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
Iraqi officials’ dual nationality allows for escape abroad The Iraqi Constitution forbids high-ranking officials from holding a second nationality, but many do so anyway, allowing those accused of corruption to flee the country on foreign passports. Iraq
Palestinian refugees to return to Damascus camp after four years in the dark While the return of civilians to Damascus’ Sbeineh refugee camp has already begun, the road to full recovery for these camps remains long. Syria
Celebrity incest scandal yanks abuse out from under Turkish rug A scandal over a celebrity’s incestuous relationship has forced Turkey to discuss its dark secrets about widespread abuse. Turkey
Despite tension, Syrian refugees find sympathy in Lebanese villages While Lebanon’s impoverished border towns are generally more concerned with pre-existing hardships than those brought by Syrian refugees, some xenophobia has crept into these areas. Lebanon
Israel's construction sector deadly for Arab workers Lawyer Hadas Tagari is collecting and publishing data on the troubling number of deaths in Israel's construction sector, mainly among Arab laborers, to bring attention to the problem. Palestine
Churches reject attempts to weaken Christian presence in Jerusalem As the Israeli-Palestinian peace process is stalled and the Israeli right-wing government is working to expand settlements, Jerusalem-based churches find themselves once again in the spotlight with talks about them selling lands to Israel. Palestine
Rights organizations rally to reveal fate of Syria’s disappeared As the number of disappeared has reached more than 75,000 people in Syria, Amnesty International launched a campaign urging the Syrian authorities and armed groups to reveal their fate. Lebanon
Egypt busts organ trafficking network As Egypt fields more reports of organ trafficking, parliament boosts punishments. Egypt
Netanyahu cries foul as court protects asylum-seekers from indefinite detention Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is framing a recent ruling to limit detention periods for asylum-seekers as further evidence of the threat they pose to Israeli society. Israel
Iraqi folk troupe struggles to stay on stage The Iraqi national dance troupe is struggling to survive amid a lack of financial support and social taboos around dancing. Iraq
Why Turkey's brides are doing disappearing act In the process of increasing visibility of Islamization, wedding invitations become contested territory in Turkey. Turkey
Palestinian artist gives voice to unrecognized villages Mohamed Badarne has trained his lens on the children from unrecognized villages in the Negev. Palestine
