Common Ground News Service

Free Speech v Religious Respect: Squaring the Circle

Free Speech v Religious Respect: Squaring the Circle

REBECCA CATALDI, CGNEWS: It doesn’t have to an ‘either or’ situation. People can speak freely and also ensure that they don’t insult religion.

 Rob L. Wagner

Have the ‘Big Boys’ Given Up On Islamic Banking?

Have the ‘Big Boys’ Given Up On Islamic Banking?

ROB L. WAGNER: HSBC’s decision to downgrade significantly the resources it devotes to Islamic banking has thrown the issue into sharp focus.

 Steve Royston

US Elections: 10 Subjects Obama and Romney Won’t Debate

US Elections: 10 Subjects Obama and Romney Won’t Debate

STEVE ROYSTON: Preparation involves coming up with diversionary tactics whenever the question is likely to produce a response unpalatable to the listening millions.

 Common Ground News Service

‘Cooking For Peace’: Discovering Shared Values

DAVID AMITAI, CGNEWS: In the fevered environment that exists between Palestinians and Jews finding ways to encourage dialogue requires creativity.

 Rob L. Wagner

Sharia Law is ‘… A Great Threat to U.S Freedom’. Really?

Sharia Law is ‘… A Great Threat to U.S Freedom’. Really?

ROB L. WAGNER: The level of detachment between the imagined world of Republican delegates and the real America seems to widen by the day.

 Rob L. Wagner

‘Beautiful Words’ Melt in Face of ‘the Muslim Threat’

‘Beautiful Words’ Melt in Face of ‘the Muslim Threat’

ROB L. WAGNER: U.S citizens are, it appears, willing to give up many of the freedoms enshrined in their Constitution when presented with a large enough threat.

 Rob L. Wagner

The Islamophobe Industry: Big Growth in U.S.

The Islamophobe Industry: Big Growth in U.S.

ROB L. WAGNER: In the United States ‘Muslim’ equals ‘Terror’ to a huge number of its citizens hence the increasing influence of Islamophobes

 Eman-Al-Nafjan

Saudi Women In Olympics: Kingdom ‘Gets the Bug’

Saudi Women In Olympics: Kingdom ‘Gets the Bug’

EMAN AL NAFJAN: The Olympics usually barely registers on Saudi consciousness. This time round, though, things are different

 Jonathan Cook

Israel’s Systematic Destruction of Palestine’s Mosques

Israel’s Systematic Destruction of Palestine’s Mosques

JONATHAN COOK: Proof that Israel has been engaging in a proactive campaign to destroy Islamic places of worship under its control is there for all to see.

 The View From Fez

The ‘A’ Word: A Big Problem for Cola Makers

The ‘A’ Word: A Big Problem for Cola Makers

THE VIEW FROM FEZ: In spite of the cool words issued by cola manufacturers there is still great concern across the Muslim world regarding ingredients.

 Tabsir

Harun Yahya: Abusing Islam To Spread Creationism

Harun Yahya: Abusing Islam To Spread Creationism

DANIEL M. VARISCO: The science of Charles Darwin is now coming under attack from charlatans who are interpreting Islam incorrectly

 Mondoweiss

“The Cartoonish Thoughts of a Young Brown Man”

“The Cartoonish Thoughts of a Young Brown Man”

ALISON DEGER, MONDOWEISS: His sketches are striking and pack a political punch. Let me introduce you to Husam Zakharia.

 Common Ground News Service

Is Laughter the Middle East’s ‘Best Medicine’?

Is Laughter the Middle East’s ‘Best Medicine’?

SADIA ASHRAF, CGNEWS: What impact have the group of Arab comedians who emerged post 9/11 really had?

 Tabsir

The Climate of Hatred That Creates ‘Snaps’

The Climate of Hatred That Creates ‘Snaps’

DANIEL M. VARISCO: Nature abhors a vacuum and so does hatred. It needs to be fed and encouraged.

 Rob L. Wagner

‘My Heart Says Stay, My Head Says Go Home’

‘My Heart Says Stay, My Head Says Go Home’

ROB L. WAGNER: Female students returning to Saudi Arabia from studies abroad are finding they have limited, restrictive options.

 Mondoweiss

Palestine: Where Israel ‘Field Tests’ Both Its Own and American Weapons

Palestine: Where Israel ‘Field Tests’ Both Its Own and American Weapons

ALLISON DEGER, MONDOWEISS: It’s a business worth more than $4 trillion so manufacturers of weapons are keen to know if reality matches the brochure.

 Sawsan Morrar

The Call of Home on Jordan’s Diaspora

The Call of Home on Jordan’s Diaspora

SAWSAN MORRAR: The call to come ‘home’ is strong for Jordan’s diaspora, and yet the reality of coming home can be a hard adjustment to make…

 Mondoweiss

Why Did Steve Jobs Reject His Arab Father?

Why Did Steve Jobs Reject His Arab Father?

PHILIP WEISS, MONDOWEISS: One of the striking revelations in the newly published biography of Steve Jobs is that he actually met his father briefly but had no further contact with him. Why?

 Alexander McNabb

The Wild Web: The Super Injunction v.s. The Net

The Wild Web: The Super Injunction v.s. The Net

ALEXANDER MCNABB: Twitter, Google et al argue they are a medium. Suing them for the content on their networks would be like suing a telco for something someone said…

 SuhaibWebb

Libya: Memories of ‘the Summer of Pain’ Return

Libya: Memories of ‘the Summer of Pain’ Return

TASBEEH HERWEES, SUHAIBWEBB: The memories of that summer come rushing back. It was, after all, the Abu Salim families who kick-started this revolution.