Dictatorship

Public space in Syria

Where Damascus goes to breathe

Before the war, Mount Qasioun was a refuge for the people of Damascus, a rare space for freedom and intimacy. After Assad's fall, it was briefly reclaimed as a public space, but now large-scale private developments threaten to take it over.
On the Death of Pope Shenouda III

A Pragmatist Who Was Not Afraid to Take a Stand

Pope Shenouda III, the head of the Christian Coptic Church, passed away last weekend. Throughout his time as Coptic spiritual leader, he faced a variety of challenges from all sides: Islamisation, dictatorship and even revolution. His successor has yet to be named. Karim El-Gawhary reports from Cairo