Do-it-yourself sanctions threaten science dialogue with Iran
US president Obama in 2011 promised more engagement with Iranian youth, a pledge that ushered in a more relaxed visa-granting policy to Iranian students hoping to obtain a higher education in the states. Iranian students, a majority of whom pursue degrees in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) bring with them a sense of “science diplomacy” and academic cooperation between the two countries. Furthermore, many Iranian students choose to stay in the US after earning their degrees, joining the ranks of one of the states’ most successful immigrant groups. US universities like University of Massachusetts Amherst threaten both the spirit of “science diplomacy” and the US’s potential human capital when they introduce sanctions against Iranian nationals.
Source: Tehran Bureau
A love letter to jailed Syrian-Palestinian Bassel Khartabil
Bassel Khartabil, a blogger and software developer, dreamed of a free Syria where information and knowledge could flow freely to the public via an open, accessible internet. He was arrested and detained in Damascus on March 15, 2012 and his dream has since then become a “nightmare.” Khartabil’s wife Noura shares a love poem she dedicated to her husband, who remains in detention to this day. Her feeling of loss for her husband mirrors the loss she and countless other Syrians feel for their country.
Source: Global Voices
In Egypt, the law itself is an enemy of women’s rights
Egyptian women today not only face hostility and violence in the streets, but they also face stark inequality under the law. Men are handed far less severe punishments than women for crimes such as adultery, and discriminatory divorce laws make it nearly impossible for a woman to file for divorce from her husband without extreme difficulty and humiliation. Strict personal status laws in Egypt are often inspired by Sharia Law, but many such laws stray far outside the realm of Islamic teachings.
Source: Informed Comment
