Topic: Damascus (Syria)
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Five things international community must give Syria after Bashar al-Assad
Transition in Syria after Bashar al-Assad will be impossible without constructive international support. From outsiders, Syria will need these five key things:
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Five reasons why Syria may be at a tipping point
Since the start of the conflict in Syria, international observers have been watching the government of President Bashar al-Assad for signs that the once-feared regime might be vulnerable to overthrow. Despite Syrian efforts to crush the rebels and to stifle news out of the country, this past week has shown the strongest evidence yet that the end of the Assad regime may be near. Here are five signs that the Syrian conflict may finally be tipping in favor of the rebels.
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Hezbollah 101: Who is the militant group, and what does it want?
The Shiite militant group and political party is a player not just in Lebanon, where it is based, but across the broader Middle East. It remains a staunch opponent of Israel, which it fought to a standstill in 2006, and a close ally of Iran and Syria – despite both regimes' crackdowns on citizens Hezbollah purports to champion.
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Diplomacy or military intervention in Syria? 7 opinions from around the globe.
After 15 months of violence in Syria, President Bashar al-Assad announced yesterday that the country was facing a full-on civil war, a conflict he would do everything in his power to win.This adds increased pressure to the ongoing international question du jour: Is the answer to Syria’s conflict diplomacy or military intervention? Or something else entirely? From Thailand to Jordan, here are some opinions around the globe.
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Briefing
Syria conflict: 5 warring factions
Syria is at the nexus of some of the Middle East's most central problems, meaning that fallout from its uprising is likely to ripple, in unpredictable ways, through the region. Here's a brief guide to the actors in the conflict.
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Hariri tribunal launches legal case, prompting protests in Lebanon
The Hariri tribunal indictments submitted yesterday mark the first time that a legal case has been launched against suspects on a political assassination in Lebanon.
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US sends ambassador to Syria for the first time in six years
US ambassador Robert Ford faces a daunting list of diplomatic concerns in Syria. If he fails to make headway, the Senate could bring him home by year's end.
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Lebanon 101: Why Hezbollah hates the Hariri tribunal.
The collapse of Lebanon's coalition government has pushed the country, once again, to the brink of upheaval. The heavily-armed Hezbollah is furious that Prime Minister Saad Hariri is coperating with a United Nations tribunal investigating the assassination of his father Rafik. Here's what the tribunal is all about, and why Hezbollah opposes it:
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In Syria, a kernel of democracy
The Iraqi refugee crisis in Syria helped open the door for aid and rights groups, serving as one catalyst in the strengthening of civil society.
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Syria's underground poetry scene
Local poet Luqman Derki's weekly poetry night held in a hotel basement attracts hundreds of locals seeking to present and hear original poetry.
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Two sisters bring performance art to Syria
In Syria, a country with significant state censorship, the arts are given freer rein – which these sisters' are embracing.
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Facebook, banned in Syria, is widely used – even by the government
Syrians flagrantly violate Syria's ban on Facebook, which is blocked by the government's firewall, and government actions indicate it keeps a close eye on the site as well.
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Syrian bloggers brace for fresh blow to Middle East press freedom
A Syrian law awaiting parliamentary approval is one of a raft of measures across the region to clamp down on a surge in Internet activity over the past decade.
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Rafik Hariri murder probe hinders progress on Lebanon-Syria ties
The Hariri murder probe is getting closer to issuing indictments, straining ties between Lebanon and Syria and complicating US goals in the region.
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Hugo Chávez embraces Iran and Syria, wins Russian support for nuclear program
Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez is in the midst of one of his world tours, making friends with US enemies and getting support for his country's nascent nuclear program.
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A divided Lebanon waits for Iran's Mahmoud Ahmadinejad
Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad is making his first visit to Lebanon tomorrow. Hezbollah awaits with joy, its political opponents complain of Iranian meddling, and Israel is eying its northern border.
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Who wants to visit the Middle East? Twice as many people as in 2000.
Amid greater political stability and increased efforts to attract visitors, Middle East tourism is outstripping the markets in Asia and Europe.
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Syrian real estate market prices out young adults
The real estate market in Syria is marked by high prices, making it tough for Syrian young adults to afford to leave their parents' homes.
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Could Syria become a force for peace?
Recent policy changes in Syria offer hope. Damascus could be a wild card in the Israeli-Palestinian peace talks.
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Iran's Ahmadinejad in NY. Mothers of American hikers hope to meet him
Iran's president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad arrived in NY and talked about the two American hikers still in prision in Iran. On Sunday, Sarah Shourd underscored her gratitude at being released but said she felt only "one-third free."
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Can ignoring Hamas lead to Israeli-Palestinian peace?
Hamas, the Islamist movement that controls Gaza, is being ignored in the ongoing Israeli-Palestinian peace talks. Some think that's a big mistake.
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Israeli-Palestinian peace talks under threat from Hamas. Can Syria help?
US envoy George Mitchell arrived in Damascus today after Israeli-Palestinian peace talks culminated in Jerusalem. He may ask President Bashar Assad to lean on Hamas amid fresh Gaza air strikes.
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In Pictures: US hikers detained in Iran
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In Pictures: Eid al-Fitr around the world
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EPA to natural gas companies: Give details on 'fracking' chemicals
The natural-gas production industry has resisted providing information about fracking or hydraulic fracturing chemicals, which some say have fouled drinking-water wells.
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New top music tour destination: Damascus
Damascus is increasingly on the radar for international music tours. Artists have been surprised at the huge turnout to performances.
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An ancient echo of NYC mosque debate in Córdoba, Spain
Córdoba, Spain, was a center of art and culture under medieval Islamic rule and an inspiration for the original name of the planned New York City mosque.
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Photos of the Day: Photos of the Day 09/03
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At summer school, Iraqi refugees in Syria try to catch up
Displaced by war, children of Iraqi refugees enter ambitious programs to help compensate for missed school and the mental stresses of war. But Iraqi enrollment in Syrian schools has dropped 30 percent in the past year.
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Letters to the Editor – Weekly Issue of August 9, 2010
Readers write in about Syria and comedy during tough times.
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