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Arthouse film in MoroccoKeeping Tangier's cinematic history alive
20 years ago, the historic Cinema Rif in Tangier was renovated and reopened as the Cinémathèque de Tanger, one of the few arthouse cinemas in North Africa today. Elisa Pierandrei traces its history and place in Morocco's vibrant film culture.
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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.
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Faten HarbMediating 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.
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Religious diversity in TunisiaThe 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.
Politics
More about Politics-
Gilbert Achcar on the impact of 9/11"The Iraq War shattered the promise of a new world order"
The attacks of 11 September 2001 fundamentally altered US foreign policy and triggered a series of wars that have reshaped the Middle East. 25 years on, Gilbert Achcar reflects on the US response to 9/11 and its enduring impact on the region.
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Taliban in AfghanistanPower consolidated, society reshaped
In the five years since regaining power, the Taliban have cemented their rule in Afghanistan, bringing armed conflict in the country to a relative lull. Their ambitions go beyond maintaining control: they are seeking to transform the country from the bottom up.
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Riad Seif’s testimony at the Syrian torture trial in GermanyA Syrian opposition legend speaks out
In the first case of its kind anywhere in the world, a German court is probing Syria's state torture system. Giving testimony at the trial is one of Syria's most widely respected opposition figures, Riad Seif, who helped the accused, Anwar R., get a visa for Germany. By Matthias von Hein
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Interview with political scientist Hugo Micheron"The attack on Charlie Hebdo was a belated wake-up call"
Political scientist Hugo Micheron on the origins of Islamist terrorism in France, his conversations with jihadists – and on the trial now beginning against the perpetrators of the 2015 attacks. Interview by Nadia Pantel
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Pakistan and the GulfArab allies jump ship over Pakistan's 'new Kashmir policy'
Lacking support from Arab countries for its stance on the Kashmir dispute, Pakistan is looking for new alliances under China's leadership. How practical is it for Islamabad to pursue its new foreign policy? By Haroon Janjua
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2015 and the Syrian influxFive years on: how has Germany's refugee policy fared?
Five years ago, as hundreds of thousands of refugees came to Germany, Chancellor Angela Merkel maintained: "We can do it." How has Germany – and those who sought asylum – managed since then? Christoph Hasselbach explains
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Escalation or mediation in the Eastern Med?Turkey and Greece at loggerheads over maritime sovereignty
Will German attempts at mediation avert the Eastern Mediterranean crisis? Greece has accused Turkey of conducting illegal explorations for shale gas close to the Greek islands. Yet Ankara maintains that the waters are part of the Turkish continental shelf. Ronald Meinardus reports from Istanbul
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COVID-19 in the Middle EastIt's high summer and coronavirus has never been stronger
Heat will kill coronavirus – that was the official line at the start of the pandemic. But this is not the case. Infection rates are currently on the rise, even in the world’s hottest regions. Birgit Svensson reports from Baghdad
Society
More about Society-
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.
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Inequality in MoroccoCeuta 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.
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Palliative care for migrants in GermanySupport at the end of a long journey
Germany is home to 21 million people with a migrant background. Hospices and providers of palliative care are adapting their practices to make them more inclusive. By Christoph Strack
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Farewell to a Saudi animal rights activist"You see me in the eyes of cats, and I see you"
In late August, Twitter was awash with grief and disbelief at the gut-wrenching news of the passing of a man known only by the pseudonym Barg ou Ra'd ("Lightning & Thunder"). Reem Kelani says farewell to a popular Saudi animal rights activist whose identity was revealed only after his passing
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Women's rights in YemenMaking the most of the space available
Yemen's modern history has never seen a coherent and consistent women's movement, but rather temporary and fragmented movements with different priorities, such as women's struggle against human rights violations, and feminists' focus on combating patriarchal tribal structures that discriminated against women. But, writes Afrah Nasser, they all stemmed from genuine concerns for human rights and democracy
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After the fire in MoriaFor many migrants, the dream of freedom ends in Lesbos
After the devastating fires in the Moria migrant camp on Lesbos, Muhammad spent days on a sealed-off section of road with thousands of others. His most fervent wish is to leave the island, as Max Zander reports
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Sexual violence in EgyptBattling against a culture of silence
Two prominent cases concerning gender-based violence – that of Ahmed Zaki, who has been accused by more than 100 women of extortion, sexual harassment, coercion and rape, and that of the gang rape at the Fairmont Hotel in 2014 – have given rise to a new movement fighting sexual violence in Egypt. Paula Al-Bahari has the details
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One month after the Beirut port explosion"We sweep trauma under the carpet and carry on"
You can see the port of Beirut from Mounir al-Khodr's roof terrace. His family's home, belongings and memories were damaged in the explosion. Julia Neumann reports from Beirut on what life has been like for him and his family since the catastrophic events of 4 August
Culture
More about Culture-
Remembering Sliman MansourThe artist behind a Palestinian icon
"Camel of Hardship" by Sliman Mansour, who died on 24 August, is one of the most recognisable images in Palestinian art. Asmaa al-Ghoul tells how it came to appear on walls across the country and why it remains deeply embedded in collective memory.
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Egyptian photographer Roger Anis"The Nile is part of our collective consciousness"
Egyptian photographer Roger Anis has spent nearly a decade documenting the world's longest river. In 2024, he revived an ancient Nile procession with local fishermen, turning their boats into a moving celebration of the river and its communities.
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Interview with Iranian artist Shirin NeshatThe many faces of Oum Kulthum
In "Looking for Oum Kulthum", successful Iranian artist Shirin Neshat has created a highly personal work about the Egyptian singer. In conversation with Schayan Riaz, she talks about the political dimension of icons and the patriarchal nature of the film industry
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"Visions of Iran": the Iranian Film Festival in CologneHalabja – casting a long shadow
The First Gulf War, the chemical attack on the Iraqi village of Halabja in 1988 and the role played by foreign companies in the build-up of chemical weapons in the region were the main topics at the most recent "Visions of Iran" film festival in Cologne. By Bernd G. Schmitz
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Book review: Khaled Khalifaʹs "Der Tod is ein muehseliges Geschaeft"A funeral cortege through hell
As they drive across Syria with their fatherʹs coffin on the back seat, three siblings encounter a shattered country where despotism and underhand dealings have become the norm, testing the bonds of family to destruction. By Volker Kaminski
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Londonʹs Mfest and the anthology "Donʹt Panic, Iʹm Islamic"The first great anti-Trump book
The Mfest finale –"Donʹt Panic, Iʹm Islamic: Extreme Comedy NOW!" – held in London at the end of April was an hour-long event. Concluding a three-day festival which paid tribute to Muslim culture and ideas, the entertaining and thought-provoking finale gave festivalgoers a chance to laugh and let off steam. By Susannah Tarbush
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Restoring Istanbulʹs Ataturk Cultural CenterMore than merely prestige?
Once the symbol of modern Turkey, now it stands in ruins. The Ataturk Cultural Center (AKM) has been abandoned for a decade since its closure in 2008. Amid furious debate about its future, many are unhappy with current plans for the site. By Ceyda Nurtsch
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Film review: Jafar Panahi's "Three Faces"Road movie against patriarchy
Although he has been banned from film-making since 2010, Jafar Panahi keeps working – albeit without the approval of Iranian authorities. His latest work, "Three Faces", has been enthusiastically received in Cannes. By Suzanne Cords
750th anniversary of Rumi's death
750th anniversary of Rumi's death - Qantara.de
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Sex-Tourismus in Ägypten
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