The history of Christianity in Iraq dates back to the first century AD, but since the outbreak of sectarian violence in the country following the US invasion of 2003, many Christians are fleeing their homeland and finding sanctuary in Syria. Stephen Starr reports from Damascus
Sufism has a tradition going back centuries in Egypt. Now the government is coming out in support of the mystics in a bid to undermine Islamism. Some fear that the essence of the movement will be lost in the process – but there are other more unexpected by-products of the Sufi trend. Christian Meier reports from Cairo.