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Arab Spring
Syria: If Violent Extremists are the Problem, why is al-Assad Jailing Peaceful Democracy Advocates?

Syria: If Violent Extremists are the Problem, why is al-Assad Jailing Peaceful Democracy Advocates?

contributors

By Lama Fakih, Human Rights Watch In a speech before the European Parliament in 2009, Syrian activist Mazen Darwish warned that unless civil society was strengthened “[the whole] region, not only Syria … could explode at any moment and leave behind thousands of refugees.” A dire warning at the time, Darwish’s prophetic words fail to […]

Apartheid
Palestinian family forced to demolish own house in Jerusalem

Palestinian family forced to demolish own house in Jerusalem

contributors

JERUSALEM (Ma’an) — A Palestinian family has begun to demolish part of a building it owns in East Jerusalem to avoid paying fines after the Israeli municipality issued a demolition order, the owner said Tuesday. Walid al-Ubeidi told Ma’an that due to the size of his family, he expanded the building from three to four […]

Democracy
'You killed a million people in Iraq' George Galloway tells Blair Cabinet Member

‘You killed a million people in Iraq’ George Galloway tells Blair Cabinet Member

contributors

BBC “George Galloway told a former member of Tony Blair and Gordon Brown’s cabinets she killed one million people in Iraq. The former Labour MP, now a Respect MP, turned on Jacqui Smith as they looked ahead to Friday’s vote in Parliament on possible UK military action in the Middle East.” Ed. note: It isn’t […]

Islam-hatred
Michele Bachmann declares Christian Jihad on all Muslims

Michele Bachmann declares Christian Jihad on all Muslims

contributors

The Young Turks: “Michele Bachmann took the stage at the Values Voters Summit today, and fired up the crowd with shots at President Obama and Hillary Clinton, as well as a firm call for the U.S. to keep killing ISIS terrorists until they surrender. Bachmann cracked a few jokes at the top, including a dig […]

Climate Change
Climate Change is Costing Lives: Coal Plants Killed 1.2 mn. in China:  World Bank's Jim Yong Kim

Climate Change is Costing Lives: Coal Plants Killed 1.2 mn. in China: World Bank’s Jim Yong Kim

contributors

Sept. 22 (Bloomberg) — World Bank President Jim Yong Kim discusses the growing threat from climate change with Trish Regan on “Street Smart.” Bloomberg News: Climate Change Is Costing Lives: World Bank’s Jim Yong Kim

Iraq
Can Iraq Convince its Sunnis to Fight Extremists?

Can Iraq Convince its Sunnis to Fight Extremists?

contributors

By Mustafa Habib | Baghdad via Niqash.org Local opposition to Sunni Muslim extremists in control of parts of Iraq is building – and it’s being formalised with the creation of a new National Guard, with military units enlisting locals to protect their own provinces. As well as fighting the extremists, the new units could include […]

Afghanistan
Syria to Afghanistan:  US Military Policy hasn’t Solved the Zone of Crisis & may Enlarge it

Syria to Afghanistan: US Military Policy hasn’t Solved the Zone of Crisis & may Enlarge it

contributors

By Amin Saikal, author of Zone of Crisis: Afghanistan, Pakistan, Iran and Iraq The Middle East and its wider eastern environs are in the grip of multiple humanitarian and geopolitical crises. The entire region from Pakistan and Afghanistan to Iraq and Syria to Palestine and Libya is shattered by more violence than usual and long-term […]

GCC
What Arab partners will get in return for strikes on Syria

What Arab partners will get in return for strikes on Syria

contributors

By Lars Berger The decision by President Obama to launch missile and air strikes against Islamic State (IS) and the al-Qaeda affiliate “Khorasan” in Syria draws the United States ever closer to yet another prolonged military confrontation in the region. But there’s a difference this time: the participation of a coalition of Arab states, variously […]

Apartheid
Israeli forces re-open Holy Aqsa Mosque compound after heavy clashes

Israeli forces re-open Holy Aqsa Mosque compound after heavy clashes

contributors

JERUSALEM (Ma’an) — Hundreds of Palestinian Muslim worshipers were allowed to access the Al-Aqsa mosque compound in the Old City of Jerusalem on Wednesday at noon after being prevented from entering the Muslim holy site the day before and in the morning. Director of the Al-Aqsa Mosque, sheikh Omar al-Kiswani, told Ma’an that Israeli police […]

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