The Best Levantine Arabic News Sites
Reading or skimming the news can be a great way to improve your Arabic grammar and vocabulary while learning about current events. Here are some of the best Levantine Arabic-language news websites which cover both regional and global news. All of these sites have both Arabic and English language content so you can read the news in Arabic then switch to English and test your comprehension. We’ve also included Al Jazeera in our list which, though not a Levantine Arabic site, is one of the largest Arabic-language news sources.
7iber
7iber, which means “ink” in English, is a local, independent Jordanian news organization. They do thorough coverage of both current events and wider social and societal trends. The articles tend to be longer, editorial-style pieces that dig into technology, cultural, environmental, or political topics. 7iber also has an English-language section with translations of their Arabic articles, though most of their site is devoted to Arabic-language content.
Al Bawaba
Al Bawaba is another independent news organization based out of Amman, Jordan. Their articles tend to be shorter and report on news events primarily in the Middle East and North Africa. Al Bawaba, which means “the gate”, also has a limited English-language section.
Syria Direct
Syria Direct aka “سوريا على طول” is an NGO media organization that provides extensive coverage of the political, cultural, and economic situation in Syria. Until last year, Syria Direct was based out of Amman, Jordan but recently relocated to Germany in order to maintain their journalistic independence. Their website has equal Arabic and English portions, providing direct translations of each article - which can be a helpful feature for language learners. They’ve also maintained a focus on high-quality reporting about Syria - especially the humanitarian and human rights situation there - which has become harder to find as many international news organizations have moved on to other crises.
Al Jazeera
Al Jazeera is one of the most famous Arabic news sources for reporting on global events in both Arabic and English. The name, “Al Jazeera,” means “the island” or “the peninsula,” in reference to the Qatar Peninsula. Al Jazeera is based out of Qatar and is financially supported by their government. Though primarily a news organization, Al-Jazeera also has a sub site devoted to Arabic-language learners which includes shorter articles at a variety of language levels - many with 7arakat (short vowel markings to help with pronunciation) - and vocabulary lists.
