Persepolis is an amazing book written by Marjane Satrapi about her coming of age as a woman growing up in Tehran at the height of the islamic revolution. (You all should read it!!!)
I created a YouTube playlist with some recent Arabic music, and I will continue to add songs whenever I have time.
The vast majority of the music I listen to is in Arabic, and I use an app called Anghami in case anybody wants to explore more!
https://abcnews.go.com/blogs/headlines/2013/07/photographer-captures-his-own-death-on-camera
I believe that the video in this news article is the one we talked about in class of a photographer recording himself being shot at during the 2013 Egyptian coup to remove Muhammad Morsi.
Palestinian photographer Samar Abu Elouf has been awarded the 2025 World Press Photo of the Year for her poignant image of nine-year-old Mahmoud Ajjour, who lost both arms in an Israeli attack on Gaza in March 2024. The photograph, taken for The New York Times, captures Mahmoud in Doha, Qatar, where he is undergoing rehabilitation and learning to adapt to his new circumstances. The image powerfully conveys the personal suffering and resilience of Mahmoud, while also highlighting the broader human impact of the conflict in Gaza. The World Press Photo jury praised the photograph for its intimate portrayal of individual suffering and its broader commentary on the consequences of global conflicts. Joumana El Zein Khoury, the organization’s executive director, described the image as “quiet” yet deeply impactful. The 2025 World Press Photo Contest received over 59,000 submissions from photographers in 141 countries, showcasing powerful stories of struggle, defiance, warmth, and courage. The winning images, including Abu Elouf’s photograph, will be part of a traveling exhibition visiting more than 60 locations worldwide.
Today (Sunday, April 13th, 2025) marks 50 years since the beginning of the Lebanese Civil War, which lasted until 1990. The link will take you to a mini-documentary (11 minutes and 30 seconds) that explains key moments in the war and remnants that can still be seen today.
From 5:41-5:45 you will see pictures of the Hamidiye Clock Tower in Downtown Beirut, an Ottoman-style clock built during Sultan Abdulhamid II’s rule.
Egyptian President El-Sisi has ordered his government to begin the regulation of Ramadan television series, accusing current shows of going against traditional values. As a result, Egypt’s National Media Authority and Egyptian TV plan to create their own Ramadan series to reflect Sisi’s demands, with an upcoming show surrounding the life of Talaat Harb Pasha, the founder of Banque Misr (Bank of Egypt). Sisi’s attack on the media comes in the wake of popular shows criticizing his government and shedding light on real issues in Egypt.
For context: Every Ramadan, Middle Eastern production companies, such as Cedars Art Production and Shahid MBC, will produce TV shows specifically for Ramadan, but most of them have nothing to do with Islam. The main idea is that one episode is released every night of Ramadan, so there are thirty episodes in one season, each around an hour long. Some shows only have one season, like Khamsa Wa Nos, and others will have multiple, like Al Hayba. These are seen as controversial because Muslims are encouraged to spend their nights during Ramadan praying and reading Quran, especially during the last ten nights.
Note: If anyone wants to start watching Arabic or even Turkish shows, Shahid MBC is a streaming platform that offers English subtitles. It is a great way to learn the basics of a language!
Not sure if this is the one we were referencing but this is the comic I remember from high school, sorry its a long file
