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On Raif Badawi, Charlie Hebdo and non-violent Islamism
"We are all in this together, like it or not"
The shocking events of recent weeks – from the attacks in Paris, the flogging of Raif Badawi, and massacres in Nigeria and Pakistan – are all connected, writes Elham Manea, and they all deserve our equal and unreserved outrage and attention
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On the death of King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia
"Riyalpolitik", conservatism and modernisation
King Abdullah, who died on 23 January aged around 90, was seen as a moderate reformer in a deeply conservative country. His death raises questions over the future of Saudi Arabia's moderate reform path. Menno Preuschaft explores how Abdullah earned his reputation as the "Reform King"
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Terrorism debate
The distortion of Islam
Why do terrorists such as those involved in the Paris attacks cite Islam as their motivation? Their actions have nothing in common with what most Muslims believe. By Daniel Bax
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After the Paris attacks
The dangerous "alliance" between Islamism and Islamophobia
There can be no excuse for the recent attacks in Paris. However, one possible way of understanding them is to take a closer look at the bipolar "alliance" between Islamists and Islamophobia, which can be viewed as the root of these terrorist acts. Moreover, in the wake of the attacks, we must ask ourselves what freedom of speech is, what its boundaries are and who really represents it. A commentary by Atef Botros
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The Middle East in 2014
New regional power games
The rise of Islamic State in Syria and Iraq has dramatically altered the regional order. While Iran and Turkey are becoming key political players in the crisis-torn area, the West continues to lose influence. An analysis by Karim El-Gawhary
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Succession in the Saudi royal family
Generation change in Saudi Arabia?
King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia is one of the oldest monarchs in the world. He has named two of his brothers as his successors. The only difficulty is that the two princes are almost as old as the ailing autocrat himself. By Anne Allmeling
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The Muslim world and the West
Europe is not under threat
Muslims today are grappling with each other, not with the West. In this essay, Charlotte Wiedemann argues that the conflicts, battles and wars being fought in the Islamic world are principally waged among Muslims and not against the West
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Saudi authorities crack down on bloggers
Assault on the freedom of expression
Saudi blogger Raif Badawi was sentenced to 10 years in prison and 1,000 lashes by a Saudi court. His crime: using the freedom afforded by the Internet to express his opinion on the religious authorities in his country. He is not the only one in Saudi Arabia to fall foul of the authorities. In general, the crackdown on freedom of expression has been in full swing for quite some time. By Kersten Knipp
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International conspiracy theories and xenophobia in Turkey
Turkey alone against the world
Turkey appears to be in the grip of a wave of xenophobia, according to the results of a recent survey by the US-based Pew Research Foundation. The findings come as the country has to cope with two conflicts on its borders and faces increasingly strained relations with key allies and neighbours. But as Dorian Jones reports from Istanbul, the findings could be part of a far deeper historical fear of the West
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Strategies for combating IS
Plea for a wide-angled view of the Arab world
In spite of all the hysteria surrounding IS, the terrorist militia is just one symptom of a changing region where repressive despots and militant Islamists are rising up once again and goading each other on. An essay by Karim El-Gawhary
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The jihadi fighters of IS
"Jihadism has become a German phenomenon"
German jihadists are participating in Islamic State's war of terror. Security forces fear they could also pose a threat to the country. Guido Steinberg is an expert on Islam and Islamism. He has written a book about Germany's jihadi fighters. Bettina Marx spoke to him about the country's home-grown fighters
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The international alliance against IS
No clear objective
The American strategy of conducting air strikes in Syria remains dubious and unclear. According to Karim El-Gawhary, air strikes can only be part of a broader military strategy, and the West needs to address the genesis of IS