http://blogs.independent.co.uk| Blogs from the Independent newspaper - news, views and features from the world's most free-thinking newspaper| Thu, 20 Jun 2013 01:01:01 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2| en hourly 1 http://blogs.independent.co.uk/2012/06/16/egypts-choice-between-fire-and-grill/ http://blogs.independent.co.uk/2012/06/16/egypts-choice-between-fire-and-grill/#comments Sat, 16 Jun 2012 09:45:43 +0000 Mac Abbey http://blogs.independent.co.uk/?p=25354 http://blogs.independent.co.uk/2012/06/16/egypts-choice-between-fire-and-grill/feed/ 3 http://blogs.independent.co.uk/2012/05/24/listen-and-hear-or-meet-us-in-tahrir/ http://blogs.independent.co.uk/2012/05/24/listen-and-hear-or-meet-us-in-tahrir/#comments Thu, 24 May 2012 14:59:29 +0000 Mac Abbey http://blogs.independent.co.uk/?p=24620 Today Tahrir Square is not the scene of demonstrations against the military. Instead, it is a centre for political campaigning for the 50 newly-formed political parties, divided mostly between Muslim and secular ideologies. This is Egypt’s first free Presidential election – Hosni Mubarak had formed the euphemistically named National Democratic Party, which made a charade of elections and planned to have Mubarak’s son succeed him.]]> http://blogs.independent.co.uk/2012/05/24/listen-and-hear-or-meet-us-in-tahrir/feed/ 0 http://blogs.independent.co.uk/2012/02/02/the-fight-over-the-port-said-football-narrative-has-already-begun/ http://blogs.independent.co.uk/2012/02/02/the-fight-over-the-port-said-football-narrative-has-already-begun/#comments Thu, 02 Feb 2012 18:19:36 +0000 Alex Hochuli http://blogs.independent.co.uk/?p=21013 It is a year to the day since the infamous camel charge during the Egyptian uprising. That day, Ultras from al-Ahly and Zamalek football clubs, along with many other Egyptians, fought in the streets against the regime. It is being claimed that the atmosphere in Cairo today is very much like the day after that camel charge. Yesterday’s events in Port Said, in which over 70 football supporters died, is therefore not just ‘another football tragedy’, however terrible it was. Rather, the disaster takes place in a context of heightened political tension over the state of post-Mubarak Egypt, and concerns about security, order and the pace of democratisiation. ]]> http://blogs.independent.co.uk/2012/02/02/the-fight-over-the-port-said-football-narrative-has-already-begun/feed/ 1 http://blogs.independent.co.uk/2011/03/17/the-battle-to-keep-the-revolution-alive/ http://blogs.independent.co.uk/2011/03/17/the-battle-to-keep-the-revolution-alive/#comments Thu, 17 Mar 2011 09:49:51 +0000 Jody McIntyre http://blogs.independent.co.uk/?p=10082 During the Egyptian revolution, some of the most inspiring scenes to emerge from Tahrir Square were the scenes of solidarity between Muslims and the Coptic Christian minority.  Egypt’s Copts were particularly discriminated against under Mubarak rule, so many hearts were warmed by images of Christians forming human barriers around Muslims as they lined up for [...]]]> http://blogs.independent.co.uk/2011/03/17/the-battle-to-keep-the-revolution-alive/feed/ 3 http://blogs.independent.co.uk/2011/03/16/dissolving-through-direct-action/ http://blogs.independent.co.uk/2011/03/16/dissolving-through-direct-action/#comments Wed, 16 Mar 2011 11:09:48 +0000 Jody McIntyre http://blogs.independent.co.uk/?p=10042 Yesterday, Egypt’s State Security Investigation Service, or the “SS” as it has been locally named, was dissolved, as announced by Interior Minister Mansour al-Issawi.  This comes just a week after Egyptian activists demonstrated at State Security buildings across Alexandria and Cairo, including its headquarters in Nasr City, in the north of Cairo, which was occupied [...]]]> http://blogs.independent.co.uk/2011/03/16/dissolving-through-direct-action/feed/ 0 http://blogs.independent.co.uk/2011/03/15/the-forgotten-children-of-tahrir-square/ http://blogs.independent.co.uk/2011/03/15/the-forgotten-children-of-tahrir-square/#comments Tue, 15 Mar 2011 14:33:11 +0000 Jody McIntyre http://blogs.independent.co.uk/?p=10010 The police are back on street corners, guns slung over their shoulders.  They were forced out during the revolution, but have been instructed to return to duties. Children clothed in dirty t-shirts and sandals sell packets of tissue paper out of cardboard boxes.  A man who can’t walk drags himself across the pavement past a [...]]]> http://blogs.independent.co.uk/2011/03/15/the-forgotten-children-of-tahrir-square/feed/ 4 http://blogs.independent.co.uk/2011/03/07/will-saudi-be-the-next-to-rise-up/ http://blogs.independent.co.uk/2011/03/07/will-saudi-be-the-next-to-rise-up/#comments Mon, 07 Mar 2011 11:04:59 +0000 Jody McIntyre http://blogs.independent.co.uk/?p=9669 It is strange to read in the news that the Saudi monarchy has “banned” demonstrations; as if such demonstrations were allowed in the first place.  Nevertheless, small protests in the east of Saudi Arabia do signal a change.  With March 11th being ear-marked as a ‘day of rage’, thousands of security forces are being sent [...]]]> http://blogs.independent.co.uk/2011/03/07/will-saudi-be-the-next-to-rise-up/feed/ 37 http://blogs.independent.co.uk/2011/02/12/freedom-at-last/ http://blogs.independent.co.uk/2011/02/12/freedom-at-last/#comments Sat, 12 Feb 2011 16:28:55 +0000 Jody McIntyre http://blogs.independent.co.uk/?p=8776 Just over a month into the year, and we are two dictators down.  Who will be next for the chopping board? For eighteen days, the Egyptian people have inspired us all.  Finally, their revolution has won.  Mubarak is gone, Suleiman is gone.  Of course, this didn’t start in Egypt, but with Mohamed Bouazizi, in the Tunisian [...]]]> http://blogs.independent.co.uk/2011/02/12/freedom-at-last/feed/ 15 http://blogs.independent.co.uk/2011/02/11/the-arrogance-of-an-ailing-dictator/ http://blogs.independent.co.uk/2011/02/11/the-arrogance-of-an-ailing-dictator/#comments Fri, 11 Feb 2011 15:43:58 +0000 Jody McIntyre http://blogs.independent.co.uk/?p=8747 As I drove up the M1 towards Leicester last night, where I was due to give a speech about Palestine, I got a message saying that Hosni Mubarak would be addressing the Egyptian people at around 8pm. We all presumed that he would be leaving. In fact, he refused to step down, adding yet more fuel to the fire of the Egyptian revolution. You never can under-estimate the arrogance of an ailing dictator. ]]> http://blogs.independent.co.uk/2011/02/11/the-arrogance-of-an-ailing-dictator/feed/ 37 http://blogs.independent.co.uk/2011/02/01/egypt-is-the-social-network-taking-up-arms/ http://blogs.independent.co.uk/2011/02/01/egypt-is-the-social-network-taking-up-arms/#comments Tue, 01 Feb 2011 11:09:12 +0000 Oliver Duggan http://blogs.independent.co.uk/?p=8375 Mark Zuckerberg claims on his Facebook page that he is motivated by the desire to "make the world a more open place". Likewise, Twitter boasts the best way to immediately get “what’s new in your world.” I doubt either of them would have suspected this though. It seems they are getting their wish, but with surprisingly powerful and violent consequences; we have moved into the era of the socially networked revolution, and we are all the better for it.]]> http://blogs.independent.co.uk/2011/02/01/egypt-is-the-social-network-taking-up-arms/feed/ 7 http://blogs.independent.co.uk/2011/01/31/freedom-fighters-terrorists-democracy-activists-and-looters/ http://blogs.independent.co.uk/2011/01/31/freedom-fighters-terrorists-democracy-activists-and-looters/#comments Mon, 31 Jan 2011 13:05:20 +0000 Jody McIntyre http://blogs.independent.co.uk/?p=8346 If there is one thing the uprisings in Tunisia and now in Egypt prove it is this; no matter how far you bend your back to appease your oppressor slash bank-roller, they will never hesitate to abandon you at the first sight of trouble.]]> http://blogs.independent.co.uk/2011/01/31/freedom-fighters-terrorists-democracy-activists-and-looters/feed/ 41 http://blogs.independent.co.uk/2011/01/28/will-today-mark-the-end-for-mubarak/ http://blogs.independent.co.uk/2011/01/28/will-today-mark-the-end-for-mubarak/#comments Fri, 28 Jan 2011 11:18:49 +0000 Jody McIntyre http://blogs.independent.co.uk/?p=8271 “It's now 3 am in the morning in Egypt. Hundreds of political activists are being arrested from their homes at this moment in a very large scale operation. More reports that Police agents are pouring petrol in the streets of main squares to set them on fire during protest. Please act.”]]> http://blogs.independent.co.uk/2011/01/28/will-today-mark-the-end-for-mubarak/feed/ 23