Egypt prepares for return of IS fighters' children Egypt is preparing to welcome and provide rehabilitation services for 15 Egyptian children who were found in Islamic State camps in Libya. Egypt
Mud, rocks on menu in Beirut for Sharjah cultural event One of the major contemporary art experiences in the Middle East, the United Arab Emirates' Sharjah festival, held events in Beirut, Istanbul, Ramallah and Dakar. Lebanon
Artists in Istanbul grapple with migration, loss The refugee crisis sparked by war and economic upheaval in the Middle East leaves its mark on the Istanbul Biennial and satellite events. Syria
Virtual museum brings world’s masterpieces to Gaza The University of Palestine's new virtual museum lets Gazans experience the world's artwork and monuments without having to leave the besieged Gaza Strip. Palestine
Huge crowds descend on Egyptian city to celebrate Sufi mystic For one week, hundreds of thousands of Egyptians travel to the city of Tanta to honor Ahmed al-Badawi, the most popular Sufi mystic in the country, with ancient rituals and traditions. Egypt
Egyptian initiative spotlights women's rights through film Through her Women’s Cinema initiative, Egyptian parliamentarian Mona Mounir hopes to raise awareness of women's issues and provide a platform for women to discuss sensitive topics. Egypt
Are Russia, Iran outflanking the US in Iraq? Russia deftly manages potentially choppy ties with Iran, while the United States claims Iran "subverting Iraq." Iraq
Surging imports wipe out Iran’s trade surplus Rapidly increasing imports wipe out the Rouhani administration’s positive trade balance, shining a light on the need to further promote exports. Iran
Kurds in Iraq: Back to square one? The sudden shift in the balance of power between Iraq and its Kurdistan Region has been stunning, even by Middle East standards. Iraq
To counter Iranian sway, US promotes Iraqi-Saudi ties Top Trump administration officials say they see countering Iranian influence in Iraq as important to strengthening Baghdad and preventing destabilizing fissures that helped make way for the Islamic State. Saudi Arabia
Turkey finally acknowledges soldier executed by IS Almost a year after a burning execution video hit social media, Turkish officials have recognized that one of the victims was a Turkish soldier, but the government remains mum. Turkey
Iraqi Christian politicians denounce church's intervention in politics Statements from the Christian clergy and political blocs in Iraq show a conflict between the church and Christian political parties on controlling the Christian political discourse. Iraq
Egyptian kids learn empathy through virtual travel A Cairo-based intercultural community space picks up from where the local education gap has left by teaching children empathy and multiculturalism. Egypt
Is Egypt ready to end underage marriage? Egypt is seeking to curtail customary marriages of girls under the age of 18 after President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi called for measures to combat this phenomenon amid opposition by some religious scholars. Egypt
Palestinians gauge economic impact of reconciliation Now that Hamas and Fatah have agreed to reconcile, the Palestinian government faces the problem of paying the salaries of tens of thousands of employees from the Gaza Strip as it tries to revive the deteriorating economic situation. Palestine
Meet the generation of Palestinian division Palestinian youth hope reconciliation will compensate for the dreams they lost as a result of the 10-year-long internal division. Palestine
