Southeast Asia
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U.S. withdrawal from AfghanistanJoe Biden and the West's betrayal of the Hindu Kush
The USA and NATO plan to withdraw from Afghanistan by September. The operation is risky, the outcome uncertain. Many Afghans fear civil war. The quake on the Hindu Kush will also impact Germany, writes Stefan Weidner in his commentary
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Religious minorities in IranBaha'is repressed and persecuted by the state
It's no secret that the Baha'i community in Iran is persecuted. Now, a document has come to light that appears to show the extent to which the repression is state-sponsored. By Matthias von Hein
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Islamic popular cultureA match for Bollywood – the rise of Turkey's dizis
Turkey is the second-largest exporter of TV series in the world, boasting a growing presence on international screens from Pakistan to Chile. The "dizis" offer audiences an elaborately staged alternative to Hollywood and Bollywood. Marian Brehmer reports from Istanbul
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COVID-19 in Southeast AsiaPakistan courting disaster with its coronavirus strategy
Pakistan has recorded more than 4,000 coronavirus cases in a single-day – taking the total number of reported infections to over 82,000. Reports suggest actual cases in the country could be in their millions. Haroon Janjua reports from Islamabad
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"Coronatoon": COVID-19 caricatures
For weeks, there's been nothing but news about all things coronavirus. Cartoonists need no more than a few lines to trigger emotions like fear and sadness, but also hope for the day when this crisis is finally over. By Suzanne Cords
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COVID-19 and Bangladesh's Rohingya refugeesCox’s Bazar coronavirus case – the first of many?
With the first COVID-19 case having been detected in the Kutupalong Rohingya refugee camp in Bangladesh, aid agencies are warning that without additional resources, there will be a public health catastrophe. By Rodion Ebbighausen
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COVID-19 pandemicScience versus covidiots – Indiaʹs coronavirus challenge
Obscurantism is making it harder to prevent Covid-19, not only in Southeast Asia. Though India's lockdown was poorly planned, we must hope it will prove effective. By Aditi Roy Ghatak
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COVID-19 pandemicHow is Turkey dealing with the corona crisis?
Going by the official numbers, Turkey is doing well, especially in comparison to other countries. But does this impression correspond to the reality? There are significant reasons to doubt that it does. By Tayfun Guttstadt
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Biodiesel productionDestroying Indonesia's virgin forests to protect the climate?
Germany continues to believe in the fiction that palm oil obtained from South East Asia to blend with diesel fuel is ecologically sound and climate-friendly. But that belief is mistaken, as Inge Altemeier and Stefan Buchen found out
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2020 Singapore Art WeekOf spirituality in a contemporary age
How to talk about spiritual matters in a highly secularised, hyper-pragmatic society? This was the question artists exhibiting at the Stamford Art Centre in Singapore grappled with during the 2020 Singapore Art Week. By Naima Morelli
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Interview with environmental expert Tarik M. Quadir"If we don’t pull together to save the earth, we will ‘sink’ together"
Taking the Fridays for Future movement as his starting point, Muslim environmental expert Tarik Quadir talks to Marian Brehmer about the connections between Islam and environmental protection – and the attitude Islamic countries need to adopt in countering climate change
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Interview with Malaysian artist Nadiah BamadhajFreeing the body from conservatism
One of the most relevant Malaysian artists of her generation, Yogyakarta-based Nadiah Bamadhaj uses sculpture, drawing, collage and video to challenge the restrictive societal norms in Southeast Asian countries and explore body politics. Interview by Naima Morelli