In the past week, a new development in the Kurdistan conflict has begun. Feeling threatened by the growing number of armed Kurdish fighters in Syria, Turkish troops have crossed the border into the neighboring Syrian territory around Afrin. This operation is an extension of Turkey’s suppression of the Kurdistan movements in its own southern territory. The Turkish military’s crossing over… Read more »
Erdogan threatens to extend Afrin operation to Manbij – Al Jazeera The Turkish military has shelled and bombarded Syrian Kurdish positions in northern Syria for a fifth day, as President Recep Tayyip Erdogan threatened to extend the offensive east of the city of Manbij. Turkey on Saturday launched the operation in the Afrin region to clear it of US-backed Kurdish… Read more »
What is Russia’s end game in Afrin? – Al Jazeera Turkey launched its air and ground operation against Kurdish fighters in the Syrian enclave of Afrin on Saturday, with Moscow turning a blind eye on the military offensive. Russian forces were withdrawn from the area just before the operation began and Turkish jets were allowed to use the Afrin airspace, controlled by… Read more »
‘Relentless’ shelling as Turkey intensifies Afrin push – Al Jazeera The Turkish army has intensified an offensive against Syrian Kurdish positions in the enclave of Afrin, as President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said there would be no “stepping back” in Ankara’s operation, now in its third day. Anadolu, Turkey’s state-run news agency, reported on Monday that Turkish forces continued to shell… Read more »
Turkey’s operation in Syria’s Afrin: The key players – Al Jazeera On Saturday, Turkey launched an operation in the northern Syrian enclave of Afrin aimed at rooting out armed Kurdish groups, which Ankara considers a threat to its security. Turkish ground troops followed a day after, crossing the border into Syria alongside thousands of Free Syrian Army (FSA) fighters, as… Read more »
In the past few months, the occurrence of protests in Iran has been increasing. The sheer number of people that have been taking to the streets is a clear demonstration of the extant of the general public’s animosity toward their government and economic position. In the past few years, economic conditions in Iran have been worsening, with the cost of… Read more »
Causes behind Iran’s protests: A preliminary account – Al Jazeera The causes of the uprising that has been rocking the Islamic Republic of Iran for a week now are unsurprisingly both structural and contingent. Initially kicked off by the economically dispossessed youth and joined by lower sections of the middle class, students and also some pensioners, it has reached an… Read more »
Iran bans English from being taught in primary schools – BBC Iran has banned teaching the English language in primary schools, calling the subject a “cultural invasion”. The education ministry “envisages strengthening Persian language skills and Iranian Islamic culture of pupils at the primary school stage”, its secretary told state media. Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, has previously expressed… Read more »
In the refugee crisis simulation in the sixth block class, I was a member of the USDOS group. I felt adequately prepared, as was the rest of my group, after thoroughly reviewing the provided briefing documents prior to the simulation. I felt well-engaged throughout the simulation, contributing by taking notes and participating heavily in the informal negotiation stages. I felt… Read more »
The unexpected recognition of Jerusalem by President Trump as the capital of Israel has received little support and much criticism. The decision goes against the precedent set by the US and other UN members which dates back to Israel’s creation. Recognition may have been intended to strengthen US-Israeli ties, however the immediate affect of the decision seems to be a… Read more »