Artistic heart of Iraq's Kurdistan thrives, but wants more public engagement Sulaimaniyah, often called the Kurdistan Region of Iraq’s “culture capital,” has become something of a haven for artists, though obstacles remain for the vibrant and self-sustaining artistic center they envision. Iraq
Libyan artists turn to black comedy to show youth exploitation A play dubbed “Chocolate Egg” uses black comedy to show the exploitation of young Libyans by officials to lure them into military formations. North Africa
Saudi 2030 to expand art scene in Jeddah, Riyadh With Saudi Arabia’s new social reform plan the local art scene is blooming with a plethora of cultural initiatives. Gulf
Gaza's first female beekeeper expands apiary The enclave's first female beekeeper speaks about the challenges facing Gaza's beekeeping profession. Palestine
Egyptologists refute British theory doubting King Tut’s mask A British Egyptologist argues that the famous King Tut’s mask might not have belonged to the young ruler but rather to a woman, which could be Queen Nefertiti — a theory that was refuted by Egyptian Egyptologists and archaeologists. Egypt
Palestinian dancer jailed in Israel Palestinians are accusing Israel of arbitrarily cracking down on cultural expression. Palestine
First TV series starring people with disabilities to be released in Egypt During Ramadan, an Egyptian series starring 25 actors with disabilities will be aired on social media, amid efforts to shed light on the marginalization and stigma that Egyptians with a disability face. Culture & Society
Gaza animal shelter gets stray dogs off streets With help from the Gaza municipality, a rescue group has established a rare animal shelter in the enclave. Palestine
Ancient South Sinai city of Saint Catherine to get facelift Egypt has begun implementing the first phase of a project to develop the city of Saint Catherine in South Sinai and promote tourism in the area. Egypt
Palestinian village becomes prison for residents The Palestinian village of Beit Iksa lies on the Palestinian side of the Israeli separation wall, and its residents feel trapped in a large prison surrounded by Israeli settlements. Palestine
Trendy restaurants pop up in Syria’s Aleppo Restaurants are opening at a high speed in opposition-held areas in the Aleppo countryside, making it tempting for capital owners to invest in this relatively safe service sector. Culture & Society
The lost Jewish surnames of Cairo An extensive list of the surnames of the Jewish families who lived in Cairo has been published, helping tell stories across generations. Egypt
Egypt's satirical puppet Abla Fahita makes comeback on Netflix's 'Drama Queen' Netflix has started airing a second Egyptian original series about Abla Fahita as the US streaming giant seeks to expand its viewership in the Arab world. Egypt
Palestinians receive first batch of vaccines through COVAX More than 60,000 doses of the AstraZeneca and Pfizer/BioNTech vaccines arrived in Ramallah on Wednesday. Palestine
Israeli and Emirati rugby teams to play each other for first time The rugby sevens match in Dubai is the latest example of the strengthening of relations between Israel and the UAE and shows a shift in Israel's sports relations with other regional states. United Arab Emirates
Rights group criticizes Jordan over debt imprisonment Human Rights Watch has highlighted the plight of poor Jordanians imprisoned for failing to pay back loans taken out to meet basic needs. Jordan
