Author: Dunja Ramadan

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Bassem Youssef's "Democracy Handbook": "Rebranding Arabs" episode (source: YouTube)

Egyptian satirist Bassem Youssef

Jihadists, please blow here!

During the Arab Spring, satirist Bassem Youssef was loved and feared. Then he fled the country. Now he′s mocking in America. By Dunja RamadanMore

TV satirist Bassem Youssef: "People should be able to listen to different opinions"Sara Taksler′s documentary ″Tickling Giants″: Running the satirical gauntletBassem Youssef: All the world's a stage for Egyptian satire star
Veterinary surgeon Bahgat (Mohamed Mamdouh) in the Egyptian film ″A Man Wanted″ (source: IMDb)

Egyptian film controversy

Shams buys a man

Egypt is in uproar over a film: a single woman marries solely in order to have a baby via a sperm donor and then gets divorced. A female television presenter who showcased the film and its controversial theme on her programme has been given a prison sentence. By Dunja RamadanMore

Nabil Ayouch's film "Much Loved": Sinner or saint?Freedom of speech in Egypt: Belly dancer exposes Islamists' double standardsIbrahim El Batout's film "El Ott": "We sell people, we sell souls"
"Legalising multiple rape": Jordan's Article 308, 'If a valid contract of marriage is made between the perpetrator of any of the offences mentioned in this section, and the victim, the prosecution is suspended. If judgement was already passed, the implementation of the punishment upon the sentenced person is suspended' (source: wojoud.org)

Women′s rights in the Arab world

No house room for criminals

Many Arab countries have laws that grant offenders immunity from prosecution if they marry the woman they have raped. While Jordan has taken the first steps to change this controversial legal situation, Lebanon looks likely to follow suit. By Dunja RamadanMore

The uprising of women in the Arab world: Fighting patriarchal tyrannyWomen's rights in Morocco: Gender equality on paper onlyBook review: Zahra Ali's "Islamic Feminisms": Female emancipation based on the spirit of Sharia
Symbolbild "Noktara - Nachrichten aus dem Morgenland, schon heute!"; Quelle: noktara.de

Satirical news website Noktara

A laughing matter

A satirical website by and for German Muslims! Seriously? Well, yes and no. The people behind the German satirical news website Noktara are out to make people laugh and dispel a few cliches. To find out more, Dunja Ramadan spoke to Soufian El Khayari and Derya Sami SaydjariMore

Website "Noktara - Nachrichten aus dem Morgenland, schon heute!"Fighting Islamic State with satire and black humour:Terribly funny Interview with Firas Alshater: ″Being a refugee is not my dream job″Islamic satirical magazine "Cafcaf" from Istanbul: "No, nothing has been forgiven!"
Muslims in Germany (photo: dpa)

Muslims in Germany following the Berlin attack

"It's not our fault!"

In the wake of the attack on a Christmas market in Berlin, Muslims are bracing for the next round of accusations. As more details concerning the possible motivation and origin of the perpetrator begin to emerge, Muslims in Germany know what is coming. By Dunja RamadanMore

Berlin Christmas market attack: Countering the horrorIslam and violence: There is a differenceGermany and Islam: "Muslims are already German"
Anas al-Basha, the last clown in Aleppo, is dead (source: AP)

Remembering ″the Clown of Aleppo″

The last laugh

Anas al-Basha brought joy to children living through the Syrian civil war – helping them to forget the horrors if only for a short while. Now he has been killed in an air strike on Aleppo. By Dunja RamadanMore

The siege of Aleppo: Seven levels of hellSyrian conflict: Everyone against everyoneSyrian refugee children: A lost generation in the making
Young Muslim women in Germany (photo: Garry Knight@flickr.com, CC 2.0)

Nine Muslims on right-wing populism

Should I stay or should I go?

Young Muslims in Germany are feeling increasingly alienated. The AfD and the debate on Islam are reasons. But are they reasons for leaving? Dunja Ramadan spoke to nine of themMore

Integration in Germany: What is required of us55 years of German-Turkish labour recruitment: Integration is a crossroadsRight-wing populism in Europe: Take the AfD seriously – or you'll end up like us

In brief

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Most Recent Photo Essay

Beauty Craze

Iranian painter Homa Arkani: Beautycraze

In spite of strict moral regulations, plastic surgery is allowed in Iran. More than 60,000 Iranian women per year get nose surgery. Such contradictions have informed Tehran-born artist Homa Arkani's work since 1983.