Arab atheists: A demonised minority
Atheists are widely misunderstood by many Arabs and Muslims. There are those who believe us to be Satanists or that
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Trump is terrible but Europe and the Middle East have racism too
By Khaled Diab Outside America, Donald Trump has provoked near universal outrage and dismay. However, Europeans and Middle Easterners must
Read moreAfter ISIS, former Yazidi sex slaves are caught between trauma and taboo
By Boštjan Videmšek Safia, a Yazidi teenager from Iraq, was captured by the Islamic State, sold into sexual slavery, raped,
Read moreMohamed Morsi’s ghost will haunt Egypt for a long time
The death in court of Mohamed Morsi completed the incarcerated former Egyptian president’s unlikely metamorphosis from mediocre mundanity to mythical martyr whose political ghost will haunt Egypt, the Middle East and the West for years.
Read moreRacists exploit BDS and Israel to advance their agendas of hatred
As recent motions in the German Bundestag and US Congress reveal, both the BDS and pro-Israel movements are exploited by racists as fig leafs to further their agendas. These racists must be exposed and challenged.
Read moreThe unlikely demonisation of Salman Rushdie
By Khaled Diab Salman Rushdie made a very unlikely target for the fury of conservative Muslims, which is why the
Read moreThe clash between realpolitik and principled politics
The contrast between the red card from protesters and the red carpet from officials that greeted Mohammed bin Salman on his world tour highlights the growing global battle between a principled grassroots and a ‘pragmatic’ political leadership.
Read moreDissenting into the abyss
Western inaction against Saudi Arabia is emboldening the region’s regimes to clamp down harder on dissent. But by silencing peaceful and constructive change, Saudi Arabia and other Middle Eastern regimes are paving the way to violent and destructive rage.
Read moreEgypt: When the opium of football sharpens the pain of existence
Instead of acting as a pain killer for a traumatised country of heroes treated like zeroes, the World Cup has provided a painful reminder to Egyptians seeking escapism of just how desperate their situation is.
Read moreThe drinker’s guide to Ramadan
Ramadan is the time of year when hundreds of millions of Muslims around the world abstain from food or drink. But one group of fasters suffers a special variety of thirst this time of year: Muslims who drink alcohol.
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