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
Palestine theater pays homage to country's pioneer journalist A new play, "The Owner of Al-Karmil," pays homage to the man who established Palestine's first major newspaper and faced strong pressures at first from the Ottoman Empire and then from Britain, which subjected his co-editor wife to administrative detention. Palestine
Some elderly Turks face silent, slow killers: Abuse and neglect By 2050, 20% of Turkey's population will be over the age of 65, but social taboos prevent people from publicly addressing elder abuse and the specific needs of the elderly. Turkey
From Aleppo to alpha male: Beirut dance fest takes on the world Founded 15 years ago, the Beirut International Platform of Dance strives to make contemporary dance a staple of Lebanon’s artistic culture while pushing the boundaries of the art form to speak to the issues of the day. Lebanon
Protests drag on as Algerians demand real change Protests in Algeria continue even with an interim president in place and fresh elections set for July, and the country’s economy may soon suffer. Algeria
Iraqis leading efforts to enrich Arabic Wikipedia Young Iraqis, along with regional partners, lead the efforts to promote knowledge and enlightenment in the Arab World. Iraq
Palestinians reclaim their land through outdoor sports In an attempt to reclaim Palestinian land, several groups are organizing hiking trips in the West Bank, with most of the trails located in Area C under Israeli military control. Palestine
Award-winning Palestinian author's 'White Horse' gallops onto stage "Time of White Horses," a 2007 novel by award-winning Palestinian writer Ibrahim Nasrallah, makes its way onto the stage in both Palestine and the United States. Palestine
Blue and White ignored Israeli Arab vote at own peril The Blue and White list shunned the Arab electorate, lost their vote and as a result will now have to sit in the opposition. Palestine
Turkey’s 'morally clean' TV series under fire Amid a big expansion in their foreign audience, Turkish TV series are barred from featuring alcohol, smoking and anything sexual, but are free to show unstinted violence. Turkey
Egypt to amend controversial NGO law as Sisi visits Washington Just before Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi's visit to Washington, the minister of social solidarity announced that a new law governing the operations of nongovernmental organizations will be drafted. Egypt
Egypt reaches out to AU with medical aid As Cairo shoulders the chairmanship of the African Union for 2019, Egypt has launched two major medical initiatives serving African refugees and residents of other AU states. Egypt
Funding cuts to Palestinians take toll on independent media Independent Palestinian media outlets, especially TV channels, are folding due to financial difficulties stemming from reduced or canceled funding typically received by Palestinian nongovernmental organizations. Palestine
