After months out of the spotlight, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has returned centre-stage with diplomatic and economic moves that diplomats say are aimed at showing the new U.S. president he is a valuable partner who can get things doneMore
Although Saudi Arabia seeks to diversify its energy sector and economy away from fossil fuels, the OPEC leader is eager to maintain its status as a fuel exporter giant by leveraging cheap solar and wind power to produce green hydrogen. By Stasa SalacaninMore
Saudi Arabia and its allies have agreed to set aside their differences with Qatar at a summit meeting of the Gulf Cooperation Council. The restoration of diplomatic relations could have strategic resonance far beyond the Gulf nations and change the entire region. By Karim El-GawharyMore
Report from a disintegrating world: the early Islamic buildings of Sanaa are suffering from the effects of climate change and war. This world heritage site could be lost forever. By Paul-Anton KrugerMore
Ten years after the start of the Arabellion in North Africa and the Middle East, many view the movement as a failure. But rather than being over, it has now entered a more mature phase with new forms of protest. An assessment by Claudia MendeMore
U.S. political scientist Ahmet T. Kuru from San Diego State University traces historical developments in the region and seeks the causes behind today's problems. Kuru received the American Political Science Association Award for his book in 2020. Musa Bagrac read it for Qantara.deMore
Recognising the shifting geopolitical priorities facing America and the Arab states, analyst Marwan Muasher cites three areas in which U.S. President-incumbent Joe Biden's Middle East policy is likely to differ from that of his predecessor Donald TrumpMore
Just like the rest of the world, the Arab region and Arabic-language media have been watching spellbound over the last few days as U.S. President Donald Trump was voted out of office. Christopher Resch summarises some of the editorials for Qantara.deMore
A victory by Democrat candidate Joe Biden would usher in a new beginning for the Arab world, with attendant changes in U.S. policy. Autocratic leaders in the Middle East have every reason to be concerned. Commentary by Egyptian academic Taqadum al-KhatibMore
In the Arab region, fake news relating to COVID-19 claims that people who have been cured "convert to Islam" or that "Muslims are immune" to the disease. Long-established conspiracy theories have a bearing on the rumours. Another contributing factor is that people have no faith in the authorities. By Mona NaggarMore
French President Macron's statements that caricatures of Muhammad may still be published have triggered outrage in a number of Muslim states. Turkish President Erdogan is among the most vocal critics. Karim El-Gawhary reportsMore
Madawi al-Rasheed is one of a group of Saudi exiles responsible for founding NAAS – the National Assembly Party. Set up on Saudi National Day in September, it is the first ever organised political resistance to challenge the House of Saud. Al-Rasheed talked to Jannis Hagmann about the party's aims and ambitionsMore
In the Arab world, freedom of opinion collides with a societal juggernaut that silences imagination with remarkable efficiency. Egyptian author and novelist Khaled al-Khamissi describes the mechanisms of repression in Arab societyMore
This 11 September marked the nineteenth anniversary of the terrorist attacks in New York and Washington. The wide-ranging repercussions of those attacks in the years since 2001 are only just emerging. Throughout the coronavirus crisis, political patterns born of the era of terrorism continue to prevail. An essay by Stefan WeidnerMore
The rise of liberation movements in the Arab World during the 20th century brought with them an array of complimentary works from the creative sector. Sultan Sooud Al Qassemi examines the phenomenonMore
Thousands of migrant workers from Africa are currently living in degrading conditions in detention centres in Arab countries. A human rights organisation has accused the Gulf States of racism that is "structured to perfection". By Bernd Dörries and Dunja RamadanMore
"Temple of Refuge" illustrates Iraqi-Kurdish migrant Sartep Namiq's journey to Berlin. It was commissioned with the help of a unique organisation. By Stefan Dege
!["Prayer in Cairo" by Jean-Leon Gerome (source: Kunsthalle Hamburg [[File:Prayer in Cairo 1865.jpg|Prayer in Cairo 1865]] https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Prayer_in_Cairo_1865.jpg)](https://en.qantara.de/sites/default/files/styles/teaser/public/uploads/2020-12/jean-leon_gerome_prayer_in_cairo_wiki.jpg?itok=nagkjiQ8 "\"Prayer in Cairo\" by Jean-Leon Gerome (source: Kunsthalle Hamburg [[File:Prayer in Cairo 1865.jpg|Prayer in Cairo 1865]] https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Prayer_in_Cairo_1865.jpg)")
