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
Why Ghouta refugees in Afrin refused to send their children to school The displaced from eastern Ghouta protested a decision by Afrin’s local council to ban schools set up by them, by refusing to send their children to mixed schools. Syria
El Al caves to ultra-Orthodox threats, retracts blame for flight fiasco Following an outrageous incident in which a flight was forced to land in Greece to avoid the Sabbath, Israel's national carrier El Al has backed down from identifying ultra-Orthodox passengers as the cause of the commotion for fear of a boycott. Israel
Lebanese groups work to protect striped hyenas Misconceptions have led to fear of the striped hyena, the national animal of Lebanon, and the shy creature is often illegally hunted despite the key role it plays in the country's ecosystem. Lebanon
Clothing drive in Saraqeb revives community spirit A group of young volunteers in Saraqeb organized donations of spare clothing to distribute to internally placed Syrians and others who might be in need during the coming winter. Syria
Gender discrimination back in vogue under Israel's conservative judges Israeli democracy suffered a heavy blow this week when conservative justices appointed by Justice Minister Ayelet Shaked denied a woman who cheated on her husband her half of their apartment. Israel
When Yara met Fadi: Gazans help couple pick up pieces after Israeli strike "I will wait for you even if it takes 60 years," a young man from Gaza promised his Syrian fiancee before an Israeli airstrike delayed their long-awaited marriage. Palestine
Egypt's oldest festival makes room for women directors The Cairo International Film Festival is putting female directors in the spotlight this year, including adding a section dedicated to their works. Egypt
Is Egypt's handmade carpet industry on brink of extinction? As handmade carpet factories continue to disappear in Egypt, a dedicated weaver toils on as one of three remaining workers in a surviving enterprise, doing the only job he can imagine. Egypt
Egypt's animated effort to fight religious extremism Dar al-Ifta has created a graphics unit in an attempt to battle religious extremism through animated videos, but the jury is still out on whether the direction taken so far in two productions will persuade the target audience. Egypt
Airbnb battle threatens Israeli tourism industry Tourism Minister Yariv Levin is willing to sacrifice Israel's tourism industry for the sake of his pro-settlement ideology and the fight against the boycott movement. Palestine
Will northern Sinai’s new cultural centers promote moderate Islam? Egypt’s Ministry of Religious Endowments has opened an Islamic cultural center in each governorate to teach moderate Islam and fight radicalism; the volatile northern Sinai Peninsula, where the army fights religious fundamentalists, has three. Egypt
Many Turks outraged by state religious authority's bloated budget Turkey's 2019 budget includes a sharp increase for its Religious Affairs Directorate, drawing criticism of what some see as a vast overreach in influence. Turkey
