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
Young Cairo painters take their work underground Young Egyptian artists are bringing color to Cairo’s metro stations, starting with magnificent murals for the Opera House stop. Egypt
Egypt’s young muralists put cultural icons on walls A group of Egyptian activists and artists have launched an initiative to bring color to Cairo’s metro stations, starting with Opera House metro station. Egypt
Egypt seeks scientific innovation by lowering research costs Egypt's parliament is pushing through a law to exempt higher education and scientific research bodies from taxes and customs fees in a bid to incentivize research and promote innovation. Egypt
Culture Alert: March salutes women of all nationalities and sizes Many cultural activities in March focus on women, as artists and muses, in addition to the search for identity. Also of note is the first cooperation between the Louvre and the National Museum of Iran. Palestine
Fermented drink warms chilly Istanbul streets Boza, a drink of fermented grains, has long thawed Turkish hands and hearts on cold winter nights. Turkey
Israeli protest movements fighting for the money: Settlers win, Black Panthers fail A new Israeli television series tells the contradicting stories of two parallel protest movements that erupted in the 1970s: the Black Panther movement with its social protests, and the Gush Emunim settlement movement. Israel
Israeli security forces posing as journalists endanger press An Israeli commando accused of impersonating Israeli journalists to arrest a student on a university campus could make reporters' jobs harder and more dangerous on both sides of the conflict. Palestine
Police video of sex workers causes uproar in Iraqi Kurdistan A video circulated on Kurdish social media showing a police filming of a group of women and men apparently caught in a brothel in Erbil stirred controversy in the Iraqi Kurdistan Region. Iraq
International prize nomination shines spotlight on West Bank theater Palestine's Al-Harah Theater is one of the 11 finalists for the Ellen Stewart International Award, a prestigious prize for theater companies that promote social change. Palestine
Palestinian Museum's digital archive project to preserve heritage A three-year project by the Palestinian Museum will enable Palestinians to find and archive key historical documents. Palestine
Experts speculate on causes of rising birth defects in Gaza Birth defects have increased in the Gaza Strip, which raises questions about what the reasons might be. Palestine
Thousands forced from Libyan town stopped just short of home Despite an agreement for the return of some 600 families to their hometown of Tawergha after seven years of displacement, delays have left them in yet another makeshift camp just miles from home. Libya
