In Egypt, women are breaking the stained glass ceiling with pulpits open to Muslim female preachers for the first time. Earlier this year, the Ministry of Religious Endowments officially appointed 144 female preachers to lecture congregations made up exclusively of women. It's part of President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi's broader campaign to combat radicalisation. A promising first step, but there's still a long way to go to achieve gender equality within the country's religious ranks.

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But first, along the shifting frontlines of northern Syria, US-backed Kurdish fighters engage extremists in violent clashes as they close in on Raqqa, the Islamic State group's stronghold.

And green power is set to light up five percent of Israel. We take you on a tour of the world's tallest solar tower, which is being built in the desert.

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