David Blair's Blog, page 110

Syria's online army is simply playing into Assad's hands

A successful overthrow of the regime needs more muscle than social media can supply, writes David Blair.

Syrian security officials 'tortured pregnant mother with electric shocks in front of infant sons'

Syrian security officials tortured a pregnant mother and a father with electric shocks in front of their infant sons, according to an eyewitness who was held in the same cell.

Thanks to our courts, British spies are being forced to duplicate the CIA's work

The co-operation between US and British intelligence is supposed to be the closest in the world. If, as Robert Winnett reports today , that relationship has partially broken down and the US is now withholding important information, everybody who lives in Britain should be worried.

Assad buys himself more time

Ill-equipped rebels and a divided opposition have allowed Syria's president to hold on to power. But for how long?

Syria: Bashar al-Assad must obey peace plan or other countries will arm opposition

William Hague delivered a stark warning to Syria's regime, saying that President Bashar al-Assad must obey a new peace plan or else other countries would arm the rebel movement.

Syria: Assad regime must not use peace plan as delaying tactic Turkey warns

Syria's regime must not be allowed to use a new peace plan as a "tactic" to buy time, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, the Turkish prime minister, insisted on Sunday.

Barack Obama admits US has 'more nuclear weapons than we need'

President Barack Obama admitted on Monday that America has "more nuclear weapons than we need" and pledged to seek another far-reaching disarmament agreement with Russia.

Bashar al Assad's wife 'could face two year prison term' for sanctions busting after shopping spree

Asma al-Assad, the British-born wife of Syria's president Bashar, could be liable for a two-year prison sentence because her online shopping sprees may have broken financial sanctions imposed on her husband, according to a senior lawyer.

Analysis: Iran's Syria deal shows just how far Tehran is prepared to go

Isolated by sanctions and banned from selling oil to the European Union, Iran has severe economic problems of its own.

Iran and Syria 'lay ambitious plans for road, rail, air and electricity links'

Iran has thrown Syria an economic lifeline by laying ambitious plans for road, rail, air and even electricity links between the two countries, according to official records of high level talks in Damascus.