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Energy and rhythm from Djibouti to the world

The small East African nation of Djibouti has so far evaded musical discovery by the West. Now, however, the country's official national band, Groupe RTD, is picking up international accolades with the music it plays when it's off-duty. Stefan Franzen spoke to the group's producer Janto Djassi

Foot-tapping fusion

Blending East African, Bollywood and Arab music traditions, Groupe RTD's "The Dancing Devils of Djibouti" is not only a stunning album, it is also the first internationally-released recording of music from this small and isolated country. By Richard Marcus

"Mali Magic": Ancient Mali's manuscripts available online

A virtual gallery containing thousands of Mali's ancient documents has been launched. The gallery contains up to 40 thousand documents written in ancient Arabic that have been digitised and made available online.

Doves of peace

International Women's Day 2022: The Arab doyennes of learning

The first university in the world was founded by a Muslim woman. One of the Arab world′s most prestigious and oldest universities was also founded by an Arab princess. Women had a remarkable role in building schools and patronising the sciences throughout Islamic history.

Sentenced for a selfie: police target LGBTQ+ phones

An in-depth study of court files has found that police forces in Tunisia, Egypt, and Lebanon are increasingly relying on digital tools to identify, entrap and prosecute LGBTQ+ people – thus "intensifying anti-queer surveillance". The study reveals the extent that the safety of LGBQT+ people in the Middle East can be compromised by their digital footprint

The Economist: Hindu bigots are openly urging Indians to murder Muslims

“All Hindus must pick up weapons and conduct a cleanliness drive,” bellowed a Hindu priest at a three-day “religious parliament” in north India last month.Those baying for blood are not isolated bigots. Under the Hindu-nationalist government of Narendra Modi, the world’s most populous democracy has seen a growing wave of intolerance.

Is Islam fundamentally incompatible with Britishness?

Challenging Islamophobia involves rejecting the country's racist, post-colonial, politically constructed hierarchy, argues Ismail Patel.

Enabling the rights of the child

COVID-19 has many negative impacts on children, particularly in terms of education and healthcare. Development projects in the Indian state of Assam show how actors can successfully support disadvantaged children in times of crisis. By Enakshi Dutta, Cynthia Dittmar and Franziska Muller

A bloody year in Sinai

The Egyptian government has intensified its military campaign in the Sinai peninsula with the aim of finally shutting down a jihadist insurgency linked to IS. Hundreds may have died, but the insurgency continues with no end in sight. By Tom Stevenson