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Culture

Neymar

After Ronaldo, Neymar scores $54 million penthouse in Dubai

The Brazilian soccer player is the latest athlete to acquire property in the UAE’s largest city.

United Arab Emirates

Head coach Robert Saleh of the New York Jets looks on against the Denver Broncos during the first half at MetLife Stadium on Sept. 29, 2024, in East Rutherford, New Jersey.

What’s behind firing of Robert Saleh, NFL’s first Muslim, Lebanese head coach?

The New York Jets were performing poorly under the Lebanese American Saleh amid rumors of tensions with outspoken quarterback Aaron Rodgers.

Mike Hewitt/Getty Images

Tunisian tennis star Ons Jabeur drops out of 2024 tennis circuit

Tunisia's Ons Jabeur, currently ranked 22nd in the Women's Tennis Association, will step away from tennis until 2025 as she recovers from a shoulder injury.

Bassem Youssef attends the 2020 Sundance Film Festival Cinema Cafe on January 31, 2020, in Park City, Utah.

Egyptian comedian Bassem Youssef no longer on X: What we know

The exiled comic has been a vocal critic of Israel, highlighting the plight of the Palestinians during the Gaza war but has recently been accused of antisemitism.

Latest News

CT scans reveal mysteries of ancient Egypt's 'Screaming Woman' mummy

Visitors tour the site in the Saqqara necropolis south of Cairo, where archaeologists unearthed two human and animal embalming workshops, as well as two tombs, on May 27, 2023. The head of Egypt's Supreme Council of Antiquities, told reporters the embalming workshops, where humans and animals were mummified, "date back to the 30th dynasty" which reigned around 2,400 years ago. (Photo by Khaled DESOUKI / AFP) (Photo by KHALED DESOUKI/AFP via Getty Images)

Middle East athletes rack up 44 medals at Paris Olympics

Imane Khelif

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From Egypt to Saudi: Meet Middle East's athletes at Paris Olympics

This photograph shows Paris 2024 Olympics Games banner in front of the National Assembly, in Paris, on July 18, 2024.

Adam Lucente

By Adam Lucente

In New York City, reporting on regional news, militancy, climate change

Analysis

Saudi Arabia's soccer dreams tested as Vision 2030 goal posts move

RIYADH, SAUDI ARABIA - MAY 4: Cristiano Ronaldo of Al Nassr celebrates after scoring the 2nd goal during the Saudi Pro League match between Al-Nassr and Al Wehda at Al Awwal Park on May 4, 2024 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.(Photo by Yasser Bakhsh/Getty Images)

Samuel Wendel

By Samuel Wendel

In Washington, DC, reporting on regional business and tech

Adam Lucente

News and Business Correspondent

In New York City, reporting on regional news, militancy, climate change

Beatrice Farhat

Associate Editor (Lebanon)

In Beirut, reporting on regional news, culture, conflict

Nazlan Ertan

In Izmir, reporting on culture

Danny Makki

In London, reporting on Syrian politics and culture

Naima Morelli

In Rome, reporting on Middle East culture

Rebecca Anne Proctor

In Dubai, reporting on culture

Palestine celebration

Palestinians divided over cancelation of concert by gay singer

A group of young men in Ramallah pressured officials to cancel Bashar Murad’s concert, exposing social divisions over sexual identity.

Egypt women

Egyptian scholar says women should 'wear hijab to live' after student murder

Mabrouk Attia's remarks stirred anger and controversy in Egypt after the killing of a female university student who refused a marriage offer.

Divorce decree.

New Egyptian group seeks to defend men's rights in divorce

The first association defending men’s rights was recently established in Egypt, in light of the growing calls of women’s movements and organizations to grant women wider rights in the personal status law, which is currently under the amendment.

Israel IHRA

Israel elected president of International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance for 2025

2025 is an important time for Israel to assume the IHRA presidency as the world will mark 80 years since the liberation of the Auschwitz concentration camp.

A Palestinian child plays with a toy gun.

Gazan children talk about their ideas, lives in TED talks program

In a conference on June 9 and within the framework of the global TED Education Clubs, 10 children from the Gaza Strip talked in English about their ideas, life and ambitions.

Ethiopia's midfielder Surafel Dagnachew, defender Ramadan Yusef, forward Getaneh Kebede and midfielder Yehun Endeshaw run on the field during the Group A Africa Cup of Nations 2021 soccer match between Burkina Faso and Ethiopia, Kouekong Stadium, Bafoussam, Cameroon, Jan. 17, 2022.

Soccer defeat against Ethiopia ignites Egyptian anger over Nile dam

The Egyptian national soccer team’s defeat against Ethiopia awakened angry reactions at the political and sporting levels in Egypt, with some associating the victory to Ethiopia’s position on the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam.

Rainbow symbol

LGBT flag sparks controversy in Gulf

This is not the first time the LGBT pride flag has proven controversial in the Middle East.

MOHAMMED ABED/AFP via Getty Images

Gaza beaches safe for swimming after many years of warnings

Many of Gaza beaches, some of the besieged enclave's only recreational options, are safe for swimmers following a series of projects to clean up the sea.

Egypt Khufu

New archaeological discovery in King Khufu’s reign

An Egyptian-German archaeological mission working in Matariya discovered granite stone blocks from the era of King Khufu in the Temple of the Sun, in addition to other rare artifacts.

Umm Jamil

Meet Gaza's fisherwoman

Many women in the Gaza Strip work in the fishing industry, inheriting the profession from their fathers or husbands.

Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images

New dinosaur fossil discovered in Egyptian desert

A team of researchers has discovered fossils likely belonging to the Abelisauridae family that lived in the Western Desert of Egypt 98 million years ago.

PATRICK BAZ/AFP via Getty Images

Gaza spa offers belly dance classes

An all-female spa and salon in the conservative Gaza Strip is offering belly dance courses as a breather for women, but not everyone was happy about it.