Just because I love ‘year in pictures’ round-ups.

The Gulf Spill?

Haiti’s catastrophic earthquake?

Eyjafjallajokull?

This evening I went to see Ed Miliband at St Mary’s Church in Sheffield. It made a refreshing change to hear someone talk frankly about their politics and answer questions both openly and honestly – he even cracked a few jokes about waiting ages for a Miliband and then two come along at once (David [...]

…but like Bashar al-Assad, Syria’s modern dictator.

After the death of his brother, Basil in 1994 (first in line for Presidency), Bashar left the UK and his studies in ophthalmology to assume the mantle of President in waiting. Six years later his father Hafez al-Assad (in office 1971-2000) died and the new President arose.
Unlike Hafez, Bashar [...]

When I began thinking about dissertation topics over two years ago I was met by one particular unenthusiastic criticism due to my lack of knowledge regarding the Persian language. I don’t think she ever really understood my subject or why it was important. it was either that or she was too busy playing around in [...]

Last time I got hooked on Monitter was during the Mumbai attacks last November when my need for real time information got so intense that it became difficult to deattach my eyes from the computer screen. This time it’s the Iran elections (#iranelections) that have really got me. Sat here feeling so overwhelmed and helpless [...]