India-Pakistan Ceasefire Tested as Indus Water Tensions Surge

Politics, Geopolitics & Conflict - Russia and Ukraine were holding their first direct peace talks in over three years on Friday in Istanbul, but with delegations devoid of either Putin or Zelensky. The Kremlin team is led by aide Vladimir Medinsky and Kyiv’s team is led by Defense Minister Rustem Umerov. Moscow continues to harden its position. It’s made additional territorial gains recently and continues to demand NATO abandon Ukraine. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, present in Istanbul, appears doubtful of any progress without…