Power & Policy

On May 25, Pakistani transgender activist Alisha was killed after being shot multiple times following an altercation between a group of men and a group of trans women. While she was transported to the Lady Reading Hospital nearby immediately, reports said that her care was delayed as doctors debated whether to admit her to the…

The mayor of Cannes in France has banned women from wearing swimsuits that cover too much skin on local public beaches. Targeted specifically are the burkinis, a play on “burqa” and “bikini,” a hijab-friendly wetsuit that is commonly worn in the water by Muslim women who observe the headscarf. This comes soon after an attack…

The Olympic opening was a festival of colors as the world watched Rio showcase their culture and welcome other countries to the event that brings the world together: the Olympics. Among the flags that were raised and paraded, one stood out a little more than others. The Palestinian flag stood proud — a symbol of…

Last summer, my father and I arrived at the Jordanian-Israeli border. The environment was hostile, but we could tolerate it. After all, we would be on our way to Palestine very soon! Or so we thought… When we first got to the Israeli passport patrol agency, we were escorted to the VIP room. Don’t be…

On June 8, 2004, Humayun Khan, 27 at the time, was killed in Iraq. He was overseeing routine vehicle inspections, when a suspicious taxi passed through. Instructing others to take cover, Humayun Khan approached the taxi and the 200 pounds of explosives within it. Subsequently the car exploded, killing Humayun and injuring at least ten others. His…

You’re probably reading this and thinking, “Oh get over it; it’s happened now — so you just have to deal with it.” Deal with it? Oh, I understand. You want me to live as I lived before the country I’m in went to polling stations and changed the very course of history. You want me…

Black lives matter. This is a simple, nonnegotiable statement that shouldn’t require further explanation or spark debate.  Unfortunately, it does, and the current reality is that Black lives don’t seem to matter. The #BlackLivesMatter movement launched in August of 2014 after the unjust death of 18 year old Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri. This movement is…

At the moment, the United States seems to be fragmented by opinions from biased individuals who believe they’re neutral and objective. With the revolutionary hashtag #BlackLivesMatter and responding hashtags such as #AllLivesMatter and #BlueLivesMatter, everyone has an opinion on police brutality, and the rising death in the African American community.  With those opinions comes blame. There are also…

Photo:  Pikachu in the besieged rubble of Gaza, a victim of Israeli aggression and collective punishment.  As the Pokémon Go craze sweeps the world, Israelis and Palestinians are also getting in on the game. Well, that is if you’re a Palestinian who lives in Area C — where you have access to 3G — instead of in…

It has been a devastating few weeks, with Daesh led violence claiming the lives of hundreds around the world. Turkey, Lebanon, Iraq, Afghanistan, and Bangladesh all have seen growing death tolls as the so-called “Islamic State” propogates its vehemently un-Islamic ideology through violence and death. Iraq in particular has felt the brutality of Daesh’s attacks, with a death toll beyond 300 and still…

The recent attacks in Iraq highlight our Muslim community’s act of selective mourning. With the death toll rising above 250, the bombings targeted a predominantly Shia neighborhood in Karrada, Baghdad. The bombing took place at a multi-level mall that was turned to rubble during a busy time where many women, children, and youth were either…

I was first introduced to Elie Wiesel as a junior in high school. Our teacher – like the other thousands of teachers across the globe – assigned us to read his Memoir Night with the intention of exposing us to the horrors of the Holocaust. I had been introduced to the subject multiple times before,…

Adnan Syed, the Baltimore, MD subject of the popular “Serial” podcast has been granted a retrial for the murder conviction of his ex-girlfriend in 1999. In 2014, when questions were raised about his guilt or innocence, Syed became a household name when the “Serial” podcast began digging deeper into the story of his involvement of…