Edward Finkelstein

Israel’s decision on December 26, 2025 to recognise Somaliland as an independent state has landed like a starting pistol for dealmakers: a rush of exploratory calls, “we should go now” trade missions, and early jockeying for pole positions that tend to vanish once bigger capitals and multilateral lenders pile in.

The fashionable claim in Western commentary is that Israel is sliding into pariah status, scolded by international bodies, shunned in cultural spaces, and punished in reputational terms for the Gaza war. 

Israel’s Mossad issued a rare public statement accusing Qatar of spreading incitement and false narratives against Israel, after opposition lawmaker Avigdor Liberman claimed the agency was helping Doha improve its image.

Libya’s eastern based Libyan National Army, led by Field Marshal Khalifa Haftar, has reportedly struck a major military agreement with Pakistan valued at roughly 4 to 4.6 billion dollars, according to multiple accounts cited in the original report. 

Algeria is moving toward a vote on a bill that would criminalise France’s rule from 1830 to 1962, presented as a “defining milestone” and a sovereign act. 

Libya’s extremely cheap, government subsidized electricity has made the country an attractive place to mine Bitcoin, helping trigger a surge in large and small scale operations. 

Cybertech Global TLV 2026 will take place from January 26–28, 2026, in Tel Aviv, bringing the world’s cybersecurity ecosystem together for three high-impact days of ideas, innovation, and connection.

Senior officials from Cyprus and the United Kingdom met in Nicosia on December 18 for the third annual Strategic Dialogue, reaffirming the strength of their bilateral partnership and outlining priorities for the year ahead.

Egypt plans to roll out a digital portal for mining investment opportunities in the first half of 2026, allowing investors to browse available concession areas and complete applications, licensing, and contracting fully online. 

Senior air force commanders from Greece, Israel and Cyprus held a confidential meeting in Nicosia on Wednesday, as the three countries reportedly explore expanded security cooperation and tighter operational coordination. 

Nvidia appears close to signing an agreement to build what would be Israel’s largest tech campus, according to Yaakov Kvint, director of the Israel Land Authority, who said the deal should be signed “in the next day or two.” 

Ousted Syrian president Bashar al-Assad is studying Russian and retraining in ophthalmology while living in Russia, according to a report published Monday by The Guardian, which cited a friend of the family as well as sources in Russia and Syria and leaked data.