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Thursday, September 17, 2026
News and Views from the Global South
Arabs Rise for Rights
U.S.: Libya Splitting Republicans in 1990s Redux
In something of a replay of the infighting among Republicans over Washington's military interventions in the Balkans in the 1990s, U.S. involvement in the civil war in Libya is exposing serious splits among self-described conservatives.World Bank Chief Calls for Economic Reforms in Mideast
World Bank President Robert Zoellick on Wednesday pressed a Middle East and North Africa in the midst of the "Arab Spring" to promote vibrant civil societies and urged international financial and development institutions to hold its client governments in the region more accountable, if sustainable growth rates and more integrated economies are to take hold.Maliki’s Doubts Threaten Post-2011 Troop Presence Plan
President Barack Obama has given his approval to a Pentagon plan to station U.S. combat troops in Iraq beyond 2011, provided that Iraqi Premier Nouri al-Maliki officially requests it, according to U.S. and Iraqi sources.MIDEAST: Turkey Relishes Role as Mr. Fixit
In the course of 24 hours earlier this week, Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu met a top envoy from Libya, dispatched a senior Turkish official to Tripoli and traveled to Bahrain and Syria, all struggling to survive the pro- democracy Arab spring.NATO Vows to Protect Misurata Amid Criticism
NATO has vowed to protect Libya's civilian population and give priority to the besieged city of Misurata, a day after rebel fighters accused the military alliance of acting too slowly.U.S. Treads Cautious Line on Yemen Protests
United States officials reaffirmed their support for a peaceful transition of power in Yemen, but stopped short of publicly calling for President Ali Abdullah Saleh's immediate abdication as clashes between protesters and Yemeni security forces, which began in late January, violently escalate.
LIBYA: Prisoners on Both Sides at Risk
After a month and a half of conflict in Libya, the situation of political prisoners and prisoners of war on both sides is uncertain, and their fundamental rights are at risk.EGYPT: Cracks Appear In Mubarak-Era Labour Body
The state-controlled trade union federation that for over half a century was employed by Egyptian rulers to suppress workers' protests and mobilise voters for sham elections appears to be crumbling with the recent ouster of president Hosni Mubarak.OP-ED: Misunderstanding Bahrain’s Shia Protesters
Listening to the rhetoric coming out of Tehran, one might assume that Bahrain's Shia opposition is relying on help from its co-religionists next door. But, in fact, the opposite is true: the Shia opposition wants nothing more than for Tehran to stay out of the sectarian dispute unfolding in the tiny kingdom.
Libya Poses Immigration Challenge to Italy
The influx of migrants arriving from Libya and other African countries has created an unprecedented humanitarian crisis in southern Italy.
PHILIPPINES: Migrant Workers Put Jobs Before Safety in Libya
Amidst political turmoil in Libya, thousands of migrant workers from the Philippines face a dilemma - either they risk their lives working in the conflict- ridden country, or they return home and face job insecurity.
Sky-High Oil Prices Here to Stay
As the Arab world continues to pitch and heave with flashes of popular uprisings here and sparks of brutal crackdowns there, analysts are painting a grim picture of the regional unrest's economic consequences, predicting the persistence of high oil prices in the coming years.Syria Braces for Mass Demonstrations
Syrian opposition movements are readying for a day of rallies, dubbed "Friday of Martyrs", across the country even as authorities announced a raft of measures aimed at meeting some of the protesters' demands.
BAHRAIN: Slashing Levies to Help Businesses Cope With Unrest
Bahrain is considering slashing or putting on hold levies on businesses to help them cope with the deteriorating economy, with losses topping an estimated 500 million dollars since the beginning of unrest here in February.U.S.-SYRIA: Neo-Cons Target Assad Regime
Despite the clear opposition of the Barack Obama administration and apparent ambivalence on the part of the right-wing government in Israel, neo-conservative hawks here have set their sights on Syrian President Bashar al-Assad who they hope will be the next domino to fall to the so-called "Arab Spring".
MIDEAST: Washington’s Patchwork Policy on Democracy
While a NATO-led coalition continues to enforce a no-fly zone in a Libya that seems to be on the brink of catastrophe, the Barack Obama administration has yet to formulate a set of guiding principles in dealing with ongoing protests throughout the region in countries like Bahrain.
CORRUPTION: Post-Mubarak Egypt Probes Public Land Contracts
Egyptian authorities have opened dozens of criminal investigations into hundreds of millions of dollars worth of public land contracts that were awarded illegally to real estate developers associated with former President Hosni Mubarak without proper procedures at below market rates.SYRIA: The Second “Damascus Spring” a Long Way Off
Caught in a wave of pro-democracy and pro-government protests, the Syrian political landscape seems far more complex than its Tunisian and Egyptian counterparts, where demonstrations ousted decades' old regimes. President Bashar al-Assad’s speech today may however give new momentum to pro-democracy protests.Assad Blames “Conspirators” for Syria Unrest
Bashar al-Assad, the Syrian president, has blamed "conspirators" for two weeks of anti-government protests that have rocked the nation.LIBYA-U.S.: Obama Speech Leaves Many Questions Unanswered
Widely praised as an effective defence of Washington's 10-day- old military intervention in Libya, President Barack Obama's speech Monday evening appears to have left several key questions about his future intentions unanswered.Syria Between Hope and Fear
Pro-democracy 'Day of Dignity' rallies in Syria have led to many casualties in recent days. Before real political reforms are introduced, many lines will be crossed, lives lost, and human rights discarded« Previous Page — Next Page »
The Arab Spring has changed the Arab seasons that have followed; it had to. The struggle continues in Syria; in Tunisia, Egypt, Libya and in countries that did not change that dramatically, such as Bahrain and Yemen, the political world, and the tone of society itself has changed. IPS has not left these countries with the headlines that accompanied cataclysmic changes. We continue to track changes closely, always keeping in our sights first the rights of peoples, and then reporting changes from fresh, newsy and human perspective.
Middle East & North Africa
