Drugs
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Organised crime in TurkeyA haven for international criminals
Lax laws on money laundering, easy access to citizenship, insufficient prosecution – Turkey has grown more attractive for international criminal networks in recent years. In response, the new interior minister has declared a crackdown
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Economic diplomacyWho wants to invest in Syria now?
Recent events may indicate the world wants to start doing business with Syria again, despite its government being accused of war crimes. But, asks Cathrin Schaer, how likely is it China, the EU and Gulf states will start spending big there?
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Trading in amphetaminesHow Syria became a narco state
Captagon is now Syria's biggest export by far, dwarfing all its legal exports put together, according to estimates drawn from official data. An amphetamine derived from a once-legal treatment for narcolepsy and attention deficit disorder, it has become a huge drug in the Gulf, with Saudi Arabia by far the biggest market
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Cannabis and Islam?There is no one single answer
The German government is planning to legalise cannabis before the end of this legislative period. So what does Islam have to say about its consumption? Will changing the law alter the way Muslims in Germany feel about the issue? Said Rezek talked to Muslim theologian Ali Ghandour from the University of Munster
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Afghanistan's humanitarian crisisCan the Taliban avert a food crisis without foreign aid?
In view of the catastrophic supply situation in Afghanistan, UN authorities are sounding the alarm. Inflation and growing poverty are exacerbating the situation. The Taliban reportedly have an emergency programme to combat the crisis. By Shabnam von Hein
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AfghanistanVictim-blaming – a trope of the West's failure in Afghanistan
One prominent narrative relating to the defeat of the western-led military intervention in Afghanistan is that it was a mistake to try to build a modern democracy in a society steeped in "mediaeval traditions" and "tribal attitudes". Hans Dembowski condemns this self-serving and condescending standpoint, which persists in ignoring the serious flaws in the West's engagement, while blaming the victims for its failure
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Maghreb and the EUWill medicinal cannabis become Morocco's no.1 export?
A law is currently being debated in Morocco that would legalise the cultivation and export of medicinal cannabis. For many small farmers, this would bring considerable advantages. But the bill is controversial. By Cathrin Schaer
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Iranian societyThe Islamic Republic has a drug problem
Headlines about Iran usually focus on its nuclear deal with the global powers, its controversial missile programme, not to mention international sanctions. The deep-rooted domestic challenges that the country faces get less attention. One of them is a drastic rise in narcotics consumption in the past ten years. By Mitra Shahrani
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Afghanistan's opium tradeA nice little earner – for everyone
Afghanistanʹs drug economy provides a regular income to rural communities in this extremely unstable country. With eighty-five percent of villages in the countryʹs south cultivating opium poppies, yield fluctuations have more to do with the weather than government policy. By Janet Kursawe
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Drug-related crime in IndonesiaDon Widodo's tilt with windmills
Anti-narcotics laws and their enforcement tend to be tough in Southeast Asia. In Indonesia, however, drug use is not in decline, despite attempts by President Widodo to crack down on durg dealers and cartels. By Edith Koesoemawiria
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Morocco's blighted Rif regionSo little to do – so much time
That the younger generation in northern Morocco are still demonstrating is hardly surprising. Lacking in infrastructure, the Rif region has been economically disadvantaged for years. The area is simply beset with problems. An analysis by Susanne Kaiser