Recent Articles
Fearful Jews begin Europe Exodus
1st June 2014
Last weekend’s killings in Brussels are an extreme example of a rising anti-semitism driving thousands to Israel, Britain and America
1st June 2014
Last weekend’s killings in Brussels are an extreme example of a rising anti-semitism driving thousands to Israel, Britain and America
Benjamin Netanyahu Accused of Meddling in Election to Replace Shimon Peres
29th May 2014
Benjamin Netanyahu has been accused of repeatedly trying to change the outcome of the contest to succeed Shimon Peres as Israel's president
29th May 2014
Benjamin Netanyahu has been accused of repeatedly trying to change the outcome of the contest to succeed Shimon Peres as Israel's president
Pope Steps into Bethlehem Cauldron
25th May 2014
CONTROVERSY threatens to overshadow the Pope’s visit to Bethlehem today where he will discover the plight of a dwindling Christian community that feels intimidated by its Muslim neighbours.
25th May 2014
CONTROVERSY threatens to overshadow the Pope’s visit to Bethlehem today where he will discover the plight of a dwindling Christian community that feels intimidated by its Muslim neighbours.
Map left by Britain’s feckless Indiana Jones leads to ‘Citadel of King David’
11th May 2014
A SET of caves beneath Jerusalem, first mapped by a treasure hunting English adventurer searching for the lost ark of the covenant, have led Israeli archeologists to an ancient site which they claim is the citadel captured by King David over 3,000 years ago. The British dig over a century ago loosely inspired the Hollywood film Raiders of the Lost Ark, in which Indiana Jones played by Harrison Ford, went in pursuit of the ark, which holds the key to human existence. [...]
11th May 2014
A SET of caves beneath Jerusalem, first mapped by a treasure hunting English adventurer searching for the lost ark of the covenant, have led Israeli archeologists to an ancient site which they claim is the citadel captured by King David over 3,000 years ago. The British dig over a century ago loosely inspired the Hollywood film Raiders of the Lost Ark, in which Indiana Jones played by Harrison Ford, went in pursuit of the ark, which holds the key to human existence. [...]
West Bank, High Fashion
6th May 2014
A suave electric violin player takes his place on the runway around the edge of the swimming pool at a glitzy hotel. Dance music begins, and glamorous women mingle and pose for photographs, wearing platform heels, designer jackets and patterned silk. Their hair, professionally styled, would not be out of place on the red carpet at the Oscars. Only this isn’t Hollywood, this is second annual Palestine Fashion Week, held in Ramallah, West Bank.
6th May 2014
A suave electric violin player takes his place on the runway around the edge of the swimming pool at a glitzy hotel. Dance music begins, and glamorous women mingle and pose for photographs, wearing platform heels, designer jackets and patterned silk. Their hair, professionally styled, would not be out of place on the red carpet at the Oscars. Only this isn’t Hollywood, this is second annual Palestine Fashion Week, held in Ramallah, West Bank.
Bashar al-Assad's Israeli Palace
5th May 2014
Dozens of tanks slowly approach the soaring walls of President Bashar al-Assad’s grandiose palace, their barrels leveled at the Syrian dictator’s stronghold. Everything is on a knife-edge. The tense scene is straight from the front lines of Syria’s revolution—except it’s playing out in Israel, more than 100 miles from the real Damascus palace.
5th May 2014
Dozens of tanks slowly approach the soaring walls of President Bashar al-Assad’s grandiose palace, their barrels leveled at the Syrian dictator’s stronghold. Everything is on a knife-edge. The tense scene is straight from the front lines of Syria’s revolution—except it’s playing out in Israel, more than 100 miles from the real Damascus palace.
Bad Times for the Good Samaritans?
May 2014
The descendants of the Good Samaritan are not only alive and well in the Holy Land, but are also on a quest for love. Finding a partner is difficult in a community of fewer than 800 members, all of whom are blood relations. With genetic diseases threatening their future, Samaritans are, for the first time in their long history, marrying outside the community. Which is how Natasha, 23, from Nikolaevskaya Oblast in Ukraine found herself perched on a holy mountain in the West Bank and following the religious laws of one of the smallest ethnic communities in the world.
May 2014
The descendants of the Good Samaritan are not only alive and well in the Holy Land, but are also on a quest for love. Finding a partner is difficult in a community of fewer than 800 members, all of whom are blood relations. With genetic diseases threatening their future, Samaritans are, for the first time in their long history, marrying outside the community. Which is how Natasha, 23, from Nikolaevskaya Oblast in Ukraine found herself perched on a holy mountain in the West Bank and following the religious laws of one of the smallest ethnic communities in the world.
In West Bank, good Samaritans seek foreign brides
30th April 2014
Samaritans, an ancient, shrinking religious sect, are replenishing their ranks by scouting brides from Ukraine and other countries.
30th April 2014
Samaritans, an ancient, shrinking religious sect, are replenishing their ranks by scouting brides from Ukraine and other countries.
Starving Syrians Boil Frogs for Food
21st April 2014
Refugees in Syria are eating mushrooms grown in plastic bags and frogs caught in the streets
21st April 2014
Refugees in Syria are eating mushrooms grown in plastic bags and frogs caught in the streets
Fatah and Hamas Agree Unity Government
23rd April 2014
Faltering Middle East talks were plunged further into chaos on Wednesday after two rival Palestinian factions agreed to form a new unity government that could include members opposed to Israel's existence.
23rd April 2014
Faltering Middle East talks were plunged further into chaos on Wednesday after two rival Palestinian factions agreed to form a new unity government that could include members opposed to Israel's existence.
Israeli hospital cares for Syrian children
13 March 201A visit to an Israeli hospital close to the Lebanese and Syrian borders where Syrian children, some badly wounded and traumatized by the war, are treated by Israeli physicians.
13 March 201A visit to an Israeli hospital close to the Lebanese and Syrian borders where Syrian children, some badly wounded and traumatized by the war, are treated by Israeli physicians.
Israeli doctor treating Syrians says snipers deliberately shoot children in the spine
14th March 2014
Doctor makes claim after UN report shows child casualty rates in Syria are the highest recorded in any recent conflict in the region
14th March 2014
Doctor makes claim after UN report shows child casualty rates in Syria are the highest recorded in any recent conflict in the region
High-Tech Israelis Aim for the Moon
March 2014
What would have happened if the meteor that hit Siberia in February 2013 had been hurtling towards the Middle East? Israeli scientists say they have state-of-the-art technology that could have intercepted it. While the UK is busy replicating Silicon Valley on London's Old Street roundabout, Israeli high-tech start-ups continue to propel themselves farther into the realm of science fiction.
March 2014
What would have happened if the meteor that hit Siberia in February 2013 had been hurtling towards the Middle East? Israeli scientists say they have state-of-the-art technology that could have intercepted it. While the UK is busy replicating Silicon Valley on London's Old Street roundabout, Israeli high-tech start-ups continue to propel themselves farther into the realm of science fiction.
David Cameron may have to cancel Israel visit over strikes
7th March 2014
High-profile figures, including the Pope and Prime Minister David Cameron, may have to call off official visits to Israel due a strike led by the unlikeliest of culprits - Israel’s own diplomats.
7th March 2014
High-profile figures, including the Pope and Prime Minister David Cameron, may have to call off official visits to Israel due a strike led by the unlikeliest of culprits - Israel’s own diplomats.
Passenger planes could be protected from terrorists by laser defence shield
27th February 2014
Israel carries out series of tests included a wide variety of threats that the SkyShield system would have to tackle in order to protect passenger aircrafts
27th February 2014
Israel carries out series of tests included a wide variety of threats that the SkyShield system would have to tackle in order to protect passenger aircrafts
Israel's Ultra-Orthodox Jews in Mass Anti Draft Protest
2nd March 2014
In perhaps the biggest demonstration ever seen in the nation’s history, a sea of ultra-Orthodox men and boys blocked the city’s main thoroughfares as 3,500 police were deployed to maintain security.
2nd March 2014
In perhaps the biggest demonstration ever seen in the nation’s history, a sea of ultra-Orthodox men and boys blocked the city’s main thoroughfares as 3,500 police were deployed to maintain security.
Hundreds of thousands of settlers may stay put under leaked framework for Middle East peace deal
31st January 2014
A senior US official involved in negotiations is reported to have briefed that final settlement could also provide compensation for victims on both sides of historic conflict
31st January 2014
A senior US official involved in negotiations is reported to have briefed that final settlement could also provide compensation for victims on both sides of historic conflict
'We need a 1000 SodaStreams Around Here'
31st January 2014
My dispatch from the SodaStream factor in Mishor Adumim
31st January 2014
My dispatch from the SodaStream factor in Mishor Adumim
Israeli jets suspected of attacking Syrian missile store
27th January
Storerooms holding the missiles near the port city of Latakia were hit by Israeli war planes late on Sunday, according to a Syrian opposition source talking to Israel Radio. No confirmed details of the strike had emerged last night.
27th January
Storerooms holding the missiles near the port city of Latakia were hit by Israeli war planes late on Sunday, according to a Syrian opposition source talking to Israel Radio. No confirmed details of the strike had emerged last night.
Himmler Letters: 'I am travelling to Auschwitz. Kisses, Your Heini.'
26th January 2014
A collection of letters, notes and photographs from Heinrich Himmler are to be published in full on Sunday, shedding light on the private life of the man who orchestrated the Holocaust.
26th January 2014
A collection of letters, notes and photographs from Heinrich Himmler are to be published in full on Sunday, shedding light on the private life of the man who orchestrated the Holocaust.
Israeli Minister Calls Abbas 'No. 1 Anti-Semite'
30th January 2014
Israeli Intelligence minister claims Palestinian Authority's Mahmoud Abbas is the worst anti-Semite in the world.
30th January 2014
Israeli Intelligence minister claims Palestinian Authority's Mahmoud Abbas is the worst anti-Semite in the world.
Israeli defence minister says John Kerry should 'take Nobel prize and leave us be'
14th January
Israeli defence minister has reportedly attacked John Kerry, heading up the US-led peace process, for being 'obsessive messianic', saying he should 'take his Nobel prize and leave us alone'
14th January
Israeli defence minister has reportedly attacked John Kerry, heading up the US-led peace process, for being 'obsessive messianic', saying he should 'take his Nobel prize and leave us alone'
Russian-born Actress Ania Bukstein brings fiery passion to music
20th January 2014
To see Ania Bukstein perform in a concert is a theatrical experience. Sometimes, the award-winning actress and singer is Marlene Dietrich, standing in front of the mic in an-all white trouser suit, hair slicked back, her voice, eyes and lips oozing sensuality directly into the microphone while singing in a tone barely louder than a whisper.
20th January 2014
To see Ania Bukstein perform in a concert is a theatrical experience. Sometimes, the award-winning actress and singer is Marlene Dietrich, standing in front of the mic in an-all white trouser suit, hair slicked back, her voice, eyes and lips oozing sensuality directly into the microphone while singing in a tone barely louder than a whisper.
Postcard from Tel Aviv: Asylum Seeker Protests
8th January 2014
There was no Salmon Benedict all week at a stylish eatery in Tel Aviv’s affluent Ramat Aviv district. Across the city, many of the country’s top celebrity chefs sweated as they gingerly balanced hors-d’oeuvres on flimsy paper plates. A shortage of dishwashers, cleaners and builders had blemished the carefree vibe of Israel’s main business and party town. The reason was the biggest asylum seeker-led strike in the country’s history, as more than 10,000 Africans stepped out of the shadows to protest Israel’s asylum laws.
8th January 2014
There was no Salmon Benedict all week at a stylish eatery in Tel Aviv’s affluent Ramat Aviv district. Across the city, many of the country’s top celebrity chefs sweated as they gingerly balanced hors-d’oeuvres on flimsy paper plates. A shortage of dishwashers, cleaners and builders had blemished the carefree vibe of Israel’s main business and party town. The reason was the biggest asylum seeker-led strike in the country’s history, as more than 10,000 Africans stepped out of the shadows to protest Israel’s asylum laws.
Palestinian Authority threatens Israel with The Hague over settlement building
27th December 2013
The Palestinian Authority has threatened to take Israel to The Hague if Jerusalem goes ahead with an announcement of new settlement construction next week
27th December 2013
The Palestinian Authority has threatened to take Israel to The Hague if Jerusalem goes ahead with an announcement of new settlement construction next week
Yasser Arafat died of natural causes, Russia says
26th December 2013
Russia has said Yasser Arafat died of natural causes, not radiation poisoning.
26th December 2013
Russia has said Yasser Arafat died of natural causes, not radiation poisoning.
Israel to announce settlement building despite pleas
26th December 2013
Israel is set to announce new settlement construction next week,coinciding with the release of a third batch of Palestinian prisoners as part of peace talks
26th December 2013
Israel is set to announce new settlement construction next week,coinciding with the release of a third batch of Palestinian prisoners as part of peace talks
Nelson Mandela 'received weapons training from Mossad'
20th December 2013
Nelson Mandela received judo, sabotage and weapons training from Mossad agents in Ethiopia, it has been claimed.
20th December 2013
Nelson Mandela received judo, sabotage and weapons training from Mossad agents in Ethiopia, it has been claimed.
Israelis keep gas masks against Syrian threat
15th December 2013
Israel kept its gas mask distribution programme in place last week as sources close to the government voiced suspicions the Assad regime in Damascus was still hiding chemical weapons.
15th December 2013
Israel kept its gas mask distribution programme in place last week as sources close to the government voiced suspicions the Assad regime in Damascus was still hiding chemical weapons.
Golan Heights Students Return To Syria Despite War
8th October 2013
In the sweltering August heat, Majid was sweating while studying for an upcoming exam. The difficulty was not in the complexity of the material, but rather in the fact that the examination hall was going to be in an active war zone, in Damascus.
8th October 2013
In the sweltering August heat, Majid was sweating while studying for an upcoming exam. The difficulty was not in the complexity of the material, but rather in the fact that the examination hall was going to be in an active war zone, in Damascus.
Mubarak claims he personally started the Yom Kippur war
20th September 2013
Hosni Mubarak has claimed that he personally started the surprise attack that launched the Yom Kippur war with Israel
in 1973.
20th September 2013
Hosni Mubarak has claimed that he personally started the surprise attack that launched the Yom Kippur war with Israel
in 1973.
'Bashar al-Assad will remain in power for years to come'
18th September 2013
Bashar al-Assad will remain in power “for years to come” despite losing overall control of the country, Israel’s top commander on the frontier with Syria has said.
18th September 2013
Bashar al-Assad will remain in power “for years to come” despite losing overall control of the country, Israel’s top commander on the frontier with Syria has said.
Sinai peacekeepers under siege as Egypt battles Islamists
17th September 2013
American-led peace-keeping troops in the Sinai are living in a state of siege as fighting between the Egyptian army and militant Islamists groups threatens the viability of the mission.
17th September 2013
American-led peace-keeping troops in the Sinai are living in a state of siege as fighting between the Egyptian army and militant Islamists groups threatens the viability of the mission.
Homeland pulls out of filming in Israel, due to Syria war fears
17th September 2013
Homeland, the award-winning TV series starring Clare Danes and Damian Lewis, has pulled out of filming in Israel over concerns about the uncertain situation in Syria.
17th September 2013
Homeland, the award-winning TV series starring Clare Danes and Damian Lewis, has pulled out of filming in Israel over concerns about the uncertain situation in Syria.
Netanyahu urged to end "wretched" Oslo Accords
16th September 2013
Netanyahu urged to end "wretched" Oslo Accords, as Israelis and Palestinians announce that they will resume agricultural cooperation after a 13-year hiatus
16th September 2013
Netanyahu urged to end "wretched" Oslo Accords, as Israelis and Palestinians announce that they will resume agricultural cooperation after a 13-year hiatus
Family of Prisoner X to be compensated £700,000
11th September 2013
Israel is to pay £709,000 in compensation to the family of Prisoner X, a former Mossad agent who commited suicide in jail.
11th September 2013
Israel is to pay £709,000 in compensation to the family of Prisoner X, a former Mossad agent who commited suicide in jail.
Israel's 'Checkpoint Princesses'
6th September 2013
The members of Israeli women's group Machsom Watch (Checkpoint Watch) are ladies with a reputation. Every morning by the crack of dawn, these mostly retired grandmothers travel to the epicenter of the daily conflict and mediate between Palestinians traveling through checkpoints and the Israeli soldiers who operate them.
6th September 2013
The members of Israeli women's group Machsom Watch (Checkpoint Watch) are ladies with a reputation. Every morning by the crack of dawn, these mostly retired grandmothers travel to the epicenter of the daily conflict and mediate between Palestinians traveling through checkpoints and the Israeli soldiers who operate them.
Israel Prepares for War
30th August 2013
All about Tel Aviv's first public nuclear and chemical weapons-proof bunker, the highly explosive Haifa ammonia plant, and a town nicknamed 'Katyusha'...
30th August 2013
All about Tel Aviv's first public nuclear and chemical weapons-proof bunker, the highly explosive Haifa ammonia plant, and a town nicknamed 'Katyusha'...
‘I lost consciousness in the blast. When I woke up, I was in a hospital in Israel’
9th August 2013
I met three Syrian girls, aged from 3 to 13, injured by the war in Syria, who were being treated in an intensive care children's unit in Israel's Western Galilee Hospital
9th August 2013
I met three Syrian girls, aged from 3 to 13, injured by the war in Syria, who were being treated in an intensive care children's unit in Israel's Western Galilee Hospital
Israelis on Sinai Border Face Islamist Threat
23rd July 2013
A once quiet border is now threatened by instability and violence from the rise of Salafist groups.
23rd July 2013
A once quiet border is now threatened by instability and violence from the rise of Salafist groups.
Crossing back to Israel from war-torn Syria, university students face tough choices
16th July 2013
The choice of studying in cosmopolitan Damascus used to be very popular among the Druze and Alawites of the Golan Heights. Today, students making the passage have difficult stories to tell.
16th July 2013
The choice of studying in cosmopolitan Damascus used to be very popular among the Druze and Alawites of the Golan Heights. Today, students making the passage have difficult stories to tell.
The Holy Rail
June 2013
During its construction, every kilometre of Jerusalem’s tram track, from its archaeological foundations to its geo-political ramifications, was scrutinized, criticised and even boycotted.Today, the light rail glides seamlessly across the divisions of the holy city.
June 2013
During its construction, every kilometre of Jerusalem’s tram track, from its archaeological foundations to its geo-political ramifications, was scrutinized, criticised and even boycotted.Today, the light rail glides seamlessly across the divisions of the holy city.
The War in Syria: Let's call a spade a spade
8th May 2013
While the UK, France and the US are still deliberating over what to do, and volunteers from all over Europe are joining the ranks of the al Qaeda-affiliated rebel groups, Israel has decided to take action twice in less than 48 hours.
8th May 2013
While the UK, France and the US are still deliberating over what to do, and volunteers from all over Europe are joining the ranks of the al Qaeda-affiliated rebel groups, Israel has decided to take action twice in less than 48 hours.
Teaching Women to Scream
30th April 2013
An unprecedented women-led initiative to combat domestic violence is promoted among the communities of African asylum seekers in the slums of Tel Aviv
30th April 2013
An unprecedented women-led initiative to combat domestic violence is promoted among the communities of African asylum seekers in the slums of Tel Aviv
Obama places Iran in the Crosshairs
5th April 2013
President Barack Obama’s recent visit to Israel has strategically re-aligned Israel and the United States, readying them for potential action to stop the Iranian nuclear program.
5th April 2013
President Barack Obama’s recent visit to Israel has strategically re-aligned Israel and the United States, readying them for potential action to stop the Iranian nuclear program.
Israeli Soldiers Enter Syrian Golan Heights
28th March 2013
On March 8, while 21 UN observers were being held captive by Syrian rebels, another group of observers was running for their lives.
28th March 2013
On March 8, while 21 UN observers were being held captive by Syrian rebels, another group of observers was running for their lives.
Potent tear gas used in Syrian chemical attack
24th March 2013
THE substance used in an alleged chemical attack in Syria last week was a “super-strength tear gas” of the type employed for riot control rather than a nerve agent, according to preliminary inquiries by British scientists.
24th March 2013
THE substance used in an alleged chemical attack in Syria last week was a “super-strength tear gas” of the type employed for riot control rather than a nerve agent, according to preliminary inquiries by British scientists.
Israel hopes for healing effect from Obama visit
17th March 2013
I interview Zalman Shoval, twice Israeli ambassador to Washington and advisor to Netanyahu on the eve of President Obama's visit to Israel this week.
17th March 2013
I interview Zalman Shoval, twice Israeli ambassador to Washington and advisor to Netanyahu on the eve of President Obama's visit to Israel this week.
Israel Worries Syria War Will Spread
1st February 2013
In Majdal Shams, the Druze village in the Israeli-annexed Golan, and throughout Israel, people are voicing concerns about the spread of the Syrian conflict and the threat of chemical weapons.
1st February 2013
In Majdal Shams, the Druze village in the Israeli-annexed Golan, and throughout Israel, people are voicing concerns about the spread of the Syrian conflict and the threat of chemical weapons.
Bibi eyes third term as Israeli nationalism snowballs
20th January 2013
I report from Ashdod, Southern Israel, where PM Netanyahu and ex-Foreign Minister Lieberman tap into a core voter base: the Russian speaking electorate.
20th January 2013
I report from Ashdod, Southern Israel, where PM Netanyahu and ex-Foreign Minister Lieberman tap into a core voter base: the Russian speaking electorate.
Israel's Hezbollah hunter grabs at power : An interview with Naftali Bennett
13th January 2013
I interview Naftali Bennett, a hardliner politician riding high in the polls for next week's Israeli elections who says he would have launched a ground attack on Gaza.
13th January 2013
I interview Naftali Bennett, a hardliner politician riding high in the polls for next week's Israeli elections who says he would have launched a ground attack on Gaza.
Through a (communist) looking glass, then and now:
An interview with Anne Applebaum
4th January 2013
My interview with Pulitzer-winning journalist and historian Anne Appelbaum, who explores life in post-war, communist Eastern Europe –and what we can learn from it today.
An interview with Anne Applebaum
4th January 2013
My interview with Pulitzer-winning journalist and historian Anne Appelbaum, who explores life in post-war, communist Eastern Europe –and what we can learn from it today.
Radio News Reports on Israeli political developments: ongoing
Savings and development in Uganda
26th November 2012
I report from Soroti, eastern Uganda where the local Village Savings and Loans Association is turning the residents into savers and entrepreneurs who no longer have to rely on the support of outside organisations.
26th November 2012
I report from Soroti, eastern Uganda where the local Village Savings and Loans Association is turning the residents into savers and entrepreneurs who no longer have to rely on the support of outside organisations.
Out of poverty and into politics
26th November 2012
A single mother tells about her women's rights work in Uganda.
26th November 2012
A single mother tells about her women's rights work in Uganda.
Drinking money away: savings and alcoholism
26th November 2012
Alcoholism is having a great effect on productivity and family development in Uganda, but VSLAs are providing an opportunity for change
26th November 2012
Alcoholism is having a great effect on productivity and family development in Uganda, but VSLAs are providing an opportunity for change
Tailoring financial services to meet the needs of Uganda's poorest people
26th November 2012
The Grameen Foundation is working with commercial partners to encourage poor people in Uganda to move their money into the formal financial system
26th November 2012
The Grameen Foundation is working with commercial partners to encourage poor people in Uganda to move their money into the formal financial system
Gaza could help Hamas overcome the Fatah movement
22nd November 2012
This time, Israel is not interested in destroying Hamas. Rather, it is struggling to fight an even bigger perceived strategic battle – at the United Nations.
22nd November 2012
This time, Israel is not interested in destroying Hamas. Rather, it is struggling to fight an even bigger perceived strategic battle – at the United Nations.
Eleven members of family die in Gaza air strike
18th November 2012
Eleven members of family die in Gaza air strike as two-storey home is flattened in deadliest incident of five-day-old conflict
18th November 2012
Eleven members of family die in Gaza air strike as two-storey home is flattened in deadliest incident of five-day-old conflict
Israeli Town After Rocket Attack
15th November 2012
'They had nowhere to run': My dispatch from inside the devastated apartment where three people were killed by Hamas rocket as they ate breakfast
15th November 2012
'They had nowhere to run': My dispatch from inside the devastated apartment where three people were killed by Hamas rocket as they ate breakfast
On Bibi's Spat with Obama
27th September 2012
Netanyahu’s interference in the US elections may well turn out to swing US Democrats away from their erstwhile ally.
27th September 2012
Netanyahu’s interference in the US elections may well turn out to swing US Democrats away from their erstwhile ally.
Bear Trap: Russia’s self-defeating Middle East policy (Report)
25th July 2012
I present the argument that Syria forms the latest episode in the Kremlin's self-defeating policy pattern on other regional flash-points - notably Libya and Iran, which are set to backfire against its own key assets in the region.
25th July 2012
I present the argument that Syria forms the latest episode in the Kremlin's self-defeating policy pattern on other regional flash-points - notably Libya and Iran, which are set to backfire against its own key assets in the region.
Russia's Support for Assad Will Backfire
12th July 2012
Whether the Syrian dictator stays or goes, the Kremlin is risking an economic and diplomatic catastrophe.
12th July 2012
Whether the Syrian dictator stays or goes, the Kremlin is risking an economic and diplomatic catastrophe.
Girl brides in Yemen:
The fight for the right to say no
(Shortlisted for the Guardian's International Development Journalism Competition) 30th May 2012
Unlike other developing countries who have raised the minimum age for marriage, in 1999 Yemen has scrapped it altogether. I interview the Yemeni Human Rights Minister, Hooria Mashhour, and talk to a former child bride and other activists about new initiatives to tackle this issue.
The fight for the right to say no
(Shortlisted for the Guardian's International Development Journalism Competition) 30th May 2012
Unlike other developing countries who have raised the minimum age for marriage, in 1999 Yemen has scrapped it altogether. I interview the Yemeni Human Rights Minister, Hooria Mashhour, and talk to a former child bride and other activists about new initiatives to tackle this issue.
EU Needs Creativity with Iran
13th April 2012
The nuclear negotiations with Tehran are too important for Europe to settle for unimaginative repetition of old strategies. The existing tools can be deployed in more effective way to combine incentives and penalties to keep Iran at the negotiating table and serve the EU’s interests.
13th April 2012
The nuclear negotiations with Tehran are too important for Europe to settle for unimaginative repetition of old strategies. The existing tools can be deployed in more effective way to combine incentives and penalties to keep Iran at the negotiating table and serve the EU’s interests.
You Can Run But You Can't Hide
20th February 2012
On Jan. 28, Yemen's President Ali Abdullah Saleh arrived in the United States to seek medical treatment for wounds received during his country's continuing civil strife. Not so fast, say some human rights activists. They're planning to bring Saleh to justice in a foreign court, where Yemen's laws don't apply.
20th February 2012
On Jan. 28, Yemen's President Ali Abdullah Saleh arrived in the United States to seek medical treatment for wounds received during his country's continuing civil strife. Not so fast, say some human rights activists. They're planning to bring Saleh to justice in a foreign court, where Yemen's laws don't apply.
Talking with the Brotherhood
27th January 2012
The same week that the first democratically elected parliament in Egypt in sixty years held its opening session in Cairo, I spoke to Dr Mohammed Ghanem, the Muslim Brotherhood's Spokesman in London.
27th January 2012
The same week that the first democratically elected parliament in Egypt in sixty years held its opening session in Cairo, I spoke to Dr Mohammed Ghanem, the Muslim Brotherhood's Spokesman in London.
Putin and the Arab Spring: will Russia's foreign policy end up on the wrong side?
22nd December 2011
The Arab Spring has forced countries to take sides – always a risky business, but in Syria and Libya particularly so, because the possible financial losses if Russia ends up on the wrong side are considerable. Recent Russian decisions have seemed at the very least surprising, but this cannot simply be the result of the rotating Putin/Medvedev carousel.
22nd December 2011
The Arab Spring has forced countries to take sides – always a risky business, but in Syria and Libya particularly so, because the possible financial losses if Russia ends up on the wrong side are considerable. Recent Russian decisions have seemed at the very least surprising, but this cannot simply be the result of the rotating Putin/Medvedev carousel.
Syrian Prisoner Talks of Assad's Torture Regime
10th October 2011
I report the story of a Syrian activist who was imprisoned and tortured by the secret police in Syria in 2011.
..."Denial and removal of evidence is a key strategy of the Syrian secret police. After the hanging and standing torture, a doctor employed by the secret police was called in. He made sure all signs of torture disappeared – the regime is scared of the media finding out about their “interrogation” practices."
10th October 2011
I report the story of a Syrian activist who was imprisoned and tortured by the secret police in Syria in 2011.
..."Denial and removal of evidence is a key strategy of the Syrian secret police. After the hanging and standing torture, a doctor employed by the secret police was called in. He made sure all signs of torture disappeared – the regime is scared of the media finding out about their “interrogation” practices."
Moroccans Want Evolution, Not Revolution
10th June 2011
French speaking Casablanca-based journalist and media consultant Rachid Jankari tells me that in Casablanca, "people do not have a problem with the king, but rather the pace of change within the establishment".
10th June 2011
French speaking Casablanca-based journalist and media consultant Rachid Jankari tells me that in Casablanca, "people do not have a problem with the king, but rather the pace of change within the establishment".
Hands Up, Who Wants to be a Child Soldier?
10th March 2011
Extreme poverty, malnutrition and a lack of access to education and skills are driving significant numbers of children in the Democratic Republic of Congo, DRC, to voluntarily join armed groups. I interview activists who say that not enough done to address reasons for children joining armed groups of their own free will.
10th March 2011
Extreme poverty, malnutrition and a lack of access to education and skills are driving significant numbers of children in the Democratic Republic of Congo, DRC, to voluntarily join armed groups. I interview activists who say that not enough done to address reasons for children joining armed groups of their own free will.
Prosecuting Conflict Mineral Traders: Ways Forward
24th December 2010
I write on new proposals to pursue those who benefit from the illegal exploitation of minerals by using a long neglected, post-Nazi era law. Under new measures put forward by lawyers and human rights activists, companies who profit from the trade in so-called conflict minerals in countries such as the Democratic Republic of Congo, DRC, could face war crimes prosecution.
24th December 2010
I write on new proposals to pursue those who benefit from the illegal exploitation of minerals by using a long neglected, post-Nazi era law. Under new measures put forward by lawyers and human rights activists, companies who profit from the trade in so-called conflict minerals in countries such as the Democratic Republic of Congo, DRC, could face war crimes prosecution.
