Photo Essays

Hundreds of porters, locally known as ‘kolbars’, cross the mountainous border between Iran and Iraqi Kurdistan all year round. With Iran’s economic crisis deepening, ever more Kurds are choosing this poorly paid and extremely dangerous job as the only way to make a living and provide for their families. Images and text by Konstantin Novakovic

Graffiti and protests in support of the women of Iran who have risen up against their oppressors are indicative of the solidarity felt by many around the globe. By Shabnam von Hein

As the Iranian regime continues to crack down violently on protests following the death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini, thousands of people again took to the streets in several countries over the weekend.

"Like on the set of an Indiana Jones movie", said archaeologist Eli Jannai when he entered the burial chamber from the time of the Egyptian pharaoh Ramses II. Found by accident at a popular beach at the Palmahim National Park, it joins the list of recent archaeological finds in the region. By Brenda Haas

Each year, millions of Muslims set out on a pilgrimage to Touba, in central Senegal. The annual event even surpasses the number of faithful who undertake the traditional hajj to Saudi Arabia. By Rene Wilbrandt

For some in India, the death of Queen Elizabeth II has provoked sympathies for a deeply respected figure – Narendra Modi called the queen "a stalwart of our times" – while for a few others, it jogged memories of a bloody history under the British crown. But among most regular Indians, the news was met with an indifferent shrug.

Floods have killed more than 900 people in Pakistan and destroyed about 220,000 homes. The government speaks of a "climate-induced humanitarian disaster of epic proportions". By Philipp Boll

On August 15, 1947, India – which until then had been a British protectorate – became independent. Sophie Dissemond marks the 75th anniversary with a tour of the country.

Cooling forest islands instead of sizzling concrete jungles: dozens of planting projects are intended to make the heat in Karachi more bearable – a relief for people and animals. By Claudia Dehn (with Reuters)

In April 2012, Tukish novelist and Nobel laureate Orhan Pamuk opened a private museum – "Masumiyet Muzesi" (The Museum of Innocence) – in an old district of Istanbul, showcasing thousands of objects relating to the life of ordinary people in the Turkish metropolis. By Changiz M. Varzi