Photo Essays

Countries such as Kuwait and Israel have instituted virtual lockdowns in the face of COVID-19, while religious gatherings have been limited at a time of year ripe with ritual. Others have been slower to act. By Tom Allinson

Directors from Iran face strict state restrictions, but they nevertheless manage to bypass them with creativity. These 10 filmmakers' works have received international critical acclaim despite the obstacles. By Elizabeth Grenier

The battle for Idlib is likely to be the last, bloody conflict in the Syrian war. Refugees are fleeing the city in droves. By Diana Hodali

High walls around the neighbourhoods of Pakistan’s embattled Hazara community in the southwestern city of Quetta are designed to protect them from extremist militants, but also serve as a constant reminder of the threat they face. By Gul Yousufzai and Akthar Soomro

Traditional healers are booming on the island of Zanzibar. The so-called Mgangas use herbs, massages and holy scriptures for their treatment. Above all, their patients seek protection from evil spirits. By Nermin Ismail

In India, bricks are traditionally made by hand. The job is dirty, exhausting, poorly paid, and mainly done by women. By Martin Muno

Iranian-German artist Parastou Forouhar, resident in Germany since the 1990s, is known for her idiosyncratic drawings, photographs, installations and animations. Frank Kleinbach shows some excerpts from Forouhar's past exhibitions.

Behind a suffocating political system and inquisitive cliches, Iranian youth dream of a break with the system while proudly defending their culture. By Gwenvaël Engel

Slave auctions, mass rapes, torture and hunger: Libyan security forces are said to take brutal action against refugees who want to enter Europe. In Libya they have landed in hell.

From the Kingdom of Elam to Alexander the Great, to the Shah dynasties and the Islamic Republic, Iran's cultural sites reflect its long history. By Philipp Jedicke