Photo Essays

Today, over 22,000 Palestinian refugees live in the Shatila refugee camp on the outskirts of Beirut. Most of them belong to families who had to leave Palestine during the Nakba of 1948. However, since war broke out in Syria in 2011, the Palestinian refugee camps in Lebanon have seen a dramatic influx of Syrian refugees and are completely overwhelmed. By Mohammad Reza Hassani

Afghan refugee children suffer from hunger, malnutrition and disease. Many of the children who fled the Taliban with their parents have ended up in the slums of Kabul

The recent deal reached by Iran and the West has raised hopes of a better future for Iranians. Until then, Iranians will have to continue coping with the impact of Western sanctions on their economy

Despite international criticism the military government has reacted with force against the Muslim Brotherhood, which is demanding the reinstatement of Morsi. Here is our chronology of 2013.

Many people are suffering from psychological disorders in Afghanistan, a country blighted by decades of war. The mentally disabled face discrimination here, leaving their loved ones to bear much of the burden. Insights by Waslat Hasrat-Nazimi

Never before in the Arab world has a television show unleashed such controversy as the satirical programme "Al Bernameg" ('The Programme') presented by Egyptian television star Bassem Youssef – a furore that was stoked further when its broadcasting slot on the Egyptian broadcaster "CBC" was withdrawn in the wake of the uproar it caused. This makes it a milestone in the history of the freedom of expression in Egypt.

Wielding a microphone against xenophobia, discrimination and conservative Islamic traditions: Young Turkish migrants began discovering hip-hop for themselves back in the early 1990s. It was primarily the clubs, arts centres and backyards of multi-cultural neighbourhood Kreuzberg that quickly became a hub for German-Turkish rap in Berlin. By Arian Fariborz

Iran is one of the great cinema nations. And despite censorship and reprisals, Iranian directors were and are still creative and productive. A photo essay Jochen Kürten

After the Six-Day War, many viewed Israel as invincible. But a coordinated attack by Egypt and Syria on October 6, 1973, brushed away any illusions of security. A photo essay by Klaus Dahmann

Nearly 50,000 Palestinians officially work in Israel, while around 30,000 cross the border illegally every day from the West Bank to work. Israel does not make it easy for either group.