Exclusive: Assad linked to Syrian chemical attacks for first time

International investigators have said for the first time that they suspect President Bashar al-Assad and his brother are responsible for the use of chemical weapons in the Syrian conflict, according to a document seen by Reuters. A joint inquiry for the United Nations and global watchdog the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) […]

The U.N. can find balance in the Middle East

The United Nations Security Council last month passed Resolution 2334, which states that Israeli settlements have “no legal basis.” The resolution made the mistake of only looking at one side of the map. To complete the job, the U.N. should pass a resolution that condemns Palestinian maximalist claims with the same sharp legal language it […]

US levies sanctions against Syria for using chemical weapons on their own people

The United States formally “blacklisted” eighteen Syrian officials that have been tied to the use of chemical weapons on Thursday, as well as five governmental organizations.  These first sanctions against the Syrian government for the use of weapons of mass destruction came as a result of an international investigation that found the Syrian government had […]

President-elect vows to set up safe zones and hints at 5th Special Forces Group

Trump expressed both a desire to eliminate ISIS and concern for the lives lost in Syria, which means it’s likely he’ll take action with 5th Special Forces Group and JSOC. The President-elect Donald Trump made comments vowing to set up ‘safe zones’ in Syria. He made the comments in acknowledgment of the humanitarian crisis in […]

Trump has ‘very positive’ talk with new UN Secretary-General about US/UN Relations

President Elect Donald Trump, set to take office in three weeks, spoke with new United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres for the first time on Wednesday. According to a U.N. spokesman, the two world leaders had a “very positive discussion on U.S./U.N. relations,” despite the incoming President’s recent Twitter comments about the validity of the global […]

U.N. Backs Effort by Russia and Turkey to End Syrian Violence

UNITED NATIONS—The United Nations Security Council on Saturday unanimously adopted a resolution supporting efforts by Russia and Turkey to end the nearly six-year conflict in Syria. The resolution also called for the “rapid, safe and unhindered” delivery of humanitarian aid throughout Syria and looked forward to a meeting of the Syrian government and opposition representatives […]

Netanyahu summons U.S. envoy over anti-settlement resolution adopted by U.N.

JERUSALEM — The U.S. ambassador to Israel, Daniel B. Shapiro, was requested Sunday to attend a meeting with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu over the United States’ refusal to block a U.N. Security Council resolution that harshly criticized Israeli settlements, a senior official in the prime minister’s office said. The meeting follows a series of summons […]

Syrian civilians massacred, evil triumphing as the world watches and turns away

The civil war in Syria enters what appears to be its bloody end game as Syrian government forces re-establish control over the city of Aleppo. As of late Tuesday, a ceasefire and evacuation agreement was reached allowing civilians from affected areas of Aleppo safe passage to the countryside. However, by Wednesday it evaporated with renewed […]

Fighting in Aleppo ends in Syrian victory amid allegations of civilian ‘slaughter’

After years of fighting, the Syrian government claimed victory on Tuesday over rebel groups holding out in the besieged city of Aleppo.  Reports of a ceasefire were confirmed by Russia’s envoy to the United Nations, stating that fighting would cease Tuesday evening to allow fighters that remain in rebel controlled regions of the city to […]

Netanyahu to discuss ‘bad’ Iran deal with Trump, Kerry stresses settlements

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Sunday he would discuss with Donald Trump the West’s “bad” nuclear deal with Iran after the U.S. president-elect enters the White House. Speaking separately to a conference in Washington, Netanyahu and U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry clashed over the Iran deal and Israel’s settlement construction on the […]

South Sudan conflict: UN warns of ‘ethnic cleansing’

Ethnic cleansing is taking place in war-torn South Sudan, the UN Commission on Human Rights (UNCHR) has warned. It says it has observed starvation, the burning of villages and rape being used as weapons of war across the country. The three-member commission, which was established earlier this year, has just completed a 10-day visit to […]

The Philippines’ president swore at a British journalist during another anti-US tirade

During a press conference this week, Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte again inveighed against the US, capping his rant by directing one his most frequently used insults against the British journalist who questioned him. “You did raise earlier the comparison with Latin America and narcostate,” Jonathan Miller, the Asia correspondent for the UK’s Channel 4, said […]