A deeper look at the life of 'the first Arab Cinderella'

A new book about Egyptian silver-screen actress and singer Leila Mourad uncovers the competing forces that shaped not only her career but also how she was perceived by the public.

Fadi El-Abdallah

Mashrou' Leila's New Project

[caption id="attachment_55245956" align="alignnone" width="620"] Hamed Sinno of Mashrou' Leila. (The Majalla/James Hanna)[/caption]The small concert hall at The Garage in Highbury and Islington is a…

Amy Assad

I Want to Ride My Bicycle

Wadjda is an adventurous pre-teen with a simple enough request: she wants a bicycle. But in Saudi Arabia, bicycles are only for boys. Girls are not supposed to exert themselves in any kind of…

Caryle Murphy

A Tale of Destiny—and Cats

[caption id="attachment_55245766" align="alignnone" width="620"] A still from Feeding 500. (Rafed Al-Harthi/ Ray Hadded)[/caption] Many people would claim to be cat lovers, but very few would…

Amy Assad

Pearls of Wisdom

[caption id="attachment_55245684" align="alignnone" width="620"] Buckets of pearls at the V&A's Pearls exhibition (James Hanna/V&A/Qatar Museum's Authority)[/caption]A large, seventeenth…

Amy Assad

Turkish Hospitality

[caption id="attachment_55245600" align="alignnone" width="594"] A child pulls a suitcase as Syrian refugees arrive in Turkey at the Cilvegözü crossing gate of Reyhanlı, on August 31, 2013. (Bulent…

Barçin Yinanç

A Question of Freedom

[caption id="attachment_55245548" align="alignnone" width="620"] Khaled Takreti"Chaos," 2013, Acrylic on Canvas(Courtesy of the artist and Ayyam Gallery)[/caption] “Freedom is when someone can…

Mina Al-Droubi

A Taxi Ride down Syria Street

[caption id="attachment_55245431" align="alignnone" width="620"]Barbed wire between Bab Al-Tabbaneh and Jebel Mohsen on Syria Street, Tripoli, Lebanon. (The Majalla/Hannah Lucinda Smith)[/caption…

Hannah Lucinda Smith

Feast your Eyes

[caption id="attachment_55245395" align="alignnone" width="620"] Wine horn with gazelle protome, Sasanian period, 4th century, silver gilt. (courtesy: Juliet Highet)[/caption]For over 1,000 years,…

Juliet Highet

A Caravan from Egypt

[caption id="attachment_55245242" align="alignnone" width="620"] Donkey painted by Marwa Adel. (CARAVAN)[/caption]On August 30, St. Paul's Cathedral in London inaugurated an exhibition of life-sized…

Ati Metwaly

A Thin Red Line

[caption id="attachment_55245048" align="aligncenter" width="620"] In this handout image provided by the U.S. Navy, The USS Barry launches a Tomahawk missile in support of Operation Odyssey Dawn…

Andrew Bowen