Youth culture

The double life of Pakistan rapper Eva B

Pakistan's breakthrough rapper Eva B has racked up millions of views online, but walking through the labyrinthine streets of her Karachi neighbourhood, she is anonymous. Her hair covered with a hijab and a veil falling below her eyes, she evades the attention of fans and detractors

Tigris makeover as first green projects take root

In Iraq – which has suffered four decades of conflict and years of political and economic turmoil – separating and recycling waste has yet to become a priority for most people. Garbage clogs the banks of Iraq's Tigris River in Baghdad, but an army of young volunteers is cleaning it, a rare environmental project in the war-battered country

Social media's rocky ride through conflict zones

Setting up Ukraine's official Twitter account in 2016, Yarema Dukh knew that social media was the best way for his country to get its message out. And yet the tortuous history of its relations with protest movements and governments – from 2011's Arab Spring to Myanmar – suggests Ukraine will have to fight to hold on to its gains

Fighting to retain a national identity

War has been raging in Yemen since 2015. Now some fear that Yemeni culture is also being hijacked by the warring parties. Whether it's coffee, particular species of bird or dragon trees, Yemenis have a lot to lose. By Dunja Ramadan

Arab youth: Aspirations for the New Year

Arab youth express their hopes and wishes for the New Year, spanning everything from civil and political rights, to education, to arts and culture. By Rafiah Al Talei

"I just want to dance"

Young performers in Lahore are shaping their lives outside the perceptions of Pakistani society, which views many art forms as obscene. As part of a new generation that hopes to change the country, they find themselves taking on conservative mullahs, censorship bodies and sometimes even their own families. By Karin A. Wenger with photos by Philipp Breu

Beirut nightlife grinds to a halt

A pandemic, civil strife and an economic meltdown have conspired to bring Beirut's vibrant club scene to its knees. Yet the city needs parties more than ever. Kate Martyr reports

Confessions of a Muslim woman

In her debut novel, Fatima Daas makes use of traditional narrative forms reminiscent of Koranic suras. The piercing, insistent rhythm of her writing style addresses topical issues such as same-sex love, gender and questions concerning her identity as a French woman with Algerian heritage. Volker Kaminski read the book

Young activists fight for a new Lebanon

The young activists from the Minteshreen movement want to provide an alternative to the political corruption of the elites. For them, the state is more important than religion. By Sina Schweikle in Beirut

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