Arafat's mystery might be solved soon

Last year, I wrote about how French prosecutors had ordered the reopening of the case on Yasser Arafat's 2004 death. Today, and according to Al-Jazeera (the channel whose investigations triggered the Palestinian leader's exhumation), scientists at the University Centre of Legal Medicine in Lausanne have found at least 18 times the normal levels of radioactive polonium in his remains, thus concluding that it was very likely the figure was poisoned.

The report has only examined the question of what killed Arafat, without addressing the question of whether he was deliberately poisoned or how. Moreover, Suha Arafat has said that "we can’t point a finger at anyone". Rumours have already been unleashed, though. The bulk stress the main suspects are either the Israelis (even though they have always denied they had anything to do with his sickness or death and to date no evidence has emerged that implicates them) or Arafat’s Palestinian rivals, aware of the many threats the remarkable figure posed to the future of Palestine as it was.

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12 things you wanted to know about IS/ISIS

Tracking the events in Iraq - in the whole region, actually - might be a colossal task. Particularly so during the Summer, when it is sometimes even difficult to grasp a single headline. We all are aware about something called ISIS - or IS, as of lately - that seems to be messing around from Lebanon to Iran. A group of bearded man that scares everybody, the only ones able to force Obama to reconsider his mantra of non-intervention and to make Assad look like a harmless puppy. We've read about them, we've seen tons of maps showing their advance, we've heard rumours and conjectures. In case you've missed half of it, there go a few basic things you need to know about them. And yes, they are creepy!

Migrating

Aunque el título pueda referirse a uns de las varias mudanzas a los que me conocéis personalmente estáis acostumbrados, se refiere simplemente a este humilde blog, que tantas alegrias me ha dado. A partir de ahora podréis encontrar todos mis artículos en la página https://discoveringmena.blog Although the title could well refer to one of the rushed and unpredictable decisions those amongst you who know me are by now you used to, 'migrating' refers here to the new site this humble blog - which has given me so much joy - is moving to. From now on you can find all of my articles on the page https://discoveringmena.blog

What about Lebanon?

I would never dare to think I have enough knowledge so as to freely talk about this issue and produce a meaningful article, but I will try to write down what I have understood so far (I already had to edit as I misunderstood some facts, thanks Louis!). Lebanon and Syria have always been deeply interconnected. Both countries were part of the Ottoman Empire, both countries were under the dominance of France's colonization, both countries share an extremely complicated ethnic/religious division, and both countries political scenes still depend on the other's. More recently, Syria was a key player in the brokering of the 1989 Taif Accords putting an end to Lebanon's civil war, and its troops (and many authorities) stayed in the country (allegedly guaranteeing the non resumption of violence) until 2005, when the country's population unanimously demanded their retreat. It all started in Tripoli, Lebanon's second largest city, next to the country's northern borde

Discovering MENA and other thoughts

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