Latest Articles about Domestic/Social
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Kazakhstan’s Next Parliamentary Election May Lay Foundation for Eventual Presidential Succession
In early July, Kazakh media reported on a new political initiative announced by a group of young activists headed by Olesya Khalabuzar (Informburo.kz, July 8). The group proposed the creation of a political party under the name “Spravedlivost” (“Justice”). This “new left” project seeks to... MORE
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Georgia Establishes New State Security Service
In early July, the parliament of Georgia passed a law on establishing the State Security Service (Civil Georgia, July 4). The new body will decouple the intelligence and security agencies from Georgia’s Ministry of Interior. Among its roles, it is tasked with investigating anti-Georgian espionage... MORE
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Jabhat al-Nusra’s Australia-Born Religious Mouthpiece: Abu Sulayman al-Muhajir
In May 2014, Nagieb Khaja, a Dutch filmmaker and journalist reporting on the ground in Syria for al-Jazeera, began to negotiate with Jabhat al-Nusra (JN) members about conducting an on-camera interview with a JN official. After months of negotiations, JN gave him permission to interview... MORE
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Profiles of Three Major Belgian Fighters in Syria and Their Paths to Jihad
Much has been written already about the stunning number of Belgian fighters in Syria and Iraq. With estimates ranging from 380 to nearly 500 individuals, Belgium has the highest per capita figure of all Western countries. The average Belgian fighter is a 25-year-old man of... MORE
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Javed Ibrahim Paracha: Al-Qaeda’s Lawyer in Pakistan
Javed Ibrahim Paracha, a former member of Pakistan’s National Assembly (the lower house of parliament), has a history of assisting al-Qaeda in Pakistan. Paracha first entered the public eye for his consistent efforts to free al-Qaeda leaders in Pakistani government custody, going so far as... MORE
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Mohamed Kuno: The Making of Al-Shabaab’s New Kenya Mastermind
Mohamed Kuno, a former madrassa teacher in Garissa, Kenya’s main northeastern city, is the latest hardline militant leader to emerge from al-Shabaab. Until recently, Kuno was a typical Islamic preacher in Garissa mosques, where Muslims came to listen to his sermons. This religious figure has... MORE
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How Long Can Putin Continue Doing Nothing?
Russia had all but disappeared from the international arena in the last couple of weeks, particularly following the July 14 signing of the international de-nuclearization deal reached with Iran. Indeed, as long as the pause in the Ukraine war holds, Moscow’s opinions on international relations... MORE
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Six Suspected Rebels Killed in Kabardino-Balkaria
On July 23, government forces declared a counterterrorist operation regime and launched a special operation in the center of Nalchik, Kabardino-Balkaria. According to the Russian National Antiterrorist Committee (NAK), the authorities learned about the presence of six suspected members of a terrorist group in a... MORE
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Ukraine Accepts Constitutional Amendment to Russia’s Advantage at US Insistence
The international context of negotiations to implement the Minsk armistice is changing in Russia’s favor. As the leading Western power, the Barack Obama administration effectively pressures Ukraine to legitimize the Donetsk-Luhansk authorities in the constitution and through elections. This would satisfy Russia’s main demands at... MORE
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Why Moscow Sells Arms for Rubber, Fruit and Vegetables
Sometimes a story appears that seemingly makes no sense and cries out for an explanation. The following story is one of those cases: On July 15, RIA Novosti reported that Russia will trade $160 million worth of military hardware for Thai rubber, fruit and vegetables.... MORE