Reportage
Tension and togetherness at a rare Syrian hip-hop open mic night
Latakia levels — After half a century under a bloody dictatorship, Syria has endured massacres on an unprecedented scale in recent times, fuelled by sectarian conflict. In the port city of Latakia, Haydar Daoud and his friends spend their days making rap music, an art form mostly misunderstood by Syrians, yet an essential therapy for disenchanted youth.
Written by: Aubin Eymard
Inside the UK Bus Driver of the Year Competition
Terminating here — The annual tournament takes place in Blackpool, where over 100 bus drivers from around the UK are invited to show off their proficiency behind the wheel, from bus stop manoeuvres and the dreaded ‘tailswing test’, to a notoriously hard theory quiz. George Francis Lee reports.
Written by: George Francis Lee
The UK’s oldest weightlifting gym is under threat. Can it weather gentrification?
The weight of history — The Bethnal Green Weightlifting Club has been open since 1926. Emma Fowle meets the people fighting to keep the East End institution, the history it preserves, and the community it serves alive for the next generation of strength stars.
Written by: Emma Fowle
As Grindr scams in India rise, its LGBTQ+ community fights back
Red flags — Through mobilising the threat of outing queer folk, scammers are using dating apps to find targets for extortion, violence and blackmail. Mansi Rathee and Amir Bin Rafi spoke to people who have been affected, and reported on the community’s work to support victims and raise awareness.
Written by: Mansi Rathee
As amapiano goes global, where does it leave its roots?
Rainbow grooves — Over the past decade, the house music subgenre has exploded into a worldwide phenomenon. Jak Hutchcraft went to its birthplace of Mamelodi, South Africa, to explore its still-thriving local scene.
Written by: Jak Hutchcraft
See winners of the World Press Photo Contest 2025
A view from the frontlines — There are 42 winning photographers this year, selected from 59,320 entries.
Written by: Zahra Onsori
Inside Kashmir’s growing youth tattoo movement
Catharsis in ink — Despite being forbidden under Islam, a wave of tattoo shops are springing up in India-administered Kashmir. Saqib Mugloo spoke to those on both ends of the needle.
Written by: Saqib Mugloo
In Bristol, pub singers are keeping an age-old tradition alive
Ballads, backing tracks, beers — Bar closures, karaoke and jukeboxes have eroded a form of live music that was once an evening staple, but on the fringes of the southwest’s biggest city, a committed circuit remains.
Written by: Fred Dodgson
Meet the muxes of Juchitán, Mexico’s Indigenous third gender
Zapotec folk — Having existed since the pre-colonial era in southeast Oaxaca state, a global rise in LGBTQ+ hate is seeing an age-old culture face increasing scrutiny. Now, the community is organising in response, and looking for a space to call their own.
Written by: Peter Yeung
India’s bodybuilding boom reflects a nation flexing its muscles
Huck’s debut feature documentary reveals how young Indian men are willing to turn their backs on tradition and compete for a better life – even if it means sacrificing their health.
Written by: Alex King
