Sam Hamad

The global ties that bind Islamophobia

The terrorist attack in Christchurch did not take place in a vacuum and is a reflection of decades of the othering and dehumanisation of Muslims.

The authoritarianism the Arab Spring fought has been rooted and normalised

It's been eight years since the revolt in Egypt and the irony is that the country is more authoritarian now then it's ever been - and so are its backers.

Sisi’s continuous coup in Egypt

Egypt's Abdul Fatah el Sisi is preparing the ground to demolish constitutional term limits, and he will probably get away with it.

Europe's rising far-right seeks to emulate Israel

Europe's far-right is using the Israeli model as a blueprint for their xenophobic agenda at home. Despite rising anti-semitism in parts of Europe, Israel seems to have no qualms in cosying up to the far-right.

Is Saudi trying to bury the truth by seeking Khashoggi killers' execution

The Saudi public prosecutor is seeking the death penalty for those involved in the killing of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi. If the punishment is carried out, we might never know who ordered the killing.

The Libya conference was a farce

The Libya conference set up in Palermo Italy was a non-starter. It managed to achieve little more than showing that the European powers involved in Libya are a massive part of the rut that the country is stuck in.

The death of the Arab Spring and Khashoggi run through Saudi Arabia

Across the region, Saudi Arabia along with the UAE have sought to muzzle dissent. With the world looking away, it thought it could get away with one more murder.

Jamal Khashoggi is a victim of a wider war against truth

Jamal Khashoggi’s disappearance isn’t just another hit by a rogue state – it’s the symptom of a world where the actions of rogue states are rapidly becoming the new normal.

The UAE experience: wonderland at home, war abroad

The Emirates is an oasis of materialism in a region mired by poverty, war and human suffering. Can the UAE continue exporting war while flaunting garish opulence at home?

Sisi is the Sun King and in Egypt Mo Salah cannot shine brighter

Abdel Fatah el Sisi's fragile authoritarian rule does not have space for popular acclamations. In Sisi's world, Egyptians' enthusiasm for Mohamed Salah is masked resentment towards the governing elite.

'Peace' in Syria means a victory for tyranny

Most of the world has all but abandoned any opposition to Syrian regime leader Bashar al Assad and his Iranian and Russian backers.

Is the World Cup whitewashing Russia's crimes?

Russia has a primarily role in one of the biggest humanitarian disasters of this century while Putin erodes democracy both at home and abroad. The World Cup is Putin's PR coup.