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Daily Life - Gaza

Photo taken on January 15, 2026 shows a street view in Gaza City. Photo by Rizek Abdeljawad/Xinhua/ABACAPRESS.COM

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Daily Life - Gaza

Photo taken on January 15, 2026 shows a street view in Gaza City. Photo by Rizek Abdeljawad/Xinhua/ABACAPRESS.COM

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Woman Life Freedom Protests

Photo by Sarina/Middle East Images/ABACAPRESS.COM Iranian people gather while blocking a street during a protest in Sa'adat Abad in Tehran, Iran on November 15, 2022. The nationwide protests started after the death of Mahsa Amini, a 22-year-old girl who died under the custody of the Islamic Republic's Morality Police on September 16th, 2022 in Tehran.

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Woman Life Freedom Protests

Photo by Sarina/Middle East Images/ABACAPRESS.COM Iranian people gather while blocking a street during a protest in Sa'adat Abad in Tehran, Iran on November 15, 2022. The nationwide protests started after the death of Mahsa Amini, a 22-year-old girl who died under the custody of the Islamic Republic's Morality Police on September 16th, 2022 in Tehran.

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Woman Life Freedom Protests

Photo by Sarina/Middle East Images/ABACAPRESS.COM Iranian people gather while blocking a street during a protest in Sa'adat Abad in Tehran, Iran on November 15, 2022. The nationwide protests started after the death of Mahsa Amini, a 22-year-old girl who died under the custody of the Islamic Republic's Morality Police on September 16th, 2022 in Tehran.

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Woman Life Freedom Protests

Photo by Sarina/Middle East Images/ABACAPRESS.COM Iranian people gather while blocking a street during a protest near Punak square on October 1, 2022 in Tehran, Iran. The nationwide protests started after the death of Mahsa Amini, a 22-year-old girl who died under the custody of the Islamic Republic's Morality Police on September 16th, 2022 in Tehran.

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Woman Life Freedom Protests

Photo by Sarina/Middle East Images/ABACAPRESS.COM Iranian people gather while blocking a street during a protest near Punak square on October 1, 2022 in Tehran, Iran. The nationwide protests started after the death of Mahsa Amini, a 22-year-old girl who died under the custody of the Islamic Republic's Morality Police on September 16th, 2022 in Tehran.

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Woman Life Freedom Protests

Photo by Sarina/Middle East Images/ABACAPRESS.COM Iranian people gather while blocking a street with a burning dumpster during a protest near Punak square on October 1, 2022 in Tehran, Iran. The nationwide protests started after the death of Mahsa Amini, a 22-year-old girl who died under the custody of the Islamic Republic's Morality Police on September 16th, 2022 in Tehran.

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UK: Storm Goretti Triggers Snow Warnings, Wreaking Havoc Across Country

The Met Office issued weather warnings for heavy snow as Storm Goretti approaches the UK, warning of potential injuries and a danger to life. The severe weather caused major travel disruptions, thousands of power outages, and the closure of many schools.

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Heavy Rains that Have Been Impacting Madagascar Since Late November Last Year

Vendors sell fruits alongside a flooded street in a neighborhood in Antananarivo, the capital of Madagascar, on January 7, 2026. Heavy rains that have been impacting Madagascar since late November last year have caused the deaths of 11 people and left six others injured, according to a report released Tuesday by the country's disaster management agency. The capital, Antananarivo, is among the areas hardest hit. A total of 274 people have been affected, with 26 residential houses damaged or destroyed, said the National Office for Risk and Disaster Management. Located in the western Indian Ocean, Madagascar typically experiences its rainy season from November to March. The accompanying severe weather often causes loss of life, displaces residents, and floods vast areas of agricultural land. Photo by Sitraka Rajaonarison/Xinhua/ABACAPRESS.COM

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Heavy Rains that Have Been Impacting Madagascar Since Late November Last Year

Vendors sell fruits alongside a flooded street in a neighborhood in Antananarivo, the capital of Madagascar, on January 7, 2026. Heavy rains that have been impacting Madagascar since late November last year have caused the deaths of 11 people and left six others injured, according to a report released Tuesday by the country's disaster management agency. The capital, Antananarivo, is among the areas hardest hit. A total of 274 people have been affected, with 26 residential houses damaged or destroyed, said the National Office for Risk and Disaster Management. Located in the western Indian Ocean, Madagascar typically experiences its rainy season from November to March. The accompanying severe weather often causes loss of life, displaces residents, and floods vast areas of agricultural land. Photo by Sitraka Rajaonarison/Xinhua/ABACAPRESS.COM

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Heavy Rains that Have Been Impacting Madagascar Since Late November Last Year

Vendors sell fruits alongside a flooded street in a neighborhood in Antananarivo, the capital of Madagascar, on January 7, 2026. Heavy rains that have been impacting Madagascar since late November last year have caused the deaths of 11 people and left six others injured, according to a report released Tuesday by the country's disaster management agency. The capital, Antananarivo, is among the areas hardest hit. A total of 274 people have been affected, with 26 residential houses damaged or destroyed, said the National Office for Risk and Disaster Management. Located in the western Indian Ocean, Madagascar typically experiences its rainy season from November to March. The accompanying severe weather often causes loss of life, displaces residents, and floods vast areas of agricultural land. Photo by Sitraka Rajaonarison/Xinhua/ABACAPRESS.COM

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Heavy Rains that Have Been Impacting Madagascar Since Late November Last Year

People cross a flooded street in a neighborhood in Antananarivo, the capital of Madagascar, on January 7, 2026. Heavy rains that have been impacting Madagascar since late November last year have caused the deaths of 11 people and left six others injured, according to a report released Tuesday by the country's disaster management agency. The capital, Antananarivo, is among the areas hardest hit. A total of 274 people have been affected, with 26 residential houses damaged or destroyed, said the National Office for Risk and Disaster Management. Located in the western Indian Ocean, Madagascar typically experiences its rainy season from November to March. The accompanying severe weather often causes loss of life, displaces residents, and floods vast areas of agricultural land. Photo by Sitraka Rajaonarison/Xinhua/ABACAPRESS.COM

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Daily Life of Women in Afghanistan

Women wearing burqas walk with children along a street during Ashura in Kabul, Afghanistan on December 27, 2009. Ashura marks the climax of a 10-day mourning period commemorating the death of Imam Hussein, the grandson of Prophet Mohammad, who was killed in the Battle of Karbala in 680 CE. Photo by Middle East Images/ABACAPRESS.COM

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Heavy Rain in Gaza

People walk through a wet street after heavy rain in Gaza City, Gaza Strip on November 25, 2025. The Gaza Strip remains heavily damaged after two years of conflict that began with Hamas’s October 7, 2023 attack on Israel and Israel’s subsequent assault. Photo by Hashem Zimmo/Middle East Images/ABACAPRESS.COM

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Heavy Rain in Gaza

People walk through a wet street after heavy rain in Gaza City, Gaza Strip on November 25, 2025. The Gaza Strip remains heavily damaged after two years of conflict that began with Hamas’s October 7, 2023 attack on Israel and Israel’s subsequent assault. Photo by Hashem Zimmo/Middle East Images/ABACAPRESS.COM

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Heavy Rain in Gaza

People walk through a wet street after heavy rain in Gaza City, Gaza Strip on November 25, 2025. The Gaza Strip remains heavily damaged after two years of conflict that began with Hamas’s October 7, 2023 attack on Israel and Israel’s subsequent assault. Photo by Hashem Zimmo/Middle East Images/ABACAPRESS.COM

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Heavy Rain in Gaza

A child carries belongings while walking through a wet street after heavy rain in Gaza City, Gaza Strip on November 25, 2025. The Gaza Strip remains heavily damaged after two years of conflict that began with Hamas’s October 7, 2023 attack on Israel and Israel’s subsequent assault. Photo by Hashem Zimmo/Middle East Images/ABACAPRESS.COM

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Life Returns to Damascus District - Syria

A resident walks along a deserted street lined with destroyed buildings in Yarmouk camp, Damascus, Syria, on November 8, 2025. Established in 1957, Yarmouk was once the largest Palestinian refugee community in Syria, but years of conflict left much of it in ruins. Photo by Omar Albaw/Middle East Images/ABACAPRESS.COM

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Life Returns to Damascus District - Syria

A man walks through a damaged street framed by the remains of destroyed buildings in Yarmouk camp, Damascus, Syria, on November 8, 2025. Established in 1957, Yarmouk was once the largest Palestinian refugee community in Syria, but years of conflict left much of it in ruins. Photo by Omar Albaw/Middle East Images/ABACAPRESS.COM

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US: Arrests Made at Protests Outside ICE Facility in Portland

On Saturday, October 11, the Portland Police Bureau (PPB) monitored protest activity in the South Waterfront area, resulting in two arrests. During the event, police were notified of a man who had been assaulted and injured near South Bancroft Street and South Bond Avenue. The man was transported to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. Since nightly protests began in early June, the PPB has made a total of 49 arrests in the South Waterfront area, including these two.

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Daily Life in Varanasi - India

Detail of a sunlit door and a wall painted with flowers on a street in Varanasi, India, March 20, 2025. Varanasi is one of the world's oldest inhabited cities. Sitting on the Ganga River, Varanasi holds a central place in Hindu life and death rituals. Photo by Alex Gist/Middle East Images/ABACAPRESS.COM

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Daily Life in Varanasi - India

Detail of a sunlit door and a wall painted with flowers on a street in Varanasi, India, March 20, 2025. Varanasi is one of the world's oldest inhabited cities. Sitting on the Ganga River, Varanasi holds a central place in Hindu life and death rituals. Photo by Alex Gist/Middle East Images/ABACAPRESS.COM

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Daily Life in Varanasi - India

Detail of a towel and a pair of trousers hanging on a clothesline to dry in the sun on a street in Varanasi, India, March 20, 2025. Varanasi is one of the world's oldest inhabited cities. Sitting on the Ganga River, Varanasi holds a central place in Hindu life and death rituals. Photo by Alex Gist/Middle East Images/ABACAPRESS.COM

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Daily Life in Tel Aviv - Israel

Illustration - Daily Life in Tel Aviv. Tel Aviv, Israel. Tel Aviv, en Israel. On October 9, 2025. Photo by Lionel Urman/ABACAPRESS.COM

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Monsoons Flood in India

Motorcyclists ride through a flooded street during heavy rain in Prayagraj, India, on July 5, 2025. The seasonal rains bring much-needed relief from the summer heat but also disrupt daily life across northern India, leading to traffic congestion, localized flooding, and transportation delays. Photo by Sanjay Kanojia/Middle East Images/ABACAPRESS.COM

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Israeli Settlers in Hebron Old City - West Bank

Israeli soldiers patrol a deserted market street in the Old City of Hebron, West Bank on August 9, 2025. Settlers, under the protection of the Israeli occupation army, stormed the Old City in an attempt to control it and displace Palestinians from it. Photo by Mosab Shawer/Middle East Images/ABACAPRESS.COM

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Israeli Settlers in Hebron Old City - West Bank

Israeli soldiers patrol a deserted market street in the Old City of Hebron, West Bank on August 9, 2025. Settlers, under the protection of the Israeli occupation army, stormed the Old City in an attempt to control it and displace Palestinians from it. Photo by Mosab Shawer/Middle East Images/ABACAPRESS.COM

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Trans Woman Finds Shelter Amid Crackdown - Turkey

A café on Bornova Street is seen in Izmir, Turkey, on July 27, 2025. Situated in the Alsancak neighborhood of the city’s Konak district, Bornova Street is home to a large transgender community that faces increasing marginalization amid growing anti-LGBTQ+ sentiment in the country. Once a space of refuge and social connection, local cafés now exist under the shadow of police surveillance and community-wide fear. In recent weeks, authorities have issued sealing orders for 14 apartments in the area, citing efforts to combat prostitution. Activists argue the crackdown is part of a wider campaign targeting LGBTQ+ individuals during what the government has declared the “Year of the Family.” For many trans residents, public places like cafés remain vital yet vulnerable spaces for community, resilience, and visibility in an increasingly hostile environment. Photo by Middle East Images/ABACAPRESS.COM

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Trans Woman Finds Shelter Amid Crackdown - Turkey

A house sealed by police is seen on Bornova Street in Izmir, Turkey, on July 27, 2025. The property is one of 14 apartments targeted under a sealing order issued by local authorities in the Konak district, officially citing efforts to combat prostitution. However, LGBTQ+ advocates say the crackdown is part of a broader campaign of institutional repression against the transgender community, which is densely concentrated in this area of the Alsancak neighborhood. Trans women living on Bornova Street report increasing levels of harassment, including violence by civilians and police raids, amid a political climate that has grown more hostile since the government designated 2025 as the “Year of the Family.” The sealing orders have forced many from their homes, deepening fears of displacement and discrimination in a city where safe spaces for LGBTQ+ individuals are rapidly shrinking. Photo by Middle East Images/ABACAPRESS.COM

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Trans Woman Finds Shelter Amid Crackdown - Turkey

A café on Bornova Street is seen in Izmir, Turkey, on July 27, 2025. Situated in the Alsancak neighborhood of the city’s Konak district, Bornova Street is home to a large transgender community that faces increasing marginalization amid growing anti-LGBTQ+ sentiment in the country. Once a space of refuge and social connection, local cafés now exist under the shadow of police surveillance and community-wide fear. In recent weeks, authorities have issued sealing orders for 14 apartments in the area, citing efforts to combat prostitution. Activists argue the crackdown is part of a wider campaign targeting LGBTQ+ individuals during what the government has declared the “Year of the Family.” For many trans residents, public places like cafés remain vital yet vulnerable spaces for community, resilience, and visibility in an increasingly hostile environment. Photo by Middle East Images/ABACAPRESS.COM

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Trans Woman Finds Shelter Amid Crackdown - Turkey

A café on Bornova Street is seen in Izmir, Turkey, on July 27, 2025. Situated in the Alsancak neighborhood of the city’s Konak district, Bornova Street is home to a large transgender community that faces increasing marginalization amid growing anti-LGBTQ+ sentiment in the country. Once a space of refuge and social connection, local cafés now exist under the shadow of police surveillance and community-wide fear. In recent weeks, authorities have issued sealing orders for 14 apartments in the area, citing efforts to combat prostitution. Activists argue the crackdown is part of a wider campaign targeting LGBTQ+ individuals during what the government has declared the “Year of the Family.” For many trans residents, public places like cafés remain vital yet vulnerable spaces for community, resilience, and visibility in an increasingly hostile environment. Photo by Middle East Images/ABACAPRESS.COM

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Trans Woman Finds Shelter Amid Crackdown - Turkey

Trans woman Helin spends time at her home on Bornova Street in the Alsancak neighborhood of Izmir, Turkey, on July 27, 2025. Bornova Street, located in the Konak district, is known as a densely inhabited area for transgender individuals, many of whom face mounting hostility amid an increasingly repressive climate for LGBTQ+ communities in Turkey. Residents report frequent harassment and violence, including raids and intimidation by both civilians and police. In a recent crackdown, authorities issued sealing orders for 14 apartments on the street, officially citing the fight against prostitution. However, activists argue that the move reflects a broader pattern of discrimination and systematic pressure, particularly during what the government has labeled the “Year of the Family.” In this atmosphere of fear and marginalization, trans women like Helin strive to maintain daily life and dignity within a community targeted by both social stigma and institutional hostility. Photo by Middle East Images/ABACAPRESS.COM

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Trans Woman Finds Shelter Amid Crackdown - Turkey

A café on Bornova Street is seen in Izmir, Turkey, on July 27, 2025. Situated in the Alsancak neighborhood of the city’s Konak district, Bornova Street is home to a large transgender community that faces increasing marginalization amid growing anti-LGBTQ+ sentiment in the country. Once a space of refuge and social connection, local cafés now exist under the shadow of police surveillance and community-wide fear. In recent weeks, authorities have issued sealing orders for 14 apartments in the area, citing efforts to combat prostitution. Activists argue the crackdown is part of a wider campaign targeting LGBTQ+ individuals during what the government has declared the “Year of the Family.” For many trans residents, public places like cafés remain vital yet vulnerable spaces for community, resilience, and visibility in an increasingly hostile environment. Photo by Middle East Images/ABACAPRESS.COM

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Trans Woman Finds Shelter Amid Crackdown - Turkey

Trans women Cigdem (L), Ozlem (C), and Helin (R) speak together outside their home on Bornova Street in Izmir, Turkey, on July 27, 2025. Located in the Alsancak neighborhood of the city’s Konak district, Bornova Street is known as a densely populated area for transgender individuals, many of whom face growing hostility amid increasing state and societal pressure on LGBTQ+ communities. Trans women living here report frequent harassment, including physical assaults by civilians and police raids. A recent sealing order targeting 14 apartments has further disrupted lives under the official justification of combating prostitution. The Turkish government’s declaration of 2025 as the “Year of the Family” has coincided with intensified crackdowns on LGBTQ+ visibility and spaces. Despite this climate of fear, Cigdem, Ozlem, and Helin continue to build community and resist marginalization in a city where their identities remain under threat. Photo by Middle East Images/ABACAPRESS.COM

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Trans Woman Finds Shelter Amid Crackdown - Turkey

Trans woman Helin spends time at her home on Bornova Street in the Alsancak neighborhood of Izmir, Turkey, on July 27, 2025. Bornova Street, located in the Konak district, is known as a densely inhabited area for transgender individuals, many of whom face mounting hostility amid an increasingly repressive climate for LGBTQ+ communities in Turkey. Residents report frequent harassment and violence, including raids and intimidation by both civilians and police. In a recent crackdown, authorities issued sealing orders for 14 apartments on the street, officially citing the fight against prostitution. However, activists argue that the move reflects a broader pattern of discrimination and systematic pressure, particularly during what the government has labeled the “Year of the Family.” In this atmosphere of fear and marginalization, trans women like Helin strive to maintain daily life and dignity within a community targeted by both social stigma and institutional hostility. Photo by Middle East Images/ABACAPRESS.COM

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Trans Woman Finds Shelter Amid Crackdown - Turkey

Trans woman Helin spends time at her home on Bornova Street in the Alsancak neighborhood of Izmir, Turkey, on July 27, 2025. Bornova Street, located in the Konak district, is known as a densely inhabited area for transgender individuals, many of whom face mounting hostility amid an increasingly repressive climate for LGBTQ+ communities in Turkey. Residents report frequent harassment and violence, including raids and intimidation by both civilians and police. In a recent crackdown, authorities issued sealing orders for 14 apartments on the street, officially citing the fight against prostitution. However, activists argue that the move reflects a broader pattern of discrimination and systematic pressure, particularly during what the government has labeled the “Year of the Family.” In this atmosphere of fear and marginalization, trans women like Helin strive to maintain daily life and dignity within a community targeted by both social stigma and institutional hostility. Photo by Middle East Images/ABACAPRESS.COM

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Trans Woman Finds Shelter Amid Crackdown - Turkey

Trans women Cigdem (L), Ozlem (C), and Helin (R) speak together outside their home on Bornova Street in Izmir, Turkey, on July 27, 2025. Located in the Alsancak neighborhood of the city’s Konak district, Bornova Street is known as a densely populated area for transgender individuals, many of whom face growing hostility amid increasing state and societal pressure on LGBTQ+ communities. Trans women living here report frequent harassment, including physical assaults by civilians and police raids. A recent sealing order targeting 14 apartments has further disrupted lives under the official justification of combating prostitution. The Turkish government’s declaration of 2025 as the “Year of the Family” has coincided with intensified crackdowns on LGBTQ+ visibility and spaces. Despite this climate of fear, Cigdem, Ozlem, and Helin continue to build community and resist marginalization in a city where their identities remain under threat. Photo by Middle East Images/ABACAPRESS.COM

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Trans Woman Finds Shelter Amid Crackdown - Turkey

A house sealed by police is seen on Bornova Street in Izmir, Turkey, on July 27, 2025. The property is one of 14 apartments targeted under a sealing order issued by local authorities in the Konak district, officially citing efforts to combat prostitution. However, LGBTQ+ advocates say the crackdown is part of a broader campaign of institutional repression against the transgender community, which is densely concentrated in this area of the Alsancak neighborhood. Trans women living on Bornova Street report increasing levels of harassment, including violence by civilians and police raids, amid a political climate that has grown more hostile since the government designated 2025 as the “Year of the Family.” The sealing orders have forced many from their homes, deepening fears of displacement and discrimination in a city where safe spaces for LGBTQ+ individuals are rapidly shrinking. Photo by Middle East Images/ABACAPRESS.COM

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Trans Woman Finds Shelter Amid Crackdown - Turkey

Trans women Cigdem (L), Ozlem (C), and Helin (R) speak together outside their home on Bornova Street in Izmir, Turkey, on July 27, 2025. Located in the Alsancak neighborhood of the city’s Konak district, Bornova Street is known as a densely populated area for transgender individuals, many of whom face growing hostility amid increasing state and societal pressure on LGBTQ+ communities. Trans women living here report frequent harassment, including physical assaults by civilians and police raids. A recent sealing order targeting 14 apartments has further disrupted lives under the official justification of combating prostitution. The Turkish government’s declaration of 2025 as the “Year of the Family” has coincided with intensified crackdowns on LGBTQ+ visibility and spaces. Despite this climate of fear, Cigdem, Ozlem, and Helin continue to build community and resist marginalization in a city where their identities remain under threat. Photo by Middle East Images/ABACAPRESS.COM

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Trans Woman Finds Shelter Amid Crackdown - Turkey

Trans woman Helin spends time at her home on Bornova Street in the Alsancak neighborhood of Izmir, Turkey, on July 27, 2025. Bornova Street, located in the Konak district, is known as a densely inhabited area for transgender individuals, many of whom face mounting hostility amid an increasingly repressive climate for LGBTQ+ communities in Turkey. Residents report frequent harassment and violence, including raids and intimidation by both civilians and police. In a recent crackdown, authorities issued sealing orders for 14 apartments on the street, officially citing the fight against prostitution. However, activists argue that the move reflects a broader pattern of discrimination and systematic pressure, particularly during what the government has labeled the “Year of the Family.” In this atmosphere of fear and marginalization, trans women like Helin strive to maintain daily life and dignity within a community targeted by both social stigma and institutional hostility. Photo by Middle East Images/ABACAPRESS.COM

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Trans Woman Finds Shelter Amid Crackdown - Turkey

Cigdem, a trans woman, shows the injury she sustained after surviving a violent assault by a man, revealing that part of her skull is missing, at her residence on Bornova Street in Izmir, Turkey, on July 27, 2025. She now requires ongoing medical care. Bornova Street, in the Alsancak neighborhood of the Konak district, is home to a significant transgender community increasingly targeted by violence and systemic discrimination. Residents report assaults not only from civilians committing hate crimes but also from law enforcement. A sealing order recently issued for 14 apartments, officially under the pretext of combating prostitution, has further displaced vulnerable individuals. These actions come during what the Turkish government calls the “Year of the Family,” a period that LGBTQ+ advocates say has coincided with heightened repression. Cigdem’s case exemplifies the physical danger and institutional neglect faced by trans women living in marginalization and fear. Photo by Middle East Images/ABACAPRESS.COM

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Trans Woman Finds Shelter Amid Crackdown - Turkey

Trans woman Helin spends time at her home on Bornova Street in the Alsancak neighborhood of Izmir, Turkey, on July 27, 2025. Bornova Street, located in the Konak district, is known as a densely inhabited area for transgender individuals, many of whom face mounting hostility amid an increasingly repressive climate for LGBTQ+ communities in Turkey. Residents report frequent harassment and violence, including raids and intimidation by both civilians and police. In a recent crackdown, authorities issued sealing orders for 14 apartments on the street, officially citing the fight against prostitution. However, activists argue that the move reflects a broader pattern of discrimination and systematic pressure, particularly during what the government has labeled the “Year of the Family.” In this atmosphere of fear and marginalization, trans women like Helin strive to maintain daily life and dignity within a community targeted by both social stigma and institutional hostility. Photo by Middle East Images/ABACAPRESS.COM

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Trans Woman Finds Shelter Amid Crackdown - Turkey

Trans woman Helin spends time at her home on Bornova Street in the Alsancak neighborhood of Izmir, Turkey, on July 27, 2025. Bornova Street, located in the Konak district, is known as a densely inhabited area for transgender individuals, many of whom face mounting hostility amid an increasingly repressive climate for LGBTQ+ communities in Turkey. Residents report frequent harassment and violence, including raids and intimidation by both civilians and police. In a recent crackdown, authorities issued sealing orders for 14 apartments on the street, officially citing the fight against prostitution. However, activists argue that the move reflects a broader pattern of discrimination and systematic pressure, particularly during what the government has labeled the “Year of the Family.” In this atmosphere of fear and marginalization, trans women like Helin strive to maintain daily life and dignity within a community targeted by both social stigma and institutional hostility. Photo by Middle East Images/ABACAPRESS.COM

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Trans Woman Finds Shelter Amid Crackdown - Turkey

Trans woman Helin spends time at her home on Bornova Street in the Alsancak neighborhood of Izmir, Turkey, on July 27, 2025. Bornova Street, located in the Konak district, is known as a densely inhabited area for transgender individuals, many of whom face mounting hostility amid an increasingly repressive climate for LGBTQ+ communities in Turkey. Residents report frequent harassment and violence, including raids and intimidation by both civilians and police. In a recent crackdown, authorities issued sealing orders for 14 apartments on the street, officially citing the fight against prostitution. However, activists argue that the move reflects a broader pattern of discrimination and systematic pressure, particularly during what the government has labeled the “Year of the Family.” In this atmosphere of fear and marginalization, trans women like Helin strive to maintain daily life and dignity within a community targeted by both social stigma and institutional hostility. Photo by Middle East Images/ABACAPRESS.COM

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Trans Woman Finds Shelter Amid Crackdown - Turkey

Cigdem, a trans woman, shows the injury she sustained after surviving a violent assault by a man, revealing that part of her skull is missing, at her residence on Bornova Street in Izmir, Turkey, on July 27, 2025. She now requires ongoing medical care. Bornova Street, in the Alsancak neighborhood of the Konak district, is home to a significant transgender community increasingly targeted by violence and systemic discrimination. Residents report assaults not only from civilians committing hate crimes but also from law enforcement. A sealing order recently issued for 14 apartments, officially under the pretext of combating prostitution, has further displaced vulnerable individuals. These actions come during what the Turkish government calls the “Year of the Family,” a period that LGBTQ+ advocates say has coincided with heightened repression. Cigdem’s case exemplifies the physical danger and institutional neglect faced by trans women living in marginalization and fear. Photo by Middle East Images/ABACAPRESS.COM

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Trans Woman Finds Shelter Amid Crackdown - Turkey

Trans woman Helin spends time at her home on Bornova Street in the Alsancak neighborhood of Izmir, Turkey, on July 27, 2025. Bornova Street, located in the Konak district, is known as a densely inhabited area for transgender individuals, many of whom face mounting hostility amid an increasingly repressive climate for LGBTQ+ communities in Turkey. Residents report frequent harassment and violence, including raids and intimidation by both civilians and police. In a recent crackdown, authorities issued sealing orders for 14 apartments on the street, officially citing the fight against prostitution. However, activists argue that the move reflects a broader pattern of discrimination and systematic pressure, particularly during what the government has labeled the “Year of the Family.” In this atmosphere of fear and marginalization, trans women like Helin strive to maintain daily life and dignity within a community targeted by both social stigma and institutional hostility. Photo by Middle East Images/ABACAPRESS.COM

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Trans Woman Finds Shelter Amid Crackdown - Turkey

Trans woman Helin spends time at her home on Bornova Street in the Alsancak neighborhood of Izmir, Turkey, on July 27, 2025. Bornova Street, located in the Konak district, is known as a densely inhabited area for transgender individuals, many of whom face mounting hostility amid an increasingly repressive climate for LGBTQ+ communities in Turkey. Residents report frequent harassment and violence, including raids and intimidation by both civilians and police. In a recent crackdown, authorities issued sealing orders for 14 apartments on the street, officially citing the fight against prostitution. However, activists argue that the move reflects a broader pattern of discrimination and systematic pressure, particularly during what the government has labeled the “Year of the Family.” In this atmosphere of fear and marginalization, trans women like Helin strive to maintain daily life and dignity within a community targeted by both social stigma and institutional hostility. Photo by Middle East Images/ABACAPRESS.COM

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Nouakchott City Daily Life - Mauritania

A man walks on the street in Nouakchott, Mauritania, on July 14, 2025. Nouakchott, on the edge of the Sahara Desert, is the capital of Mauritania and its political, economic, and cultural center. Photo by Han Xu/Xinhua/ABACAPRESS.COM

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Yizu Dage Presentation in Yunnan - China

An aerial drone photo taken on July 18, 2025 shows a local Yizu Dage team performing during a parade show on the ancient street of Nanzhao in Weishan Yi and Hui Autonomous County, Dali Bai Autonomous Prefecture, southwest China's Yunnan Province. Yizu Dage, a traditional folk art of the Yi ethnic group usually performed during festivals, weddings, funerals and other gathering occasions, has a history of about 10 centuries and was listed as a national-level intangible cultural heritage in 2008. Weishan is dubbed "cradle of Yizu Dage." Provincial and prefecture authorities of Yunnan have rolled out policies and dedicated funds in support of the development and popularization of Dage art. To date, Dage art is not only integral part of local people's daily life, but also a major tourist attraction. Photo by Peng Yikai /Xinhua/ABACAPRESS.COM