IMAGES on Al-Jazeera of Egypt’s National Democratic Party’s headquarters going up in flames were of a Cairo I’d never seen before. The buzzing crowds on the corniche, trying to tip a troop carrier into the river, were not taking in the air for fun. For on most cool January winter[…]

WHEN Tunisia’s dictator of 23 years, Zine Abidine Ben Ali, scurried off into exile with over a ton of gold looted from the Banque de Tunisie worth 62 million dollars, the Arab world shook. Muammar Ghadaffi, Libya’s eccentric but oligarchic “Brother Leader” of 42 years, dispatched two fighter jets to[…]

Since 9/11 Muslims have been trying to win back the middle ground. Whilst this battle has not been helped by the spectre of extremism, significant, but unheralded, gains have been made. The post 9/11 era for many Muslims has been hallmarked by an ideological tussle between extremism and the middle[…]

WHEN I FIRST VISITED GAZA in 1997 with a tour group we caught the Israelis off guard. We did not know, but it was Shabat, the Jewish day of rest. We were dropped off at the Erez checkpoint, then an unsightly clutter of barbed wire and pre-fabricated buildings. Nobody was[…]