For years, Afghanistan served as the world’s leading producer of opium, a key ingredient in the street drug heroin. The country reached this level of production after years of widespread and violent conflict. In April 2022, the Taliban declared a complete ban on the crop and spent the next several months eradicating it from the country. With opium production off the table, Afghanistan’s rural population is struggling to make ends meet, worsening the already poor humanitarian situation in the country.

Middle EastBy Michael HalebianMay 13, 2024Afghanistan, opium, heroin, Mujahideen, drugs, narcotics

Vision 2030: How Water Scarcity in Saudi Arabia Persists

Water scarcity in Saudi Arabia has become a major threat to human life. In response to this threat, the Crown Prince has developed Vision 2030, which is meant to improve life in Saudi Arabia through three central pillars: economy, vitality, and ambition. However, despite this plan, the country still struggles with water accessibility.

Middle EastYasmine VakiliMarch 27, 2024water, water scarcity, Saudi Arabia, environment, vision 2030

Yemeni Citizens Left in the Dark

Internet blackouts have become a modern concern for many nations undergoing warfare and violence. Denying access to the internet has been determined to be a violation of human rights on the international level, yet instances continue to occur around the globe. Yemen, a nation undergoing a lengthy civil war, is an example of where internet blackouts have proven to become frequent and problematic for citizens’ safety and daily lives.

Hunger Strike: The Lingering Effects of the Arab Spring in Bahrain

In 2011, Bahrain witnessed swaths of protesters swarming the streets of the country and demanding social change and reform in the Sunni-led government that had long oppressed Shia Muslims. The government brutally crushed the uprising within weeks, but the desire for more freedom never died in the population. In August 2023, hundreds of inmates in a prison notorious for detaining political prisoners went on a mass hunger strike. After weeks of strike, the government agreed to provide more humane conditions for the prisoners.

Middle EastBy Michael HalebianFebruary 23, 2024Bahrain, Arab Spring, sectarian conflict, hunger strike

The Prosperous and Political Arts Movement in Saudi Arabia

Saudi Arabia has recently been experiencing an emerging arts and culture boom. The state has become a hub for both national and international artists, particularly for youth. However, some critics speculate that this new funding and celebration of the arts is a strategy to distract from other potentially unpopular legislation.

Middle EastBy Hannah MartinFebruary 13, 2024arts, culture, community, human rights, youth

Archaeologists in Iraq Unearth an Ancient Protective Deity Statue

The first time the ancient protective Lamassu statue in Khorsabad was uncovered, its head was chopped into pieces and stolen by looters. Then it was reburied for its safety and preservation during an ISIS rampage. Archaeologists now unearth it for the second time and finally reveal it to the world.

Middle EastBy Maeve SmillieJanuary 15, 2024archaeology, exploration, iraq, history, museum, artifact

The Politics of Recovery: International Discourse Around Morocco’s Earthquake Relief Efforts

Following the deadly earthquake in Morocco on September 8th, the international community offered a flood of support to the Moroccan government. Controversy arose when Morocco did not accept the help and condolences of all states, specifically states in which Morocco has a tumultuous history. It is idealistic that aid remains unaffected by politics, however that is not the case in many relief efforts; as seen in Morocco.

Middle EastBy Caroline DonohueNovember 27, 2023Foreign relations, relief efforts, earthquake response, Morocco

The Uncertain Future of the Lebanese Pound

Since 2019, Lebanon has been facing one of the worst economic crises in modern history. Unemployment rates are growing, the national currency, the Lebanese Pound, is decreasing in value, and protests have risen against political corruption and inability to manage the plummeting economy. As working-class families struggle to make ends meet, the nation remains leaderless in the depths of an economic crisis.

The IRGC Launches its Third Reconnaissance Satellite Into Orbit, the World Reacts

On September 27, 2023, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps sent its third spy satellite into orbit. Nations around the world are beginning to feel threatened by the reconnaissance abilities this terrorist organization now holds.

Middle EastBy Maeve SmillieNovember 27, 2023technology, space, iran, terrorism, intelligence, reconnaissance, satellite, military, weapons

Captagon: The Stimulant of Syria

A well-known drug in the Middle East, captagon, has transformed Syria into a narcostate. The extensive production of this drug has affected militia, rebel groups, and surrounding countries. Now, as Syria is approaching readmission into the Arab League, President al-Assad is using his opportunity to crackdown on the illicit as a political bargaining chip.

It’s Been One Year Since the Death of Mahsa Amini – Here’s What’s Changed

Mahsa Amini’s death at the hands of the Iranian morality police sparked various women’s rights movements. Since her passing on September 16, 2022, decades of bottled-up rage and unrest were unleashed into a global fight for freedom.

Middle EastBy Maeve SmillieOctober 11, 2023women's rights, protests, oppression, crime, internet censorship, Iran, Islam

SkatePal: How Skate Culture is Impacting the Lives of Young Palestinians

This article discusses the importance of community spaces and engagement among Palestinian youth in the West Bank and Gaza Strip, especially when these communities have a higher exposure to conflict. The article specifically highlights the growing skateboarding culture facilitated by a non-profit called SkatePal.

Middle EastBy Caroline DonohueOctober 6, 2023SkatePal, Palestine, youth programs, Conflict, local partnerships

Displaced Afghans Face Long Standing Entrance Barriers in U.S. Humanitarian Parole

The struggles of displaced Afghans reveal backlog, unfair application adjudication, and other decades old problems in a key U.S. immigration program.

Earthquakes, Economics, and Elections: Turkey’s Syrian Refugee Population Faces Heightened Uncertainty

Exacerbated by the aftermath of a once in a generation earthquake, refugees in Turkey face increasing public backlash amidst political and economic tensions in Turkey.

Middle EastBy Nathan DuongJune 26, 2023Turkey, Syria, earthquake, Economy

The Line: Luxurious Environmentally Sustainable Infrastructure with a Cost

Neom: the future. Saudi Arabia envisioned Neom or also considered the Line as a stable microclimatic environment that prioritizes walkability, clean energy, and technology to move away from traffic, pollution, and other infrastructure challenges that plague urban life. The Line symbolizes the beginning of environmentally sustainable infrastructure that can enrich the lives of humans.

Embroidering Resistance: Palestinian Tatreez

Embroidered pieces such as dresses, decors, and handbags can be found in many Palestinian households in the diaspora and beyond. In displacement and under occupation, generations of Palestinian women embroider their stories to resist erasure with the art of tatreez, making statements that openly say they are proud to be Palestinian.

Middle EastBy Ruofei ShangMay 25, 2023Palestine, tatreez, art, culture, clothing

Pakistan: Judas of the American Alliance

The U.S. has long seen Pakistan as an ally in South and Central Asia despite a long history of the Pakistani government supporting terrorist groups who have sought to attack America, a policy that continues today.

The Dirty Business of Humanitarian Aid in Afghanistan

Afghanistan currently faces the largest humanitarian catastrophe in the world which has led to billions of dollars worth of humanitarian aid but corruption, theft and hidden agendas have led to a distribution system that, in its current form, could be actively making the problem worse.

If You Stand With Ukraine, You Must Also Stand With Afghanistan (Part 2)

The United States and its allies have abandoned Afghanistan after their two-decade-long occupation, leading to the country's descent into a humanitarian crisis and a terrorist-led government. Meanwhile, these nations have shifted their focus to supporting Ukraine in its conflict with Russia, with rhetoric about defending values of democracy and political freedom, but to the Afghan people, this rings hollow. The US's current policy towards Afghanistan is focused on containment rather than support for any specific actors, and their cooperation with the Taliban is reminiscent of Reagan's failed policy of "constructive engagement" with Apartheid South Africa.

China Brokers Saudi Arabia-Iran Diplomatic Agreement – Implications for Yemen’s Civil War

The China-brokered agreement between Saudi Arabia and Iran marks a significant shift in relations between the two regional rivals and may pave the way for humanitarian recovery in Yemen, a country devastated by the proxy war between the two nations. The deal involves reopening embassies, respecting state sovereignty, and avoiding interference in foreign affairs.