The Canada Palestine Association will host social justice activist Brian Avery, and Craig Corrie and Cindy Corrie, parents of fallen activist Rachel Corrie, to mark the International Day (Year) of Solidarity with the Palestinian people on December 2nd. The event will “commemorate Palestinian steadfastness”, with speeches from US activist Brian Avery and Craig and Cindy Corrie, parents of the late …

International human rights group Amnesty International on Thursday said that rebel and pro-government militias battling in Libya are committing war crimes, including attacking civilians and torturing detainees. According to the rights group, militias fighting in the western part of the country showed “an utter disregard” for civilians and accused them of aimlessly firing artillery into crowded neighborhoods, damaging hospitals and …

A couple in Rockford, Michigan, who had catapulted to fame when they had their 12th boy, announced that now expecting their 13th child. Jay and Kateri Schwandt had caused a stir when they welcomed their 12th son, Tucker, on August 4th, 2013 at Mercy Health Saint Mary’s Hospital. They are expecting their 13th child on May 9th, 2015. All of …

A Shiite rebel leader on Friday warned Yemeni President Abdrabuh Mansur Hadi to form a new government in ten days or a “national salvation council” will take its place. Ansarullah rebels, also known as Huthis, have taken advantage of a lack of stability since Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh’s overthrow in 2011 to capture capital city Sana’a on September 21st. …

On Thursday, Sweden became the first major European nation to officially recognize the state of Palestine, as Palestinians were quick to hail the “historic” move while the Israelis denounced the announcement. “Today the government takes the decision to recognize the state of Palestine. It is an important step that confirms the Palestinians’ right to self-determination. We hope that this will …

The Free Syrian Army (FSA) has sent several hundreds of fighter to Kobane, in addition to the 400 fighters already in the town, a commander of a unit said on Thursday. FSA fighters, who oppose the Syrian regime, have joined the Kurdish People’s Protection Units (YPG) to defend Kurdish Syrian border town Kobane, and will shortly be joined by the …

The UN Human Rights Committee advised Israel to respect the rights of the Palestinian people, and demanded that the country investigate violations committed during the attack on Gaza. The committee published its conclusions in a report on Thursday after a month-long review of Israel’s human rights record and amid near-daily clashes in East Jerusalem. The committee bemoaned continued demolitions of …

A social experiment in which a Canadian actor posed as an Islamophobe ended with the actor getting punched, suggesting the generally tolerant environment in Canada despite isolated racist abuse after the recent terror attack in Ottawa. Director Omar Al-Bach conducted the social experiment in Hamilton, the home town of Corporal Nathan Cirillo, the victim of the Ottawa attack. Two actors …

By Ramzy Baroud Sinai is both heaven and hell. This triangular desert boasts an arid landscape of hopeless horizons often interrupted by leftover military hardware from previous wars. The land is comprised of breathtaking beaches, incredible history, and a fusion of fascinating cultures that reach back into the past as far as ancient times can possibly go. This thrilling land …

Iraqi peshmerga forces On Thursday reached the Turkish border as they prepared to join their fellow Kurds fighting the extremist group Islamic State (IS) in Kobane. According to monitoring group Syrian Observatory of Human Rights, a group of ten fighters were to coordinate with the Kurdish militia in Kobane that has been resisting the IS assault for the past six …