David Roberts

Syria in Balance: Broken Borders, Unbroken Alliances

Syria in Balance: Broken Borders, Unbroken Alliances

DAVID ROBERTS: Russia is unfazed about alienating swathes of the Middle East not to mention the majority of Syrians, believing in time their position can be reasserted

 Ramzy Baroud

‘Freedom for Freedom’s Sake’: What Binds Arabs

‘Freedom for Freedom’s Sake’: What Binds Arabs

RAMZY BAROUD: Euphoria has given way to hard truth throughout the Arab world. It’s difficult to generalise but there are certain commonalities

 Steve Royston

‘An Uncommon Lunch’: Kings, Queens and ‘Exes’

‘An Uncommon Lunch’: Kings, Queens and ‘Exes’

STEVE ROYSTON: There was a bit of commotion about the King of Bahrain’s attendance at a recent lunch in the UK. I was struck by another issue

 Common Ground News Service

Palestine/Israel: A Tragedy ‘In The Purest Sense’

Palestine/Israel: A Tragedy ‘In The Purest Sense’

MICHAEL FELSEN, CGNEWS: The writing of Anton Chekhov provides a picture of how Palestinians and Israelis will end their conflict

 Juan Cole

The U.S/Israeli Plan for Iran: It’s Doomed

The U.S/Israeli Plan for Iran: It’s Doomed

JUAN COLE: It’s well worth looking at previous situations where major powers tried to use economics to bring Iran to heel.

 Crossroads Arabia

‘Suspect’ Shisha Banished from Mecca

‘Suspect’ Shisha Banished from Mecca

CROSSROADS ARABIA: Mecca has become a smokeless environment, with Shisha, religiously suspect, being banished to the city’s limits.

 Common Ground News Service

Arab UK Festival Celebrates Multiculturalism

Arab UK Festival Celebrates Multiculturalism

NADA AKL, CGNEWS: A festival held recently in London brought Arabs and non-Arabs together to reflect upon and celebrate true mutliculturalism.

 James M. Dorsey

Strauss-Kahn Arrest puts European control of IMF at risk

Strauss-Kahn Arrest puts European control of IMF at risk

JAMES M. DORSEY: Emerging markets are demanding that the heads of major international institutions be chosen on the basis of merit…

 Steve Royston

Islamaphobia and the Clash of Civilizations

Islamaphobia and the Clash of Civilizations

STEVE ROYSTON: If I was advising the UK on a strategy to contain Islamophobia, it would be to communicate the distinction between faith and behaviour.

 Marium Sattar

1001 Inventions Challenge Western Sterotypes

1001 Inventions Challenge Western Sterotypes

MARIUM SATTAR: An exhibition showcasing the discoveries of Islam’s ‘Golden Age’ has attracted visitors in the hundreds of thousands, and helped overturn some pervasive prejudices.

 Mohamed Marwen Meddah

The Writing’s on the Wall: The Arabic Content Crisis

The Writing’s on the Wall: The Arabic Content Crisis

MOHAMED MARWEN MEDDAH: Only one pct of content online is Arabic. Shocking yes, but the problem is much much bigger…

 James Mullan

Frenemies, NBFs, Snatch Squads…

Frenemies, NBFs, Snatch Squads…

President throws stone, new ‘best friends forever’ hang out, Obama snubbed, ‘The Elders’ regional tour kicks off. A week is, indeed, a long time in Middle East politics