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
Why is Netanyahu reviving Palestinians' ‘willing relocation’? Past attempts to encourage Palestinians to voluntarily emigrate have always failed, so time and effort would be better invested in reaching an Israeli-Palestinian peace agreement than pursuing a new push by the government of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for Gaza residents to voluntarily move elsewhere. Near East
Egyptian clerics reach out to vacationing young people Egypt’s Ministry of Religious Endowments is sending clerics to the North Coast, as videos of young people dancing on the beach there have recently surfaced. Egypt
Turkey recalibrates refugee policy as Idlib fighting displaces more Syrians Turkey’s Interior Ministry is moving to formalize refugee policies as new wave of displaced Syrians amasses in Idlib. Syria
How Palestinian women's self-sufficiency blossoms in this new garden A garden built by the Cedar Environmental for Soufra Kitchen, a catering company run by Palestinian women at Lebanon's Burj el-Barajneh, enables the group to grow organic produce. Palestine
Will Turkey's oldest library sweep Aga Khan prize? The restoration of Beyazit State Library, established by Sultan Abdulhamid II in 1884, has been short-listed for the prestigious Aga Khan Award for Architecture. Turkey
Young Syrians flee Daraa, Quneitra in droves Young people have been taking flight from Daraa and Quneitra in bids to find decent jobs and to avoid having to serve in the Syrian army. Lebanon
Israeli wind farm project unites Jewish settlers, Golan Druze In the Golan Heights, Israeli settlers and Druze have joined forces to oppose a wind farm project. Israel
Who is pulling the strings in Egypt's irreverent puppet show? A new satirical puppet show in Egypt has thousands of fans — but there is a major debate on who is behind it. Egypt
Meet the agency that brought World Press Photo's images to Iraq World Press Photo Foundation has launched an exhibition in Iraq for the first time thanks to the efforts of one pioneering photo agency which wanted to realize the dream of its founder. Iraq
Liberals, ultra-Orthodox battle over Israel’s public spaces The debate over gender separation at a concert in Afula is an example of the ongoing struggle between liberal groups and the ultra-Orthodox, which are both trying to shape the Israeli’s public spaces according to their own norms. Israel
Tourism rebounds in Turkey as visitor profile shifts east Turkey’s tourism sector is recovering from the 2016 downturn as more visitors arrive from Asian and Middle Eastern countries. Turkey
Palestinian events banned in East Jerusalem Israel has stepped up efforts to block Palestinian activities in East Jerusalem and is closing major institutions in the city. Palestine