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Ramadan TV specialsSyrian drama after Assad
Television dramas are a Ramadan staple in Syria. This year, for the first time, viewers watched series written in a post-Assad era, some confronting past trauma, others offering satirical critique, sparking fierce debate over how the country's stories should be told.
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Syed Muhammad Naquib al-AttasA life rethinking the foundations of knowledge
Malaysian philosopher and polymath Syed Muhammad Naquib al-Attas has died aged 94. A lifelong critic of Western intellectual dominance, his work has shaped debates on modernity and education across the Muslim world.
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Culture in GermanyThe politics of neutrality
This year’s Berlinale highlighted the tensions between art and supposedly neutral institutions. But state-funded cultural bodies don't operate outside politics; they set the terms of debate. Greater transparency about how boundaries are drawn could strengthen trust.
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Iran WarWill the Gulf states stand together?
Hard hit by Iranian attacks, the business model of the Gulf states is under attack. Yet they are far from defenceless: with coordination—and unity—they could establish themselves as powerful agents of change.
Politics
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Attacks on IranDid the Saudis want this war?
Saudi Arabia's calculations in the Iran war may be different from what many assume. Rockets and drones are flying towards Doha, Dubai and even Riyadh—yet the kingdom could still see opportunities in the conflict.
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German legal expert Kai Ambos on Iran war"International law is not a suggestion"
The attack on Iran by the US and Israel violates the UN Charter, says Kai Ambos. He argues that European powers cannot preach a rules-based order while failing to denounce clear violations, and warns of a slide towards global lawlessness.
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Jihadism in TunisiaThe invisible enemy
Al-Qaida in the Islamic Maghreb has established a base in Tunisia, from where the Okba Ibn Nafaa Brigade apparently planned the attacks on the Bardo Museum. Beat Stauffer paid a visit to the province and city of Kasserine, which are viewed by many as a hub of jihadism in Tunisia
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Interview with Middle East expert Michael Luders"Homs is likely to be IS's next target"
With the occupation of Ramadi and the ancient yet symbolic city of Palmyra, Islamic State (IS) now has control over about half of Syria. According to Middle East expert Michael Luders, an end to its advance is not in sight because IS knows that the US is reluctant to send in ground troops. Interview conducted by Peter Hille
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Saudi Arabia's nuclear plans and IranIs a nuclear arms race looming in the Gulf?
At the recent meeting with US President Barack Obama in Camp David, Saudi Arabia threatened to make use of all the same technology granted to Iran in the emerging nuclear deal with the West. Is this the start of the long-feared nuclear arms race in the Gulf region? Or is it an attempt to force the US to take a tougher stance on Iran? By Ulrich von Schwerin
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The Yemen conflictThe threat of a regional conflagration
It is not clear what Saudi Arabia hopes to achieve with the war in Yemen. In any case, the ongoing airstrikes are not going to solve any problems. On the contrary: many new ones are emerging, such as the strengthening of the al-Qaida network or a dangerous confrontation between Iran and Saudi Arabia. By Ali Sadrzadeh
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Death sentence against Mohammed MorsiDemocracy is futile
The most problematic aspect of the death sentence handed down to the democratically elected former President Morsi is arguably the dangerous message it sends out to the Islamists, namely that there is no point participating in the democratic process. A commentary by Karim El-Gawhary
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Political prisoners in SyriaAround-the-clock torture
More than 215,000 Syrians are languishing in the prisons of the Syrian regime. But despite a UN resolution, it seems that hardly anyone is interested in their fate. Unless one of the victims receives a prize, that is: for example the journalist and lawyer Mazen Darwish, who was recently awarded the UNESCO World Press Freedom Prize 2015. By Kristin Helberg
Society
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Damascus book fairA new benchmark for freedom
Syria has held its first book fair since the fall of Assad. The landmark event sets a new standard against which the government and its cultural policy will be judged.
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Research on Jew-hatred in Germany"Antisemitism cannot be deported"
The concept of "imported antisemitism" is widespread in German politics but remains poorly researched. A new study provides nuance, context and data on antisemitism among both migrants and non-migrants. An interview with co-author Neta‑Paulina Wagner.
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Saudi authorities crack down on bloggersAssault on the freedom of expression
Saudi blogger Raif Badawi was sentenced to 10 years in prison and 1,000 lashes by a Saudi court. His crime: using the freedom afforded by the Internet to express his opinion on the religious authorities in his country. He is not the only one in Saudi Arabia to fall foul of the authorities. In general, the crackdown on freedom of expression has been in full swing for quite some time. By Kersten Knipp
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Interview with Asma Jahangir, winner of the Right Livelihood Award"Every restriction is based on religion"
This year, activist and human rights lawyer Asma Jahangir became the first woman from Pakistan to win the Right Livelihood Award (also known as the "alternative Nobel Prize"). She spoke to Roma Rajpal Weiss about the difficult circumstances facing human rights activists in Pakistan
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The papal visit to TurkeyA message of peace and dialogue
Pope Francis' three-day visit to Turkey was the first papal visit to that country in eight years. The pontiff made a lasting impression on the Turkish people. By Luise Sammann in Istanbul
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Hebron: a divided city"Palestine is like a prison"
The war in Gaza this past summer triggered memories of life during and after the second intifada in the West Bank. In Hebron in particular, many Palestinians fear that restrictions on their freedom of movement, which is already limited, could be tightened even more. Impressions of a divided city by Susanne Kaiser
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Istanbul's Kazova textile co-operativeFighting on alone
Kazova, a textile firm that began production in 1947 but went out of business in January 2013, is about to re-open as a workers' co-operative. The 11 men and women who want to relaunch Kazova following the conclusion of the legal proceedings relating to the closure of the factory have a motto: "production without a boss". They were inspired by the spirit of Gezi. By Ekrem Guzeldere
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Journalists in LibyaCaught in the crossfire
As their country slides into a fully fledged civil war, an increasing number of Libyans are seeking shelter abroad. Among them are many journalists who are perceived as being representatives of opposing political forces and are increasingly coming under fire. By Valerie Stocker in Tunis
Culture
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Author Taleb AlrefaiA window into the Kuwaiti soul
Does the German literary scene have a blind spot when it comes to Arabic literature? Abdulrahman Afif makes the case for the works of Kuwaiti writer Taleb Alrefai, whose socially critical literature deftly side-steps orientalist expectations.
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Mukabela in Bosnia and HerzegovinaA distinctive and enduring Ramadan tradition
For Bosnian Muslims, mukabela, the daily communal recitation of the Qur'an, is an essential part of Ramadan. The tradition dates back to the Prophet Muhammad, was popularised under Ottoman rule and has survived dictatorship and war.
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Portrait of Myriam BouchentoufThe Perfect Role Model for the Arab Spring
Myriam Bouchentouf is a young, passionate and creative Arab woman. She is a hip-hop musician with an envious educational record; she is politically aware and financially independent; she is brave and ambitious. Does this young Moroccan embody the future? Maybe so, but not necessarily in the way one might expect, writes Joseph Burke
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PEN Award for the Egyptian Publisher Mohammed HashimA Father of the Revolution
The publisher Mohammed Hashim has been awarded the Hermann Kesten Prize of the German PEN Club. Hashim has not only distinguished himself as a publisher, he has also been directly and substantially involved in supporting the Egyptian revolutionaries. Stefan Weidner sends us this tribute
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Portrait of the Jazz Singer Defne SahinKindrid Spirits
"To live singly and free like a tree, yet brotherly like a forest. That is what we yearn to do." These lines, which were written by the Turkish poet Nazim Hikmet, have been with Defne Sahin since her childhood as the daughter of Turkish parents in Berlin. They also inspired her first album. Katrin Wilke reports on a young jazz singer with a cosmopolitan, literary approach to her music
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Iranian Tombak Virtuoso Mohammad Reza MortazaviFlying Fingers
There are very good reasons why Mohammad Reza Mortazavi is known as the drummer with the "fastest hands in the world"; listening to him perform, one gets the impression that one is listening to an ensemble of drummers playing a variety of instruments. Marian Brehmer reports
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Interview with the Egyptian Theatre Director Laila SolimanVomit – Until the Revolution Comes
As far as the West was concerned, the overthrow of Hosni Mubarak meant that the system had been changed. But for many young Egyptians, the uprising has continued. Hans-Christoph Zimmermann spoke to Laila Soliman about what it's like to live and make theatre under the rule of the Supreme Military Council
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The Cultural Scene in IraqReturning to Something Like Normality
In the wake of the long years of terror, a vibrant cultural scene is once more flourishing in Iraq. But people still have come to terms with the fact that culture in the 'New Iraq' is becoming more and more privatised. Birgit Svensson reports from Baghdad
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