Hezbollah casts shadow over Bush Mideast tour
JIM.LOBE What is Hezbollah? (List of links to official websites and docs) Book Review: In The Path of Hizbullah (FCN, 09-14-2006) WASHINGTON (IPS/GIN) - The swift defeat of U.S.-backed forces by Hezbollah in Lebanon on May 9 has provided yet another vivid illustration of the rapid decline of Washington’s influence in the Middle East during the tenure of President George...
Chaos at a government jobs fair in economically troubled Zimbabwe underscores desperation for work
HARARE, Zimbabwe—A stampede at a government-organized job fair involving hundreds of young people in Zimbabwe desperate for work left some limping and others screaming in pain after being stomped on or beaten by security guards on Dec. 6. The chaos came as job seekers rushed to register for potential vacancies, but no serious injuries were reported. The crush of people illustrated the growing...
Change of faith: Why young Brits turn from Christianity to Islam
By RT.com The UK's official religion is dwindling at a record speed, with the decline of the Church “approaching rock bottom,” experts warn. While Christian congregations age, most British mosques are bringing more and more young people on board. Public mosque services attract thousands of British Muslims, but when you check out a church, there are hardly a dozen participants at...
Armenia, Azerbaijan keep fighting despite cease-fire deal
YEREVAN, Armenia—Fighting over the separatist territory of Nagorno-Karabakh raged on Oct. 27, unimpeded by a U.S.-brokered cease-fire, while Armenia and Azerbaijan traded blame for the deal’s quick unraveling. Azerbaijan accused Armenia of striking the Barda region with rockets, killing four civilians, including a 2-year-old girl, and wounding 13 others. The Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry denounced the attack as “another war crime...
UK bill to send asylum seekers to Rwanda ‘undercuts human rights:’ UN rights chief
The United Kingdom’s legislative moves to facilitate the prompt removal of asylum seekers to Rwanda run contrary to the basic principles of the rule of law and risk delivering a “serious blow” to human rights, the UN rights chief warned. “You cannot legislate facts out of existence,” said UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk, calling on the UK...
Ex-lawmaker: We were arrested for trying to give crayons to children
- WASHINGTON (FinalCall.com) - At last, former six-term Congress member and Green Party presidential candidate Cynthia McKinney arrived in the Gaza Strip carrying humanitarian aid July 15. Ms. McKinney's delegation is part of the group Viva Palestina, which conducted another aid mission from Europe earlier this year. This time the group entered Gaza through the Rafah border crossing with Egypt. Ironically,...
Tanzania swears in the world’s first female Black Muslim president
The African continent should be proud of Tanzania’s seamless passing of power to vice president now President Samia Suluhu Hassan. The world’s first Black Muslim female world leader took the oath of office holding a Holy Qur’an after the death of the East African country’s beloved president and former science professor John Magufuli. “I think the fact that she’s Muslim...
Egypt under international fire for rights abuses
The United Nations Human Rights Council has called out the Arab Republic of Egypt to end suppression of freedoms of expression and assembly. The council expressed “deep concern” for pervasive human rights violations committed with impunity by Egyptian authorities. A joint statement was signed by 31 mostly Western nations, including the United States, which has observer status on the council....
A Dubai company’s staggering land deals in Africa raise fears about risks to Indigenous livelihoods
ABUJA, Nigeria—Matthew Walley’s eyes sweep over the large forest that has sustained his Indigenous community in Liberia for generations. Even as the morning sun casts a golden hue over the canopy, a sense of unease lingers. Their use of the land is being threatened, and they have organized to resist the possibility of losing their livelihood. In the past year,...
Conference in Libya addresses plight of Unwanted Africans mistreated in Europe
-Staff Writer- Related story:Farrakhan advises Obama on Libya policy, proper guidance for America (FCN, 03-15-2011) TRIPOLI, Libya (FinalCall.com) - Each year thousands of Africans faced with poverty and or confl ict are lured by dreams of a better life to leave their homeland for Europe. Increasingly they are met with racism, more poverty and often death when poorly made boats sink. The...