Author: M Barbu

Putin Orders Preparation Of Proposals For ‘Unfriendly Countries’ To Pay In Rubles For Gas

Russian President Vladimir Putin has ordered the Russian central bank, the government, and Gazprom to present proposals by March 31 for gas payments in rubles from “unfriendly countries,” including all European Union states.

Russia is working out methods for accepting payments for its natural-gas exports in rubles and it will make decisions in due course should European countries refuse to pay in the Russian currency, the Kremlin said on March 28.

OPEC remains committed to oil production agreement with Russia

The Biden administration has been unable to get Gulf states to increase oil production to bring down prices and some European states are seeking alternatives to Russian natural gas.

The United Arab Emirates’ energy head has endorsed an agreement between the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) and Russia. Energy Minister Suhail al-Mazrouei said that the war in Ukraine should not affect the oil giants’ plans.

Ethiopia Truce an Uncertain Prospect

Last week, good news emerged from Ethiopia. The federal government announced a truce in its sixteen-month conflict with Tigrayan forces, expressing hope that its action would improve the humanitarian situation in the region and pave the way for lasting peace. Tigrayan forces responded in kind, pledging to make the truce a success.

Ukraine refugees near 4 million. Will exodus slowdown last?

A slowdown for good or a temporary lull during the storm of war?

While the number of refugees who have flooded out of Ukraine nears 4 million, fewer people have crossed the border in recent days. Border guards, aid agencies and refugees themselves say Russia’s unpredictable war on Ukraine offers few signs whether it’s just a pause or a permanent drop-off.

Tunisia says it has dismantled 150 militant cells in past 6 months

Tunisian police forces have dismantled about 150 militant cells in the past six months, a spokesman for the National Guard said on Saturday.

He added that some of the foreign militants arrested were planning to join “Jond Kilafha”, a group linked to Islamic State in Libya and in the mountains on the Tunisian-Algerian border.

The Taliban Have Not Moderated

An Extremist Regime Is Pushing Afghanistan to the Brink

When the Taliban returned to power in Afghanistan in August 2021, some observers suggested that their approach to governance might prove more moderate this time around. Twenty years had elapsed since the group was last in charge. The country had transformed dramatically, and with the fight against the United States over, tasks like collecting garbage and keeping the lights on now seemed largely nonideological in nature.

Could The War In Ukraine Trigger A Global Food Crisis?

The effects of the war in Ukraine are already being felt across the world, from rocking world energy markets to spurring a growing refugee crisis in Europe.

But the conflict could have more ripple effects, including sparking a global food crisis.

How Afghanistan’s Militant Groups Are Evolving Under Taliban Rule

Intelligence agencies worldwide are warning that Taliban rule in Afghanistan is radically reshaping terrorist and militant groups in South Asia and around the world.

Specifically, intelligence and counterterrorism officials say that despite Taliban promises to sever ties with al-Qaida and oppose terror groups such as the Islamic State’s Afghan affiliate, as codified in the 2020 Doha agreement with the United States, there has been scant evidence of progress.

Subtle Shift Underway in Middle East as Iran Assumes More Direct Posture

Iran departed from its usual patterns by openly claiming responsibility for a missile strike inside Iraq.
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) asserted that the attack was in retaliation for a recent deadly strike by Israel on IRGC officers in Syria.

Iran remains committed to driving U.S. forces out of Iraq and exerting preponderant influence there.
The strike might have intended to shape the formation of a new Iraqi government and maximize Tehran’s leverage in ongoing multilateral nuclear talks.