The Brief In

A week from now, the World Cup will kick off in the US, Mexico and Canada. But the warmongering, authoritarianism, and visa bans of the Trump administration threaten to make this the most controversial in recent memory. Yet there is record MENA participation, and that’s not the only positive story of the World Cup 2026. The New Arab is joined by sports content creator Salma Mashhour to discu...

Is Syria finally having its accountability moment?   In this episode of  The Brief In , we examine Syria’s fragile and deeply contested transitional justice process after the fall of Bashar al-Assad. The episode examines Syria’s transitional justice process, the Atef Najib trial and wider questions of accountability. Is Syria finally having its accountability moment, or is it...

As a fragile US-brokered ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon approaches its 17 May deadline, uncertainty is mounting over what comes next. Agreed in mid-April and extended to allow negotiations, the truce has been repeatedly violated, with continued Israeli strikes and Hezbollah attacks raising fears of renewed war. In this episode of The Brief In, we unpack the competing pressures shaping Lebano...

Journalists from Middle East focused newsroom The New Arab unpack the questions surrounding the US-Iran ceasefire. Is Lebanon still included after Israel's deadly assault on 'Black Wednesday'? What will the sides discuss in Islamabad on Friday? Did Donald Trump get his ego trip and secure a win against Iran? With guest appearance from Dr. Jeffrey Sachs, to tell us where the U.S. stands strategical...

On this special episode, The New Arab Head of News Paul McLoughlin welcomes Syrian filmmaker-journalist Waad Al-Kateab, co-creator of the acclaimed documentary For Sama (98% on Rotten Tomatoes, Oscar and BAFTA nominated), and Syrian political scientist Azzam Al Kassir. They reflect on their personal journeys, their work and what the first anniversary of Bashar al-Assad’s fall means today. Their co...

The war in Gaza is not over. Israel has violated the ceasefire killing scores already. What implications is this new phase of the war has on solidarity with the Palestinians Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.