European Union

By Charles Recknagel | ( RFE/ RL) Many of the punishing UN, U.S., and EU financial and energy sanctions imposed on Iran in recent years to pressure Tehran to curb its nuclear activities are to be suspended or lifted in the wake of the deal struck in Vienna on July 14. But many other sanctions, […]

Egypt

Egypt: ISIL claims Massive Blast at Italian Consulate that Kills 1, wounds 4

contributors

Times of India | (Video Report) | – – “At least one person was killed and four others injured today in a powerful explosion outside the Italian consulate in the Egyptian capital.” (Update: “ISIS Claims Deadly Car Bomb Blast At Italian Consulate In Cairo” The Times of India: “1 Killed, 4 Injured in Blast at […]

Balkans

Desperate Afro-Asian Migrants flee war, famine through risky Balkans on The Road To EU

contributors

By Iva Martinovic | (RFE/ RL) | – – These days, the park flanking Belgrade’s bus terminal and the nearby railway station teems with migrants. They are from Syria, Afghanistan, Iraq, or Somalia, and they are on the last leg of a grueling journey they hope will take them to the European Union. Inside the […]

Banking

Is Greece’s “No” on Debt Referendum another Youth Revolution?

Juan Cole

By Juan Cole | (Informed Comment) | – – During the past 5 years, the old categories of politics– left, right, center or capitalist and socialist– have been challenged by a new one, that of youth. What the Millennials want has begun to matter in addition to the other factors. That Greece has a left-wing […]

Europe

Juan Cole & Jocylene Cesari: “Europe’s Muslims after Charlie Hebdo: Challenges and Misconceptions”

Juan Cole

David Speedie, Juan Cole & Jocylene Cesari | Carnegie Council for Ethics in International Affairs (Video) | – – “Months after the “Charlie Hebdo” attacks, questions remain about Europe’s Islamic communities. How strong is the lure of groups like al-Qaeda and ISIS for Islamic youth in France or the UK? Why do so many Muslims, […]

Christianity

Conservative, Catholic Ireland 1st Country to vote in Gay Marriage

contributors

Channel 4 News | (Video) – “Support for gay marriage in Ireland reaches 65 per cent with just the final votes to be counted – a resounding yes which forces the hugely influential Catholic church into turmoil after it opposed the change.” Channel 4 News: “Ireland votes to legalise gay marriage”

Christianity

2015 Darwin Award: Paris would-be Church bomber Shoots own Leg, Calls 911

contributors

France24 | — “This church in the Parisian suburb of Villejuif may have escaped being attacked last week-end. “Documentation was found that said without ambiguity that a person known to authorities would carry out an attack on 1 or 2 churches,” says French interior minister Bernard Cazeneuve.” France24 English: “France Terror threat – All we […]

European Union

700 Dead: Is Europe’s Neglect of Mediterranean Migrants a form of Genocide?

contributors

By Heaven Crawley The latest refugee deaths in the Mediterranean – up to 700 people drowned when the overcrowded fishing vessel in which they were travelling from North Africa capsized of the coast of Libya – follows a similar tragedy last week in which 400 people perished. In October 2013, more than 360 people – […]

Featured

Yemen: Russia, Red Cross Demand halt to Bombing to Avert Humanitarian Catastrophe

Juan Cole

By Juan Cole | (Informed Comment) – The Red Cross and the Russian Federation are both demanding a temporary cease-fire in the aerial bombardment of Yemen by a Saudi-led coalition, to allow delivery of needed humanitarian goods. Two weeks of bombing have left some 500 Yemenis dead and 1700 more wounded. Dozens of the killed […]