Mashriq
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Middle East literature
Al Saqi, Europe’s largest Middle Eastern bookseller, to close
London-based Al Saqi Books, Europe’s largest specialist bookseller for publications from the Middle East, has been forced to close because of the hike in prices of Arabic-language books and because Brexit has been "detrimental" to business
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Islam’s conscientious thinkers
People of reason vs. people of the hadith
Past attempts to reconcile logic and belief within Islam tend to be dismissed today – not because they lack merit, but because they were politically defeated, argues Mustafa Akyol
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COVID-19, COP27 and World Cup 2022
Crisis management in the Arab world
November 2022 sees the Arab world firmly in the spotlight with the COP27 in Egypt and the FIFA World Cup in Qatar. Public trust in MENA governments is weak, thanks to their miserable record in protecting citizens’ rights, which leaves nations ill-equipped to handle complex crises like climate change or COVID-19. By Jan Voelkel
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Hasan al-Banna and the Muslim Brotherhood
Who was the architect of Islamism?
Renowned scholar of Islamic Studies Gudrun Kramer has just published the first well-founded biography of Hasan al-Banna, founder of the Muslim Brotherhood. Joseph Croitoru read the book
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Climate change and Middle East monuments
The most endangered on Earth
Thanks to climate change, the Middle East is heating up faster than any other part of the world, putting the region's ancient pyramids, castles, holy and other heritage sites at even greater risk. Cathrin Schaer reports
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COP27 and the Middle East
Millions at risk of climate displacement
In the run-up to the COP27 global climate summit, hosted by Egypt in November, it is worth noting that little rainfall, aggressive heatwaves and worsening drought make the Middle East the most water-stressed region in the world, with climate change threatening to displace millions of people
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Arab League 2022
Hopeless reunion in Algeria?
After a two-year hiatus, the Arab League re-convened at the beginning of November in Algiers against a backdrop of uncertainty and discord. By Pierre Boussel
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Protests in Iran
Arab women in solidarity with their Iranian sisters
"You are not my guide... I am the compass. Iranian women have spoken, freed themselves, and unleashed a revolution despite smelling death. They have cut their braids in anger; they have raised the banner of hair set free during an age of servile beards. They are our guides... and more"
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Gender rights in the Gulf
UAE ups the ante on LGBTQ community
Queers have so far managed to live in the Gulf state by keeping a low profile. But UAE’s new crackdown on the LGBTQ community might change that, writes Jennifer Holleis
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Yemen’s other war
Female politicians targeted on social media
With more than two hundred thousand followers on Facebook and about 54 thousand followers on Twitter, I am one of the most prominent Yemeni politicians on the ground and online. Yet not a day passes without me having to fight in the virtual world because I decided to have a voice. Activist Nora Al-Jarawi gives a personal account
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No Europe without Islam
"Europe's history is rooted in migration"
Like Christianity, Europe's history is one of migration. Both have strong roots in the Orient and in cultures thousands of years old. Cultural historian Bernhard Braun invites us on a journey of discovery
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Women’s football in Morocco
Jump-starting women's football in the Arab world
The Women's Africa Cup this year in Morocco was a resounding success. The Moroccan team was the first Arab women's football team to qualify for a World Cup. By John Duerden