State Department: Number of terrorist attacks globally dropped in 2016

July 19th, 20170 WASHINGTON ― The number of terrorist attacks worldwide and deaths from such attacks dropped in 2016 for the second straight year, driven by decreases in Afghanistan, Syria, Nigeria, Pakistan and Yemen, the State Department said on Wednesday. The total number of terrorist attacks in 2016 dropped 9 percent compared to 2015, while...

US-backed forces move cautiously into ISIS-held Raqqa

June 12th, 20170 RAQQA —At Raqqa's eastern edge, a handful of Syrian fighters cross a river by foot and car, all the while relaying their coordinates to the U.S.-led coalition so they don't fall victim to friendly fire. This is their only way into al-Mishlab, the first district the Kurdish and Arab militias have swept into, in what the coalition...

U.S. sanctions hundreds of Syrian research center employees

April 24th, 20170 WASHINGTON ― The Treasury Department sanctioned 271 employees of Syria's Scientific Studies and Research Center (SSRC), an agency that Washington says develops chemical weapons for the government of Bashar al-Assad, the Treasury said in a statement. Some of the people blacklisted had worked on Syria's chemical weapons program for...

Emirates reduces flights on five U.S. routes as Trump’s restrictions hit demand

April 19th, 20170 DUBAI ― Emirates, the largest international airline by passenger traffic, said on Wednesday it was cutting flights on five U.S. routes after restrictions imposed by President Trump's administration weakened demand from the Middle East. Since taking office, Trump has signed two executive orders banning refugees and citizens from...

Groups from Amnesty International U.S.A. urge action on Middle East

March 17th, 20170 ALBUQUERQUE — Issues affecting the Middle East continued to be brought to light at the 2017 annual general meeting of Amnesty International U.S.A. members, which gathered human rights advocates from around the nation. The plight of refugees worldwide was commemorated in the #NoBanNoWall campaign— a slogan in defiant response to...

Pew Research Center: Democratic support for Israel plummets

January 20th, 20170 DEARBORN — A recent study by the Pew Research Center has shown that support for Israel plummeted nearly 25 percent among members of the Democratic party in the last nine months. Democratic party allegiance towards Israel has dropped 43 to 33 percent, according to the study. For decades, Democratic support for Israel has been...