Human Rights

By Xavier Symons | (The Conversation) | – – Few events in Syria have attracted as much attention as the alleged chemical weapon attack on the town of Khan Shaykhun. The callous use of biological agents to target civilians is a “crime against humanity” and a serious violation of international law, according to human rights […]

Arab World

Press Freedom in Middle East Cratering in Age of Brutal Dictatorships

contributors

By Brian Whitaker | ( Al-Bab.com ) | – – Among the 22 countries belonging to the Arab League, 17 are ranked as “bad” or “very bad” in the annual World Press Freedom Index published today by Reporters Without Borders. The eight classified as “bad” are Algeria, Jordan, Iraq, Morocco, Oman, Palestine, Qatar and the […]

History

GOP Politician: ‘ISIS Has Won’ After Confederate Monument Removed

contributors

Cenk Uygur | (The Young Turks) | Video News Clip | – – “Hey Confederates: your side lost. Yankees kicked your traitor slaver asses. Deal with it. Cenk Uygur, host of The Young Turks, breaks it down. “Corey Stewart, the former chairman of President Donald Trump’s Virginia campaign and a current candidate for Virginia governor, […]

Algeria

Dear Marine Le Pen: Only a Fascist would Praise Colonialism . . . Oh Wait

contributors

Jessica Northey | ( OpenDemocracy.net) | – – Marine Le Pen’s declaration that colonialism was a positive thing is not only a denial of France’s painful history, but an example of the fascism that we now face in Europe. When we see or hear evil we have a moral imperative to call it out. Otherwise […]

Donald Trump

After the Chemical Attack, It’s Time to Get Rid of the ‘Muslim Ban’

contributors

By Peter Certo | (Otherwords.org) | – – Now that he cares about the fate of Syrian children, I hope Trump will open up our country — not bomb theirs. When I saw footage of the alleged sarin gas attack in Syria, I felt ill. The whole episode, which killed up to 100 civilians in […]

Displaced and Refugees

Risk of Mass Starvation Rising Rapidly in Africa, Yemen

contributors

TeleSur | – – “This really is an absolutely critical situation that is rapidly unfolding across a large swathe of Africa from west to east.” The risk of mass starvation in four countries — northeast Nigeria, Somalia, South Sudan and Yemen — is rising rapidly due to drought and conflict, the U.N. refugee agency said […]

Displaced and Refugees

Trump: Syrian Refugees can have Tomahawks but not Asylum in US

contributors

By Lyndal Rowlands | (Inter Press Service) | – – UNITED NATIONS (IPS) – U.S. President Donald Trump Thursday night described the deepening Syrian refugee crisis as partial justification for the first direct U.S. airstrike against the Syrian government, even though the United States still bans all refugees from Syria. Several rights groups responded Friday, […]