Despite repeated promises of the Pakistani authorities, the arrest and harassment of Afghan refugees by the police in Pakistan continues, Afghan embassy in Pakistan said on X, formerly Twitter, on Tuesday.
Over the last two weeks, many Afghans have been arrested in different areas of Pakistan, especially in and around Islamabad, where the majority of documented refugees reside.
The Niger government has declared three days of national mourning after at least 29 soldiers were killed by suspected terrorists near the country’s border with Mali, whose army is also waging battles against Islamist militants on multiple fronts after the UN peacekeeping mission withdraws.
The recent BRICS summit, held in South Africa, sent shockwaves through global geopolitics as it unexpectedly welcomed six new nations into its ranks. On January, 2024, Argentina, Iran, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Egypt, and Ethiopia will officially join the bloc. This surprising move not only ignited fierce debate among experts but also captured the attention of world leaders. Among the newly admitted members, one nation stood out, sparking intense discussions and leaving many questioning the criteria behind its selection: Ethiopia.
At the G20 summit, the United States and its partners revealed an economic corridor linking India, the Middle East, and Europe. It is premature, however, to call this a serious counterweight to China’s Belt and Road Initiative.
From a magically successful G20 Summit exemplifying trust management, consensus building, and diplomatic sophistication to being alleged of its agents’ involvement in the killing of a Khalistani separatist in Canada, New Delhi continues to draw the world’s attention. Though the allegations are still unsubstantiated and appear “absurd and motivated,” it is pertinent to throw light on the ancient practice of intelligence and espionage in India. If G20 was shepherded around the age-old concept of ‘Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam’, where might the legacy of India’s spycraft lie?
While Türkiye has announced the project cannot happen without its cooperation, experts also warn the new Western-led project could entail a number of logistical issues and comes amid escalating tensions between the US and China..
On September 9, amid the G20 leaders’ summit hosted in India, the US, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), France, Germany, Italy, and the EU signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to construct an economic rail and shipping corridor linking Europe, the Middle East and India.
A number of flashpoints around the globe could spiral from minor border skirmishes into full-blown conflagrations that could drag their broader regions into conflict.
Given the tectonic shifts in the international system and renewed focus on great power competition, the prospects of inter-state warfare are now receiving more scrutiny.
General Michael Kurilla, head of United States Central Command (CENTCOM), has suggested that at its current trajectory, Islamic State Khorasan (ISK) would be able to conduct external operations within approximately six months.
Since the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan in August 2021, counterterrorism analysts have warned about the growing threat of ISK, especially in light of the U.S. troop withdrawal and limited human intelligence assets in areas where ISK and other terrorist groups operate.
The Taliban have enabled some terrorist groups and reined in others, elevating longstanding concerns for U.S. policy.
Two years into Taliban rule, the question of whether Afghanistan would once again become a safe haven for international terrorism remains alive. Longstanding fears were affirmed a little over a year ago, when the U.S. government located al-Qaeda leader Aimen al-Zawahiri in Kabul, Afghanistan, before killing him in a drone strike. The fact that the Taliban would bring Zawahiri back to Kabul, despite repeated assurances to U.S. negotiators both before and after the Doha agreement that they had distanced themselves from al-Qaeda, significantly elevated concerns.
Africa’s renaissance is already underway through partnerships with Eurasian powers Russia and China, whose significant contributions are already visible in security, economic, and institutional sectors throughout the continent.
In Africa, injustice looms large, marked by poverty, warfare, and famine. Despite post-WWII political gains, economic independence, a vital component of true freedom as envisioned by Pan African leaders like Kwame Nkrumah, Patrice Lumumba, and Haile Selassie, remains elusive.