Middle East

By Mahsa Alimardani | ( GlobalVoices.org ) | – – A spate of defiant Iranian women have taken to the streets of Tehran to protest against compulsory veiling. Photos of their demonstrations have been widely circulated online under the hashtag #دختران_خیابان_انقلاب (translated to #Girls_of_Enghelab_Street). As of the afternoon of January 29, at least two women […]

Syria

Turkey/Syria: Border Guards Shoot, Block Fleeing Syrians

contributors

Exposes Asylum Seekers to Further Risk, Abuse

Featured

Russia Mounts intensive Syria Air Campaign in Response to Downed Jet

Juan Cole

By Juan Cole | (Informed Comment) | – – The Russian side of the story, presented in the Syrian press, is that an al-Qaeda-linked group in Idlib, a northwestern province of Syria, used a shoulder-mounted missile launcher to shoot down a Russian fighter jet. The pilot ejected and landed, but then was attacked by ground […]

Israel/ Palestine

Young US Jews Write 700 Letters of Solidarity to Ahed Tamimi

contributors

TeleSur | – – Two left-wing groups in the U.S. organized the letters campaign and protests marking the the 17th birthday of the imprised Palestinian teen. More than 700 Jewish young people from the U.S. wrote letters of solidarity to Ahed Tamimi, the iconic Palestinian 17-year-old who was arrested by Israeli authorities last month and […]

Saudi Arabia

Clashes between Saudi forces, armed gangs in Yemen

contributors

Middle East Monitor | – – Violent clashes broke out Thursday in Al-Mahrah governorate between Saudi Arabia’s forces and unidentified armed smugglers, Aden Tomorrow reported. Sixteen armed smugglers entered the governorate in four vehicles when an encounter with Saudi forces led to exchange of gun fire. There was no clear indication on casualties, but one […]

Israel/ Palestine

206 Global Companies profit from Israeli Squatting in Palestinian West Bank

Juan Cole

Ma’an News Agency | – – BETHLEHEM (Ma’an) — The United Nations (UN) High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) released a report on Wednesday identifying 206 companies from around the world that are doing business linked to Israeli settlements, which are built in the occupied West Bank in violation of international law. The long-delayed report […]

Corruption

Saudi Prince reaps $106 bn from “Anti-Corruption” Scheme

contributors

Middle East Monitor | – – Saudi media sources yesterday confirmed the release of all detainees held on corruption charges at the Ritz-Carlton Hotel in the capital Riyadh. The news comes following the release last weekend of Saudi billionaire Prince Alwaleed Bin Talal three months after his detention. Though full details of his release and […]

Authoritarianism

Egypt: Sisi Warns Opposition After Call for Elections Boycott

Juan Cole

TeleSur | – – Opposition parties and leaders are calling for a boycott of Egypt’s presidential elections after other candidates were arrested or intimidated. Egypt’s president Abdel Fattah al-Sisi warned its political opponents after a boycott on next presidential elections was announced. “Be warned. What happened seven or eight years ago, will not happen again […]

Democracy

Egyptian opposition call for boycotting presidential elections

Juan Cole

Middle East Monitor | – – Egyptian former presidential candidate Hamdeen Sabahi called today for boycotting the country’s upcoming presidential elections due in March. Speaking at a press conference held at the opposition Dignity Party headquarters in the capital Cairo, Sabahi called for the formation of a “unified coalition” to boycott the elections. “These are […]