Politics
Topics
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COVID-19 in IranPower, identity and the coronavirus
The coronavirus is changing everything, forcing cancellation of the usual shows of force and mass religious events seen as indispensable to the rulers of the Islamic Republic. A new age is dawning in Iran: a virtual age. By Ali Sadrzadeh
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Afghanistan's decline and long search for peaceA slide into war and chaos
The Soviet Union's 1979 invasion and 10-year domination of Afghanistan started the country's descent into poverty and lawlessness. The country still has not found peace. People have lost faith in institutions, tend to only trust persons from their own tribe, and the nation's attitude is now more xenophobic than in the past. By Nawid Paigham
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19 years on from 9/11Has Germany failed in Afghanistan?
After the al-Qaida terrorist network attacked the US on 11 September 2001, Germany backed the US-led military and diplomatic mission in Afghanistan – and still does. Nineteen years on, what has Germany achieved? By Sandra Petersmann and Nina Werkhäuser
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Coronavirus in MoroccoThe threat of a new lockdown emerges
After the country initially showed itself to be gaining control over the pandemic, to the point of being classified as a safe country for travel from the European Union, the situation in Morocco has deteriorated, as the King himself has noted. So has Morocco lost its way in the fight against the coronavirus? By Ismail Azzam
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French President in BeirutCan Macron save Lebanon?
In the aftermath of the devastating explosions in Beirut, French President Emmanuel Macron is styling himself as Lebanon's saviour. Ultimately, however, the success of his efforts will depend on the goodwill of the regional powers in the Middle East. An analysis by Karim El-Gawhary
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Riad Seif’s testimony at the Syrian torture trial in GermanyA Syrian opposition legend speaks out
In the first case of its kind anywhere in the world, a German court is probing Syria's state torture system. Giving testimony at the trial is one of Syria's most widely respected opposition figures, Riad Seif, who helped the accused, Anwar R., get a visa for Germany. By Matthias von Hein
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Interview with political scientist Hugo Micheron"The attack on Charlie Hebdo was a belated wake-up call"
Political scientist Hugo Micheron on the origins of Islamist terrorism in France, his conversations with jihadists – and on the trial now beginning against the perpetrators of the 2015 attacks. Interview by Nadia Pantel
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Pakistan and the GulfArab allies jump ship over Pakistan's 'new Kashmir policy'
Lacking support from Arab countries for its stance on the Kashmir dispute, Pakistan is looking for new alliances under China's leadership. How practical is it for Islamabad to pursue its new foreign policy? By Haroon Janjua
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2015 and the Syrian influxFive years on: how has Germany's refugee policy fared?
Five years ago, as hundreds of thousands of refugees came to Germany, Chancellor Angela Merkel maintained: "We can do it." How has Germany – and those who sought asylum – managed since then? Christoph Hasselbach explains
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Escalation or mediation in the Eastern Med?Turkey and Greece at loggerheads over maritime sovereignty
Will German attempts at mediation avert the Eastern Mediterranean crisis? Greece has accused Turkey of conducting illegal explorations for shale gas close to the Greek islands. Yet Ankara maintains that the waters are part of the Turkish continental shelf. Ronald Meinardus reports from Istanbul
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COVID-19 in the Middle EastIt's high summer and coronavirus has never been stronger
Heat will kill coronavirus – that was the official line at the start of the pandemic. But this is not the case. Infection rates are currently on the rise, even in the world’s hottest regions. Birgit Svensson reports from Baghdad
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Activists fear increased cyber-surveillanceWill repression in UAE intensify under the Israel deal?
Thanks to the recent rapprochement between Israel and the United Arab Emirates, Abu Dhabi should in future be able to access Israeli espionage software even more easily in order to spy on politically unpopular citizens. By Tom Allinson
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