Sona Boker

An influencer, an activist and two creatives talk about the cost of criticising Israel's war in Gaza.

Reporter Hamza Chalan sleeps on the streets with a blanket while trying his best to do his job.

Growing up in an Iraqi family, it wasn't typical to learn swimming as a kid. As that fear grew into my twenties, I decided to face it head on.

“Unfortunately, there isn't enough space to talk about it. In the eyes of many people, a man has to be strong, both mentally and physically.” 

“I hate it when people say I should love my imperfections – my nose is not an imperfection.”

Although hijacked by the far-right, the phrase actually describes the legal status of thousands of people.

"I was afraid of also losing my culture, but something as small as a rug has helped me to hang on to a part of it.​"

After her entire family fled Iraq, my grandmother stayed behind because she didn't want to give up on the country she loves.

It's still unclear what the gunman's motives were.