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 Israel’s democracy is weakening Israel gets to keep its rating in democracy indices only because countries like the United States, Hungary and Turkey are losing index points. Israel
New coach pledges facelift to Egypt's national soccer team Javier Aguirre tells Al-Monitor that his main challenge is to raise the morale of his team after their defeat in the 2018 World Cup in Russia. Egypt
Wildfires ravage marshlands on Iran-Iraq border The destruction of important marshlands and other natural reserves in wildfires in Iran may be caused by humans as well as nature. Iran
How dating app helps gay community speak out on discrimation Grindr, the primarily gay and bisexual dating application, has changed the gay, bisexual and queer community in the Middle East and North Africa and is now being used as a resource. Lebanon
Is historic Palestinian strike a milestone for the one-state solution? Palestinians living in Israel, the West Bank and Gaza Strip held a joint strike to protest the Israeli Nationality Law Palestine
Turks wake up to animal cruelty Animal rights activists in Turkey seek harsher penalties, including additional fines and imprisonment, against those who commit violence against animals. Turkey
Sufism enters Egypt's political arena A Sufi sheikh has been elected to lead the majority Support Egypt Coalition in the Egyptian parliament, leading some to wonder if it signals the rise of another religious current in the wake of the Muslim Brotherhood's fall. Egypt
“Made in Jordan”: Are consumers buying it? The “Made in Jordan” campaign has been trying to instill a sense of pride in locally produced goods with the long-term goals of boosting industry and decreasing unemployment. Jordan
Diyarbakir book fair returns after 4-year hiatus Diyarbakir’s book fair, one of the main cultural events of the region, had been stopped due to security reasons in 2015. Now that it is back, thousands of residents from Diyarbakir and region came to pick up a book or two. Turkey
Egypt broadens potential pool of adoptive, foster parents The Egyptian government has passed amendments to the Alternative Family system, facilitating adoption and fostering procedures. Egypt
Egyptian documentary filmmakers eye international festivals Egypt's film industry enjoys high visibility, but the country's documentary filmmakers struggle with lack of funding and red tape. Egypt
Palestinian author honored for children's ode to Jerusalem Palestinian author Mahmoud Shukair's latest work has been named one of the top 100 children’s novels around the world, another victory in a banner year for Palestinian literature. Palestine
