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
Turkey’s snap elections set to escalate tensions with Europe Questions about the fairness of the June 24 elections and bans prohibiting Turkish politicians from campaigning in parts of Europe signal new strains ahead in Turkey’s relations with the West. Turkey
Mummy mystery grips Iran The discovery of a mummy rumored to be the former shah of Iran has stirred fascination and controversy. Iran
Israelis long for leadership that unites Israel Prize-laureate Miriam Peretz was able to redefine the common vision that Israelis once shared, but which has since been lost in an endless barrage of toxic squabbles between the left and the right. Israel
Has Egypt's Nobel laureate lost his appeal among country's youth? Naguib Mahfouz's books have sold less than 1 million copies over the last 12 years. Are Egyptian youth indifferent to the country's Nobel laureate or can they simply not find a copy to buy? Egypt
Syrian students explore college education online Good universities can be hard to find in a country besieged by war for seven years, so some Syrian students are turning to online schools to pursue their education. Syria
Natalie Portman touches a nerve in Israel with prize snub Academy Award-winning actor Natalie Portman has discovered that Israeli politicians are incapable of accepting legitimate criticism of the occupation. Palestine
Egyptian backpacker cycles to World Cup in Russia An Egyptian backpacker is on his way by bike to Russia for the World Cup. Egypt
Iraqi comic strip collective tells stories of war, rebirth Mesaha, an Iraqi comix group, had its first European debut at Switzerland's Fumetto festival, yet visa obligations stopped the artists from presenting their own works. Iraq
How an anti-waste challenge went viral in Iran A campaign to get ordinary people involved in devising solutions to Iran's growing waste problem has gone viral. Iran
Detained Palestinians boycott Israeli courts Many of the 500 Palestinians being held without charge in Israel are rejecting their "day in court," which they claim is only used as a platform for Israeli propaganda. Palestine
Ultra-Orthodox join Israelis in national mourning on memorial days Over the past three years, the ultra-Orthodox community has changed its attitude toward Memorial Day for Israel's fallen soldiers, with its leaders calling to honor the day and participate in the national mourning events. Israel
More bad news for Turkey's EU accession bid The European Union's most recent report on the state of Turkey's bid to join the bloc appears to confirm the view of many analysts that the current process is riddled with hypocrisy and is not beneficial to either party. Turkey
