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The focus is on the new format of international relations after the collapse of the American liberal world order; Iran's successful tactics in the Middle East; Putin's thinking and Russian propaganda narratives; Solzhenitsyn's ideas as the ideological basis of Russian propaganda; three factors to take into account to prevent the negative consequences of AI implementation

World politics

The Hill - about the new “European Concert” (Andrew Latham)

The new world order may be similar in form to the Concert of Europe. This is a system of international relations that arose after the end of the Napoleonic Wars
With the help of this order, despite the fact that it was flawed, it was possible to achieve a temporary lull and stop wars on the European continent for almost a century.
In the 21st century, the new world order may return to a system of maintaining the control of the world by strong states, where the United States, China, the EU and, perhaps, a resurgent Russia will play the role of key players.
The New World Order will be less committed to grand liberal ideals and more focused on the art of agreement

Foreign Affairs - about US mistakes and Iran's success (Susan Maloney)

Since 1979, Iran's political leadership has believed that chaos and volatility, whether internal or external, can be an opportunity to advance their interests and influence.
Tehran has taken advantage of successive conflicts in the Middle East to strengthen its position. Iran's most valuable opportunities came after mistakes by the United States and its allies (for example, the American invasion of Iraq in 2003).
Beginning in 2013, the IRGC worked with its proxy organization, Hezbollah, to mobilize brigades of Afghan and Pakistani Shiites to fight in the Syrian civil war on the side of Bashar al-Assad.
Iran eventually managed to build a close partnership with Russia during the Syrian civil war, which then led to strategic cooperation after February 2022

Russia and Ukraine

The New Statesman - on Putin as a strategic fanatic (Lawrence Friedman)

The Kremlin uses lies and fabrication of fake news to promote a higher truth, claiming that the world is controlled by Nazis and Satanists represented by the Anglo-Saxons, eager to destroy Russian civilization
According to this doctrine, Ukrainians are controlled by Nazis because anyone who fights against Russia should be classified as a Nazi
There is an old sociological maxim (known as Thomas's theorem) which states that if you believe that something really exists, then it becomes real in its consequences
In Soviet times, the government was able to quickly move from one dogma to another if the old one turned out to be inconvenient. Now, perhaps, as historian Timothy Snyder suggests, Putin has lost that flexibility.

Foreign Policy - about Solzhenitsyn ( Casey Michel )

Solzhenitsyn reveals himself to the reader not only as a Russian nationalist, but also as one who willingly believes in various kinds of conspiracy theories and mysticism, which would later become a source of inspiration for President Vladimir Putin
Solzhenitsyn's writings are imbued with deep-seated Russian chauvinism. Solzhenitsyn blamed the “Mongol invasion” and “Polish colonization” for dividing Russians and Ukrainians (and Belarusians), giving rise to “three branches” of the Russian people
Solzhenitsyn wrote that “all talk about a separate Ukrainian people, which has existed almost since the 9th century and has its own dissimilar language, is a recently invented lie.”
It was Solzhenitsyn who laid the foundation for the current Russian anti-Ukrainian propaganda

Other

Project Syndicate - about the AI revolution and consequences ( Daron Acemoglu )

First, as with globalization, it is necessary to provide assistance to those who will lose from the mass adoption of AI technologies - and this must be done now, not later
Second, we should not assume that disruption is inevitable. Artificial Intelligence Doesn't Have to Lead to Mass Unemployment
Third, we must remember that existing social and economic relations are extremely complex. Once they are destroyed, various contingencies will follow.

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