Michael Wahid Hanna

According to new reports from Human Rights Watch, Syria is laying landmines across its borders with Lebanon and Turkey. Steve Goose, arms division director for Human Rights Watch, called the use of these weapons “unconscionable,” going on to say that “there is absolutely no justification for the use of these indiscriminate weapons by any country, […]

Egypt’s first freely elected Parliament in more than 60 years held its first session this morning. The Muslim Brotherhood’s Freedom and Justice party which took more than 40 percent of the seats has vowed to guide Egypt through the transition from military to civilian rule. Joining The Takeaway is David Kirkpatrick, Cairo bureau chief for […]

Activists and opposition groups have accused Syrian government forces of killing at least 160 defecting soldiers and civilians over the past three days near the city of Idlib. This surge of violence is among the bloodiest the ongoing protests have seen, and comes shortly before international observers are set to arrive to monitor President Bashar […]

At least 63 people were killed in Baghdad Thursday when a wave of 14 bombs exploded across the city. Over 185 people were injured. The attacks come only days after U.S. troops pulled out of Iraq and during a deepening political crisis in the government. On Wednesday, Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki, a Shiite, threatened to […]