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
Stadium gates gradually open for Iranian women Years of campaigning is bearing fruit and victory seems just around the corner for civil and women's rights activists in Iran, who have gone the extra mile in convincing the state to open soccer stadiums to Iranian women. Iran
Palestinian farmers check out seeds from West Bank library Vivien Sansour discovered the need to protect Palestinian seeds while looking for red carrots six years ago and opened a seed library in Beit Sahour; the library will soon move its permanent headquarters to Battir. Palestine
Yazidis divided over selection of new leader After the death of the spiritual leader of the Yazidi sect in Iraq and the world, differences come up over the selection of his successor. Iraq
Meet the women in Lebanon’s government All eyes are on the four women appointed to Cabinet positions in Lebanon's new government, a record high in the country plagued by economic and other longstanding issues. Lebanon
Israeli city breaks with status quo on the Sabbath An initiative by the mayor of Tiberias for the municipality to help provide public transportation on the Sabbath has caused the issue of the social status quo to the forefront of public discussion. Israel
Tunisian man jailed for reporting rape highlights LGBT struggles After reporting his rape this past January, a Tunisian man was jailed and sentenced to six months in prison, sparking anger in the LGBT community. Tunisia
Turkish town gets a splash of color with local black rose Turkey's southeastern town of Halfeti claims to be the home of a rare black rose grown only on the riverbeds of the Euphrates River. Turkey
Murder of Iraqi novelist stirs fear, outrage A popular Iraqi writer was killed by unknown gunmen, stoking already rampant fears of violence among educated Iraqis. Iraq
Will Palestine finally recognize local evangelicals? In light of the growing influence of Christian Zionism in the West, the Palestinian leadership is revisiting recognition of evangelicals in the Palestinian territories and engaging local evangelicals to speak with Western Christians about support for Israel and the Palestinian movement. Palestine
Will Israeli Jews support Arab Knesset candidate? Ahead of April 9 elections, Jewish voters on the left have surprisingly come out in support of Taal, headed by Israeli Arab Knesset member Ahmad Tibi. Palestine
Why Egyptian farmers' sons would rather migrate than work in fields Agriculture in the Egyptian countryside is in decline as farmers' offspring would rather move abroad than stay at family farms. Egypt
New generation of Iraqi archaeologists follows in mentor's footsteps Iraq's young archaeologists are remembering their inspiration and frequent mentor Lamia Gailani, who worked hard to restore her country's lost heritage and encourage new scientists to explore the field. Iraq
