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Living with the sting of hatred

While "Daughters of Smoke and Fire" – Kurdish author Ava Homa's heart-rending debut novel – is about Leila, a young Kurdish woman, coming of age in contemporary Iran, the portrayal of a minority's struggle against oppression and assimilation transcends the personal. Richard Marcus read the book

What English is missing

Swedish translator Jonathan Moren recently asked how it was possible that Syrian writer Salim Barakat – praised by such towering literary figures as Mahmoud Darwish and Adonis – has not yet been translated into English. Here, Egyptian author and critic Mahmoud Hosny explains what a language loses by not embracing the creative vision of Salim Barakat

How Qatar turns its cash into foreign policy power

For years, Qatar has pursued a "soft" foreign policy that helped make international friends and influence the powerful. It includes spending billions on everything from fashion, art and sport, to charities and industry. By Cathrin Schaer

Afghanistan: ‘One of the world’s worst humanitarian crises’

Since the Taliban took control on 15 August 2021, Afghanistan has been suffering a severe humanitarian crisis. UN figures show 95 percent of Afghans going hungry. The situation has been exacerbated by the U.S. decision to freeze the Afghan Central Bank’s assets and international sanctions that are crippling an already fragile economy.

Time for a rethink

Despite the hardline approach taken by the Moroccan state over the years in its dealings with Islamist extremists, the Maghreb nation is still viewed as the world's biggest "terrorist exporter". What's going wrong? Answers from Ali Anouzla

The big history of Albania's tiny Koran

For generations, this postage stamp-sized book has been passed down through one family -- surviving wars and one of the world's most fanatical "godless regimes".

"Out of marginalisation, into the mainstream"

German-Indian journalist Navina Sundaram (1945-2022) is being rediscovered as a key documentary filmmaker. The online archive "The Fifth Wall" documents her work. The English edition was presented in Delhi, India, at the beginning of April. Sonja Hegasy attended the premiere

Newcomers, not refugees

"Abwab" – the Arabic for doors - is the name of the first and so far the only Arabic newspaper for refugees in Germany. It aims to provide information and serve as a platform for discussing integration-related issues. Ceyda Nurtsch spoke to publisher Ramy al-Asheq

UN urged to reject anti-Semitism definition over ‘misuse’ to shield Israel

More than 100 Israeli and international civil society organisations have asked the United Nations to reject the controversial IHRA anti-Semitism definition, warning it is being "misused" to protect Israel from legitimate criticism.

Yemen: Aid organisations running out of money