http://www.newstatesman.com/writers/hisham_matar en http://www.newstatesman.com/arts-and-culture/2008/11/babylon-iraq-muftah-city http://www.newstatesman.com/arts-and-culture/2008/11/babylon-iraq-muftah-city Thu, 20 Nov 2008 09:30:27 GMT Hisham Matar In myth, Babylon is a place of romance and wonder, but years of dictatorship and war have taken their toll. Hisham Matar on his attempt to visit the ancient metropolis

]]> http://www.newstatesman.com/music/2008/11/dhafer-youssef-arabic-oud-jazz http://www.newstatesman.com/music/2008/11/dhafer-youssef-arabic-oud-jazz Thu, 06 Nov 2008 09:18:10 GMT Hisham Matar The Tunisian vocalist Dhafer Youssef is one of the leaders of an exciting renaissance in Arabic music. A new generation of artists is engaging with both classical tradition and international audiences

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