Middle East
All countries-
Ukraine and Iraq
Compassion yes, sympathy no
Iraq is in a quandary over Russia and Ukraine. Its attitude toward Kiev is ambivalent, yet it still hopes to emerge as one of the winners in this war. If Russia fails as an oil supplier, Iraq could step in. Birgit Svensson reports from Baghdad
-
Middle East
Ukraine overshadows Ramadan 2022
Ahead of Ramadan, most Middle Eastern countries have eased restrictions to near pre-pandemic times. However, increases in prices and food shortages due to the war in Ukraine are casting new shadows on the Holy Month. Jennifer Holleis reports
-
Turkey – past, present and future
After Erdogan, what then?
Casting his eye over one hundred years of Turkish politics in "Geschichte der Türkei. Von Atatürk bis zur Gegenwart", Maurus Reinkowski argues that, without its nationalist straitjacket, Turkey could be in a position to properly realise its potential. Stefan Plaggenborg read the book
-
Filming Lebanon’s all-women metal band "Slave to Sirens"
Heavy metal combats the Beirut blues
U.S. filmmaker Rita Baghdadi’s film following an all-female Lebanese metal band is well worth a watch. It’s the story of five fascinating young women embarking on their careers as their country falls apart. By Rene Wildangel
-
Jewish Diplomatic Corps visits UAE
"Our preconceptions are at odds with reality"
Hamburg lawyer Eugen Balin is a member of the World Jewish Congress' Jewish Diplomatic Corps. At the end of 2021, a delegation of the Corps visited the United Arab Emirates, which established full diplomatic relations with Israel in the summer of 2020. Interview by Christoph Strack
-
Kurdistan's decline
Iraq's beacon shines no more
The Kurds are fleeing Kurdistan. The wave of refugees on the Belarusian-Polish border and the drowned Kurds in the English Channel are only the tip of the iceberg. Birgit Svensson visited Erbil and Dohuk to find that the exodus from Kurdistan has already been going on for several years
-
Middle East
A new Arab Spring, thanks to the Ukraine war?
The price of bread is rising rapidly in the Middle East, thanks to concerns about wheat supply from Ukraine and Russia. In the past, such increases have led to violent protests and political upheaval. By Cathrin Schaer
-
East Jerusalem decision
Sheikh Jarrah at a crossroads
A surprise ruling by Israel’s Supreme Court earlier this month produced a rare sigh of relief from Palestinians in Sheikh Jarrah, but the struggle isn’t over. Reporting from Jerusalem, Noam Yatsiv describes the implications of the recent ruling and where things could go from here
-
Cairo to Kyiv
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
-
Formula 1 in Saudi Arabia
Grand Prix of double standards
The Saudi Arabian Grand Prix raises questions as to how seriously Formula 1 really takes its commitment to respecting human rights. The criticism might be loud, but the financial incentives are irresistible. By Andreas Sten-Ziemons
-
Yemen's youth
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
-
Russia in Syria
Strikes on Idlib water supply and farms war crimes?
Rights groups have said the suspected Russian bombing of pumping stations and chicken farms in Idlib, one of Syria's last rebel-held areas, is meant to push out displaced locals. It may have been a war crime. Cathrin Schaer reports