The story: Teachers in Iraqi Kurdistan are escalating protests to pressure the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) into paying public sector salaries more regularly. Thirteen teachers have been on a hunger strike for weeks while security forces have violently prevented demonstrators in Sulaimaniyah from bringing their protest to Erbil. This comes as negotiations between Iraq’s federal government and the KRG over budget allocations linger, with protesters skeptical about the outcome.

The coverage: Reacting to repeated delays to KRG salary payments to public servants, teachers in Sulaimaniyah launched a protest...