A historic meeting between US President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has led some to suggest the age of North Korea as a rogue state is coming to an end. The divided North and South have made increasingly conciliatory moves over 2018; however, experts have warned that this may not be the…
Syrian rebels continue to be bombarded
A February military offensive aimed at breaking the resolve of Damascus’ last rebel pockets has resulted in a humanitarian catastrophe, with 400,000 Syrians trapped in rebel-controlled Eastern Ghouta. Eastern Ghouta, a suburb of Damascus, is controlled by a number of Salafi Islamist groups including Jaysh al-Islam, Ahrar al-Sham and Tahrir al-Sham, all three of whom…
Ollie Ryan Tucker examines terror charges against a British anti-ISIS fighter
James Matthews, a British volunteer who fought with the Kurdish YPG in Syria against ISIS, will be charged with a terror offence, Metropolitan Police have announced. The charge alleges that he attended “a place or places in Iraq or Syria where instruction or training was provided for purposes connected to the commission or preparation of…
Iran: protests threaten status quo
On 28 December protests began across Iranian cities, with crowds chanting varied slogans expressing their frustration, both political and economic. Some cities saw explicitly anti-government chants, such as “bring back Reza Shah”, a cry for the return of Iran’s deposed monarchy, whereas others saw anger at Iran’s foreign involvement, with the line “not Gaza, not…
Hundreds dead after bombing in Sinai
At least 311 people have been left dead after Islamist militants attacked a mosque in Sinai, north- east Egypt. The attack took place during Friday prayers, which often sees high attendances at the Al-Rawda mosque’s services. It is believed that around 30 attackers took part in the massacre. An initial bombing inside the mosque was…
Saudi-Lebanon rift grows
Lebanon and the wider region were left stunned by a series of bizarre events surrounding the Prime Minister, Saad Hariri, and Saudi Arabia. Though reaction in the Western world has been stunted, the severity of the situation has even started to turn heads in the USA and Europe. The events started with the sudden resignation…
8 dead in Manhattan terror attack
A truck attack has killed at least eight in lower Manhattan after the driver mowed down pedestrians on a cycle path. The driver, Sayfullo Saipov, was shot by a police officer after he exited the truck but remains alive and in a stable condition. The truck had been rented just one hour prior to the…
Iran: Trump threatens nuclear deal
In a move that has caused a major rift between the US and its global allies, President Trump has refused to certify the Iran Deal. Negotiated by his predecessor Barrack Obama and major world powers, the deal was made in 2015 to prevent Iran developing nuclear capabilities. The permanent members of the United Nations including…
Examined: Kurdish independence in Iraq
In a controversial referendum, 92 percent of voters in the Kurdish region of Northern Iraq chose independence, angering neighbouring countries and the federal Iraqi government. In July 2014, with the Islamic State expanding, Kurdish Regional Government (KRG) President Massoud Barzani announced plans to hold an independence referendum without approval from the Iraqi parliament. Negotiations between…
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