Diplomacy & Crisis News

Upholding women’s human rights is essential if the response to the Zika health emergency is to be effective, the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights said today, following the advice to women by some governments to delay getting pregnant due to the possible link between the virus and neurological disorders affecting newborns.

A New Zealand minister had a dildo thrown at his face. Good thing he thought it was funny.

Warning that, in the last two weeks, a new escalation of violence has forced tens of thousands of civilians to flee their homes in the Jebel Marra area of Darfur, a United Nations human rights expert today called for an immediate end to hostilities that have triggered new protection and humanitarian concerns in the long-restive region of Sudan.

What is the difference between remembering war and writing histories about it?

“There should be no circuit breaker for policy reform.”

So it turns out that Sidney Blumenthal wrote the following to Secretary of State Clinton about an item in this blog.

This is during World War I.

Also a look at Kazakhstan’s developmental state of mind and its economic hurdles: recommended reads.

Plus, China's biggest deal-maker, aid to Syrian refugees, and the newest propaganda rap hit. Your China links.

The most senior United Nations officials are urging the world to eliminate female genital mutilation (FGM) by 2030, calling it a “violent practice” that scars girls for life, endangering their health, depriving them of their rights, and denying them the chance to reach their full potential.

The low-profile launch of the ASEAN Community may be a sign of maturity.

The founder of the WikiLeaks website, which published confidential diplomatic information, has been arbitrarily detained by Sweden and the United Kingdom since his arrest in London in December 2010, as a result of the legal action against him by both Governments, the United Nations Working Group on Arbitrary Detention said today.

Don’t hold your breath waiting for democratic transitions in Central Asia.

Event Notice: United States of Jihad: Investigating America’s Homegrown Terrorists (DC Launch), Tuesday, February 9 (New America) Pakistan Pakistan and Afghanistan intelligence chiefs meet in Islamabad On Thursday, Masoud Andarabi, the head of Afghanistan’s National Directorate of Security (NDS), met with Lt. General Rizwan Akhtar, the Director General of Pakistan’s Inter Services Intelligence (ISI), in Islamabad (VOA). ...

The Assad regime’s offensive in Aleppo, backed by heavy bombing by Russian planes, is driving thousands of people to flee the city. The new surge in displaced persons has drawn concern from Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu. “Now, 10,000 new refugees are waiting in front of the door of (the Turkish city of) Kilis because ...

By Paul McLeary with Adam Rawnsley More, more, more. Placing American commandos in Afghan army units and allowing forward air controllers to move closer to the front lines to call in airstrikes are a few of the ways that Gen. John Campbell, head of U.S. and NATO forces in Afghanistan, thinks his troops might be ...

Recent numbers indicate that some members of the bloc may be more insulated from a downturn than initially thought.

NATO says Russian submarine activity has returned to Cold War levels. What about the Pacific?

Congress fails to approve the Bangsamoro Basic Law, threatening to undermine a peace deal to end a decades-long insurgency.

The Israeli and South Korean defense industries are partnering up to develop a new Vertical Take-Off and Landing UAV.