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    The City on the Hill Has Lost Its Shine and Its Bounce

    In a dramatic headline, Yahoo News expresses its surprise if not dismay that a “staggering 62 percent of Americans no longer see America as Ronald Reagan‘s ‘shining city on a hill.’” Yahoo and YouGov published their poll to give an idea of the mood of the nation on this year’s Fourth of July weekend. The […] More

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    Why Has Islamophobia Risen in America?

    Islamophobia in the US has increased ever since the 9/11 attacks in 2001. Discrimination and hate crimes against American Muslims skyrocketed immediately after the deadliest assault on US soil took place. Despite sporadic efforts by former President Barack Obama to bridge the religious and racial divides, anti-Muslim prejudice was further heightened after the election of […] More

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    Has Putin Won the Vote on Constitutional Amendments?

    On July 3, the Russian central election commission announced the results of the nationwide vote on constitutional reforms, the biggest shake-up of the constitution since it was adopted in 1993. According to official data, 77.92% of voters, or 57.7 million people, cast their ballots in favor of the reforms, with a 67.97% turnout. The vote […] More

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    Iraq Has a Unique Opportunity to Limit Iranian Influence

    The appointment of the new Iraqi prime minister, Mustafa al-Kadhimi, could have significant implications for the country’s relations with the Islamic Republic of Iran, which has heavily meddled in Iraq’s affairs post-2003. Kadhimi was serving as the director of the Iraqi National Intelligence Service when President Barham Salih appointed him to the post of prime […] More

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    Modi’s Fantasy Versus Xi’s Reality

    By banning TikTok and 58 other Chinese apps, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has expanded its ongoing military confrontation with China to include trade. While it will keep his voters happy, the brewing stand-off has exposed the yawning gap between global geopolitics and Modi’s propaganda. Since coming to power in 2014, Modi and his Bharatiya […] More

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    Will Paraguay’s President Abdo Benitez Redeem His Name?

    Paraguay’s current president, Mario Abdo Benitez, was elected in April 2018. When he was sworn into office in August that year, it represented a second consecutive five-year term in power for the conservative Colorado Party, following the right-wing presidency of Horacio Cartes. At 48, Abdo Benitez is one of the youngest heads of state in […] More

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    Black Lives Matter movement finds new urgency and allies because of COVID-19

    The brutal killing of George Floyd by Minneapolis Police Department officer Derek Chauvin captured the public consciousness unlike few other events in American history. In the U.S. and around the world, protesters have taken to the streets outraged by the abhorrent murder of yet another defenceless Black man by police. The question, however, is how […] More

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    Trump’s Ambiguous Battle Against Middle East Turmoil

    On June 24, Al Jazeera’s reporter at the White House attempted to determine President Donald Trump’s position on the Israeli plan to begin illegally annexing occupied Palestinian territories in the West Bank. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had promised to begin operations on July 1.  On the White House lawn, Al Jazeera reporter Chris Sheridan […] More