SocoSIX Behind the Scenes for November 2024

SocoSIX Behind the Scenes for November 2024

GOING NUCLEAR? Google has announced it’s inked a deal with Kairos Power to buy small modular reactors (SMRs) to help power the tech giant’s investments in data centers and AI. Google says it chose SMRs due to their small size and modular nature, which in turn can “reduce construction timelines, allow deployment in more places, […]

SocoSIX Behind the Scenes for October 2024

SocoSIX Behind the Scenes for October 2024

WAR WIDENS IN THE MIDDLE EAST COMMENT:  Israel may be calling them “small, tactical incursions,” but in fact, the invasion of southern Lebanon and the purging of as much Hizballah infrastructure, personnel, and weapons from the Litani River southwards has begun as has, in fact, the broader war.  This is the third such attempt to […]

News, Flashpoints, and Insights for SEPTEMBER 2024

Russia & Ukraine Conflic

The same international issues remain leading causes for concern and interest in September 2024 as they were six or seven months ago.  These include on-going crises or near-crises in Ukraine, Gaza, Sudan, Venezuela, and the South China Sea.  Some of these issues are updated below, while we introduce our readers to one or two additional […]

News, Flashpoints, and Insights for August 2024

NEW WAR SCARE IN THE MID-EAST, WHILE HOPES DASHED FOR HOSTAGE DEAL August begins with heightened concerns that the Middle East is on the brink of a major escalation in the violence already plaguing the region.  Just a few days ago it seemed as if Israel and Hamas were finally growing close to a ceasefire […]

News, Flashpoints, and Insights for July 2024

IRAN HEADS TO RUN-OFF VOTE ON FRIDAY (JULY 5) The only reformist candidate on the June 28 presidential election ballot, parliamentarian Masoud Pezeshkian, scored a slim lead (43%) over his leading hardline competitors (39% for the former nuclear talks chief negotiator, Saeed Jalili), with Parliamentary Speaker Qalibaf taking slightly more than 13% of the remainder.  […]

News, Flashpoints, and Insights for June 2024

Cyber Security Threats

WHITHER IRAN? Over the next few months, Iran’s political scene will be closely watched following the death on May 20 of the country’s president, Ebrahim Raisi.  In accordance with constitutional provisions, elections for a new president are scheduled for June 28 – an exceedingly short electoral window by any measure.  While several prominent candidates threw […]

News, Flashpoints, and Insights for May 2024

PUTTING GAZA MILITARY OPS ON HOLD? “Rafah can wait – hostages cannot,” wrote demonstrators on the street outside IDF headquarters during a turbulent demonstration in Tel Aviv on 29 April.  They were calling on the government of Bibi Netanyahu to finalize a deal with Hamas for the release of hostages who have been held in […]

News, Flashpoints, and Insights for April 2024

RENEWED TERRORISM THREAT?  Terrorism may be taking on different names and targets, but unfortunately, it must remain very high on the list of concerns for security officials in both government and business in multiple corners of the world, election-year politics, notwithstanding.  In recent Congressional testimony, the FBI and Director for Central Intelligence have stressed two […]