Media in the Arab World
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Rana Sweisʹ "Voices of Jordan"
A realistic snapshot of Jordanian society
Journalist Rana Sweis spent a period of nearly two years interviewing people of different backgrounds in Jordan. "Voices of Jordan" is a fascinating compilation of the portraits she penned during this time. By Martina Sabra
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Palestinians criticise Internet censorship in Israel
"They are afraid of the truth"
Israel is censoring an increasing number of online posts from Palestinians and isn't shying away from arrests. Palestinians are desperate to preserve their freedom of expression and are fighting for their digital rights. By Tessa Fox
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Media and politics in the Arab world
The despotsʹ henchmen
The murder of well-known Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi highlights the difficulties facing media in post-revolutionary Arab states. The freedoms temporarily gained after 2011 have long since fallen victim to the authoritarian restoration. By Loay Mudhoon
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Repression against journalists
A world of Khashoggis
Following the death of the Saudi dissident and journalist Jamal Khashoggi, there are fears that the masterminds of the murder could go unpunished. A development that sends a fatal signal to journalism worldwide, writes Daoud Kuttab
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Western diplomacy in crisis
What to do about Khashoggi?
The abduction or even murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi would constitute a dangerous escalation in the Saudi government's campaign to clamp down on its critics. According to Guido Steinberg, the West should react with as much determination as it did towards Moscow following events in Salisbury
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Film review: "Kilikis, the town of owls"
The power of reflected suffering
Directed by Azalarabe Alaoui, the Moroccan film "Kilikis, the town of owls", though not a documentary, is based on the notorious Tazmamarat prison, where political opponents were incarcerated during the reign of the late King Hassan II. Time to face up to the past? By Ismail Azzam
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Cultural shift in Jordan
A slow awakening
What is causing the generational conflict in Amman? Two poles are currently in the process of emerging, pitting a new independent cultural identity against a politicised rural and Bedouin one. By Yazan Ashqar
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The uncertain future of Modern Standard Arabic
A language in decline
Substantial numbers of schoolchildren in the Gulf are losing their ability to communicate in Arabic. The development may well herald the onset of language loss in the region. By Sawsan Khalaf
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Palestinian journalists in the Middle East conflict
In the crosshairs
In the conflict between Israel and the Palestinians, members of the press are being targeted by both sides. Palestinian journalists are coming under increasing pressure – even from the Palestinian Authority. By Joseph Croitoru
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Interview with Yasmine Zohdi, editor with Egyptʹs Mada Masr
"Censorship is the worst it has ever been"
Yasmine Zohdi is the culture editor for Mada Masr, Egyptʹs leading liberal online newspaper. In interview with Schayan Riaz, she talks about her work reviewing Arab cinema at this year's Berlinale and the increasing censorship felt by creatives and media professionals in Egypt
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Interview with director Tamer El Said
"In the Last Days of the City": Between light and dark
″In the Last Days of the City″ is Egyptian director Tamer El Said′s debut film. Although it premiered to great acclaim at the 2016 Berlinale and has gone on to win more than ten awards, it is still hasn't been released in Egypt. Tugrul von Mende spoke to El Said as the film opened in Germany
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Gaza and the West Bank
Press freedom in Palestine: Condemned to self-censor
In the Palestinian Autonomous Territories, Palestinian journalists are being used as bargaining chips in the power struggle between Hamas and Fatah. The scope for free and independent reporting is becoming noticeably smaller. By Inge Gunther