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# The Week in 1 Minute: Rising Phoenix-like from the ashes (February 18 – 24 on openDemocracy)
- URL: https://www.opendemocracy.net/en/week-in-1-minute-rising-phoenix-like-from-ashes-february-18-24-on-opendemocracy/
- Published: 2013-05-23T14:05:25.000Z
- Updated: 2026-04-23T01:26:46.000Z
- Description: The week opened with our readers catching up with openSecurity’s conference on Syria’s Peace which took place the previous week; with Vron Ware and Ian Sinclair on the tenth anniversary of the biggest anti-war demonstrations ever to have resonated around the world; and with the news that openDemoc
- Author: openDemocracy Supporters
- Tags: The Week in 1 Minute, #Migrated, #en, #Import 2026-04-09 17:36, #appended-excerpt

Fawaz Gerges writes on [Obama’s stance](http://cts.vresp.com/c/?openDemocracy/f4aa867438/7262321cfa/53023382e2&ref=opendemocracy.net) with regard to the Middle East and [debates with Rosemary Hollis](http://cts.vresp.com/c/?openDemocracy/f4aa867438/7262321cfa/3e8a40e41a&ref=opendemocracy.net) the **Syrian conflict as a regional proxy war**, and the costs of not negotiating with Assad. They are joined by Kristian Coates Ulrichsen on the [Gulf States and Syria](http://cts.vresp.com/c/?openDemocracy/f4aa867438/7262321cfa/7e037cc03d&ref=opendemocracy.net); the insights of [Firdevs Robinson](http://cts.vresp.com/c/?openDemocracy/f4aa867438/7262321cfa/56ec1760a2&ref=opendemocracy.net) and [Karabekir Akkoyunlu](http://cts.vresp.com/c/?openDemocracy/f4aa867438/7262321cfa/38d1b299de&ref=opendemocracy.net) into the wider implications of the state of play between Turkey and Syria; and [Paul Rogers](http://cts.vresp.com/c/?openDemocracy/f4aa867438/7262321cfa/7fbd739adc&ref=opendemocracy.net) on the impact of Syria’s war on **Israel as a ‘fortress-state’**.   
  
Martin Rose gives us a glimpse of another anniversary, [Libya’s Day of Rage](http://cts.vresp.com/c/?openDemocracy/f4aa867438/7262321cfa/f8adbced28&ref=opendemocracy.net); and [Mahin Kahn,](http://cts.vresp.com/c/?openDemocracy/f4aa867438/7262321cfa/89d9d2c12f&ref=opendemocracy.net) [Mohammad Nakibur Rahman](http://cts.vresp.com/c/?openDemocracy/f4aa867438/7262321cfa/672b3ea889&ref=opendemocracy.net), [Salman Al-Azami](http://cts.vresp.com/c/?openDemocracy/f4aa867438/7262321cfa/d900c34bfe&ref=opendemocracy.net) and [Ansar Ahmed Ullah](http://cts.vresp.com/c/?openDemocracy/f4aa867438/7262321cfa/2a8a5478a2&ref=opendemocracy.net) help us to understand calls for retribution in **the Shahbag protests in Bangladesh**.  
  
Amro Ali from [This week’s window on the Middle East](http://cts.vresp.com/c/?openDemocracy/f4aa867438/7262321cfa/ce37a8e095&ref=opendemocracy.net), writes movingly about [a potato-seller's death](http://cts.vresp.com/c/?openDemocracy/f4aa867438/7262321cfa/865a3c1d32&ref=opendemocracy.net) in Tahrir Square. [Sami Zubaida lucidly surveys](http://cts.vresp.com/c/?openDemocracy/f4aa867438/7262321cfa/ea17a32408&ref=opendemocracy.net) the history and current impact of Islam in the Arab transformations, while [Maggie Murphy warns](http://cts.vresp.com/c/?openDemocracy/f4aa867438/7262321cfa/2eae08cc92&ref=opendemocracy.net) that the UN and **universal human rights are currently under threat from ‘traditional values’**. Srilatha Batliwala points out that those responsible for the tremendous civilisational shifts achieved by the struggle for women’s rights are [not receiving the support they need](http://cts.vresp.com/c/?openDemocracy/f4aa867438/7262321cfa/d31eef3eda&ref=opendemocracy.net).  
  
We have our [spotlight](http://cts.vresp.com/c/?openDemocracy/f4aa867438/7262321cfa/7c22621607&ref=opendemocracy.net) on **Italy, in the run-up to its election**: [Francesca Montemaggi](http://cts.vresp.com/c/?openDemocracy/f4aa867438/7262321cfa/3e3964d94a&ref=opendemocracy.net) gives us six characters in search of a country, while [not everyone is impressed with Beppe Grillo](http://cts.vresp.com/c/?openDemocracy/f4aa867438/7262321cfa/9e1736cf05&ref=opendemocracy.net), and [Carlo Ungaro](http://cts.vresp.com/c/?openDemocracy/f4aa867438/7262321cfa/613cc2418f&ref=opendemocracy.net) explains the implications of the Pope’s decision.   
  
On **Our Kingdom**, the **post-Leveson battle over the UK’s press regulation** has [David Elstein](http://cts.vresp.com/c/?openDemocracy/f4aa867438/7262321cfa/680b0f7f60&ref=opendemocracy.net) and [Brian Cathcart](http://cts.vresp.com/c/?openDemocracy/f4aa867438/7262321cfa/1a03fd8317&ref=opendemocracy.net) joined in debate, and a new enquiry is launched into UK wealth distribution with the help of [Craig Berry](http://cts.vresp.com/c/?openDemocracy/f4aa867438/7262321cfa/0458388da0&ref=opendemocracy.net) and [Karen Rowlingson](http://cts.vresp.com/c/?openDemocracy/f4aa867438/7262321cfa/0ac505e5a7&ref=opendemocracy.net). Jamie Mackay also offers us OK’s Friday essay on [the multitude as a new type of political subject](http://cts.vresp.com/c/?openDemocracy/f4aa867438/7262321cfa/68c6f6fc90&ref=opendemocracy.net).  
  
Meanwhile **oD Russia** celebrates [Marina Gosovskaya](http://cts.vresp.com/c/?openDemocracy/f4aa867438/7262321cfa/80365b3d71&ref=opendemocracy.net) documenting modern Russia; [follows activists](http://cts.vresp.com/c/?openDemocracy/f4aa867438/7262321cfa/283438fd7a&ref=opendemocracy.net) trying to prevent **redevelopment in Ukraine**; tracks funds that ought to go to [Russian war veterans](http://cts.vresp.com/c/?openDemocracy/f4aa867438/7262321cfa/cec6af8955&ref=opendemocracy.net) being siphoned off into **vanity projects**; and applauds the work of [Grigory Okhotin’s grassroots monitoring project](http://cts.vresp.com/c/?openDemocracy/f4aa867438/7262321cfa/01d2392aa7&ref=opendemocracy.net), called **OVD-info**.  
  
Tibet [is caught between its neighbours](http://cts.vresp.com/c/?openDemocracy/f4aa867438/7262321cfa/7474a11e10&ref=opendemocracy.net), elections [in Kenya](http://cts.vresp.com/c/?openDemocracy/f4aa867438/7262321cfa/c9777497b9&ref=opendemocracy.net) are imminent, and [Somalia’s Prime Minister](http://cts.vresp.com/c/?openDemocracy/f4aa867438/7262321cfa/c175a372e3&ref=opendemocracy.net), perhaps prompted by a piece by [Amal Ahmed](http://cts.vresp.com/c/?openDemocracy/f4aa867438/7262321cfa/fa31772b71&ref=opendemocracy.net) last week, decides to reassure openDemocracy readers personally about the future of his country.  
  
And during the week, openDemocracy readers and contributors, friends and supporters rise magnificently to our [fund-raising challenge](http://cts.vresp.com/c/?openDemocracy/f4aa867438/7262321cfa/71a7d633e8&ref=opendemocracy.net). **So we end the week hugely grateful, ready and willing to fight with you another day.** 
  
  
**Don’t miss**:

- The Irish economy and the [toxic debt scare](http://cts.vresp.com/c/?openDemocracy/f4aa867438/7262321cfa/953b8deffb&ref=opendemocracy.net)
- A Demos study of [Beppe Grillo’s fan base](http://cts.vresp.com/c/?openDemocracy/f4aa867438/7262321cfa/2fc0a553f5&ref=opendemocracy.net)
- The New Statesman in [fraternal support of openDemocracy](http://cts.vresp.com/c/?openDemocracy/f4aa867438/7262321cfa/5a2aeab306&ref=opendemocracy.net)

**openDemocracy’s week in 1 minute is emailed to Members, Friends and authors who help pay for and create our great content. Please forward this to any contact you think might be interested and** [**want to join**](http://cts.vresp.com/c/?openDemocracy/f4aa867438/7262321cfa/3dec22a566/openDemocracy/bb28beb484/946f39415f/51634b1085/openDemocracy/d4022f1a75/TEST/e64101092e&ref=opendemocracy.net) **or email us (**[**supporters@opendemocracy.net**](mailto:supporters@opendemocracy.net)**).**

The week opened with our readers catching up with openSecurity’s conference on [Syria’s Peace](http://cts.vresp.com/c/?openDemocracy/f4aa867438/7262321cfa/3359494f21&ref=opendemocracy.net) which took place the previous week; with [Vron Ware](http://cts.vresp.com/c/?openDemocracy/f4aa867438/7262321cfa/e7fca05d0f&ref=opendemocracy.net) and [Ian Sinclair](http://cts.vresp.com/c/?openDemocracy/f4aa867438/7262321cfa/2e98f10c58&ref=opendemocracy.net) on the tenth anniversary of the biggest [anti-war demonstrations](http://cts.vresp.com/c/?openDemocracy/f4aa867438/7262321cfa/3f5a6e2196&ref=opendemocracy.net) ever to have resonated around the world; and with the news that **openDemocracy has to raise a substantial sum by March 31** or [face closure](http://cts.vresp.com/c/?openDemocracy/f4aa867438/7262321cfa/67f6360aa4&ref=opendemocracy.net).