April, 2021

• 18 April

  Taliban, Assad continue to unite Russia, Iran

  While Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov discussed ways to salvage the 2015 nuclear deal in his visit to Tehran this week, the topics of Syria and Afghanistan also featured prominently on the agenda. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov paid a working visit to Tehran on April 13, where he held …

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• 18 April

  Arab League Chief ‘Deeply Concerned’ Over Iran’s Uranium Enrichment Move

  The secretary-general of the Arab League has expressed his deep concerns over Iran’s decision to increase its enrichment of uranium to 60 percent, nudging it ever closer to bomb-grade purity. Ahmed Aboul Gheit has described Tehran’s move as a dangerous development and a clear step toward developing a nuclear weapon, …

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• 18 April

  France Should Mobilize Rather Than Marginalize Its Muslims – OpEd

  The egalitarian principles of the French republic would suggest that the state is blind to the creeds and private beliefs of its citizens. For the most part, this is correct. Its very particular brand of state-endorsed secularism projects a certain veneer of a republic to which all its citizens have …

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• 18 April

  US, NATO Slam Russian Plan to Block Parts of Black Sea

  The United States and NATO accused Russia of again ramping up tensions, criticizing Moscow’s plans to limit access to the Black Sea and the Kerch Strait for most of the next six months due to military exercises. The U.S. Defense Department said Friday the Kremlin’s decision is “just the latest …

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• 18 April

  Western Balkans: Storm Over Unofficial Document Mulling Border Changes, EU’s Michel Silent

  A phantom document proposing controversial border changes across the Western Balkans caused a political storm in the region and in Brussels this week. While most EU officials had little knowledge of the elusive document, the office of European Council President Charles Michel could not deny receiving it. EURACTIV took a …

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• 18 April

  Mozambique Needs To Address Deepening Political Discontent And Widening Socio-Economic Disparity – OpEd

  Chairperson of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) and Mozambican President Filipe Nyusi has to make consistent efforts toward addressing the systemic governance deficit, deepening political discontent, and widening socio-economic disparity as the surest possible way to maintain long-term peaceful environment in Mozambique. That was the message, at least, emerging …

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• 16 April

  Libya and Greece agree to resume talks on Mediterranean Sea border

  Libya’s new unity government has had warm relations with Greece so far, but there are remaining issues on energy drilling in the Eastern Mediterranean that also involve Turkey and Egypt. Libya and Greece have agreed to resume talks on their disputed sea border. The chair of Libya’s Presidential Council, Mohammed …

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• 16 April

  Syria’s Assad fires central bank chief amid currency failures

  Syrian President Bashar al-Assad fired the head of the country’s central bank, Hazem Karfoul, on Tuesday. Syrian state-run media did not offer reasons for the dismissal, but it comes as the country’s currency continues to collapse amid US and international sanctions and an economic crisis in neighboring Lebanon. The Syrian …

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• 16 April

  US envoy: resolving border talks with Israel will help crisis-hit Lebanon

  

  While pledging not to abandon US interests in Lebanon, Hale said resolving a maritime border dispute with Israel would “have potential to unlock significant economic benefits for Lebanon.” The United States stands ready to facilitate maritime border talks between Lebanon and Israel that will have benefits for the crisis-hit Lebanese …

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• 16 April

  Lebanon energy minister blames fuel shortage on Syria smuggling

  

  “The Syrian market’s needs for gasoline drive Lebanese smugglers to sneak gasoline into Syria to achieve huge profits.” Lebanon’s caretaker energy minister on Thursday blamed the country’s fuel crisis on profiteers who smuggle gasoline into neighbouring Syria. At a Cabinet meeting to discuss the issue, Raymond Ghajar said the gap …

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