Society

Education and climate in Yemen

Too hot for class

In Houthi-controlled Yemen, the decision to schedule the school year by the Hijri calendar has pushed classes earlier into the harshest heat of summer. For students this has compounded the impact of climate change, posing health risks and driving up dropout rates.
By Nayef Al-Hassani
Turkish women's association Havle

"White secular women do not have a monopoly on feminism"

The Muslim queer-feminist group Havle uses religious arguments to challenge discrimination. Facing growing hostility and, most recently, arrests, two members speak about the struggle for LGBTQ rights in the country.
By Ceyda Nurtsch
Detainees in northeast Syria

What will happen to the women and children of al-Roj camp?

Deteriorating conditions are fuelling tensions at al-Roj camp, where people with alleged links to IS have spent years in detention. As control of the camp shifts to the Syrian central government, uncertainty grows over their future and prospects of returning home.
By Hannah Wallace
Ahmed Isamaldin

"Gold is directly connected to the violence in Sudan"

Artist and researcher Ahmed Isamaldin uses satellite imagery to trace how Sudan's gold industry has expanded during the war. His research reveals how the conflict is linked to global supply chains and the commodities we consume.
By Hannah El-Hitami
Religious diversity in Tunisia

The Virgin Mary on the streets of Tunis

In Tunisia, a tradition is being revived: the Marian procession in La Goulette. Christians, Jews and Muslims from around the world are coming together to make a statement in favour of peaceful coexistence, in a country where the authorities are cracking down on migrants.
By Vanessa Barisch
Faten Harb

Mediating family conflicts in wartime Gaza

Faten Harb is one of Gaza's first female mukhtaras, a mediation role traditionally reserved for men. As war has upended everyday life, she has found herself mediating disputes shaped by displacement, poverty and loss, helping families navigate a society under extraordinary strain.
By Doaa Shaheen
Algeria and France

"We must deepen our understanding of the colonial era"

History weighs heavily on Algerian-French relations. Historian Benjamin Stora discusses the obstacles and progress made towards a shared culture of remembrance, and the threat posed by the French far right as elections approach.
By Madjid Serrah
Inequality in Morocco

Ceuta was a referendum

Shortly before the general election, the mass crossing into Ceuta has shaken Morocco's image as a stable and thriving nation. The fact that so many people embarked on the journey reveals the depth of discontent in the country.
By Mohamed Taifouri
Afghans in Germany

"Most of us feel betrayed"

Five years on from the fall of Kabul, the German government is cooperating with the Taliban. Mitra Hashemi from the German-Afghan Friendship Society talks about the Afghan community in Germany, a lack of recognition and responsibility towards their relatives in Afghanistan.
By Clara Taxis
Christians in Lebanon

Fighting to preserve Lebanon's wine tradition

Economic crisis and war have made winemaking in Lebanon difficult, pushing producers to rely on exports. But with its deep ties to Lebanese Christian identity, many are determined to keep making wine at home.
By Janan Basoul
New Faculty of Islamic Theology in Münster

"Theology is opening up and engaging with society"

The University of Münster has established Europe's first Faculty of Islamic Theology. Dean Mouhanad Khorchide discusses the responsibility of theology, Europe's shift to the right and his ambition to influence the Islamic world.
By Ulrike Hummel
Peace work in Lebanon

"War is not an adventure playground"

Young people in Lebanon need to confront the country's violent past, says Christina Foerch-Saab of Fighters for Peace. Through visits to schools and universities with former combatants, she sees attitudes beginning to shift, even amid renewed escalation.
By Jannis Hagmann