How suffering and destruction caused by Israel’s Gaza assault serve the ideologies and goals of extremists

Violent extremist groups are exploiting public outcry surrounding the war in Gaza to fan the flames of radicalization, recruit followers, and encourage lone-wolf attacks in the West, counterterrorism officials have warned. Since the Hamas-led attack of Oct. 7, which sparked Israel’s retaliation in Gaza, security chiefs have warned of a dramatic rise in violent Islamist […]

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Why is the latest Israel-Hamas war in the long-running Middle East conflict proving to be so polarizing?

Few issues in the world stir emotions of such intensity, global manifestations of outrage, or incomprehension of rival views as the conflict between Israelis and Palestinians does, even among those with no personal stake in the region.   The current conflict in Gaza has brought these public tensions over the issue to the fore with a ferocity […]

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US, UK sanctions highlight role of Syrian, Lebanese figures in fueling Captagon addiction crisis

Sanctions recently imposed by US and UK authorities on two cousins of President Bashar Assad and several Syrian and Lebanese figures reflect growing international alarm over their role in manufacturing and trafficking Captagon, estimated to be worth up to $57 billion to the Syrian regime. Captagon is a highly addictive amphetamine used throughout the Middle […]

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Fears of widening gender inequality in Afghanistan as Saudi Arabia joins calls to Taliban to keep university doors open to women

Saudi Arabia has joined calls for the Taliban to reverse its decision to impose a ban on higher education for women in Afghanistan. It came a day after the group ordered women nationwide to stop attending private and public universities until further notice. The Kingdom’s foreign ministry expressed surprise and regret at the decision and […]

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Ukraine aid requirements leave other global hotspots starved of funds

Growing humanitarian needs and a focus on Ukraine have left aid agencies with too little money to address the world’s other pressing crises, particularly the deteriorating situations in countries including Syria, Afghanistan and Ethiopia. Humanitarian aid agencies working in the world’s conflict and disaster zones need $48.7 billion in 2022 to assist more than 200 […]

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How a UN fund gives hope to crisis-impacted children from Ecuador to Afghanistan

Conflict, forced displacement, climate-induced disasters, and the compounding effect of the coronavirus pandemic have left hundreds of millions of children and adolescents — particularly girls — without access to quality education worldwide. Today, 222 million young people living in regions affected by wars and disasters — in Africa, Asia, the Middle East, and South America […]

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