Lebanon: the Revolution Continues Clara Akiki explores protests past and present: in the wake of catastrophe, the Lebanese continue to demand change The Lebanese Revolution first sparked in October 2019. Today, in the aftermath of a devastating explosion that destroyed Beirut last Tuesday, the Lebanese persist in their fight against the ruling elite and corruption […]
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“We need to take the news to where they are”: an interview with the BBC’s Mohamed Madi
When we think of the BBC, we may well think of good (depending on your point of view) old fashioned broadcast journalism – an earnest presenter looking into the camera to update the audience with the latest official facts and figures. Mohamed Madi is part of a new generation of BBC journalists working to move […]
A Music Man in Amman: Rahbani Disco
Time for some Lebanese disco. Picture a pre-civil war Lebanon: regarded as a Middle-Eastern Paris, a society making real steps towards liberation for women, fashion is picking up, Beirut has become a booming port-town. It is the rich man’s Tangiers, the architecture is a fashionable if not an uncomfortable reminder of the French Mandate – […]
A music man in Amman: SoapKills
Let’s be honest. It was not going to be long before I, a self-confessed fan of trip-hop, had sniffed out any Arab bands that even slightly dabbled with the tell-tale, echoing, miserable beats that so define it. So we segue into SoapKills (described by French media as “trip-hop à l’orientale”), a Lebanese-based duo who, though not currently […]
Over 1,000 attend ‘Vigil for Humanity’
O ver 1,000 students and members of the public attended a candlelit vigil to remember victims of the Paris and Beirut terror attacks yesterday evening. The event, entitled ‘Vigil for Humanity’ and organised by Lizzie Swyer, took place on the Great Hall piazza. Nearly 2,000 people were believed to have been in attendance. President of […]
A music man in Amman: Mashrou’ Leila
Now stop me if I’m wrong, but the quaint cobbled streets of Exeter aren’t often graced with the strange blend of music that is Arab Pop. From the Old Firehouse to Cavern (and everything in between), you get to hear a lot of music if you keep your ear to the ground, but rarely will […]