Planet Watch
A ‘New Oil Order’?
Experts declare a "new oil order" in which hydrocarbons will lose market share to renewables. But is it market conditions or geopolitics that explain the current price slump?
Tag: sectarian war
Iraq
Iraq: protesters camp out in Green Zone
One day after storming parliament, Iraqi protesters began camping out May Day within the confines of Baghdad's International Zone, also referred to as the "Green Zone."
Greater Middle East
Revolution in Syria and Turkey: mutual betrayal?
One of the greatest tragedies on the global stage now is that revolutions are going on in both Syria and Turkey—and they are being pitted against each other in the Great Game.
South Asia
Pakistan: government caves to Islamist protesters
Pakistan's government succeeded in persuading thousands of protesters occupying downtown Islamabad to stand down by pledging not to reform the country's blasphemy laws.
Greater Middle East
Are Rojava Kurds collaborating with Assad?
Amid confused fighting in northern Syria, accusations are mounting that the Rojava Kurds are collaborating with Russia—and, by extension, the genocidal Bashar Assad regime.
Greater Middle East
Syria: ‘ceasefire’ signals escalation (of course)
The Syrian ceasefire announced in Munich does not apply to US or Russian air-strikes on "terrorists," and comes as Turkey and Saudi Arabia are preparing military intervention.
Afghanistan
Pakistani Taliban in university massacre
Taliban militants attacked a student poetry recital in honor of Pashtun independence hero Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan at a university that bears his name, leaving 20 dead.
Iraq
‘Staggering’ civilian death toll in Iraq: UN report
A UN report details severe impacts on civilians from the ongoing conflict in Iraq, with 19,000 non-combatants killed last year, 3.2 million displaced, and an estimated 3,500 held in slavery.
Greater Middle East
Regional powers exploit Bahrain protests
Shi'ite protesters have repeatedly mobilized in Bahrain to demand the release of imprisoned dissident cleric Sheikh Ali Salman—ignored by the foreign media except in Iran.
Southeast Asia
Jakarta: ISIS franchise exploited sectarian tensions
The ISIS-affiliated network that carried out the Jakarta attacks emerged from the sectarian conflict between Muslims and Christians in Indonesia's Central Sulawesi province.
Watching the Shadows
Obama’s seventh year: a World War 4 Report scorecard
World War 4 Report offers its annual annotated assessment of Obama's moves in dismantling, continuing or escalating the apparatus of the Global War on Terrorism.
Iran
Iran, Saudi Arabia wage execution war
Violent protests in Iran against Saudi Arabia's execution of a dissident Shi'ite cleric come as the Islamic Republic is itself preparing a mass execution of Sunni political prisoners.