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
Advancing technology unearths 'lost city of ancient Israel' A military zone has long inhibited exploration of the ancient and massive site of Beit Lehi, but archaeologists are using technology to share its secrets with the world. Israel
Netanyahu flip-flops on surrogacy rights for gay men The LGBT community is furious with the Israeli prime minister for going back on his promise to support an amendment allowing single men and gay couples to use surrogates in Israel and has called for massive strikes in protest. Israel
Is Turkey’s state of emergency really over? A tough security bill drafted up by Turkey’s ruling party looms as a replacement for the two-year state of emergency that ended July 19. Turkey
Israeli legislators strip Arabic of official language status The Nationality Law, adopted this week, strips Arabic of its status as Israel’s second official language. Israel
Netanyahu’s Israel will know no peace Instead of acknowledging and adressing the miseries of the Palestinians, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu finds it beneficial to prolong the conflict on the Gaza border. Palestine
Soaring unemployment pushes Gaza’s tech sector forward Ever-rising unemployment in the Gaza Strip has pushed young Palestinians to explore the technological sector, which largely sidesteps the Israeli siege by conducting business online. Palestine
Local book fairs catch summer readers on Egypt’s coasts The organizers of Egypt's Cairo International Book Fair, the largest event in the Arab literary world since 1969, are branching out with smaller coastal book fairs this summer. Egypt
Homemade beauty remedies mean ugly business in Gaza Desperate for income, many Gaza women are selling homemade beauty products without letting obstacles like testing or permits get in their way. Palestine
Play challenges deadly Egyptian wedding night tradition A daring new play called "Wedding Night" casts a critical eye on Egypt's archaic traditions that make some young couples' wedding nights a nightmare. Egypt
Turkmens see chance to expand influence in Kirkuk With Kurdish peshmerga gone, and Kirkuk back under Baghdad's authority, Turkmens in the province feel their time might have arrived. Turkey
Museum honors goats' central role in Ankara history An exhibit in an Ankara museum explores Turkey's legendary mohair and the declining number of Angora goats that produce it. Turkey
Knesset hears data on Israel’s Arab-Jewish health gap A first-of-its-kind debate in the Knesset finally addressed long years of neglect of the Arab population's health by the Israeli authorities, but there's no reason to believe much will change. Israel
