For These Asylum Seekers, the Journey Ends Where it Began

Life has deteriorated for many Afghans since the U.S. invasion in 2001. A large number attempt to claim asylum in Iran, yet often face rights violations upon entry.

“Of course I’m scared, but what else can I possibly do?” -- Ahmed, from Bamiyan, 130km northwest of Kabul

FULL STORY: http://bit.ly/1t3LfLK

OPINION: Bishop Appeals to U.N. to Rescue Minorities in Northwestern Iraq

In this piece, Bishop Bawai Soro calls for "long-term institutional solutions overseen by the United Nations and aimed at protecting the human right to life of the minority Chaldea and Assyrian Christians, and their Yazidi neighbours," in response to the concerted effort by ISIS to extinguish the groups.

"The future of a united Iraq depends on maintaining peace, stability and economic prosperity for all the peoples inhabiting this ancient land." -- Bishop Bawai Soro

FULL STORY: http://bit.ly/1AGzbjX

Mideast Nuclear Weapons-Free Zone Remains in Limbo

After four years of negotiation the proposed nuclear-free zone in the Middle East remains undecided at the United Nations. However, UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon remains committed establishing such a zone.

“I remain fully committed to convening a conference on the establishment of a Middle East zone, free of nuclear weapons and all other weapons of mass destruction,” -- UNSG Ban Ki- Moon

FULL STORY: http://bit.ly/1uo5pR5

World’s Last Remaining Forest Wilderness at Risk

A newly released satellite study suggests that since 2000 rainforest area 3 times the size of Germany has been destroyed.

“Every four seconds, an area of the size of a football (soccer) field is lost,” -- Christoph Thies of Greenpeace International

FULL STORY: http://bit.ly/1rSucxU

ISIS Carrying Out Ethnic Cleansing on “Historic Scale”

A newly published report by London-based human rights group Amnesty International accuses the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) of systematic targeting of non-Arab and non-Sunni Muslim communities.

"The Islamic State is carrying out despicable crimes and has transformed rural areas of Sinjar into blood-soaked killing fields in its brutal campaign to obliterate all trade of non-Arabs and non-Sunni Muslims" --  Donatella Rovera, Amnesty’s senior crisis response adviser

FULL STORY: http://bit.ly/1lIBuBO

OPINION: Civil Society Calls For Impartial Inquiry on Air Crash and Catastrophe in Ukraine

In this piece, New York Director of the Nuclear Age Peace Foundation Alice Slater analyses the current situation in Eastern Europe.

"They (members of NATO together with Russia and Ukraine) must engage in diplomacy and negotiations, not war and hostile alienating actions"

FULL STORY: http://bit.ly/1Cnyf7G

Struggling to Find Water in the Vast Pacific

A combination of poor infrastructure, inadequate fresh water sources and climate change is leaving some communities in the Pacific Islands struggling to meet their water requirements.

“Instead of saving money for the children, their education, food and clothes, most of our income is spent on water,” -- 

Laisene Nafatali, in Lotofaga village

FULL STORY: http://bit.ly/1vDozEh

Large Dams “Highly Correlated” with Poor Water Quality

A new large scale study that tracks data from projects around the world suggests that high levels of mercury and trapped sediment are often found at large dams. 

“Many of the world’s great river basins have been dammed to the point of serious decline.” -- International Rivers

FULL STORY: http://bit.ly/1qNORjI

These Children Just Want to Go Back to School

In North Waziristan Agency in the Federally Administered Tribal Areas of Pakistan, an offensive against the Taliban was launched in June by the government. This has further disrupted young people's education - children being the less visible victims in this conflict.

“We will rebuild them once the military action is complete and the Taliban are defeated,” -- Ishtiaqullah Khan, deputy director of the FATA directorate for education speaking about the several hundred schools in the region which have been damaged in the past decade

FULL STORY: http://bit.ly/1p6MG5B

Innovation Offers Hope in Sri Lanka’s Poverty-Stricken North

After thirty years of civil war in Sri Lanka's Northern Province, 5 years of peace has allowed respite in which to rejuvenate the economy with innovative practices.

“I can’t take a chance by depending on one source of income, I have to be sure that I have alternatives,” --  Mashewari Vellupillai, a 53-year-old single mother from Oddusuddan

FULL STORY: http://bit.ly/1rvBwz2

Dumping Ban Urged for Australia’s Iconic Reef

In 1981 the Great Barrier Reef was designated a World Heritage Area, and is home to 10 percent of all the fish on the planet.

In the past week documents obtained by ABC's investigative team show scientists from the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority oppose dumping on the Reef, despite the Authority having recently approved the dumping of 5 million tonnes of dredging spoil in the region.

“That decision has to be a political decision. It is not supported by science at all, and I was absolutely flabbergasted when I heard,”Charlie Veron, former chief scientist at the Australian Institute of Marine Science

FULL STORY: http://bit.ly/1ohKrwk

Israel, Hamas Set to Escape War Crimes Charges

Legal experts are suggesting that it is unlikely that IDF or Hamas forces liable for war crimes will be investigated by the International Criminal Court in The Hague. Any potential recourse to this action through a Security Council resolution would likely be vetoed by the United States, Britain or France.

“Our hope to hold Israel accountable should be in the outpouring of opposition to these crimes by citizens throughout the world. Ultimately, the courts will need to act,” -- Michael Ratner, Center for Constitutional Rights

FULL STORY: http://bit.ly/1tAOoRj

Despite Current Debate, Police Militarisation Goes Beyond U.S. Borders

Calls came this week for demilitarisation of U.S. police forces following the shooting of unarmed teenager Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri. However concern has not extended to the rising support in Washington for financial aid to foreign police forces with questionable records. With reference to Kenya's Anti-Terrorism Police Unit, against which allegations of human rights abuses have been made, Jehanne Henry, a senior researcher with HRW’s Africa division, told IPS

“The goals of supporting the police in general are laudable and in line with concerns over rule of law. The problem here is it’s clear that, notwithstanding the goals of the assistance, it’s serving to undermine rule of law because the ATPU is taking matters into its own hands. So, our call is for donors to be smarter about providing this kind of assistance.”

FULL STORY: http://bit.ly/1BxWXBY

Burning the Future of Gaza’s Children

The U.N. Children's Fund (UNICEF) has noted the "devastating toll... on Gaza's youngest and most vulnerable" due to Israeli airstrikes.

“UNICEF and its local partners have been implementing psychosocial support programmes in Gaza schools where refugee families are sheltering. We have a moral responsibility to protect the right of children to live in safety and dignity in accordance with U.N. charter for children’s rights,” -- Monika Awad, spokesperson for UNICEF in Jerusalem

FULL STORY: http://bit.ly/1o4eJTg

Protecting America’s Underwater Serengeti

President Obama has plans to double the extent of the world's no-fishing zones in an attempt to preserve rare marine life.

“This would be by far the single greatest act of marine conservation in history,” Daniel Pauly, fisheries scientist at the University of British Columbia

FULL STORY: http://bit.ly/1rGyFil

No Victors or Vanquished in Brutal Gaza Conflict

After a one month long conflict which killed 2000, it is unclear which side furthered its political aims. 

“What has been the political value of this fight?” asked Vijay Prashad, George and Martha Kellner Chair of South Asian History and professor of International Studies at Trinity College in Connecticut.

FULL STORY: http://bit.ly/1sYTvuk