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.
Read More »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 …
Read More »Iran's New Terror Network in Latin America
The recent upsurge in Iranian activity in Venezuela certainly needs to be taken seriously by the Trump administration if Tehran is to be prevented from strengthening its terrorist activities on America’s southern flank.
Read More »Islamic Leader’s Abrupt Dismissal Baffles North Macedonia
The sudden exit of Sulejman Rexhepi, the long-standing and often provocative head of the country’s second largest religious community, has left important questions unanswered.
Read More »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.
Read More »TRIANON CENTENARY STIRS MIXED EMOTIONS ACROSS CENTRAL EUROPE
A hundred years after the Treaty of Trianon redrew the borders of Central Europe, it still generates powerful and opposing feelings of resentment and celebration across the region.
Read More »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 …
Read More »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.
Read More »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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