United Nations

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that human-caused climate change is a hoax and burning fossil fuels is good for us; that Obamacare is evil and must be repealed; and that the UN Security Council’s deal with Iran restricting its nuclear enrichment program must be […]

Palestine

Over Israeli, US Objections, UN votes to raise Palestinian flag at HQ

contributors

Ma’an News | – – BETHLEHEM (Ma’an) — The United Nations General Assembly voted late Thursday in favor of raising the Palestinian flag at its headquarters in New York by an overwhelming majority, in a symbolic diplomatic victory in the PLO’s campaign for statehood. A resolution was adopted by member states with 119 in favor, […]

Iran

What Iran sacrificed in Deal: Accepted dependence on Imported Enriched Fuel

contributors

By Farhang Jahanpour | (Inter Press Service) | – – OXFORD (IPS) – Iran’s nuclear programme has been the target of a great deal of misinformation, downright lies and above all myths. As a result, it is often difficult to unpick truth from falsehood. As President John F. Kennedy said in his Yale University Commencement […]

Palestine

UN to Back Raising of Palestinian Flag, defying Israeli Objections

contributors

By IMEMC News | – – Israel asks UN to rebuff flag initiative A draft resolution on raising the Palestinian flag at the United Nations will likely be adopted next week in time for president Mahmoud Abbas’ visit to New York, the Palestinian envoy said on Thursday. According to AFP, the UN General Assembly will […]

Apartheid

Israel’s Illegal blockade of Gaza based on “made-up laws”; resistance outlawed

contributors

By Azeezah Kanji | (OpenDemocracy) | – – Israel invokes the privileges of engaging in international armed conflict but denies Palestinians their corresponding entitlements under the same body of law. This is the colonial nature of Israel’s legal logic. One year after the onslaught of violence Israel called “Operation Protective Edge,” Gaza is still in […]

Nuclear Energy

70 Top nuclear Experts: Iran Deal a ‘Net-Plus’ for Non-Proliferation Worldwide

contributors

By S. Chandra | (Inter Press Service) – – WASHINGTON (IPS) – As the U.S. Congress prepares to vote next month on the landmark Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), which was agreed on July 14 between the world’s leading powers and Iran, and has been approved by the U.N. Security Council, eminent nuclear non-proliferation […]