Tag: united kingdom

Editorial: Pope Benedict uses Holy Week, and the coming beatification of John Paul II, to face down the Church’s demons. And acknowledge its durability.

No, the battle for Abidjan is not over. In a vast and densely populated area of the Ivory Coast’s largest city, Laurent Gbagbo loyalists are still fighting 10 days after his arrest.

The Libyan rebel city is witnessing a torrent of journalistic enthusiasm, with new TV stations and free newspapers giving voice to the revolution.

At the gates of Benghazi, military training is being dispensed to all those eager to go to the frontlines. But enthusiasm can’t make up for poor hardware.

Though he still cites Al-Qaeda as one of his prime enemies, Muammar Gaddafi issued the first international arrest warrant for Osama bin Laden in 1998. Is there a connection between the mysterious death of a German agent and Libyan efforts to capture the t

The United Nations’ proactive response in the Ivory Coast and Libya has rejuvenated its image worldwide, though some question the motives of Ban Ki-Moon’s prompt intervention.

Essay: A public appeal to the West from the leader of the Libyan rebels, Moustapha Abdel Jalil: ‘Give us time — and arms…’ for negotiating with Gaddafi is not an option.

Counted out just a week ago, see up close how the Ivory Coast’s Laurent Gbagbo has held on despite much of his country and virtually all the world stacked against him. Amongst his weapons: his Christian faith, a mercurial wife and a canny surviva

After friendly fire deaths from NATO air strikes, rebels realize the West’s air support is not enough to topple Gaddafi.

While John Paul II relied on Polish nuns, Benedict XVI has turned to members of a Catholic lay association to maintain the papal apartment. His personal secretary Mons. Georg Ganswein keeps up his daily schedule. And when it’s lunchtime, they all

A R A B I C A ارابيكا POPULAR THREAT The Facebook page of the “Syrian Revolution 2011” currently features a menacing message promising surprises for the Syrian regime. The message reads: 

”On this day, Tuesday, April 5, 2011, and after putting our faith in God, we shall surprise the oppressive and terrorist police state […]

A R A B I C A ارابيكا VIDEO LETTER *Social media gives Arab citizens a way to communicate with their leadership directly, bypassing the heavily censored traditional media, and shattering taboos in the process with what has become stunning frequency. In Jordan, a “Letter to Jordan’s King Abdullah from a young man” was posted […]

For now, the Western coalition has focused on air support for Libyan rebels rather than arms supplies. So beleaguered anti-Gaddafi forces have resorted to constructing their own weapons. Here’s how.

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad finally addressed the nation in a televised speech. As with recent pronouncements from Libyan leader Moammar Gaddafi, Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh and Bahrain’s King Hamad Al Khalifa, Assad’s performance contained all the classic elements of the time-tested Arab strongman’s harangue A R A B I C A ارابيكا By Kristen […]

Air support from Western powers has helped the Libyan rebels, but they are outgunned by Gaddafi’s forces along a complicated political and tribal landscape.

A R A B I C A ارابيكا SIZING UP SYRIA *Pan-Arab news website Elaph.com reports witnesses in Daraa as saying that members of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard are part of the 5,000-strong troop contingent surrounding the southern Syrian city. There are also reports of “Hezbollah elements’ in both Daraa and the northern city of […]

In the town where Syria’s popular revolt began a week ago, and where dozens or more were reportedly shot dead by government troops, there is no sign protesters are ready to surrender. Protesters disperse after police open fire in Daraa (Youtube) DARAA – The capital, Damascus, may be staunchly behind Syrian President Bashar Assad, as […]

A R A B I C A ارابيكا LIBYA instant analysis …forces loyal to Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi barraged the western city of Misurata as allied airstrikes entered their fourth day. An item on the BBC’s Arabic page warns that “the specter of Iraq looms over Libya crisis.” Foreign military intervention in both countries is […]

The Libyan leader has turned for additional firepower to the Tuareg berber people, who have a history of relations with Tripoli — and their own longstanding conflict with the Niger government.

A R A B I C A ارابيكا ON THE GROUND *Forces loyal to Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi barraged the western city of Misurata as allied airstrikes entered their fourth day. An item on the BBC’s Arabic page warns that “the specter of Iraq looms over Libya crisis.” Foreign military intervention in both countries is […]

What pushed Libyans to rise up against Gaddafi’s regime? It may have all begun with the Feb. 15 arrest of Fathi Tirbil, a young Benghazi attorney known for his probes into earlier massacres.

Rebel fighters in Benghazi thank France and allies for their military intervention, say bombing barrage arrived just in time.

Human shields and Shakira beats. The view from one of the foreign journalists accredited by the regime to report from Tripoli, as the Western-led missile attacks begin.

A R A B I C A ارابيكا CONFLICTING REPORTS #1 *A tweet from Ahmad Humeid on Libya: “God is great, thankfully in Benghazi after the news of the vote on the no-fly zone.” *But Al Jazeera reports that Gaddafi’s forces continued to bomb rebels after declaring the ceasefire. *In Mitsurata, “witnesses said Gaddafi’s troops […]

A R A B I C A ارابيكا LIBYAN WAR * CNN Arabic reports Libyan state television declaring east Ajdabiya under control of Muammar Gaddafi’s forces, and broadcasting a warning to residents in Benghazi that the armed forces are “coming to liberate them and cleanse the city of gangs.” *Gaddafi’s forces appear to be encroaching […]

A R A B I C A ارابيكا FROM THE BATTLEFIELD *Forces loyal to Muammar Gaddafi continued to advance on outgunned rebels, as a possible showdown in Benghazi loomed. Still the anti-regime forces claim to have captured dozens of Gaddafi’s forces along with seven tanks still in working condition during Tuesday’s battles, showing off video […]

A R A B I C A ارابيكا By Kristen Gillespie EGYPT PROGRESS *Egypt announced it will dissolve the loathed state-security intelligence services, long accused of torture and other grave human-rights abuses. It is hard to overstate the role these intelligence services have played – and continue to play — in Arab countries, helping to […]