Tag: Islam
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Taliban school massacre stuns Pakistan
The Taliban has barbarically assaulted a school in the country’s northern city of Peshawar, killing at least 135 students and injuring many more. Can Pakistan stop this extremist menace?
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Four die in terror strike on Jerusalem synagogue
Two Palestinians attacked Jewish worshippers as they went to pray. Tension has been rising for months and Israel’s PM promises a heavy response. But will it simply make the situation worse?
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Woman jailed in Iran for watching volleyball
A British-Iranian student faces a lengthy prison sentence in Iran, simply for trying to attend a volleyball match. Could her case lead to greater freedoms in the largely conservative country?
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The best and worst of times for gay rights
The change in attitudes to homosexuality is one of the wonders of the modern world. But have its speed and the very visible recognition of gay rights provoked a backlash in some countries?
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Turkey cuts a deal with Islamic State terrorists
Turkey rejoiced when Islamic State released its hostages. Now we learn they were exchanged for IS prisoners. The UK and US say they refuse to negotiate with terrorists. But is that sensible?
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Muslims turn in disgust on ruthless beheaders
News broke this weekend of the killing of a British taxi driver by the so-called Islamic State. Could this be the turning point when the Muslim world itself decides enough is enough?
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US and Arab allies hammer Islamic State
Air strikes in Iraq and Syria are powerful blows against the brutal IS regime. But how long might this war last? What could be its consequences? And should the UK take part?
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UK Muslim leaders slam un-Islamic ‘monsters’
Over 100 imams and politicians have publicly condemned so-called Islamic State and pleaded for the life of a hostage. Will this deter British Muslims from joining the terrorist group?
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US air support helps roll back Islamic State
Frightened by the rapid and brutal success of Islamic State in Syria and Iraq, its opponents have buried their differences to fight their common enemy. But could it be too little, too late?
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Mecca modernises ahead of Haj pilgrimage
A new state-of-the-art sound system is being installed at Islam’s holiest mosque, as part of a controversial new redevelopment. Is the pace of change undermining the true meaning of the Haj?
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Renewed violence rocks Israel and Palestine
After a series of senseless murders committed by both sides, the Gaza strip is once again awash with violence. It is one of the most vexed conflicts in history – will it ever end?
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Malala highlights plight of kidnapped girls
Three months after being abducted from their school, over 200 Nigerian girls are still being held captive. Malala Yousafzai wants to keep their story in the news, but is it a lost cause?
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Islamist threat to the West is ‘exaggerated’
The West is no longer a major terror target, says the former head of MI6. But the UK still spends a vast amount of time and effort tackling this much diminished threat. Does he have a point?
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Arab world caught in a cycle of destruction
IS has declared a fundamentalist caliphate in Syria and Iraq and bleak winter has now fallen on the hopes of the Arab Spring. How can this once magnificent civilization be revived?
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European Court upholds French ban on niqab
The European Court of Human Rights has rejected a French woman’s arguments that banning her from wearing the full veil violates her religious freedom. Did the court make the right decision?