Society

Wretched life of migrants building Senegal's city of the future

When Mohamed was hired at the construction site for the United Nations' new West Africa headquarters in Senegal, he was proud to say he would be working "not only for Africa, but for the world"
France24 earthquake report

In Syria’s rebel zones, volunteers dig mass graves

As rescue workers continued to search for survivors of the earthquake that happened on 6 February, residents of Syria’s northwestern opposition-controlled territories were forced to start digging mass graves to bury victims
Human rights in Algeria

Banned, intimidated, driven into exile

Algeria's civil society is once again being targeted by the authorities. With the judicial dissolution of the human rights league LADDH, yet another human rights group critical of the government has been shut down – the outlook could hardly be worse. By Sofian Philip Naceur
By Sofian Philip Naceur
South Sudan

Through football, South Sudanese youth forge ahead

With the return of peace after a decade of war, South Sudan's youth national teams qualified for the country's first continental football championships. They are helping forge a stronger national identity and pride. By Lolade Adewuyi
By Lolade Adewuyi
Sufism in Egypt

Cairo's mystic revival

Egyptian Sufis have been on the defensive against the country's Islamists for decades. Meanwhile, interest in mysticism is growing among the young members of Cairo’s middle and upper classes. By Marian Brehmer
By Marian Brehmer
Women’s rights in Afghanistan

The Taliban cannot defeat women

Since returning to power in Afghanistan, the Taliban have steadily eroded the rights and opportunities of women and girls, particularly their access to education. But Afghans are not taking the regime's draconian policies lying down – and nor should the rest of the world. By Gordon Brown & Yasmine Sherif
By Gordon Brown & Yasmine Sherif
Hindu nationalism

Gandhi's killer – a Hindutva hero

Hindu fundamentalist Ashok Sharma has devoted his life to championing the deeds of an Indian "patriot": not revered independence hero Mahatma Gandhi, but the man who shot him dead
Women's rights in Egypt

We need to talk about abortion

Abortions are illegal in Egypt unless they are necessary to save a married woman's life. But that doesn't stop local women from having one. Egyptian society needs to acknowledge this, activists say. By Diana Hodali
By Diana Hodali
Hindu nationalism

Interfaith marriage in India – a dangerous undertaking

Citing archaic "anti-conversion" laws, right-wing Hindu groups are working to prevent marriages between Indian Hindus and Muslims. Some couples have faced violence and death threats. Murali Krishnan reports from New Delhi
By Murali Krishnan
Identity politics

The pain of India's partition

India’s partition in 1947 continues to evoke strong emotions even after seven decades. Entrenched identity politics, arguably a product of colonial rule, saw Hindus pitted against Muslims. Collective trauma was the result, deepening the faith divide on both sides of the border. By Suparna Banerjee
By Suparna Banerjee
The origins of the Maghreb

Was the Arab Maghreb a French invention?

The book "The Invention of the Maghreb: between Africa and the Middle East" prompts us to review basic terminology. This includes terms that we use almost every day as if they are definitive by virtue of geography, history and culture, such as "the Arab Maghreb", "North Africa", "the Middle East" and "sub-Saharan Africa". Shady Lewis Botros read the book
By Shady Lewis Botros
Lebanon's economic collapse

Staring into the abyss

Lebanon was long viewed as the Switzerland of the Middle East. Until relatively recently, billions were deposited in its banks. Gulf states were among the foremost investors in Beirut. But this all came to an end in 2019. Now the troubled nation is gripped by the worst economic crisis in its history. Birgit Svensson reports from Beirut and Tripoli
By Birgit Svensson