Author: M Barbu

On 18 April, the Pentagon confirmed a significant reduction in US troop levels in Syria, marking a new phase in America’s military involvement in the country.

This move follows a brief surge in deployments during 2024 when the number of US personnel in Syria rose to 2,000 after roughly 900 in 2019. Now it’s being reduced back down to what Pentagon Spokesperson Sean Parnell described as a “conditions-based” presence of fewer than 1,000 troops.

“We are committed to distancing Iraq from regional wars,” Hussein said. “Baghdad does not desire escalation in the region.”

Iraqi Foreign Minister Fouad Hussein warned that the threat posed by ISIS has resurfaced, cautioning that the extremist group is actively regrouping and planning attacks. His remarks came in a special interview with Sky News Arabia, where he emphasized Iraq’s firm rejection of regional conflict and its ongoing coordination with international partners to preserve peace and stability.

Conquérir un territoire, c’est avant tout soumettre sa population. Il faut bien distinguer cette notion de celle d’«occupation», un terme juridique spécifique qui régit les relations entre une «puissance occupante» étrangère et la nation occupée en vertu du droit international, en particulier la quatrième Convention de Genève.

The debate on migration has calmed down a bit in the news media. However, this does not mean that the issue has been ‘solved’. Quite the opposite.

In most discussions about migration, we tend to start with numbers. Understanding the scale changes, emerging trends and demographic shifts associated with global social and economic transformations, such as migration, helps us understand the changing world we live in and plan for the future. According to a global estimate by the International Organization for Migration (IOM) there were approximately 281 million international migrants in the world in 2020, representing 3.6 percent of the world’s population. The estimated number of international migrants has increased significantly over the past five decades, from 128 million in 1970 to 153 million in 1990. The latest figures for 2024 indicate 303,936,274 migrants.

Latest Developments

Lebanon Tells Iran to Abide by Diplomatic Norms: Lebanese Foreign Minister Youssef Raggi had rejected “foreign interference” following criticism from Iranian Ambassador Mojtaba Amani over evolving plans that may lead to the disarmament of Tehran’s Hezbollah proxy. Amani, who was wounded during Israel’s “exploding pager” operation in September 2024, called the initiative “a clear conspiracy against nations.” Raggi responded that Lebanon “reject[s] any foreign interference in our internal affairs. We support positive neutrality, mutual respect for sovereignty, and shared Arab interests.”
Aoun Says State Monopoly Arms ‘Fundamental’ to Peace: Lebanese President Joseph Aoun said on April 20 that a state monopoly on bearing arms, which would necessarily preclude Hezbollah from operating, is a “sensitive, delicate issue” but one “that is fundamental to preserving civil peace.” The Lebanese army announced on April 20 that it had thwarted a rocket attack against Israel — the first such publicized intervention since the November 2024 ceasefire between the two countries.
Congressman Meets With Syrian Transitional President: The interim government in Syria — which, like its Lebanese neighbor, is also facing Iranian proxies operating on its territory — has cracked down on Hezbollah terrorists who backed the deposed regime of former President Bashar al-Assad. Following a meeting in Damascus with interim President Ahmad al-Sharaa, U.S. Rep. Cory Mills (R-FL) said the Syrian leader had told him that “under the right conditions,” Damascus would be prepared to join the “Abraham Accords” bloc of Arab states that have normalized relations with Israel. Mills said that he presented Sharaa with a list of conditions the new Syrian government must fulfill for the United States to lift sanctions, including the destruction of chemical weapons left over from the Assad regime.