Middle East

Yemen’s President Hit Hard by Rocket Attack

Staff / Truthdig Jun 8, 2011 Friday's attack on Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh's palace in his country's capital city of Sanaa took a bigger toll than previously reported, as the news emerged Tuesday that it wasn't clear when he'd be able to return to office given the gravity of his injuries. Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

You Can’t March if You’re Dead

Staff / Truthdig Jun 6, 2011 For the second time in three weeks, Israeli forces opened fire on pro-Palestinian protesters, killing as many as 20 (that figure comes from Syrian television by way of the BBC, and is disputed by Israel)uk/news/world-middle-east-13660311" title="opened fire">opened fire on pro-Palestinian protesters, killing as many as 20. Dig deeper ( 2 Min. Read )

Yemen Celebrates as Saleh Leaves for Medical Treatment

Staff / Truthdig Jun 5, 2011 Yemen's President Ali Abdullah Saleh, nursing wounds from a rocket attack Friday on the presidential mosque, arrived in Saudi Arabia on Sunday for medical treatment as street celebrations and renewed violence erupted back home in the capital of Sanaa. (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 )

Gadhafi Not About to Leave Libya

Staff / Truthdig May 31, 2011 Russian President Dmitry Medvedev recently joined the chorus of outsiders urging Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi to give up, but that suggestion isn't hitting home with Gadhafi, according to yet another head of state, Jacob Zuma. The South African president returned from a visit to Tripoli with the news that Gadhafi isn't planning to go anywhere anytime soon. Dig deeper ( 1 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 )

Russia Changes Stance on Libya

Staff / Truthdig May 28, 2011 An unexpected voice is joining the international chorus urging Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi to leave On Friday, Russian President Dmitry Medvedev announced that he would use his country's solid rapport with Libya to encourage Gadhafi to finally . Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

Abandon Ship and/or Yemen

Staff / Truthdig May 26, 2011 The United States is evacuating "certain non-emergency personnel" from Yemen and encouraging other Americans to leave the country while they still can The State Department cites "terrorist activities and civil unrest" in its most recent travel warning Yemen's President Ali Abdullah Saleh refuses (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 )

Going After the Mini-Mubaraks

Staff / Truthdig May 22, 2011 Journalist, blogger and activist Hossam el-Hamalawy passionately urges his fellow Egyptians to make their social and political revolution into an economic one. Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

Obama’s Big Middle East Speech Will Avoid a Big Issue

Staff / Truthdig May 18, 2011 While the White House is promising that President Barack Obama's big Middle East speech on Thursday will make news, Obama will avoid the biggest story this week: the inflamed Israeli-Palestinian conflict, which claimed a few more lives Sunday. Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )