The earthquake in Turkiye and Syria last Monday has had catastrophic effects in both countries that have been compounded by the failure to end Syria’s civil war. Health and emergency services, already under severe strain before the disaster because of the influx of millions of Syrian refugees in Turkiye, almost collapsed near the epicenter. Similarly, the internally displaced
International Atomic Energy Agency Director-General Rafael Grossi last week warned that “every limit that existed in the JCPOA (nuclear deal) has been violated several times” by Iran. The deal has become an “empty shell” and diplomatic activity to revive it is almost nonexistent, he said, adding that: “Nobody has declared it dead, but no obligation is being pursued.” One of
On Saturday, far-right activist Rasmus Paludan set fire to a copy of the Holy Qur’an in front of the Turkish Embassy in the Swedish capital, Stockholm. He was allowed to do so by the police, who surrounded him while he deliberately carried out this act. It was not an isolated incident, as the Swedish-Danish national is a repeat offender. He had previously been convicted for
There has been no respite from terrorism for Afghanistan in 2023, but despite the formidable security challenges, Taliban leaders have contributed to the country’s instability by escalating their draconian measures at home and increasing its isolation and estrangement from the rest of the world. On Jan. 11, terrorists attacked a target near the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in
Dozens of countries and international institutions on Monday pledged more than $11 billion to help Pakistan recover and rebuild from the devastating floods it experienced last year, which UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called a “climate disaster of monumental scale.” Saudi Arabia and the Jeddah-based Islamic Development Bank accounted for about half of the pledges.