Will the Israel-Hamas War spread across the region? After months of Hezbollah and the IDF exchanging fire, attacks have escalated in recent weeks. Middle East Analyst Hilal Khashan joins host Christian Smith to discuss the conflict at the border, how realistic a full-scale war might be, and what a Trump presidency could mean for the region. The post Israel, Hezbollah, and the Future of the Middle East appeared first on Geopolitical Futures ..read more

(click to enlarge) The 2023 data for greenfield foreign direct investment presents a mixed picture but overall one of resilience. According to the U.N. Conference of Trade and Development’s Global Investment Report, FDI flows fell by 2 percent to $1.3 trillion, and developing nations saw a 7 percent drop to $867 billion. However, developed economies saw a 9 percent increase, driven mainly by Singapore and the European Union. The qualities that attract investors to Singapore – a business-friendly environment and strategic location – are persistent, whereas Europe made gains due to its post-pand ..read more

Rate hike. Russia’s central bank on Friday raised the key lending rate by 200 basis points to 18 percent. The bank explained that inflation is “significantly higher” than its April forecast and that domestic demand is outpacing the country’s ability to supply goods and services. Annual inflation climbed to 9 percent in July from 8.6 […] The post Daily Memo: Russian Interest Rates, More Money for Ukraine appeared first on Geopolitical Futures ..read more

Netanyahu’s plan. In a speech delivered before the U.S. Congress on Wednesday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called for the creation of a security alliance in the Middle East to counter Iran. He said the bloc would be similar to the United States’ security pact with Europe following World War II to counter the Soviets […] The post Daily Memo: Israel Proposes Mideast Security Bloc, Greece Signs Deal for F-35s appeared first on Geopolitical Futures ..read more

Israeli warplanes needed just under three hours on July 21 to travel 1,800 kilometers (1,100 miles) to their targets in Yemen’s port city of Hodeidah. The operation, retaliation for a deadly drone attack launched against Tel Aviv by the Iran-backed Houthi rebels, was officially intended to disrupt Iranian weapons shipments to the Yemen-based group. However, […] The post The Houthis and the Israel-Iran Conflict appeared first on Geopolitical Futures ..read more

Smoothing the waters. Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba met on Wednesday with his Chinese counterpart, Wang Yi, in the southern Chinese city of Guangzhou. According to Ukraine’s Foreign Ministry, the talks focused on China’s possible role in ending the war in Ukraine. Kuleba said he was “convinced that a just peace in Ukraine is in […] The post Daily Memo: Ukraine Reaches Out to China, Houthis Warn of More Attacks appeared first on Geopolitical Futures ..read more

The semiconductor business is booming. According to estimates published in 2023 by consulting firm McKinsey & Company, the semiconductor market will exceed $1 trillion in value by 2030, growing at an average rate of 6-8 percent over the next seven years. Computers and data will account for 25 percent of demand, wireless communications another 25 […] The post The US Makes Its Own Semiconductor Supply Chains appeared first on Geopolitical Futures ..read more

Coming to agreement. Some 14 Palestinian factions, including Hamas and Fatah, signed a reconciliation declaration following China-mediated talks this week, Chinese state broadcaster CCTV reported. The groups pledged to form an “interim government of national unity” to govern the Gaza Strip and the West Bank after the Gaza war. They also agreed to end divisions […] The post Daily Memo: Palestinian Unity, EU Funds for Armenia appeared first on Geopolitical Futures ..read more

One of the most important outcomes of the U.S. presidential race may be how it affects the United States’ relationship with Europe. Donald Trump has clearly stated that he wants Europe to pay more of the cost of NATO – a perennial point of contention between the U.S. and the alliance. Either way, the crux of the issue is the strategic relationship between the United States and Europe. The U.S. has gone to war – or near to war – three times with European powers that had sought to take control of the Continent. The first occurred in 1917, when […] The post US Strategy in Europe appeared first on ..read more

Committed to Europe. Serbia on Friday signed a memorandum of understanding with the European Union on development of sustainable raw materials, batteries and electric vehicles. The signing took place in Belgrade at a summit on critical raw materials attended by German Chancellor Olaf Scholz. At the event, Germany was also hoping to secure lithium for […] The post Daily Memo: EU Partners With Serbia on Lithium appeared first on Geopolitical Futures ..read more