The Militarization of American Police
For many Americans, the ongoing protests and demonstrations against police brutality was perhaps their first clear look at just how militarized policing has become in the United States.
French jihadist goes on trial over IS group executions in Syria
A French jihadist went on trial Thursday on terror charges amid accusations that he oversaw executions in Syria as a senior figure in the Islamic State (IS) extremist group.
Intel: Al-Qaeda branch confirms US drone killed Zarqawi relative in Syria
An al-Qaeda branch in northwest Syria has confirmed that a US drone strike earlier this month killed one of the group’s most senior leaders, a veteran Jordanian jihadi who had been the brother-in-law of Abu Musab al-Zarqawi.
Indicting Hashim Thaçi: The Kosovo Specialist Prosecutor’s Office Gets Busy
When it comes to the touchy, violent matter of Kosovar affairs, history keeps company with the devils of nationalism and vengeance. Serbia remains scornful of the aspirations of the territory, whose legitimacy it does not recognise; Kosovo remains spiteful of Serbia’s continued interest, and attempts, at any given turn, to frustrate their neighbour’s effort at European integration. Blood tinged memories between the two sides reign with relentless fury.
The Rhetoric of Democracy-building in Ukraine. NATO and the Militarization of Eastern Europe
Part I:“Linking People to Reforms”
Buying Freedom on the Free Market
Obscured by the mythology of pursuing economic and political autonomy, Ukraine plays the latest role in a long, unfolding process of western corporate, political and military interests establishing the “territorial integrity” not of independent Eastern European states, but of “NATO’s border” under the monolithic control of the United States. Ukraine has long served as a Western frontier—its political and economic ambitions co-opted by Washington’s pundits and financiers—and what the NATO Association of Canada has described as “the only country standing between Russia and the EU”.
Austrian MPs Vow to Ban Croats’ ‘Ultranationalist’ Bleiburg Events
The Austrian Green Party told BIRN why MPs backed a proposed ban on an annual commemoration in Austria of Croatian Nazi-allied troops and civilians killed in World War II which has become a get-together for nationalists.
Asylum Outsourced: McKinsey’s Secret Role in Europe’s Refugee Crisis
In 2016 and 2017, US management consultancy giant McKinsey was at the heart of efforts in Europe to accelerate the processing of asylum applications on over-crowded Greek islands and salvage a controversial deal with Turkey, raising concerns over the outsourcing of public policy on refugees.
Trust in Democracy Fragile in Central Europe, Balkans – Report
Corruption, populism, nationalism and disinformation have eroded faith in liberal democracy in Central and Eastern Europe, according to a new Globsec report – which says many people would trade in some of their freedoms for greater security and traditional values.
Five Things Kosovo Must Know Before Doing a Deal with Serbia
Following the election of the new government in Kosovo, the US special presidential envoy for the Kosovo-Serbia dialogue, Richard Grenell, has taken a proactive and assertive approach to the talks, increasing the likelihood of a final deal in which the US plays a significant role.
Palestinians: Is It Really about ‘Annexation’?
It is dead wrong to assume that if Israel abandons its plan, most Muslims would give up their desire to destroy Israel and replace it with an extremist Iran-style Islamic state.