Usaid (Muneeb) Siddiqui

Bio

Completed my MA in International Relations from University of Sussex and a BSc from University of Toronto. Interested in Current Affairs with a focus on Pakistan, the Middle East and Religion. Currently living in Toronto, Canada. Follow me on Twitter @UsaidMuneeb16

How Skateboarding is Changing the Lives of Afghan Children
By Usaid (Muneeb) Siddiqui
In 2007, in the war-torn nation of Afghanistan, Oliver Percovich was inspired to start a skateboarding school that today helps Afghan children "use skateboarding as a tool for empowering youth, to create new opportunities and the potential for…
Reza Aslan Takes Down the Christmas Myths That Fox News Has Been Peddling for Years
By Usaid (Muneeb) Siddiqui
Between debates over the skin color of Jesus and Santa Claus to renewed "War on Christmas" allegations, this Christmas has seen more than it's fair share of controversy.  To set the record straight, I sat with renowned author and scholar Reza Aslan,…
The Real Reason Behind Censoring Malala’s Book
By Usaid (Muneeb) Siddiqui
Earlier this month, two associations representing private schools in Pakistan announced that they would be banning Malala Yousafzai's book, I Am Malala, in their affiliated institutions. Representatives of the All Pakistan Private Schools…
Meet the Millennial Who's Busting Every Stereotype About Atheists
By Usaid (Muneeb) Siddiqui
"Nihilistic," "angry," "empty," "selfish." These are some of the words the students of Harvard humanist chaplain Chris Stedman associate with atheists, and they underline the importance of the message in Stedman's recently released book, Faithiest:…
Guantánamo Bay is a Hellish Prison, That America Conveniently Tries to Forget
By Usaid (Muneeb) Siddiqui
Ever since the War on Terror began over 10 years ago, the term “national security” has been so overused it has lost its value. Defense attorneys for five detainees at Guantanamo Bay have requested that the Guantánamo war crimes tribunal allow the…
What Malala Yousafzai Wants, and Why the West Doesn't Get It
By Usaid (Muneeb) Siddiqui
Will the end of the Taliban make Malala’s dream come true? The past week presented itself to bewas a disappointment for those hoping Malala Yousafzai would win the Nobel Peace Prize. The 16- year- old Pakistani girl, who was shot by the local…
Myanmar Conflict: An Apathetic Government Gives Little Hope to Threatened Muslims
By Usaid (Muneeb) Siddiqui
A fresh outbreak of violence in the troubled Rakhine state of Myanmar claimed the lives of five Muslims in the town of Thandwe earlier this month. In addition to that, nearly a thousand Buddhist protestors torched nearly 50 homes of belonging to…
Inside the Big Money Movement to Fund Islamophobia In America
By Usaid (Muneeb) Siddiqui
A recent report was published by the Council of American Islamic Relation (CAIR), titled “Legislating Fear: Islamophobia and its Impact in the United States," providing an in-depth insight into groups and individuals that have thrived monetarily…
UK Veil Ban: Muslim Women Don't Need Britain's "Protection"
By Usaid (Muneeb) Siddiqui
The political class in Britain has once again floated the niqab, a veil worn by Muslim women, as an issue that is “a good topic for national debate.” These were the words of Conservative MP Jeremy Browne, a Home Office minister in the current…
Why Bashar Al-Assad is Invoking 9/11 in the Syria War
By Usaid (Muneeb) Siddiqui
The memory of the September 11 attacks is one of the strongest uniting forces for millions of Americans, regardless of their respective political stripes and affiliations. This was evident as many stood at Ground Zero in Manhattan Wednesday to…
Egypt News: 4 Things That Happened While We Were Paying Attention to Syria
By Usaid (Muneeb) Siddiqui
It's no surprise Syria has gripped all mainstream media outlets for the past two weeks. Undoubtedly, a nerve gas attack anywhere is a frightening thought, let alone catastrophic. The political orchestra (intriguing, but mostly hypocritical) that has…
4 Stories the Mainstream Media Passed Over For Miley Cyrus
By Usaid (Muneeb) Siddiqui
From Miley Cyrus’s controversial performance at the MTV Video Music Awards, to the worrying prospect of the use of chemical weapons in Syria, a lot has been covered in the past few weeks by the mainstream media. Nevertheless, significant stories…
Richard Dawkins and the "New Atheists" Represent the Dark Side of Atheism
By Usaid (Muneeb) Siddiqui
Earlier this month, Richard Dawkins stirred a huge controversy by tweeting that Trinity College at Cambridge University has had more Nobel Prize winners than the entire Muslim world. Prominent columnists and academics such as Owen Jones and Nathan…
Egypt Protests: The Military Takeover Of Egypt Has Begun
By Usaid (Muneeb) Siddiqui
On Monday, pro-Mohamed Morsi supporters marched to the intelligence headquarters of the army in Egypt, despite a warning from the military command that all army installations were off limits. Before thousands could reach their destination, the march…
Meet the Greatest Young Leader in the Middle East
By Usaid (Muneeb) Siddiqui
Farea al-Muslimi, a Yemeni citizen, recently gained attention when he testified at a congressional hearing, denouncing and relaying his sadness at the massacre of dozens of Yemeni citizens who are casualties of ongoing U.S. drone attacks. The loss…
Malala UN Speech: She's Talking, But Are Rich Nations Listening?
By Usaid (Muneeb) Siddiqui
Malala Yousefzai’s July 12 speech on at the United Nations , on her 16th birthday, declared as Malala Day by the UN, was nothing less than inspiring. It was lauded around the world as leaders, activists, and celebrities praised her for advocating…
Is the Israeli Government "Pinkwashing" the Palestinian Occupation?
By Usaid (Muneeb) Siddiqui
In 2012 at the Equality Forum in Philadelphia, the Israeli ambassador to the United States, Michael Oren, proclaimed proudly that his country’s record on LGBT rights was commendable, stating: “Israel’s LGBT community is part of the fabric of…
Abdul Fattah el Sisi: Egypt's Military Chief and Opposition Aren't Heroes
By Usaid (Muneeb) Siddiqui
In just over a year, Egypt’s democracy has become shambles. Thousands if not millions protested in the legendary Tahrir Square in Cairo, denouncing the (now former) president, Mohammed Morsi. When the 48-hour deadline set by the Army expired…
Hassan Rouhani: What His Presidency Will Mean For Iran
By Usaid (Muneeb) Siddiqui
On June 14 the Mahmoud Ahmadinejad era of controversy and polarizing rhetoric came to an end. Thousands of supporters of President-Elect Hassan Rouhani chanted “Ahmadi, bye bye” throughout Iran as a sense of guarded optimism swept through the…
Taksim Square Protests: Erdogan is No Dictator, But Tolerating Dissent Isn't Exactly His Forte
By Usaid (Muneeb) Siddiqui
The demonstrations at Taksim Square over the building of a mall over Gezi Park, one of the last public parks in Istanbul, has enraged many amongst the residents of the city. An objection that was initiated by a small group of environmentalists has…