Middle East
All countries-
Syria and Ukraine
Humanitarian aid is Russia's political football
Millions in Idlib depend on aid coming through a northern border crossing. On 10 July, the UN Security Council votes whether to keep it open. The decision may hinge not only on Syria, but also on the Ukraine war. Diana Hodali reports
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Kurdish author Bachtyar Ali
Tackling the tornado of history
Bachtyar Ali sends the hero of his latest novel – "Mein Onkel den der Wind mitnahm" – literally flying. Jamshid is so thin after his years as a political prisoner that a gust of wind sweeps him through the bars of his prison cell and out to freedom. Volker Kaminski read the book
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Palestine, Jordan and Syria
The woman preserving handwoven history
Women in the Levant have long used needlework to depict the region’s history, its landscapes, customs and traditions. Intricately embroidered panels, varying in style, colour and pattern reflect the different cultural, religious and family affiliations. One woman, Widad Kawar, has made it her quest to ensure this heritage is not forgotten. Marta Vidal reports from Amman, Jordan
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Femicide in Egypt
"If you say no, you'll be in trouble"
The murder of a female student at Mansoura University in the Nile Delta has sparked a long overdue debate on femicide in Egypt. Karim El-Gawhary reports from Cairo
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Middle East
How cybercrime laws are used to silence dissent
Syria, Egypt, Saudi Arabia and the UAE are among those countries increasingly misusing cybercrime legislation to silence dissent and curb freedom of speech. Could a new global cybercrime framework under UN supervision save regime critics? Jennifer Holleis reports
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The Turkish state and the Kurdish question
Turkey – a battle of narratives
For a century, the Kurds and other minorities in Turkey have been subject to state repression. With his dissertation "The Kurdish Question in Turkey", political analyst Ismail Kupeli presents a new research paper on the topic. Interview by Gerrit Wustmann
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Anti-Semitism at documenta15
"The documenta is in ruins"
Anti-Semitic motifs have no place at Germany’s documenta art show or anywhere else in the world, stresses Meron Mendel, director of the Anne Frank Educational Centre in Frankfurt. But he also says: this is not an anti-Semitic documenta. Interview by Stefan Dege
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Climate change in Middle East
Iraqi gazelles die of hunger in a parched land
Gazelles at an Iraqi wildlife reserve are dropping dead from hunger, making them the latest victims in a country where climate change is compounding hardships after years of war
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Middle East conflict
Israel's endless occupation
Fifty-five years after Israel began occupying Palestinian lands, it is more difficult than ever to imagine a way out. The seeds of the two-state solution that were planted by visionary leaders on both sides have failed to take root. All that remains is a fatalistic acceptance of the conflict’s insolubility. Commentary by Schlomo Ben-Ami
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Putin’s new world order
What does the war in Ukraine mean?
Despite what heads of state may claim, the Russian attack on Ukraine is not a wake-up call for a self-confident Europe that defends its values. The war is accelerating the decline of the old continent and rousing familiar spectres from the past that never really went away. Meanwhile, the Middle East is reprising its not unfamiliar role as an under-reported fringe region. Essay by Stefan Buchen
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Syria before the war
An exhibition to remember
A new exhibition, "Syria – Against Forgetting", at Cologne’s Rautenstrauch-Joest-Museum focuses on Syria's artistic and cultural heritage and pays tribute to the country before the war. By Torsten Landsberg
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Emancipation in the MENA region
The patriarchy is crumbling
With regard to gender justice, things look bleak in the Arab world. Laws typically discriminate against women, while national legislation all too often does not comply with the international agreements governments have signed. By Mona Naggar