10 Wars to Watch in 2015

crisisgroup.org: by Jean-Marie Guehenno — From Afghanistan to Yemen, the conflicts and crises the world faces in the coming year. The last year was a bad one for international peace and security. Sure, there were bright spots in 2014. Colombia’s peace process looks hopeful. The last round of Iran’s nuclear […]

Former believer speaks out: ‘Scientology makes life a living hell for former members’ By Gaby Ochsenbein

A.B.* has severed ties with Scientology, recently leaving after many years. The former member, who knows the organisation inside out, now wants to help keep people from joining the “totalitarian sect”. “It’s ingenious how Scientology manipulates people. Even though many of them know something isn’t right, they can’t escape even […]

Robert Fisk: When will Palestinians learn? Turning to international law isn’t the answer — just ask America and Israel If Palestine’s request is ‘entirely counterproductive’, what does that make Israel’s slaughtering of civilians last summer?

Throw an old dog a bone and sure enough, he’ll go chasing after it. So it is with “Palestine’s” request to join the International Criminal Court. An obvious attempt by Mahmoud Abbas to try Israel for war crimes in Gaza this year, we are told. Or maybe a “two-edged sword” […]

‘Miracle’ Walk to Safety

Source: ABC News: For a young girl to be able to walk away from a plane crash that killed everyone else on board, and then make her way through rough, densely wooded terrain at night to find help is being called an incredible miracle. Medical experts say the 7-year-old was […]