Middle East matters

Lebanon is now months into an investigation of the Beirut port blast – but no one has been held accountable yet. Politicians have repeatedly obstructed the work of the lead judge, Tarek Bitar. Last week, Hezbollah led a protest to demand his dismissal. It sparked a gun battle in the heart of Beirut that left seven people dead and reignited fears of new sectarian violence.

In defiance of both the Covid-19 pandemic and security concerns, Pope Francis has confirmed that the first ever papal visit to Iraq is going ahead. The three-day trip, starting on March 5, will see the pope meet ancient Christian communities persecuted during the Islamic State group's reign of terror. He'll also be taking part in an interfaith service in the ancient Mesopotamian city of Ur. We take a closer look.

The COP26 summit gets underway this Sunday in Glasgow, Scotland. Ahead of the event, the world's top oil exporter, Saudi Arabia, has launched a Middle East Green Initiative. It's aimed at funding projects to reduce regional carbon emissions. Currently, the Middle East is warming at twice the global average. Scientists say that if nothing changes, the region could be too hot to sustain human life by the end of the century. For more, we speak to Neeshad Shafi, co-founder of the Arab Youth Climate Movement Qatar.

Sufi whirling is a form of dancing that dates back to the 12th or 13th century. This mystic tradition emphasises the inward search for the divine. Not many women practice the dance in public but we're joined in the studio by one of them, Rana Gorgani. She tells us more about this unique form of dance.