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China’s forces shadow a Philippine navy ship near a disputed shoal, sparking new exchange of warnings

MANILA, Philippines—A Philippine navy patrol ship was shadowed by Chinese forces near a disputed shoal in the South China Sea, sparking a fresh exchange of accusations and warnings between the Asian neighbors on Oct. 31. Chinese and Philippine security officials gave conflicting accounts of the encounter near Scarborough Shoal. China has surrounded the shoal with its navy and coast guard ships...

Africa’s new standing army primed for peacekeeping

Birth of the African Union (FCN, 07-14-2002)African Union is made a reality (FCN, 07-24-2001)Birth of the African Union (Minister Louis Farrakhan, 07-24-2001) UNITED NATIONS, Nov 7 (IPS) - As the increasing military tension in the Horn of Africa threatens to escalate into a new war between Ethiopia and Eritrea, the 53-member African Union (AU) plans to establish its first-ever...

Indigenous communities fear toxic leaks from Canada oil industry: Report

A recent string of leaks from Canada’s oil sands tailings ponds has contaminated water, sowing mistrust among the local First Nations people. Recently, the energy giant Suncor announced a large leak from a sediment holding facility, the Guardian newspaper reported on April 23. The regulator said the leak “is not processed water from tailings, it is drainage from surrounding landscape” and doesn’t contain tailings. But...

Netanyahu’s relentless pursuit of Iran

JIM.LOBE Like the proverbial skunk at the garden party, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu used his turn at the podium at the U.N. General Assembly Tuesday to pour scorn on Iran's new president, 96 hours after a smiling Hassan Rouhani departed New York after a momentous four-day stay that raised unprecedented hopes for détente with the United States and...

UK court denies Venezuela access to its $2bn gold reserves

Britain’s High Court has denied the Venezuelan government’s access to its nearly $2 billion worth of gold reserves held in the Bank of England, ruling in favor of the country’s U.S.-sponsored opposition figure Juan Guaidó. After a four-day trial, the court ruled on July 29 that the British government recognizes Guaidó as Venezuela’s interim president, despite his eroding support even among...

‘20 Years of U.S. Torture and Counting’: Report Details Post-9/11 Abuse at Gitmo and Beyond

by Jessica Corbett A report released nearly 20 years after the first prisoners arrived at Naval Station Guantánamo Bay, details “systematic abuses carried out by the United States Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) and U.S. military” since the 2001 terrorist attacks. “Thus far, Biden administration actions raise sobering questions about its commitment to ending the so-called War on Terror.” Entitled Legacy of the...

Report: UK health system cause for serious concern, lags behind other comparable countries

A new report has warned that Britain’s National Health Service (NHS) is a cause for “serious concern,” as it lags well behind other comparable countries in terms of key health metrics. The 118-page report by the King’s Fund charity was released on June 26 to mark the 75th anniversary of the NHS, comparing Britain’s flagship healthcare provider to the health systems in 19 similar...

UN agency raises alarm over ‘targeted’ violence against women in Myanmar protests

The United Nations entity dedicated to protection of women’s rights has voiced deep concerns over “targeted and disproportionate” violence against women being recorded during the crackdown against peaceful protesters in Myanmar.  In addition, women in detention are also reportedly experiencing sexual harassment and violence, UN-Women said in a statement in mid-March.  “Women have long played a celebrated and vital role in the history of Myanmar....

UK publishes controversial bill it says breaks Brexit treaty

The British government has published the controversial new UK Internal Market Bill which it’s been argued necessitates the rewriting of parts of the Brexit withdrawal agreement. The new legislation published Sept. 9, is seen as a move to override key parts of the current Brexit deal and once again raises the possibility of a hard border between the Republic of Ireland and...

Poverty, corruption, conflict are factors in Nigeria’s SARS protest movement

What may be worse than law enforcement officers in U.S. cities receiving police training in Israel? Nigeria’s recently disbanded notorious Special Anti-Robbery Squad or SARS receiving police training from the United Kingdom College of Policing. According to the African program director for the International Crisis Group, Dr. Comfort Ero, “We should acknowledge that SARS was part of the UK...