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6th August 2012
In the debate on Syria at the UN General Assembly last week, Bashar al-Jaafari, the Syrian representative, hit back at Arab Gulf states which have lined up against the Assad regime, accusing them of dishonest motives. To quote the Syrian government news agency's report of his speech ...
"Al-Jaafari… Read more
23rd July 2012
Following last week's assassination of several key figures, there are signs that the Assad regime is beginning to feel seriously threatened. It has taken the unprecedented step of warning the public that two of its most central institutions – the Republican Guard and the state TV – should be viewed… Read more
14th June 2012
So, is it a civil war or not? This question has dominated much of the public discussion about Syria over the last couple of days. Some say it is a civil war and some say it isn't, while others warn that if it isn't a civil war already it's going to become one very soon.
"Civil war", of course, is… Read more
10th June 2012
President Assad, like all dictators, is fond of talking about sovereignty. "Our guiding light is always Syria's sovereignty," he said in his speech on Monday.
Sovereignty is indeed at the heart of the Syrian conflict, but not in the way that Assad imagines it. When Assad claims sovereignty what he… Read more
4th June 2012
How does this sound as a way to end the conflict in Syria?
Step one: The Syrian parliament grants immunity from prosecution to President Assad and his closest associates.
Step two: Assad resigns as Syria's president but remains head of the Baath party, which in… Read more
1st June 2012
Egypt claims to have succeeded in blocking discussion of "health care issues concerning the homosexual community" at the World Health Organisation's board meeting on 29-30 May.
According to health minister Mostafa Hamed, Egypt was joined by other member states of the Eastern Mediterranean and… Read more
13th May 2012
Last week's parliamentary elections in Algeria, which saw the regime strengthen its hold on power, have been broadly welcomed by western governments.
Hillary Clinton, the US secretary of state, said the elections were "a welcome step in Algeria's progress toward democratic reform", and William… Read more
11th May 2012
Last night's presidential sparring match in Egypt proved a huge success – at least for the TV companies who managed to spin it out to four-and-a-half hours with a barrage of lucrative advertising.
As for the candidates – who knows? The debate itself began with handshakes but inevitably descended… Read more
9th May 2012
Ahmed Ouyahia, Algerian prime minister
The Algerian election campaign reached a climax (of sorts) at the weekend with a disastrously misjudged speech by prime minister Ahmed Ouyahia, who attacked the Arab Spring as "a plague" which is sweeping the region. Its effects can be seen, he said, in… Read more
7th May 2012
Election workers in Syria. Photo posted by Lyse Doucet of the BBC (@bbclysedoucet).
To describe today's parliamentary election in Syria as "cosmetic" would probably be over-generous. Nobody expects it to change the political reality and it's unlikely to change appearances much, either.… Read more
ARAB ART ONLINE: Susan Hefuna: Al Sabr Gamil (Patience is Beautiful) 2007. Ink stained on wood 140 x 170 cm. More information | Click to enlarge
