Iran-Saudi War of Words Escalates to UN
Saudi Arabia received widespread public outcry in Iran for its execution of Shia cleric Sheikh Nimr al-Nimr on charges of terrorism and sedition, along with 46 other prisoners.
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Middle East
Somali Pirates Target Illegal Fishing Vessels
Piracy was at its highest in early 2011, when Somali pirates held more than 30 ships and more than 100 hostages. In that year, the international community intervened with their respective navies.
Read MorePutin, Erdogan Butt Heads Over Downed Russian Plane
According to BBC’s Turkey correspondent Mark Lowen, “Another trait that both [Putin and Erdogan] share is unpredictability. And that is what’s perhaps most worrying.”
Read MoreKurds Continue to Succeed Against ISIS
Continuing further into ISIS territory will require a delicate balancing act in order to support the fighters while mollifying a Turkish government fearful of a well-armed PKK.
Read MoreEgypt’s Parliamentary Elections See Low Turnout Among Eligible Voters
A final count by the International Business Times indicated that turnout for the final first round was only 26.6 percent of the 27 million eligible voters.
Read MorePossible Terror Involved in Sinai Plane Crash
The widow of the flight’s co-pilot, Sergei Trukhachev, stated that her “husband had complained the plane’s condition ‘left much to be desired’ during a telephone call before the flight left Sharm el-Sheikh.”
Read MoreISIS, Rivals Recruit Fighters on Social Media
According to the British Home Office, charges could be brought forward “that will depend on the nature of the conflict and the individual’s own activities.” Another determinant of charges is the YPG’s connection to the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), which is deemed a terrorist organization by the United States.
Read MoreAirstrike on MSF Hospital Does No Favors For Obama, Ghani
Four days before the MSF hospital attack, President Ghani implored the public on television to trust the Afghan army, who had dealt “heavy casualties” on the Taliban. According to Deutsche Welle, the Taliban resurgence came after NATO scaled back its presence in favor of training the local armed forces.
Read MoreTurkey Cites National Security to Detain Journalists
Recently, the number of incarcerated journalists worldwide has increased from 80 in 2000 to 221 last year, according to the New York Times.
Turkey’s anti-terror laws in particular promote the capture and mistreatment of many journalists. Three VICE News employees were arrested on August 27 while filming clashes between police and youth members of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK).
Read MoreViolence Escalates Between Turkish Troops and Kurdish Guerrillas
The renewed conflict between the Turkish government and the PKK has been a backdrop to increasingly turbulent political games in Ankara, as well as Turkey’s battle with the self-proclaimed Islamic State along southern border with Syria.
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