Photo Essays

Over a week since the earthquake that devastated towns and cities along both sides of the Syrian-Turkish border, the death toll now exceeds 41,000. As rescue efforts move into the recovery phase, questions are inevitably being asked

Braving the bitter cold, Lebanese villagers have been patrolling a mountainside in the country's north, trying to protect trees from loggers who roll in under the cover of darkness, while refugees in the Bekaa valley have joined a seed bomb reforestation project

Since seizing power in mid-2021, the Taliban have continued to restrict the rights of Afghan women and girls. At the end of 2022, they banned women from attending higher education. By Nele Jensch

Extreme heat and drought followed by floods: climate change is making this sequence of weather in Pakistan increasingly likely. The consequences include crop failure, as seen in the chilli capital of Pakistan, Kunri. By Florian Görner

The violent death of Jina Mahsa Amini in September has triggered the largest protest movement in decades against the repressive rule in the Islamic Republic. The Iranian state has reacted with full force.

Ajvatovica, the largest Muslim pilgrimage in Europe, dates back over 500 years. Legend has it that Ajvaz Dedo, an Anatolian dervish, prayed to God for water during a period of drought for 40 days and nights in front of a huge rock near the town of Prusac in what is now Bosnia and Herzegovina. On the last day, he fell asleep, only to find when he awoke that the rock had split in two, releasing a stream of water. By Konstantin Novakovic

Once a year, UNESCO inscribes traditions and customs on the Intangible Cultural Heritage List. A selection from the year 2022.

Playing football in a hijab: founded in 2018, the London-based football club Sisterhood FC offers Muslim women the opportunity to combine their sporting passion and their religious beliefs. By Claudia Dehn and Ayse Tasci-Steinbach

COP27 host Egypt – the Arab world’s most populous country – is taking steps to convert to renewable energy. But the developing country, like others, faces obstacles in making the switch. Much of its infrastructure depends on fossil fuels to power the nation of some 104 million people. By Samy Magdy and Jack Jeffery

Doha is the capital of Qatar, which is hosting this year's football World Cup. From desert rides to stunning architecture, the city has plenty to offer. By Anne Termeche