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. Legacy: Gulf
Gaza's first female beekeeper expands apiary The enclave's first female beekeeper speaks about the challenges facing Gaza's beekeeping profession. Palestine
Egypt targets artists in ongoing crackdown on dissent Two Egyptian actors who decry human rights violations in Egypt before US Congress members are vilified at home, as is an Egyptian singer. Egypt
Real Madrid plans to open Iraqi soccer academy The popular Real Madrid Football Club plans to establish a training academy for its many young Iraqi fans. Iraq
New app connects food donors to charities in Egypt The Tekeya app, which enables hotels, restaurants and markets in Egypt to donate or sell their surplus food, could help charities develop sustainable supplies of meals to the poor. Egypt
Four-legged victims of war find peace in Jordan Forty animals from Rafah Zoo in the Gaza Strip, considered the worst zoo in the world, will join at the end of the month other rescue animals at Jordan's wildlife center aptly called New Hope. Palestine
Iranians open homes to travelers stranded by floods While criticizing the government for its inadequate response to the deadly flooding that has ravaged the country, ordinary Iranians are engaging in spontaneous relief efforts for the stranded and the displaced. Iran
Iraq begins painful task of identifying IS victims in mass graves With help from the United Nations, the Iraqi government has begun exhuming the mass graves of thousands of Yazidis killed by the Islamic State. Iraq
Why Israelis ignore 40th anniversary of peace with Egypt Forty years after Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin and Egyptian President Anwar Sadat signed the peace treaty, Israelis sideline this achievement and prefer to ignore that relations with an Arab nation can change. Egypt
Yogurt: The Turks' other delight Home-made yogurt, the common denominator in the varied Turkish cuisine, is making a comeback thanks to today's health food trends. Turkey
Netflix shakes up Egyptian film, TV industry A year after "The Secret of Nile" became the first Egyptian series on Netflix, more Egyptian productions are finding their way to the streaming service. Egypt
Kurds in Afrin celebrate Nowruz despite ban Kurds in Syria’s northern city of Afrin, joined by internally displaced people, celebrated Nowruz despite a ban imposed by armed opposition factions. Syria
Independent film festival builds home for Palestinian cinema in Haifa In Israel's Haifa, an independent film festival showcases Palestinian and Middle Eastern films in an effort to create a local artistic hub and reconnect the coastal city's Palestinian community to the rest of the Arab world. Palestine
Why does Israel sabotage relations with Jordan? The Israeli government’s irresponsible behavior involving the Bab al-Rahma issue and other matters threatens ties with Jordan and squanders the possibility of working constructively with King Abdullah II. Palestine
