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Saudi Arabia's cultural revolution
Artists, but not individuals in the Western sense
"Saudi Vision 2030" foresees the accelerated modernisation of Saudi Arabia – and that includes the country’s culture. Huge amounts of government funding are being poured into the arts, while exchange with the West is welcomed. These new freedoms do, however, have their limits, as Joseph Croitoru reports.
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Israel's right-wing
Flirting with anti-Semitism
Far-right politicians cite their support for Israel as proof that they are not anti-Semites. Yet the openly fascist members of Israel's government have more in common with Hungary's Viktor Orban than they do with diaspora Jews. Commentary by Ian Buruma
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Pakistan's economic crisis
Sovereign debt overload
Pakistan's economy is in deep crisis and things are deteriorating fast. Many problems have domestic causes, but these are being compounded by global trends. By Sundus Saleemi
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Yazidis in Sinjar, Iraq
The deep scars left by IS terror
For centuries, the Yazidis lived in the northern Iraqi region of Sinjar. In 2014, the region was overrun by the so-called "Islamic State", which committed genocide against the Yazidi population. This brutal chapter in Yazidi history has left deep and lasting scars. To this day, the community in Sinjar is still picking up the pieces. By Birgit Svensson
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750th anniversary of Rumi’s death – Part 1
Seeking the essence of life
Seven-and-a-half centuries after the death of Muslim mystic poet Rumi, his verse has lost nothing of its profundity and transformative power. By Marian Brehmer
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Sudanese artists speak out
"It's not our war"
Sudan has become a battleground. But it is not the war of the people who live there, say exiled Sudanese writers Stella Gitano and Abdelaziz Baraka Sakin. By Stefan Dege
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Resurgence of Pakistan's Taliban
Terror returns with the TTP
When the Taliban swept back to power in Afghanistan just under two years ago, analysts warned that their return would also mean a return of the threat posed to neighbouring Pakistan by offshoot Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP). By Mohammad Luqman
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Saudi-Iran rapprochement
A revolutionary resolution for the Middle East?
Saudi Arabia and Iran's reconciliation serves the interests of both sides and represents a major geopolitical shift in the Middle East, writes Maha Yahya. Where all this will lead is still up for discussion, but for the first time in many years, something appears to be changing
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Bangladesh's Rapid Action Battalion
Inside the death squad
Bangladesh's elite counterterrorism force is committing extrajudicial killings, DW and Netra News reveal in a new investigation. Insiders confirm high-ranking approval. By Christian Caurla, Naomi Conrad, Arafatul Islam and Birgitta Schuelke
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'Maximum pressure' gears up
Protests drive Iran's Saudi deal
On 10 March 2023, the world woke up to the breaking news that Middle East rivals Iran and Saudi Arabia had forged a deal to restore diplomatic relations within two months and refrain from interfering in each other's domestic affairs. Ali Fathollah-Nejad and Amin Naeni examine Iran's motivations
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Economic crisis in Egypt
Debt on the Nile
For leading economist Yazid Sayegh, the cause of Egypt's current economic and financial crisis lies primarily in the government's policy of excessive borrowing. He also criticises the way German and European politicians handle the Sisi regime. Interview by Mahmoud Hussein
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Saudi-Iran deal
New hope for football in the Middle East
The re-establishment of diplomatic relations between Saudi Arabia and Iran in March surprised many around the world. If relations improve, the hope is that football in both countries and the wider region will benefit. John Duerden reports