Stories about Middle East & North Africa
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Ukraine's war unleashes flood of racism by media and politicians against Arab war victims
Comments on skin color, attire, class and lifestyle were seen as several media reporters and politicians explained why war on Ukraine was horrifying, compared to Syria, Iraq and elsewhere.
Well known Iranian blogger Hossein Ronaghi goes on hunger strike after his abduction by authorities
Security forces took the blogger away in a raid, without informing his family of charges or his whereabouts. He later appeared in the notorious Evin prison where he was held in 2010.
Turkey is cautious in Ukraine-Russia war
Ukraine called on Turkey to close its straits to Russian warships, as Russia invaded Ukraine on February 24.
#AfricansInUkraine: We are students, we don’t have guns
Russia’s invasion of Ukraine caused displacement of thousands of people. Among them also an African diaspora which had to mobilise informally while also dealing with racial discrimination on the ground.
Beirut: a taste of crisis through a cup of coffee
With the local currency losing nearly 95% of its value, large segments of the Lebanese population plunged into poverty, reflected in Hamra, once a busy boulevard and now a ghost-town.
Jordan's personal data protection draft bill: is it enough?
Experts say the draft bill, which still awaits parliamentary discussions, has points of strength like securing citizens’ consent before using their data, but the measures for its application raise concern.
‘This too shall pass,’ sings Turkish pop star
Fans are divided over the lyrics, with some claiming the song is about the pandemic and others arguing it addresses political issues. Regardless, the new song is a hit.
Algerian social media influencers stir controversy over role in scamming case
Four influencers have used their social media to promote an agency that promised Algerian youths opportunities to study in Ukraine, Turkey and Russia, but turned out to be a con.
Workers in Turkey are pushing back on low wages amid economic crisis
Across the country, workers are protesting rising living costs and stagnating wages as Turkey faces its worst economic crisis in decades, with the annual inflation reaching 48.7 percent.
Who are the African athletes competing at the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics?
Though the majority of states on the African continent have little to no snow, creating a challenging environment for Winter Olympic traini, African athletes are rising to the challenge.
Shaming and exorbitant costs stop Kuwaitis from reaching psychiatric help
Even with a GDP per capita of nearly USD 25,000 per year, paying between USD 330 an USD 600 per hour of therapy is a price tag many would be reluctant to pay.
In Azerbaijan, a man arrested for disrespecting a flag
This is perhaps the first instance of strong public backlash against someone disrespecting a foreign flag in Azerbaijan.
Another AFCON semi-final heartbreak or a moment of redemption for Cameroon?
Cameroon lost the AFCON cup which they first hosted in 1972. Can they amend for their loss 50 years later, despite facing an Egyptian side ready to spoil the party?
Jerusalem Christians: ‘We shrunk from 20% to 2% of population due to Israeli violence’
Church leaders in Jerusalem referred in a statement to "organized and systematic" physical and verbal assaults against priests, attacks on churches, and acts of desecration and vandalism on sanctities and holy sites.
Passengers stranded at Istanbul Airport stage a protest
Videos of passengers demanding accommodation made rounds on Twitter after thousands of travellers were stranded at the new Istanbul airport as a result of bad weather conditions and cancelled flights.
Flights to resume between Turkey and Armenia
Following the meeting in Moscow, the two countries announced the charter flights operated by the Turkish budget carrier Pegasus Airlines and Moldovan low-cost airline FlyOne would resume operations effective February 2.
In Turkey, a singer defies threats with a new song
The president, speaking after Friday noon prayer, said "no one can defame his holiness Adam. It is our duty, to rip out the tongues of those who do when necessary."
Ibex in the Yemeni civilization: a historical symbolism being revived
Numbers of the ibex in Yemen shrank drastically over the past three decades due to over-hunting, especially in Hadhramout and Shabwa, with fears of it going extinct.
In Turkey, a veteran pop star is facing scrutiny over song lyrics
The 67-year-old singer-songwriter, Sezen Aksu, is being accused of degrading religious values because one sentence in her song reads, "Give my regards to the ignorant Eve and Adam."
#helloTürkiye — Turkey's latest attempt to rebrand itself
The branding campaign follows a presidential circular signed on December 4, 2021, requiring the use of "Türkiye" instead of "Turkey" in all correspondence with other states, international institutions, and organizations.
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