Yearly Archives: 2020

Saudi cleric: ‘It is prohibited to protest in Islam’

A prominent Saudi cleric, Shaikh Assim Al-Hakeem, has come under fire on Twitter over his response to a question posed to him by a user regarding the permissibility of protesting in Islam, specifically in light of the on-going demonstrations in the US over the murder of an unarmed black suspect …

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Islamic scholars, NGOs call for Makkah, Madinah to be placed under international control

A non-governmental organisation named the International Commission to Monitor Saudi Administration of the Two Holy Mosques – otherwise known as Al Haramain Watch – has launched an campaign and petition to establish an international administration to manage the affairs of the two holy mosques of Makkah and Madinah.

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Syria: Russia launched air attacks on north west Syria for the first time since Moscow and Ankara agreed to the March ceasefire

Syria: Russia launched air attacks on north west Syria for the first time since Moscow and Ankara agreed to the March ceasefire, which halted a bloody Russian-backed government offensive to retake the region. Crisis Group expert Dareen Khalifa says despite numerous Turkish-Russian patrols in May to uphold the deal (see …

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On Happiness and Nationalism

Bulgaria’s new salvo on the subject of the Macedonian language may repeat all of the old nationalist clichés – but it’s neither an official document nor representative of modern Bulgarian scholarship. Rather it betrays its own insecurities.

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America’s Pandemic Racism Is As Heart-Wrenching As It Is Sickening

“It’s My Face Man!….I Didn’t Do Nothing Serious Man!….Please!…Please!…Please!…I Can’t Breathe!….Please!…Man!…Please!….Somebody!….Please!…Man!….I Can’t Breathe!….I Can’t Breathe!….Please!….(inaudible),,,,Man!…Can’t Breathe!….My Face!….Just Get Up!….I Can’t Breathe!…Please!….(inaudible)….I Can’t Breathe!…Shit!….I Can’t Move!….Mama!…Mama!…My Knee!….My Nuts!….I’m Through!….I’m Through!….I’m Claustrophobic!….My Stomach Hurts!…My Neck Hurts!….Everythin’ Hurts!…Some Water!…Somethin!….Please!….Please!….Can’t breathe!….Officer!….Don’t Kill Me!….They Gonna’ Kill Me Man!….Come on Man!….I Can’t Breathe!….I Can’t Breathe!…..They Gonna …

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To Calm Turmoil, U.S. Leaders Must Stop Courting Conflict

At May’s end, the police killing of George Floyd sent a wave of unrest rolling through U.S. cities. Rather than easing tensions, the Trump administration has used incendiary rhetoric, called military units to Washington and threatened to send them elsewhere. Cooler heads must prevail.

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EU: Trade with China Trumps Freedom for Hong Kong

The British government announced that it was considering granting citizenship to the nearly three million residents of Hong Kong. The move infuriated China, which fears a massive brain drain from Hong Kong that would jeopardize the city’s role as a global financial and trading hub.

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