Chinese President Xi Jinping's visit to Saudi Arabia in December 2022 may have rattled Washington, but it simply highlighted the Arabs’ desire to diversify their foreign relations in the face of a changing world. Analysis by Abdullah BaaboodMore
Nouara may be 65, but she is ready to join thousands of others who burn their ID and pay traffickers for the chance of a new life in Europe. Zineb Bettayeb reportsMore
In Doha, Arabs from Morocco, Tunisia, Egypt and Algeria are gathering to celebrate the first ever FIFA World Cup to be held on Arab soil. The criticism from Europe? Over the top, they say. Dunja Ramadan reports from DohaMore
"Rebel Game: The Power of Football in the Middle East and the Qatar World Cup", an anthology published by Middle East researchers Jan Busse and Rene Wildangel, takes the upcoming FIFA World Cup in Qatar as its basis for grappling with the socio-political and historical relevance of football in the Middle East. By Mirjam SchmidtMore
Berlin journalist Mohamed Amjahid writes humorously and very intimately about how people experience love and desire across North Africa. Melanie Christina Mohr read the bookMore
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 BousselMore
The history of Jews and Muslims is far more entangled than you might imagine – but you have to listen out for it. In "Recording History", Christopher Silver takes us on a sonic journey into twentieth-century North Africa, to a forgotten world of records and recording artists – and the music that defined an era. Interview by Tugrul von MendeMore
Welcome to the world of Al Qasar, where Arabic music collides head-on with punk and psychedelic to create something powerful and beautiful. "Who Are We" is a raucous, subversive trip into the urban landscapes inhabited by a new generation of Arabs around the world. By Richard MarcusMore
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 textbookMore
The southern shores of the Mediterranean Sea are losing sand faster than almost anywhere else. The ecological and economic damage is immense. The good news is, there are ways to cope. By Cathrin Schaer and Tarak GuizaniMore
To understand Islamic mysticism, we must first clear up a number of misconceptions, as Marian Brehmer writes in his essay – part 1 of a new series on SufismMore
Since Spain reversed its position on Western Sahara in favour of Morocco’s autonomy plan, Algeria has suspended its long-standing friendship treaty with Madrid. The diplomatic spat raises questions about the future of Moroccan and Algerian relations with EU member states, writes Mohamed Al-FawirisMore
It is possible to write about the Holocaust and the crimes of colonial powers without downplaying anything. In her latest book, Charlotte Wiedemann focuses on the numerous blind spots in our culture of commemoration. By Rene WildangelMore
In "Die Achse des Scheiterns", Rainer Hermann of Germany’s Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung explains with refreshing clarity what is currently going wrong in the Arab world. Wolfgang Freund read the bookMore
For the first time since 1989, Algeria‘s authoritarian regime has sent a military parade marching through Algiers. A formidable show of strength designed to impress rival regional powers, the event also sought to highlight the country’s own stance on Israel and Palestine. By Sofian Philip NaceurMore
Algeria‘s regime is again cracking down on anti-fracking activists and the unemployed in the country‘s south. Yet EU countries remain keen to scale up their energy cooperation with Algiers, despite the reprisals faced by environmentalists. By Sofian Philip NaceurMore
Braving the bitter cold, Lebanese villagers have been patrolling a mountainside in the country's north, trying to protect trees from loggers who roll in under the cover of darkness, while refugees in the Bekaa valley have joined a seed bomb reforestation project
