The executions of Alawites in Homs has been gathering speed and ferocity over the last month. Yesterday, seven young men, such as Muhammad Alwaari, a student and musician, were abducted by security and shot dead. Demonstrations in Homs with chants, such as “Homs is for Sunnis.

We travelled to Syria’s coast to speak to witnesses, alleged perpetrators and security forces about what happened there. Our report for BBC News: bbc.com/news/articles/…

Neuro-imaging studies show that when people justify controversial stances on the basis of sacred values, the brain’s utilitarian cost-benefit circuitry quiets, while emotion-driven regions light up. In other words, logical contradictions literally hurt less.

Why can’t the Sharaa government protect Syrians? It has been 7 months now.; Lack of capacity or renegade sectarian militias are no longer an excuse. Wasn’t the revolution fought to end sectarian killing and discrimination?