Middle East

TeleSur The loss of the historic city amounts to one of the biggest setbacks for the extremist group since it declared a caliphate in 2014. Syrian government forces backed by Russian airstrikes battled Islamic State group insurgents around Palmyra on Monday, trying to extend their gains after taking back control of a city whose ancient […]

Featured

Fall of Palmyra: Syrian regime races to take ISIL’s ‘Berlin’ and forestall ‘Partition’

Juan Cole

By Juan Cole | (Informed Comment) | – – That massive Russian air strikes and a determined infantry and armor assault by the Syrian Arab Army (SAA) on the ancient city of Palmyra could dislodge from it a few hundred or at most a couple thousand Daesh (ISIS, ISIL) fighters is not all that surprising. […]

Israel/ Palestine

Israeli Squatters issue death threats against Videographer who filmed execution of Palestinian

contributors

By Celine Hagbard | IMEMC | — A Palestinian videographer and human rights worker whose video of the murder of a 21-year old Palestinian by an Israeli soldier has received widespread attention has received a number of death threats, as well as gatherings outside his home of Israeli settlers threatening to harm him, and has […]

Belgium

What would effective Counter-Terrorism look like after Brussels?

Juan Cole

By Juan Cole | (Informed Comment) | – – The various nostrums proposed to counter Daesh (ISIL, ISIS) terrorism in Europe and North America by Donald Trump and Ted Cruz (armed patrols by police of putative “Muslim neighborhoods”, a Muslim exclusion act, etc.) are of course complete non-starters. So too are killing the children of […]

Displaced and Refugees

Will Western powers Respond to HRW’s demand for arms embargo on Saudi Arabia?

contributors

By Thalif Deen | (Inter Press Service) | – – UNITED NATIONS (IPS) – As hundreds of civilians continue to be killed in the ongoing conflict in Yemen, one of the leading human rights organization is calling for an arms embargo – specifically against Saudi Arabia which is leading a coalition of eight countries battling […]

Israel/ Palestine

UN: Israel Soldier’s execution of wounded Palestinian on ground gruesome, unjust

contributors

Ma’an News Agency | – – BETHLEHEM (Ma’an) — A UN official on Friday condemned in the strongest terms the brutal “extrajudicial execution” of a wounded Palestinian by an Israeli soldier that was captured on camera in Hebron the day before. Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process Nickolay Mladenov said he strongly condemned […]

Iraq

Mosul: Are Civilian Deaths in Coalition Airstrikes Reinforcing ISIL’s Hold?

contributors

Special Correspondent | Niqash.org | – – An increase in air strikes on Mosul is causing more civilian casualties. Ordinary people live in fear, the Islamic State uses deaths for propaganda and Iraqi authorities say nothing. A still from video released by the extremist IS group, showing the aftermath of coalition air strikes. A still […]

Israel/ Palestine

UN to Vote on Database of All Businesses dealing with illegal Israeli Squatter Settlements

contributors

TeleSur | – – The U.N. resolution, which angered EU countries, says certain companies and enterprises are helping the expansion of illegal Israeli settlements. The United Nations Human Rights Council will vote Thursday on adopting a resolution that would establish a database for businesses and enterprises with financial dealings and involvement in illegal Israeli settlements […]

Syria

In wake of Brussels attacks, Europe demands negotiated Settlement of Syrian Civil War, Now

contributors

By EurActiv with AFP The EU’s foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini met with Syria’s regime and opposition… (23 March) to underscore the urgency of a political solution in the country, especially in the wake of the Brussels attacks. Staffan de Mistura and Federica Mogherini in Geneva on 23 March[European Commission] Mogherini came to Geneva, where […]