Yearly Archives: 2021

U.N. rights experts urge Saudi Arabia to release three young Shi’ites

U.N. human rights experts called on Saudi Arabia on Wednesday to free three young Shi’ite Muslims whose death sentences for taking part in protests as minors have been commuted, citing allegations of torture and unfair trials. The kingdom’s human rights record has come under growing U.N. and Western scrutiny. The …

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Syrian pound hits new low in contagion from neighboring Lebanon’s currency crisis

The Syrian pound fell to a record low on the black market on Wednesday, hit by the ripple effect of currency woes in neighboring Lebanon with which it has extensive business and banking ties, dealers and bankers said. Traders said it cost close to 4,000 to buy one dollar on …

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U.S. Proposes UN Conference To Boost Afghan Peace Talks

The United States has proposed convening a United Nations-sponsored international conference on Afghanistan, a senior U.S. State Department official said. News of the proposal came as the U.S. special envoy to Afghanistan, Zalmay Khalilzad, wrapped up three days of talks in Kabul on March 3 aimed at reviving stalled Afghan …

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‘Confident’ China to Convene Rubber-Stamp Parliament

China is expected to tout its strong economic performance during the pandemic and unveil long-term goals for its economy at an annual meeting of its ceremonial legislature beginning Friday in Beijing. Thousands of delegates will attend the National People’s Congress session and a parallel gathering of a political advisory body, …

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Biden, Afghanistan And Forever Wars – OpEd

The papers are full of suggestions on what US President Joe Biden should do about his country’s seemingly perennial involvement in Afghanistan. None are particularly useful, in that they ignore the central premise that a nation state long mauled, molested and savaged should finally be left alone. Nonsense, say the …

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Confucius Institutes And Espionage – OpEd

“Chinese Confucius Institutes are suspected of espionage” – such headlines graced news articles a couple of years ago, but the reality is that everyone knows about it, but it’s difficult to prove. In this article I will explain the role of these institutes as an instrument of Beijing’s soft power.

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China In The Middle East: Stepping Up To The Plate – Analysis

By defining Chinese characteristics as “seeking common ground while reserving differences,” a formula that implies conflict management rather than conflict resolution, Messrs. Sun and Wu were suggesting that China was seeking to prepare the ground for greater Chinese engagement in efforts to stabilize the Middle East, a volatile region that …

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