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
Young Iraqis re-encounter their Jewish compatriots After seven decades of alienation, Iraqi Jews use culture to build bridges with their non-Jewish countrymen and vice versa. Iraq
Veganism wins hearts, minds in meat-loving Istanbul Vegan shops are springing up across Istanbul, and many curious Turks are learning to make revamp their traditional meat, egg and dairy-based dishes. Turkey
How this youth band from Gaza helps other musicians Gaza's Sol Band makes its voice heard in concerts and on the internet, but an album just needs to wait. Palestine
Cairo to set design standards for mosques Egypt's Ministry of Endowments plans to impose a single design style for new and even existing mosques being restored as part of the government's efforts to modernize Egyptian cities. Egypt
Israeli Arabs engaging in electoral campaign The merger of the Hadash and Ta’al parties reflects growing willingness within the Israeli Arab population to become a meaningful part of Israel’s society and electoral map. Palestine
Israeli diplomats cheer European debate on anti-Zionism On the backdrop of rising violence against Jews in Europe, Israeli envoys are relieved to hear Europeans argue about whether anti-Zionism is a form of anti-Semitism. Israel
Erdogan FC: A soccer dream deferred Turkish media recently reported the founding of a soccer team called the Presidency Sports Club, but in less than a day all traces of the team had vanished. It's not likely the end of the story. Turkey
Egypt eyes Asian tourists Almost four years after the Russian plane crash over Egypt’s Sinai, the country’s recovering tourism sector is moving to expand the Asian markets. Egypt
Turkish judiciary toughens stance on ‘Kurdistan’ groups The word “Kurdistan” is once again becoming taboo in Turkey, with the judiciary targeting parties and civic groups that use the word in their names. Turkey
Iraq's ancient city of Ur: source of law, site of wonder Tourists are slowly beginning to return to the ancient Sumerian city of Ur, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, raising hopes among some locals. Iraq
Will Uighurs upend Turkey-China relations? Ankara’s angry outburst over the alleged death of a renowned Uighur folk musician while in Chinese detention has exposed the weakness of Turkey’s claims of defending the minority and its dire need to maintain good relations with Beijing. Turkey
Israeli scientists count down to first private moon mission A group of young Israeli scientists are hoping to make history by landing the first Israeli-made private spacecraft on the moon. Israel
