Middle East


Syria's Alawite women face rape, abduction, forced marriage amid state complicity, report finds

A Syrian refugee wears a scarf reading 'Freedom' while taking part in a demonstration in Athens calling for women rights on March 8, 2017, marking the International Women's Day.

Egypt’s media crackdown draws international outcry after Mada Masr closure

Members of Mada Masr work in their office on January 25 2015 in Cairo, Egypt.Mada Masr is a Cairo-based independent news website.

Iran economy faces 25% deeper contraction amid soaring inflation, major employment crisis

An Iranian woman walks next to an anti-Israeli mural on a street in Tehran, Iran, May 18, 2026.