Dissent in Morocco: Not All for One
By Samia Errazzouki.
When Tunisia and Libya began exhibiting what appeared to be the early stages of a popular uprising, some analysts and commentators turned to Morocco, the only remaining kingdom in North Africa, and tried to make sense of [...]
The Syrian Crisis: Russian Policy Risks Wider Conflict
By James M. Dorsey.
Synopsis
Russian support of Syrian president Bashar al-Assad’s crackdown on anti-government
insurgents bodes ill for Moscow’s ability to prevent chaos and anarchy in Syria and risks
wider conflict in the Fertile Crescent [...]
Hollande takes a jibe at Cameron
By Sanchia Alasia.
The French president François Hollande yesterday stated some home truths about the empty seats fiasco at the Olympics and made a cheeky dig at the British Prime Minister, David Cameron. Cameron probably won’t be invited [...]
Falling down – How a dropping flag represents Spain
By Oliver Krumme.
This noon, the giant Spanish flag at Madrid’s Plaza de Colón fell down from its 50 metres flagpole. A broken suspension and a worn rope were responsible for the 294 square metres flag to drop on the square that was named [...]
French artists may suffer from benefit cuts
By Sanchia Alasia.
The state auditor of France today said that unemployment benefit payments to artists and other creatives were unsustainable. France is in a rather unique position in that it artists and creatives have a special system since [...]
Hollande makes no secret of his support for Ed Miliband
By Sanchia Alasia.
UK Labour leader Ed Miliband met his socialist counterpart French president, Francois Hollande, in Paris on Tuesday.
Despite Ed not having campaigned for Hollande during his bid for the presidency, he was warmly greeted [...]
Qatar and UAE hire fired AFC Bin Hammam associates
Mohammed Bin Hammam
By James M. Dorsey.
Qatari and United Arab Emirates soccer bodies have provided employment for dismissed former Asian Football Confederation (AFC) senior staff implicated in an independent auditor’s report that questions [...]
FIFA moves closer to investigating Qatar’s World Cup bid
FIFA prosecutor Michael J. Garcia: Eyeing Qatar
By James M. Dorsey.
World soccer body FIFA moved closer to investigating its controversial awarding to Qatar of the 2022 World Cup hosting rights with the appointment of two prominent crime [...]
Le Pen v Madonna
By Sanchia Alasia.
French Front National leader Marine Le Pen announced her intentions to sue global pop star Madonna this week, for displaying a video image of her that has a swastika on her face.
Although this image was show during Madonna’s [...]
Hollande says UK’s future lies within Europe
By Sanchia Alasia.
David Cameron last month said Britain would roll out the red carpet for wealthy French nationals, but yesterday rolled out the red carpet for François Hollande’s visit to the UK, in his first official trip here as French [...]
Hollande calls for EU solidarity
By Sanchia Alasia.
François Hollande flexed his political muscles and urged the EU summit in Brussels, to support European countries such as Spain and Italy in their time of financial crisis, which may need swift action to mitigate the impact [...]
Sudanese anti-government protests mushroom
By James M. Dorsey
Sudanese students are demanding the fall of President Omar Hassan Ahmed al-Bashir’s government in growing daily demonstrations that come 15 months after student protests nearly forced the African Football Confederation [...]
Wikileaks: Togo, Boko and Nine Dead French Soldiers
By Christine Axsmith.
Arms Trafficking in the Ivory Coast
The released Wikileaks cable below basically alleges that nine French soldiers and an American citizen were killed by an attack on a French airbase by the Government of the Ivory Coast. [...]
Amid development failures, some see reduced foreign aid as a boon to Afghanistan
By James M. Dorsey.
Two small boys hold socks they received during a humanitarian aid mission organized by the U.S. Air Force in Kabul, Afghanistan.
Photo by: isafmedia / CC BY-NC-SA As
Afghanistan braces for reduced foreign aid as part of [...]
Syria: Saudi Arabia’s policy conundrum
Syria: Saudi Arabia’s policy conundrum
By James M. Dorsey
Synopsis
Saudi Arabia is faced with the succession of its ageing leadership following the death
of Crown Prince Nayef at a time that the 89-year old King Abdullah is countering
efforts [...]
A sleeping dragon awakes: Kurds Take Centre Stage in West Asia
A sleeping dragon awakes:
Kurds Take Centre Stage in West Asia
By James M. Dorsey
Synopsis
As popular uprisings and post-revolt transitions change the political, economic and social structures of the Middle East, Kurds, [...]