In 2023, the international scene was marked by several high-intensity armed conflicts, with peace-building efforts and diplomacy being cast aside by military solutions and a new global arms race. Peace actors saw their window to engage — to bring their perspective on conflict resolution — greatly reduced. In the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), violence in the east further escalated. While IPIS continued to develop its work on natural resources in the region, our research highlights the underlying dynamics of the conflict, being rooted in deficient governance and violations of international and humanitarian law as well as in endemic poverty, social injustice, and long-standing grievances. Following Hamas’ gruesome attack in southern Israel and Israel’s invasion of the Gaza Strip, IPIS and its partners scrutinized arms exports and transfers through Belgium to Israel, eventually leading to mitigating actions by the federal and regional governments. was the one who proposed in 2014 the formation of the network - called the Iran Experts Initiative - according to the emails he suggested to his superiors that by forming a network of Iranian analysts in “American and European think tanks” the Islamic Republic could promote its standpoint in the world Iranian former foreign minister Mohammad Javad Zarif had close ties to the IEI and communicated directly with some of its members Zarif reemerged in Iranian politics last year and was appointed Vice President for Strategic Affairs hoping to champion new negotiations with world powers regarding Iran’s nuclear deal Addressing the World Economic Forum in Davos Zarif said on Wednesday that Iran hoped U.S President Donald Trump would choose 'rationality' in his dealings with the Islamic Republic Khatibzadeh previously served as Iran's foreign ministry spokesman and ambassador to Croatia His appointment as the head of the IPIS could provide significant firepower to the Zarif's campaign "Khatibzadeh played a role in the crafting of the "Iran Experts Initiative," which was used as a malign influence operation by the regime during the JCPOA negotiations in 2013-15 His appointment signals a likely return of similar efforts during the Trump era," said Jason Brodsky the policy director of the US-based advocacy group United Against Nuclear Iran (UANI) Iranian foreign ministry emails showed that Khatibzadeh was the mastermind behind the formation of the IEI one of the leading Iranian nuclear negotiators the then head of the IPIS in Tehran: “This initiative which we call ‘Iran Experts Initiative (IEI)’ is consisted of a core group of 6-10 distinguished second-generation Iranians who have established affiliation with the leading international think-tanks and academic institutions Khatibzadeh outlined his accomplishments in an email in 2016 emphasizing his endeavors to “build a network and … engage with think tanks with a clear focus on the nuclear negotiations to advance Iran's foreign policy at the highest level” and to “publish dozens of articles in line with” Iran’s foreign policy The Iran Experts Initiative (IEI) was “one of the fundamental initiatives of the IPIS” the mastermind of the Islamic Republic's efforts to influence US foreign policy Tabatabai was serving as the Pentagon Chief of Staff for the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Special Operations and Low-Intensity Conflict and retained her role and security clearance despite the revelations The report prompted multiple congressional investigations with Republicans raising concerns about her ability to obtain a top-secret security clearance The Pentagon and State Department said there was nothing in Tabatabai’s background that would have disqualified her from accessing classified information she took on a new role in the defense department which gave her reduced access to intelligence The Iranian-American academic started overseeing force education and training within former Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin's office On the occasion of the 75th anniversary of the Geneva Conventions (GCs) the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) in cooperation with the Embassy of Switzerland in Iran and the Institute for Political and International Studies (IPIS) of the Iranian Ministry of Foreign Affairs held a photo exhibition on the history of the GCs as well as the history of cooperation between Iran and the ICRC at the IPIS convention center The opening ceremony of the photo exhibition was held with the presence of distinguished guests from diplomatic missions and concerned officials at the IPIS center of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on January 13 The Geneva Conventions and their Additional Protocols are international agreements that contain the most important rules restricting unnecessary violence in times of war The aim of these conventions is to protect persons who are not participating in the conflict or are no longer able to participate in the war for reasons such as injuries Appreciating the close cooperation of the Institute for Political and International Studies of the Iranian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Swiss Embassy in Iran in co-organizing this exhibition Head of the ICRC delegation in Iran acknowledged the existing violations against implementation of the GCs at times of conflicts and emphasized on the importance of states making a more serious commitment to these conventions ensuring humane treatment of civilians The exhibition displays some historical documents of activities that began in the 19th century and eventually led to the ratification of the Geneva Conventions in the 20th century It is also a visual report of Iran’s activities to join to the Geneva Conventions and cooperate with the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) as the guardian of these conventions The exhibition is an opportunity for the diplomatic community and researchers to become better acquainted with the history of ratification of the Geneva Conventions and their importance in wars and conflicts for the protection of civilians The exhibition is the first part of a joint program The second part of the program will include a dialogue between researchers and scholars in the field of international law and the International Humanitarian Law (IHL) We help people around the world affected by armed conflict and other violence doing everything we can to protect their lives and dignity and to relieve their suffering often with our Red Cross and Red Crescent partners We also seek to prevent hardship by promoting and strengthening humanitarian law and championing universal humanitarian principles People know they can count on us to carry out a range of life-saving activities in conflict zones and to work closely with the communities there to understand and meet their needs Our experience and expertise enable us to respond quickly and effectively TEHRAN – Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has elevated Saeed Khatibzadeh to the role of Deputy Foreign Minister and appointed him as the new head of the Ministry's Institute for Political and International Studies (IPIS) has previously represented Iran as ambassador to Croatia His career also encompasses key positions such as advisor to the Foreign Minister in addition to serving as the Director General of the Office of Political and International Studies the IPIS stands as one of Iran's leading think tanks operating under the aegis of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs The institute plays a pivotal role in shaping the nation's foreign policy through rigorous research and analysis of international affairs RadiusDC has acquired a data center in Miami The company this week announced the acquisition of Miami I in the Sweetwater area of the city a data center operator in Latin America owned by Actis "We believe Miami I is an ideal asset to expand the geographic reach of our connectivity-focused platform given the strength of its existing network and immediately available growth potential," stated Mike Krza "We are excited to deliver new strategic data center capacity in the South Florida market over the coming year." Spanning 170,000 square feet (15,795 sq ft) of data center space across two stories Miami I has the potential to support more than 15MW of critical IT power capacity The carrier-neutral facility offers connectivity to 11 fiber optic and network service providers RadiusDC said it plans to immediately expand the site's capacity from 3.2MW to 9.2MW The initial phase of construction is expected to be completed during the first half of 2026 "The Miami I acquisition represents an important milestone in our plan to expand the RadiusDC platform These assets allow us to address another important edge market with significant expansion capacity for our core hyperscale customer base in a highly connected environment," added Christopher Jensen IPI – which also owns Stack – launched RadiusDC in September 2022 The company initially offered space in the 1500 Champa carrier hotel in Denver "Data centers are crucial in connecting communities and in providing access to information and education," said Mauricio Giusti and we look forward to seeing Miami I grow under its new ownership as NextStream continues to focus on the rapidly expanding Latin American market." Originally built for Telefónica's own uses the telco sold a majority stake in its Latin American and US data centers to investment firm Asterion in 2019 Asterion then founded new operator Nabiax from the portfolio Actis then acquired Nabiax’s Latin American data center footprint last year taking over 11 data centers across six countries in Latin America and the US and Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP served as financial advisor and legal advisor BBVA served as financial advisor and Pinheiro Neto Advogados and Holland & Knight served as legal advisors to Actis and NextStream Data Centre Dynamics Ltd (DCD), 32-38 Saffron Hill, London, EC1N 8FH Email. [email protected]DCD is a subsidiary of InfraXmedia Ken Matthysen works for the International Peace Information Service (IPIS) This publication has been produced with the financial assistance of the Belgian Directorate-General for Development Cooperation and Humanitarian Aid (DGD) The contents of this document are the sole responsibility of IPIS and can under no circumstances be regarded as reflecting the position of the Belgian Development Cooperation View all partners The rebel group launched its most recent offensive in 2021 and currently controls vast territories in the south-east of North Kivu province surrounding and cutting off the main city of Goma Eastern DR Congo mines produce crucial raw materials such as tin, tantalum and tungsten, as well as abundant quantities of gold. It therefore seems logical to reduce explanations of conflict to the ambition by M23, and Rwanda behind it, to control the mines directly We belong to a team of researchers who examine the various dimensions of conflict from different perspectives based on fieldwork and conducted in collaboration with in-country experts show that this popular analysis does not paint the full picture Conflict analysis often ignores historical and local dimensions. Our investigation with the Goma-based civil society organisation Association pour le Développement des Initiatives Paysannes therefore explored the local stakes and impacts of the M23 crisis We interviewed more than 55 people in North Kivu (DR Congo) as well as soldiers and armed groups fighting them traders and farmers who live on the frontline of the conflict Our research reveals that M23 employs a more profound strategy to boost its position and military strength (through Rwandan support) in local struggles over land M23’s disruptive strategy aims to replace Congolese authorities and overhaul local governance in areas it controls in eastern DR Congo undermining and replacing local (customary) authorities the installation of an elaborate taxation regime These strategies also allow M23 – and Rwanda – to generate revenues from the local economy including rents from DR Congo’s mineral wealth without necessarily directly controlling mines Interviewees attached great importance to the historical context of the M23 conflict explaining how struggles over land date back to independence in 1960 the Belgian colonial administrators already organised large movements of migrant workers from Rwanda to work on plantations in DR Congo The Rwandophone migrants and their descendants settled in North Kivu After independence, Hutu and Tutsi (Rwandophone) communities began to jostle for control over North Kivu’s fertile farmland with the Hunde and Nyanga communities there As grievances over access to land and property rights increased Rwandophone communities were stigmatised as “non-indigenous” and their land claims as illegitimate These were typically from the Tutsi community Given the country’s complex and under-enforced land laws, land claims became exceedingly difficult to verify or prove. This has strengthened the belief that the only way to secure access to land is by resorting to armed groups M23 is perceived as the guardian of the Tutsi community’s access to land This perception is well illustrated by a testimony of a local leader in Masisi territory: The wars of the last three decades have been motivated by a struggle for control over land … Indigenous people are driven out dispossessed of their land in favour of others who are considered foreigners and refugees … the M23 is made up of (Tutsi) pastoralists … and there are fields that their rivals had seized … it was one of their (M23) first concerns to start exploiting them Most Congolese Tutsi have not asked for this “protection” by M23 But the ensuing grievances and ethnic tensions will haunt the relations between communities for years to come In DR Congo, customary chiefs play an important role in local land governance and represent the symbolic claim by a specific community to a given place Many Congolese we spoke to perceive M23’s main aim to be control of power at the local level — undermining the existing authorities. The group has indeed sought to replace customary authorities with M23-appointed ones, at times assassinating Congolese chiefs Local sources said M23 even burnt chiefdom archives destroying evidence of claims to customary authority Wherever M23 has a foothold, it installs an elaborate taxation regime. This involves checkpoint tolls, household taxes, dues on business, harvest taxes and forced labour. In doing so, the group generates the revenues to sustain the conflict. But this also strengthens its politico-administrative hold on the population, as taxation is a symbolic interface of public authority Local armed groups that joined with the Congolese army to combat M23 deepen the problem they are often unpaid and therefore rely on payments from the population to sustain their counter-offensive taxation in eastern Congo has become heavily “militiarised” The military nature of local governance could jeopardise future efforts to bring peace to eastern DRC M23 has an impact on all aspects of local governance in eastern DR Congo It has found ways to control and profit from the local economy in North Kivu It operates checkpoints along arteries and taxes minerals smuggled to Rwanda DR Congo’s resources play a large role in the M23 conflict but our study underscores the historical roots of the conflict and its profound local impacts These findings should inform locally meaningful and sustainable conflict resolution strategies trade and security have become increasingly mediated by armed actors it will take years of local dialogue and mediation to undo this involvement of militia in local governance repair inter-community relations and remake customary authority But that’s the only way to reach sustainable peace in North Kivu 26 June 2024 (MIA) - Citizens in the country trust Hristijan Mickoski the most more than half expect the new government to be better than the previous one a third have a positive opinion about the new government's composition VMRO-DPMNE would win the largest number of votes shows a poll of the Institute for Political Research (IPIS) conducted by telephone June 18-21 On the question 'which politician you trust most' 27.8 percent of the respondents said Hristijan Mickoski 2.2 percent each said Bilal Kasami and Izet Mexhiti and 0.9 percent said Nikola Gruevski.   25.9 percent of the respondents said they don't trust any politician.  On the new ruling structure of VMRO-DPMNE and 'Worth It' 55.8 percent of the respondents believe it will be better than the previous one of SDSM and DUI and 11.2 percent said they don't know or don't have an answer.  The new government composition led by Prime Minister Mickoski is evaluated positively by 33.2 percent of the respondents and 21.9 percent said they don't know or don't have an answer.  If parliamentary elections were to be held next week 28.0 percent of the respondents said they would vote for VMRO-DPMNE and 3.1 percent for the ZNAM Movement.  13.0 percent of the respondents said they would vote for none of the parties 15.5 percent refused to say which party they would vote for whereas 0.3 percent of the respondents said they would vote for a different party than those listed.   The research was conducted among a random sample stratified in order to preserve the representativeness of the population The IPIS points out that it observes the demographic specifics of the population including gender structure with an appropriate sampling of the respondents according to the place of residence and election district with Skopje as a separate district due to its specificities The poll has been conducted for the needs of the IPIS in order to analyse the ratings of the parties Mia.mk користи колачиња Ние користиме колачиња за да го подобриме вашето искуство со прелистување да опслужуваме персонализирани реклами или содржини и да го анализираме нашиот сообраќај се согласувате со нашата употреба на колачиња except with the prior express permission of Media Information Agency Every intrusion and abuse of MIA website is penalized in line with Articles 251 and 251a of the Criminal Code of the Republic of North Macedonia Legal consultant and representative: Lawyer Milena Veljanovska - Stoilovska The cockroach tends to be the go-to metaphor for resilience As far back as the Carboniferous period — almost 360 million years ago — cockroaches twice the size of today’s sepia-colored scuttlers were already scurrying across prehistoric swamplands wide-winged horrors making a beeline for your face you’d be hard-pressed to think of any other creature that can transform the humble tsinelas into a lethal weapon make it instantly rain insect repellent inside whichever room it managed to crawl into or reduce even the most hardened specimen of muscle-bound machismo to a skipping As a society, we hate cockroaches so much that describing Manila as an unsavory place that, among other things, “smelled of cockroaches” was enough to get actress Claire Danes banned from the Philippines two decades ago — 'memba that episode This begs the question, though: Why do we hate and fear cockroaches so much? They’re not even the most lethal kind of insect out there — that dubious distinction belongs to mosquitoes — so what is it about them that makes humanity's collective skin crawl?  There are over 4,500 species of cockroaches in the world but only a handful of these are considered pests — close to 30 The types of roaches most commonly found in Filipino residential houses (and nightmares) are the American (Periplaneta americana) and German (Blattella germanica) varieties The reddish-brown American cockroach is the largest species among the common roaches growing up to an average length of 1.6 inches the German cockroach is closer to tan in hue and is about half the size of its American cousin Whether they’re on the ground or in the air They skitter across the floor with incredible speed; it’s no surprise that most of these species prefer to stay grounded only a small percentage actually use them for flying While both American and German cockroaches have wings it is more common to see the former in flight (This also makes it the one you’re more likely to imagine when someone screams “Ipis!”) What they do isn't even actual flight; it’s more like a very crude sort of glide which explains why they don't seem to be very good at navigating and staying airborne While it is reasonable to assume that some roaches fly as a defensive measure or to look for food, researchers believe that it’s usually just because of the heat. "Cockroaches, like all insects, are cold-blooded, meaning their activity rate increases with temperature," according to Prof. Jules Silverman, an entomologist at North Carolina State University “In hot steam tunnels, something with the temperature and the humidity encourages them to fly,” shared Ken Schumann, an entomologist at Bell Environmental Services. "When it's warm and steamy [,] that seems to be what they like." Unfortunately for us living in the Philippines “warm and steamy” tend to be the norm Our fear of cockroaches does seem to be a bit disproportionate to their actual threat level Sure, these filthy insects are capable of spreading diseases and harmful bacteria as they zip around the house and leave their waste behind meaning they aren’t actual carriers of parasites and pathogens themselves So what is it about cockroaches that has managed to instill katsaridaphobia — the fear of these little critters — in millions of people all over the world?  According to Professor Jeffrey Lockwood of the University of Wyoming, the answer lies in our DNA — our disgust reflexes “Fear and disgust are the two universal negative human emotions and one signals the potential for disease or contamination.” Think about it: The simple act of observing a cockroach is like ticking off items on humanity’s list of anxiety triggers Foul-smelling (due to the uric acid they store in their bodies) Irregular and unpredictable “flight” patterns That sickening “crunch” sound that follows when you squish or step on one Stock up on anti-cockroach bio-repellent gel and don’t get food crumbs on your bed {{gallery.imageDetails.images.0.description}} The military situation in North Kivu has evolved since late 2023 following renewed fighting between the Congolese army (FARDC) and allied armed groups — that have unified under the name of “Wazalendo — on one side IPIS has updated the map displaying the ‘area of influence’ of M23 Animated map of the area influenced by M23 from 01 January to 15 May 2024 IPIS mainly used data from the Armed Conflict Location & Event Data Project (ACLED) and complemented it with additional information from news articles from Jeune Afrique …) have been selected and analysed manually to map the area of influence we must emphasize that defining M23’s area of influence in this way entails certain risks: if the main media channels did not report on armed actor movements in a particular area those incidents could not be taken into account when creating the maps by linearly connecting individual incidents to construct the area of influence we incur some error relative to the real ‘area of influence’ This can lead to a certain inaccuracy in the displayed ‘area of influence’ they should not be seen as precise frontlines but rather as a rough indication of the areas influenced by M23 While we did cross-check the maps (and ‘area of influence’) with some North Kivu-based partners and stakeholders we welcome all feedback and suggestions for improvements A ceasefire was established in March 2023 between M23 and the Congolese army, to facilitate the withdrawal of M23 and to create an opportunity for dialogue with the DRC government. While little progress was made with regard to negotiations, it did provide for a six-month lull in fighting in 2023 incidents continued to occur between the warring parties and both the Congolese government and M23 have accused each other of violating the ceasefire involving additional humanitarian suffering and shifting frontlines the frontlines have shifted both in Masisi territory — where heavy fighting started around Sake in February 2024 and M23 eventually managed to capture the well-known mining town of Rubaya — and in Rutshuru territory where M23 expanded to the north (up to Lake Edward) from March 2024 onwards Masisi territory has experienced intense fighting since February 2024. By May, M23 had gained control of two out of Masisi’s four chiefdoms, notably Bashali and Bahunde In April, fighting continued along different roads leading to Sake such as the ones to the north to Kimoka (and Kitchanga) northwest to Rutobogo (and Masisi) and south to Shasha (and Minova) According to a local civil society organization M23 distributed mining equipment to promote the revival of mineral exploitation at Rubaya’s mines After capturing Rubaya, M23 advanced further north(-west) and south. Combat between Wazalendo and M23 has been reported near Katale and Biteete Inhabitants reportedly fled in the direction of Walikale territory M23’s expansion in the south of Masisi in May 2024, yet again, triggered another wave of displacement Masisi and Rutshuru — located about 10 kilometres north of Mweso the Congolese government forces managed to retrieve Kashuga and Misinga in May The findings reveal that despite large scale armed conflict over minerals in the DRC lessening over the past twenty years 61% of miners in our survey suffer ‘interference’ (i.e The latter interfere at 29% of the mines visited by IPIS Notable culprits include CODECO and Jeunesse/‘Zaïre’ (in Ituri) NDC-R and Kabidon’s FPP/AP (in North Kivu) and several Mai Mai groups in South Kivu and Tanganyika Its illicit revenue-generating practices around ASM sites impact 37% of the mines in our survey IPIS also identified drivers of insecurity in ASM beyond direct conflict financing and armed interference These include the omnipresence of former rebels at mining sites as well as tensions around unequal access to mineral resources due to discrimination (e.g an international rush for DRC minerals entails some security risks: there is a growing number of semi-industrial exploitations instrumentalize patronage networks and undermine social cohesion The report demonstrates that a more integrated analysis of mining insecurity and conflict-financing is needed if current policies aimed at limiting insecurity in the ASM sector are to succeed This is especially true for responsible sourcing initiatives which remain largely ineffective due to: their basis in an outdated understanding of the linkage between conflict and mineral extraction in the eastern DRC; an overreliance on underpaid state agents; the exclusionary nature of these initiatives; neglect of the socio-economic impact; (political) elite capture; and the lack of an in-depth evaluation (co-)managed by DRC stakeholders opposition and civil society parties resumed negotiations under mediation of the Catholic Church (CENCO) to assuage the country’s political crisis dozens of people were killed and several hundreds arrested during protests concluding that elections should take place before the end of 2017 after which President Joseph Kabila would step down and not vie for a further extension of his rule and that no changes will be made to the constitution Kabila himself has not yet signed the deal North Kivu has seen several attacks by different armed groups over the past weeks In the night between Wednesday and Thursday 20 people reportedly died during an attack by Mai Mai Nyatura rebels in Bwalanda 25 people were reportedly killed in Beni territory when ADF elements attacked several villages near Eringeti the FARDC fended off an attack by ADF rebels in Oicha Mai Mai Mazembe elements clashed with FARDC soldiers in Nyanzale Seventeen people were killed during the confrontation two Congolese soldiers were injured during a Mai Mai attack in Kirere an attack by Mai Mai elements on an FARDC station resulted in the death of two rebels and two soldiers; two other soldiers were injured the Congolese army allegedly killed 10 Burundian soldiers for crossing the border into Uvira Mai Mai Yakutumba elements attacked Yunga village Presumed ADF elements allegedly killed 14 people in Samboko and Bialee Kasai-Central and Lulua provinces also experienced armed group attacks between December 21 and January 4 was killed by an unknown assailant on January 1 Several Ugandan police officers and soldiers were accused of abuse a UPDF officer was lynched for alleged theft on December 25 La Nouvelle Centrafrique reported fighting between UPC and FRPC factions in Mbres fighting reportedly occurred between the same two exSeleka factions three people died and about thirty others were injured in a fire in a refugee camp a youngster had also been killed in the camp two peacekeepers were killed in an ambush on a convoy about 20 km from Mboki there have been 336 attacks on relief workers in the CAR in the course of 2016 several French peacekeepers that were suspected of sexual abuse in the CAR have not been charged facilitator Edem Kodjo initiated the national dialogue in the Democratic Republic of Congo opposition (“Rassemblement”) and civil society members to discuss the organisation of peaceful elections clashes erupted in Kinshasa between youth opposition supporters and the Congolese police armed men killed two people in the Burundian province of Bubanza two Burundians were also killed in Kibangira Rwandan police shot them while they were selling their merchandise across the border three police officers appeared before court in an on-going trial with regard to accusations of brutality against civilians The Central African Republic saw manifestations by part of the Bambari population on September 3 led by the Mouvement de résistance pour la défense de la Patrie (MRDP) called for an improvement of the security situation in the region and the protection of civilians against attacks by armed militias the President of the Democratic Republic of Congo visited his counterparts in Uganda and Rwanda Security appeared to be high on the agenda and both neighbouring countries committed to greater security and intelligence cooperation with the DRC During a bilateral meeting between Ugandan and Rwandan police forces the need for closer cross-border cooperation was also emphasized several people died during the night of August 8 in Tshimbulu was attributed to a militia that was recently formed by KamuinaNsapu in Dibaya territory governor Alex Kande announced that the militia leader was killed during clashes with security forces stated that it denounces the killing of Kamuina-Nsapu who instead should have been brought to justice Meanwhile in Maniema and Sankuru provinces between seven and 15 people reportedly died and about 60 houses were set on fire during confrontations between two villages in Katakokombe territory on August 12 UN experts continue to express their concerns regarding the human rights situation in Burundi there continues to be protest in Burundi against the Security Counsel’s decision to deploy 228 UN police officers in the country Human rights also appeared an issue in Uganda over the past weeks where a prisoner was reportedly gravely tortured by prison wardens in Gulu district and the police arrested several people at an LGBT event in Kampala the police also killed four armed robbers in Wakiso district The Central African Republic saw trouble at its border with Cameroon where apparently Cameroonian forces are occupying part of the northern and western CAR territory Meanwhile MINUSCA reported having arrested 10 after a standoff with a convoy of armed men – reportedly ex-Seleka – near Sibut on August 14 Since May 2013 the Central African Republic has been suspended from the Kimberly Process (KP) – a measure maintained by the mechanism’s annual plenary in Guangzhou The CAR’s transitional authorities have been seeking at least a partial lifting of this export ban so that the country might benefit from the much needed revenues its diamonds can generate.1 However the authorities in this beleaguered state have thus far failed to secure control over both the security situation and the country’s diamond trade: a recent UN expert report estimates that the CAR has lost US$24 million worth of diamonds to smuggling since May 2013.2 Indeed IPIS’ own investigations – the findings of which are outlined in a report released end November 2014 – have found that large tracts of diamond producing areas in eastern CAR remain under ex-Seleka control with stones continuing to access international markets This IPIS Insight will elaborate on IPIS’ findings in its recent report Mapping Conflict Motives: the Central African Republic – the latest in our conflict mapping series It gives some insight into the modes of exploitation used by armed groups in the CAR to profit from diamonds and the role these stones have played in the complex and shifting dynamics that characterise the on-going crisis It will then briefly consider the KP’s role in this context This report offers a new framework for looking at the eastern Congo conflict one within which new evolutions of the past twenty years find a place violent conflict in eastern Congo has changed dramatically in all its aspects over the past two decades Yet too often policymakers and observers appear to assume that we are dealing with a proxy war orchestrated from the DRC’s eastern neighboring countries The over-simplified and incorrect narrative is then that large rebel movements are directed by neighboring countries to satisfy their insatiable hunger for ‘conflict minerals’ Still according to this simplified version of the facts we find the civilian population and the weak Congolese government on the side of the victims If this narrative was true at the time of the great Congolese wars around the turn of the millennium to the extent that such a perspective guides policy and donor interventions it sometimes threatens to produce effects that add to the level of conflict in the region We can think of the martial law declared by the Congolese government in May 2021 or of ‘responsible sourcing’ programs that by adopting an incorrect macro-perspective ignore local sensitivities and thereby foster conflict causes and actors that together define the nature of the conflict in eastern Congo we note that the conflict has become atomized over the last two decades the different aspects of conflict and their interaction can vary considerably from location to location a range of drivers other than just ‘conflict minerals’ can be observed the broader issue of land ownership may be at stake and that armed actors may just as well be concerned with proceedings derived from agriculture as they are with mining revenues poorly executed DDR programs or the continued existence of auto-defense groups with no raison d’être that sustain themselves with mining revenues are of greater importance than the mere presence of resources in Congolese soil a great fragmentation can also be observed we find ex-rebels struggling to find their way into civilian life which often strike deals with non-state actors conflict is also a matter of communities battling each other with the ‘ethnic divisions’ artificially created by the colonizer sometimes being whipped up again by opportunistic leaders the study also shows that the regional dimension is still important for understanding the full context of the conflict Regional trade chains of commodities – including minerals – and bilateral (military) cooperation give rise to geopolitical tensions This also seems to be an important element in the resurgence of M23 Traveling to Iran for a couple of days in December to attend a conference organized by Institute for Political and International Studies (IPIS) a think tank affiliated with the Iranian foreign ministry ESI senior analyst Nigar Goksel jotted down her observations from the conference on security and her impressions about women in Iran Home / News / More information on our NEW Master of Engineering in Infrastructure Protection and International Security We are thrilled to be offering a new degree in our program which is a recently established Master of Engineering in Infrastructure Protection and International Security This new degree is now available for eligible students beginning the program in Fall 2015 and will allow engineers in our program to specialize in our unique area of study and graduate with a valuable degree designation Students with an engineering background will take a program of study that combines traditional engineering courses related to infrastructure protection (such as infrastructure engineering design or systems engineering and security) with more general courses on CIP risk management and security from a social science and policy perspective In order to be considered eligible for admission into the M.Eng (IPIS) is a B.Eng degree (or equivalent) Students will normally be expected to have a B+ average (or higher) to be considered for admission into the program We welcome engineers with a broad range of specialties and backgrounds to apply to this new degree The IPIS Graduate Calendar is now available for viewing, which includes important details on courses and program requirements. Please visit for more information: http://calendar.carleton.ca/grad/gradprograms/infrastructureprotectionandinternationalsecurity/ Few spaces still remain! More information can be obtained from the Program Administrator, Mr. Thomas Morrice IPIS has published various reports on the conflict in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) Between 2007 and 2010 IPIS focussed predominantly on the motives of the most significant remaining armed groups in the DRC in the aftermath of the Congo wars of 1996 and 1998 Since 2010 many of these groups have demobilised and several have integrated into the Congolese army (FARDC) and the security situation in the DRC has been slowly stabilising a chain of events led to the creation of a ‘new’ armed group that called itself “M23” after being cornered by the FARDC near the Rwandan border it seemed that the movement would be short-lived over the following two months M23 made a remarkable recovery In light of these developments and the renewed risk of large-scale armed conflict in the DRC the European Network for Central Africa (EURAC) assessed that an accurate understanding of M23’s motives among stakeholders will be crucial for dealing with the current escalation IPIS volunteered to provide such analysis as a brief update to its ‘mapping conflict motives’ report series The content of the report does not necessarily reflect the position of EURAC and is IPIS’ sole responsibility As a result of time constraints no web maps are provided however relevant data is indicated on print maps within the text The report looks into four hypotheses on M23’s motives: historic grievances Each of these explanations are compared with M23’s discourse The researchers wish to stress that the situation on the ground is subject to constant change created less than a mere seven months prior to this analysis; there are new developments almost every day Most of the information used exists in the public domain additional information was gathered by IPIS researchers working on related topics in South Kivu The Institute of Strategic Studies Islamabad (ISSI) and Iran’s Institute for Political and International Studies (IPIS) held Annual Dialogue on bilateral and regional issues today Middle East & Africa (CAMEA) facilitated this dialogue Deputy Foreign Minister of Iran and President IPIS; Ambassador Sohail Mahmood Former Ambassador of Pakistan to Iran; and Ambassador Khalid Mahmood The dialogue was divided into three working sessions The first session was titled “Pakistan-Iran Bilateral Relations” The second session was titled “Changing Dynamics in the Middle East: Prospects for Regional Integration and Connectivity ” and was moderated by Arhama Siddiqa The third session was titled “The Evolving Situation in Afghanistan” and was moderated by Sarah Akram Director General ISSI Ambassador Sohail Mahmood and Deputy Foreign Minister/President IPIS Dr made opening statements –noting the unprecedented flux fragility and polarization in the global environment and the profound changes taking place at the international and regional levels They underscored the importance of close Pakistan-Iran consultations in this milieu and expressed satisfaction at the positive trajectory of the bilateral relationship The two principals also exchanged perspectives on the situation in Afghanistan and the tragedy unfolding in Palestine They underscored the need for the world community’s urgent intervention to stop unabated oppression against Palestinian civilian population and provide immediate relief assistance The proactive role of the UN and OIC in ensuring urgent action to address the current unacceptable situation was emphasised Shaykh al-Islami also underscored the value attached to the institutional relationship between ISSI and IPIS and reaffirmed their commitment to intensify mutual exchanges and expand the scope of mutual collaboration between the two think-tanks speakers highlighted recent progress in the Pakistan-Iran bilateral relationship including bilateral trade surpassing $2 billion opening of border market and importance of Iran-Pakistan Pipeline (IPI) gas were further highlighted Pakistan-Iran mutual cooperation collaboration in ECO UN and other multilateral fora was also positively evaluated speakers underlined the imperative for dynamic regional leadership alongside the recognition of the pivotal importance of addressing the prevailing energy disparities within the region A wide array of potential areas for regional collaboration was deliberated upon and the presenters called for concrete actions and the political resolve to harness the region’s considerable potential for substantial collaboration through relevant regional multilateral platforms the speakers pointed out that Afghanistan plays a pivotal role as a junction connecting Pakistan rendering it a potential foundation for mutually-beneficial regional cooperation It was also underscored that despite ongoing bilateral engagements the absence of a coherent regional framework for addressing Afghanistan related issues highlights the necessity for comprehensive a regional initiative The imperative of sustained engagement was emphasized as the continued reliance on bilateral engagement may become the prevailing norm without a transition towards a regional mechanism made concluding remarks highlighting the fruitful exchanges during the working sessions and the important contribution that the ISSI-IPIS Dialogue makes to overall bilateral cooperation Sign in to listen to groundbreaking journalism Philippines – Flying Ipis is set to launch their newest single and Tanya Singh will also be be performing their hit songs and debuting the music video for “Walust” on the show Home / News / Why ISIS and Global Terrorism matter to Canada the Canadian Club of Ottawa hosted a special luncheon at the Chateau Laurier in partnership with the Security and Policy Institute at the University of Ottawa which featured Geopolitical Expert and International Columnist Three of our IPIS students attended this exciting event Our program was given special recognition for its contributions by the President of the Canadian Club of Ottawa Emily Campbell and Mir Ali as guests at “Why ISIS and Global Terrorism matter to Canada” at the Chateau Laurier in Ottawa Flying Ipis perform Sssikreto live for BBC Global Beats at RJ Bistro in Manila (Filmed by the BBC's media partner in the Philippines NME talks to artists and organisers behind the eclectic compilation including BP Valenzuela and Aly Cabral of The Buildings a compilation advocating the destigmatisation and decriminalisation of abortion in the country the 12-track album – whose title means ‘choice’ – is also a collaboration between several pro-choice and advocacy groups: It was spearheaded by the Women’s Global Network for Reproductive Rights (WGNRR) and is a collaboration with the Philippine Safe Abortion Advocacy Network (PINSAN) and Filipino Freethinkers with support from Safe Abortion Action Fund (SAAF) and Abortion Conversation Projects (ACP) ‘Pasya’ boasts one of the most exciting all-female lineups in recent memory: Valenzuela and Cabral (also a member of Ourselves the Elves and the solo artist Teenage Granny) as well as Muroami Calix came on board for production and mixing while Muroami and rights advocate Kristine Chan served as co-executive producers for the project Chan – Reproductive Health Advocacy Director at Filipino Freethinkers – had pitched the ‘Pasya’ idea to the hip-hop artist The pair then convinced other artists to get on board The stigma abortion evokes in the Philippines perpetuated by religious dogma and patriarchal traditions that limit women’s choices about their lives These limiting expectations translate into conservative narratives in mainstream media which prevent discussions (or even questions) that don’t strictly adhere to societal norms.” ‘Pasya’ aims to help “everyone to talk about the many experiences of abortion to let people know that it happens to so many around them and it’s not always how it’s depicted in media” legal and accessible abortion and reproductive health but also tells a broader story: one of daily antagonisms and violence against women patriarchal oppression and a male-dominated music industry stunning near-gospel like anthems and fresh melodies Listening to the album is an experience Muroami likens to “visiting a buffet of pleasure and joy with a friend and confidante” ‘Pasya’ is now streaming on the initiative’s official website and WGNRR’s YouTube channel. Tonight at 6pm (Philippines time), the artists behind ‘Pasya’ will take part in an online Q&A International Day Of Action For Women’s Health NME caught up with some of the artists and organisers behind ‘Pasya’ to talk about the experience of making the album Muroami: “We started making the album by having everyone participate in a workshop series we called the ‘Pasya Sessions’ wherein stakeholders would be able to present themselves in a safe environment The idea was to have those who have experienced abortion in the Philippines couple with artists would be ‘classmates’ in the workshop.” Kristine Chan: “We wanted to change the usual narrative of the subject being scary and gory or stigmatised We wanted the whole process to be a safe space for the storytellers to share their voices and for artists to share their opinions and risks of unsafe abortion aren’t getting as much attention It was great to finally put a face to the experience and not let it become so alien to our understanding my mother was part of PINSAN when she was still alive it feels like I’m getting to know the people she was fighting for Writing for this album was a great way to process my grief following my mom’s passing last year I also inherited much of her worldview so being able to contribute to one of her advocacies in my own territory was an incredible opportunity to feel like I was building something with her.” BP Valenzuela: “I didn’t know how immersive it would be When I learned we would be talking with the storytellers throughout the songwriting it made me feel that my world was so small While I always think about women’s bodies and the violence we are subjected to hearing the stories made me think about it even more “A lot of media is about the sadness of abortion But my favourite part was highlighting the freedom and agency over our bodies.” Tao: “It was a slap in the face to see that my songwriting (released with Sleep Kitchen) was very inward it’s a sobering reminder to look outward more “Another slap to the face is to see once again through the lens of public health how anti-woman and anti-poor the state is in the Philippines.” How important is ‘Pasya’ given the current state of the Philippines and our leadership if there was ever a year for this concept album to start This album feels like channelling our growing collective rage into social solidarity.” BP: “It’s nice to have a hand to hold through music. Domestic violence is also rising because of stay-at-home orders During the project I’d look forward to Sundays because of our meetings.” Muroami: “The most important thing about this album is the joy and pleasure because Lord knows we haven’t had that in a while These days are filled with ugliness and lies and in being human if only we weren’t harassed or contained.” The album parallels the emergence of these attacks and at the same time is also the reason why it’s so important.” How did it feel to work mostly with women on this project BP: “Hopefully more women can feel like music can be a way to express their voice you mostly work with men and shows also have a very masculine environment The creative space that we were in was the highlight of my life during the pandemic jam sessions are usually a sausage fest and I’m fucking sick of that This allowed me to revisit something I’ve always wanted I’m more set about what I want to do next which is to work with women and create material that is for and about women.” I admittedly still feel a little scared to be questioned then dismissed as many would towards feminists who display their anger Right now I’m taking advantage of my safety at home What if I sound brave on the track then someone might try to harass me at a live gig I’m still struggling because what if the world opens up and I have to face these dangers “This album is empowering because we aren’t just women working together It’s more like we are all feminists working together.” I dealt with anxiety about being an instrumentalist I was worried it might sound bad or I might turn the wrong knob on an amp If I had seen more women composers growing up it would have helped me ditch the bullshit earlier “This project feels like we’re joined together as powerful female musicians [laughs] Some people hate the term ‘female musician’ But I think we have to claim the space first because it hasn’t been available because of the misogyny Aly: “This quenched my feminist thirst to create every time I work with women on a project like this This is an educational material made with all kinds of women in mind.” Find out more about ‘Pasya’ and the online Q&A with the artists here The world’s defining voice in music and pop culture: breaking what’s new and what’s next since 1952 Home / News / Carleton SPPA Graduate Students Ace National Competition a Carleton team from the School of Public Policy and Administration (SPPA) won the Institute of Public Administration of Canada (IPAC) and Canadian Association of Programs in Public Administration (CAPPA) National Case Study Competition made up of four Master’s students (Ron Gallipeau and Meagan Wiersema) beat out eleven competing teams from across the country one of the team’s coaches:  “The team did an excellent job and apparently “blew the judges away” with their research and analysis The judges observed: “We can see all of them going very far in life.” The other Carleton coaches were Chris Stoney and Richard Paton The team had one week to prepare a formal presentation – as part of a simulation they had to brief the federal Cabinet on a strategy for defence procurement focusing in particular on the question of how best to replace Canada’s soon-to-be-retired CF-18 jets They then had to present their simulation to a judging panel consisting of a federal and two provincial Deputy Ministers the CEO of the Institute of Public Administration of Canada (IPAC) and a senior partner from Ernst & Young and the Institute for Research on Public Policy (IRPP) sponsored this year’s event which was held at and also sponsored by Ryerson University in Toronto For more information about the competition, please visit the IPAC website In eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) the artisanal and small-scale mining (ASM) sector plays an important role in the local economy While large-scale armed conflict over DRC’s mineral wealth has decreased significantly over the past twenty years armed actors continuously interfere in the mining sector and conflicts over resources at the local level are still common IPIS has mapped around 2,720 ASM sites in eastern DRC since 2009 collecting primary data about the interference of armed groups IPIS continues to regularly update its database of mining sites IPIS has visited 450 mining sites in eastern DRC with support of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID)’s Integrated Land and Resource Governance (ILRG) project While site visits will continue until early 2023 the data collected so far can be consulted through IPIS’ interactive webmap and IPIS’ Open Data Dashboard An analysis of the newly visited mining sites shows that a range of armed actors are present at the mines the Congolese national army (FARDC) is responsible for the most occurrences of interference twenty-seven percent of workers worked in mines where the FARDC extorts profit Although the FARDC has driven out armed rebellions from some areas it also tolerates illegal interference in mining by other armed groups The FARDC is also increasingly present at semi-industrialized mining exploitations where they act as private security guards potentially exacerbating tensions with local communities An illustrative example is the Front Patriotique pour la Paix–Armée du Peuple (FPP/AP) which is one of the strongest armed groups in South Lubero and IPIS listed around thirty mining sites in the area under their control At these mining sites the FPP/AP levies various taxes to finance itself The FPP/AP is in active conflict with armed group Nduma Défense du Congo – Rénové (NDC-R) progress has been made over the past decade ASM is no longer financing large-scale open conflict to the same extent as it did in the beginning of the century Tantalum and Tungsten) sector progress has been made 3T mines score better when it comes to armed interference This is partly due to responsible sourcing initiatives low-hanging fruit as the sector has traditionally been less prone to conflict financing than gold and because it represents no more than 23% of the ASM sector in eastern DRC It is disappointing to observe that after all these years more than half of the miners are still affected by the interference of armed actors Beyond conflict financing there are other security issues associated with ASM in eastern DRC Tensions around access to mines and minerals between various ASM stakeholders persist and can lead to involvement of armed groups the increasing presence of semi-industrial exploitations represents another source of tension for local communities several simmering inter-community tensions have been observed in mining areas and a lot of former – but non-demobilized – militia members were working in the mines These issues create a volatile situation which is difficult to monitor for state agents Home / News / The passing of Dr It is with great sadness to announce the sudden and tragic passing of Dr In addition to being one of the founders of the IPIS Program Boone was an invaluable presence in our program He provided immense support to the growth of the program instilled leadership and was a pillar for many students and the surrounding community students and alumni will always remember Dr Boone’s efforts and contributions to the safety and security community and our deepest condolences go out to his family He will be greatly missed by the many individuals whose lives he has touched As an expression of sympathy, donations in Dr. Boone’s memory to the Military Police Fund for Blind Children (http://www.mpfbc.com/donate) would be gratefully appreciated by the family Senator Robin Padilla called on the government to shift its focus from Filipinos traveling abroad and into the real troublemakers the illegal recruiters and trafficking syndicates Padilla took a stand to protect Filipinos from the unjust travel rules imposed by the anti-trafficking council saying they should not make travelers suffer The senator made the remarks in support of Cagayan de Oro Rep Rufus Rodriguez’s concerns against the unreasonable tighter departure guidelines for Filipino traveling abroad Sige Po congressman Rufus Rodriguez ng CDO Upakan mo ang mga ito Imbis na padaliin ang buhay ng mga Pinoy Papahihirapan pa,” Padilla said in a Facebook post “Bakit yun traveler ang pahihirapan niyo My goodness Illegal recruiter at sindikato ang hanapin niyo at hulihin Yun ugat ang higpitan ninyo at ikulong hindi yun bunga,” he said authorities must practice “proactive” law enforcement especially in running after no-good human traffickers and shady recruiters “Biktima Lang ang mga mag aabroad dito dahil sa hirap ng buhay na dulot natin sa gobyerno dadagdag pa kayong pa inter inter agency,” he said “Law enforcement ang gawin niyo Puro tayo reactive subukan namn natin maging pro active Oh my philippines my Philippines,” he said The Inter-Agency Council Against Trafficking recently announced the revised departure protocols for Filipinos traveling abroad starting September 3 in a bid to combat “the grave menace of human trafficking.” Apart from basic documents such as passport immigration officers have been authorized to demand additional documents from passengers to prove their legitimate trips abroad The extra documents include proof of hotel booking/accommodation has blasted the “unreasonable” stricter travel rules for Filipino travelers saying a person’s travel and privacy rights are under threat He also cautioned that such rules would give Filipino tourists overseas Filipino workers and other travelers “a lot of inconvenience” and make them “vulnerable to harassment and extortion by corrupt immigration officers and other airport personnel.” “They are proposing to burn the whole house down to kill or catch a rat,” Rodriguez said Tech over docs: Nancy Binay slams ‘restrictive’ travel rules for Filipinos, calls for tech-driven profiling upgrade ‘Most annoying irony’: Filipino travelers hit with more complicated rules than foreign tourists – Lacson “POLITIKO: Navigating the Pulse of Philippine Politics” encapsulates our commitment to providing comprehensive and dynamic coverage of the ever-evolving political landscape in the Philippines we delve deep into the heart of political matters offering insightful analysis and timely updates that resonate with the pulse of the nation With a foundation built on journalistic integrity since 2014 POLITIKO stands as the compass guiding you through the currents of Philippine politics ensuring you stay informed and engaged every step of the way There has been a critical error on this website Learn more about troubleshooting WordPress. Since 2009 the Belgian research institute International Peace Information Service (IPIS) has published maps containing data on mineral production and security issues at mining sites in eastern DR Congo The interactive web maps and accompanying reports have provided important information to a wide range of international stakeholders that are trying to address the links between armed groups’ financing modalities 1,615 of which have been visited by IPIS teams since 2013 The map provides information about the on-site presence and activities of armed groups and the Congolese army (FARDC) as well as indicators of the relative importance of the site It also shows whether mining sites have been ‘validated’ (licensed to operate) by the Congolese government or if they are covered by the iTSCi supply chain initiative IPIS and the Congolese Mining Register (Cadastre Minier CAMI) provide an update of information gathered in a project that has been running since 2013 PROMINES (World Bank) and the Belgian Ministry of Foreign Affairs The current report presents a detailed analysis of the data gathered at the 775 active mines visited by the IPIS teams in 2015 It also includes a general analysis of the 1,615 mines visited in the period 2013-2015 Gold is by far the most important mineral in eastern DR Congo’s artisanal mining sector with around 80% of the miners in the 2013-2015 dataset working in a gold mines Based on a conservative analysis of the production estimates a digger produces on average around 1.17 grams of gold per week which leads to an estimated annual production of 11.6 tons of gold on the mining sites that were visited by the field teams between 2013 and 2015 In the 2013-2015 dataset the 3T sector employs around 16% of the artisanal miners in eastern DRC Of the estimated 42,800 3T miners in the dataset approximately 22,400 were working on mining sites covered by the iTSCi traceability program The field teams observed an armed presence at 56% of the mines between 2013 and 2015 FARDC elements were permanently or regularly present no interference with mining activities was observed At least one non-state armed group was present at 25 % of the mining sites When disaggregating the data between 3T minerals and gold it immediately becomes apparent that there is far less armed interference in the 3T sector About 21 % of artisanal 3T miners in our 2013-2015 survey work under the influence of armed actors Several differences appear between each of the eastern provinces In the territories that have been visited in the former Orientale province gold was nearly the only mineral that artisanal miners exploited more than 90 % of the miners in the 2015 dataset are working in mines where armed men were observed The main armed actors interfering in former Orientale’s gold sector are FARDC elements There have also been some cases of interference by Mai-Mai Simba and FRPI rebels 3T minerals are also an important source of income for many artisanal miners: 32% of them work in 3T mines The province’s mining sector is traditionally affected by the interference of armed men even though two major mining sites have been demilitarised over the last years fighters of the armed groups FDLR and NDC are notorious for the income they generate from North Kivu’s mining sector illegal taxation at a string of gold mines in Lubero territory renders the FDLR more than 6,000 USD per week Gold is also by far the number one mineral in South Kivu employing 87 % of the province’s workforce in the 2015 dataset there is a clearer difference between various minerals with regards to levels of armed interference 77 % of the visited gold mines endure some form of armed presence While FARDC elements are by far the main armed actors interfering in the province’s artisanal mining sector the Raïa Mutomboki are also present at some mines in Shabunda Maniema’s mining sites are largely free from militarisation Despite the relatively low interference of armed men in the province’s mining sector a lot of barriers to curtail illegal trade persist some responsible trading initiatives are currently being developed in Maniema the iTSCi traceability system and the support to the cooperative COMICA at the Matete gold mine near Banro Corporation’s concession These efforts however still have to cope with several incidents and complaints of local actors At mining sites that have been visited in the old Katanga province (Tanganyika there were hardly any reports of armed actors’ interference the Ambassador of Tajikistan to the Islamic republic of Iran met in Tehran with Muhammad Hassan Shaykh al-Islami the President of the Institute for Political and International Studies (IPIS) of Iran’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs The Tajik MFA information department says the two discussed issues related to expanding cooperation between think tanks of the two countries and organizing joint events dedicated to the 30th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Tajikistan and Iran The parties reportedly also exchanged views on a number of regional and international issues being of mutual interest.   The Institute for Political and International Studies (IPIS) is a foreign policy think tank based in Tehran Iran and affiliated to Iran's Ministry of Foreign Affairs.  It was founded in 1983 as one of the first think tanks in Iran after the 1979 Iranian Revolution with the task of leading and encouraging the study and research on issues relevant to the foreign policy of the Islamic Republic of Iran The Institute has defined its missions within three convergent programs: think-tank and research activities; archive; and education.  As related to think tank and research activities the IPIS conducts projects on the issues relating to Iran’s foreign policy carries out applied research on the foreign policy and international relations and works in close cooperation with think-tanks and research centers roundtables and conferences.  One of the main objectives pursued by the IPIS is the promotion of literature in the field of IR studies regional studies and foreign policy.  Accordingly the Institute for Political and International Studies tries to promote understanding about Iran’s foreign policy by establishing regular contacts with Iranian as well as foreign intellectuals and researchers The IPIS also seeks to assist the national memory of foreign policy in Iran thanks to the unique archive it hosts and by doing research into this area of study.  As the host of a collection of around 50 million first-hand documents about the history of Iran’s foreign relations the IPIS is dedicated to preserving such national treasure and provides an invaluable source for research on the history of Iran’s foreign relations The Institute for Political and International Studies makes the results of its researches and studies available to the public through its publications ADB support for food security to reach US$40 billion by 2030 President orders more potatoes to be planted in Rasht and Tojikobod districts What consequences do Tajik citizens face for traveling to and working in occupied regions of Ukraine Head of Taliban’s diplomatic mission in Doha insists UN seat be given to IEA’s representative A powerful dust storm expected to hit Tajikistan in the coming days Russia’s prosecutor general asked to investigate into legality of housing subsidies for “new citizens of Russia” Dushanbe to host the first-ever international health and beauty exhibition A miniature exhibition dedicated to epic poem written by Firdavsi opens in Dushanbe US President Trump plans a military parade on his birthday Philippines – Liza Soberano is inspiring many people to put down the tsinelas and face the next ipis they see in a calm and collected manner The actress recently went viral for appearing in a “What’s in the Box?” video posted by TechnoMarine on October 31 and attempted to guess the items inside without being able to see them She managed to guess the first thing (a kiwi) after a few tries She then attempted to make a guess on the second thing Liza’s calmness and poise remained unfazed – even when she thought that she was touching an ipis (cockroach) And while the prospect of a cockroach would send most people screaming and reaching for the nearest weapon to kill it with Liza kept her hands in the box and even looked for the insect when it crawled away Fans are now using Liza as a benchmark for their own ipis encounters with many people saying they no longer have the right to freak out the next time they see a cockroach “I am now a fearless man because of Liza,” Twitter user @FranzYee777 said Watching the viral video of @lizasoberano with the ipis reaction made me adore her so much I still hate ipis with everything in me but now I'll have to be nonchalant about it Some people did point out that Liza has yet to go face to face with the most loathed of all ipises: the flying ipis – though it wouldn't be a surprise if she stayed poised and pretty through that too Coconuts Here’s a roach-related something you may actually want The all-girl band Flying Ipis has collaborated with lifestyle brand Team Manila for its band shirts They are launching the merch tonight at Saguijo all featuring that soon-to-be-iconic (hopefully!) lightning logo they’ve started a hashtag giveaway campaign Bukas na! Isama niyo ang mga boyet at girly niyo ha! Masaya to! Kitakits! #TeamManilaxMachoManila A photo posted by team manila (@teammanila) on Nov 11 Get the best of Coconuts delivered to your inbox Copyright © 2025 Coconuts Media Limited Terms Of Service Privacy Policy This post was meant to be about the all-female rock group Flying Ipis because they performed at a hip event recently maybe this story isn’t for you, because as we were doing research for our story we came across more interesting pieces of information about the insect instead Almost all of it was in the vernacular From the Tagalog Answers.com we learned that aside from “ipis” the other local name for cockroach is the poetic-sounding “bangkukang.” Ipis can mean several things to many countries In other parts of the world, we discovered that it’s spelled IPIS. There’s the International Peace Information Service n Africa the research center called Institute for Political and International Studies n Iran the Intelligent Product Information Search IPIS means Instrument Pilot Instructor School Things got really interesting when we learned that about three months ago, one million cockroaches escaped from a cockroach farm in the Chinese province of Jiangsu We’re assured that the Chinese government sent “experts” to control the situation only this time starring disgusting insects We turned to Barbs Galicia for tips on how to handle the eventual invasion.  Her article “10 Ways to Kill a Flying Ipis” is a couple of years old “You’ll know the cockroach is dead when yucky liquid oozes out of its butt area.”  Girls rock and rule at Posporo(s) this September Posporo(s) brings all-girl bands Agoraphobia from Spain and Flying Ipis of the Philippines together in another unifying showcase of the Philippine and Spanish music on September 23 at the Mandala Park in Mandaluyong Catch Posporo(s) next at Mandala Park on September 23!/IMAGE Posporos Facebook page The event is one of the series of concerts started in 2016 by the Embassy of Spain and the Instituto Cervantes de Manila with the support of the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA) to promote the historical and cultural relationship between the Philippines and Spain through music The event also serves as a platform for independent musicians of the two countries to be known—Spanish music to the Philippines and Filipino music to the Spanish audience in the metro Agoraphobia is a garage rock band whose name was inspired by an Incubus song of the same title Flying Ipis meanwhile is a garage punk rock band composed of four girls based in Manila which literally translates to “flying cockroach” in Filipino was in fact inspired by a cockroach that took wing during a rehearsal The video footage of a crazy man performing “Mukbang Ipis” and eating live cockroaches goes viral and elicits comments online Mukbang or meokbang has been one of the most popular videos on social media It is an online audiovisual broadcast showing host eating a huge amount of food while interacting with the audience A lot of netizens are now uploading their “mukbang” challenge while eating plenty of delicious foods in front of the camera there are some social media users who were eating exotic foods The Facebook page “trend.ly” has shared the video footage of a crazy man eating live cockroaches live calling it “Ipis Mukbang” The video garnered various reactions from the online community Read Also: Mukbang Video: Mukbanger Enjoys Eating English Alphabet Ices it can be seen that the unidentified man fearlessly eats a live cockroach without any hesitation the man poured several live cockroaches on his mouth and swallowed them alive He also drinks a glass of water after eating the disgusting insects and even said “Basic lang hindi ako naiyak” Just feel free to leave your comments and reactions to this article Read Also: Viral Youtube Vlogger Allegedly Abducted & Forced To Eat IPIS CAKE – A lady netizen goes viral and elicits various reactions from the netizens after making a cockroach-themed cake Cake is one of the most demanded foods during special occasions such as birthday Most people love cake because of its delicious flavor A lot of people are doing their best to create or purchase cake for their loved ones Several individuals are even making weird and unique cakes a Facebook user named Christine Gil Gestosani has shared the photos of Ipis cake she made and all the decorations including cockroaches are edible The post garnered various reactions from the netizens it can be seen that the delicious cake has been decorated with cockroaches and tiny eggs The cockroaches and the eggs seem to be realistic which could cause discomfort to those who have fear on insects “Ditched cake competition for this hahahahah Hahahha loving somone is to scare them with their iwn bday cake hahahahhaha The social media users expressed their reactions to the post: Read Also: Kim Chiu Strawberry-Covered Birthday Cake, Whopping Price Revealed A reliable online news portal in the Philippines 7 news and media site in the Philippines based on November 2023 data from Similarweb Finalist for News and Events category at the Philippine Blogging Awards #Bloggys2015.Amassed an all-time high of 40M combined pageviews for November-December 2023