Month: January 2014

With no progress in the negotiations, Syria’s will miss next week’s deadline to rid itself of chemical weapons, but the slaughter continues with conventional weapons … Brahimi Says No Substantive Progress on Syria but Hopeful (Reuters) Exclusive: Syria Has Shipped Out Less than 5 Percent of Chemical Weapons (Reuters) Syria Wiping Neighbourhoods off the Map to…

The “change to a political roadmap that could pave the way for the swift election of army chief General Abdel Fattah al-Sisi” but the change in the “order of elections is likely to deepen tensions in Egypt, which is struggling to cope with waves of political violence” … Egypt Calls Early Presidential Election as Violence…

The Egyptian junta disgraces itself by charging a respected Egyptian scholar and advocate for freedom with “espionage”: Renowned Scholar in Egypt Charged With Espionage (NY Times) Emad Shahin’s Statement to Students, Family and Friends (Minaret of Freedom Institute) “[T]his new government wants to totally control the flow of information and wants to limit Egyptians’ exposure…

With Iran locked out and a background of hurled claims and counter-claims of terrorism and atrocities and with the principals closed-minded on the main bone of contention (whether either side will allow the other a role in future elections, let alone the transition government), the Syrian talks are off to a rocky start: As Syria…

That the violence in Central African Republic, like most religious strife, is due to religious identity rather than religious teachings is underscored by the Christian church that shelters Muslims from the Christian militants intent on slaughtering them: Church Shelters Muslims from Central African Killing (AFP / Google) Central African Republic Muslims Killed in Sectarian Fighting…

“It comes as no surprise: the constitution won wide support among Egyptians who backed the army overthrow of President Mohamed Mursi in July, and there was little or no trace of a no campaign as the state presses a campaign on dissent” …  Egypt Approves New Constitution, Early Results Show (Christian Science Monitor) … and now pious Egyptian…

“Parties that control the violence won’t be present at the meeting, and even if they were, conditions for peace aren’t present, given that both rebel factions and the Assad government and its supporters feel they’re locked in an existential struggle”: More Wishful Thinking on Syria (Christian Science Monitor) The junta hopes a big turnout will lend…