Dear Readers,
As usual, the latest Qantara.de newsletter tells you what's new on
our website.
Best wishes,
Lewis Gropp
Qantara.de
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IN FOCUS
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Controversial Headscarf Law
Attack on the Turkish Constitution
In early June, Turkey's Constitutional Court declared the lifting of
the ban on headscarves in public institutions as unconstitutional.
Ülkü Azrak, an expert in Turkish administrative law, explains the
decision from a legal perspective and sees it as an indication of an
impending ban on the AKP
http://www.qantara.de/webcom/show_article.php/_c-476/_nr-995/i.html
Interview with the Political Scientist Cemal Karakas
"A Ban on the AKP Would Be a Setback for Democracy"
Turkey is veering towards a full-scale domestic political crisis. The
German-Turkish political scientist Cemal Karakas from the Peace
Research Institute Frankfurt (PRIF) fears a provisional end to the
reform process if the governing AKP is banned. An interview by Dogan
Michael Ulusoy
http://www.qantara.de/webcom/show_article.php/_c-476/_nr-996/i.html
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POLITICS
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Journalism in Afghanistan
"The Media Can Change Everything"
In Afghanistan, journalists are under pressure, self-censorship is
widespread, and there is still no independent national newspaper. In
this interview with Martin Gerner, Samander Rahimullah, head of the
Afghan Independent Journalist Organization, explains what could be
done to improve the situation
http://www.qantara.de/webcom/show_article.php/_c-476/_nr-992/i.html
Sarkozy and his Mediterranean Union
France Looks to the Middle East
During his trip through Middle East from 22 to 24 June, France's
president Nicolas Sarkozy visited the Palestinian territories and
Israel; and once again, he tried to drum up support for his
Mediterranean Union. Rainer Sollich provides the background
http://www.qantara.de/webcom/show_article.php/_c-476/_nr-994/i.html
Satellite Channels Targeted
Arab Freedoms Desert the Screen
The Arab ruling elites like to talk a good democracy – but talk is
about as far as they get. Rather than advancing the cause of
democracy their actions have been directed towards curtailing the
newly won freedoms of the media. Amr Hamzawy reports on the Arab
regimes' attempts to gag the media nuisance
http://www.qantara.de/webcom/show_article.php/_c-476/_nr-993/i.html
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SOCIETY
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Ofer Grosbard and his "Quranet" Project
The Therapeutic Verses of the Koran
Along with his students at the University of Haifa, the clinical
psychologist Ofer Grosbard compiled a collection of advice for
bringing up children from Koranic verses. Hisham Adem talked to the
Israeli lecturer about the practical pedagogy of the holy book
http://www.qantara.de/webcom/show_article.php/_c-478/_nr-780/i.html
Documentary: "A Visit to the Prophet"
The Political Implications of a Pilgrimage
Young German Muslims documented their first trip to Mecca in a film
project. Even the Saudi ambassador graced the premiere - and
witnessed an unexpected political discussion. Ariana Mirza reports
from Berlin
http://www.qantara.de/webcom/show_article.php/_c-478/_nr-779/i.html
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CULTURE
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Moroccan Writer Abdellah Taïa
Melancholy and Protest
Abdellah Taïa is the first Moroccan writer to openly acknowledge his
homosexuality. The author risked "coming out", however, only after he
settled in France. A portrait by Kersten Knipp
http://www.qantara.de/webcom/show_article.php/_c-310/_nr-541/i.html
British Orientalist Painting at the Tate Gallery
The Lure of the East
The Tate Gallery's exhibition on British Orientalist Painting
explores the responses of British artists to the cultures and
landscapes of the Near and Middle East between 1780 and 1930.
Susannah Tarbush found out that the exhibits are more than just
representations of an "imperialist gaze"
http://www.qantara.de/webcom/show_article.php/_c-310/_nr-542/i.html
***
This is the newsletter of the online magazine "Qantara.de –
Dialogue with the Islamic World"; Qantara.de is sponsored by Deutsche
Welle, the Goethe Institute, the Federal Center for Political
Education and the Institute for Foreign Relations; the portal is
funded by the German Foreign Office.
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Sign the Petition : Release the Arrested University Teachers Immediately : An Appeal to the Caretaker Government of Bangladesh
http://www.mukto-mona.com/human_rights/university_teachers_arrest.htm
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Daily Star publishes an interview with Mukto-Mona
http://www.mukto-mona.com/news/daily_star/daily_star_MM.pdf
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MM site is blocked in Islamic countries such as UAE. Members of those theocratic states, kindly use any proxy (such as http://proxy.org/) to access mukto-mona.
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Mukto-Mona Celebrates 5th Anniversary
http://www.mukto-mona.com/Special_Event_/5_yrs_anniv/index.htm
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Mukto-Mona Celebrates Earth Day:
http://www.mukto-mona.com/Special_Event_/Earth_day2006/index.htm
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Kansat Uprising : A Special Page from Mukto-Mona
http://www.mukto-mona.com/human_rights/kansat2006/members/
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MM Project : Grand assembly of local freedom fighters at Raumari
http://www.mukto-mona.com/project/Roumari/freedom_fighters_union300306.htm
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German Bangla Radio Interviews Mukto-Mona Members:
http://www.mukto-mona.com/Special_Event_/Darwin_day/german_radio/
Mukto-Mona Celebrates Darwin Day:
http://www.mukto-mona.com/Special_Event_/Darwin_day/index.htm
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Some FAQ's about Mukto-Mona:
http://www.mukto-mona.com/new_site/mukto-mona/faq_mm.htm
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VISIT MUKTO-MONA WEB-SITE : http://www.mukto-mona.com/
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