Culture Lebanon’s first lady Nehmat Aoun takes center stage during Pope's visit Lebanon’s first lady, Nehmat Aoun, attended nearly all gatherings and visits of Pope Leo during his three-day trip to Beirut, highlighting her active involvement in social and humanitarian issues. Lebanon
Lebanon’s citizenship offer for FIFA head sparks debate over equal rights Lebanon’s president has announced he will grant citizenship to FIFA President Gianni Infantino, sparking a wave of outrage. Lebanon
Iran judicial chief orders crackdown on women defying hijab law: What to know Chief Justice Gholamhossein Mohseni Ejei also called for legal action against the United States over the June strikes on Iranian nuclear sites. Iran
Culture Rape case against movie star Pejman Jamshidi rocks Iran: What to know The accusations against Jamshidi, one of Iran’s most famous celebrities, come amid ongoing discussions about women’s lack of rights in the country. Iran
Women’s rights activist Loujain al-Hathloul to stand trial in Saudi Arabia Loujain al-Hathloul will appear in a Saudi court Wednesday more than two years after she was first detained in a crackdown on human rights defenders. Saudi Arabia
Qatar reveals disturbing details and expresses 'regret' regarding strip-search of women at airport The Gulf state is under fire after women headed to Australia said they were forcibly searched in an attempt to see whether they had recently given birth to a newborn found alive in a trash can at Doha's airport. Qatar
Why women in Egypt continue to face violence The killing of a young woman during a robbery in the streets of Cairo has raised the ire of activists, who continue to call for legislation to protect women against violence. Egypt
Egypt female candidate angers feminists by glorifying the patriarchy A female candidate running in Egypt’s upcoming legislative elections has been glorifying men and the patriarchal system, raising the ire of feminists across the nation who have worked for years to change society’s view that women are inferior. Egypt
Cleric reopens scars of acid attacks after threatening Iranian women Threats by an influential hard-line cleric against Iranian women with loose headscarves has opened up old wounds left behind in acid attacks perpetrated by religious extremists. Iran
Gaza women use social media to reveal domestic abuse In light of the rise of domestic abuse cases in the Gaza Strip, women are resorting to social media to share their stories and try to protect their rights. Palestine
The Takeaway: Normalization deals don’t ‘repair damage’ of Trump policies, says US senator Democrat Chris Van Hollen takes apart Trump policies in Middle East; Al-Monitor gets the scoop on the art of the deal in Sudan; Turkey’s militarized foreign policy; the gold standard for nuclear power in the Middle East. United States
Egyptian TV host sparks controversy after saying there is 'devil' in unveiled women The recent remarks of a well-known Egyptian TV presenter on the hijab, criticizing those who are unveiled, stirred up a heated debate in Egypt. Egypt
COVID-19 and the marginalization of Iranian women COVID-19 has adversely impacted many segments of society across the globe, including Iranian women. Some fear the damage will be permanent. Originals
Intel: House Democrats want answers from Saudi ambassador over jailed female activists A group of seven congressional Democrats laid into Saudi Arabia’s ambassador to the United States on Wednesday for failing to respond to their repeated requests to discuss the kingdom’s continued detention of female rights activists. Saudi Arabia
Alleged sexual offenders face social media barrage in Egypt Despite rising online calls for sexual offenders to be held accountable for their crimes and a new amendment to the anti-sexual harassment law guaranteeing confidentiality of survivors, many women in Egypt are still reluctant to report sexual harassment incidents for fear of being stigmatized. Egypt
Female scooter-riders on the rise in Egypt Despite an increase in the number of sexual harassment and bullying cases Egyptian women are subjected to, they still plan on conquering any means of transportation. Egypt
