Iraq, Libya, Afghanistan, Bangladesh and now Syria, the list of nations now in chaos after the fall of its governments is growing. There is a common pattern to the beginning of political storms in all these nations, which is the external interference in their domestic affairs by the United States. This model of toppling governments and replacing it with friendly options have failed everywhere. But the US is not reluctant to meddle with the affairs of other nations and especially when it comes to Asia, where they have geopolitical interests.
Archives
South Korea’s President Faces a Reckoning
Welcome back to the World Brief, the flagship newsletter of The Viyug delivered to you directly from the Editor’s desk, catching you up on 24 […]
Hayat Tahrir al-Sham’s Takeover of Syria is Another Chapter in Islamist Revival
Last week, Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, one of the better-known rebel groups by another name – the Commission for the Liberation of the Levant, took over Damascus. They took Aleppo again and captured the mighty 46th Regiment of the Syrian Army. Second, HTS seized Hamam, the country’s second-largest city, thereby securing its largest territorial gains to date. The victory has wide-ranging implications on the world level, despite HTS’ attempts at rebranding itself as a “post-jihadist” entity committed to the fight against transnational Islam.
COP29: Disappointment at Baku
The multilateral UN Framework on Climate Change, which was established to address climate change, once again revealed disappointing results from the pledges made by developed countries at its COP29 climate financing summit in Baku, Azerbaijan. The unsettling start from the Azerbaijani president’s stirring statement that fossil fuels are a “gift from God” kicked off the meeting drawing disparagement from figures such as Greta Thunberg who referred Azerbaijan as “an authoritarian petro-state.”
Gaza Starts to Feel Forgotten amid Syrian Crisis
Many Palestinians in Gaza cheered the scenes in Syria this week, as rebels overthrew Bashar al-Assad’s regime. Last month they watched the war in Lebanon end; now Syria’s 13-year civil war might be at a close too. But Israel’s war in Gaza drags on. At least 28 people were killed in Israeli strikes on Thursday, according to Palestinian medics.
A Nudge for Europe’s Economy
The European Union’s (EUs) economy is only about 1 percent bigger than it was a year ago. And inflation, at 2.3 percent in November, is close to the European Central Bank’s target of 2 percent. The prices of services across various member countries among EU have been rising by around 4 percent a year and there is sustained pressure from growing wages – the Netherlands, which has the most up-to-date figures, estimates these as rising at 6.5 percent.
Racial Slurs: A Study of Words that Wound
The term “Pajeet.”, originally confined to undercover illegal internet corners, is a slur used to refer to Indians, particularly Hindus. It has gradually crawled into mainstream discourse under the garb of referring to the right political language and woke ideology. It is not surprising to see South-Asians themselves designating Indians as “Pajeet” and believing they will escape bullying in America or elsewhere.
The Caretaker Prime Minister of Syria
On 8 December 2024, the Syrian Arab Republic under Bashar al-Assad collapsed amid major offensives by the Syrian opposition (led by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham – HTS and supported by other rebel groups, including the Turkish backed Syrian National Army) as part of the Syrian civil war which began in 2011. The fall of Damascus marked the end of the Assad’s regime, which had ruled Syria as a totalitarian hereditary dictatorship since 1971.
Decoding the Economy of an Isolationist Country
Being one of the most isolated, secretive, dark and censored countries in the world, North Korea continues to baffle audiences and surpass trends of journalistic opportunity. It has one of the largest militaries in the world, a staggering domestic infrastructure and much speculation as to what goes on inside the closed-to-exhibition country. The citizens aren’t allowed to venture outside and no official economic data has been published since 1965, which is both scary and bold at the same time.
Rebels Declare Damascus Free of al-Assad
After just a few days of rapid advances, the rebels appeared to control Syria’s capital. Rebels declared that they would work with a top official in President Bashar al-Assad’s government. Mr. al-Assad’s location was unclear. Rebel fighters stormed into Syria’s capital, Damascus, on Sunday, taking them to the brink of a stunning victory as evidence mounted that Syrian forces and their leader, President Bashar al-Assad, had fled. In just two weeks, a bitter stalemate that had held for years in Syria has been snapped.