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blog

LAST QUARTER MOON - January 12-19

(March 21 to April 19)

The start of the week oscillates between agitation and full dilemmas, but there is no need to panic. This is the final backlash of a mediocre lunar phase for you. It has at least led you to resolve some problems. At work, straight after the weekend some sticking points which have been making you angry with your boss or a teammate will start to melt away. In love, you have understood that you want to change something — you now just have to work out how. Solitary souls prepare to fall in love passionately and unexpectedly.



(April 20 to May 20)

The financial situation is really testing you, and as a consequence bad moods will spread to other areas of your life. But from this week onwards Mars will become active once again. It is not yet the right time to take professional risks, but you can patiently evaluate the moves to make in the future. Support from friends and colleagues is invaluable. Uncertainty reigns in love as well. If there are questions which need clarifying, it is best to tackle them on Sunday 19. Singles make do with brief trysts.



(May 21 to June 21)

Having adapted to rules or limitations, both in love and at work, and thought about and taken aim at your real life objectives, next week you will be ready to pull the trigger and restart with a bang. In some areas, you could have accepted some compromises, but now you feel like you are on the right path. This week is rich in ideas for creative types, and in interesting (or clandestine) encounters for anyone looking to rejoin the dating game.


(June 22 to July 22)

Sometimes, changing your point of view can work wonders. Especially when words like "obligation" and "dependency" are replaced by "determination" and "stubbornness," thanks to a beautiful Mars from Monday onwards. At work, despite arguments with your boss or colleagues, you have learnt that you are capable of expressing your opinion firmly and with no frills. The same applies in love. Wednesday 14 is a great day for making proposals or kickstarting new initiatives.





(July 23 to August 22)

This week requires order and discipline in all things professional and financial. Don’t lose control on Jan. 14 when something or someone seems ready to block one of your initiatives. It’s all a little tiring, but remember that you are in a time of great growth. Love is on the back burner for everyone, but there is an important message for anyone who is single: Stop thinking about your soulmate and allow yourself to enjoy an imperfect acquaintance who will, in time, get you excited.





(August 23 to September 22)


Work gets ever more frenetic and some tension is noticeable at the start of the week. It is not only uncooperative colleagues or partners, but also someone in your family — or even your own partner — who will weigh down the moment. Remember, however, that despite the tiredness, everything that starts now has the potential to develop further in the future. Stay strong! You will need to remain calm during peaks of tension at the weekend, or else you risk doing damage. Lonely hearts work part-time.


(September 23 to October 23)

It has been a month of settling down, of tiredness and other responsibilities — above all family-linked. But now you have nothing left to give and you must focus on yourself. Relationships which are falling apart come to a good-natured end. For long-term couples, plans, dialogue and complicity are in the stars. This week and next are important for meeting new people and starting a relationship, but also for setting up new projects and asking for a little more at work.






(October 24 to November 20)


From Monday, the resolute push of Mars helps you to face up to recent problems in love or at work. You just need to work out how. Imposing your point of view on a partner or colleague, or threatening to throw a project or relationship out of the window is probably not the best choice. The truth is that you feel stuck in a corner and you won’t accept any compromise. Wait for next week to start new projects. Forza!



(November 21 to December 22)


As a professional, you are in "reorganization" mode. If you work with teams, you will have to find a balance between the participants egos and their acceptance of others’ proposals. In general, it is a week of strength which makes Friday 16 an excellent day for new projects — and also new love. Speaking of which, singles will be making choices while couples dream and love. Newly separated couples will be able to resolve contentious issues.




(December 23 to January 20)

From Jan. 14 onwards, you notice an increase in business leads that, in some cases, come from extra work or investment. Pending questions will be addressed without mincing words. If you have been jaded about matters of the heart recently, you will find the courage to put yourself out there once again. There is time to fall in love, but you have to jump in with both feet. Mars’s overwhelming enthusiasm offers moments of sensuality and sexuality, especially on Sunday — and potentially a little bit of jealousy to deal with.



(January 21 to February 21)


Around the very start of the week you may receive a positive piece of news at work. If there have been quarrels with a partner, an agreement may be reached — thanks to a suggestion coming from you. Couples will experience moments of tension around Wednesday: It is always money problems or distance caused by work which provoke the arguments. But peace is re-established by the weekend. If you are single or newly-dating, you will soon find yourself floating lightheartedly on the waves of love.




(February 22 to March 20)


The balance of Mars and Saturn produces uncertainties about the future. Where are you going? It is as though you are colliding with a reality significantly more difficult than you imagined. At work, you might have underestimated the responsibility of a certain activity — or, anticipating a change, you might find the route barred by a partner. Thursday and Friday are the toughest days. Singles are hibernating, and lovers are asking themselves whether to continue or not. Be patient, clarity is coming soon.

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FOCUS: Israel-Palestine War

Why The U.S. Lost Its Leverage In The Middle East — And May Never Get It Back

In the Israel-Hamas war, Qatar now plays the key role in negotiations, while the United States appears increasingly disengaged. Shifts in the region and beyond require that Washington move quickly or risk ceding influence to China and others for the long term.

Photograph of U.S Secretary of State Antony Blinken  shaking hands with sraeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant.

November 30, 2023, Tel Aviv, Israel: U.S Secretary of State Antony Blinken shakes hands with Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant.

Chuck Kennedy/U.S State/ZUMA
Sébastien Boussois

-Analysis-

PARIS — Upon assuming office in 2008, then-President Barack Obama declared that United States would gradually begin withdrawing from various conflict zones across the globe, initiating a complex process that has had a major impact on the international landscape ever since.

This started with the American departure from Iraq in 2010, and was followed by Donald Trump's presidency, during which the "Make America Great Again" policy redirected attention to America's domestic interests.

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The withdrawal trend resumed under Joe Biden, who ordered the exit of U.S. forces from Afghanistan in 2021. To maintain a foothold in all intricate regions to the east, America requires secure and stable partnerships. The recent struggle in addressing the Israeli-Palestinian conflict demonstrates that Washington increasingly relies on the allied Gulf states for any enduring influence.

Since the collapse of the Camp David Accords in 1999 during Bill Clinton's tenure, Washington has consistently supported Israel without pursuing renewed peace talks that could have led to the establishment of a Palestinian state.

While President Joe Biden's recent challenges in pushing for a Gaza ceasefire met with resistance from an unyielding Benjamin Netanyahu, they also stem from the United States' overall disengagement from the issue over the past two decades. Biden now is seeking to re-engage in the Israel-Palestine matter, yet it is Qatar that is the primary broker for significant negotiations such as the release of hostages in exchange for a ceasefire —a situation the United States lacks the leverage to enforce.

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