The photographer Georges Yazbek brings Alaska to Beirut-Interview

In September, one of Beirut most visited gallery “392rmeil393″ displayed the work of Georges Yazbek, a Lebanese photographer and documentary producer based in New York and Beirut. Under the title ” Moments Within”, the exhibition showcased raw photos of landscapes of Alaska as

Turkey Uncensored: The Last Orthodox Patriarch in Turkey? (By Uzay Bulut)

The Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople, the spiritual center of Orthodox Christianity which is based in Turkey, is unable to train clergy and potential successors for the position of patriarch. The reason is that the Halki Seminary, the only school for training the leadership

Armenia Amends New Military Doctrine in Standoff With Azerbaijan Over Karabakh (By Eduard Abrahamyan)

At the Armenian diaspora’s Sixth Pan-Armenian Forum, held on September 18­–20, Armenian Foreign Minister Eduard Nalbandian declared that Yerevan was discussing the possible handover of some occupied territories back to Azerbaijan, in line with formerly accepted principles agreed upon by both sides in

Alireza shojaian, the painter with a man story in polygons-Interview

 Alireza Shojaian invited our Arts and Culture contributor, Christiane Waked to his studio to discuss what it is like to be an Iranian painter in Beirut. C.W: Through your paintings, we feel like you belong to another space, dimension or even century. Do

Who Will Rule Gaza in the Future? (By Jimmy Mattar and Ramy Jabbour)

Following the latest regional crisis between leading members of the GCC and Qatar, as well as the new political document issued by Hamas, shifts in political tactics and alliances appear to be taking shape within and outside the Gaza Strip. This paper aims

The one legged “birdman” Syrian-Lebanese artist, Semaan Khawam journey to freedom-Interview

The one-legged man artist Semaan Khawam invited our Arts and Culture contributor, Christiane Waked to his studio to talk about what freedom sounds like to a “birdman”. As I enter his messy studio, the shabby artist welcomes me, cigarette in his mouth, glass

Do the Kurds Deserve a State? (By Abboud al Jazairi)

Following WWI, a number of key Arab figures and tribesmen who had joined the Allied war effort took over the administration of former Ottoman territory in what is today’s Syria and Jordan. Led by recently coronated King Faisal of the Hashemites, they proclaimed

Dreams of Independence: Reflections on the Eve of Kurdish Referendum (By Heather Miller)

I first came to Kurdistan in late July of 2014. My first month was colored with constant conversations and anxiety surrounding ISIS and it’s seizure of Kurdish land. My television was fixed on news stations as my colleagues and I watched more and

Turkey and Iran may not oppose an Iraqi Kurdistan independence referendum as long as Kurds play their cards right (By Christiane Waked)

It is not a mystery that all eyes are going to be turned on the residents of Kurdish-controlled areas in Northern Iraq as they are preparing to vote on 25 September in a referendum on their preference for the future of the Kurdistan Region of

Kurds in Lebanon rally in favor of the referendum

The Lebanese branch of the Kurdistan Democratic Party has organized a solidarity gathering in Martyr’s square for the “Independence referendum” that will be held in Kurdish controlled parts of Northern Iraq (Iraqi Kurdistan) on the 25th of this September. (17/9/2017)