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Cathrin Schaer

Cathrin Schaer

Deutsche Welle

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A Sudanese city is starving: What can be done to help?

A Sudanese city is starving: What can be done to help?

The eastern Sudanese city of El Fasher has been under siege for almost a year. Fighters in the country's civil war have blocked all roads, putting...

previous day 40

Deutsche Welle

Cathrin Schaer

Why is Saudi Arabia leading push for Palestinian statehood?

Why is Saudi Arabia leading push for Palestinian statehood?

Saudi Arabia is helping organize an international push to recognize Palestinian statehood. Is the oil-rich Gulf state acting for humanitarian reasons...

thursday 60

Deutsche Welle

Cathrin Schaer

How recent Syrian communal violence is impacting Germany

How recent Syrian communal violence is impacting Germany

Fighting between different community groups inside Syria is also causing tensions among Syrians living in Germany. After a brawl on the streets in...

30.07.2025 70

Deutsche Welle

Cathrin Schaer

What part did Druze leader al-Hijri play in Syria violence?

What part did Druze leader al-Hijri play in Syria violence?

Hikmat al-Hijri is a religious leader of the Druze minority in Syria. His flip-flopping politics and calls for Israeli intervention during recent...

23.07.2025 50

Deutsche Welle

Cathrin Schaer

After huge US cuts, who pays for aid in the Middle East now?

For the first time in 30 years, in 2024, some of the world's biggest spenders on aid and development cut funding. Now aid organizations in the Middle...

16.07.2025 70

Deutsche Welle

Cathrin Schaer

No justice, no peace: Will Syrian war criminals be punished?

After an alleged war criminal was set free, Syrians are questioning whether their new interim government genuinely wants justice after 14 years of...

01.07.2025 50

Deutsche Welle

Cathrin Schaer

Just good neighbors? What nations helping Syria really want

Aid, money, political cover — Syria's neighbors are providing a lot to the war-torn country. But the likes of Turkey, Saudi Arabia and the US are...

12.06.2025 50

Deutsche Welle

Cathrin Schaer

Hajj: Will high-tech really boost Islamic pilgrimage safety?

Saudi authorities will use drones, AI and other tech for safety at this year's Hajj pilgrimage. But this increases other risks — for data privacy,...

05.06.2025 50

Deutsche Welle

Cathrin Schaer

High-tech Hajj: More safety but less privacy, spirituality?

Saudi authorities will use drones, AI and other tech for safety at this year's Hajj pilgrimage. But this increases other risks — for data privacy,...

04.06.2025 60

Deutsche Welle

Cathrin Schaer

Saudi Arabia to become high-tech manufacturing hub?

Saudi Arabia and the UAE avoided high tariffs imposed by the US government. In the past, international companies often set up anew in low-tariff...

30.05.2025 30

Deutsche Welle

Cathrin Schaer

Laptops, iPhones 'Made in Saudi Arabia': Hype or reality?

Saudi Arabia and the UAE avoided high tariffs imposed by the US government. In the past, international companies often set up anew in low-tariff...

29.05.2025 60

Deutsche Welle

Cathrin Schaer

How dangerous are Syria's foreign fighters really?

The "Islamic State" group is encouraging foreign fighters in Syria to turn against the new government. Western leaders have also warned...

22.05.2025 30

Deutsche Welle

Cathrin Schaer

PKK disarms, disbands: How will it impact the Middle East?

The Kurdish militant group has announced the end of its armed insurgency against Turkey. But the move will also have significant impacts in Iraq and...

14.05.2025 30

Deutsche Welle

Cathrin Schaer

As oil prices fall can Gulf big spenders keep Trump pledges?

Wealthy Gulf states are promising President Trump huge investments into the US. But at the same time, the price of oil is falling. Is oil-fueled...

12.05.2025 70

Deutsche Welle

Cathrin Schaer

Latest deadly violence in Syria: What you need to know

It began with a blasphemous audio recording and ended with over 80 deaths and Israel bombing Syria again. The causes of violence in Druze-majority...

04.05.2025 60

Deutsche Welle

Cathrin Schaer

Seeking asylum: Is Tunisia a 'safe country of origin?'

The EU wants to speed up processing asylum applications by creating a list of "safe countries of origin." Tunisia is on the list — despite...

24.04.2025 20

Deutsche Welle

Cathrin Schaer

What to do with Iraq's 'IS families' returning from Syria?

Iraq is bringing increasing numbers of its citizens out of al-Hol camp in Syria, where those connected with the extremist "Islamic State"...

11.04.2025 50

Deutsche Welle

Cathrin Schaer

Could Israel-Turkey war of words escalate to actual war?

The war of words between Israel and Turkey has been intensifying. And recent Israeli bombs on Syria were meant as a message to Turkey, observers say....

09.04.2025 30

Deutsche Welle

Cathrin Schaer

How inclusive is Syria's new technocratic cabinet?

Syria swore in several ministers this weekend. Analysts pointed out only time would tell how effective they will be. Others noted that many are...

01.04.2025 60

Deutsche Welle

Cathrin Schaer

Syria's dictator gone — but his drug dealers are still busy

Syria's new interim government pledged to crack down on the illicit drug trade that the country's former dictator enriched himself with. But somehow...

26.03.2025 10

Deutsche Welle

Cathrin Schaer

Iraq's ambitious tourism plans: Impossible dream come true?

Iraq wants to diversify its economy away from oil and toward tourism. Although Western travelers have made headlines in once-dangerous Iraq of late,...

22.03.2025 20

Deutsche Welle

Cathrin Schaer

No quotas: How can new Syrian government be inclusive?

The new Syrian government should be representative of all ethnic and sectarian groups if it wants international support. But many Syrians say quotas...

20.03.2025 10

Deutsche Welle

Cathrin Schaer

How disinformation intensified Syria's weekend of violence

Over the weekend, Syria saw its worst violence since the end of the dictatorship — along with significant social media disinformation. AI fakes and...

13.03.2025 80

Deutsche Welle

Cathrin Schaer

What is Israel doing in Syria, and why?

Israel wants to "defend" minorities in Syria, has moved troops into Syria and is regularly bombing the war-torn country. That's despite the...

05.03.2025 20

Deutsche Welle

Cathrin Schaer

What will Arab nations' plan for Gaza look like?

Arab nations want to come up with a new reconstruction plan for Gaza. The apparent aim is to counter Donald Trump's Gaza "Riviera" proposal...

20.02.2025 60

Deutsche Welle

Cathrin Schaer

Making sense of Egypt's alleged military buildup near Israel

A war of words has broken out between Egypt and Israel. Israel accuses Egypt of threatening it by increasing troops near its border, Egypt says its...

19.02.2025 20

Deutsche Welle

Cathrin Schaer

Can Arab nations stop Trump's 'Gaza Riviera' plans?

Money, security, diplomacy: Arab states have ways to pressure US President Donald Trump and stop his controversial plan for Gaza. But analysts say...

16.02.2025 60

Deutsche Welle

Cathrin Schaer

As Israeli ban on UNRWA looms, what next for aid into Gaza?

The Israel-Hamas ceasefire has made aid shipments into Gaza possible. But Israel will soon ban UNRWA, the UN agency that coordinates most of them....

23.01.2025 40

Deutsche Welle

Cathrin Schaer

Israel-Hamas ceasefire: Why Qatar is such a good negotiator

US, Egyptian and Qatari negotiators have brokered the latest ceasefire and hostage deal between Hamas and Israel in Doha. What makes this small,...

18.01.2025 10

Deutsche Welle

Cathrin Schaer

Could Israelis be prosecuted for war crimes in Germany?

A Belgian non-profit is trying to prosecute Israeli soldiers, should they leave Israel, for alleged war crimes. German law would allow for this. Could...

16.01.2025 30

Deutsche Welle

Cathrin Schaer

Assad is gone: Time to lift sanctions on Syria?

Syria is one of the most sanctioned countries in the world. But now the focus of those sanctions, the Assad regime, has gone, experts say the...

09.01.2025 20

Deutsche Welle

Cathrin Schaer

How fake news campaigns could push Syria back to civil war

A deluge of false or misleading information about Syria has flooded social media. Local and international actors are exploiting preexisting...

07.01.2025 10

Deutsche Welle

Cathrin Schaer

Disinformation campaigns could push Syria back to civil war

A deluge of false or misleading information about Syria has flooded social media. Local and international actors are exploiting preexisting...

05.01.2025 10

Deutsche Welle

Cathrin Schaer

Disinformation campaigns could push Syria back to civil war

A deluge of false or misleading information about Syria has flooded social media. Local and international actors are exploiting pre-existing...

04.01.2025 10

Deutsche Welle

Cathrin Schaer

Syria's Alawite community: Once feared, now living in fear?

Syria's ousted dictator Bashar Assad and his family were members of the secretive religious minority, and used the community's fears and desires to...

29.12.2024 9

Deutsche Welle

Cathrin Schaer

Is a UN Security Council resolution key to Syria's future?

Resolution 2254, agreed upon by the UN Security Council in 2015, outlined how the Syrian civil war might end and how the country could transition...

24.12.2024 9

Deutsche Welle

Cathrin Schaer

Fighting in Syrian Kurdish-held areas: What you need to know

Clashes between Syrian Kurdish forces and Turkish-backed Syrian militias could be one of the biggest potential problems in Syria as the country...

15.12.2024 10

Deutsche Welle

Cathrin Schaer

Time to take Syria's Hayat Tahrir al-Sham off terror lists?

The HTS rebel group that freed Syria from dictator Bashar Assad is setting up a new government. Its status as a terror group complicates its...

14.12.2024 10

Deutsche Welle

Cathrin Schaer

Why EU plans for 'special envoy' to Syria sparked outrage

The EU wants to appoint a special envoy to evaluate its Syria policy. The move enraged Syrian activists who condemn President Bashar Assad's...

27.11.2024 30

Deutsche Welle

Cathrin Schaer

For better or worse? EU plans for 'special envoy' to Syria

The EU wants to appoint a special envoy as part of an evaluation of its Syria policy. Syrian activists are enraged, saying it whitewashes war...

27.11.2024 10

Deutsche Welle

Cathrin Schaer

Could Iraq's census further destabilize the country?

Iraq is conducting its first census in 27 years. The head count could upset a political power-sharing system that was set up to prevent civil war.

21.11.2024 4

Deutsche Welle

Cathrin Schaer

Iraq's census: Most dangerous in the world or sign of hope?

Iraq is conducting its first census in 27 years. It hasn't happened more recently because undertaking such a head count could upset a political...

21.11.2024 5

Deutsche Welle

Cathrin Schaer

Iraq's census: Most dangerous in the world or sign of hope?

Iraq is conducting its first census in 27 years. It hasn't happened more recently because undertaking such a head count could upset a political...

19.11.2024 8

Deutsche Welle

Cathrin Schaer

Are Houthis blackmailing shipping companies for millions?

UN experts suspect the Houthis, who have been attacking maritime traffic off Yemen's coast for a year now, have started charging ships for 'safe...

13.11.2024 10

Deutsche Welle

Cathrin Schaer

Israel, Hezbollah evacuation orders: '45 minutes to leave'

Human rights organizations have criticized how Israel and Hezbollah have given civilians evacuation orders during the Lebanon conflict, saying they...

06.11.2024 20

Deutsche Welle

Cathrin Schaer

'45 minutes to leave': Evacuation warnings in Middle East

Rights organizations have criticized the way warring parties in Lebanon give civilians evacuation warnings, saying they are often not effective....

06.11.2024 4

Deutsche Welle

Cathrin Schaer

Syria's dictator caught between Iran and Israel

Syrian dictator Bashar Assad has been unusually quiet about Israel's conflict with multiple nations in the Middle East. But the weekend's Israeli...

30.10.2024 10

Deutsche Welle

Cathrin Schaer

Syria's dictator caught between Iran and Israel

Syrian dictator Bashar Assad has been unusually quiet about Israel's conflict with multiple nations in the Middle East. But the weekend's Israeli...

30.10.2024 10

Deutsche Welle

Cathrin Schaer

Syria's dictator caught between Iran and Israel

Syrian dictator Bashar Assad has been unusually quiet about Israel's conflict with multiple nations in the Middle East. But the weekend's Israeli...

29.10.2024 20

Deutsche Welle

Cathrin Schaer

Arab-Israeli trade ties are still strong but for how long?

Leaders in Jordan, Egypt and the UAE have criticized Israel's actions in Gaza and Lebanon. But they have been happy to keep on doing business as...

26.10.2024 10

Deutsche Welle

Cathrin Schaer