Mali, Timbouctou, Bamako, Dogon Valley, treasures, real people, ancient culture, fascinating rituals. Who knows? Monuments of human wisdom have been destroyed by fanatic Muslims in Timbouctou, the mythical city, the home of few of the oldest books in the world. Hardly anyone reacted, except by words. A dream smashed to pieces by idiots, claiming Islam as their guidance, ignoring their own ignorance. Bamako, where French opera's have been performed for glamourous audiences, flown in from all over the world, is now a spooky town filed with fear and...

Reports from Syria mention that president Assad has given orders to use poison gas against the opposition. Bad news for the victims. Good news for the opposition: the US government has indicated that this method will be punished by American intervention. Is this what Assad eventually wants? Being ousted by a super power rather than by his own people? Save face where there is nothing to be saved? The rationale of civil war is difficult to analyse. But the perversity of those in power becomes crystal clear: I...

I just read an article by Zadie Smith on the difference between pleasure and joy. What is the difference? Joy, according to Smith, may be 'the intense version of pleasure, arrived at by the same road - you simply have to go a little further down the track.' This thought inspires me to think about my own experience. What gives me pleasure? An article that I wrote and that is published; the car whose engin will start despite the cold; losing a pound or two after Xmas; buying...

How often haven't we heard that the Guantanamo prison will be closed? Presidents Bush and Obama promised; Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates and Secretary of State Colin L. Powell promised. But the facilities are still working and 166 men, many of whom have no other 'default' than being a Muslim who was in the wrong place at the wrong time, still wait to be released. As long as the United States is at war with terrorism, or more precisely with Al Qaeda, the law allows Washington to keep...

He was Danton; he was Cyrano de Bergerac; he was Balzac's colonel Chabert; he was and is Obelix. He is the incarnation of French cinema, a superior actor, his former agent Jean-Louis Livi calls him nothing less than a 'genius'. But like so many stars whose success came at an early age (Patrick Dewaere, Romy Schneider, Marilyn Monroe), fame doesn't always mean happiness. Gerard Depardieu seems to show his sadness by challenging his French fans, his country as a whole really. Leaving for Belgium because he can't stand...

Twee keer zoveel Fransen zitten thuis zonder werk als Duitsers (10,5% tegenover 5,4% respectievelijk). Gehoopt wordt dezer dagen op een 'historisch akkoord', waarbij de sterke vakbonden en de onzekere werkgevers het eens moeten worden over ontslagregels. President Hollande kondigde aan koste wat het kost de werkloosheid naar beneden te willen brengen. Maar hoe, dat zei hij niet. Frankrijk praat, debateert, filosofeert, maar economische maatregelen komen er niet. De grote veranderingen in de wereld lijken aan de Fransen voorbij te gaan en hervormingen worden steeds maar uitgesteld. De internationale...

Om maar even met een schoolvoorbeeld van een excellent opgebouwde tentoonstelling te komen (na mijn heftige kritiek op het Teylers Museum in Haarlem en de zo geprezen Rafael expositie): Hopper in het Grand Palais. Ook rijen wachtenden; ook schuifelen langs de tekeningen en doeken. Maar wat een opbouw! Wat een spanning! Je groeit als bezoeker met de kunstenaar mee, via onzekere perioden, naar zelfvertrouwen, zelfs een beetje trots. De kleine Hopper zie je ontwaken en uiteindelijk doorstoten naar het rijk der grootsten. Zoals zo vaak blijkt dat vernieuwers...

Aan de marketing heeft het niet gelegen: de Rafael tentoonstelling in het Teylers Museum in Haarlem heeft alle kranten en veel tv-programma's gehaald. De 'unieke' expositie van werk van de grootmeester is over het algemeen geprezen, soms zelfs bejubeld. Ik vraag mij af of de recensenten wel zelf naar Haarlem zijn afgereisd, want er is bar weinig te bejubelen. Gisteren eerst een half uur in de miezerregen voor de kassa gewacht. Eigen schuld, had ik maar kaartjes onllne moeten bestellen. Toen ik aan de beurt was, kwam een...

The Obama II government has quite a lot of dishes on its Middle East menu these days. After the wars in Irak and Afghanistan, it is certainly not eager to start a new one (with Iran or Syria). Concerning Syria, president Obama has resisted to all pressure, not wanting to intervene, unless chemical weapons get involved. Concerning the Israeli-Palestinian dossier, it is waiting, watching from the shadow as it were. The only very urgent case for Mr. Obama is the one of Iran. The US has tried all...

This week, judges of the International Criminal Court in The Hague have acquitted the Congolese rebel leader Mathieu Ngudjolo because the testimony against him was too 'hazy'. The judges said that, although the atrocities suffered by the villagers in Bogoro (Eastern Congo)in February 2003 were real, the evidence against Mr. Ngudjolo was not sufficient. He has been acquitted of all charges, including murder, rape and use of child soldiers. He will go home a free man, leaving the relatives of the many victims in total disarray. Mr. Ngudjolo,...