Syria Today | July 2010

UN High Commissioner for Refugees marks World Refugee Day in Damascus

The UN High Commissioner for Refugees Antonio Guterres commemorated World Refugee Day in Damascus on June 20.

Syria to import wheat for third year

Syria will import wheat for a third year in a row because of persistent drought and an outbreak of wheat rust.

Israeli attack on Gaza flotilla destroys chances of peace

The Israeli attack on a flotilla of ships attempting to break the siege of Gaza has "destroyed any chance for peace in the near future", President Bashar al-Assad said in an interview aired by the BBC on June 17.

STREET TALK

How did you find this year's baccalaureate examinations?

Secondary-school students sat their final high-school examinations last month. Syria Today spoke to a number of students to find out how they found their exams and the baccalaureate in general.

US technology delegation visits Syria

Executives from US technology firms Microsoft, Dell, Cisco Systems, VeriSign and Symantec met with President Bashar al-Assad during a visit to Damascus from June 14 to 17.

Local News

Syrian man donates record amount of blood
A Syrian citizen has donated blood 170 times, making him the top blood donor in the country, Syria's official news agency SANA reported on June 16.

Religious and secular opposition leaders released

Syrian authorities released a number of secular and Islamist opposition figures last month.

Barriers and the Boycott

Will Syria be able to continue to enforce a trade and investment boycott against Israel if it joins the WTO?

Q&A: Antonio Guterres
United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees

Former Portuguese Prime Minister Antonio Guterres was re-elected last April by the UN General Assembly to serve a second five-year term as the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees. Guterres visited Syria last month to commemorate World Refugee Day and Syria Today sat down with him to get an update on the agency's work and the Iraqi refugee situation.

The Revolution Will Be Televised

The 1991 Gulf War was told through an American lens. The 2003 invasion of Iraq was told through an Arab one. The impact of new Arab media on the region should not be underestimated.