The situation in Syria is looking bleak but not entirely hopeless, with Russia apparently trying to increase its leverage ahead of promised peace talks.
Category: War and peace
Hawking, boycotts and the settlements
Physicist Stephen Hawking has decided not to go to a conference in Israel. The Israelis think they're being unfairly picked on.
Better news at last for Syria
John Kerry goes to Moscow and emerges with some hopeful news for Syria. There's a long way to go, but at least the essential first step has been taken.
Republicans still fighting the Civil War
A new NRA president is the cue for another look at the Republican Party's debt to the deep south.
Are they real WMDs this time?
Here we go again – weapons of mass destruction in the Middle East. If Syria has really started using them, that's a big problem.
Netanyahu not interested in peace – what a surprise
Another disappointment in the quest for Middle East peace as Israel refuses to engage with a fresh offer from the Arab League.
Not all religion is fundamentalist
An exciting and uplifting story about the rescue of the treasures of Timbuktu (yes, it's a real place). But there's also a moral to it.
Slow progress in Kosovo, but at least it’s not Chechnya
European media are hailing a historic agreement between Serbia and Kosovo, but the underlying problems haven't really been solved.
Another look at Israel vs. Iran
Israel, Iran and North Korea. Different nuclear programs, very different reactions.
Meet the new Kim, same as the old Kim
Kim Jong-un is engaging in the same game as his father did, upping the rhetorical ante to win concessions from the west. It doesn't mean he's going to start a war.
The World is Not Enough 