(2019-07-27). A Syrian Mother's Letter to Her Daughter, "For Sama" Shows War in an Unusually Intimate Light. theintercept.com 
For the majority of Western audiences, the region known as "the Middle East" is conceived as a vast swath of constant and inscrutable chaos. In this imagination, diverse conflicts, insurgencies, and civilian revolutions are flattened into a single horrorscape, represented by ubiquitous images of billowing smoke and colorless destruction. Violence, it would appear, is endemic to the region, as natural and inevitable as the endless, hostile desert. | This lack of historicity — and subsequent denial of responsibility — can be partly blamed on Western media that rewards sensationalist, reductionist headli…
(2019-07-26). Friday's Daily Brief: Libya mass drownings response: Syria 'carnage' denounced, food aid doubled for Ebola-affected in DR Congo. un.org Our main stories today: UN leaders call for a return to sea rescues in the Mediterranean, following Libya shipwreck; UN human rights chief denounces indifference to victims of Syrian airstrikes; World Food Programme doubles supplies to those affected by Ebola outbreak in DR Congo, and WHO urges more investment to eradicate hepatitis.
(2019-07-26). UN human rights chief fears world has grown numb to Syrian carnage. un.org The relentless campaign of airstrikes in Syria has been met with a "collective shrug," the top United Nations human rights official said on Friday, denouncing the world's apparent indifference to the mounting civilian casualties as a "failure of leadership" by the world's most powerful countries.
(2019-07-25). Israel launches missile attack on Syria near occupied Golan Heights. fightbacknews.org Washington D.C. – Early Wednesday morning, July 24, Israel launched another missile attack on Syria, this time striking near the occupied Golan Heights. According to a report from the Syrian Arab News Agency, "about 01: 30 a.m., the Israeli enemy launched an aggression in Daraa western countryside causing only material damages." | The Golan Heights are a part of Syria and have been illegally occupied by Israel since 1967. In a move that garnered no international support, on March 25, President Trump proclaimed the U.S. viewed the Golan Heights as a part of Israel. | Syria vow to liberated its territory.
(2019-07-25). Syria: Assad fails to recapture Idlib. greenleft.org.au The Bashir al Assad regime has made little progress in its attempt to recapture rebel-held territory in northwestern Syria. Rebels continue to control most of Idlib and parts of adjacent provinces, writes Chris Slee.
(2019-07-24). New partnership agreement with Liberia, shows 'clear positive impact of UN peacekeeping'. un.org A formal agreement between Liberia and the UN to supply peacekeeping personnel to serve in the UN Stabilization Mission in Mali (MINUSMA), marks an "immensely significant" transition for the former war-torn West African nation, its UN Ambassador said in New York on Tuesday.
(2019-07-23). Tuesday's Daily Brief: Situation critical for Libya migrants, 'dangerous paralysis' in Israel-Palestine conflict, 'shocking escalation' in Syria, record heatwaves. un.org Our main stories today: UN officials warn of desperate situation for migrants and refugees in Libya; the UN peacebuilding chief calls for 'tangible steps' to alleviate the crisis in the Occupied Palestinian Territory and keep two-State solution alive; Idlib in Syria suffers more deadly attacks on civilians; Europe and Bangladesh deal with extreme weather events; and Angry Birds take on the climate crisis.
(2019-07-23). Headlines for July 23, 2019. democracynow.org Half a Million Puerto Ricans Take Over San Juan Streets to Call for Gov. Rosselló to Resign, Boris Johnson Becomes New British Prime Minister, Trump Admin Expands Deportation Powers, Putting 100,000s of Undocumented Immigrants at Risk, ICE Now Using DNA Testing on Asylum-Seeking Families, DOJ Tells Mueller His Testimony Must "Remain Within Boundaries" of Redacted Report, Trump Says He Can "Wipe Afghanistan Off the Face of the Earth" as He Meets Pakistani PM Imran Khan, Filipino President Rodrigo Duterte Calls for the Death Penalty for Drug Offenders, Syrian Airstrikes Kill At Least 50, Amid Ongoing Violence in Id…
(2019-07-20). Why did Argentina declare Hezbollah a terrorist group? uwidata.com 
Argentina has officially declared Hezbollah a terrorist organization. The declaration created a considerable amount of controversy given the strong feelings on the issue in various countries. Background Argentina has received more immigrants than any other Latin American nation. While they are mostly of European origin, many have also come from Syria and Lebanon. There are …
(2019-07-18). "It Is Not Just War. It Is Life": Acclaimed Doc "For Sama" Offers Rare Glimpse into War-Torn Syria. democracynow.org 
We look at the award-winning documentary feature titled "For Sama," a devastating account of war-torn Syria told through the eyes of director Waad al-Kateab. She filmed hundreds of hours of footage in her native Aleppo to create a stunning depiction of life during wartime. Amid airstrikes and attacks on hospitals, Waad falls in love with one of the last remaining doctors in Aleppo, gets married and has a baby girl, Sama, to whom the film is dedicated. When protests against the regime of President Bashar al-Assad first began in 2011, Waad al-Kateab was a young economics student who began filming on a cellphone. Fo…