Terrorism

By Anne Koopman | ( Global Voices Online) | – – At least nine people fell victim to a spate of attacks in the Turkey's largest city Istanbul and the south-eastern province Sirnak on August 10. As the country gets knee-deep in the Middle East crisis, the fear of more attacks is pervasive. Ever since […]

Apartheid

Israeli Lawmaker: Palestinians ‘preventing expansion’ of settlements

contributors

Ma’an News Agency | – – BETHLEHEM (Ma’an) — An Israeli Knesset member this week convened a meeting to stop Palestinians from “preventing the expansion” of Jewish-only settlements in the occupied West Bank. The Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee’s Subcommittee on Judea and Samaria — the biblical term used by the Israeli government for the […]

Islamic State of Iraq and Syria

Syria: Kurdish YPG Expels “bloodthirsty” ISIL “gangs” from Hasaka (VICE News)

contributors

VICE News | (Video Report) | – – “The northeastern city of Hasakah is one of the most ethnically and culturally diverse in Syria. Its population of Kurds, Sunni Arabs, and Christians was until recently politically divided between equal zones of Kurdish and Assad regime control. Immediately following the fall of the strategic border town […]

Bashar al-Assad

Putin pitches Grand Alliance against Daesh/ ISIL, but Syria Rebels want al-Assad Gone

Juan Cole

By Juan Cole | (Informed Comment) | – – The Russian Federation is a key player in Syria, and backer of the dictatorial government of Bashar al-Assad. Moscow on Wednesday and Thursday attempted some diplomacy, however, welcoming a delegation of Syrian rebels against the authoritarian al-Assad in Damascus. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said just […]

Islamic State of Iraq and Syria

Is ISIL/ Daesh biggest threat to Saudi Arabia?: Mosque of Secret Police Bombed

contributors

By Mohammed Al Nemer | ( Global Voices Online) | – – Another suicide bomb hit Saudi Arabia on Thursday, this time at a mosque inside a Special Forces headquarters in Asir, southwest of Saudi Arabia, killing 15 people and injuring nine. The attack, by ISIS, was carried out by Abu Sinan Al Najdi. This […]

Iraq

Controversy: Did Turkish anti-PKK Airstrikes hit civilian Kurdish village of Zargeli?

contributors

BBC | (Video News Report) | – – “Turkey may have joined the air war against Islamic State militants across the border in Syria. The nation has also been taking action against Kurdish fighters that it accuses of launching attacks within Turkey. One such airstrike took place last Saturday over the border in Iraq, where […]

Israel

Palestine: Funeral-Protest for father of burned Baby draws Thousands

contributors

By IMEMC | – – Thousands of Palestinians participated, on Saturday evening, in the funeral procession and ceremony of Sa’ad Dawabsha who died Saturday of serious burns and injuries resulting from the Israeli terrorist attack on his family home, leading to the death of his baby, Ali, ten days ago. Dawabsha’s body was moved from […]

Christianity

Daesh/ ISIL takes 250 Captive, including 60 Christians in Syria

Juan Cole

By Juan Cole | (Informed Comment) | – – In more bad news for the Baath regime of Bashar al-Assad in Syria, Daesh (ISIS, ISIL) fighters have taken the town of Al Qariyatain southeast of Homs and are advancing west on the nearby towns of Mheen and Sadad. These central small towns are Sunni-majority, but […]

Christianity

Leader of extremist Israeli organization calls for torching churches

contributors

Ma’an News Agency | – – JERUSALEM (Ma’an) –The leader of a Jewish extremist group in Israel allegedly called for arson attacks on churches in front of Israeli students, Israeli media reported on Thursday. Benzi Gopstein, leader of anti-Arab group Lehava, allegedly called for the burning of churches at a panel held this week for […]