Culture

Coverage of culture and digital life, exploring how technology shapes creativity and experience.

Movies and TV

Beyond the Oscars, Arab Cinema Is Building Its Own Industry

The nomination of The Voice of Hind Rajab drew global attention. It comes at a moment when Arab cinema itself is undergoing a structural shift.

By Jannat Suleman

Culture

Grammarly Is Offering ‘Expert’ AI Reviews From Your Favourite Authors – Dead or Alive

The tool, offered by the recently rebranded company Superhuman, gives feedback based on the work of famous dead and living writers – without their permission.

By Miles Klee

Conflict Mapping

Meet The Music Streaming CEO Who Built a Global War Map

Frustrated by fragmented war news, Anghami's Elie Habib built World Monitor, an open-source platform that fuses global data streams, like aircraft signals and satellite detections, to track conflicts as they unfold.

By Lilian Wagdy

Digital Culture

Why Missile Alerts and War Updates Trigger Doomscrolling

War alerts, breaking updates and algorithmic feeds are combining to trap users in a loop of threat monitoring.

By Farah Ibrahim

Video Games

The Digital World Cup War: How 2026 Changed the Game Forever

The 48-team World Cup is not the only historic event this year. Four titans are vying for control of virtual soccer in the fiercest battle the gaming industry has ever seen.

By Javier Rodríguez

Digital Culture

The Piracy Problem Streaming Platforms Can’t Solve

Licensing gaps, sanctions, fragile banking systems and high prices mean that for many viewers in the region, accessing films and television often happens outside official platforms.

By Tharwa Boulifi

Psychology and Neuroscience

The Science Behind Your Obsession With Punch the Lonely Monkey

Research reveals that watching animal videos online forges real emotional bonds and can actually make us feel less lonely, no matter how far apart we are.

By Carla Sertin