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Wednesday, November 11, 2026
News and Views from the Global South
Religion
Divisions Sharpen as Iran Girds for Renewed Protests
A week before the first anniversary of Iran's contested presidential elections, the disruption of a speech by the grandson of Ayatollah Khomeini during a memorial service for the founder of the Islamic Republic on Jun. 4 has once more publicly exposed the rift within the top level of Iran's leadership.
MEDIA-ISRAEL: Beatings, Abuse, Doctored Evidence Emerge
Although Israel successfully controlled news of its deadly commando raid on the Free Gaza (FG) flotilla during the first crucial 48 hours of media coverage, emerging evidence from witnesses and survivors is challenging the Israeli government's version of events.
Q&A: Church’s Mediation Marks Start of “New Time” for Cuba
One of Cuba's most prominent moderate dissidents, historian Manuel Cuesta Morúa, says the recent talks between Catholic Church leaders and the government of Raúl Castro mark the start of a "new time" for the country.EUROPE: Flotilla Raid Fires Up Israel Lobby
Within three days of Israel's attack on the Gaza Freedom Flotilla Monday, the pro-Israel lobby in Brussels was already seeking to deflect attention from the killing of nine peace activists in international waters.No Sidelining Arab-Israelis Over Raid On Aid Flotilla
Normally, in this non-descript sleepy Arab town in Galilee, TV sets are tuned to Al-Jazeera or Al-Arabiyya, the round-the-clock Arabic networks.
Israel Censors News on Deadly Flotilla Raid
Attempts by media to interview some of the hundreds of Free Gaza (FG) members, who were being deported from Tel Aviv’s Ben Gurion International Airport, Wednesday, were thwarted by Israeli authorities.CUBA: Prisoner Transfers “First Step in Right Direction”
A European diplomat speaking anonymously told IPS that the relocation of six imprisoned opponents of the Cuban government "represents a positive step in the direction of the release of all political prisoners in Cuba, which we hope will occur soon."
LEBANON: Where the Bikini Finds Sisterhood With the Hijab
Hijab or bikini? That is a question that Lebanon seems to be forever balancing.
Gazan Girls Join US Tour Seeking Justice
The dispute between Hamas and Fatah has torn apart the people of Palestine, dividing and distracting them from their common quest for freedom and independence from Israeli military rule.
ISRAEL: Censure Follows Raid on Gaza Aid Flotilla
The Israeli government's spin machine has launched into full-throttle as the country faces yet another diplomatic crisis and harsh international criticism for Monday's raid on the Free Gaza (FG) humanitarian aid flotilla that left 19 people dead and about 50 injured.EGYPT: Extension of Law Becomes an Emergency
The government's decision to renew Egypt's longstanding Emergency Law has drawn furious reactions from opposition figures and rights advocates. While government spokesmen say the law will only be used against terrorism and drug trafficking, critics say it is aimed primarily at stifling political dissent.Teenage Pregnancies Soar as Church Looks the Other Way
Pressure from the Catholic Church to effectively stop sex education in schools is threatening the health of tens of thousands of teenagers who fall pregnant every year because they have little or no knowledge of safe sex, education groups in Poland have warned.MIDEAST: Israeli Navy Storms Humanitarian Flotilla
Israeli naval commandos shot dead at least 16 people and wounded over 30 on Monday morning, as they attacked an unarmed humanitarian and civilian flotilla - in international waters - trying to bring desperately needed aid to Gaza. The death toll was expected to rise.
Young People Blurring Borders
Incorporating young people into the task of fostering understanding between people of various cultural and religious backgrounds is one of the four priority areas of the Alliance of Civilisations.Texas Texts Tilt to the Right
The American Civil Liberties Union has launched a letter-writing campaign designed to persuade book publishers not to use the "ideologically-slanted standards for social studies textbooks" approved by the Texas State Board of Education as a model for use in other states.
Iran’s Hijab Crackdown Intensifies as Election Anniversary Nears
It might be hard to imagine that a woman's attendance at a university would be contingent upon the way she dresses.
MIDEAST: Hamas’ Turn to Demolish Palestinian Homes
On Sunday approximately 150 Palestinians from 20 families were driven out of their homes in Rafah, in the southern Gaza strip, by heavily armed police and soldiers who menaced them with clubs.ISRAEL: Settlement Policy Wrong – European Jews
Prominent Jewish intellectuals living in Europe have begun denouncing the Israeli policy of allowing settlements to come up on Palestinian territories as "morally and politically wrong.’’
Q&A: “The World Is One, Whether You Like It or Not”
Since its inception in 2005, the Alliance of Civilisations (AoC) has worked to improve understanding and cooperation across nations, cultures and religions in order to counter the forces that fuel polarisation and extremism.
MIDEAST: US Funds Apartheid Roads on West Bank
The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) is helping Israel to construct an apartheid road infrastructure in the occupied Palestinian West Bank by financing nearly a quarter of the segregated road system primarily for the benefit of Israeli settlers.FRANCE: Burqa Ban May Prove Counter-Productive
France is likely to have a law banning the burqa by autumn of this year, but human rights groups say that such legislation would be discriminatory, counter-productive and also difficult to enforce.« Previous Page — Next Page »
Religion plays a big and in some cases growing role in the socio-political dynamics within countries and often is a factor in civil and cross-border conflict, conflict resolution and peace building. From Burmese monks' marches to the role of religious fundamentalism, this dedicated site gathers IPS stories about how religion affects our world, from daily life to geo-politics.
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