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
Award-winning book narrates migration in five letters Hoda Barakat's "The Night Post," which tells the story of five Arab migrants, won the International Prize for Arabic Fiction amid controversy. Lebanon
A century of Lebanese documents preserve shifting identities The exhibition “Identity Papers” uses old government documents and artworks to show how identity is created, informed and changed by official papers. Lebanon
Afrin musician teaches region's musical heritage to children Mostafa Bakr has opened a music school in downtown Afrin where he teaches children and adults to play the string instruments of the region, from buzuq to tanbur. Syria
Iran's burgeoning ‘resistance literature’: A new front? Despite an ongoing “paper crisis” that has engulfed both print media and publishers, “resistance literature” promoted by the Iranian political establishment is reaching new heights. Israel
Israeli legal experts join Druze against Nationality Law A group of Israeli legal experts have drafted an amendment to the Nationality Law to codify equality for all citizens. Israel
Turkey's Saadet Party could sway Istanbul elections Turkey's fundamentalist Saadet Party will run its mayoral candidate in the June 23 repeat election in Istanbul, possibly tipping the results in favor of the opposition party. Turkey
Egypt's architects mobilize against tsunami of high-rise buildings As Egypt's new administrative capital gains momentum, architects caution that new is not necessarily better in urbanization. Egypt
Qatari women link miscarriages to evil eye, jinns When Qatari women miscarry, they have to deal with their grief and psychological scars on their own, often accepting their misfortune as "God's will." Qatar
Eurovision welcomed to Israel with anti-occupation billboard The anti-occupation group Breaking the Silence prepared its own Eurovision billboard, showing tourists the other face of Israel, that of West Bank occupation. Palestine
Students rally against hijab crackdown at Iran's largest university Iranian students at Tehran University held protests after what they claim was a new clampdown on dress codes. Iran
Young Egyptian prisoners distance selves from Muslim Brotherhood A group of young members of the Muslim Brotherhood have appealed for dialogue in hopes of a pardon, but many Egyptians are wary of such efforts. Egypt
Will Egypt's rappers ever receive rave reviews? Aly Soliman, an Egyptian rapper, seems to have set his sights on the 2020 Grammy Awards, but his country is simply not keen on this music genre. Egypt
