Kofi Annan, Former U.N. Secretary-General and Nobel Peace Prize Winner, Dies at 80

JOHN HEILPRIN and FRANCIS KOKUTSE / The Associated Press Aug 18, 2018 Annan was one of the world's most celebrated diplomats and a charismatic symbol of the United Nations who rose through its ranks to become its first black African leader. Dig deeper ( 7 Min. Read )

Politics

High-Profile Member Quits Panel on Rohingya Refugee Crisis

FOSTER KLUG / The Associated Press Jan 24, 2018 An upset Bill Richardson, former governor of New Mexico, calls the advisory body a “whitewash and a cheerleading operation” for Myanmar leader Aung San Suu Kyi. Dig deeper ( 4 Min. Read )

Stalemate Is Preferable to Intervention in Syria

William Pfaff / Truthdig Sep 12, 2012 The major threat in the Middle East to international peace is Syria's civil war, not the rhetorical battles between Iran and an Israel that claims to be straining against its American leash. Dig deeper ( 4 Min. Read )

Updates on the Syrian Conflict

Staff / Truthdig May 30, 2012 Among the latest developments in the Syrian humanitarian crisis, China and Russia have reaffirmed their opposition to a forced regime change; Turkey and Japan joined 11 other countries in expelling Syrian diplomats, and the U.N.’s Human Rights Council is due to meet to discuss the massacre in the city of Houla. Dig deeper ( 2 Min. Read )

Violence Persists in Syria Despite Peace Agreement

Staff / Truthdig Mar 28, 2012 Despite news of the Syrian government's acceptance of a peace plan brought in by special envoy Kofi Annan a day before, by Wednesday it was clear that those headlines didn't mean much in the way of actual progress in Syria. Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

Syria Accepts Annan’s Peace Plan

Staff / Truthdig Mar 27, 2012 Former United Nations secretary-general and current U.N. and Arab League envoy Kofi Annan said Tuesday that his bid to get Syrian President Bashar al-Assad (above) and his administration to accept a peace plan Annan proposed has been successful. Enacting it, however, is another matter. Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

Russia Changes Stance on Syria

Staff / Truthdig Mar 20, 2012 On Tuesday, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey V. Lavrov signaled a shift in his country's position vis-à-vis the ongoing crisis in Syria, indicating that Russia may be willing to cooperate more with the U.N. Security Council's proposed plan, but with some stipulations. Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

Putin Bags Chinese Peace Prize

Staff / Truthdig Nov 16, 2011 The competition included Bill Gates, Angela Merkel and Kofi Annan, among others, but this week a little-known organization called the China International Peace Research Center named Russia's bombastic Prime Minister (more). Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

Climate Change Kills

Staff / Truthdig May 29, 2009 Researchers have issued a report declaring that climate change is already killing 300,000 people a year and that the number will only increase as heat, flood, storm and fire combine to create "the greatest humanitarian challenge the world faces." Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

Kenya Talks on Hold

Staff / Truthdig Feb 27, 2008 Former U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan has suspended negotiations in Kenya, saying, "The leaders have to assume their responsibilities and become directly engaged in these talks." Annan has been mediating a political crisis marked by tribal violence that has claimed at least 1,500 lives. Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

Annan Rebukes U.S. for Abusing Power

Staff / Truthdig Dec 12, 2006 Speaking from the Truman Library in his last speech as UN secretary-general, Kofi Annan excoriated the United States for abusing its power in the world community: "No nation can make itself secure by seeking supremacy over others" Read the speech. Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

United Nations Secretary-General Saddened by Iraq War

Staff / Truthdig Dec 4, 2006 As he prepares to leave office after 10 years, U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan spoke to the BBC about his sorrow at not being able to prevent the war in Iraq, and described the violence there as "much worse" than civil war. Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )