The life of Geoff Hann (85) probably the world’s oldest tour leader, who died from a stroke in Baghdad’s Yarmouk Hospital in April was celebrated at a commemoration at London’s Abrar Foundation. For 50 years Hann took tourists to Afghanistan, Iraq, Ira…
Washington to train 3,500 more Syrian fighters in 2023
Regional and Syrian media reported Wednesday that the Pentagon requested additional funding to recruit 3,500 more fighters in Syria in 2023. According to the funding request released in April, the primary purpose of the additional recruits would be to …
The disappearing duality of my Indian-Muslim identity
The first time I visited the motherland I understood nothing of India, except that it was my own. At four years old I had left England for the first time and thought of home as the place I got to rest my head each night. Now it was a land that bloomed …
The fight to save Lebanon’s crumbling history
It’s early morning and a trio of elderly women are drinking coffee among the ruins of a crusader cathedral in Tyre. They pour from a steaming rakwe, which has been left to cool on the remains of a stone wall built in the 12th century. As they talk, a g…
Palestinian-Americans demand ‘equal protection’ to Biden
The Palestinian-American community in Palestine demanded that the US government and the US state department ensure “their rights as US citizens to be given equal protection and attention to those of other US citizens of dual nationality”. The community…
‘This is apartheid’ B’Tselem tell Biden ahead of Israel trip
A billboard declaring that Israel is an apartheid state has been put up by human rights group B’Tselem in the occupied West Bank ahead of US President Joe Biden’s visit to the Middle East. “Mr President, this is apartheid” the black and white billboard…
Iranian women protest ‘modesty day’ by removing hijabs
Women in Iran are protesting against the mandatory hijab, posting videos of themselves removing their headscarves in protest against the country’s hardline president. Activists on Tuesday took to social media to protest the country’s National Hijab and…
Biden must slam rights abuses in MENA during visit: Amnesty
US President Joe Biden must speak out against human rights violations by Middle Eastern leaders during his ongoing visit to the region, Amnesty International said Wednesday. Biden must “press for immediate and substantive change” from the leaders of Eg…
UAE president stresses support for energy security
The president of the United Arab Emirates said on Wednesday the Gulf OPEC producer would continue to support global energy security as a main driver of global economic growth, ahead of a US-Arab summit in neighbouring Saudi Arabia this week. Sheikh Moh…
Iran says members of Kurdish ‘terror network’ arrested
Iran’s intelligence ministry said Wednesday its officers had arrested 10 members of a “terror network”, in the country’s northwest, affiliated with separatist groups based in Iraq’s Kurdistan region. “All 10 members of this network, who were entering t…