Bashar al-Assad

Rainer Hachfeld, Neues Deutschland, Germany Jun 24, 2011 Dig deeper

Assad Arranges Rallies in Praise of Regime

Staff / Truthdig Jun 21, 2011 Tens of thousands of Syrians took to the streets in support of President Bashar al-Assad in demonstrations across the country Tuesday, many at the behest of the government and their employers. (more) Dig deeper ( 2 Min. Read )

Tunisian Court Finds Former President Guilty of Financial Crimes

Staff / Truthdig Jun 21, 2011 He wasn't present to hear the verdict in person, but Monday a local court found Tunisia's deposed president, Zine el-Abidine Ben Ali, guilty of embezzlement and making personal use of public funds, according to The New York Times. Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

Kurds Want to Give Turkey a Taste of Spring

Staff / Truthdig Jun 9, 2011 Turkey is no Libya or Syria in terms of repression, but the country has a few million disgruntled Kurds who would like more autonomy One Kurdish political leader is threatening civil disobedience (more). Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

U.S. Presses Covert Airstrikes in Yemen

Staff / Truthdig Jun 9, 2011 Following Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh's emergency departure for medical treatment last week, the U.S. government has taken advantage of the resulting power vacuum to resume covert fighter jet and drone attacks that have killed civilians and suspected terrorists alike. (more) Dig deeper ( 2 Min. Read )

Workers and Women Fight for Their Share of Egypt’s Revolution

Reese Erlich / Truthdig Jun 6, 2011 As Dr Mohammad Shafik stands in the chaotic emergency room of the Cairo hospital where he works, his biggest worry as patients are wheeled in is not about issues of medical care Mohammad Shafik stands in the chaotic emergency room of the Cairo hospital where he works, his biggest worry is not about medical care. Dig deeper ( 5 Min. Read )

U.N. Report Deems Internet Access a Basic Human Right

Staff / Truthdig Jun 5, 2011 Months after the start of the uprisings that are roiling the Middle Eastern and Arabic world, the United Nations has recognized the essential role the Internet plays in human aspirations, deeming unhampered Internet availability a basic human right. (more) Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

Vodafone Scorned After Claiming Egypt’s Revolution

Staff / Truthdig Jun 3, 2011 Remember when a global telecommunications company helped inspire this year's Egyptian revolution? Neither do scores of anti-Mubarak activists who are furious over Vodafone's attempt to capitalize on the country's revolutionary spirit with a promotional video claiming just that, even after the company went along with the regime's orders to block telephone and Internet service during the protests (more). Dig deeper ( 2 Min. Read )

U.K. Cheers On Arab Spring While Training Its Opponents

Staff / Truthdig May 29, 2011 Just days after the British government pledged $181 million in grants and loans to foster economically viable democratic transitions in Egypt and Tunisia, a Freedom of Information Act report confirmed that British military personnel are training the same Saudi security forces that were used to crush recent popular uprisings in Bahrain (more) . Dig deeper ( 2 Min. Read )

Obama and Cameron Take a Page from Reagan and Thatcher

Staff / Truthdig May 24, 2011 Some may question their choice of reference material, but President Obama and British Prime Minister David Cameron teamed up to pen a column for The Times of London, comparing this year's Arab Spring to the Cold War -- and themselves to that era's (more). Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

Syria Turns Facebook on Protesters

Staff / Truthdig May 23, 2011 Syrian authorities are busy proving Julian Assange right as they use what he called "the most appalling spying machine that has ever been invented" to keep tabs on their country's digital dissidents. (more) Dig deeper ( 2 Min. Read )

Syrian Revolt: 900 Dead and Counting

Staff / Truthdig May 22, 2011 The number of people killed in the current Syrian uprising soared above 900 on Saturday when security officers fired on a crowd marching in memory of others lost to state violence during the two-month struggle. (more) Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )