Homa Hoodfar | (The Conversation) | – – In the lead-up to March 8, I am sometimes asked whether we really still need an International Women’s Day (IWD). Though my greatest hope is to see a day when gender inequity and gender injustice are social artefacts of the past, that day feels nowhere near. I […]
Victimizing Children: The Stunning New Cruelty of Trump’s Immigration Enforcement
By Jill Richardson | (Otherwords.org) | – – Whatever your views on immigration, we should all agree not to torment small children. We’ve reached a cruel new phase in the U.S. government’s war on immigrants without papers. And it should disturb you no matter what your views on immigration. When undocumented immigrant families are detained, […]
Western Man jailed for “insulting” UAE online
Middle East Monitor | – – A 39-year-old teacher* has been jailed and forced “to sign a fake confession” in the UAE following “an electronic insult” on social media. The teacher was arrested in October 2017 while working as a teacher in Abu Dhabi. His mother says he is being held in filthy conditions and […]
Lebanon: 5 Steps to Improve Women’s Rights
Human Rights Watch | – – Parliament Candidates Should Commit to Reforms (Beirut) – Candidates running in Lebanon’s May 6, 2018 parliamentary elections should commit to five key steps to improve women’s rights, Human Rights Watch said today, on International Women’s Day. Political parties should also ensure greater participation of women in parliament by including […]
Youth, Gun Safety and the Pentagon
H. Patricia Hynes | (Informed Comment) | – – To my astonishment, I began receiving daily news updates from the Pentagon, innocuously named the Early Bird Brief, about a month ago. One particularly perverse news brief warrants mention: the number of out-of shape and unfit youth is an imminent national security crisis, (not because they […]
Muslim Women at forefront of Science: 70% of Iranian Women Graduates come out with Science Degrees
Middle Eastern Women Leading World’s Science, Tech Fields | TeleSur | – – Over half of STEM jobs in several middle eastern countries are held by female professionals. “In wealthy nations, they believe that they have the freedom to pursue those alternatives and not worry so much that they pay less,” said one professional. Iranian […]
American Crusade: The War on Terror and the Ruins of the Middle East
by James Carroll | ( Tomdispatch.com) | – – America may be sinking ever deeper into the moral morass of the Trump era, but if you think the malevolence of this period began with him, think again. The moment I still dwell on, the moment I believe ignited the vast public disorder that is now […]
Battle of the billboards as Controversial Saudi crown prince arrives in London
By Brian Whitaker | ( Al-Bab.com) | – – The roadside signs show a bearded man in Arab head-dress with the words “He is bringing change to Saudi Arabia”. Passing drivers, unless they are followers of Middle Eastern politics, may wonder who “he” is, but that doesn’t really matter. The adverts seem to have been […]
George W. Bush tried steel tariffs. It didn’t work
By William Hauk | (The Conversation) | – – President Donald Trump finally followed through on his almost year-old threat to restrict imports of foreign steel. On March 8, the president slapped a 25 percent tariff on the metal, while also putting a 10 percent duty on foreign aluminum. After initially suggesting there’d be no […]