Syrian students banned from using supercomputer at KAUST University in Saudi Arabia

Syrian students denied academic access to IBM supercomputer at KAUST due to US sanctions

Saudi Arabia’s King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST) honors US political restrictions over internationally-set academic freedoms and integrity

Damascus (October, 2009) –  The King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), the new world-class research university in Saudi Arabia, has denied [...]

Buy Shares in the Syrian Dream

By Abdulsalam Haykal, for the Common Ground News Service (CGNews). The original article can be viewed at http://www.commongroundnews.org/article.php?id=26077&lan=en&sid=1&sp=0&isNew=1#.
I spent summers as a young boy in Damascus, while my fellow Syrians were flocking to my coastal hometown of Tartous to savor the waters of the Mediterranean Sea. Despite the heat of Damascus, my summers there were [...]

Setting the example to boycott boycotting

Last year, on March 14, The Islamic Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (Isesco) called on all 50 of its member states to boycott the Paris book fair. Why? Because the French had dared to choose Israel as its guest of honor. In the ultimate act of shooting itself in the foot, the organization not only [...]

To Barack Obama from a Syrian citizen

Damascus, 13 December 2008
Mr. Barack Obama
President-elect of the United States of America
c/o President Jimmy Carter
Dear Barack, 
You certainly want to know more about Syria, and I will volunteer —even uninvited— to share some information that can be useful until you manage to see for yourself.
This is a time of festivity in Syria. The end of Eid [...]

Suggestion Box of Doomed Ideas: Cinema in Syria

 
I had intended this for a later post, but I got to thinking about it since so many coffee shops were being overrun by viewers of soccer matches. First, though, some background of the situation as I understand it. In the good old days we only hear about in magazines (like our March 2009 issue [...]

The Suggestion Box of Doomed Ideas: Parking in Damascus

In what might become a regular feature of the blog, I start today with a suggestion that truly can only be described as doomed. Not because it’s a bad idea, mind you, I don’t think it is, and I’ve had some support. Simply put, it is doomed because no one will ever, ever take the [...]

List 5 things Obama should do for peace in the Middle East, and 5 challenges he’ll face there.

The popular Barack Obama seemed and sounded very confident as he told the world during the American festival of democracy that the US is “ready to lead once more.” In his inauguration address on 20 January, the new American president said to “all other peoples and governments who are watching” that “America is a friend [...]

Reacting in moderation: How not to let the death of those in Gaza be in vain

By Mehdi Rifai
First off, an easy confession for me to make is that what is happening in Gaza appalls me, and makes me rethink a lot of my former “moderate” opinions concerning Israel. It has been my opinion for some time that Arab grief over Palestine has been stuck too long in the “anger” and [...]

When Gazan misrey turns into an online football game…

A circulation email arrived this morning with the title, “Vote for Palestine against Israel,” with the heated comment:
Dear All. READ . VOTE . SEND
Be Active Now.
صوت لـ فلسطين ضد اسرائيل
على أقل تقدير دعونا ننتصر على الإنترنت

إضغط على الرابط أدناه

Vote for Palestine against Israel
at least let us make a win over web
http://www.israel-vs-palestine.com/gz/

Opening the link you see [...]

The Night Eid Was Stolen

… and the perpetrators were caught in the act. Then they were left in peace to continue what they had started.
In the world of those that can feel no shame, the night Eid was stolen was just another night. They stood as witness at a perfectly sealed Egypt-Gaza border, and made sure that the Custodian [...]

Syria: A European Arab Country?

So if Syria is to belong to another group other than the Arab World, would it be Europe, or Asia?
Perhaps this is a more legitimate question to be asked by Turks about their country, especially with their bid to join the European Union.  However, this is a question that is being asked today about Syria, [...]

A Syrian Message To Rabbi Krinsky: My Heart Goes Out to You

By Abdulsalam Haykal
Dear Rabbi Krinsky:
I changed my plan and stayed in the hotel room in Chicago to watch your press conference on Friday following the horrific tragedy in Mumbai.  Your commitment to adopt the innocent toddler Moshe, Prophet Moses’ namesake, spoke volumes of the solidarity of your community, and the sense of responsibility you have [...]