In light of UK Prime Minister David Cameron’s “Up yours, Delores” last week, how isolated is the UK in Europe? The Guardian newspaper would have us believe that this is literally the end of the world. The UK isn’t a member of the Euro, to which we can thank former PM Gordon Brown, possibly the
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Crisis Project is hearing an increasing number of reports that children and schools are being targeted by the Syrian army and security forces. Our contacts on the ground in Syria report numerous child fatalities in and around local schools. There appears to be no substantial explanation for these attacks, so our assumption must remain that
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   General Field Marshal Tantawi, head of the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces (SCAF), appeared on state television last night (Tuesday 22nd ) in an attempt to assure the swelling ranks of protesters that the military had no intention of staying in power for longer than necessary. Tantawi promised that the parliamentary elections scheduled
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To many outside observers, the collapse of the fragile peace between Sudan and the newly independent Republic of South Sudan is simply a question of time. Increasingly aggressive rhetoric between the two governments has led to a build up of troops both sides of the border, and the aerial bombardments in Unity state last week threaten
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Witnesses claim that a Kenyan aerial bombardment on 30th October killed 5 non-combatants in a refugee camp near the southern Somali town of Jibril. While the Kenyan army claim they targeted al-Shabaab Islamist fighters, killing 10 and wounding 45, MSF reports would appear to corroborate the witnesses’ accounts. This is the latest event to raise
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Hezbollah has become an integral element of the Lebanese confessional system and the cornerstone of the March 8th coalition. Having gained effective governmental power as of 13th June 2011, the paramilitary organisation has systematically increased its internal sphere of influence in a bid to bolster its credibility as a viable political entity. But just as
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The Israeli government announced it would be releasing over 1000 Palestinian prisoners from its jails in exchange for the captured Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit. His capture by Hamas back in 2006 sparked the Israeli incursion into the Gaza Strip that year. After 5 years of unsuccessful negotiations and doubt as to whether Shalit was still
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The bloodiest day yet in Syria’s uprising saw over 70 people reported killed on Tuesday 15th November. This represents yet more compelling evidence that the regime has ignored the Arab League’s four-pronged deal made on the 1st November. This disregard towards the League’s demands coupled with renewed calls from regional neighbours for Bashar al-Assad to
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 The Iranian human-rights activist, Shirin Ebadi spoke today at The Royal Institute for International Affairs in London.  Her experiences at the notorious Evin Prison in Iran and her tireless efforts to improve conditions for the people of her country put her in a good position to talk about the importance of human rights in the development of
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I have just read an article in the FT on the energy sector, stating that Syria has stopped paying for oil produced within the country by Royal Dutch Shell and Total. Since the oil sector is fundamental to the economic stability of the country, accounting before the crisis for 20% of the GNP, for two
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