Lebanon
All countries-
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
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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
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War in Ukraine
A food crisis in the MENA region?
With Vladimir Putin’s forces gaining ground in Ukraine, a further increase in the price of bread could severely destabilise MENA countries. Rising costs would inevitably challenge states such as Turkey, which imports essential cereal supplies from Russia and Ukraine. The same applies to most economies in the Arab world, such as Egypt – the world’s largest wheat importer – Algeria, and Tunisia
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Tunisia, Egypt, Lebanon
Sentenced for a selfie: police target LGBTQ+ phones
An in-depth study of court files has found that police forces in Tunisia, Egypt, and Lebanon are increasingly relying on digital tools to identify, entrap and prosecute LGBTQ+ people – thus "intensifying anti-queer surveillance". The study reveals the extent that the safety of LGBQT+ people in the Middle East can be compromised by their digital footprint
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Russia's invasion of Ukraine
What impact on the Arab world?
Russia's invasion of Ukraine has strengthened the position of a number of Arab countries; after all, the West is likely to need urgent access to their oil and gas. Nevertheless, the rentier states remain uneasy at the prospect. By Christoph Ehrhardt
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Lebanese thinker Martin Accad
"Lebanon's tragedy is political sectarianism"
With no end to Lebanon's crisis of statehood in sight, Qantara.de met up with leading Lebanese thinker and theologian Martin Accad to discuss the country's current difficulties and explore ongoing efforts to find a way out of the morass. Interview by Erik Siegl
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"Break norms, find freedom"
Indie film "Warsha" tackles Arab gender taboo
Lebanese director Dania Bdeir, who has just scooped up the Sundance Film Festival's award for best international short film, says she wants her short to "break the norms" on sexuality and gender in the Middle East.
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Tunisia's ex-president Moncef Marzouki
The conscience of the Arab Spring
Moncef Marzouki was Tunisia's first democratically elected president after the fall of dictator Ben Ali. Today he is the most prominent critic of increasingly counter-revolutionary developments under President Kais Saied. Commentary by Ali Anouzla
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Interview with Asef Bayat
Examining the Arab Spring revolutions from within
Asef Bayat, professor of Sociology at the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, has been studying revolutions and how they affect people since 1979. In his recent book, "Revolutionary Life: The Everyday of the Arab Spring", Bayat takes a new approach to studying revolutions by focusing on how they affect citizens in their everyday lives. Tugrul von Mende spoke to him about how his understanding of revolutions has changed over the past 20 years
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Lebanon in crisis
Support lacking for trauma victims
The 2020 Beirut port blast was a traumatic experience for many people in Lebanon. A large number sought therapy in the aftermath. But, with doctors leaving the country, help is not easy to find. Diana Hodali reports
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Lebanon
Beirut nightlife grinds to a halt
A pandemic, civil strife and an economic meltdown have conspired to bring Beirut's vibrant club scene to its knees. Yet the city needs parties more than ever. Kate Martyr reports
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Middle East
Lebanon: Influencers join together to fight hate speech
A group of 20 social media influencers in Lebanon is seeking to de-escalate political tensions and overcome sectarian problems. Their outreach is impressive among the young and tech-savvy population. By Jennifer Holleis and Razan Salman