The fifth anniversary of the seminal uprising in Egypt is upon us. On January 25, 2011, thousands of Egyptians from all walks of life converged on Cairo’s Tahrir Square to demand an end to autocracy, a staple in Egypt’s governance. “They weren’t merely trying to overthrow a despicable regime,” writes the American journalist Thanassis Cambanis […]
The late Mike Nichols was a man for all seasons. In an illustrious 50-year career, which ended with his death in 2014, he was an actor, comedian and movie director. Nichols, who was equally at home in theatre as in film, is the subject of a documentary scheduled to be broadcast by the PBS network […]
In the spring of 2001, George W. Bush, the then president of the United States, asked his friend, Robert W. Jordan, a Dallas lawyer, to be America’s 25th ambassador to Saudi Arabia, a major U.S. ally in the Middle East and an active participant in regional developments, its autocratic system of government and its intolerance of […]
A new phase in Iran’s often contentious relationship with the West unfolded a few days ago when the United States and European countries lifted economic sanctions against Iran. They were withdrawn following the release of a report by the International Atomic Energy Agency that the Iranian government had fulfilled its promise to curb its controversial […]
When it comes to women’s rights, Saudi Arabia is arguably the most repressive society on earth. Most of the kingdom’s subjects are members of the Wahhabi branch of Sunni Islam, often described as “ultraconservative” or “puritanical.” Known as Muwahhidun, they adhere to the strict Hanbali school of jurisprudence. This form of Islam particularly affects the position […]
A recent antisemitic incident in the French city of Marseille has spiralled into a cause celebre that amplifies the crisis afflicting Jews and Islam in France today. On January 11, a machete-wielding 15-year-old Muslim Turkish boy slashed Benjamin Amsellem, a Jewish teacher, as he was taking a walk. The assailant told police he had acted […]
Andrew Haigh, in 45 Years, draws an exquisite portrait of a relationship marked by the vicissitudes of time. Geoff and Kate Mercer, a retired childless couple, live peacefully in the English countryside. As the film open, they’re one week away from celebrating their 45th wedding anniversary. Puttering around their modest house, they seem to be […]
Possessing the largest concentration of Iranians outside the Islamic Republic of Iran, Los Angeles could well be called Little Iran. More than 70,000 of these exiles are Jews, and one of them, Saba Soomekh, is a religious studies scholar who teaches at the University of California in Los Angeles. Born in Tehran in 1976, she and […]
A sedate, cosmopolitan city of picturesque canals, charming neighborhoods, exquisite buildings and superb museums, there is something for everyone in Amsterdam. There is even a cool museum for both kids and adults to bring families together. Amsterdam is best explored by bike, boat, bus and foot. Smaller and friendlier than Paris, to which it can […]
The publication of a new, annotated edition of Adolf Hitler’s incendiary manifesto, Mein Kampf (My Struggle), has set off a passionate debate in Germany that forces it to face its ugly past yet again. The nearly 2,000-page book, replete with some 3,500 annotations, is supposed to immunize readers from misusing or exploiting its horrific contents […]