Rolling Stone MENA - Music, Film, TV and Political News Coverage

Post-Post-WWII

Welcome to the Jungle: The War on Iran as a War on Global Order

Could the war on Iran mark the end of the rules-based order built after World War II? Josh Wilson examines what’s at stake.

By Josh Wilson

Pharaoh & His Magicians

Trump’s Biblical War in the Middle East

From Oval Office prayers to military briefings, biblical prophecy is creeping into the language surrounding America’s war with Iran.

By Othman Shahin

No Labels

Ino Casablanca Is Next: Whether You Know It Or Not

Ino Casablanca steamrolls genres, stereotypes, and labels, clearing ground for a sound as singular as it is inherited.

By Sami Bennani

North Stars

Native, Not Disruptive: Three Voices from North Africa’s New Wave

Emerging indie trailblazers Rita L’Oujdia, Koast, and Zad are charting a new path forward for North African music.

By Dounia El Barhdadi

Lonely War

The Lonely Road to America’s Riskiest War

America’s rush into war with Iran risks isolation, economic shock, and a geopolitical fallout bigger than Iraq or Afghanistan.

By Steven Barrow Barlow

Guides & Guardians

Guides and Guardians: The Four Producers Shaping Egypt’s Rap Scene

By Engy Hashem

Sherine Between The Lines

How Sherine Became The Voice of Egypt? A Linguistic Data Analysis

By Youssef Ali

MUSIC

“Ghannaki Al Qalb”: A Triumph and Turning Point in Arabic Opera

There is more to “Ghannaki Al Qalb” (“My Heart Sings to You”) by international tenor Amine Hachem than is apparent…

By Ethan Stone

Saint Levant Launches 2048 Foundation to Support Palestinian Musicians

In Solidarity

A Vital Lifeline: Saint Levant’s 2048 Foundation Backs Palestinian Musicians

Saint Levant’s 2048 Foundation launches to fund and connect Palestinian musicians constrained by occupation and scarce resources.

By Rolling Stone MENA Staff

MUSIC

Jet Le Parti: The Cost of Leaving a Mark

360 deals have become increasingly common across the music industry, with artists signing away touring, merch, licensing, and publishing in…

By Ethan Stone

Mainstream? Ew!

We Need to Talk About Fans Entitlement

How an uneasy mix of fans’ judgment, apathy, and elitism comes together to haunt underground artists every time one of them makes it big.

By Ahmed Amin

Cali to Pali

Konstancy’s City of Angels Is a Corridor You Can Ride Through

A night drive between Los Angeles and Jerusalem, City of Angels finds Konstancy turning distance into restrained, lived-in hip-hop.

By Othman Shahin

Fatal Miscalculation

Hezbollah’s Fatal Syria Miscalculation Comes Back to Haunt It

Hezbollah’s decision to fight for Assad may now be returning to haunt the group as Syria’s new leadership seeks payback.

By Ammar Manla Hasan & Ahmed Amin

Unfinished Reckoning

Arabs Divided Upon Khamenei’s Death: A Century of Unfinished Business

Arab reactions to the death of Ali Khamenei reveal a century of unresolved fractures shaped by Iran’s regional project.

By Adam Makary

NEWS

US, Israel Launch major combat operations Against Iran

Following weeks of escalating tensions, a full-scale war appears to be breaking out between the US, Israel, and Iran.

By Rolling Stone MENA Staff

Post-Ceasefire Fire

Yasser Abu Shabab, Gaza Militia Leader Accused of Aid Looting, Killed

Israeli-backed militia leader Yasser Abu Shabab, accused of looting aid in Gaza, is reportedly killed in Rafah amid post-ceasefire clashes.

By Rolling Stone MENA Staff

Nation Defining Trial

Post-Assad Syria’s Most Crucial Trial Isn’t About Assad’s Crimes

Trials begin in Syria over sectarian and state violence, raising questions about transitional justice and the country’s fragile transition.

By Rolling Stone MENA Staff

Oops, AI Did It Again

Beyond the Backlash: What Do We Do About AI in Ramadan TV?

This Ramadan’s AI controversy isn’t hysteria. It’s a demand for clarity before standards quietly erode.

By Ahmed Amin

Post-Iftar Menu

The 10 Ramadan Shows Everyone’s About to Have an Opinion On

From buzzy romances to gritty thrillers, these are the series shaping the region’s nightly rituals this year.

By Yasmina Bitar

Billboards of Egyptian streaming platform Watch It (Photo by KHALED DESOUKI/AFP via Getty Images - 2019)

A Seasonal We

Ramadan TV Is Our Last Stronghold Against Hyper-Personalization

In an age of bingeing and endless choice, Ramadan television still insists on waiting, communality, and a shared media reality.

By Yasmina Bitar

A still from Palestine 36, directed by Annemarie Jacir - one of four Arab films short listed this year.

Oscar Season

Arab Films Are Reaching The Oscars, But The Industry Is Still Lagging

Four Arab films make the Oscars shortlist this year, marking a historic moment for an Arab cinema still struggling for sovereignty.

By Ahmed Amin

GFF Examined

The Screens Behind Smoke Screens at El Gouna Film Festival

What lies behind the polarized coverage of El Gouna Film Festival, beyond red carpet glamour and class critique?

By Ammar Manla Hasan

(Sub)Culture

5 Entrepreneurs Redefining Success in 2026

Success looks very different in 2026 than it did even a few years ago. Today’s most influential entrepreneurs are no…

By Chris Gallagher

(Sub)Culture

Sovereign Diversification and the Ambition Economy Rising Across MENA

The Middle East and North Africa are no longer emerging markets. They are acceleration markets. Across Dubai’s financial corridors, Riyadh’s…

By Anthony Burr

(Sub)Culture

Beyond the Graft: The 5 Pillars of a Modern Hair Transplant Standard

In recent years, hair transplants have changed significantly, moving beyond the old way of just transplanting hair follicles. Today’s hair…

By Chris Gallagher

Cultural Frequency

How Qatar Turned the Arab World’s Biggest Football Night Into a Song the Region Could Hear

On Qatar’s approach to transforming global sporting moments into platforms for shared Arab cultural expression.

By Rolling Stone MENA Staff

Books Without Borders

Amazon Launches The Digital Arabic Library with 38,000+ Titles

Arabic books go global as Amazon launches the Digital Arabic Library, bringing 38,000+ Arabic titles to readers worldwide.

By Rolling Stone MENA Staff

TECH

How the Hint App Repositions Astrology as Emotional Insight, Not Fortune Telling

Across digital culture, astrology and symbolic systems have returned to everyday use. This time, the focus is not on predicting…

By Matthew Kayser

TECH

Intelligence and Aesthetics for Growth with MyIQ

Intelligence seems to have become an aesthetic. While dark academia styling trends handle appearance-based intelligence, what books you’re reading, by…

By Ethan Stone

TECH

Cadiz Inc. Maps a Practical Path to Southwest Water Security

If you ask Cadiz Inc. what progress looks like, they point to pipes, permits, and people served. The company’s work…

By Chris Gallagher

Democratizing Longevity

Democratized Longevity? UK Startup Bien-Être Tests It in the UAE

UK startup Bien-Être enters the UAE, testing whether longevity tech can become everyday health rather than a luxury for the wealthy.

By Rolling Stone MENA Staff

TECH

CoinTerminal Shows Transparency Can Be Rewarding with Its $10,000 Monthly Prize

Crypto has never been short on opportunity, but it has often lacked trust. CoinTerminal’s $10,000 monthly prize aims to change…

By Anthony Burr

Lifestyle

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