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
Will Egypt's public sector get longer weekend? The Egyptian government is considering adding Thursdays to the weekend for public sector employees. Egypt
PA declares truce with clan in tribal court after weeks of unrest The Palestinian Authority turned to the local tribal justice system to settle a conflict with the Arab al-Jahalin tribe after the Palestinian police killed one of its members, leaning on the local elders to restore and keep the peace. Palestine
Sunnis barred from holding Eid al-Adha prayers in Tehran Iranian Sunni Muslim activists have reported that Sunni worshipers were blocked from entering their prayer hall in eastern Tehran on the occasion of Eid al-Adha. Iran
Thousands left stateless in Iran amid ID card limbo Thousands of mainly ethnic Balochs are deprived of access to basic government services in Iran as they are formally stateless without state-issued ID cards. Iran
Egypt's large secondhand book market delivers bargains, rare gems In Egypt, book prices have doubled or tripled in the last few years, driving people to secondhand book stalls in Soor al-Azbakeya. Egypt
Plans to replace Catholic school with mall appalls Iraqis Al-Aqeeda, a Catholic girls high school built in 1921, is at the center of a controversy highlighting preserving Iraq's cultural heritage. Iraq
'Lived here' initiative spotlights homes of Egypt's most famous residents In an effort to introduce Egypt's famous figures to the next generation, 100 signs now mark where celebrated Egyptians like Nobel laureate Naguib Mahfouz or diva Umm Kulthum once lived. Egypt
Nationality law protesters alienate with Palestinian flag By raising the Palestinian flag at the rally against the controversial nationality law, a few Arab Israelis have distanced otherwise friendly Jews from their case for equal rights. Palestine
Iran-Iraq War continues to claim lives 30 years on The eight-year war between Iraq and Iran ended on Aug. 20, 1988, but its negative impacts linger on both sides. Iraq
Iranians ask government officials: #Where_is_your_kid? Public calls for Iranian officials to account for the lifestyles of their children bring focus to the issue of the lack of trust in the political establishment. Iran
Newspaper keeps Italian heritage in Tunisia alive Tunisia once hosted a significant Italian population, including the Finzi family, which founded Il Corriere di Tunisi, an Italian-language newspaper currently being kept afloat almost single-handedly by Silvia Finzi, an adamant defender of tolerance and multiculturalism. Tunisia
Faisal Islamic Bank of Egypt to employ women for first time As Egyptian women struggle to fight for their professional rights in the banking sector, the Faisal Islamic Bank of Egypt announced for the first time in 38 years that it was willing to employ women. Egypt
