Yesterday's ladies are not the same as today's....They say 'woman' is fickle, but Gaddafi changes his women almost as often as he changes his outfits (many times a day according to his former nurses) - if reports of the high turnover in female security staff are anything to go by. When his cards are down, where are his faithful female friends? Those Amazonian Guards said to take bullets for him and in service til death do them part with the Colonel. Out with the old, in with the new? Or ...

Mahmoud Abbas, president of the Palestinian Authority, announced his Friday 23rd application for full voting membership of the United Nations. But that rests on UN Security Council approval and will, we know since Wednesday and the US pledge to veto, fail. What may be acheived instead is an upgrading in status for the Palestinian entity to a "non-voting observer state," in the General Assembly, a category that now includes the Vatican only. Tomorrow the day of reckoning for Palestinian statehood is upon us. Will Palestinians be granted an upgrade to ...

Since Gaddafi left our screens to only enter the picture through mythical reports of his legendary flight details, The Colonel - considered now to be the most wanted man on earth - has reappeared to us only in the form of Kodak moments . We have been seeing the emergence of an intimate family portrait of his direct tribe, replete with special and ordinary dictator-family memories, from circumcision to wedding, baby pictures and snap-shots of lives lived in luxury. On top of these leaked albums, courtesy of the rebels' plundering ...

Since Mubarak's hospitalization and subsequent arrest, we have only seen images of him in the mode -- and gear-- of patient or prisoner. A far cry from his heady prosperous days where he insisted on his tailored suits bearing his own stamp : a personal weave, emblazoned in his 'running stitched' name. A vanity outfit if ever there was one. Now, he is reduced to choices in colors of pajamas, as befits convalescence or penal clothing. Mubarak's first appearance in court was memorable for the extraordinary images of the ousted ...

As we commemorate the 10-year anniversary of September 11 and remember the tragic victims who expected to start another day of work, only to end up victim to one of history's most dramatic human-made acts of destruction, we can survey the new altered reaity we inhabit - all of which seems to be a result of that incident. We cannot board an aeroplane, wire money internationally or watch the news without being reminded of that fateful day 10 years ago. In some countries, the idea of introducing ID cards has ...

Ever wondered what the leaders of the Arab countries do to celebrate the holidays? How do the sundry Sultans, Kings and Presidents of Araby spend their time on Eid? This Eid ul-Fitr, 2011, some Arab leaders are feeling a bit miserable; others are beginning to show signs of stress; others will spend quiet time with their families. Still more will probably invest in some lotion for their burns.

When does Eid Ul Fitr fall? The joyous three-day festival, Eid Ul-Fitr (the Festival of Fast-Breaking), which begins after the sighting of a new crescent moon, marks the end of the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan, during which devout Muslims abstain from food, drink, smoking and sex from dawn to dusk. Eid Ul-Fitr falls on the first day of Shawwal, the month after Ramadan in the Islamic calendar. It is a time to give in charity to those in need, and celebrate with family and friends the completion of a ...

Syrian Sins by the Regime escalate this Ramadan Ramadan time and Syrians are calling for the blood of their leader- as the regime’s bloody campaign has reached fever pitch. Peace, calm, patience and forgiveness typically associated with the month, would have to be in a different planet. Calls for freedom and an end to oppression have been met with crushing and bombing by the military forces or security apparatus and government thugs- gunmen known as "shabiha". Targeting mosques, schools and hospitals are all part of a systematic crackdown on anti-government ...

How Green Square became Martyr Square As preparations for a post-Gaddafi era are underway, by a just-about triumphant opposition movement, and as celebrations by the Libyan Diaspora are upon us, we find that the 6-month journey to Tripoli has been a long one, full of setbacks, false-hopes, false-starts, and even now false-finishes! Saif al-Islam, declared captured by the Opposition, is now back out on the streets manically ranting about the fight not being over and expressing his disdain for the barely ripened National Transitional Council, showing impunity and delusion, while ...