Russian couple faces deportation from Turkey after Bible reading at Hagia Sophia The couple were detained after reading from the Bible inside the Istanbul landmark, which remains one of Christianity’s most important historic sites despite its conversion into a mosque. Turkey
Culture Tyre, Lebanon’s ‘Queen of the Seas,’ devastated by Israeli bombing: What to know A series of Israeli strikes near ancient ruins in the Phoenician port city has raised concerns about potential damage to historical landmarks. Lebanon
Between heat and war, Saudi Arabia seeks incident-free Hajj Mecca's temperature reached a high of 105 degrees Fahrenheit (40.5 degrees Celsius) on Tuesday and is expected to hit 108 degrees Fahrenheit (42 Celsius) on Wednesday. Saudi Arabia
Culture Syria advances cultural revival with nine new heritage listings Nine heritage sites have been added to list of the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, which restored Syria’s membership last year after a 14-year suspension. Syria
Analysis Pushed out of Sahel, Macron turns to Egypt and Africa's anglophone countries By Rina Bassist , Rosaleen Carroll
Egypt plans another Pharaonic parade, this time in Luxor After the success of the Pharaohs' Golden Parade, Egypt is preparing for the grand reopening of the Great Processional Way in Luxor. Culture
Idlib authorities begin restoration of historic mosque The government affiliated with Hayat Tahrir al-Sham in Syria’s Idlib is restoring the historic Great Mosque, which was severely damaged by Syrian government shelling. Syria
Egyptian researcher saves ancient sites from termites An Egyptian researcher has patented an organic substance to kill termites; a Japanese company funded her research and manufactured the product. Egypt
Uzbek jihadis destroy antiquities in Idlib Museum Hayat Tahrir al-Sham tries to manage the even more radical groups under its rule. Syria
Gaza antiquities among casualties of Israel-Hamas war Once again, the recent Israeli airstrikes on Gaza heavily damaged Palestinian antiquities and cultural heritage sites in violation of international law. Palestine
Egyptian Museum of Antiquities gets makeover to compete for tourists The Egyptian Museum of Antiquities in downtown Cairo's Tahrir Square is undergoing a facelift that tourism officials and curators hope will allow it to compete with the Grand Egyptian Museum, soon to open its doors to visitors. Culture
The Takeaway: US looks to Gulf to help break deadlock in Nile Dam dispute Egypt, Ethiopia reshape security alignments in Horn of Africa; Erdogan readies for make-or-break summit with Biden; Lapid emerges as arbiter of Israeli politics; Israeli Arab community split on coalition government; update on Gaza. Egypt
Egypt traces relics of Ramses III back to Saudi Arabia An Egyptian archaeological mission is preparing to launch an excavation project in Saudi Arabia after several discoveries showed that ancient Egyptian King Ramses III had a presence in the Arabian Peninsula. Culture
Turkish president unveils new mosque in heart of Istanbul Building the mosque in the center of Turkey’s largest city has symbolic value regarding the struggle between secularism and Islamic conservatism in the country. News Brief
Israeli war adds scars to Palestinian psyche Activists see Israel’s bombing of cultural centers, bookstores and other cultural institutions in the Gaza Strip, as well as the killing of a 17-year-old in a refugee camp in the West Bank, as an attempt to obliterate Palestine’s cultural identity. Palestine
Palestinian fears rise as settlers visit synagogue ruins in Jericho Israeli settlers' increased visits to the ruins of two synagogues in the Jericho area in the West Bank worry Palestinians. Palestine
Palestinian dancer jailed in Israel Palestinians are accusing Israel of arbitrarily cracking down on cultural expression. Palestine
