Politics
Topics
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The "New Middle East"Pax Israelia or bellum aeternum?
With the support of the USA, Israel is reshaping the Middle East. Though framed as a path to stability, their strategy risks locking the region into a permanent conflict.
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Iran and Israel"A war of extremisms"
Both Israel and Iran are driven by dangerous forms of fundamentalism, says former IAEA analyst Behrooz Bayat. He explains how close Tehran is to developing a nuclear bomb and the logic behind Israel's attacks.
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Ismail Küpeli's "Graue Wölfe"A danger left unchecked
Thousands of right-wing extremists of Turkish origin live in Germany. Violent and deeply embedded, they remain largely ignored by politicians. In his book "Graue Wölfe" (Grey Wolves), Ismail Küpeli takes a closer look at the movement.
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Abu Shabab in GazaA militia under Netanyahu's control
An armed group is making headlines in Gaza. Led by Abu Shabab, the militia stands accused of looting aid and attacking starving civilians, while enjoying quiet backing from Israel as a means to undermine Hamas.
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KidnappingsWhy women in Syria are disappearing
Blackmail, forced marriages and revenge: abductions of women and girls have become more frequent since the collapse of the Assad regime. Many women vanish without a trace, while others have returned with surprising testimonies.
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Iraq and post-Assad SyriaAn uneasy alliance
Iraq has kept its distance from Syria's new regime due to President al-Sharaa's al-Qaeda past. But one key issue has the potential to bring the two countries closer together: the threat of a resurgent ISIS.
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Leftist politics in Syria"I don't care whether Marx or Muhammad takes the credit"
Since Assad's fall in December 2024, Syrians have witnessed both displays of unity and renewed sectarian violence. A national identity that transcends sect and ideology is the key to a stable future, says Syrian leftist Sami Hadaya.
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Filmmaker Monika Borgmann"Syria needs a culture of justice"
Monika Borgmann has spent decades documenting Lebanese and Syrian prison systems. Her 2016 film "Tadmor" found new resonance after Assad's fall. She discusses Syria's future and her fight for justice after the murder of her husband, activist Lokman Slim.
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Weapons exports to Israel"Unlawful arms export licences have likely been issued"
Germany remains one of Israel's top arms suppliers, a situation likely to persist under Friedrich Merz. According to Lilian Löwenbrück from the European Center for Constitutional and Human Rights, politicians and manufacturers could face charges for complicity in crimes against international law.
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Germany's new governmentMerz, Netanyahu and the reason of state
Under Chancellor Friedrich Merz, Germany is expected to double down on its support for Israel, even if it means sidelining international law. Domestically, repression of Israel's critics is set to intensify.
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Pankaj Mishra on Germany, Israel and Palestine"An anarchic, nihilistic world"
The West, particularly Germany, has instrumentalised Holocaust remembrance to justify state violence, argues Pankaj Mishra. A conversation on suppressed colonial histories, Western complicity in Gaza and Germany's role in the erosion of international law.
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Anti-Erdoğan protestsTurkey at the crossroads
The March arrest of Istanbul mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu has sparked widespread protests demanding his release and fresh presidential elections. Successful or not, the protests point to a changing face of Turkish society.
Most read articles
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Samia Mehrez's "The Many Lives of Ibrahim Nagui"
Reframing a divided legacy
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Constantin Schreiber′s controversial mosque report
Outside Islam
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Kidnappings
Why women in Syria are disappearing
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German academia
When neutrality becomes complicity
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Prostitution in Tunisia
The big reveal
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Fairuz
Songs for a Lebanon that never existed