United Nations

UN: Return Saudi-led Coalition to ‘List of Shame’ Secretary-General’s De-Listing Opens Door to Political Manipulation

Human Rights Watch | – – (New York) – The United Nations secretary-general should immediately return the Saudi-led coalition to his “list of shame” for violations against children in Yemen, Human Rights Watch and 19 other organizations said today in a letter to Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon. On June 6, 2016, the secretary-general announced that he […]

Bashar al-Assad

Stymied by Syrian regime Sieges, UN planning Food Airdrops to 600K Civilians

contributors

By Lyndal Rowlands | (Inter Press Service) | – – UNITED NATIONS (IPS) – The UN has begun plans to deliver aid to besieged Syrian towns by air but says there are a number of obstacles in the way and that delivery by land remains its preferred choice. The UN had promised to plan the […]

Human Rights

UN Rebukes Saudi Arabia: Yemen’s Children Victims of Shocking Violations

contributors

By Kristine Beckerle, Finberg Fellow | ( Human Rights Watch) | – – Every year, the United Nations secretary-general releases a “list of shame” of government forces and armed groups that have committed grave violations against children during armed conflict. This year, the Saudi-led coalition fighting in Yemen was listed for the first time, identified […]

Human Rights Watch

UN must hold Perpetrators accountable for War Crime of Hospital Bombings: HRW

contributors

Human Rights Watch | – – An airstrike on April 27, 2016, that hit al-Quds Hospital and surrounding areas, killed 58 civilians, including medical staff and many patients, according to the Syrian Civil Defense, an opposition search-and-rescue volunteer group. On April 29, another airstrike hit a clinic in the opposition-held al-Marja neighborhood, injuring 10 people, […]

Iran

Jubilation in Iran on “Implementation Day” ending Sanctions

contributors

By Mahsa Alimardani | ( Globalvoices.org) | – – Share this: The Sunday January 17 cover for Iranian reformist newspaper Ghanoon states: “Hello to a Iran without sanctions: We are relieved.” This past Saturday was implementation day for the removal sanctions agreed upon during the nuclear negotiations between Iran, the P5+1 and […]

Featured

‘Very Soon’ US forces will Arrive in Syria; Russia bombs near Turkey

Juan Cole

By Juan Cole | (Informed Comment) | – – Turkey’s government is very unhappy today about developments in Syria. President Obama’s special envoy, Brett McGurk, said Sunday that the some 50 men from special operations forces will arrive in Syria in the very near future. But Turkey has been upset that the US troops will […]

Syria

Autopsy as Vienna Syria Summit concludes: Did US let its hard Line Saudi Ally run Wild?

contributors

By Carlyn Meyer | (Informed Comment) | – – Deep contradictions in the Administration’s Syria policy are on full display as the US, Russia, Iran and assorted other Middle Eastern states meet in Vienna in search of a political process to solve the Syrian conflict. It’s deja vu all over again – with some adjustments. […]

Plutocracy

Is the United Nations being captured by Transnational Corporations?

contributors

By Thalif Deen | (Inter Press Service) | – – UNITED NATIONS, Sep 22 2015 (IPS) – The United Nations, which is commemorating its 70th anniversary next week punctuated by a summit meeting of world leaders, is facing charges of being politically manipulated by big business and transnational corporations (TNCs) – some openly violating labour […]

Featured

Pope Francis Endorses Iran Deal: Another Dilemma for GOP Catholic Candidates

Juan Cole

By Juan Cole | (Informed Comment) | – – The Republican presidential candidates are virtually unanimous that human-caused climate change is a hoax and burning fossil fuels is good for us; that Obamacare is evil and must be repealed; and that the UN Security Council’s deal with Iran restricting its nuclear enrichment program must be […]