Europe

By Elisabeth Braw | (RFE/ RL) | – – A group of Iranian emigres and friends has announced an ambitious project to mount a crowdfunded airlift from troubled areas around the Mediterranean to Sweden, allowing would-be refugees to bypass hazardous land-and-sea journeys via what they’re calling Refugee Air. One of the organizers says he was […]

al-Qaeda

Russia Ramping up Military Involvement in Syria?

Juan Cole

By Juan Cole | (Informed Comment) | – – Reuters reports, based on sources in Beirut, that Russia is increasing its involvement in Syria, backing the military of beleaguered dictator Bashar al-Assad. Russia appears to be offloading tanks at its Tartous naval base on the Syrian coast, and may also be establishing an interior air […]

Displaced and Refugees

Why some European countries do more than others to help refugees

contributors

By Tim Hatton | (The Conversation) | – – Not since World War II has Europe faced a refugee crisis comparable with the situation unfolding at its borders at the moment. The European response has been, to put it mildly, ambivalent. On one hand there has been a mass outpouring of sympathy in the media […]

Human Rights

Netanyahu Arrest Petition Hits 100,000

contributors

By IMEMC News | – – A petition to the UK government and parliament requesting that the government arrest Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu “for war crimes when he arrives in London,” reached its target Saturday afternoon, with 100,341 signatures. The petition calls for the arrest of Netanyahu on the grounds of alleged war-crimescommittedby Israel […]

Authoritarianism

Those forced to Europe are mostly Regime Change Refugees

contributors

By Thalif Deen | ( Inter Press Service) | – – UNITED NATIONS (IPS) – The military conflicts and political instability driving hundreds of thousands of refugees into Europe were triggered largely by U.S. and Western military interventions for regime change – specifically in Iraq, Afghanistan, Libya and Syria (a regime change in-the-making). The United […]

Counter-Terrorism

Enter the Bear: Does Russia plan air strikes on Daesh/ISIL in Syria?

Juan Cole

By Juan Cole| (Informed Comment) | – – The Israeli press is reporting that Iran has made a firmer military alliance with the Russian Federation in Syria, and that Moscow is sending pilots to Damascus to fly missions in that country against Daesh (ISIS, ISIL) and other Muslim extremist groups. The Syrian regime of Bashar […]

Eastern Europe

Egypt’s al-Sisi and Putin Pledge Common Front against Terrorism

Juan Cole

By Juan Cole | (Informed Comment) | – – Egypt’s president Abdel Fattah al-Sisi met Wednesday for the third time in a year with Russian leader Vladimir Putin in Moscow. Putin is attempting to draw Egypt into a common front against terrorism. He wants to fight Daesh [ISIS, ISIL]) in Syria, which is only a […]

Displaced and Refugees

Germany decides to Accept Syrian Refugees, Waives EU Rule

contributors

Der Tagesspiegel by Andrea Dernbach translated by Samuel Morgan [NB Germany is expecting 800,000 asylum seekers this year, 40% of the EU total.] Germany has ceased applying the rules of the Dublin system to Syrian refugees. All deportations to other EU countries have been halted, Tagesspiegel reports. The Dublin system’s critics have said for years […]

Displaced and Refugees

Slovakia Will Only Accept Christian Migrants

contributors

Jo Ankier and Jose Marcelino Orti | (TheLipTV Video News) | – – “Slovakia announced Thursday that it will only accept Christians when it takes in refugees fleeing conflict in Syria under an EU resettlement plan as Europe deals with an influx of migrants. Muslims would not be accepted because they would not feel at […]