Author: Naisha Khan

At least 500 inmates at a Bahraini jail that predominantly houses political prisoners are refusing to eat in protest of the conditions of their detention. On August 7th, detainees started rejecting food, and more have since joined. Why are the prisoners on hunger strike? According to a statement from the prisoners released through the outlawed Al Wefaq opposition party, the demands of the hunger strikers include more time outside their cells, which is currently limited to one hour per day, congregational prayers at the prison mosque, a relaxation of the restrictions on family visits, upgrades to the educational facilities, and…

Satellite images suggest that China is building an airstrip on Triton Island, a disputed territory on the South China Sea which is claimed by Taiwan and Vietnam as well. According to an analysis by Associated Press, photos of Triton Island, one of the islands in the Paracel group, appear to reveal the construction of a runway that is more than 600 meters (2,000 feet) long. Turboprop aircraft and drones could fit in this, but fighter planes or bombers would not. By constructing military facilities on the Spratly group, further to the east, and by fortifying islands elsewhere, Beijing has previously…

On Tuesday, Taliban rulers celebrated the second anniversary of their return to power in Afghanistan. Taking over Kabul on 15th August 2021, after the withdrawal of US troops, the Taliban set up their de facto government in the country. No country in the world has officially recognized the Taliban’s government yet. Taliban’s celebrations: The Afghan Taliban celebrated on 15th August what it calls the establishment of security in the county under an “Islamic System”. The spokesperson for the Taliban, Zabihullah Mujahid, thanked Almighty Allah and congratulated the mujahid (holy warriors) in a statement on Tuesday.  Amidst tight security, convoys of…

On August 14, two Islamic Jihad gunmen celebrated what they believe was a victory of Palestine over Israel’s biggest operation in the West Bank in decades. The two-day attack in Jenin last month was successful in capturing weapons and destroying infrastructure used by Iranian-funded Islamic Jihad fighters who operate out of a densely populated refugee camp, claimed Israeli commanders. Islamic Jihad’s motivation: The Palestinian group called Islamic Jihad has vowed to exterminate Israel and establish an Islamic state in its place. One of the gunmen declared, “Our objective is similar to Islamic Jihad, but Jenin is the source of our…

Only one week before the election, Fernando Villavicencio’s political party chose his prospective vice presidential candidate to take his place as the party standard-bearer. Villavicencio was Ecuador’s presidential contender and was assassinated on August 10. Villavicencio’s Build party, or Construye in Spanish, said in a social media post, that Andrea Gonzalez would take the place of the deceased 59-year-old in the election on August 20. Later on in the day on Saturday, the late candidate’s widow denounced the party’s replacement as being unconstitutional. According to the party’s social media posts, “millions of Ecuadorians will accompany her in this purpose” and…

Israeli sources said that the prisoner exchange agreement that the US and Iran announced on Thursday is a component of a broader framework of understanding between Tehran and Washington that has been aimed at limiting Iran’s nuclear program. The prisoner swap is the result of agreements reached between the US and Iran during covert negotiations in Oman, according to two senior Israeli defense officials who spoke to The New York Times. As the Biden administration works to stop Iran from building nuclear weapons, the prisoner agreement may also help strengthen diplomatic ties between the two countries. What will happen if…

State media Korean Central News Agency (KNCA) reported on Thursday that North Korean leader Kim Jong Un had changed the military’s top general and demanded increased war preparations, a rise in weapon manufacturing, and an expansion of military exercises. According to the article, Kim made the remarks at the Central Military Commission meeting, which addressed strategies for countermeasures to discourage North Korea’s enemies, which it did not identify. Who replaced the top army general? Chief of the General Staff Pak Su Il, the highest-ranking general in the nation, was reportedly “dismissed,” according to KCNA. About seven months had passed since…

On August 8, President of the U.S. Joe Biden said that he would “shortly” be visiting Vietnam. He remarked that Vietnam wanted to strengthen its bonds with the United States and become a key partner. The announcement was made at a political fundraiser in Albuquerque in New Mexico. A White House spokesperson said that there were no further announcements related to Biden’s remarks at the moment. US-Vietnam efforts at increasing ties: Vietnam Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh met with the U.S. Secretary of State Anthony Blinken in April this year. Both parties showed interest in deepening ties. This comes with…

Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, Brazil’s President, along with other South American leaders begin talks in a summit to save the Amazon rainforest. The leaders are set to discuss measures to tackle deforestation as well as organised crime at the summit this week. This round of talks marks the first of the Amazon Cooperation Treaty Organization summits since 2009. Seeking long-term development for the region is also on the agenda. The eight-nation group, set up in 1995 by the South American countries that share the Amazon basin: Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Guyana, Peru, Suriname, and Venezuela, are a part of…

Early on Monday, areas around the Syrian capital city of Damascus were hit by suspected Israeli airstrikes. As reported by Syrian state media, at least four Syrian soldiers have lost their lives in the attack. According to a military source, four other soldiers were reportedly wounded at around 2:20 am. Syrian state television reported that the airstrikes caused “some material damage as well”. No comments were made immediately by Israeli authorities about the airstrikes. What happened? Syrian media identified three of the fatalities as Maj. Issa Taha Hammoud, Lt. Lu’ayy Bassam Muhammad, and Lt. Ahmed Marei. No immediate information was…