By Mark Lattimer | (Inter Press Service} | – – LONDON (IPS) – East of Mosul, many of the lands liberated from ISIS stand empty. Driving through the Nineveh plains, traditional homelands of Iraq’s minority communities of Yezidis, Christians, Shabak and Turkmen, you pass one ghost town after another, peopled only by members of the […]
Muslims less likely to Commit Terrorism & other Reality-Based Statistics
By Michael Jetter | (The Conversation) | – – Recent events in London, Manchester and elsewhere highlight that Western societies are vulnerable to terrorist attacks – and political decision-makers need to find solutions. Two key questions to consider are: How likely are you to fall victim to terrorism? What increases or decreases that likelihood? Our […]
Turkey OKs draft Bill to send Troops to bolster Qatar re: Saudis
TeleSur | – – Turkey and Qatar also both supported Muslim Brotherhood-affiliated projects throughout the Arab Spring, drawing strong Saudi ire. Turkey has waded into the geopolitical storm engulfing Gulf Arab states as its Parliament approved a draft bill Wednesday to expedite the deployment of troops to a Turkish military base in Qatar. The move […]
First, the Soviets Collapsed: Is it America’s Turn Now?
By William J. Astore | ( Tomdispatch.com) | – – Jump into your time machine and let me transport you back to another age. It’s May 2001 and the Atlantic Monthly has just arrived in the mail. I’m tantalized by the cover article. “Russia is finished,” the magazine announces. The subtitle minces no words: “The […]
Popular Protest against US-backed Government in Kabul: What is going On?
By Solaiman M. Fazel | (Informed Comment) | – – Two days after a deadly blast in Kabul’s diplomatic quarter, why did thousands of residents and civil society activists participate in a protest near Kabul’s presidential palace calling for the resignation of President Ashraf Ghani and Chief Executive Dr. Abdullah Abdullah? There are several lingering […]
Qatar in the Cross-Hairs – How Bad can it Get?
By Brian Whitaker | ( Al-Bab.com ) | – – The extraordinary propaganda offensive against Qatar which has been raging in sections of the Arab media for the last couple of weeks shifted from words to deeds yesterday when Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Bahrain and Egypt in effect placed Qatar under siege. There are four possible […]
The Climate Catastrophe Trump Promotes: Bangladesh between Flood and Drought
World Bank | (Video Clip) – – “Due to its geographical position, Bangladesh is among the countries most vulnerable to climate change impacts. Watch how communities in areas afflicted by recurring floods or droughts are finding solutions to cope with climate change.” World Bank: “With or Without Water: Coping With Climate Change in Bangladesh”
Is breathtaking Iran your next Tourist Destination?
By Frud Bezhan | ( RFE/RL) | – – Stunning landscapes, famous hospitality, and numerous World Heritage sites. Iran’s potential as a holiday destination is vast, but foreign tourists have largely avoided the country ever since the Islamic Revolution in 1979. The reasons are numerous. The visa process can be lengthy and complex. Some female […]
Israel: 50 Years of Occupation Abuses
Human Rights Watch | – – Ramp Up Pressure for Accountability on all Sides (Jerusalem) – Fifty years after Israel occupied the West Bank and Gaza Strip, it controls these areas through repression, institutionalized discrimination, and systematic abuses of the Palestinian population’s rights, Human Rights Watch said today. At least five categories of major violations […]