Avi Asher-Schapiro
Islamic State Just Kidnapped 300 Cement Factory Workers in Syria
During fierce fighting within 30 miles of the Syrian capital of Damascus, IS fighters managed to abduct hundreds of workers from a cement factory. Their fates are unknown.
Leaked Video Shows How Business Lobbyists Conspire Against a Higher Minimum Wage
A Council of State Chambers of Commerce webinar suggests that business leaders can keep wages low by not talking about the issue while redirecting the political conversation to "creating more jobs."
Israeli Judge: Evidence Against Soldier Who Allegedly Executed Palestinian is 'Inconclusive'
The Israeli army says the Palestinian, who was later identified as Abed al-Fatah al-Sharif, had tried to stab an Israeli soldier right before the camera started recording.
Companies Are Leaving the West Bank as International Boycott Campaign Gains Ground
As activists protest Israeli companies operating in the West Bank, which much of the world regards as illegally occupied, a number of them have chosen to move their operations elsewhere.
After Shooting Video Goes Viral, Israeli Soldier Faces Murder Investigation
The soldier suspected of pulling the trigger appeared in military court on Friday and is expected to face murder charges. His lawyer says the shooting was an act of self-defense.
Video Shows Israeli Army Executing Palestinian After Alleged Stabbing
The footage appears to show an Israeli soldier shoot a defenseless Palestinian man in the head in the West Bank city of Hebron — after the video went viral, Israeli leaders vowed to investigate, while Palestinians called the killing a war crime.
US General Apologizes in Person for Bombing MSF Hospital in Afghanistan
Last October, a US gunship bombed a hospital in Kunduz, killing 42 people and wounding 37 others. Five months later, the new US commander in Afghanistan visited the city and apologized.
The US-led Coalition Bombed the University of Mosul for Being an Islamic State Headquarters
The functioning university was bombed as part of a massive daytime barrage against the Islamic State-occupied city of Mosul in Iraq over the weekend. The Pentagon said it is reviewing reports of civilian deaths.
Nobody Knows if Amazon Pays Men More Than Women — But That Might Change
Amazon didn't want its shareholders to be able to vote on a resolution calling for clear policies and goals on gender pay equity at the company. But the Security and Exchange Commission just cleared the way for a vote.
The US Poured Taxpayer Money Into Terrible Construction Projects in Afghanistan
Among the projects detailed at a Congressional hearing today were a $2.8 million storage facility that's been empty since its completion in 2014, and a half-million dollar firing range built for the Afghan Police that "melted" when it rained.
The Kurds Are Planning to Declare Their Own Autonomous Region in Syria
The Kurds have asserted de-facto control of a large swath of northern Syria amid the civil war — now they are poised to formally declare their own federal system.
The Pentagon Says the Islamic State's 'Minister of War' Is Dead — For Real This Time
A week after the Pentagon said it had likely killed Omar al-Shishani, officials are confirming that the Islamic State commander is indeed dead.