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
Can Israeli left make peace with Judaism? Zionist Camp Chairman Avi Gabbay repeated a past statement by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, that the Israeli left has forgotten its connection to Jewishness. Israel
Rift between Israel, US Jews deepens Deputy Foreign Minister Tzipi Hotovely's scandalous words, belittling the attachment of American Jewry to Israel, finally brought the drama of the Israel-US Jewry rift onto the Israeli public agenda. Israel
Turks explore Ottoman past in visits to Jerusalem Turkish pilgrims and visitors are increasingly heading to Jerusalem, following Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's call on Muslims to visit the holy city. Palestine
Second Turkish city makes UNESCO gastronomy list Now that it boasts a second city, Hatay, in UNESCO’s Creative Cities Network, Turkey’s tourism leaders are hoping to lure back Western tourists with their country's gastronomic delights. Turkey
Egyptian authorities clamp down on 'Sisi's balls' Egyptian toy stores were delighted when a cheap toy came back into fashion — until they discovered that selling it could land you in jail. Egypt
New phone app helps Egyptian women fight sexual harassment A group of young Egyptians has developed a mobile phone app to fight sexual harassment by helping women identify and avoid harassment as well as deal with its aftermath. Egypt
Israeli singer fights for peace from stage Israeli singer Noa isn't deterred by the criticism of Israeli right-wingers and decisions by localities to boycott her as she continues her support of the two-state solution. Palestine
What Turkey's halal ambitions mean for the average Turk The Turkish government says it will bring in more revenue with the newly created Halal Accreditation Authority, but the move raises questions about discrimination, disappearing secularism and rising food prices for citizens. Turkey
Netanyahu's mixed messages to Israeli Arabs Inaugurating two police stations in the Arab sector is a tiny step in what Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu should have done many years ago to assist the Israeli Arab population. Israel
Iraq steps up efforts to stop smuggling of rare species Smuggling rare animal species out of Iraq has become common due to lax enforcement of laws and the country's security situation, but the federal government is making renewed efforts to halt the smuggling. Iraq
Palestinian popular movement to press Hamas, Fatah on reconciliation Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank have launched a popular movement to push their political leaders to prioritize reconciliation and meet demands for improving life in Gaza. Palestine
Young Egyptian artists reflect social problems through their lens "Cairographie," a major photo and video festival in Egypt, provides a platform for young artists to show the world what they see through the camera’s lens. Egypt
