Abu Dhabi Secrets: How Qatar Seeks to Leverage Its Influence in Europe
#International #World #Qatar #AbuDhabi #Switzerland #MuslimBrotherhood

The United Arab Emirates and Qatar are battling for influence in Europe․ A data leak has revealed on Abu Dhabi has sought to discredit its rival with the help of a private intelligence company in Switzerland – and effort that extends into Germany․

Interview with Mikhail Khodorkovsky: "There Is No Other Option But To Take Up Arms"
#International #World #Russia #VladimirPutin #HumanRightsinRussia

The democratic opposition must take up arms to depose Vladimir Putin, says former oligarch Mikhail Khodorkovsky․ In an interview with DER SPIEGEL, he argues that an autocrat with little regard for human life cannot be defeated through peaceful means․

A Race Between the World Powers: Can the West Regain Its Lost Footing in Africa?
#International #World #Africa #EuropeanUnion #China #Russia #FossilFuels #NaturalResources #NaturalGas

This week, leaders from 17 African countries will be guests of Vladimir Putin․ Alongside Russia, all the major powers are vying for influence and raw materials on the continent․ The conditions are increasingly dictated by the Africans themselves, with the West often coming away empty-handed․

UN Envoy on the Civil War in Sudan: "Both Warring Parties Are Still Convinced They Can Win"
#International #World #Sudan #Darfur #Khartum

How did the situation in Sudan escalate so rapidly, and can the civil war still be stopped? In an interview, United Nations Special Representative Volker Perthes discusses the power struggle between Khartoum's generals and what must now be done․

Fallout from the Putsch in Niger: Anger Against France Grows in Africa's "Coup Belt"
#International #World #Africa #Terrorism

With the coup in Niger, Europe and the United States are losing their last reliable partner in the Sahel as Russia's influence grows․ The development could severely inhibit the West's ability to fight terrorism in the region․

Young Women in Afghanistan on the Taliban: "Your Arrival Transformed My Dreams into Nightmares"
#International #World #Afghanistan #Taliban #Islam

Two years after taking over power in Afghanistan, the Taliban have almost completely excluded women from public life․ Here, five women from the country talk about what this has meant for them․

A Floating City Can't Sink: Battling Climate Change in the Maldives
#International #World #GlobalSocieties #ClimateChange #Architecture

A city for 20,000 people built on water is being constructed in record time in the Maldives․ The largest project of its kind to be built do date, it could serve as a model for other cities affected by rising sea levels․

"A Massive Opportunity": Namibia's Green Hydrogen Future
#International #World #GlobalSocieties #Namibia #Africa #RenewableEnergy #SolarPower #WindEnergy

A massive green hydrogen project with German funding is taking shape in Namibia – the same country Germany crushed in the early 20th century․ Some are skeptical of the plan, but many in Namibia are hoping it will produce badly needed revenues․

Erasing the Existence of 1,500 People: Britain's Ongoing Colonial Crime in the Indian Ocean
#International #World #UnitedKingdom #Colonialism #Africa #UnitedStates

More than half a century ago, the British and the Americans established the Diego Garcia military base, breaking international law in the process․ The locals were forcibly exiled․ But now, after decades of court battles, the people who once called the Chagos Archipelago home are closer to returning than ever before․

Spying and Sabotage at the OSCE: How Russia Is Paralyzing Europe's Peace Organization
#International #World #RussiasWarAgainstUkraine #Russia #VladimirPutin #GermanForeignPolicy

The long-established Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe is threatening to disintegrate because of Russia's invasion of Ukraine․ Critics claim Moscow is infiltrating the organization and sabotaging its work in ensuring European peace and stability․

An Oasis in the Middle of the Ukraine War: The Pike - and the Drones - Come at Night
#International #World #Ukraine #RussiasWarAgainstUkraine #Russia #VladimirPutin

Sometimes the noise is distant artillery, at others it's the lawnmower next door: In the far east of Ukraine, on a river meandering its way through the forests, there is a village where people can take a break from war․ But it is never far away․

Gangs, Corruption and Collapse: The Slow and Steady Demise of South Africa
#International #World #SouthAfrica #Africa

The end of Apartheid in South Africa brought a surge of hope for a brighter future․ But the ANC, the party that liberated the Black majority from oppression, has transformed the country into a swamp of corruption, mismanagement and despair․ Some are trying to turn things around․

Assad's Criminal Conglomerate: Syrian Economy Continues to Spiral Toward Collapse
#International #World #Syria #SyrianCivilWar #Drugs

The Arab League had hoped that welcoming Syria back into its ranks might slow down the flow of drugs coming out the country․ But as the case of business executive Mahmoud Aldij shows, Assad's mafia-like structures remain deeply entrenched․

Russia's Scorched Earth Policy in Ukraine: A Trip to the Dried-Up Kakhovka Reservoir
#International #World #RussiasWarAgainstUkraine #Ukraine #CrimeaCrisis #VladimirPutin #Russia

The Kakhovka Reservoir was once a vast body of water in the heart of Ukraine․ In June, after the Russians apparently blew up the dam holding it back, the lake ran dry․ We traveled along the Dnieper River to see how people's lives have changed․

Why Armenia Can't Free Itself from Moscow
#International #World #Armenia #Azerbaijan #Russia #EuropeanUnion

Armenia feels abandoned by the Kremlin and is trying to find new partners to help ensure its security․ But its dependence on the Kremlin is deep – and archrival Azerbaijan is already mulling its next attack․

U․S․ Military Analyst: "Russia Doesn't Have a Good Strategy for Winning the War"
#International #World #RussiasWarAgainstUkraine #Russia #Ukraine

In an interview, American military analyst Michael Kofman says he believes Ukrainian troops have a realistic chance of a breakthrough in their counteroffensive, assuming they don't run out of ammunition․

Visiting with Ukrainian Sappers: A Sea of Explosives 1,000 Kilometers Long
#International #World #RussiasWarAgainstUkraine #Ukraine #VladimirPutin #Russia

Russian troops have transformed the fighting front into what is likely the largest minefield in the world․ Ukrainian sappers are making but slow progress through this sea of death․ But they haven't lost their optimism․

The Iran Protests One Year Later: "Like They Had Buried Me With Her"
#International #World #Iran #HumanRights #MiddleEast

Hundreds of protesters have likely been killed since the most recent wave of demonstrations began one year ago․ The daughter of one victim cut off her hair, and the image went viral․ She immediately had to leave Iran and now lives in exile in Britain․

A Ukrainian Couple Scarred by War: "I Could Sense that Alina Was There"
#International #World #RussiasWarAgainstUkraine #Ukraine

Alina and Andriy got married in Kyiv in September 2019․ When Russia invaded, Andriy volunteered to defend his country, and lost both arms and his sight․ But the couple has found renewed purpose in life․

Exodus from Nagorno-Karabakh: The Day Anna, 36, Lost Her Home
#International #World #Armenia #Azerbaijan

Anna Khachatryan had to flee Nagorno-Karabakh with her children when Azerbaijan attacked․ Her story is part of a bigger one about the tragedy of the Armenians, who must now fear the looming threat of an even bigger invasion․