Global Geopolitical Series: Key updates from across the world

Here are some key events to keep a tab on,

• Russia-U.S. - Syria: In the latest move, the United States warned strong action over any chemical weapons attack in Syria and Russia has warned after U.S. warnings that yet again another chemical attack could be staged in Syria by protesters. Russia has strengthened its naval presence in Syria over possible chemical weapons attack. The UN is holding a meeting with Turkey, Syria, and Russia to discuss the prospect of peace in Syria.      
   
• Iraq: Violence has somewhat abated and vote recount has found no major changes from the earlier count and it was clear that Nationalist Shiite cleric Moqtada Sadr's alliance won Iraq's legislative election but not an outright majority. A government formation can be on the way. The United States has announced that its troops would remain in Iraq as long as needed.
   
• Korean Peninsula: The effect of the peace prospect continues. In the latest move, South Korean visitors to North Korea announced that reform and the opening are progressing rather rapidly.  However, tensions are once again escalating as the U.S. President abruptly called off U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo’s visit to Pyongyang citing lack of progress towards denuclearization. North Korea’s state-owned media has blasted the United States over the decision.
   
• Palestine - Israel: After intense firefighting, airstrikes and rocket fires along the Gaza border, Israel is inching closer in forging a truce agreement with Hamas over the Gaza strip. Senior PA leaders have blasted the move by calling it an attempt to bring about a division between Gaza and West Bank. As the Palestinian Authority (PA) leaders heightened the harsh rhetoric, President Trump of the United States has called of as much as $200 million aid to PA.  
   
• Turkey-United States: The relations have taken a turn for the worse, as President Trump has imposed sanctions against Turkey's justice and interior ministers due to the detention of an American pastor. In response to the U.S. sanctions, Turkey’s President Tayyip Erdogan ordered the authorities to freeze assets of America’s justice and interior minister. However, it is unclear who that would affect, due to differing Cabinet roles in the United States than in Turkey, or if the U.S. officials even have any holdings in Turkey. President Trump has doubled the metal tariffs on Turkey citing sharp currency declines. And Erdogan responded by increasing tariffs on several U.S. goods including iPhone. Turkey is trying to warm up to Russia, and the European Union amid diplomatic crisis with the United States.
   
• Trade war: Chinese delegation visited Washington last week but the two-day meeting ended without any major breakthrough. Experts expect the trade and tariff war to escalate further between China and the U.S.  
   
• Saudi Arabia- Canada: Saudi Arabia has severed economic and diplomatic ties with Canada in response to Canada’s criticism of Saudi Arabia’s handling and capture of activists. Saudi Arabia ordered the expulsion of the Canadian ambassador and the halting of all new trade and investment deals between the two countries after Canada said it was gravely concerned about the recent arrests of Saudi civil society and women’s rights activists. It has also called back its diplomats from Canada. Saudi Arabia has suspended flights to Toronto as the escalation is showing no signs of abating. However, in the latest move, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced last week that Canada is engaging diplomatically with Saudi Arabia to resolve the dispute, however, no reports of any breakthrough yet.
   
• Cyprus crisis: New natural gas discoveries have left a divided Cyprus in the middle of a worsening geopolitical storm in the Eastern Mediterranean. Cyprus has once again taken center stage in the geopolitical debates surrounding the Eastern Mediterranean, fueled by vivid discussions of possible new resource wars in the region, and the evolving role of Turkey. Cyprus struck gas, twice: in 2011 and in 2018. The Cyprus peace talks, led by the UN, collapsed dramatically in 2017 and left the international community in a state of pessimism regarding a possible reunification of the island. Turkey decided to play a more assertive role in the regional energy game.