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
Egypt’s Al-Azhar retreats from fatwa on beating women Al-Azhar's Grand Imam Ahmed el-Tayeb ruled that women cannot leave the house without their husbands’ permission and may be beaten as long as no bones are broken, sparking an uproar in Egypt. Egypt
Elections expose the Pandora’s box of Israel’s religious right The ideological differences and open hostility among the national religious and ultra-Orthodox parties exposed by the April elections could backfire on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's decision to call for new elections, in September. Israel
How formerly embattled Tripoli neighbors are now struggling together Several NGOs and local government are helping residents in two Tripoli neighborhoods to overcome years of animosity and hostilities between them, and progress has been made, but more governmental assistance is needed to pull them out of crisis. Lebanon
Is cleaning Lebanon’s shores enough to solve waste crisis? Hundreds of volunteers took part in a campaign launched by the Ministry of Environment to clean Lebanon's shoreline, but some say this is a cosmetic move that will not come close to solving the country's endemic waste problem. Lebanon
Israeli Arab parties pass on Jewish-Arab cooperation Israel's four Arab parties, which split into two Knesset lists before the April elections, are now discussing reunifying to contest September elections with the goal of generating more Arab votes. Israel
Beirut lights candle for HIV awareness A memorial event in solidarity with people living with HIV/AIDS and to raise public awareness was held for the seventh year in Lebanon, where the rate of HIV infection continues to rise. Lebanon
Plenty of fish in Gaza sea, but not for Palestinians Israel has imposed a full naval closure on the Gaza Strip after repeatedly expanding and reducing the fishing zone for the past two months, claiming the measure is in response to incendiary balloons launched from the besieged enclave. Palestine
Cigarette surfboard shames Lebanese smokers Environmental activists have built a stand-up-paddle board from used cigarette butts to show the cost of trash to Lebanon’s coast and culture. Lebanon
Central Bank offers mortgages to help Egypt's middle class The Central Bank of Egypt has an ambitious plan to provide Egypt's middle class with funding to buy properties. Egypt
Coding academy opens new opportunities for Moroccan youth 3W Academy Maroc aims at addressing youth unemployment in Morocco through accessible tech education. Morocco
After 50 years, Israel opens up 'Land of the Monasteries’ Israel was late in recognizing the potential of the Qasr al-Yahud site, but it hopes to do better now that the region is cleared of landmines and will open to the public. Israel
Meet Iraq's human rights advocate who lived through two genocides Dr. Widad Akreyi, who lived through the 1980s Anfal genocide and the 2014 Yazidi genocide, has become one of the major defenders of human rights in Iraq and beyond. Iraq
