Spotlight
Heritage Symphonies
A Yemeni maestro is giving his country’s music a second life, blending folk songs from Hadramawt province with Western orchestras to create something entirely new.
Squatting in Solidarity
A cluster of abandoned military barracks outside Tartus, Syria, has become an unlikely experiment in communal survival and coexistence. Led by veteran Marxist organizer Suleiman “Kastro” Dakdouk, the Solidarity Fields co-op helps displaced families produce food, earn an income and live side by side across sectarian lines.
‘Black Pete’ Still Has His Supporters
The blackface tradition of “Black Pete” has largely vanished from Dutch streets after a concerted campaign. But its remaining supporters increasingly see it as a right-wing cause.
Inside the Arab-Owned Cafes Bringing the Middle East to the West
A form of Middle Eastern nightlife is gaining popularity in the West, with late-night cafes popping up across North America. Offering a space for socializing that fosters culture and community, they represent an alternative to the more expensive, alcohol-infused scene of bars and clubs.
The Battle To Define the Arabian Horse
For centuries, tribes recorded matrilineal pedigrees for Arabian horses, forged by migration and anchored in communal memory. But the rise of global stud books redefined authenticity through centralized paperwork, transforming both the horse’s form and its social meaning.
Pakistan Is Quietly Shopping for New Proxies in Afghanistan
As Pakistan’s relationship with the Taliban deteriorates, Islamabad is discreetly courting Afghan opposition groups in search of a new ally. Interviews with figures such as Yasin Zia and Ahmad Massoud reveal how Pakistan’s Afghan policy is shifting — and why a cycle of proxy politics may be doomed to repeat itself.
Syria Begins Its Coastal Massacre Trial
Syria is holding its first public trial since Assad’s fall, a live-broadcast reckoning over the coastal massacres in March that brought alleged perpetrators on both sides before the same judge in Aleppo.