Eurasia

Iraqi foreign minister visits Iran to invite Raisi to Baghdad summit

Iraqi Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein arrived in Iran on Tuesday to personally invite new President Ebrahim Raisi to a summit in Baghdad aimed at defusing regional tension. Mr Hussein was expected to extend the invitation on behalf of Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa Al Kadhimi at a meeting with Mr Raisi …

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US announces $165 million for Yemen as humanitarian needs mount

US special envoy for Yemen Timothy Lenderking urged international donors to step up their contributions to the Arab world’s poorest country. Washington announced $165 million in additional humanitarian assistance to Yemen on Monday, warning the grueling civil war will continue unless international donors scale up their support for the country’s …

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Book Explores Kosovo Albanian Tradition of Dream Interpretation

Two young anthropologists have delved into the ways Albanians have traditionally interpreted dreams – and what this says about their culture and society. Eating honey signals sorrow and bitterness, fire signals joy, smoke signals distress while a snake means you will have an enemy the next day. Long hair signal …

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Smearing restrainers won’t hide the woeful failures of US foreign policy

Unlike primacists, this ‘coalition’ actually embraces an internationalism that respects the rule of law, and diplomacy. In their recent journal article, political scientists John Ikenberry and Daniel Deudney laid out a critique of what they call the “Quincy Coalition” — a loose alliance of libertarians, neo-realists, and the progressive left.

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The US war against ISIS in Syria and Iraq is 7-years-old today

With no end in sight and violence under the radar but ongoing, this is one ‘forever war’ that Biden risks perpetuating. For the little media coverage it receives these days, you might be forgiven for believing the U.S.-led coalition’s war in Syria and Iraq to be over. Osama Al-Hamid’s family …

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The U.N. Refugee Convention Is Under Pressure—and Showing Its Age

This year marks the 70th anniversary of the United Nations Refugee Convention, one of the signal moral advances in human history. Negotiated in the wake of World War II and initially limited to Europe, the treaty established the first binding legal protections for individuals forced to flee their countries. These …

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In First Call to Western Leader, Raisi Asks Macron to Secure Iran’s Nuclear ‘Rights’

French President Macron, for his part, called on Iran’s new president to ‘quickly resume’ stalled negotiations to revive the 2015 nuclear deal In his first phone call to a Western leader, the new president of Iran asked his French counterpart Monday to help secure Iran’s “rights” in now-stalled talks to …

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Feud between Iraqi Sunni leaders could undercut bloc ahead of elections

Speaker of parliament and leader of the Advancement alliance Mohammed al-Halbusi has accused the leader of al-Azm alliance, Khamis al-Khanjar, of selling Sunni land. As Iraq’s legislative elections draw near, a major conflict between Sunni political leaders has started to rear its head for several political, societal and economic — …

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Gadhafi’s son announces return to Libyan politics

As soon as Saif al-Islam, the son of late Libyan President Moammar Gadhafi, announced his plan to return to political life, media outlets close to the regime in Egypt rushed to announce their support, thus raising many questions about Egypt’s position and whether Cairo would support him if he runs …

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‘Blocking Iran is the highest priority’ – ex-NSC chief Ben Shabbat

Ex-NSC chief Meir Ben Shabbat was a top adviser to Netanyahu. Nevertheless, he received bipartisan support at a Knesset panel. The central threat to Israel and most important for its security must remain Iran, outgoing National Security Council adviser Meir Ben-Shabbat said Monday. “Blocking Iran is the highest priority,” he …

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