Central Asian intelligence services take a first step towards their British counterparts

Japan counts on Sasakawa Foundation to secure its place in US and European plans 

Japan's foreign ministry is sponsoring researchers from the Sasakawa Peace Foundation to help redefine the country's vision of the Indo-Pacific region and, with the help of Japanese embassies abroad, spread the word in international colloquiums.

• RUSSIA - Mobilisation a pretext for settling scores between siloviki and opponents.

• IRAQ - The Patriotic Union of Kurdistan puts end to internal feud.
  

• EUROPEAN UNION - EEAS seeks private sector contractor for future strategic foresight hub.
  

• FRANCE/GERMANY/UNITED STATES - Macron tries to revive cyber action programme at UN.
  

• UNITED STATES/CHINA - Battle of defence attachés in Indo-Pacific region.
  

Russia's soft power institutions tread carefully in Central Asia 

Moscow is trying to maintain its influence in Central Asian countries through its soft power agencies with the aim of consolidating and strengthening its alliances in the region. But the 9 May celebrations revealed deep dissensions within some countries.

Afghan tensions affords Bishkek spymasters strategic regional role 

Taking advantage of the renewed prominence of Central Asia following the Afghan outbursts, the Kyrgyz spymasters are seeking to consolidate their position and to assert the interests of Bishkek in the regional dynamics between Beijing, Islamabad and New Delhi.

External intelligence returns to KNB fold 

A decree was published last month taking away the independence