Minorities in the Muslim world
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The Pope in Iraq – "We are all brothers"
Can Pope Francis save Iraq's Christians from extinction?
Iraq's Christian minority has dealt with decades of persecution – and many are sceptical about whether a four-day visit by Pope Francis will make a difference. By Cathrin Schaer and Gasia Ohanes
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Preparing for Pope Francis' visit
The scant remains of Iraq's ancient Christian community
Some fled after the U.S.-led invasion, others during sectarian bloodshed and more following jihadist attacks. Iraq's last two violent decades have hollowed out its Christian community which dates back two millennia.
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Hindu nationalism in India
India's hate-filled "saffron pop"
In India, ultra-nationalist musicians are providing a soundtrack for Hindu extremists with songs that glorify violence. The goal is to make the secular and pluralistic country a Hindu nation. By Till Fähnders
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Festive coronavirus masks
Christmas opens new market for small Gaza sewing business
In the blockaded Gaza Strip, the Christmas season is giving a boost to a small women’s business that produces pandemic face masks decorated with holiday symbols
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Turkish ultranationalist, right-wing extremists
Germany's mission to muzzle the Grey Wolves
The German Office for the Protection of the Constitution classes them as "far right" and politicians want to ban them: the ultranationalist Grey Wolves movement. It originated in Turkey, where it is the secret power in the country and a political kingmaker. Marion Sendker reports from Istanbul
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Album review: Aynur Dogan’s "Hedur"
Finding solace in the sounds of home
For years, singer Aynur Dogan has preserved and expanded the possibilities of traditional Kurdish music, lending a voice to her people. She has just released her seventh studio album. By Marian Brehmer
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Human rights repression under Sisi
Egypt activists' meeting with diplomats oversteps the mark
Last week Egypt's police stepped up an "unprecedented escalation" on activists by arresting a leading rights group director. Advocates on the Nile have long weathered a crackdown – what's new is detaining them for meeting foreign diplomats. Tom Allinson reports
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Armenia, Azerbaijan – and Nagorno-Karabakh
“Germany is pretending not to see or hear“
After more than a month of war, there is a new ceasefire between Armenia and Azerbaijan. But whether it will last remains questionable. The conflict in Nagorno-Karabakh sees Turkey deploying mercenaries, Israel supplying weapons – and Germany keeping a low profile. German-Armenian lawyer Ilias Uyar is sharply critical. Gerrit Wustmann spoke to him
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Refusing to be sucked in
Russia and Turkey keep powder dry in Nagorno-Karabakh
Sensitive to the threat of wider confrontation, Russia and Turkey are for now limiting involvement in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict to providing humanitarian assistance and some military aid. Maria Tsvetkova and Olzhas Auyezov report
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France, Turkey and the Caucasus
French Armenians plead for Nagorno-Karabakh intervention
The Armenian diaspora in France – the largest in Western Europe – is urging the country to do more to support Yerevan in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. But Paris is, so far, acting with restraint. Lisa Louis reports
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Interview with author Ronya Othmann
Fighting the obliteration of Kurdish-Yazidi identity
Ronya Othmann's novel "Die Sommer" (The Summers) tells the story of Leyla – the daughter of a German and a Yazidi Kurd – who visits her grandparents' Yazidi village in northern Syria every summer until the village ceases to exist. Schayan Riaz spoke to the author
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Overcoming fear and mistrust
Processing Lebanon's long legacy of collective trauma
In Lebanon, collective trauma is obvious. The explosions in Beirut on 4 August will have triggered memories of the civil war in many people. By understanding how individual and social identities are influenced by the past, peace work can help contribute to the healing process. By Miriam Modalal and Dalilah Reuben-Shemia