Fueling

Iran accuses U.S., Israel and Europe of exploiting unrest as casualty claims mount Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian accused the United States, Israel and European leaders of exploiting the country’s economic crisis to incite nationwide protests, as Iranian authorities and rights groups issued sharply conflicting death tolls from the two-week upheaval. In a live state television address, Pezeshkian said foreign actors “provoked, created division, and supplied resources,” drawing “some innocent people into this movement”…

Somalia’s Political Turmoil: A Threatened Stability Amid Al-Shabaab Resurgence MOGADISHU, SOMALIA — In a country where shadows loom large, the specter of Al-Shabaab has once again taken root, troubling citizens and alarmingly opposition leaders alike. President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud faces accusations of negligence as opposition figures blame the government’s preoccupation with constitutional revisions for the destabilization currently gripping the nation. These concerns echo the compelling narratives of a battered society,…

The Dark Veins of Prosperity: The U.S. Sanctions on Conflict Minerals from the DR Congo In a world increasingly aware of the ethical complexities surrounding global supply chains, the U.S. Department of Treasury has drawn a line in the sand. Recent sanctions targeting four entities linked to the murky world of conflict minerals have reignited discussions about the intersection of commerce, human rights, and conflict in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). The DRC is a nation rich in natural resources—specifically…

A New Political Chapter or Further Division? Somalia's Contentious Electoral Deal In Somalia's often turbulent political landscape, President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud's recent electoral agreement with a faction of opposition leaders has stirred both hope and hesitation. This deal aims to transition away from Somalia's traditional elder-based electoral model towards more direct elections—a move that some see as progress and others view with suspicion. A Shift Toward Universal Suffrage The core of this agreement is the…

MOGADISHU, Somalia - Somalia has pointed fingers at Ethiopia, holding it accountable for the revival of Al-Shabaab militants wreaking chaos and claiming countless lives nationwide. Somalia’s Foreign Affairs Ministry has declared its intention to oversee the selection of troop contributions, blocking Ethiopian forces from participating in the African Union Support and Stabilization Mission in Somalia (AUSSOM), 'We aim to steer our mission, prioritizing sovereignty,' a spokesperson noted. The Ministry accused Ethiopia of…