Egyptian influencers, especially women, have become the target of a crackdown by authorities. At least a dozen women have been prosecuted since 2020 for ''attacking family values''. Two of them, Haneen Hossam and Mawada al-Adham, were sentenced to three and six years in jail on charges of "attacking society's values" and "inciting human trafficking". Like many TikTokers, they made videos of themselves dancing and lip-synching to music. For more on the crackdown, we speak to Souleimene Benghazi, an Egypt and Tunisia campaigner at Amnesty International.
Meanwhile, Iranians are in mourning after the assassination of Colonel Sayyad Khodai. Tehran is pointing the finger at the US and Israel and vowing revenge. The high-profile killing of the Revolutionary Guard is expected to further set back relations between Iran and the West. Negotiations to restore a 2015 nuclear deal have been stalled since March.
In Turkey, the Eastern Express, or Dogu Ekspressi in Turkish, is the name of the train line that links Ankara in the west with Kars in the east. Since it was inaugurated in 1936, the train journey has showcased the country's beautiful and diverse scenery. Getting a ticket is often a lifelong dream for many of its passengers.
