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
Israeli politicians use supermarket law battle to shop for votes Residents of the embattled city of Ashdod are fed up with the political fight between Israeli Defense Minister Avigdor Liberman and Interior Minister Aryeh Deri over forced store closures during the Sabbath. Israel
Critics bash Egyptian 'propaganda' film about Sisi A new movie about Egypt's tumultuous period after the fall of Mubarak has stirred controversy in the country over accusations that the government has a hand in the film. Egypt
Collectors hunt down forgeries as Arab art market flourishes As Middle Eastern art experiences an international boom, Lebanese collector Basel Dalloul is leading a drive to expose forgeries and follow more stringent standards for authentication. Lebanon
Young Egyptians go online to seek man's best friend The traditional Friday market for dogs is being supplanted because young Egyptians are going on Facebook to get their canine friends. Egypt
Israelis unite against Polish Holocaust law A Polish bill threatens to whitewash Poland's participation in massacring Jews during the Holocaust. Israel
Jordan seeks to ease travel burden on Palestinian Jerusalemites Jordan recently announced its decision to allow and arrange for Jerusalem's Palestinians to renew and receive official documents in the city itself, instead of having to travel to Amman, a move widely welcomed by Palestinians. Palestine
Gaza's religious ministry launches Khotaba, the Yelp for Islamic preachers A new website allows Muslim worshippers to assess and rate preachers and find out where they will be delivering Friday sermons in the Gaza Strip. Palestine
Istanbul hospital’s cover-up of teen pregnancy just tip of iceberg An Istanbul hospital covered up 115 cases of underage pregnancy, refusing to report the cases to police as required by law. Turkey
Erdogan's plans for Afrin might not sit well with Syria Turkey's president is talking about settling Syrian refugees in Afrin, suggesting that Kurds are not the dominant community there, and handing over the region to anti-regime groups. Syria
Istanbul's Iron Church restored as Turkey warms to Bulgaria The eclectic Iron Church at the heart of Istanbul has been renovated and reopened as a monument to the Bulgarian community’s determination to uphold their own identity — and an overture to the new EU president. Turkey
Nine Lebanese women murdered by partners in single month As sexual and domestic violence complaints mount, Lebanese women's rights activists fear that violence against women in the country may be rising as women grow emboldened to resist abuse. Lebanon
Local official's insult to Upper Egypt spurs development plans A comment by Local Development Minister Abu Bakr al-Gendy concerning citizens of the Upper Egypt governorates has shone a light on the area's extreme poverty and highlighted the need to pursue economic development. Egypt
