…but like Bashar al-Assad, Syria’s modern dictator.

After the death of his brother, Basil in 1994 (first in line for Presidency), Bashar left the UK and his studies in ophthalmology to assume the mantle of President in waiting. Six years later his father Hafez al-Assad (in office 1971-2000) died and the new President arose.
Unlike Hafez, Bashar [...]

I’ve just got back from a week long diving trip to the tourist haven of Sharm El Sheikh. I’m not really in to the whole package deal thing, I just wanted to dive. It was incredible! Will try and get some pictures up on Flickr soon but in the meantime here are some fascinating facts [...]

Waltz with Bashir is both an incredible screen animation and graphic novel depicting Ari Folman’s quest to rediscover his lost memories from the massacre of Palestinians in Beirut during 1982.
One night at a bar, an old friend tells director Ari about a recurring nightmare in which he is chased by 26 vicious dogs. Every night, [...]

Farhad Hakimzadeh, previous Chief Executive of the UK’s Iran Heritage Foundation (IHF) is a bad man! Last month he pleaded guilty to 14 counts of theft from the British and Bodleian Libraries and is due to be sentenced sometime in January. Over a period of eight years he systematically stole pages from rare book collections, [...]

Baktay, die and you will be free!

The Buddha Collapsed out of Shame is a beautifully shot film by the younger Makhmalbaf film-maker, Hana. It tells the story of a young Afghan girl wanting to learn how to read and the struggle she undertakes to purchase a notebook by selling eggs. On her way to school she [...]