Essays
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Morocco and SpainWhat price Madrid and Rabat's "historic" reconciliation?
Since Spain abandoned its traditional neutrality towards the conflict in Western Sahara, Morocco has announced a "new phase" in relations between the two countries. But what is the price of Spain's support for autonomy in the Sahara? Mohamed Taifouri analyses the situation for Qantara
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Islam in Southeast AsiaAutocratic versus democratic Islam
Indonesia has become a primary battleground between democratic and autocratic visions of Islam in the 21st century, with Nahdlatul Ulama pitted against Abdullah bin Bayyah, a Sunni high priest who provides UAE autocrats with religious legitimisation. Commentary by James M. Dorsey
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Hate propaganda in IndiaModi opponents labelled 'anti-national'
Aggressive propaganda is increasingly distorting public debate in India. Government agencies tolerate and sometimes even promote Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Hindu chauvinism. Those daring to criticise the government face intimidation, harassment and suppression. By Arfa Khanum Sherwani
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Europe, Ukraine and refugeesCompassion, a sliding scale?
Ideally, those Europeans currently welcoming Ukrainian refugees would show the same sympathy to Syrians, Afghans and others fleeing war beyond the continent. But, argues Ian Buruma, human compassion is a rare enough commodity that we should be grateful whenever it appears
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War in Ukraine and the WestPutin's fight and our illusions
Faced with Russia's war against Ukraine, "the West" is once again getting tangled up in its own propaganda, invoking the threat of a clash of civilisations when it comes to the question as to which side Ukraine belongs. An essay by Stefan Weidner
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Morocco's billionaire PMBusiness elite stifles politics
Led by billionaire Aziz Akhannouch, Morocco's new government – elected in September 2021 – has adopted a business mindset. Faced with little parliamentary opposition, the administration also has little to fear from critical media, the last independent journalists having been consigned to jail. Commentary by Mohamed Taifouri
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Ukraine warThe deep desire to declare a state of emergency
Russia's attack on Ukraine took Germany by surprise. The "end of an era" has shifted the political focus to the military, bringing back stale memories of the Western response to the attacks of 9/11. Essay by Stefan Buchen
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Russia's interventions in Ukraine and SyriaWhat drives Putin is evident from Syria
Anyone wishing to know how far Putin will go in Ukraine should look to Syria. There, the Kremlin has been successfully asserting its own interests for years – with military ruthlessness, diplomatic pressure, brazen propaganda and tactical agility. Commentary by Kristin Helberg
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EgyptThe revolution did not fail
Ten years ago, the Egyptians overthrew ruler Hosni Mubarak. Although this did not bring them more freedom, they did gain something. An essay by Andrea Backhaus
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Climate crisis and over-populationThe Arab world has no answers
As challenges such as population growth and the end of the fossil fuel era loom large, not a single Arab regime is in a position to meet them. It is now incumbent upon Europe to encourage a response. Commentary by Rainer Hermann