behalf of the America 250 organization, which presented the semi-quinticentennial of the country as a challenge for the country’s power. The delivery place and time were very symbolic since this act took place when the White House was trying to present the 250th birthday of the United States as a common national achievement. 
- [Iran Funeral for Khamenei Becomes Defiant State Display](https://nycfpa.org/07/04/iran-funeral-for-khamenei-becomes-defiant-state-display/): Iran has opened a multi-day public funeral and mourning period for Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, turning the event into one of the most politically charged state ceremonies in recent memory. 
- [U.S. Officials Feared Israeli Strike on Iranian Negotiators During Sensitive Talks](https://nycfpa.org/07/03/u-s-officials-feared-israeli-strike-on-iranian-negotiators-during-sensitive-talks/): The revelation that U.S. officials believed Israel was plotting to kill Iranian negotiators adds a new and volatile layer to already fragile regional diplomacy. The report, first published by The New York Times and echoed by several international outlets, suggests that Washington not only feared a direct attack on key Iranian figures but also acted quietly to prevent escalation at a moment when diplomatic channels were already under severe strain. 
- [Trump Calls NATO Support “Ridiculous” Amid Burden-Sharing Clash](https://nycfpa.org/07/03/trump-calls-nato-support-ridiculous-amid-burden-sharing-clash/): President Donald Trump has once again escalated his attack on NATO, saying that it is “ridiculous” that the U.S. should provide the amount of support to NATO that it currently does. Trump’s statement was made prior to a NATO summit, reigniting a very consistent thread in his foreign policy of how the United States bears a disproportionate amount of responsibility while its allies do nothing. Trump views NATO not as an arrangement wherein everyone is expected to reciprocate, but rather as one in which the U.S. bears the brunt of the costs, while the others let the United States down when it needs them.
- [Iran’s Warning to US, Israel Over Khamenei Funeral](https://nycfpa.org/07/02/irans-warning-to-us-israel-over-khamenei-funeral/): In a sharp escalation of rhetoric, Iran has issued a formal and public warning to the United States and Israel against launching any military attacks on Iranian soil during the multi-day funeral processions for the late Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. 
- [US Citizen Held in Turkey After Iraqi Prison Release Alleges US Involvement](https://nycfpa.org/07/02/us-citizen-held-in-turkey-after-iraqi-prison-release-alleges-us-involvement/): A citizen of the United States by naturalization, Shawki Ahmad Sharif Omar, has been accused of being detained in Turkey at the request of the U.S. government after being freed from an Iraqi prison, thereby adding another controversy in what is already a very controversial case of detention. As per the report published by Politica on July 1, 2026, this claim has further added to the case which already has claims of abuse in Iraq, a legal settlement and questions regarding the way in which he might have been dealt with by the US government after being freed from custody. 
- [US-Iran Doha Talks: Indirect Diplomacy, High Stakes](https://nycfpa.org/07/01/us-iran-doha-talks-indirect-diplomacy-high-stakes/): The latest round of US-Iran Doha talks has opened a fragile but important diplomatic channel at a moment when both sides appear under pressure to prevent a broader regional escalation. The discussions in Qatar are being held indirectly, with Qatari and Pakistani mediators shuttling between delegations rather than the American and Iranian officials meeting face to face. That format alone says much about the political sensitivity of the moment: neither side is ready to stage a direct encounter, yet neither appears willing to let the channel collapse.
- [Putin Faces Growing Challenges as Moscow Faces More Drone Attacks ](https://nycfpa.org/06/30/putin-faces-growing-challenges-as-moscow-faces-more-drone-attacks/): Another assault with a drone has befallen Moscow, and the context of such attacks is as important as the nature of the consequences of the strikes. At this particular point in time, Vladimir Putin finds himself under growing threat because of a war that has spread across the territory of Russia’s strategic heartland, showing the weaknesses of the air defense system, the vulnerability of the critical infrastructure, and the political price of the war which has been framed by the Kremlin as contained and controllable. The latest episode of the drone campaign that occurred on Tuesday, fits into the context of the trend that has been becoming increasingly difficult for the Russian officials to ignore as a mere disruption.
- [Trump Doha Talks Face Iran Denial Over Reported Qatar Meeting ](https://nycfpa.org/06/30/trump-doha-talks-face-iran-denial-over-reported-qatar-meeting/): The declaration of Donald Trump about holding talks between Iran and the US in Doha has brought in more ambiguity at a time when there was a very serious diplomatic situation going on, with Tehran promptly dismissing US President’s allegation about having requested the meeting. The argument goes beyond the schedule; it is more to do with the attempt by both sides to get control of the narrative and how their respective public perceives the news.
- [Guo Wengui Sentence: Exiled Chinese Billionaire Gets 30 Years for Fraud](https://nycfpa.org/06/30/guo-wengui-sentence-exiled-chinese-billionaire-gets-30-years-for-fraud/): Chinese tycoon Guo Wengui, self-exiled to America, was sentenced to spend thirty years in a US jail in a move that concludes an incredible story where he went from being an outspoken critic of Beijing to being charged with running a gigantic scam operation. What makes the sentence in Manhattan significant is not just the enormity of the fraud but also the unique journey of Guo who became an anti-communist voice and managed to build a powerful following amongst the Chinese dissident community.
- [US and Iran Agree to Stand Down, Talks Resume](https://nycfpa.org/06/29/us-and-iran-agree-to-stand-down-talks-resume/): The agreement struck between the United States and Iran represents a major move, albeit one that is still tentative, in ending a very risky pattern of retaliation that had grown increasingly serious during the previous few days. Following a series of attacks and counterattacks, officials from both countries are now being cited as having agreed to "stand down" temporarily, while further negotiations take place in Doha on the toughest remaining topics, such as the Strait of Hormuz, sanctions, ship safety, and the Iranian nuclear program. What makes this important is not only the fact that this represents a temporary cessation of the fighting, but the fact that it came during an especially nervous time.
- [Anthropic Mythos 5 Limited Release Sparks Cybersecurity Debate](https://nycfpa.org/06/27/anthropic-mythos-5-limited-release-sparks-cybersecurity-debate/): In an age when governments are becoming increasingly aware of the role that AI has to play in national security, the move by the United States to allow a restricted release of Anthropic’s Mythos 5, which is an AI with advanced cyber-security features, has come to represent more than just a news story – it represents a discussion point on the topic of frontier AI and regulation. In this paper, we will explore the event that took place, its impact, and its implication for AI policy and software security.
- [Somali Intelligence Assists Arrest in Minnesota Fraud Case](https://nycfpa.org/06/27/somali-intelligence-assists-arrest-in-minnesota-fraud-case/): One of the significant arrests related to Minnesota's largest fraud case in the era of coronavirus was made this week in Somalia where Abdikerm Eidleh was arrested by U.S. officials through their collaboration with the Somali intelligence. The case is significant not only for the magnitude of the claimed fraud, which is $250 million, but also for the extent of the investigation into this case outside the boundaries of Minnesota. The arrest is said to be one of the steps in the ongoing case of "Feeding Our Future" where arrests and pleas are numerous.
- [Iran Frames War-Ending Deal as US Defeat ](https://nycfpa.org/06/24/iran-frames-war-ending-deal-as-us-defeat/): Iran has moved quickly to portray the agreement ending the Middle East war as a strategic triumph rather than a diplomatic compromise, with senior officials describing it as evidence that Washington failed to impose its will on Tehran. The sharpest reaction came from Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, who said the deal was
- [Rubio Gulf Tour Tests Iran Deal](https://nycfpa.org/06/24/rubio-gulf-tour-tests-iran-deal/): Gulf tour by Marco Rubio takes off amid a climate of high regional anxiety, with Gulf states seeking clarifications on a potential Iran deal that will only make Tehran stronger. This tour, which has started in the UAE and will reportedly take Rubio to Kuwait and Bahrain, has been seen as a major diplomatic challenge for Washington to prove its credentials to partners that are worried about the repercussions of a possible Iran-U.S. deal.
- [US Partially Lifts Sanctions on Iranian Oil Exports: 60‑Day Waiver Signals Diplomatic Opening](https://nycfpa.org/06/23/us-partially-lifts-sanctions-on-iranian-oil-exports-60-day-waiver-signals-diplomatic-opening/): Following more than two decades of intense economic pressure, the U.S. has made a measured retreat from its maximum sanctions approach towards Iran, granting a waiver of 60 days to allow for the production, transportation, and sale of Iranian oil, petrochemicals, and refined products—including deals in U.S. dollars—up to 21 August 2026. This waiver, which was granted on 21 June, is presented by Washington as a temporary bridge to diplomacy rather than an end state, coinciding with the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding on 17 June.
- [China Hits Back: Retaliatory Sanctions on 10 US Defense Firms Signal Deepening Trade War](https://nycfpa.org/06/22/china-hits-back-retaliatory-sanctions-on-10-us-defense-firms-signal-deepening-trade-war/): China has taken action against the increasing restrictions that America is imposing on Chinese technology firms by announcing sanctions on ten American defense contractors and rare earth mining firms, with this action being considered the latest escalation in a conflict between the two global superpowers that has spanned many decades. This move, which was done on Monday, June 22, 2026, involves putting sanctions on U.S. defense contractors and rare earth mining firms by banning their imports of crucial dual-use products from China.
- [US-Iran Peace Talks: First Round Ends Despite Trump Threats, 60-Day Roadmap Agreed](https://nycfpa.org/06/22/us-iran-peace-talks-first-round-ends-despite-trump-threats-60-day-roadmap-agreed/): The initial series of peace negotiations held between the U.S. and Iran concluded early Monday morning in Switzerland after making "encouraging progress," despite the possibility of failure during the summit due to the intimidating remarks made by President Donald Trump a few hours earlier. The talks were held at the Bürgenstock resort overlooking Lake Lucerne and yielded an actual 60-day peace agreement plan which will put an end to the long-running war between both countries, based on a mediators' joint statement on Monday.
- [Iran Peace Deal Under Threat as U.S. Intelligence Warns of Israel’s Lebanon Attacks](https://nycfpa.org/06/20/iran-peace-deal-under-threat-as-u-s-intelligence-warns-of-israels-lebanon-attacks/): In a move that has alarmed officials on Capitol Hill and Middle East foreign policy circles alike, the American intelligence community has officially briefed President Donald Trump of the likelihood that Israel's Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, will conduct more military raids on Hezbollah in Lebanon, effectively threatening the recent U.S.-Iran peace agreement signed only days before. According to the Washington Post,
- [US-Iran Peace Talks Postponed as Israel Intensifies Lebanon Strikes: A Fragile Ceasefire Under Threat](https://nycfpa.org/06/19/us-iran-peace-talks-postponed-as-israel-intensifies-lebanon-strikes-a-fragile-ceasefire-under-threat/): The well-timed discussions that the US and Iran had planned to hold in Switzerland on Friday have been canceled at the last minute, which is definitely one step backward for peace in the region. The delegation of the US Vice President JD Vance did not even take off for Burgenstock because Iran declined to send their delegates due to the continuous airstrikes that Israel was conducting in southern Lebanon. It has become clear that the weakness of the 14-point memorandum of understanding lies in the fact that there are no sanctions attached.
- [Israel Continues Bombing Lebanon Despite US–Iran Deal](https://nycfpa.org/06/18/israel-continues-bombing-lebanon-despite-us-iran-deal/): Middle East is still nervous because of Israeli continuous bombardment in Lebanon despite the deal between the United States and Iran to stop the conflict in the area. Explosion has occurred in southern Lebanon and outskirts of Beirut, and Israeli troops have begun targeting Hezbollah strongholds such as Dahieh, a suburb of south Beirut. Even after the deal between the United States and Iran, the number of attacks has been reduced, but not ceased.
- [Hegseth Slams NATO Allies Over Iran War Base Access](https://nycfpa.org/06/18/hegseth-slams-nato-allies-over-iran-war-base-access/): With a shocking insult that has rattled the very core of the Western alliance, the United States’ Defense Secretary, Pete Hegseth, criticized NATO’s European partners in an important roundtable discussion held in Brussels on June 18, 2026. It is in this particular round table discussion that the Defense Secretary accused the European allies of refusing to provide U.S. forces with bases on their territory for carrying out attacks on Iran. What took place in Brussels on that day was far from being a disagreement on policies, but a threat to the very security structure established after the Second World War.
- [Trump Administration Reverses: U.S. Drops ‘Indo’ from Indo-Pacific Command](https://nycfpa.org/06/17/trump-administration-reverses-u-s-drops-indo-from-indo-pacific-command/): The United States Department of Defense took a bold symbolic step which has reverberated through the world's international security circle. In what was termed as a major move on Tuesday, June 16, 2026, the Pentagon has officially stripped off the term "Indo" from the name of its military organization known as the "United States Indo-Pacific Command," restoring its old name, "United States Pacific Command." This comes just after eight years of usage of the term "Indo" to refer to this military group under the presidency of Donald Trump.
- [Iranian Tankers Exit US Blockade Zone: Defiance Signals Shift in US-Iran Conflict](https://nycfpa.org/06/17/iranian-tankers-exit-us-blockade-zone-defiance-signals-shift-in-us-iran-conflict/): In an unprecedented act of defiance that is sure to have repercussions across the global energy market and among diplomats around the world, three Iranian oil tankers managed to navigate beyond the naval blockade set by the United States in the Strait of Hormuz two days before planned discussions between the two countries in an effort to end their current state of confrontation. The oil tankers transported roughly 4.8 million barrels of Iranian crude oil beyond the US Navy's blockade zone, marking the first time since February that Iran has been exporting its own crude oil.
- [B-52 Bomber Crash Kills 8 at Edwards Air Force Base](https://nycfpa.org/06/16/b-52-bomber-crash-kills-8-at-edwards-air-force-base/): The morning of Monday, June 15, 2026, started with normal activities at Edwards Air Force Base in the Mojave Desert of California, but by 11:20 a.m., an event was unfolding at the base that would have huge ramifications for the United States' military sector. One of America's best-known and oldest airplanes, a U.S. Air Force B-52H Stratofortress bomber, was involved in a crash soon after it took off. This disaster claimed eight lives and was referred to as a "not survivable" situation by military authorities.
- [Trump urges Russia to make a deal at G7](https://nycfpa.org/06/16/trump-urges-russia-to-make-a-deal-at-g7/): US President Donald Trump used the G7 summit to send a direct message to Moscow: Russia should make a deal. The remark came after what he described as a "very good meeting" with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, signaling that the war in Ukraine remains central to his foreign policy approach even amid wider summit distractions. 
- [Trump and G7 Leaders Face Deep Divides in France](https://nycfpa.org/06/15/trump-and-g7-leaders-face-deep-divides-in-france/): The start of the G7 meeting in France comes against a backdrop where unity amongst Western nations seems to be visibly challenged, and with President Trump being there, it is even more clear that this is the case. The G7 meeting is not taking place the way it should have; instead of being just another meeting for leading industrialized democracies, it is emerging as a very political one indeed.
- [US-Iran Framework Deal: Historical Breakthrough Ends War, Reopens Strait of Hormuz](https://nycfpa.org/06/15/us-iran-framework-deal-historical-breakthrough-ends-war-reopens-strait-of-hormuz/): A tectonic change in the geopolitics of the Middle East is happening as the United States and Iran have signed a framework agreement in order to stop the long-existing war and open the critical Strait of Hormuz. These plans were announced by President Donald Trump of the USA on June 14-15, 2026. It is worth noting that the signing came after several months of tough negotiations and aggressive actions on behalf of the USA and Israel who launched an attack on Iran in March 2026. The official signing ceremony will take place in Switzerland on June 19, 2026.
- [Anthropic Halts Top-Tier AI Models Access for Foreign Nationals After US Order](https://nycfpa.org/06/13/anthropic-halts-top-tier-ai-models-access-for-foreign-nationals-after-us-order/): The move by Anthropic came as a complete surprise to the international tech community as it has declared its intention to shut down all its advanced artificial intelligence systems "suddenly." This was done in response to a directive from the U.S. government requiring it to deny access to all foreign citizens. It should be noted that the announcement was made on Friday, June 12, 2026.
- [US Airstrike Kills Venezuelan Tren de Aragua Boss: Trump’s Bold Counter-Cartel Move](https://nycfpa.org/06/13/us-airstrike-kills-venezuelan-tren-de-aragua-boss-trumps-bold-counter-cartel-move/): In what can be described as an even more pronounced effort to deal with cartel operations within Venezuela, President Donald Trump made public on Friday, June 12, 2026, that the United States military had eliminated Hector Rusthenford Guerrero Flores, who is the head of the notorious Tren de Aragua (TdA) gang in Venezuela. This move, which President Trump described as a "lethal kinetic strike," is considered to be among the most forceful efforts ever undertaken by the United States military against a criminal syndicate in Latin America.
- [Iran Rejects Trump’s “Great Settlement” Claim: No Final Conclusion on War End Deal](https://nycfpa.org/06/12/iran-rejects-trumps-great-settlement-claim-no-final-conclusion-on-war-end-deal/): In a stark contradiction that has plunged prospects for ending the three-month war between the United States and Iran into uncertainty, Iranian officials have rejected President Donald Trump's assertion that a peace settlement has been reached. On Thursday, June 11, 2026, Trump announced from the White House Oval Office that
- [China Arrests US Scholar Min Zin at Kunming Conference for Espionage Activities](https://nycfpa.org/06/12/china-arrests-us-scholar-min-zin-at-kunming-conference-for-espionage-activities/): The Chinese authorities have arrested American professor Min Zin on espionage charges, triggering alarm bells in the global academic community over the safety of researchers working on geopolitically sensitive issues. The apprehension took place merely a few days after he participated in a conference in Kunming, Yunnan province, which is among the most important arrests involving an American citizen in China amid the rising tension between the two countries regarding academic freedom.
- [Trump Vows to Seize Iran’s Kharg Island as Fresh Airstrikes Loom](https://nycfpa.org/06/11/trump-vows-to-seize-irans-kharg-island-as-fresh-airstrikes-loom/): Middle Eastern tension is at the point of breaking down into outright chaos as the United States President Donald Trump announced on June 11, 2026 that the US was planning to carry out further airstrikes on Iran and that soon US forces would be seizing Iran’s most important oil export port, Kharg Island. Trump made this announcement through his social networking site just following three days after the military conflicts between the two sides. The President's announcement reflects a complete change in US foreign policy towards Iran, from selective strikes to a plan for territorial takeover and economic control.
- [Three Indian Sailors Killed by US Missile Near Oman: Escalating US-Iran Conflict](https://nycfpa.org/06/11/three-indian-sailors-killed-by-us-missile-near-oman-escalating-us-iran-conflict/): The waters of the Arabian Sea near Oman turned into an arena for a deadly encounter on Wednesday, June 10, 2026, following an attack by the U.S. Armed Forces against a Palau-registered oil tanker, known as MT Settebello, leading to the death of three Indian sailors. This particular event has gained importance due to the loss of life in the form of commercial seafarers amidst the increasing tension between the two countries, adding another layer of uncertainty in an already troubled region.
- [Belgium Rejects US Congo Travel Ban Demand Amid Ebola Outbreak](https://nycfpa.org/06/10/belgium-rejects-us-congo-travel-ban-demand-amid-ebola-outbreak/): In a decisive rejection that underscores the growing tension between national health security measures and international sporting obligations, Belgium has refused a United States request to impose an entry ban on travelers from the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup. 
- [U.S.-Iran Apache Crisis: Retaliatory Strikes Expose Fragile 2026 Middle East Ceasefire](https://nycfpa.org/06/10/u-s-iran-apache-crisis-retaliatory-strikes-expose-fragile-2026-middle-east-ceasefire/): The Middle East region has now entered a new, unstable era, after the U.S.’s attacks on Iranian military targets in retaliation for Tuesday evening’s June 9, 2026, shooting down of a U.S. Army Apache helicopter in the strategically significant Strait of Hormuz by Iran. This has happened in the context of a very delicate ceasefire process during the current 2026 Iran War, shattering the illusion of diplomacy and bringing out the fragility of the ongoing American-Iranian attempts at de-escalation since February 28, 2026.
- [Israel Strikes Lebanon as Trump Fails to Deliver Iran Deal](https://nycfpa.org/06/09/israel-strikes-lebanon-as-trump-fails-to-deliver-iran-deal/): Tuesday, June 9, 2026, brought about one of the most contradictory situations in the Middle East dilemma that continues to plague us. While President Donald Trump gave what seemed to be the most positive account yet of the U.S. talks with Iran and announced that the deal would soon be finalized, the Israeli military forces intensified their attacks on south Lebanon, hitting even the historical Christian town of Tyre. The contrast highlighted the gap between the goals of U.S. diplomacy and Israeli militarism and brought up serious doubts regarding the consistency of American strategy and the reality of the Iran deal.
- [Iran and Israel strike each other with missiles for first time since ceasefire ](https://nycfpa.org/06/08/iran-and-israel-strike-each-other-with-missiles-for-first-time-since-ceasefire/): June 7, 2026, saw the onset of yet another frightening period for the Middle East as Iran struck Israel with missiles for the first time since the shaky ceasefire commenced in April. This drastic development led to an immediate response by Israel in the form of airstrikes that sent shockwaves throughout various cities in Iran, including Isfahan, Karaj, Tabriz, and even Tehran.
- [US Forces Intercept Iranian Missiles and Drones Aimed at Strait of Hormuz](https://nycfpa.org/06/06/us-forces-intercept-iranian-missiles-and-drones-aimed-at-strait-of-hormuz/): The Middle East was engulfed once again in a period of instability on June 5, 2026, following the assault carried out by the Iranian forces via ballistic missiles and suicide attack drones in the direction of the Strait of Hormuz; the attacks were intercepted by U.S. troops prior to hitting their targets. This armed engagement, which involved firing at both U.S. naval facilities and the oil transportation route, marks the most violent military conflict between the two countries in recent weeks and is likely to bring about an end to the temporary ceasefire in place.
- [Pentagon Raises Israeli Spying Threat to Critical Level](https://nycfpa.org/06/06/pentagon-raises-israeli-spying-threat-to-critical-level/): A situation that marks the beginning of an epochal change in one of the world’s most important partnerships, the U.S. military authorities have now raised the counterintelligence threat rating for Israel to “critical”—which is the most serious designation in the entire American defense intelligence apparatus. This new status for Israel was officially disclosed to NBC News by a number of sources within the American government on June 5, 2026.
- [Xi Jinping’s Rare North Korea Trip: A Diplomatic Pivot in East Asia](https://nycfpa.org/06/05/xi-jinpings-rare-north-korea-trip-a-diplomatic-pivot-in-east-asia/): Chinese President Xi Jinping is gearing up for a rare trip to North Korea, with his first official visit to Pyongyang since 2019. State media in both Beijing and Pyongyang made the announcement, highlighting a major push to bolster their relationship and tackle regional security issues. This timing is pretty crucial in East Asian geopolitics because China wants to show it's a key diplomatic player. With tensions rising between the US, South Korea, and Japan, this visit is aimed at emphasizing China's influence and asserting its diplomatic power.
- [Trump Government Slams UK’s “Two-Tier Policing” After Henry Nowak Murder](https://nycfpa.org/06/05/trump-government-slams-uks-two-tier-policing-after-henry-nowak-murder/): The killing of 18-year-old Henry Nowak in Southampton set off an international feud, drawing attention to policing standards in the UK. The Trump administration piled on, attacking "two-tier policing." They tied the incident to broader concerns about ideological training and the waning of Western civilization. With Secretary Marco Rubio leading the charge, the State Department's criticism caused waves in Westminster and among British police chiefs. They made the case that this wasn't just about one crime—it pointed to serious issues within the system as a whole.
- [Iran Strikes US Bases in Kuwait and Bahrain after US Strikes](https://nycfpa.org/06/03/iran-strikes-us-bases-in-kuwait-and-bahrain-after-us-strikes/): Fresh turmoil has been sparked by Iran, as the country fired missiles and drones on US military installations in Kuwait and Bahrain. At the same time, an attack was conducted on Kuwait International Airport, with people sustaining injuries as the security situation deteriorated further. As a response, the US targeted and disabled a ship flying a flag of Botswana en route to Kharg Island in Iran with a Hellfire missile. This action has underscored the determination of President Trump’s administration to implement its maritime embargo.
- [Trump’s 12.5% Tariff Threat on Australia: Slave Labor Allegations Explained](https://nycfpa.org/06/03/trumps-12-5-tariff-threat-on-australia-slave-labor-allegations-explained/): President Donald Trump has upped the ante on trade relations by threatening to put in place a 12.5% tariff against Australian products that are manufactured through slave labor. The news has been delivered amid a more comprehensive effort to clamp down on slave labor globally, and it has created quite a stir in the halls of Canberra’s trade community.
- [Trump Appoints Controversial Housing Official Bill Pulte as Acting Intelligence Chief](https://nycfpa.org/06/02/trump-appoints-controversial-housing-official-bill-pulte-as-acting-intelligence-chief/): A decision that has caused waves within the political elite of Washington has been made by President Donald Trump, who has decided to name Bill Pulte, a controversial 37-year-old head of the Federal Housing Finance Agency, as the Acting Director of National Intelligence. The decision was prompted by a resignation letter from current Intelligence Chief, Tulsi Gabbard, who stated she will resign from her post in June. One can safely say that this is one of the most unusual appointments in the history of the American intelligence agencies.
- [Partial Ceasefire Fails to Halt Lebanon Conflict as Trump Plan Crumbles](https://nycfpa.org/06/02/partial-ceasefire-fails-to-halt-lebanon-conflict-as-trump-plan-crumbles/): While the agreement, made on April 16, 2026, following two phone calls between the president and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Lebanese authorities, was meant to be a temporary truce of 10 days' duration, the United States extended the scope of this agreement for three weeks on April 23, which was referred to as a "de-escalation." However, as June 2, 2026, approaches, it becomes increasingly clear that this interpretation does not correspond to actual events, and hostilities persist in southern Lebanon, resulting in deaths of thousands and further escalation of the situation in the region regarding Iran.
- [Iran targets American base after US air defence strikes](https://nycfpa.org/06/01/iran-targets-american-base-after-us-air-defence-strikes/): The targeting of an American base by Iran represents a new twist in an already very contentious situation, which has been drawing the Gulf even more into the fray militarily speaking. It happened after the US attacks on Iranian missile defence systems, and it has raised worries about how a fragile cease-fire agreement might fall apart due to retaliatory actions by both parties. What makes this situation unique, however, is not just the attacks themselves, but the context within which they have happened – in a very tense environment, in one of the most important shipping channels in the world, and in a war that has been escalating regionally.
- [US-Iran Deal Threatens Netanyahu’s Legacy](https://nycfpa.org/05/30/us-iran-deal-threatens-netanyahus-legacy/): With the emergence of a possible deal between the United States and Iran as a new diplomatic flashpoint in the Middle East region, it looks like the deal would be detrimental to the carefully cultivated national security policy legacy of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. As reports indicate that the United States and Iran have moved closer to reaching a deal through negotiations, the Israeli government appears to be highly worried about whether the deal would address all its concerns about Iran's nuclear, military and proxy war issues in the region.
- [Pentagon Chief Hegseth Warns: U.S. Ready to Restart Iran Strikes If No Deal](https://nycfpa.org/05/30/pentagon-chief-hegseth-warns-u-s-ready-to-restart-iran-strikes-if-no-deal/): Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth made an alarming announcement to the global community on Saturday, May 30, 2026, stating that the U.S. is ready to launch another military attack against Iran if no deal is reached through diplomatic talks. In his speech at the highly anticipated Shangri-La Dialogue defense conference in Singapore, Hegseth explained the two-pronged strategy adopted by the U.S., including diplomatic talks as well as military readiness. The move comes amid efforts by delegates from both Washington and Tehran to resolve significant differences hindering a deal to end the current military confrontation that started in March 2026.
- [Brazilian Oil Gains as Iran War Disrupts Markets](https://nycfpa.org/05/25/brazilian-oil-gains-as-iran-war-disrupts-markets/): Brazilian crude is increasingly emerging as one of the surprising winners of the ongoing Iran war, where the unrest is leading to disruptions in the global supply of oil, driving prices higher, and forcing consumers to source their oil from other places beyond the Middle East region. While the benefits for Brazil are genuine and uneven, there is a significant chance that the Brazilian exporters and producers will profit, whereas consumers within Brazil will have to bear the brunt of high fuel costs once again.
- [Trump Links Iran Talks to Mass Expansion of Abraham Accords ](https://nycfpa.org/05/25/trump-links-iran-talks-to-mass-expansion-of-abraham-accords/): US President Donald Trump has resurrected one of the most politically sensitive foreign policy concepts in the Middle East by proposing an extension of the Abraham Accords that could eventually culminate in a deal with Iran. Speaking on Monday, Trump said that nations such as Qatar, Pakistan, Egypt, Jordan and Turkey need to join the Abraham Accords “en masse.” What is particularly interesting about the statement is both the list of countries mentioned and the approach used – normalizing relations with Israel as a bargaining chip in discussions with Iran.
- [Iran Says No Deal Imminent While U.S. Talks Remain Fragile and Unresolved](https://nycfpa.org/05/25/iran-says-no-deal-imminent-while-u-s-talks-remain-fragile-and-unresolved/): The tone of Iran’s recent message regarding its negotiations with America has been cautiously optimistic – some progress has taken place, but no breakthroughs are imminent. This is an important point as it means that although there may be movement in the current talks, they are neither complete nor easy, with many issues unresolved. American optimism seems to be countered by Iranian skepticism regarding the success of the talks so far.
- [Iran and US Talks Show Progress Amid Trump Strike Threat](https://nycfpa.org/05/23/iran-and-us-talks-show-progress-amid-trump-strike-threat/): Both Iran and America are sending signals of cautious optimism amid ongoing talks despite President Trump still having a military strike on the table. In light of recent developments, it seems that the countries' representatives are assessing the chances of preventing further escalations through peaceful means, although the current environment is extremely volatile and full of mistrust. The main takeaway from the talks at this point is that there is room for progress, though neither party is characterizing the situation as safe and settled.

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