Eastern Europe
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Organised crime in Turkey
A 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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Rebranded MbS meets Macron: Rights groups decry 'hypocrisy'
Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman meets French President Emmanuel Macron in Paris. The visit aims to boost bilateral ties and the oil kingdom's international standing. But human rights groups warn that the Saudis' gain is France’s loss.
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Romani-Syrian band Taraf Syriana
Poignant cross-pollination
The idea that Romani musicians have anything in common with their counterparts from Syria may seem far-fetched. Yet, listening to Taraf Syriana's debut album, it seems natural the two musical worlds blend effortlessly together. By Richard Marcus
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Islam in Europe
The big history of Albania's tiny Koran
For generations, this postage stamp-sized book has been passed down through one family -- surviving wars and one of the world's most fanatical "godless regimes".
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"Between Revolutions" by Vlad Petri
The power of freedom
Using never-before-seen archive footage from Iran and Romania, director Vlad Petri tells the story of two women in the revolutions in Romania and after the fall of the Shah in Iran. Rene Wildangel watched the film for Qantara.de
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Turkish-Russian relations
Erdogan's re-election would serve Putin
Relations between Turkey and Russia are ambivalent. Moscow is nonetheless trying to prop up the leadership in Ankara. Elections are to be held in Turkey in June – and the last thing Russia wants is Erdogan’s departure. By Burak Unveren
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Russia and the Iranian drones
Israel's Ukraine dilemma?
Following Russian attacks on the Ukrainian capital Kyiv using Iranian drones, Ukraine once again asked Israel for military help. Israel, however, is seeking to maintain relations with both Ukraine and Russia. By Tania Kraemer
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Rahman Abbas' "Zindeeq"
Who's learning lessons from the Holocaust?
Set in a dystopian future, Rahman Abbas’ new novel “Zindeeq” draws on the Indian author’s worries about recent trends in his home country, where aggressive identity politics have been – and still are – gaining momentum. Almuth Degener read the book
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Ibn Rushd Fund for Freedom of Thought
Ibn Rushd Prize 2022: Religious Freedom
This year's Ibn Rushd Prize, focusing on religious freedom, goes to Nayla Tabbara (Lebanon) and her organisation Adyan Foundation and Saad Salloum (Iraq) with his organisation Masarat.
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The Holocaust, colonialism and mutual understanding
Time for a refresher in humanity
It is possible to write about the Holocaust and the crimes of colonial powers without downplaying anything. In her latest book, Charlotte Wiedemann focuses on the numerous blind spots in our culture of commemoration. By Rene Wildangel
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Osman Kavala and Turkey's travesty of justice
Exploiting the fog of war
By supporting Ukraine and presenting himself as a regional mediator and peacemaker, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has found the political cover he needs to crack down further on potential dissidents and opposition figures at home, writes Seyla Benhabib
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Ukraine and the West's selective values
Less 'clash of civilisations', more rift
Very different Western reactions to the suffering in Ukraine and the Arab world show that there is a profound rift among cultures. Essay by Michael Young