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
Kurdish film festival screens, then withdraws, Israeli movie Israeli filmmakers were surprised to learn that their film had been selected to be shown at the Duhok International Film Festival, only to be notified later that it was removed from the competition after being screened. Iraq
Video: Egypt's alabaster industry shattered Among the casualties of Egypt's declining tourism are the alabaster sculptures that remain unsold on the shelves. Egypt
Egypt eyes moneymaking potential of e-waste Egypt is one of Africa's biggest generators of e-waste, but the growing pollution problem also offers economic opportunities. Egypt
Why Chinese public diplomacy is failing in Iran While political and economic engagement between Iran and China continues to increase, China’s image remains poor as it is hostage to factional disputes within Iran. Iran
Gazans flee to Europe, illegally Palestinians are increasingly seeking to leave the Gaza Strip given the deteriorating living conditions, seeking refuge in Europe. Palestine
How an archaeologist saved Turkey's 'cotton castle' from careless tourism Francesco D'Andria, the Italian archaeologist who led the excavations of Turkey's ancient Hierapolis/Pamukkale for 15 years, has recently retired and leaves behind a legacy of defending antiquities from reckless tourism. Turkey
Will Iran drive its musicians off the streets? The Iranian authorities are considering to permits for street performers, but musicians say it goes against the very spontaneous nature of their work. Iran
Commentary: Have Palestinians given up on resistance? According to a recent poll, Palestinian support for peace negotiations has increased at the expense of the resistance, which raises questions on the reason behind this. Palestine
Middle East pins Oscar hopes on young directors From Lebanon to Egypt to Tunisia, regional countries' Academy Awards nominees for best foreign language film are mostly the works of young directors and center on the lives of young adults and children. Egypt
Israeli right tries to bully Rabin family into silence The right is trying to distance the Rabin family from the commemoration of assassinated Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin as it plays down the incitement to violence that lead to his death. Israel
Aynur Dogan gets Americans to sing her tune "In the US, unlike Europe, many in the audience heard Kurdish music for the first time," says Aynur Dogan, a Kurdish-Alevi musician from Turkey, after her tour. Turkey
Egypt reaches out to expat kids with free language program Cairo's “Speak Egyptian” initiative aims to teach Egyptian children abroad the Egyptian dialect Arabic along with Egyptian history, values, customs and traditions. Egypt
