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
Icelandic musician discovers fan base in unlikely place Young Iranians welcome the rare opportunity to see a popular international musician perform live in their country. Iran
Why Gaza merchants are forgiving debt A new social campaign in the Gaza Strip encourages debt forgiveness in light of people's economic straits due to the 11-year blockade. Palestine
Growing anger in Israel over refugee deportation Israeli academics, pilots and Holocaust survivors joined protests against the government’s decision to deport by force African asylum-seekers. Israel
Egypt makes it easier for churches to obtain licenses Egypt is allowing unlicensed Christian churches to operate while they go through the permitting process, which the country also is trying to streamline. Egypt
Young Palestinian engineers hope to race to victory in recycled car Twelve young Palestinian engineers built a racing car from scratch and will compete in the Formula Student Competition in the United Kingdom this summer. Palestine
Palestinian artist turns olive leaves into silver jewels Nadia Abu Ghattas turned her handicraft hobby into a profession that reflects her love of olive trees. Palestine
Egyptian school aims to make archaeology fun for youth The Young Archaeologist School in Egypt seeks to educate young students on the importance of antiquities through different activities and field trips. Egypt
The female body on display in Haifa At the tiny Mane-Katz Museum in Haifa an exhibition embraces feminine sculptures by Chana Orloff and her artist colleagues. Israel
Iranian painter's mouthless women speak volumes at Istanbul exhibition Maryam Salahi, an Iranian artist living in Turkey, taps into her "foreignness" for an exhibition in Istanbul exploring identity and freedom in the Middle East. Turkey
Gaza’s sick, newborns fall victim to power outages Palestinians in Gaza are suffering, and some are dying, as the Palestinian reconciliation fails to produce the relief they were promised months ago. Palestine
Lebanon's Animal Welfare law put to the test A video of municipal workers in the Beirut area killing stray dogs has raised the ire of activists and calls for adherence to the Animal Welfare law. Lebanon
Gazan artists, intellectuals seek to revive culture cafes The mushrooming cultural salons in the Gaza Strip provide writers and artists with an outlet for expression. Palestine
