On Thursday, the Human Rights Watch said that women in Syria have been victims of unreasonable unrest, discrimination, harassment and torture at the hands of both rebel and government forces during the three-year conflict. The global rights group, in its report, urged international leaders to “hold those responsible for such abuses to account”. Liesl Gerntholtz, women’s rights director at Human …

On Thursday, Israel deployed additional troops on the Gaza border after Palestinian rocket fire heightened tensions following the alleged revenge killing of a Palestinian teen in Jerusalem. “We are moving and we have moved forces in order to serve defense activities and forward preparation, but we have no interest in escalation”,Lieutenant Colonel Peter Lerner, spokesman for the Israeli army, said. …

Militant group Islamic State (IS) on Thursday seized control of the Al-Omar oil field on the Iraqi border as fighters from rival groups withdrew,the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said. By capturing the Al-Omar oil field, the militant group now controls most of the gas and oil fields on the province of Deir Ezzor, most of which is already under …

Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki on Wednesday offered general amnesty in a rare conciliatory move to undermine support for militants; large swathes of Iraqi territory has been overrun by a militant offensive which threatens to tear the country apart. Maliki’s offer comes after a ridiculous opening to the parliament, despite leaders all over the world urging fractious politicians in Iraq …

On Wednesday, A Palestinian teenager was abducted and killed in a possible act of revenge for the murder of three Israeli youths by militants, triggering clashes in east Jerusalem. Palestinian leaders condemned the killing, and held Israel responsible for it, demanding Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government act to prevent any revenge attacks. “I demand the Israeli government punish the killers …

A Taliban suicide bomber killed 8 military officers on an air force bus in Kabul on Wednesday, Afghani officials said, as US soldiers continue to withdraw from the country. Kabul has been relatively peaceful after Presidential election held on June 14th, despite a few street demonstrations over politicians locked in a vote fraud dispute. “As a result of a suicide …

The US government on Tuesday pressed for the formation of a new Iraqi government as soon as possible and warned that “time is not on Iraq’s side”. “It was important that Iraq’s new parliament convened today, as they pledged to do. That was a good thing. But we do hope that Iraq’s leaders will move forward with the extreme urgency …

Fracking presents a new challenge for OPEC, as well as opportunities. The International Energy Agency (IEA) predicts that, over the next five years, one-third of the new oil production of the world will be developed in the USA. By 2020, the US will be a net exporter of gas. By 2035. It will be energy self-sufficient, they say. The IEA …

“Labeiki ya Zaynab,” chanted Iraqi Shia fighters as they swayed, dancing with their rifles before TV news cameras in Baghdad on June 13. They were apparently getting ready for a difficult fight ahead. For them, it seemed that a suitable war chant would be answering the call of Zaynab, the daughter of Imam Ali, the great Muslim Caliph who lived …

The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), the largest Muslim advocacy group in the United States has picked Roula Allouch, a female Muslim lawyer from Ohio, as its acting national board chair, replacing Omar Zaki, who had stepped down from his post after a two-year term. “I would like to thank Omar Zaki for his service to the Council on American-Islamic …