Women as shadows ©Canva

Women in Sports3 min
 As Egypt’s female Olympians shined, they faced backlash at home

Although it’s been weeks since the Paris games came to an end and the global buzz has long since faded, conversations that overshadowed Egyptian female athletes’ achievements tell of social codes that have, and continue to, weigh down on women.

Egypt
Portraits of 3 women. From left to right: Maha Wafy, female ambulance officer of the Palestinian Red Crescent, Enaam Al-Agha, known as Um Fathy, community aid, and Ola Kasseb, female journalist and member of the Palestinian Journalist Syndicate. ©egab.co

Community 3 min
 In wartime Gaza, Women Step Up To Help Their Communities

Amidst a 10-month war that has claimed over 39,000 lives and has driven nearly 2.3 million Gazans on daily scavenges for the basic necessities to survive, women are facing disproportionate challenges, navigating displacement and violence alongside severe lack of hygiene products and inability to access essential healthcare. Nevertheless many women have become pillars of their communities, helping others wherever they can, providing much needed help and saving lives. Mohamed Solaimane met 3 of them in Gaza. 

Palestinian territories
Community iftar in downtown Algiers, Algeria ©Wilaya d'Alger

Ramadan Special3 min
 Ramadan’s communal iftars: the age-old tradition waning at home but finding new life in the West

Communal Iftars are a tradition that is now considered a UNESCO intangible cultural heritage. While an increasing number of communities in the MENA region fear for the future of communal iftars as donations have decreased due to a series of economic and political crises in the region, their popularity rises in the West. 

Yemen
A family in Deir el Balah, Gaza puts up the few Ramdan decorations they have ©Mohamed Solaimane

Ramdan Special3 min
 Gazans seek Ramadan’s cheerful vibe in bid to break state of misery

Gazans experiencing their worst war and humanitarian crisis in decades, with families torn apart by death and displacement, their city largely flattened by Israeli raids, and amidst scarce food and nonexistent essentials that is leading to deaths out of starvation. Amidst all of this horror many are still trying to salvage the spirit of Ramadan.

Palestinian territories
Syrian Kurds in their traditional outfits performing the Kurdish dabke in celebration of Newroz on March 21, Qamishli, Syria. ©Shivan Ibrahim

Ramadan Special3 min
 Syria’s Kurds struggle to pick favorites as Ramadan and Newroz coincide

Syria’s 2.5 million Kurds, predominantly Sunni Muslims, observe Newroz, joining diverse ethnic groups from around the world in celebration. This year, Syrian Kurds struggled to choose between this tradition, deeply intertwined with their identity, and their faith as Newroz and Ramadan, Islam’s holiest month, coincided for the first time in 33 years.

Syria
Each year, Egyptians food market has been modifying the kunafa, a traditional dessert that is popular across the region. One of the more popular trends was the nutella kunafa. ©Goethe-Institut/RUYA, Nadine Tag

Ramadan Special3 min
 Will Egypt’s years-long kunafa trend survive the economic dip?

There are many creation myths surrounding the Middle East’s iconic dessert, kunafa. The traditional dish is craved year-round, but is exceptionally in high demand during Muslims' holy month. Nadine Tag dives into its history, new trends and how the recent economic crisis is affecting this loved dish. 

Egypt
Demonstrations at COP27 ©Yasmine El Assal

COP3 min
 Global Boiling & Climate Injustice

As the world gears up for COP28, the anticipation is palpable, echoing the urgent need for global cooperation in the face of escalating climate crises. Building on the outcomes of last year’s COP27, the international community finds itself at a critical juncture, where the decisions made in the coming conference could reshape the trajectory of our planet's environmental future.

United Arab Emirates
A Faltering World View - long © Wilson Borja

Anthropocentrism
 A Faltering World View

Human beings as the centre point, controlling everything: biologist and philosopher Andreas Weber believes that this world view is long since obsolete – and that we can learn plenty from indigenous cultures.
 
2021 International women’s day graffiti Photo (detail): Jordi Boixareu © ZUMAPRESS.com

Feminist Movements
 From Womanism to Witch Feminism

The overarching goal of all feminist movements is to put an end to sexist oppression. Feminists of different stripes have very different ideas about how to achieve this goal. An overview.
Deforestation of the rainforest in Brazil Foto (Detail): © David Dao/ GainForest

Environmental Protection and Technology
 “A Renaissance of Nature”

Can modern technologies be used profitably to foster conservation and restore lost trust? Software engineer David Dao is convinced that they can, which is why he launched the non-profit GainForest fund. In our interview he talks about his personal relationship with nature, how GainForest came about and about the considerable influence that indigenous communities have on his work.
Artificial intelligence is by no means as fair or neutral as it may seem. Photo (detail): © Adobe

Artificial Intelligence
 Awful AI

In our modern world, nothing can escape the digital revolution. The way we commute, communicate and consume is controlled by code, and that code is growing increasingly intelligent. But artificial intelligence is by no means as fair or neutral as it may seem.
 
Malign actors use social media platforms to erode people’s trust in all information. Photo (detail): © picture alliance/EPA-EFE/Michael Reynolds

Social Media
 A Blessing and a Curse

Freedom of expression is an essential pillar of democracy. But what if the most important source of information and space for free speech – the internet – is used to pursue anti-democratic goals?
 
An interactive game station in “Roads not Taken”, a special exhibition at the German Historical Museum in Berlin: about thirty different German museums have joined forces in the “museum4punkt0” project to pursue digital approaches to cultural education. Photo (detail): © museum4punkt0/David von Becker

Cultural heritage
 German Museums Go Virtual

In the past, whenever cultural heritage was destroyed by natural disasters or wars, that destruction was irremediable. But it doesn’t have to be that way anymore: here’s how digital technologies can preserve cultural heritage for posterity.
Après M Photo (detail): © Victoria Berni

Sustainable Work
 Taking Responsibility for the Future

The world of work is partly to blame for climate change, pollution, pandemics, poverty. This is why more and more people are looking for ways to work sustainably.
Morocco Completes Prototype Green Hydrogen Plant in Step Forward for Energy Transition ©Canva

Science Journalism2 min
 Green Hydrogen Plant in Step Forward for Energy Transition

Morocco’s drive to build a competitive green hydrogen industry is set to accelerate after the country completed the installation of its first prototype system for producing the fuel.

Morocco
A boy runs after a herd of goats. Photo (detail): © Cem Türkel

At Eye Level
 How the Mediterranean Is Looking after its Biodiversity

How we feed ourselves in cities, is very much dependent on what is produced in rural areas. This is why a coalition of organizations is working in the Mediterranean region to protect biodiversity by supporting the value of local traditional communities.
Fights are Good! Polar Bears in Manitoba, Canada

Fights are Good
 Beware, Democracy!

There’s nothing better than democracy; Hasnain Kazim is convinced of that. He also knows that it cannot be had without effort, without balance and, above all, without a fight.
Spaceman hitchhiking to Mars, standing on road in forest © picture alliance / Westend61 | Vasily Pindyurin

Mars mission
 Migrating to Mars: Big Plans to Colonize the Red Planet

What was once considered the stuff of science fiction may become a reality in just a few decades: human life on Mars. What lessons can we learn from the past to avoid repeating the same mistakes on the Red Planet?
 
Is sustainable living feminine? Gotelind Alber sees a gender gap in environmental awareness. Photo (detail): © Adobe

Environmental Awareness
Is Sustainability Feminine?

Women still do most of the housework. So is sustainability in everyday life and in the home mainly up to women? Gotelind Alber, a climate policy expert specializing in related gender issues, addresses the “eco gender gap” in the following interview.

 
A statue is pushed into the river Photo (Detail): © picture alliance / NurPhoto | Giulia Spadafora

Public Memory
 The Soul-Cost of Monuments

The debate is well known: What should happen to monuments that depict people who oppressed others, such as slave owners or colonisers? Should they be torn down or left standing? Renee K. Harrison, Associate Professor of African American and US Religious History at Howard University, has some answers and ideas – but also wonders: why isn’t there a monument for all the people who suffered under slavery?
 
A group of women and a man holding hands in solidarity Foto (detail): © mauritius images / Jozef Polc / Alamy / Alamy Stock Photos

Gender Equity
 What does it take to be a male feminist?

Prof. Austin Bukenya talks about how he came to describe himself as a feminist and about the challenges and chances of male feminists. He explains why it is important for men to internalize gender awareness, instead of just opportunistically faking it and how they should consistently practice it as a way of life.
Nelson Mandela walking past Francois Pienaar in the line up before the Rugby World Cup Final in Johannesburg's Ellis Park Foto (Detail): © picture alliance / empics | John Stillwell

Sport and Democracy
 From Segregation to Inclusivity

How have African nations contributed to the democratisation of world sports and fought exclusion in the quest for freedom and equality? Kenyan writer Oyunga Pala traces the introduction and development of sport as a catalyst for democracy in Africa.
Our life is almost entirely digital. What’s that doing to us? And how could “digital capitalism” be better designed? Photo (detail): © Adobe

Algorithms
 “Digital Capitalism Fakes Empowerment”

Media scholar Tung-Hui Hu explores exhaustion and disappointment in the digital age. In this interview he explains how digital lethargy affects our lives – even when we’re offline.
People are dancing while a DJ plays in the background Canva

Focus: Electronic Music2 min
 10 Electronic Music Talents Out of Egypt You Should Know About

From the mid ‘90s onwards electronic music underwent a renaissance in the Middle East with mass demand for dance music across the region. In this list we’ve compiled some of the most seasoned and boundary pushing talents, as well some exciting, up and coming names out of Egypt’s local scene.

Egypt
Virtual worlds as an opportunity for inclusion © picture alliance / Westend61 | Jose Carlos Ichiro

Inclusion through Technology
 The Freedom of Virtual Worlds

Formats like virtual reality, the metaverse, or 3D animation can allow people with disabilities to walk, express themselves, or move. Uruguayan artist Fabián Barros experiments with virtual environments and talks about how technology can fuel inclusion.
Self-portrait of Inji Aflatoun in prison, 1961. Photo (detail): © picture alliance / Photoshot

Forgotten Voices
 Seven Feminists You Should Know

We all know Judith Butler and Beyoncé. But most of us have never heard of many of the women who fought for equality throughout history. Seven women you should know.
 
Deforestation of the rainforest in Brazil Foto (Detail): © David Dao/ GainForest

Environmental Protection and Technology
 “A Renaissance of Nature”

Can modern technologies be used profitably to foster conservation and restore lost trust? Software engineer David Dao is convinced that they can, which is why he launched the non-profit GainForest fund. In our interview he talks about his personal relationship with nature, how GainForest came about and about the considerable influence that indigenous communities have on his work.
Illustration: A map showing the Mediterranean Sea Illustration (detail) © Goethe-Institut Alexandria/ Mai Koraiem

Climate Change at the Mediterranean
 The Great Alexandria’s Final Battle

Climate change has shown no mercy to the places that were once magnificent and powerful. Two Thousand years after Alexander the Great created his magnum opus, where is the city of Alexandria now? Through a series of interviews, we have attempted to answer those questions.
 
Quantum computers are highly complex in mechanical terms, but the way they function from a user perspective is similar to standard computers. Photo (detail): © picture alliance/dpa/Sven Hoppe

Quantum Computing and Ethics
 “In Terms of Understandability, It’s Similar to a Standard Computer”

Digital progress always has a dark side too: facial recognition can be used for surveillance, and some forms of Artificial Intelligence discriminate against minorities. The next major technology advancement could be quantum mechanics. What can we expect? An interview with quantum physicist Tommaso Calarco from Forschungszentrum Jülich.
Whether it is being used for searches or automated content moderation: Artificial intelligence is only as useful as its underlying datasets. Photo (detail): © Adobe

Bias and Error
 When AI is biased

Over the past decade, we have come to spend much of our lives in the digital sphere – a sphere that is increasingly controlled by just a handful of corporations. These companies, unavoidable for most, exert a considerable amount of control over what we can see and say, as well as the types of tools available to us.
The Evolution of Ent-: QX, 2022, Libby Heaney, installation shots from arebyte Gallery. Ent- 2022, commissioned by Light Art Space. The Evolution of Ent-: QX commissioned by arebyte Gallery. Photo credit: Max Colson.

Third Quantum Revolution
 The Radical Potential of Quantum

Quantum technology is becoming the “next big thing”. Many agree on that. But what does this mean for society, culture and the arts? A comprehensive analysis by Lucy Rose Sollitt.
Hakawaty © Canva/Sandra Wolf

Miscellaneous5 min
 The Storyteller: From the Perspective of Politics, Psychology and History

Words have a strong immortal power. Words sometimes grow old but they reappear in different places, in different dialects and in a new charm. A tale can be found in the East and the West, in Arab, Muslim, Christian and other communities of the world in ancient and modern times. 

Lebanon
Bacteria with Antibiotics in Petri Dish ©Canva

SCIENCE JOURNALISM5 min
 Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria: The Forgotten Danger in Aden

You come across reports of international organizations warning against the emergence of antibiotic-resistant strains of bacteria, describing it as one of the biggest risks to international health and development that is dangerously on the rise on international level. You read the warnings and start to panic. You try to recall your limited school knowledge in biology. You know antibiotics are supposed to kill bacteria, so what has happened?

Yemen
Solving the Food Crisis through Composite Flour Technology © Canva

Science Journalism4 min
 Solving the Food Crisis through Composite Flour Technology

The loaf of bread made of wheat is deemed the basic sustenance for people in Yemen, and the staple commodity that is mostly consumed in the local market. This is because most of the food style of the Yemeni people is centered on wheat which keeps them alive, at a time when two thirds of people in Yemen lack the minimal food security, while the patch of hunger is on the increase, according to the International food Programme.

Yemen
Data Protection © Canva

Column3 min
 Let's talk about the protection of personal data in the MENA region!

Personal data tells a lot about people, their ideas and way of living. Therefore, they can easily be used to harm them.
A room where data are stored. ©Canva

Column3 min
 Let's talk about digital pollution!

If there is a sector that we do not often mention or not at all when it comes to GHG emissions, it is the digital sector.
A skillful baker makes bread at a bakery in Tunis. Photo taken on 5th March 2022. Photo (detail): Hasan Mrad © picture alliance / ZUMAPRESS.com

Food Sovereignty in Tunisia
 Bitter Bread

Bread is at the heart of a majority of Tunisian dishes and remains a potent cultural, spiritual, and political symbol in the country. Nonetheless, the longevity of this cherished food is at risk. The Tunisian government’s failure to prioritise food sovereignty is pushing the bread industry to the brink, finds Tunisian author Yasmin Houamed.

Tunisia
From the exhibition “Mirath:Music” at the Goethe-Institut Sudan Photo (detail): Kita © Goethe-Institut Sudan

Musical Heritage from West Asia, North and Northeast Africa
“From Popular Memory”

What constitutes as musical heritage? How can it be made audible? The exhibition project “Mirath:Music” invited various musicians from West Asia, Northeast and North Africa to explore their regions' traditions. Lebanese author Rayya Badran takes a look at the musical history of the region and the produced tracks full of past struggles.
Environmental activist Manar Ramadan was at the COP27 in Egypt as an observer. ©Privat

Essay3 min
 COP27: Steps in to climate justice?

The question of “Climate justice” was at the core of the COP27 in Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt.  What were the main wins and what were the major disappointments of COP27? Environmental activist Manar Ramadan gives you insights into what happened at this year’s COP and how we should go on from here.
Concrete barriers lie on the coast of Alexandria © Karim El-Gawhary

Environmental Protection3 min
 Climate change in Egypt: Alexandria or the sea?

The UN climate change conference COP 27 takes place in Egypt this November. In Alexandria, the effects of climate change can already be seen.

Egypt
Banlastic Egypt (Alexandria, Egypt) ©Banlastic Egypt

Essay3 min
 United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP27): Doubts and Hopes

This November Egypt hosts COP27, the world’s most important climate change conference, and the fifth COP to be held in Africa. The conference will address the severe impacts of climate change facing the world. An essay by Egyptian environmental activist Manar Ramadan.

Egypt
A Palestinian provider harvesting olives in Kufr Dan village close to Jenin city. Photo (detail): © Mohammad Zawahreh

Sustainable Economy in Palestine
 A Growing Seed

Who can access the international markets and how could they be made more socially and economically sustainable? Canaan Palestine Fair Trade wants to uproot the market – with olive oil.

Palestinian territories
Two street signs in French, Arabic and Berber language in Tizi Ouzou in the Algerian Kabylia (photo from 01.12.2007). Foto (Detail): Ulrike Koltermann © picture alliance / dpa

Algeria’s Thorny Language Policy4 min
 “Divide and Rule”

Algeria has one official language: Arabic. But French is an integral part of everyday life and Tamazight, a Berber language, is also designated in the constitution as a national and official language. Journalist Nourredine Bessadi takes a look at the emotional discussion about Algeria’s official languages.

Algeria
A rocket in a wheat field in Mykolaiv, Ukraine Photo (detail): Nur Photo | Maciek Musialek © picture alliance

Global Food Security
 Shortages and Visions

Wars and climate catastrophes are creating food shortages around the world. Nonetheless, an equitable global food supply is possible – though only if we change our production methods and consumer behaviour.
Soybean field in Brazil. Photo (detail): © Adobe

Greenwashing
 Green Lies: Trust Is Bad, Control Is better

Greenwashing not only dupes consumers; it also stands in the way of real change. Ecological promises and voluntary certifications have long led the public to believe that the global economy is getting greener all on its own. But that is simply not the case. A new law is being passed to fix it.
 
Amna Bihiry leads a protest in Khartoum on 30th September 2021 and holds the photo of her son Kisha Abdelsalam. Photo (detail): © Wadah Omer

Sudan Revolutionaries’ Struggle for Freedom 4 min
 Five Years and the Battle Is Still On

The people in Sudan are fighting the fifth year in a row after the revolution in 2018 for their freedom. Wini Omer spoke with revolutionaries in Khartoum about their hopes and reasons to keep fighting.

Sudan
Firas Alshater Photo (detail) © Jim Naughton

An interview with Firas Alshater
 “It's not my dream job, however, to be a refugee”

“Who are these Germans?” This is the question Firas Alshater asks on his Youtube channel called Zukar. Check out this interview with the Syrian filmmaker who lives in Berlin and find out his views on acceptance, on what a home country and humour means to him.

Egypt