Politics

Benazir Bhutto's Return

Pakistan Plays Waiting Game

On her return from exile Pakistan's former prime minister Benazir Bhutto sought to be celebrated as the great hope for democracy and prosperity. But can she fulfil expectations at home and abroad? This is by no means certain. Anette Meisters reports
Journalists in Afghanistan

Reporting Between the Lines

Nowadays, Afghan journalists risk life and limb when it comes to reporting objectively on the deplorable state of affairs in their country. Not only the Taliban, but also the pro-Western government tends to see courageous journalists as enemies. Ratbil Shamel and Najibullah Zeyarmal report
EU Sanctions against Uzbekistan

Watered down beyond Recognition

On October 15 the European Union once again relaxed the sanctions against Uzbekistan. The decision was based on short-sighted power politics and demonstrates a lack of principles, Marcus Bensmann argues
Nationalism and the Judiciary in Turkey

Hrant Dink's Son Sentenced for "Denigrating Turkishness"

Arat Dink, the son of the Turkish Armenian journalist Hrant Dink who was assassinated in January of this year, has been given a one-year suspended sentence for reprinting an interview his father in which he spoke of the Armenian genocide. A commentary by Aydin Engin
Press Freedom in Egypt

Defiant Boycott

Opposition leaders and publishers of independent newspapers in Egypt called for a one-day strike last week after a court in Cairo sentenced four newspaper publishers to one year in prison last month for slandering the president and the governing party. Jürgen Stryjak has the details
Climate-Change and Developing Countries

We All Share Responsibility

Although climate change has been brought about largely by development in industrialized rich nations, it will impose the most hardship on the poorest countries, argues Chandrashekhar Dasgupta
Israeli Women as Checkpoint Monitors

Concerned about the Dignity of the Palestinians

An organization of Israeli women spent six years monitoring activities at Israeli checkpoints. What motivates these women to monitor the men who are supposed to be protecting them? Beate Hinrichs reports
Tunisia's Nahda Movement

Weak and Ambivalent on Essential Issues

The Islamist Nahda movement has recently celebrated 26 years since its inception amid a difficult atmosphere related to its inability to transcend the restrictive corner it found itself in since the beginning of the nineties. By Salah ad-Din al-Jourchi
Terrorist Attacks in Algeria

El Dorado for Western Security Companies

The terrorist organisation al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb has conducted a number of attacks in recent weeks, consciously targeting foreigners in the process. In view of the increase in western economic activity in Algeria, security companies already sense that they are on to something good. Bernard Schmid reports
Women and Politics in Pakistan

Sham Participation

Pakistan's current government has inducted the highest number of women at the federal, provincial and local level of government since independence. But still women in Pakistan do not have any real political power, says Shehar Bano Khan
The Assembly of Experts in Iran

Power Struggle at the Top

Ali Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani has been elected the new president of the Assembly of Experts. Can the 73-year-old politician take over the reins again, curb the radicals, and push through a moderate course? Bahman Nirumand reports with the facts
Obituary: Haidar Abdel Shafi

"The Grand Old Man of Gaza"

His life was inextricably linked with the history of Palestine over the past century, from the end of the Ottoman occupation of Palestine to the collapse of the Middle East peace talks. Haidar Abdel Shafi died on 25 September. An obituary by Alexandra Senfft

Politics

Topics

Pakistan Plays Waiting Game

Reporting Between the Lines

Watered down beyond Recognition

Hrant Dink's Son Sentenced for "Denigrating Turkishness"

Defiant Boycott

We All Share Responsibility

Concerned about the Dignity of the Palestinians

Weak and Ambivalent on Essential Issues

El Dorado for Western Security Companies

Sham Participation

Power Struggle at the Top

"The Grand Old Man of Gaza"

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