UN concerned at surge in civilian casualties as Taliban, govt. resume peace talks in Doha
The United Nations (UN) says civilian casualties in Afghanistan have seen a sharp rise since U.S.-brokered intra-Afghan peace talks began last year. Civilian casualties numbered at 8,820 last year, said the UN mission to Afghanistan (UNAMA) in an annual report on Feb. 23. That was 15 percent lower than the previous year, but the report found a sharp uptick and historically high civilian casualties...
Brazil officials warn clash looms over land
BRASILIA, Brazil—A potential clash is looming in northern Brazil between the Munduruku people and mining prospectors armed with rifles and handguns who have intruded into Indigenous lands in the Tapajos River basin of Para state, federal prosecutors warned in late March. Officials in the Federal Prosecutor’s Office in Para told The Associated Press that the Munduruku community is prepared to...
There will be blood: America is coming out of the Middle East
Bloody battles have exploded again with Israeli atrocities against Palestinians, but where will this end? The bombings, killings, protests and slaughter of outmatched Palestinians is continuing as Israelis exert deadly force and might backed by the arms, the money and the support of the United States. In a conversation, the Honorable Elijah Muhammad, patriarch of the Nation of Islam, once spoke...
General Assembly creates new Permanent Forum of People of African Descent
Capping years of deliberations, the UN General Assembly has established a new platform to improve the lives of Afro-descendants, who have for centuries suffered the ills of racism, racial discrimination and the legacy of enslavement around the globe. The 193-member body unanimously adopted an Aug. 2 resolution establishing the United Nations Permanent Forum of People of African Descent, a 10-member...
President Raeisi talks face-to-face with southwestern Iranian nomads, promises to resolve their problems
Iran’s President Ebrahim Raeisi has promised to resolve problems faced by Iranian nomads, in particular water shortages, upon visiting southwestern regions of the country to talk with the nomads face-to-face. “We are seriously pursuing the resolution of your water shortage problems, and on the other hand, we will strive to cut off the hands of middlemen and brokers in selling...
UK alcohol deaths hit new record
The UK has seen its highest yearly increase in the number of deaths directly related to alcohol consumption, new government figures show, with the somber record reached in 2020 amid the pandemic. According to new figures released by the Office of National Statistics (ONS) on Dec. 7, 8,974 deaths “from alcohol-specific causes” were registered in the UK in 2020. The figure represents...
Children reportedly killed during U.S. raid in Syria
United States Special Forces carried out a major raid in northwest Syria in the early hours of the morning of Feb. 3 that reportedly resulted in the killing of more than a dozen people—including six children and four women. In a statement hours after the operation, U.S. President Joe Biden said that “thanks to the skill and bravery of our Armed Forces, we have taken...
‘No justification for violence or terror’ says UN envoy amid rising tensions in Jerusalem
The UN Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process on March 8, expressed deep concern over the “deteriorating security situation” in the occupied West Bank, including East Jerusalem, where daily violence has claimed the lives of six Palestinians, including a child. Tor Wennesland added that 26 Palestinians and seven Israelis have also been injured during the confrontations. According to news reports, Israeli police shot a...
French presidential campaign spotlights Muslim headscarves
PERTUIS, France—Muslim headscarves, a perennial issue in France, took center stage in the country’s presidential campaign amid far-right candidate Marine Le Pen’s push to ban them in the country that has western Europe’s largest Muslim population. Both she and rival Emmanuel Macron, who won a second term as president in a tightly contested April 24 runoff, were confronted by women...
After 100 days, no hope for end to Ukraine War
Loss of blood and treasure is increasing and war rages 100 days after the conflict between the Russian Federation and Ukraine erupted. The war started with Russia’s invasion of her neighbor. According to United Nations tallies, the war has killed thousands on both sides and led more than 7.3 million refugees to flee Ukraine due to ongoing fighting. Nations far from...