Global Geopolitical Series: Key updates from across the world

Here are some key events to keep a tab on,

• Russia-U.S. - Syria: Syrian military with the help of Russia is set to conquer the Southwest part of Syria as the U.S. allows it under President Trump’s new strategy. The focus will be on today’s meeting between president Trump and President Putin, which could decide the future of Syria and the regime of President Basher al-Assad.        
   
• Iraq: Unrest is spreading across Iraq and in some places it getting violent with two protesters reportedly being killed. Najaf airport has been sacked. The border with Kuwait has been occupied by protesters and roads to major oil fields blocked in southern Iraq. The government has cut internet access and social media sites.
   
• Korean Peninsula: The effect of the peace prospect continues. Northern and Southern table tennis players played friendly matches to improve ties through sports and other activities. For North Korean prosperity, ‘Vietnamese model’ has been suggested by U.S. secretary of state Mike Pompeo. Supreme leader Kim Jong-Un has sent a personal letter to President Trump, thanking him for the meeting and commending the follow up on promises made and expressed desire to meet again.
   
• Palestine - Israel: Donald Trump is moving closer to another victory as the global rating for PA President Mahmoud Abbas declining after PA’s violent crackdown of Palestinian protesters last month, who were protesting against cuts in their pay packages. President’s special envoy to Jared Kushner announced that the peace plan would go ahead with or without PA President Mahmoud Abbas. Amid tensions with the United States, PA continues to suffer credit crunch. In the latest blow, Australia ended its direct aid to Palestine citing concerns over the report that the money is used for terrorist funding. To counter U.S. pressure, the Palestinian leadership has now turned to Russia and will meet President Putin later this week. In the latest move, violence has escalated in Gaza, where Israeli air force launched massive bombing attacks in response to mortar fires from the region, targeting Israeli towns near the border.
   
• Turkey-Israel-United States: Despite an agreement between Turkey and the United States over Syria, the relation continues to worsen. U.S. lawmakers approved a halt in selling advance U.S. fighter jets F35s to Turkey.  Turkey has also announced its unwavering support for the Palestinians. Turkey has also announced that its decision to purchase Russian made S-400 missile defense systems. However, a U.S. - Turkey working group is having meetings and discussions to improve the relationship.
   
• Italy vs. EU: Italian government is at loggerheads with Brussels over immigration and others. The new Italian government used its veto to block joint agreements on defense unless the issue of immigration is solved with the fulfillments of Italy’s demands. Italy has also announced that the country could increase its budgetary expenditures, ditching EU rules.  The euro-skeptic lega Nord Party has threatened to tear up the bureaucracy of Brussels if the issues raised by the party is not addressed.
   
• Trade war: U.S. and China has announced 25 percent tariffs on each other’s’ imports worth $50 billion. President Trump has ordered his administration to prepare tariffs on $200 billion worth of goods. China has vowed to respond in kind. U.S. commerce department is holding public hearings on looming auto import tariffs this week on Monday.
   
• Mexico: The new Mexican government has reportedly entered into a negotiation with the Trump administration to avoid an abrupt end to the current North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA).