Author: Katherine Leahy

Taliban Almost Takes Key Afghan City Amid Peace Talks

At the end of August, the Taliban nearly took the strategic Afghan city of Kunduz. According to US News, the bulk of the Kunduz offensive took place between August 20th and 26th. During this time, the Taliban took several checkpoints, captured two bases, and displaced approximately 60,000 people before being

Read More »

U.A.E. Opposition Establishes Anti-Normalization Group Against Israel

Two weeks ago, Israel and the United Arab Emirates (U.A.E.), brokered a deal intended to foster future cooperation in areas such as energy production and water use, in addition to finding a viable COVID vaccine, reports the BBC. Termed the “Abraham accord,” this deal will establish full diplomatic relations between

Read More »

Rwandan Genocide Suspect Félicien Kabuga Captured After Decades

On 16 May, Félicien Kabuga, a Rwandan national indicted on multiple charges of genocide, was arrested by French authorities just outside of Paris. 23 years ago, Kabuga was charged by the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda but then fled the country and has been at large ever since. Kabuga, 84,

Read More »

Aden Declared An ‘Infested’ City As Yemen Faces COVID-19

Earlier this week, Aden, the “interim seat of the Saudi-backed government”, was declared an “infested city”, reports Reuters. The World Health Organization (WHO) stated that there is “full-blown transmission of the virus in Yemen, with the disease spreading undetected among a population with some of the lowest levels of immunity

Read More »

Saudi Arabia Ends Death Penalty For Crimes Committed By Minors

On 27 April, Saudi Arabia’s state-backed Human Rights Commission issued a statement signaling an end to the use of the death penalty for crimes committed by minors. According to the BBC, this announcement supported the earlier decree by King Salman and came two days after Saudi Arabia banned discretionary flogging. 

Read More »

Iran Launches Its First Military Satellite

Iran launched its first successful military satellite midday local time on April 22. According to the New York Times, the satellite, Noor, was launched with the aid of a messenger satellite carrier, a hitherto unheard of technology in Iran. This development comes at a time in which Iran wrestles with

Read More »

Saudi-UAE Ceasefire In Yemen Begins

Yemen has been experiencing a tenuous period of peace over the past week. According to the BBC, last Thursday the Houthi rebels and Saudi army implemented a two-week long ceasefire. This ceasefire, heralding the first cessation of hostilities since the beginning of Yemen’s civil war in 2014, was negotiated in

Read More »