Middle East
All countries-
Economic crisis on the Nile
Is Egypt the 'new Lebanon'?
Food prices doubled, salaries halved, banks restricting withdrawals: Egyptians now have the same problems as the Lebanese. But if things get worse here, the fallout will be far more damaging. By Cathrin Schaer
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War in Ukraine, climate change, mismanagement
Tunisia milk market 'collapsing' as feed prices soar
A Tunisian farmer attaches a machine to a cow's udder and sets the pump whirring, but he only expects to fetch less than half the normal amount of milk amid soaring fodder prices
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Iraq's women entrepreneurs
Small businesses, big dreams
The sewing machines and fabric that surround Alaa Adel at her "Iraqcouture" studio in Baghdad are testament to her success in deeply patriarchal Iraq
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Turkish-Syrian relations
A menacing rapprochement
Any reconciliation between Turkey and Syria’s Assad regime would have disastrous consequences for many Syrians, explains Syria expert Kristin Helberg
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Iraq’s cultural heritage
Iraqi conservators strive to preserve ancient manuscripts
Iraq bears the scars of decades of conflict and has seen its antiquities plundered, yet the House of Manuscripts' collection has managed to survive
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FIFA World Cup in Qatar 2022
Did LGBTQ rights campaigns in Qatar help or hinder?
Protests by Western activists at the FIFA World Cup may have backfired and sparked a backlash against gay, lesbian and queer communities in Qatar, critics say. By Cathrin Schaer
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China, the Arabs’ preferred partner?
Mr. Xi goes to Riyadh
Chinese President Xi Jinping's visit to Saudi Arabia in December 2022 may have rattled Washington, but it simply highlighted the Arabs’ desire to diversify their foreign relations in the face of a changing world. Analysis by Abdullah Baabood
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Turkey-Syria-Russia relations
Is Erdogan planning a deal with Assad?
There are signs of an imminent normalisation of relations between Turkey and Syria. This would allow Erdogan to score political points domestically before the upcoming elections in Turkey. It would also be opportune for Putin. By Ronald Meinardus
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Palestinian writer Asmaa al-Atawna
"No stereotypical views of Arab women"
Asmaa al-Atawna's debut novel "Missing Picture" has been published in German translation (Keine Luft zum Atmen – Mein Weg in die Freiheit). In it, she describes life in Gaza from the perspective of a rebellious girl who is struggling to fit in at school and home. After fleeing to Europe, she also has to fight for her self-determination there too. Claudia Mende spoke to the author
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Gaziantep Academy of Culinary Arts
Baklava, but not for beginners
Gaziantep in south-eastern Turkey boasts a rich culinary history. Keen to preserve ancestral recipes for posterity, local chef Ugur Acioglu has founded an academy for the culinary arts. Rainer Hermann reports
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Protests in Iran
The longing for a modern form of Islam
Forty-three years after Khomeini's revolution, the regime is facing its greatest internal challenge yet. State Islam in Iran is being rocked from beneath.
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Al-Hol camp in Syria
Bring extremists' children out — but leave mothers?
As Syrian camps housing families of Islamic State fighters get more dangerous, there are calls to bring children out, even if the mothers don't want to go. The idea of separating families is a controversial one. By Cathrin Schaer