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
Israeli-Russians celebrate WWII Victory Day Israelis are not really aware of the heroism demonstrated by thousands of World War II veterans who immigrated to the country from Russia in the 1990s. Israel
Lebanese LGBT salon brings out beauty in everyone Out, Lebanon's first beauty salon catering to members of the LGBT community, was founded as a place where patrons can feel at home, not simply tolerated. Lebanon
Natural history, conservation and politics meet in West Bank museum The Palestine Museum of Natural History and the Palestine Institute for Biodiversity and Sustainability bring Israeli and Palestinians together to preserve knowledge about the ecology, environment and cultivation of Palestine. Palestine
Different faiths, shared sites explored in Istanbul An exhibition in Istanbul sheds light on religious sites and pilgrimages sacred to Christians, Muslims and Jews alike, a phenomenon that is not widely known but is quite common in the Mediterranean region. Israel
How Iran's hard-liners aim to sideline traditionalist clerics Iranian hard-liners are establishing parallel entities to train clerics in order to marginalize traditionalist clerics at the Qom seminary. Iran
Yemen's cholera survivors get oral vaccines in Sanaa The World Health Organization and Yemeni health officials are offering an oral cholera vaccine in Yemen, but some Yemenis are suspicious of the vaccine. Yemen
Why first intifada is back on Middle East art scene In conjunction with a new exhibition, founders of the Palestinian contemporary art scene met in Beirut to discuss how the political events of their time influenced their work. Palestine
Remake of Turkey's favorite school flick flunks at the box office Based on novels by the popular author Rifat Ilgaz, the "Chaos Class" film series has been a Turkish favorite for four decades, but a remake of the original comedy has been widely panned. Turkey
Is the Palestinian social fabric at risk of tearing? A recent local incident on the West Bank required the attention of the national leadership to tamp it down, leading some to wonder it if portends trouble ahead for the Palestinian social fabric, which has to this point been distinguished by its unity. Palestine
Iranian teachers fill gap between state, society after floods Teachers in Iran have played an important role in relief efforts in the wake of recent flooding, shining a light on the impact of Iranians' mistrust of the state. Iran
How the Holocaust became part of Israel’s identity Over the years, the memory of the Holocaust has shaped the new Israeli identity with notions of victimhood rather than lessons of tolerance. Palestine
Hungarian Jew's role in Holocaust still torments Israelis Six decades after his assassination, the question of whether Israel Kastner was a hero or a villain during the Holocaust continues to torment Israelis. Israel
