Is there reason to be optimistic about Moroccan cinema?

The 2000s have been described as a vibrant era for cinematic productions in the Maghreb. More recently, the Moroccan film industry, in particular, has undergone a shift, with a new generation of filmmakers receiving the spotlight at Cannes and other in…

Israel wants civil war in Lebanon, it won’t get it

What precedes modern warfare? A lofty and grave sermon from, more often than not, a Western head of state. Lyndon B. Johnson’s 1964 Speech to Congress (ahead of Vietnam). George W. Bush’s 2003 Address to the Nation (pre Iraq). Barack Obama’s 2011 Speec…

Tajikistan goes after grifters

Halloween is not really a thing in Tajikistan, Central Asia’s poorest nation with a mostly Muslim population. But President Emomali Rahmon got in the spirit of the season with an announcement that 1,500 individuals have been detained in the country for…