Politics

Interview with Phil Robertson of Human Rights Watch

Myanmar's denier-in-chief: ″An utter failure of moral leadership″

An estimated number of 270,000 Rohingya Muslims have fled ethnic cleansing in Myanmar and have crossed over to Bangladesh. Aid agencies are struggling to cope with the influx and are reporting an acute shortage of provisions. Roma Rajpal Weiss spoke to Phil Robertson, deputy director of Human Rights Watch in Asia
By Roma Rajpal Weiss
Soft power and football

Qatar vs. UAE: The not-so-beautiful game

In the race to buy influence, garner soft power and win over hearts and minds, those involved in the three-month old Gulf crisis are hell-bent on raising the stakes. Commentary by James M. Dorsey
By James M. Dorsey
Turkey and the Gulf states

Recep Tayyip Erdogan: Sticking his neck out for Qatar

Ankara′s unilateral siding with the Emirate of Qatar in the Gulf crisis is giving rise to fears that the Turkish President is gambling away his role as a credible mediator in this key region, writes Aziz Bouabe
By Aziz Bouabe
Myanmar′s Muslim minority

The plight of the Rohingya: Nowhere to run

Muslim countries and Nobel laureate Malala Yousafzai have lambasted Myanmar and its de facto leader Aung San Suu Kyi for the poor treatment of Rohingya Muslims. Meanwhile, the humanitarian crisis continues to worsen in Rakhine. By Soraya Auer
By Soraya Auer
Electioneering in Germany

AfD seeks to reboot migrant fears: "Germany First!"

The Alternative for Germany wants to scrap the right to asylum and make development aid conditional upon stopping emigration. The party says its suggestions are "humane," but in practice they would be anything but that. By Jefferson Chase
By Jefferson Chase
Palestinian territories

From self-determination to dictatorship: With a rod of iron

In the West Bank, the Palestinian Authority has long ceased to pursue the national aspirations of its population and established a security apparatus designed to secure the status quo. Meanwhile in Gaza, the de facto Hamas regime is planning to hand over control to its military wing. Commentary by Abdalhadi Alijla
By Abdalhadi Alijla
Gulf States

Saudi economic policy: How much reform?

Last year King Salman of Saudi Arabia announced a comprehensive reform programme called “Vision 2030”. Its aim is to prepare the Saudi economy for a future without oil. Whether it will go smoothly is doubtful. By Nassir Djafari
By Nassir Djafari
The Islamic Republic

The West's Iran policy: For real change through trade

Despite four years of moderate rule under President Rouhani and the historic nuclear deal with the West in 2015, little has changed in Iran. There has been no improvement in the human rights situation and the lifting of economic sanctions has mainly benefitted companies close to the state, writes political analyst Ali Fathollah-Nejad
By Ali Fathollah-Nejad
Libya

The Gulf States′ proxy war: Baiting at a distance

Of the civil wars ravaging the Arab world, the one Westerners hear least about may yet prove the most dangerous: Libya. Commentary by Joseph Hammond and Suhaib Kebhaj
By Joseph Hammond & Suhaib Kebhaj
Pakistan

Interview with Pakistani politician Imran Khan: "Moving towards democracy"

Following the forced resignation of Pakistan′s premier, Nawaz Sharif, the country′s opposition is sensing a change in direction. Imran Khan, its most prominent representative, met Shah Meer Baloch in Islamabad to talk about current developments
By Shah Meer Baloch
Kurdistan

The future of a people: Good Kurd, bad Kurd

When it suits the political agenda of those in power, the Kurds are seen as good patriots. The rest of the time, they are condemned as villainous traitors. It′s a situation that is repeated in Turkey, Syria and – argues Hoshang Ossi – within the Kurdistan Workers′ Party (PKK) itself
By Hoshang Ossi
Press freedom

Pleading our own cause: Egyptian authorities block Qantara.de

The Egyptian authorities have blocked access to the Deutsche Welle information platform without prior notice. "Qantara.de" is not the first website to fall foul of the regime.