Is Iran's Quds Force deploying 'Shiite Mobilization Units' in Afghanistan?

An Iranian media report on the alleged formation of 'Shiite Mobilization Units' in Afghanistan to counter recent Taliban advances has sparked backlash. The force's establishment is attributed to Tehran, prompting a warning from a senior Afghan official. A senior aide to Iran’s foreign minister has implied that Iran is not involved.

Why Bahrain, UAE normalization with Israel continues unabated

In May 2021, Israeli forces violently evicted residents of the Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood in Jerusalem, leading to global protests. Despite the violence, including disruptions of Ramadhan prayers and a bombing campaign in Gaza that killed at least 260 Palestinians, Arab-Israeli normalization, particularly with Bahrain and the UAE, continues without interruption. This ongoing normalization amid violence deserves closer scrutiny.

Towards Mobility Justice: The Intersectionality of Global (Im)mobility Regimes

The article connects two significant works in mobility studies, highlighting the shift in understanding mobility as practices influenced by power relations. 'Regimes of mobility' by Nina Glick Schiller and Noel B. Salazar challenges binary views of mobility and immobility, proposing a framework that addresses these dynamics as products of unequal power relations. 'Mobility Justice' by Mimi Sheller adopts a critical approach to spatial infrastructure and planetary geographies, advocating for mobility justice through an intersectional lens, questioning elite rights to movement at the expense of others.

Iraqi Kurdistan at crossroads as elections reshape political balance

Iraq’s parliamentary elections on October 10 have reshaped the political balance in the semi-autonomous Kurdistan region of Iraq (KRI), according to official preliminary results that have been contested by several parties across the country. Although the elections were for the federal government in Baghdad, the results have implications for the KRI where the last elections to the 111-seat Kurdish parliament were held in 2018.

Iran marks 1979 seizure of US embassy as nuclear talks loom

Iran commemorates the anniversary of the 1979 US embassy takeover in Tehran, where American diplomats were held hostage for over a year, leading to severed ties between the two nations. The event was marked with anti-US protests involving top officials, including President Ebrahim Raisi and IRGC commanders. Some key Iranian figures have expressed regret over the incident. This commemoration occurs as nuclear talks between Iran and the US loom.

Still friends? Saudi-Jordanian ties after the palace 'plot'

Relations between Jordan and Saudi Arabia have become more strained in recent years, particularly with the rise of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman Al Saud and his assertive regional policy. This shift in Saudi Arabia's approach could potentially endanger its relations with traditional allies, including Jordan, which has shown resistance against taking sides.

Saudi-Emirati economic rivalry grows as UAE launches new initiatives

Economic competition between Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates is intensifying as both countries strive to become the leading economic hub in the Gulf region. The UAE has introduced the 'Projects of the 50' initiative to attract foreign investment and diversify its economy beyond oil. Concurrently, Saudi Arabia is advancing its plans to relocate Saudi media offices from Dubai.

Jordan: Unfulfilled Reforms, Social Crisis, and Increasing Repression

The article discusses the arrest of Prince Hamza, brother of King Abdullah II of Jordan, on April 3, accused of conspiring to overthrow the king, as part of an increasing wave of repression in Jordan. It reflects on the unfulfilled promises of the Arab Spring protests in Jordan ten years ago, highlighting the lack of political and institutional reforms, rampant corruption, and the growing power of the security apparatus. The economic situation is dire, with high unemployment and poverty exacerbated by the pandemic but rooted in structural issues. The government's budget shows systemic shortcomings, with heavy reliance on taxes and minimal spending on social welfare. Political stagnation and increased repression are noted, with crackdowns on journalists, activists, and internet freedoms. The article also touches on the alleged 'coup' involving Prince Hamza and Bassem Awadallah, which has led to increased skepticism among Jordanians about the government's narrative and actions.

In different states of indifference: movement, friction, and resistance

The article critically addresses the issue of mobility in the study of international politics, focusing on the concept of resistance. It challenges the state-centric global project to normalize movement by arguing that resistance always comes first. The challenge pertains to who or what can move freely and when, and focuses on resistances to the normalization of movement from within and outside the movement itself. The paper is divided into three sections: the first acknowledges the importance of celebrating movement to reduce state-centric studies of international politics and to place borders, states, and drifting migrants in a sea of irregular movements. The second turns to an epistemological register of movements to recognize that celebrating movement can also depoliticize movement differences. Movement is not taken for granted but is treated as diagnostic and productive, considering the role of friction within and between movements. Frictions are not only the product of movement but also shape and materialize it. The final section argues that despite the emancipatory narrative linked to privileging ontological and epistemological approaches, resistance must always be positioned as a generative force that comes first. To think of resistance in this way, the concept itself must be redefined, not as opposition or reaction, but as a means of enduring escalation and indifference. The article suggests that if resistance is no longer seen as a voluntary action of the liberal subject, and resistance always comes first, then the frictions that unfold as movements inevitably reconfigure the geographical borders of countries.

From North to South

The article explores the evolution and diversity of the French rap scene, focusing on various regions beyond Paris, such as Lille, Amiens, Le Havre, Brest, Nantes, Angers, Alençon, Blois, Vierzon, and Orleans. It highlights key artists from each area, their backgrounds, styles, and contributions to the genre. The narrative underscores the cultural and social factors influencing the rap scenes in these regions, emphasizing the growing prominence of regional rap in France.