Middle-east Arab News Opinion | Asharq Al-awsat

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Pope Francis greets the crowd during his general audience at St Peter’s Square on October 15, 2014 at the Vatican. (AFP Photo/Filippo Monteforte)

A Portrait of a Progressive Pope

by Amir Taheri | Oct 16, 2014 | Book Reviews

In a curious coincidence, the list of candidates for this year’s Nobel Peace Prize included two religious leaders. The Argentinian parliament nominated Pope Francis for his “efforts to bring peace in Syria.” Grand Ayatollah Ali Sistani, the spiritual leader of most of...

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An emergency vehicle makes is way past a rising moon as it travels along a burned-out hillside near San Marcos, California May 14, 2014. REUTERS/Mike Blake (UNITED STATES – Tags: ENVIRONMENT DISASTER TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY)

Opinion: Sheer Lunacy

by Mshari Al-Zaydi | May 19, 2014 | Opinion

Whenever fears mount and concern grows over a killer disease, a destructive war or a natural disaster—such as earthquakes, volcanoes or meteors hitting earth—people often ignore the simple, rational explanation for such phenomena, and more bizarre interpretations...

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In this Friday, Sept. 21, 2012 file photo, a Syrian boy shouts slogans against the regime in front of a flag of the armed Islamic opposition group, the Nusra front, during a demonstration in the Bustan al-Qasr neighborhood of Aleppo, Syria. (AP/ Manu Brabo)

Opinion: Of Extremism and Counter-extremism

by Eyad Abu Shakra | Jul 25, 2013 | Opinion

Within days of each other, both France and Britain moved away from their initial enthusiasm to arm the Syrian opposition, adopting the US stance on the issue under the pretext of “the growing influence of Takfirist groups” among the rebel forces fighting against the...

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Veiled women take part in a demonstration in Paris in this May 18, 2013. France bans the wearing of niqabs—veils which cover the full face—in public. (AFP PHOTO/FRED DUFOUR)

French police, youths clash after veil incident

by Asharq Al-Awsat | Jul 20, 2013 | World

Trappes, France, AP—About 250 people hurling projectiles clashed with police firing tear gas west of Paris, in apparent protest over enforcement of France’s ban on Islamic face veils. Five people were injured and six detained in the violence, authorities said...

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Protesters chant as they pass by the entrance to the the Golden Generation Worship & Retreat Center in Saylorsburg, Pa. on Saturday, July 13, 2013 to demonstrate against Turkish cleric Fethullah Gulen, who rents a room at the center. Source: AP Photo/Pocono Record/Keith R. Stevenson

Ankara’s Creationists

by Nicholas Birch | Jul 15, 2013 | Majalla Blogs

In mid-June, the Turkish state body responsible for promoting science and scientific research, TÜBİTAK, told a group of top scientists that it would not be providing financial support for a postgraduate summer school they were organizing. Fair enough, you might think:...