The US missile strike on the al-Shayrat airbase is one of a series of recent watershed moments in the Syrian war. While the Americans have denied that the strike represents a change of policy towards Syria, the Russian reaction to move may well hold the key to Assad’s future.
But war will ultimately be won or lost on the ground. Harout Akdedian gives a survey of how things stand with the opposing forces in the country and notes that the US airstrike is more likely to reinforce the balance of power between the combating factions rather than represent a turning point.
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US Navy Office of Information
Harout Akdedian, Central European University
The question now is how recent critical changes will impact on-the-ground military strategy.
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Politics + Society
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Miriam Krenzinger A. Guindani, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro
Residents of the Maré neighbourhood of Rio de Janeiro are eight times more likely to be killed by police than other Brazilians. Most victims are young and black.
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Toni Erskine, UNSW
The 1994 Rwandan genocide evokes shame, despair, and revulsion.Yet, the events warrant reflection and remind us about the risks of looking the other way.
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Mark Youngman, University of Birmingham; Cerwyn Moore, University of Birmingham
From the Islamic State to North Caucasian rebels and far-right nationalists, Russia is facing overlapping extremist threats.
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Business + Economy
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Lee Smales, Curtin University
There's good news from manufacturers around the world, and this should feed into economic growth.
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Environment + Energy
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Tiffany Morrison, James Cook University
The Great Barrier Reef is in crisis, as a second wave of coral bleaching hits. But the system of bodies and laws that protect it are getting more complicated – and less productive.
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