Authoritarianism
All topics-
Sweden Koran burnings
Playing to the radicals
As Sweden grapples with the diplomatic fallout of a series of Koran burnings, radicals on all sides are rubbing their hands and exploiting the moment. Birgit Svensson travelled from Baghdad to Stockholm to get the full picture
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India
The Gandhi clan returns
It looked as though Prime Minister Modi would be able to contest the 2024 elections without much opposition. But now the Supreme Court has cleared the way for Rahul Gandhi to return to politics. Will India's opposition take advantage of this boost? By Arne Perras
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Youth Activism in the Middle East and North Africa
How to re-engage Arab youth?
Recent public opinion surveys offer an opportunity to re-evaluate youth political engagement across the region, a decade after the 2011 Arab Uprisings and waves of subsequent protest movements. By Valerie Boutros
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Iran protests
Women defying hijab laws forced into psychiatric treatment
Authorities in Iran are trying to enforce laws obligating women to cover their hair by sending them for psychological treatment.
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Arab states in crisis
In search of a miracle cure
Given the political, economic and social challenges in Arab countries, fragmented individual measures are no longer enough. What is needed is comprehensive, far-reaching reform. Essay by Marwan Muasher
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Pakistan jails former PM
What now for Imran Khan?
Imran Khan has fallen out with Pakistan's powerful military – now a court has sentenced the ex-premier to three years in prison. His supporters suspect a plot. By Tobias Matern
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Climate change in MENA
Is the Middle East prepared for extreme heatwaves?
Experts say that as intense heat becomes more frequent, the Middle East will see a rise in heat-related deaths. Despite gaps in public health planning, this region could teach the world a lot about extreme heat. By Cathrin Schaer
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Iran's authoritarian dress code
Tehran seeks to enforce hijab rules again
The hijab is not just a piece of clothing. This traditional headscarf holds deep cultural and political significance in Iran. The Islamist regime demands that women wear it for the sake of morality and order. Nonetheless, a considerable number of women have stopped doing so entirely. By Shora Azarnoush
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Russia, Assad, UN?
How to get aid to millions in Syria now
The UN mandate that allowed humanitarian agencies to send aid through a single border crossing in northern Syria has lapsed. The future of such deliveries is now worryingly unclear. By Cathrin Schaer and Omar Albam
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Heatwave in Egypt
"Not only the prices are going up, the temperatures are too"
People in Egypt are currently in the grip of a heatwave with temperatures exceeding 40 degrees. Even Egyptians, who are generally used to the heat, are finding it hard to cope. Karim El-Gawhary reports from Cairo
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Tunisian films about the Arab Spring
Rage, hope and desperation
Tunisian filmmakers are addressing the subject of the Arab Spring and its failure in Tunisia in their films. Shady Lewis Botros watched three of them for Qantara.de
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Sisi's grand economic plan
Rediscovering sport in Egypt
With its 2030 Strategic Vision, President Abdul Fattah al-Sisi's regime is turning the spotlight of government attention onto Egypt's sporting sector. The aim? To underpin the country's foreign and domestic political objectives using alternative sources of income.