Politics
Topics
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Politics in BangladeshThe Fraying of Democracy
Bangladesh is increasingly torn: between economic progress and insecurity, law and impunity, Islamism and secular politics, violence and democracy. Portrait of a troubled country approaching its next major electoral test.
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Economic Boycott of the Palestinian Government
The Price of Not Talking to Hamas
The situation in Palestine is deteriorating dramatically. However, not only Hamas is to be blamed but the EU and other international donors as well – their attempt to sideline Hamas has fuelled the current crisis. A commentary by Bettina Marx
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Middle East Conflict
Terrorists or Freedom Fighters?
With the escalation of the conflict in the Gaza Strip, the adversaries are once again bandying about terms like "terrorism" and "resistance" from a highly subjective viewpoint. An objective classification is not always that easy, however. By Peter Philipp
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Commentary Nasrin Alavi
Tehran's Red Card to Human Rights
The presence of Tehran's notoriously repressive prosecutor-general, Saeed Mortazavi, as a delegate to the United Nations's new Human Rights Council in Geneva is an international scandal.
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Afghanistan
Drugs Problem Deeply Ingrained in Society
In Afghanistan, the world's main producer of opium, poppy cultivation was down for the first time since 2001. However, a UN report warned that it could go up again this year. Ratbil Shamel reports
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Islam in Russia
Trying to Ease Tensions Within and Without
Moscow's relationship with the Muslim world and majority Muslim neighbours is a sensitive one, as the war in Chechnya has demonstrated. Hermann Krause looked into Russia's relationship with Islam
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Interim Constitution for Sudan
Milestone on the Road to Peace
Though highly significant for the peace agreement in Sudan, the new interim constitution has yet to prove itself in political practice. It is supposed to clarify the autonomy of the south and the relationships among the ethnic groups. By Frederik Richter
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Indonesia
Abu Bakar Bashir Released
Radical Indonesian cleric Abu Bakar Bashir has been released from prison in Jakarta after serving time for links to the 2002 Bali bombings. Bashir is alleged to be the spiritual leader of the Al-Qaeda-linked Jemaah Islamiyah. James Fletcher reports
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Iraq's National Soccer Team
Reconstructing Iraq on a Different Front
The Iraqi national soccer team is in Germany for a training camp, making it their first trip to Europe since the end of the war. German coach Bernd Stange says soccer is the best path to international understanding
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Reform Policies of the Turkish AK Party
Setting an Example for Arab Islamists?
Many still regard the experiment represented by the Islamic AK Party with skepticism. Nevertheless, there is hope that the party could develop into a reform model for political change among the Islamic movements in the Arab world. By Slaheddine Jourchi
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Kuwait's Political Turmoil
It's Not Just Conservative Islamists versus Liberal Reformers
The dissolution of Kuwait's parliament and the calling of early elections reflect developing social and economic fissures in the Gulf emirate.
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Kuwait
Taking Hate out of School Textbooks
As an answer to the charge that Kuwait is home to Islamic terrorists, the government wants to revise questionable concepts in school textbooks - against fundamentalist opposition. Lina Hoffman reports
Most read articles
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Israeli peace activist Yoav Peck on the Gaza war
"I am appalled by the hard-heartedness"
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Musician Michael Barenboim on Gaza
"Nothing justifies genocide"
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Fairuz
Songs for a Lebanon that never existed
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Syrian Refugees in Iraq
Exodus into the Unknown
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Muslimas on Instagram
The many ways to tie a headscarf
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Interview with the Iranian writer Abbas Maroufi
″Self-censorship is the worst″