Historic first: Iraq prepares for papal visit

03/03/21 • 11 min

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.

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Breaking down Israel's Covid-19 strategy

Almost half of all Israelis have now received Covid-19 vaccines. Thanks to a world-leading inoculation programme, the country is one of the first developed nations to now be rolling back its latest round of restrictions. At the weekend, it introduced its Green Pass scheme: opening up restaurants, cinemas and gyms to anyone who can prove they've had both doses of the jab. For more on Israel's Covid-19 strategy, we speak to Professor Cyrille Cohen, director of the Immunotherapy Lab at Bar-Ilan University. He's also a member of Israel's advisory council on vaccines.

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Documenting Syria's destruction: Oscar-nominated film director speaks out

This month marks 10 years since what looked like another country in the region getting swept up in a whirlwind of pro-democracy revolt. But for Syria, it was the start of a conflict that has been dubbed the defining war of the early 21st century. We hear from a Syrian voice who has had to deal with everything from fleeing his country, to receiving death threats, to fearing for his family's safety – all this for spotlighting the atrocities taking place inside Syria. Feras Fayyad is the director of the Oscar-nominated and Emmy Award-winning documentary "Last Men in Aleppo".