When Italian authorities announced last week that they had seized 15.4 tons of counterfeit Captagon produced by ISIS in Syria to fund terrorism, it was lauded as one of the largest drug busts in history.
Read More »Yearly Archives: 2020
Accused Hezbollah financier arrives in Lebanon after US release
Lebanese businessman and accused Hezbollah financier Kassem Tajeddine arrived in the capital Beirut following his compassionate early release from US detention, three years into a five-year sentence for evading US sanctions.
Read More »Iran-backed militia says PM’s actions could bring escalation
A powerful Iran-backed militia said Wednesday there would be “escalation” if Iraq’s prime minister continues to clamp down on armed groups, as tensions spiked following the killing of a prominent analyst, pitting the state against rogue elements.
Read More »Kata’ib Hezbollah Escalates Pressure On Iraqi Government
On June 25, Iraqi forces arrested 14 militants belonging to the Iran-backed Kata’ib Hezbollah (KH) in an anti-terrorism raid ordered by Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi. The KH members were allegedly planning an attack on Baghdad’s Green Zone, which houses the U.S. Embassy and other diplomatic compounds. Shortly after the arrest, …
Read More »Rewarding Bad Behavior? Saudi Arabia and the G-20 Summit in Riyadh
UK Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab recently announced sanctions against individuals and organizations tied to human rights abuses, including twenty Saudi nationals linked to the murder of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi.
Read More »Conspiratorial Corona: Hoaxes and Conspiracy Theories in the Balkans
With the spread of conspiracy theories and hoaxes, the COVID-19 pandemic threatens to further undermine democracy in the Western Balkans.
Read More »China Has Overtaken Russia as Serbia’s Great Ally
If Serbia now praises China to the heavens, it may be because Belgrade has judged that the West now takes China much more seriously than Russia.
Read More »Democracy Digest: Polish Presidential Elections Make Waves Across Region
Results of the first round of the Polish presidential race and preparations for the second are drawing attention all across Central and Eastern Europe, as well as in the EU’s most powerful party.
Read More »Balkan States Find Prosecuting Terrorism a Challenge
Evidence in terrorism cases is proving difficult to find, while experts warn that the reintegration and rehabilitation of foreign fighters is an even greater challenge.
Read More »Bulgarians Protest Against Over-Construction on Black Sea
Bulgarians took to the streets of towns and cities on Tuesday to express their frustration with the damage that seemingly unrestricted construction is doing to the Black Sea coastline.
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