Is there cotton from forced labor in clothing of German fashion brands? From the plantations and factories in the Chinese region of Xinjiang leads a trail to the warehouses of large companies such as Adidas and Hugo Boss.
Business
After over a year of ongoing protests throughout Iraq, the economy is in worse conditions than ever. Can Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi’s interim government prevent total collapse?
Iran and China seek to deepen their ties. A move that flaunts the two countries’ willingness to back each other against the US pressure. Looking closer, a long-term overarching relation might be much harder to establish.
Beirut’s legendary Le Bristol Hotel survived wars, occupation and political crises - then this year’s financial crisis struck. The Grand Hotel’s closure trains the spotlight on a tourism sector teetering on the brink of extinction.

The economic crisis threatens the sustenance of Lebanon’s population. Could a growing number of local agricultural initiatives offer a potential solution to the country’s long-term food security?

Libya’s militias solidify their grip on power–at the expense of the public. Can a new set of reforms change the equation as Libyans all over the country struggle to make ends meet?

If Saudi Arabia and its allies can’t get their recalcitrant neighbour to budge, does that mean Qatar won the blockade crisis? It’s a tempting conclusion, but the reality of interconnectedness in the Gulf paints a different picture.

Signs that Tunisia’s political elites want to abandon its transitional justice process is leading some to rue a missed chance for the truth-telling and reform the country bitterly needs.