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Balsam Mustafa

PhD Candidate in Modern Languages & Politics, University of Birmingham

I started my PhD at Birmingham university in 2013. My focus is on translation, media, and politics, particularly with regards to Islamic State in Iraq. I completed my BA and MA in translation and interpreting studies in Al-Mustansirriya university, Baghdad, Iraq.

I also worked as a lecturer in the Translation department , Faculty of Arts, Al-Mustansirriya University, from 2006 to 2013 when I was awarded a scholarship to pursue my PhD study at Birmingham University.

video I lived through Saddam Hussein's fall – and the horror that came next

Apr 09, 2018 14:47 pm UTC| Insights & Views Life

I was a senior university student in Baghdad, Iraq. It was March 2003, and over the past few months, my classmates had whispered to each other about the possibility of a US-led invasion and the likelihood that 35 years of...

After years of destruction, Iraqis are rescuing their cultural identity

Jun 23, 2017 17:42 pm UTC| Insights & Views

Just after Iraqi forces declared they were closing in on the old city of Mosul, they announced that the so-called Islamic State (IS) had destroyed the 12th-century al-Nuri Mosque and its famed leaning minaret, known as...

Ordinary Iraqis defy sectarianism after Islamic State's attacks on Baghdad

Jul 04, 2016 19:44 pm UTC| Insights & Views Politics

Im happy that I graduated. Im so grateful to my parents and I dedicate my success to both of them. These were the final words written by Adnan, a victim of a deadly attack on Sundays early hours in the crowded, buzzing...

Economy

Nigerians throw naira notes around to show love: but it could land you in jail

The legal implication of physically damaging the naira, Nigerias currency, came into focus recently with the prosecution of at least two celebrities by the countrys Economic and Financial Crimes Commission. Nigeria has a...

The US is one of the least trade-oriented countries in the world – despite laying the groundwork for today’s globalized system

Given the spate of news about international trade lately, Americans might be surprised to learn that the U.S. isnt very dependent on it. Indeed, looking at trade as a percentage of gross domestic product a metric...

Beyond the spin, beyond the handouts, here’s how to get a handle on what’s really happening on budget night

Three weeks from now, some of us will be presented with a mountain of budget papers, and just about all of us will get to hear about them on radio, TV or news websites on budget night. The quickest way to find out what...

Johannesburg in a time of darkness: Ivan Vladislavić’s new memoir reminds us of the city’s fragility

Ivan Vladislavić is Johannesburgs literary linkman. He tells us, in the first pages of his new book, The Near North, that before cities were lit, first by gaslight and later electricity, people of means paid torchbearers...

Economist Chris Richardson on an ‘ugly’ inflation result and the coming budget

With Jim Chalmerss third budget on May 14, Australians will be looking for some more cost-of-living relief beyond the tax cuts although they have been warned extra measures will be modest. As this weeks consumer price...

Politics

Taiwan is experiencing millions of cyberattacks every day

Taiwan stands out as a beacon of democracy, innovation and resilience in an increasingly autocratic region. But this is under growing threat. In recent years, China has used a variety of grey zone tactics to pressure...

Sudan’s civil war is rooted in its historical favouritism of Arab and Islamic identity

The current civil war in Sudan goes beyond a simple power struggle between two generals. It reflects a deep-rooted crisis within the countrys governing structure thats been present since it gained independence from the...

South Africa’s youth are a generation lost under democracy – study

South African president Cyril Ramaphosa recently painted a rosy picture in which the countrys youth democracys children had enormous opportunities for advancement, all thanks to successive post-apartheid governments led...

Sadiq Khan on track for third term as London mayor – but nearly half of Londoners dissatisfied with performance

Polls have consistently shown that the incumbent mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, appears to be on track to win a third term in office at the upcoming mayoral elections on May 2. One poll we commissioned as part of our...

The politics stopping the UK from opening a youth mobility scheme with Europe

Earlier this week, it seemed possible that young people in the UK might soon be able to travel freely to work and live in Europe again. The European Commission laid out proposals to open mobility to millions of 18- to...

Science

IceCube researchers detect a rare type of energetic neutrino sent from powerful astronomical objects

About a trillion tiny particles called neutrinos pass through you every second. Created during the Big Bang, these relic neutrinos exist throughout the entire universe, but they cant harm you. In fact, only one of them is...

The Mars Sample Return mission has a shaky future, and NASA is calling on private companies for backup

A critical NASA mission in the search for life beyond Earth, Mars Sample Return, is in trouble. Its budget has ballooned from US$5 billion to over $11 billion, and the sample return date may slip from the end of this...

Dark matter: our new experiment aims to turn the ghostly substance into actual light

A ghost is haunting our universe. This has been known in astronomy and cosmology for decades. Observations suggest that about 85% of all the matter in the universe is mysterious and invisible. These two qualities are...

A Nasa rover has reached a promising place to search for fossilised life on Mars

While we go about our daily lives on Earth, a nuclear-powered robot the size of a small car is trundling around Mars looking for fossils. Unlike its predecessor Curiosity, Nasas Perseverance rover is explicitly intended to...

The rising flood of space junk is a risk to us on Earth – and governments are on the hook

A piece of space junk recently crashed through the roof and floor of a mans home in Florida. Nasa later confirmed that the object had come from unwanted hardware released from the international space station. The 700g,...

Technology

SHIB Exec Connects Shiba Inu to Bitcoin; Open Interest Falls 7%

SHIBs marketing officer, Lucie, emphasized similarities between Shiba Inu and Bitcoin, highlighting both projects foundational anonymity and community-driven development. Meanwhile, a 7% drop in open interest raises...

Nigerian Stakeholders Urge Binance to Identify Bribery Suspect

In a bold move to safeguard integrity, Nigerian cryptocurrency stakeholders are pressing Binance to unveil the identity of an alleged bribe proposer. This demand aims to substantiate claims and ensure transparent...

Whale Trades Propel RNDR Price Rally 40%: What's Next for Render Token?

Last week, Render Token (RNDR) soared by 40% as whale activity intensified, pushing its market cap close to $4 billion. On-chain data highlighted significant transactions, sparking speculation about future gains in the...

NFL, NBA, NASCAR Stars Resolve $2.4M Voyager Promo Lawsuit

NFL icon Rob Gronkowski, NBA player Victor Oladipo, and NASCAR driver Landon Cassill have collectively agreed to a $2.4 million settlement in a lawsuit concerning their roles in promoting the now-defunct cryptocurrency...

Grayscale's Ethereum ETF Twist: Withdraws Application Days Before SEC Verdict

In a dramatic turn of events, Grayscale shocked the cryptocurrency community by retracting its application for an Ethereum futures exchange-traded fund just days before the SECs looming decision deadline. This cast doubt...