Middle East Near You

On Saturday military strongman Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi promised to punish the “wrongdoers” responsible for the boat that capsized off the coast of Egypt last week. At least 194 people...

In a recent interview with Channel 4 News one of President Assad’s key advisors said reports of chlorine attacks on children are “irrelevant to reality”. She was referring to...

US Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton has become the latest in long line of world leaders queuing up to meet Egypt’s President Abdul Fattah Al-Sisi. Whilst Clinton will meet...

In June, Oscar-winning screenwriter David Franzoni announced his upcoming biography of the 13-century Persian poet Rumi, a production he believes will counter the negative portrayal of Muslims put forward...

"There can be a pornographic interest in reducing Syrian and Palestinian artists to spectacles, relics and survivors"

Ayman Abbasi was beaten so badly when he was arrested his parents could barely recognise their son at the court hearing. He was held at Almaskoubia interrogation centre, released...

It took seven years to complete, over £10 million of taxpayers’ money yet a paperback version will set you back by £767: The Chilcot report. For those that don’t...

Manar Shab’an builds vertical gardens by growing taller vine vegetables above varieties that grow in the shade they provide. In her greenhouses she weaves together vertical and horizontal growing...

In the seventh century Arab World a king’s legitimacy was recognised through the praise he received from his contemporary poets – because of this a ruler is often remembered...

When Nai’s mum was pregnant with her second daughter she asked her neighbours to help think of a name. “If I had a third daughter I would call her...

Since his surprise appointment as Foreign Secretary yesterday, much has been made of Boris Johnson’s column in the Telegraph. In a particularly disturbing contribution that was penned in the...

Like the people of Palestine, African Americans in the US will continue to be subject to discrimination and violence long after the cameras withdraw

Amir Darwish tells me that poetry chose him at the age of 16. Originally from Kobani in northern Syria, he was born and raised in Aleppo – making poetry...

In the early eighties Adnan Al-Sayegh and his friend Ali Al-Ramahi spent much time discussing and writing poetry together. One day one of Ali’s works was published – it was critical of Saddam Hussein and his government and several days later he was killed. “Until...

“Peace in the context of some of the communities we’re working in is such a loaded term. We actually avoid using it because peace can mean surrender, submission."

In 2016 up to 150,000 refugees will pass through the West African country of Niger and cross its northern border into Libya or Algeria to catch a boat and...