Iraq
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On the death of Matthias Wagner, founder of the Oriental Summer Academy
Mecca of Arab music in south-western Germany
Musicians from Morocco to Iraq have been crossing paths at the Oriental Summer Academy in south-western Germany for ten years. Matthias Wagner, who founded and directed the academy, recently passed away after a brief serious illness at the age of 68. An obituary by Stefan Franzen
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An enduring conflict – 40 years since the Iran-Iraq War started
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Book review: Ahmed El Shamsy's "Rediscovering the Islamic Classics"
How the printing press saved Islamic classics from near extinction
Ahmed El Shamsy's "Rediscovering the Islamic Classics" examines how a handful of reformist editors and intellectuals in the late 19th and early 20th centuries harnessed printing press technology to save a rich body of classical Islamic texts from the brink of extinction. By Muhammed Nafih Wafy
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An enduring conflict – 40 years since the Iran-Iraq War started
The Iran-Iraq War was one of the deadliest military conflicts ever seen in the Middle East. The eight-year-long conflict, which saw the use of chemical weapons, killed thousands of people and divided the region along sectarian lines. By Shamil Shams
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Interview with author Ronya Othmann
Fighting the obliteration of Kurdish-Yazidi identity
Ronya Othmann's novel "Die Sommer" (The Summers) tells the story of Leyla – the daughter of a German and a Yazidi Kurd – who visits her grandparents' Yazidi village in northern Syria every summer until the village ceases to exist. Schayan Riaz spoke to the author
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Refugees in Germany
From the boat to the Bundeskunsthalle
When hundreds of thousands of refugees crossed Germany's borders in 2015, Chancellor Angela Merkel promised: "We can do it!" This is the story of how Iraqi refugee Raisan Hameed became a successful photography student. By Nader Alsarras
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French President in Beirut
Can Macron save Lebanon?
In the aftermath of the devastating explosions in Beirut, French President Emmanuel Macron is styling himself as Lebanon's saviour. Ultimately, however, the success of his efforts will depend on the goodwill of the regional powers in the Middle East. An analysis by Karim El-Gawhary
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The West and the Middle East
Casting a long shadow – Napoleon's intervention in Egypt
Napoleon Bonaparte’s 1798 invasion of Egypt represented the first modern attempt to incorporate an Islamic society into the European fold. Although the expedition was a military fiasco, it left a lasting legacy in the region. By Alexander Mikaberidze
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2015 and the Syrian influx
Five 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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COVID-19 in the Middle East
It'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
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Interview with political scientist Tobias Zumbraegel
How are Middle East countries coping with climate change?
Climate change, water scarcity and declining oil revenues: the Middle East and North Africa face huge environmental challenges. Political scientist Tobias Zumbraegel has published a study on how the region is dealing with these pressing issues. Interview by Christopher Resch
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Iraq's new government
Mr Kadhimi begins a clean-up operation
The new Iraqi Prime Minister, Mustafa al-Kadhimi, has great plans. As he moves to realise those plans, he's fighting on many fronts. As the Americans pull out of Iraq, militias supported by Iran are violently consolidating their position. Birgit Svensson reports from Baghdad