Reza's story

Night trains are making a comeback, once again connecting Europe’s cities with the promise of green, serene and iconic journeys. Just a decade ago, it appeared to be the end of the line for the continent’s sleeper services. But revitalised routes, new operators and innovative cab ...  Show more

The United States and Israel have now been at war with Iran for two weeks, since 28th February. In that time, there have been over 1200 civilian deaths in Iran, including 168, most of them children, at a girls’ school in Minab, central Iran. Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, who had r ...  Show more

When Taliban forces seized control of Kabul last year, many Afghans faced life-changing choices. One family's decision led to a harrowing journey for a young woman and her sister. Related Links Bushra Seddique wrote about her escape from the Taliban for the September 2022 issue A ...  Show more

Today, an update on a story from the Kerning Cultures vault.Elie was a journalist looking for her next story when she met Ziad at a party in Istanbul. Ziad was a Syrian refugee hoping to travel to Europe and apply for asylum. Elie asked Ziad if she could follow him to Norway, his ...  Show more

C’est un fait divers qui a défrayé la chronique en Tunisie en 2015 : le départ de Tunisie de deux adolescentes ayant rejoint Daech pour faire le jihad. Leur mère, Olfa Hamrouni, avait remué ciel et terre et mobilisé les médias pour retrouver ses deux filles aînées. La réalisatric ...  Show more

Kirsty Young's castaway this week is the Turkish writer Elif Shafak. Elif Shafak has published ten novels and several volumes of non-fiction and her work is translated into 47 languages. She is the most widely read female novelist in Turkey today.Born in 1971, she was raised by a ...  Show more