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
International prize nomination shines spotlight on West Bank theater Palestine's Al-Harah Theater is one of the 11 finalists for the Ellen Stewart International Award, a prestigious prize for theater companies that promote social change. Palestine
Palestinian Museum's digital archive project to preserve heritage A three-year project by the Palestinian Museum will enable Palestinians to find and archive key historical documents. Palestine
Jordanian dry yogurt gets sweet deal Omar Sartawi, a Jordanian chef with unorthodox practices, took Bedouin dried yogurt and made it into white chocolate truffles — but the jury is still out on its taste. Jordan
Iraq’s legendary copper markets fade away Iraqi's legendary copper markets, once centers of commerce and socialization, are now fading away, from Baghdad to Najaf. Iraq
'The Journey': An Iraqi film in Iraqi cinema after 27 years Iraqi cinemas are making a comeback to display Iraqi films commercially, starting with director Mohammed al-Daradji's psychological thriller "The Journey." Iraq
Israeli photographers seek to define 'chutzpah' A recent photo exhibition examined whether "chutzpah," an Israeli word that has been exported into English and other languages, refers to vulgarity and disrespect or originality and guts. Israel
Egyptian writers use history to highlight the present Inspired by history and its relation to the present, novels by Rasha Adly and Ahmad Abdulatif landed them nominations for the International Prize for Arabic Fiction. Egypt
Najaf’s wax statues kindle meltdown for conservative Iraqi clerics The exhibition of wax sculptures in a museum in Najaf, a conservative Shiite city, marks a major reformist development and a cultural breakthrough. Iraq
Barqa Museum in Nablus collects Palestinian heritage A family of collectors from Nablus has single-handedly created a museum of more than 5,000 pieces that reflect Palestine’s heritage since the Canaanite period. Palestine
Will Great Mosque of Samarra and its minaret survive? The 1,200-year-old minaret of the Great Mosque in Samarra is in dire need of restoration, which the Iraqi authorities and UNESCO have started working on. Iraq
Diyarbakir's signature dessert is multicultural tradition Diyarbakir owes its famous dessert, kadaif, to the 18th-century Armenian population, but today, Muslim transports from nearby Bingol have taken over the trade. Turkey
Female storyteller brings new twist to old Jordanian tales Sally Shalabi, a Palestinian-Jordanian storyteller, reinterprets the folk tales of the past to suit the events of the day, where women take on a more prominent role and are no longer bystanders. Jordan
