Middle East

VICE News | — “Days before the US launched airstrikes on Tikrit in late March, VICE News traveled to the front lines of the northern Iraqi city, where Iraqi government forces and volunteer militiamen are continuing to battle the so-called Islamic State militant group. The presence of the volunteer militiamen Hashd al Shaabi, also known […]

Bashar al-Assad

Situation in Besieged Yarmouk Camp ‘One of the Most Severe Ever’

contributors

By Josh Butler | UNITED NATIONS (IPS) – The head of the United Nations agency for Palestinian refugees has described the situation inside the Syrian refugee camp of Yarmouk, under attack by Islamic State (IS) militants, as “one of the most severe ever” for the already spartan camp. Fighters allegedly from the IS, and al-Qaeda […]

Apartheid

Palestinian Lives in Gaza at Risk if Israeli Blockade Continues: Ministry of Health

contributors

GAZA CITY (Ma’an) — As millions around the world mark April 7th as World Health Day, the health situation in Gaza continues to worsen as the joint Israeli-Egyptian siege of Gaza continues in its eight year. Gaza Strip Ministry of Health spokesman Ashraf al-Qidra told Ma’an that there are hundreds of patients in the besieged […]

Houthi

4 Key Players In Yemen’s Chaos

contributors

AJ+ | – “Yemen’s being torn apart in a struggle for power. The stakes are high, with many different groups involved in the current chaos. We’ve narrowed down the key players you should know about.” AJ+: “4 Key Players In Yemen’s Chaos”

Featured

Netanyahu slips, Reveals reason for Opposition to Iran Deal

Juan Cole

By Juan Cole | (Informed Comment) – US television news isn’t very good and it has clearly gotten worse over the past 20 years. In the aftermath of the Kerry-Zarif initial framework deal on nuclear energy in Iran, it seems obvious that an interview with Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif would be newsworthy. But […]

Saudi Arabia

‘It’s like a war here’: Saudi police raid defiant Eastern Province amid wider conflict with Shia

contributors

RT | – One Saudi policeman was killed and four injured during raids on a Shia-dominated oil-rich eastern province, as the Saudi-led coalition bombardment of rebels in neighboring Yemen prompted fears of the fighting spilling over the border. It is thought the security raid in the eastern town of Amawiyah was aimed at subduing Shiite […]

Apartheid

Palestine Authority seeks to speed up ICC probe into Israeli war crimes

contributors

RAMALLAH (Ma’an) — The Palestinian Authority is providing new documents to the International Criminal Court to speed up a preliminary probe into possible Israeli war crimes, the Minister of Foreign Affairs Riyad al-Malki said Monday. The probe, which was opened on Jan. 16 by ICC prosecutor Fatou Bensouda, is not a full investigation but an […]

Israel

Israeli Squatters’ Environmental Terrorism Cripples Palestinian Farmers

contributors

By Mel Frykberg AL SHUYUKH, Southern West Bank (IPS) – “Exactly which olive trees do you want to see? The Israeli settlers have cut down thousands. Can you be more specific?” asked the taxi driver, telling IPS that he wished to remain anonymous. About a week ago, Israeli settlers from the illegal settlement of Mezad, […]

Desertification

The War in Yemen is Political, Ecological: Forget Sunnis and Shiites

contributors

By Solaiman M. Fazel | (Informed Comment) As the Saudi led coalition closes its second week of bombardment in Yemen, the dominant narrative in the mainstream media depicts this conflict as another episode of the Shi’a-Sunni sectarianism that has now spread into the southwestern region of the Arabian Peninsula. Representing the warfare in terms of […]