Arab World

Mustafa Habib | Baghdad | (Niqash.org) | – – “Iraq’s Sunni Muslims desperately need their politicians to present a united front and act in their interests. But the politicians cannot agree on a vision for the post-Islamic State future.” Last Sunday, Iraqi parliamentarians voted to ban their colleagues from participating in conferences held outside the […]

Iran

Syria: Rebels denounce De-escalation Zones ok’d by Russia, Iran, Turkey

contributors

TeleSur | – – Signatories to the agreement say that there should be a cessation of hostilities in safe zones designated by the three powers by Friday. Russia, Turkey and Iran on Thursday signed a memorandum on creating safe zones in Syria, while a delegation of the armed Syrian opposition walked out and shouted angrily […]

Iraq

Power, Water, Music: Mosul comes back to Life

contributors

Special Correspondent | Baghdad | (Niqash.org) | – – Locals in the parts of Mosul, from which extremists have been pushed out, are celebrating small signs of returning life: For one thing, the chance to pour a glass of water in a well-lit room. Some hope is returning to the locals in Mosul, after several […]

Donald Trump

Trump sends US Troops to Patrol Turkish-Syrian Border as Ankara Threatens US Allies

Juan Cole

By Juan Cole | (Informed Comment) | – – Only one fighting force in Syria is practically speaking taking on Daesh (ISIS, ISIL) on the ground, and that is the Syrian Democratic Forces, the bulk of whose fighters are leftist Kurds of the “People’s Protection Units” (YPG). They are joined by some rural Arab clans […]

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 […]

Desertification

20 Million People Could ‘Starve to Death’ in Next Six Months

contributors

By Baher Kamal | (Inter Press Service) | – – ROME (IPS) – Urgent action is needed to save the lives of people facing famine in North Eastern Nigeria, Somalia, South Sudan and Yemen, the UN leading food and agriculture agency’s chief on April 28 warned. “If nothing is done, some 20 million people could […]

Featured

On Day of Climate March, Remember advance of Solar globally

Juan Cole

By Juan Cole | (Informed Comment) | – – The US public may have to march today for our government to recognize the dangers of climate change. But in the rest of the world many governments are placing a large wager on clean solar energy. The largest concentrated solar plant in the world is not […]

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 […]