Oct 1British defender of Assad regime backs Russian referendums in UkraineA British woman who became a prominent defender of Syria’s Assad regime resurfaced this week as an “international observer” for Russia’s sham referendums in Ukraine. Vanessa Beeley — described by Russian broacaster RT as “ an independent investigative journalist” — told a news conference the voting procedures had shown “complete…3 min read3 min read
Sep 24Revealed: EU and Soros funded reports by ‘Iran state-affiliated media’A British academic whose Twitter account is tagged as “Iran state-affiliated media” was the main author of a report on Islamophobia published this week with funding from the EU’s Rights, Equality and Citizenship Programme. The academic in question — former professor David Miller — is a director and founding member…Iran3 min readIran3 min read
Sep 17Muslim who converted to Christianity faces execution for apostasy in LibyaA man has been sentenced to death in Libya after converting from Islam to Christianity, according to local news reports. Details are scarce, but Dhiaa al-Din Ahmed Miftah Balao — described as an information technology graduate — appears to have previously been a devoted Muslim and is said to have…Christianity3 min readChristianity3 min read
Aug 25Lights, camera, police action. The hazards of filming in EgyptThe Egyptian authorities have got themselves in a tangle over photography. They want the country to be seen as an attractive tourist destination and if photographers would just focus on nice things, like feluccas sailing on the Nile and sunsets over the pyramids, all would be well. …8 min read8 min read
Aug 8From Sandy Hook to Syria: the long trail of a conspiracy theorySince its first appearance in 2012, the “crisis actors” conspiracy theory has become a popular way of denying reality — Shortly before Christmas in 2012 a mass shooting at Sandy Hook elementary school in the United States left 20 children and six teachers dead. Eight months later an incendiary bomb hit a school in Syria’s Aleppo province, killing at least 10 students on the spot. …Sandy Hook6 min readSandy Hook6 min read
Aug 1Saudi court orders retrial after multiple acquittals in Mecca crane disaster caseThirteen people charged in connection with the world’s worst crane disaster have gone on trial in Saudi Arabia for a third time, after previously being acquitted twice. The latest retrial in the seven-year-old case follows a decision by the kingdom’s Supreme Court to quash the earlier verdicts. The affair began…Saudi Arabia3 min readSaudi Arabia3 min read
Jul 23Book review: ‘This Arab is Queer’A few years ago Egypt’s Supreme Council for Media Regulation decreed that gay people must not appear in print or audio or visual media “except in recognition and acknowledgment of their misconduct”. In other words, if they are to be seen or heard at all, gay people should always be…LGBTQ10 min readLGBTQ10 min read
Jul 22Documents show Margaret Thatcher advocated using chemical weapons against IraqFollowing Saddam Hussein’s invasion of Kuwait in 1990, British prime minister Margaret Thatcher advocated using banned chemical weapons against Iraqi forces, declassified documents show. Despite the 1925 Geneva Protocol prohibiting their use, Thatcher repeatedly pressed the US to be ready to retaliate with chemical weapons if Iraq used them first. …Iraq5 min readIraq5 min read
Jul 11Science or sophistry? The bizarre search for hidden meanings in the Qur’anCryptic verses in the Qur’an have given rise to claims that they foretell modern scientific discoveries. But it’s a flawed idea with dubious origins. — There’s a verse in the Qur’an that cautions Muslims against spreading false news and urges them to check the facts first with people of “sound judgment”. It was good advice in the time of the Prophet Muhammad and it’s good advice now in the age of social media. But is…Quran10 min readQuran10 min read
Jun 29Book review: Britain’s withdrawal from AdenAs British troops pulled out of Aden in 1967 the band of the Royal Marines struck up a tune to send them on their way — not Rule Britannia or Land of Hope and Glory but a Cockney song, Fings Ain’t Wot They Used To Be. It was an ironic…Yemen3 min readYemen3 min read
