Academics in Canada face harassment, suppression for pro-Palestinian speech
A new report shows academics, students and activists have been facing harassment, intimidation, repression and reprisals across Canada for their pro-Palestinian views. While the new 106-page report by Independent Jewish Voices (IJV) is mostly focused on Canada, it also touches on the experiences of European academics, artists and students who are publicly pro-Palestinian. The report, which includes 77 testimonies, describes both...
100,000 British nurses begin first-ever strike amid dispute over pay
Around 100,000 nurses went on strike in their first-ever national walkout as the government has ruled out negotiation over a pay rise. The strike, which has canceled thousands of operations and outpatient appointments, ramps up pressure on already-stretched hospitals at one of the busiest times of year. British nurses have demanded a 19 percent pay rise, however, the government has said it cannot afford...
Colombia: UN mission to verify rural reform and Indigenous representation in peace process
There are plentiful opportunities ahead for peacebuilding in Colombia, the head of the UN Verification Mission in the country told the Security Council in early January. Carlos Ruiz Massieu welcomed recent government actions on rural reform and greater equality, in line with the 2016 Peace Agreement between the Government and the FARC EP militia group that ended five decades of...
China issues report on U.S. human rights violations
A Chinese report indicates that the United States has experienced a landmark setback for human rights in 2022. China’s State Council Information Office on March 28 issued a report documenting gross human rights abuses in the United States, CGTN reported. Titled “The Report on Human Rights Violations in the United States in 2022,” the report criticized the country for undermining the basic...
Afghan refugees stuck in ‘prison-like’ camps on Greek islands: International Rescue Committee
A leading charity involved in global humanitarian aid has accused EU leaders of staggering neglect of Afghan refugees, many of whom have remained trapped in “prison-like” conditions on Greek islands. In a damning report released on May 31, the International Rescue Committee (IRC) highlighted the plight of Afghans fleeing the country in search of a better life. The 27-nation bloc has “consistently” failed to...
Is Kenya’s offer of sending troops to Haiti the result of U.S., UN and Western meddling?
As African leaders long for a greater voice, more respect, and acceptance as equals to their Western counterparts on the global stage, observers and analysts question at what cost and how far are they willing to go for acceptance. That question is being raised after the East African nation of Kenya recently stepped forward to lead a sought-after multination...
Israel closes Gaza crossings again, hinders Palestinians’ access to work
The Israeli regime has sealed crossing points with the besieged Gaza Strip, preventing thousands of workers from getting to their jobs in the occupied Palestinian territories and further exacerbating the humanitarian situation in the impoverished enclave. Israeli authorities on Sept. 20 confirmed that the Erez crossing into Gaza was closed and said it would be re-opened “in accordance with situational assessments.” The...
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...
The islands that the sea separates, solidarity unites them
by Elson Concepción Pérez Among the most important dates that the Caribbean celebrates is December 8. Just 51 years ago, four independent states of the region: Barbados, Guyana, Jamaica and Trinidad and Tobago sovereignly decided to establish diplomatic relations with Cuba. This was a break with the diplomatic isolation imposed on our country by the U.S. Government, with the complicity of...
Rights experts call for probe into alleged violations against Palestinian women and girls
Alleged rights violations against Palestinian women and girls in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank must be investigated, a group of experts appointed by the UN Human Rights Council said. Palestinian women and girls have reportedly been arbitrarily executed in Gaza, often together with family members, including their children, according to information they have received. Killed while fleeing “We are shocked...