Min Aung Hlaing has become president of Myanmar after staged elections. He was previously commander-in-chief. The elections were tightly controlled, five years after a coup ousted the civilian government. Foreign governments are advised to be cautious in their interactions with the new administration. Five years after mounting a coup that ousted an elected civilian government, Min Aung Hlaing has overseen tightly staged elections transitioning him from commander-in-chief to president.
Taliban morality police in Herat, Afghanistan, are detaining and beating women for not adhering to the proper hijab. Women report routine street inspections by the Taliban. The Taliban’s morality police have intensified the enforcement of the hijab, or Islamic head scarf, in western Afghanistan. In the city of Herat, women told RFE/RL that the Taliban routinely stops and inspects women in the streets.
Vietnamese prosecutors indicted Nam Trieu Company leadership for inflating prices on law-enforcement When Vietnamese prosecutors indicted the leadership of Nam Trieu Company for allegedly inflating the prices of interrogation chairs and other specialized law-enforcement equipment, domestic media predictably focused on the headline figure of more than 18 billion dong (US$710,000) in state losses. Yet the significance of the case goes well beyond the financial losses alleged in The post Vietnam.
Armenians will vote in a general election on 7 June. Foreign policy issues have dominated the campaign. The election is the country's first since 2021. Armenians will head to the polls on 7 June for the country’s first general election since 2021. In this Q&A, Crisis Group expert Joshua Kucera explains why foreign policy has dominated the campaign and what the results may mean for Yerevan’s external relations.
Djibouti's strategic location has drawn interest from global powers. The country hosts military bases for the United States, China, and France. Samson Abebe Bezabeh discussed Djibouti's history and politics with Alan on The Horn. Bezabeh is an Assistant Professor of African Studies at the University of Hong Kong. This week on The Horn, Alan speaks with Samson Abebe Bezabeh, Assistant Professor of African Studies at the University of Hong Kong, about Djibouti’s history, politics and efforts to navigate turmoil and shifting alliances in the Horn of Africa and the Red Sea.
Pakistan began conveying proposals to end the war between the US and Iran on 28 February. The US and Israel had started bombing Iran that day. Islamabad has persevered in its mediation efforts despite the risks. The stakes are high for Pakistan in this endeavor. Soon after the U. S. and Israel began bombing Iran on 28 February, Pakistan started conveying proposals for ending the war.
The European Union's proposed seven-year budget may reduce funding for conflict prevention and aid to fragile states. Crisis Group experts Lisa Musiol and Dylan Macchiarini Crosson warn of potential consequences. The budget could impact the EU's ability to support countries vulnerable to conflict. The European Union’s next seven-year budget could put spending on conflict prevention and aid to fragile states at risk.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced new technical negotiations between the United States and Iran. - US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said that a new round of US-Iran technical negotiations will resume in Switzerland at the end of June, as he wrapped the second day of a high-stakes Persian Gulf tour aimed at calming regional concerns over Washington’s tentative accord with Tehran.
Iran directed the December 2024 attack on Melbourne's Adass Israel Synagogue. The Australian Security Intelligence Organization stated a former resident in Iraq, recruited through militia groups, carried out the act. A former Australian resident living in Iraq directed the attack on Melbourne’s Adass Israel Synagogue in December 2024, Mike Burgess, the head of the Australian Security Intelligence Organization, has revealed.
Turkey is drafting legislation to facilitate the disbandment of the militant Kurdistan Workers' Party, or PKK. President Recep Tayyip Erdogan announced this development. The move comes after a peace process between the Turkish state and the PKK stalled due to the Iran war and related regional instability concerns. The move signals a potential breakthrough after a peace process between the Turkish state and the PKK came to a near standstill in recent months due to the Iran war and the concerns it triggered about further regional instability.
Iran remains undefeated after nearly four months of conflict with Israel and the US, maintaining control over its population and territory. Its industrial base continues to produce missiles, drones, and rockets. The economy is suffering, but Tehran's strategies may offer lessons for middle powers like Australia. Iran has emerged undefeated after nearly four months of war against a nuclear-armed regional rival (Israel) and the world’s most powerful military (the United States).
Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann faces a sacrilege controversy over an alleged video, potentially jeopardizing his position. A warehouse roof collapse in Kolkata killed at least three people. Criticism has also been directed at Maharashtra's RTI rules amendments. In today’s episode: the row over Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann’s alleged sacrilege video, Kolkata warehouse roof collapse that left at least three people dead, criticism over Maharashtra’s RTI rules amendments, findings from a UN inquiry report on Gaza, and more.
Iran has pushed back against US claims that frozen assets would be used to buy American agricultural products. The proposal sparked backlash from hard-liners, but Iran did not rule out the possibility. The issue remains a point of contention. Iran has pushed back against US claims that any frozen Iranian assets released under a framework deal would be used to buy American agricultural products but stopped short of ruling it out, as the proposal sparked a sharp backlash from the country’s hard-liners.
The World Health Organization warned Wednesday that the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) continues to spread faster than aid efforts can keep pace, despite significant gains in treatment capacity and growing community engagement, the World Health Organization (WHO) warned on Wednesday.
A play in Nairobi, "Free Me," highlights Kenya's rise in gender-based violence. The autobiographical work depicts domestic abuse, aiming to encourage victims to speak out against the crisis. Autobiographical work Free Me aims to encourage victims to speak out in country where violence against women is risingThere are audible gasps in the auditorium in Nairobi as a husband launches a volley of blows and slaps on his wife and pushes her to the floor.
A federal judge ordered the Trump administration to explain a tarp covering the Kennedy Center facade. The tarp obscures the building after workers removed President Trump’s name. The removal followed a court order that the administration unlawfully added the name in December. The tarp was installed as workers stripped Mr. Trump’s name in a predawn operation this month following an order from Mr.
Off-duty police officers in Argentina are increasingly working second jobs as rideshare drivers. This trend is linked to economic hardship and a rise in violence involving officers carrying firearms. Growing number of cases involve police working as rideshare drivers while carrying government-issued gunsWhen the gap between his salary and his family’s basic expenses began widening dramatically, Diego – like many other Argentinians – started working as a rideshare driver on top of his day job.
Russian air attacks on June 15 destroyed 100,000 costumes at Dovzhenko National Film Studios. Ukrainian film artists are committed to restoring the collection used in dozens of historic films. Ukrainian film artists are determined to build back the loss of 100,000 costumes, used in dozens of historic films, that burned in a Russian air attack on the Dovzhenko National Film Studios on June 15.
Sir Keir Starmer is releasing a defence investment plan ahead of a NATO summit. The plan has been delayed and officials are scrambling to meet the new deadline. NATO needs a credible timeline for the UK's war readiness. The UK's defence plan is expected to be released next month. Sir Keir Starmer's determination to release a long-delayed defence investment plan ahead of a NATO summit next month risks doing more harm than good as officials scramble to meet what has become a political deadline.
Over half of Russia's 83 regions face gasoline shortages due to Ukrainian drone strikes. Local authorities have imposed daily limits to prevent panic buying. The Kremlin is struggling to address the issue, which is becoming a serious headache. More than half of Russia’s 83 regions are struggling with gasoline shortages, due overwhelmingly to Ukrainian drone strikes. Local authorities are imposing daily limits or other restrictions.
Russia is developing new military infrastructure near its border with NATO member Finland. Russia is reportedly developing new military infrastructure near its border with NATO member Finland that will be able to house thousands of Russian soldiers. The new base lies some 170 kilometers from Russia's frontier with NATO.
The US Senate has passed a bipartisan housing bill aimed at increasing supply and lowering prices, with 85 senators voting in favor. The bill now heads to the House for consideration, as lawmakers attempt to address housing costs in an election year. The bill, which passed 85-5 and now heads to the House, has been the focus of intense negotiations in recent weeks as lawmakers in both parties try to address housing costs in an election year.
Young people promoting peace in fragile areas say financial support is essential. They also emphasize the importance of trust and partnerships to sustain their efforts. Money alone will not be enough to organize youth for peacebuilding. Trust and partnerships are crucial for their work to continue. Young people working on promoting peace in some of the world’s most fragile and polarized places say financial support remains essential, but money alone will not sustain their efforts to organize youth to participate in peacebuilding.
The United Nations Economic Commission for Europe released a report Wednesday. The way societies talk about ageing can shape everything from public policy to people's own expectations of later life, the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) said on Wednesday in a new report that calls for shifting away from narratives that portray older persons as a burden.
The UN International Maritime Organization launched a mass evacuation plan for over 11,0 As the UN International Maritime Organization (IMO) released more details of its plan to evacuate more than 11,000 seafarers stranded in the Strait of Hormuz, one mariner caught up in the emergency has described the ever-present fear of coming under attack.
