The new issue of our magazine, Middle East Solidarity, is out now. You can order online or on the phone from Bookmarks Bookshop (click here for details), or look out for us at events and protests. We’ll have copies to buy at the People’s Assembly protest outside Tory Party conference in Manchester on 4 October.

On the cover: Egypt’s military dictator not welcome here Jeremy Corbyn and John McDonnell back the campaign to stop Sisi’s visit to the UK

Features:

LGBT lives in Egypt and Lebanon: surviving moral panics and state homophobia Alice Finden explores the complex and varied nature of campaigns of homophobic repression in Egypt and Lebanon

Global University Inc. Are UK universities are putting lucrative research and teaching contracts before human rights and academic freedoms?

Between two walls: Syrian refugees speak out: Courage and desperation behind the headlines: Nabil and Mohammed make the perilous journey to Europe

Letter: Mahienour battles for justice from inside Damanhour women’s prison

Opinion: Egypt’s gift to investors Mohamed Omran challenges illusions in the new Suez Canal

News reports: Irish teenager facing mass trial in Egypt; Bahrain prison’s revolving door; Egypt’s civil servants’ jobs protest; Union independence attacked; Anti-corruption movement shakes Iraq; Drones: lethal robots kill thousands

Campaign reports: Palestine drone protesters face court; BDS activists demand ‘Fair Play for Palestine’; Photostory: Egypt prisoner solidarity campaign goes global; Asylum win for Isa al-Ali; Bahrain Teachers’ leader denied medical care; Activists deliver Calais solidarity; New book: Bahrain’s Uprising; Academics and students under fire

Guest columnist: Lebanon’s rot starts at the top
Haytham Cero investigates the politics of Beirut’s rubbish crisis

Events in the Middle East often dominate the news, but it is the stories of war, sectarian violence and western military intervention which grab the headlines. Middle East Solidarity  shows a different side to the region. We report on resistance to repression and imperialism from Morocco to Yemen, covering the strikes and protests which are missed by the mainstream media. We hope to carry the voices and stories of the women and men who are still fighting for bread, freedom and social justice to new audiences. Our practical guides to campaigning and resources for activists aim to build a stronger solidarity movement.

Middle East Solidarity is a joint project of MENA Solidarity Network, Egypt Solidarity Initiative and Bahrain Watch, and is supported by funding from UCU, PCS, NUT and a number of Trades Union Councils and local trade union branches.