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
Israelis long to reconnect with Arab, Islamic homelands Many Israeli Jews with Middle Eastern origins remember a painful expulsion from their homelands and want to preserve and celebrate the history of those Jewish communities. Israel
New secrets revealed in discovery at Heliopolis, Egypt's most ancient capital Egyptian and German archaeologists have been working for 15 years to uncover the ruins of a city, the center of sun worship, in the Matariyyah region east of Cairo. This month, they revealed the remains of one of its temples belonging to King Nectanebo I. Culture
Dancer pushes for UNESCO to recognize Egyptian belly dancing Egyptian dancer Amie Sultan is working to get classical belly dance recognized as Egyptian heritage globally. Culture
Children's books share Sudan's endangered Nobiin with new readers Three Nubian-Sudanese writers have published children's books written in the Nobiin language and using the Old Nubian script. Culture
Race against time to save Europe’s largest timber building A first step forward in the effort to save Europe’s largest timber building in Istanbul has been completed, but experts warn the restoration is progressing slowly. Turkey
Turkish synagogues get makeover as Izmir strives for UNESCO stamp An ambitious effort to revive Izmir’s Jewish heritage is paying off as the Turkish city vies for a place on the UNESCO heritage list. Turkey
Egypt to announce opening of world’s largest open museum in Luxor governorate As part of Egypt’s efforts to boost tourism, the Ministry of Antiquities bets on the restoration of El-Kebash Road in Luxor, which is one of the biggest open-air archaeological sites in the world. Culture
Israeli farmers prepare for year of rest Preparing for the year of Shmita, when the land must rest and not be cultivated, Israel is privileging the importation of produce from Jordan and the Palestinian Authority. Israel
Iran's art community fears 'Stalin era' under Raisi President Ebrahim Raisi's pick for the post of culture minister has drawn a furious backlash from Iran's art community members, who fear there will be a return to stifling cultural restrictions. Iran
Restoration of Virgin Mary Monastery in southern Egypt sparks controversy The Egyptian Coptic Orthodox Church is on the defensive after tiles were placed over the traditional flooring at a historic monastery in Assiut governorate. Culture
Egypt to renovate shrines in major boost to religious tourism Egypt plans to restore and renovate the shrines and tombs of the Prophet Muhammad’s family and surrounding roads and squares in a move expected to support religious tourism. Egypt
Egypt to document cinematic heritage The Egyptian Ministry of Culture’s National Center for Cinema has launched a project to digitize information about major players in the Egyptian film industry over the decades. Egypt
