Creating new perspectives since 2009
Items by Omar Ahmed
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What could Saudi Arabia's first AAA game be like, following China's success?
Last month, China made gaming history with the release of the instant hit “Black Myth: Wukong.” An RPG set in mythological China and loosely based on the classical Chinese novel, Journey to the West, it marked the country’s first foray into AAA gaming—blockbuster titles with massive budgets—a notable departure...
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Israel’s influence on Big Tech: Silencing pro-Palestine media
On Monday, Egyptian-American comedian and outspoken critic of Israel Bassem Youssef caused a social media storm after his account on X with almost 12 million followers was no longer accessible. This led to widespread speculation among users, media outlets and even the state-affiliated account of Israel, with many assuming...
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Iran under the Mongols: Ilkhanid Administrators and Persian Notables in Fars
In the 13th century, the Mongols under the formidable leadership of Genghis Khan swept across the vast steppes of Central Asia, bringing unprecedented devastation as they advanced towards the Middle East. Their conquest culminated in the catastrophic sack of Baghdad in 1258, which led to the fall of the...
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Underestimating Yemeni resolve, Israel opens up a southern front
On 19 July, a drone launched from Yemen struck near the US embassy in Tel Aviv, resulting in the death of one person and injuries to several others. This suicide drone, aptly named Yafa (the Arabic name for Jaffa, which forms part of today’s Tel Aviv), managed to evade...
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K-Pop stans call for South Korea gov’t to cancel Israel event amid Gaza genocide
For well over a decade now, K-Pop, the global sensation originating from South Korea, has found a notable following among youth in the Middle East. The vibrant music, captivating performances and engaging “idols” have won over fans and even “stans” across the region, uniting them in a shared passion...
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Forget ‘Maccies’ and ‘Donnies’ - how about McGenocide? The McDonald's ad that misses the mark
McDonald’s latest ‘Make it yours’ advert, crafted by Leo Burnett UK and directed by Shaun of the Dead and Hot Fuzz director Edgar Wright, embraces the youthful slang that rebrands the global fast food giant as “Maccies,” “McDizzles,” and other quirky names while celebrating “McDonald’s place in British culture.” The...
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‘The injustices we see abroad reflect how governments treat people at home’, says Palestinian candidate running in UK election
British-Palestinian activist, Leanne Mohamad, is standing as an independent candidate in Ilford North. She condemns Labour’s failure to advocate for a Gaza ceasefire and pledges to champion both local and global justice, inspired by her personal heritage and hands-on community work....
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Endorsing the UAE, appeasing Iran: China’s stance in the Gulf islands dispute
Last week, China took the controversial decision to reaffirm its support for the UAE regarding the sovereignty of three strategically important islands — Abu Musa, Greater Tunb and Lesser Tunb — which have been under Iranian control since 1971. In a 47-point joint statement made during UAE President Mohammed...
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‘Float like a butterfly, sting like a bee’: Remembering Muhammad Ali
Heavyweight champion boxer Muhammad Ali passed away on 3 June 2016. While he was a celebrated sports personality, Ali was also deeply political, famously refusing to serve in the US military while they fought in Vietnam. He was an icon to America's civil rights and anti-war movement....
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Losing Raisi: A major setback, but the Islamic Republic will endure
On Wednesday, millions attended the funeral procession of Iranian President, Ebrahim Raisi, who along with top diplomat, Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian and six others, were killed in a helicopter crash on 19 May, near the Azerbaijan border due to poor weather conditions. The funeral prayers, led by Supreme Leader Ayatollah...
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ISIS' Propaganda Machine: Global Mediated Terrorism
Ever since the territorial defeat of its self-described caliphate in Iraq and Syria in 2019, ISIS (Daesh, to use its Arabic acronym) has seemingly receded as the preeminent threat to peace and stability in the Middle East, particularly amidst Israel’s ongoing genocide in Gaza. Nonetheless, beyond the region, Daesh...
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The interesting timing of Pakistan's Zainebiyoun designation amid Iran-Israel standoff
Following a decision in late March to ban the Liwa Zainebiyoun, a brigade predominantly composed of Pakistani Shia fighters trained by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), Pakistan formally announced that it had designated the group as a terrorist organisation. According to a public notification made by the Ministry of...
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Jordan’s treachery in support of Israel is nothing new
Iran launched the largest drone attack in history over the weekend in retaliation for Israel’s egregious act of state terrorism that targeted the Iranian consulate in Damascus earlier this month. Seven senior military advisors were killed in the Israeli attack, including Brigadier General Mohammad Reza Zahedi. Hundreds of Shahed “suicide”...
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Like the establishment of Israel, the ‘Red Heifer’ is yet another forced prophecy
Beyond the political dimensions to the ongoing war in Gaza, there exists a deep religious undertone on both sides, which traces back to the very establishment of the Zionist occupation state in 1948, justified on the grounds of religious scripture as a God-given right to Jews. Yet despite its religious...
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Young US evangelicals are refusing to be ‘useful idiots’ for Israel
“The Zionist establishment has realised the value of Christian Zionism, despite the essential anti-Semitism of its ideology. To Jewish Zionists, the Christian Zionists are useful idiots. For end-timer Christian Zionists, the Jews are sacrificial lambs.” — Author and lecturer Irving Wesley Hall The unwavering support for Israel from the Christian...
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God's Man in Iraq: The Life and Leadership of Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani
As the pre-eminent marja taqlid (source of emulation) in matters of Islamic jurisprudence in Iraq, Grand Ayatollah Ali Al-Sistani holds a position of immense influence within the Shia Muslim community worldwide. This is not limited to religious affairs, but extends into the realm of politics too. However, due to...
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The life and martyrdom of Malcolm X
Malcolm X was assassinated at the age of 39 on 21 February 1965 while addressing the Organisation of Afro-American Unity at the Audubon Ballroom in New York, and his legacy continues to profoundly shape young minds on matters of education, liberation, and social justice....
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Apprentice star needn’t apologise for posts on ‘godless, satanic’ Zionism – he’s right
Even before the 18th season of the BBC’s “The Apprentice” aired at the beginning of this month, it stirred controversy after several social media posts by one contestant, Dr Asif Munaf, attracted media attention. They related to Israel’s genocidal war against the Palestinians in Gaza and the ideology on...
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Gandhi was India’s ‘Father of the Nation’ who opposed Zionism in ‘Arab’ Palestine
The ongoing genocidal war by the settler-colonial state of Israel against the Palestinians in Gaza has recaptured global attention and rejuvenated the Palestinian national liberation struggle. Nevertheless, the issue remains highly divisive, with one side advocating for a free Palestine and the other, smaller but significant, ideologically opposed to...
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Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown
Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown is the latest installment of the iconic action-adventure platform game, which has been around since the late eighties and comes 13 years after Ubisoft’s critically-acclaimed reboot Sands of Time trilogy. While The Sands of Time is reportedly undergoing its own remake, Ubisoft Montpellier’s new...
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The bombing of Arab capitals reveals who really stands with Palestine
Having reached its 100th day, Israel’s genocidal war on Gaza has so far claimed the lives of almost 24,000 Palestinians and injured 60,000, sparking a humanitarian crisis in the already besieged enclave, and comes as Israel faces charges of genocide at the International Court of Justice (ICJ). The outcome...
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The Geopolitics of Religious Soft Power: How States Use Religion in Foreign Policy
Over the past several decades, there has been a growing body of literature on the role of religion in international relations, in a supposed post-religious, secular age. This has challenged a once-held theory of the predominance of a Western-led liberal world order and the “End of History” following the...
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Is it ‘anti-Semitic’ to acknowledge that Arabs are Semites too?
As with every, almost annual Israeli war against the Palestinians of the Gaza Strip, efforts to counter protests and dissent against the atrocities of the occupation state frequently resort to labelling such opposition as “anti-Semitism”. This is consistent, they say, with the guidelines of the 2016 International Holocaust Remembrance...
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The Mamluks: Slave Warriors of Medieval Islam
Between the fall of the Abbasid Caliphate and the ascent of the Ottoman Empire, there stood the formidable Mamluk Sultanate. Spanning the 13th to the 16th centuries CE, this regional power ruled over Egypt, Syria and the Hijaz. The transfer of Sunni Muslim political authority from Baghdad to the Ottomans...