By Nadia Dala Both Islamic jihadist movements and Islamic governments that are trying to counter jihadism are relying on women to win over the hearts of Muslims. Women in jihadist circles are child-bearing, silent recruiters, while governments in some parts of the...
Spain has sentenced two rappers to prison for lyrics that critics say could spur terrorism. Critics fear a security crackdown threatens free speech. Spanish rapper Valtònyc performs in Barcelona, Spain, 17 March 2018 (EPA-EFE/Enric Fontcuberta) “We want death for...
The island of Corsica has seen rulers come and go. Part of France for 250 years, it retains an uneasy rapport with overlords in Paris. Supporters of Corsica’s nationalist coalition wave Corsican flags during a campaign meeting, Corte, Corsica, 29 November 2017....
Why would young Muslims leave Europe to return to countries their parents had left? Discrimination is pushing some out while job opportunities beckon. Worshipers inside the Brussels Grand Mosque, Brussels, Belgium, 16 February 2018. (EPA-EFE/Olivier Hoslet) “I don’t...
By Chermaine Tay Islamic State fighters are on the run in Syria, squeezed on all sides by armed opponents whose only common goal is to annihilate the militant group. The eventual defeat of ISIS would be welcomed by their many disparate foes, who range from the Syrian...
The Kurdish region of Iraq is under pressure to scrap an independence vote that critics say could hinder the fight against Islamic State militants. Kurds rally for an independence referendum in Iraq, Beirut, Lebanon, 17 September 2017 (AP Photo/Hassan Ammar)...
State-sponsored attacks on Myanmar’s Rohingya have created a humanitarian crisis and stoked worries of a prolonged insurgency that draws jihadists. A Rohingya woman arrives with her children at Kutupalong refugee camp after crossing from Myanmmar to the...
Afghanistan will likely frustrate U.S. President Donald Trump, whose “new” strategy to achieve victory there sounds all too familiar. U.S. servicemen listen as President Donald Trump announces his administration’s strategy in Afghanistan, Fort Myer, Arlington,...
The movie industry in Afghanistan has a tumultuous history. Today, Afghan cinema and film-making are at an all-time low, with little hope of a revival. The Ariana cinema, which was badly damaged under the Taliban and later by a suicide bomber in 2010, in central Kabul...
The region is energy-rich, torn by conflict and at the center of a struggle between Saudi Arabia and Iran. All reasons why the blockade of Qatar matters. A container ship in Doha, Qatar, 14 June 2017. (EPA/Noushad thekkayil) The region holds about half of the...