Author: M Barbu

China’s mining ambitions in Afghanistan haunted by militants

Escalating threats from Islamist militants are casting doubt on the future of big-money Chinese mining projects in Afghanistan.

Earlier this month, Xinjiang Central Asia Petroleum and Gas (CAPEIC) signed a 25-year oil extraction deal with the Afghan Taliban authorities for the Amu River oil field in northwestern Afghanistan. The company is expected to invest $150 million in the first year of the contract and $540 million over three years.

The Realist Case For Ukraine – Analysis

The scope of the Biden administration’s response to the invasion of Ukraine has already exceeded what many observers—not to mention Russia’s leadership—expected. From intelligence sharing with Kyiv ahead of the invasion to the imposition of unprecedented sanctions on the Russian economy to the provision of increasingly capable weaponry to Ukraine’s armed forces, the United States has been critical to the failure of Russia’s “special military operation” to achieve its objectives. Despite US support and Ukrainian valor, the war is now approaching a second year, and several observers in the United States and in Europe have become increasingly alarmed at the consequence of a longer war.

Censorship, Mass Surveillance and Bugs: World Economic Forum vs. The Free World

People with fortunes have an economic incentive to hide them behind the appearance of benevolence, so as to avoid scrutiny while making those fortunes even bigger. Behind every “build back better” inch of the WEF’s “great reset” of the global economy is some corporate titan, banking behemoth, power-hungry politician, bureaucratic chieftain, or plain old aristocrat making money or gaining influence from the multitude of secret transactions buttressing the whole philanthropic charade.

Counter Terrorism Operations Squeeze Islamic State Despite Elusive Leadership

In November, the U.S. confirmed the death of the third ISIS leader killed in operation in Syria. The group continues to come under pressure from international anti terror campaigns, despite keeping in the shadows.

Counter-terrorism forces have continued to have success in operations against the Islamic State leadership, killing two ‘caliphs’ and several high ranking officials within a matter of months in Iraq and Syria.

Algerian Researcher Said Djabelkhir Proposes Extensive Changes In Islamic Scholarship, School Curricula: Islamic Heritage In Its Current State Contradicts Modernity, Human Rights; We Need Enlightenment

Algerian researcher Said Djabelkhir said in a January 15, 2023 show on Sky News Arabia (UAE) that in its current state, Islamic heritage starkly contradicts modernity and human rights. He said that the school curricula produce extremist religious fanatics instead of instilling students with acceptance, tolerance, and coexistence. He also said that the concept of the “fatwa” should be abolished and that Islamic scholars should only provide Muslims with information, analysis, and opinions so that Muslims can choose their own opinions. He stated: “The Muslim masses need enlightenment.” In addition, Djabelkhir proposed that Islamic scholarship should get rid of some hadiths and revise some of the ancient jurisprudential Islamic reasoning. He added that students of shari’a should study comparative religion in an open-minded way, as well as various subjects from the humanities.

Spain And The Fine Art Of Moroccan Gatekeeping

The vote was a striking one. 356 members of the European Parliament voted in favor of a resolution against the Kingdom of Morocco, condemning various human rights concerns and “expressing profound concern about the accusations that Moroccan authorities have corrupted deputies in the European Parliament.” Morocco is alleged to be a player in the scandal known as “Qatargate” which is, as the name suggests, mostly about, but not limited to, oil-rich Qatar buying influence in the European Parliament.[1]