Syria
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Turkey, Iran – and Iraq's Kurds
Days of reckoning
The Kurds are under attack from two sides: from Turkey, and from Iran. The situation in their territories in northern Iraq is becoming increasingly desperate. Birgit Svensson reports from Erbil
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FIFA Qatar 2022
Children in Syria's Idlib hold their own World Cup
More than 300 children in rebel-held northwest Syria kicked off their own football World Cup on Saturday, with organisers hoping to shine a light on communities battered by 11 years of war
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Lamya Kaddor on the Qatar World Cup
"Address problems, but acknowledge progress"
Lamya Kaddor, MP for Germany’s Green Party, visited Qatar with a group of parliamentarians. In interview with Claudia Mende, she advocates a differentiated picture and urges that progress in human rights also be recognised
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Rabih Alameddine’s "The Wrong End of the Telescope"
We are all in search of a home
In “The Wrong End of the Telescope”, Rabih Alameddine draws us away from the headlines and into the personal story of one individual. Mina is complex, compelling and very real. By pulling us into her life and allowing us to see Lesbos through her eyes, the reality of the refugee camp comes alive. Richard Marcus read the book
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Arab intellectuals in Germany
"Creating the Berlin of the future"
Arabs in the German capital? For many, this means criminal clans. Yet the city is home to a vibrant intellectual scene. Exiles from Syria, Palestine and Egypt are gathering to exchange ideas, eat and smoke. Is a new "we" emerging? By Dunja Ramadan
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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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“A History of Arab Graphic Design”
Shaping collective memories
Bahia Shehab and Haytham Nawar's award-winning "A History of Arab Graphic Design" (2020) took ten years to produce. In interview with Marcia Lynx Qualey, Shehab talks about the project and the difficulties in compiling an Arab graphic design textbook
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Frankfurt Book Fair
Iran drops out, citing interference
Iran has withdrawn its participation in the Frankfurt Book Fair, accusing the event of meddling in the country's domestic affairs. Organisers have denied the accusation. By Kristina Reymann-Schneider
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Women in Syria
Syria’s increasingly female job market
As a consequence of the 11-year war, twice as many women are now in paid jobs in Syria as before. Their employment is driven by courage and the need to feed their families. By Jennifer Holleis and Omar Albam
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The war in Syria
Overshadowed, yet still a major issue
The Syrian conflict remains insoluble for the time being. Yet Europe could start managing it better. By reorganising humanitarian aid supplies, becoming more involved in the northeast and coordinating initiatives in the northwest, it could alleviate hardship, counter extremism and bring hope, writes Kristin Helberg
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Syria’s restive South
Making the Druze choose
A lot is happening in Syria’s Sweida Governorate – foreign intervention there is unprecedented both in terms of scale and number of actors – yet Damascus remains the dominant influence, writes Armenak Tokmajyan