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. Gulf
Gaza's first female beekeeper expands apiary The enclave's first female beekeeper speaks about the challenges facing Gaza's beekeeping profession. Palestine
Turkish labor leaders criticize state COVID-19 response as cases surge Turkish officials introduced tighter curfew measures to curb a national surge in COVID-19 rates, drawing criticism from labor rights leaders over exemptions for production workers. Turkey
No Christmas cheer in Bethlehem this year amid coronavirus pandemic The municipality of Bethlehem in the southern West Bank has begun preparations to celebrate the holidays amid exceptional measures due to the coronavirus pandemic. Palestine
Despite tension, Turkey attracts more Egyptians than ever Istanbul has been a hot destination for Egyptians for many years and the trend is only increasing despite the tensions between the two countries. Egypt
Egyptian star under fire for fraternizing with Israelis Egyptian actor and singer Mohamed Ramadan has come under attack after photos of him with Israeli celebrities surfaced to a storm of condemnation from critics opposed to ties with Egypt's former foe. Egypt
Australian-British academic reportedly released from Iranian prison Kylie Moore-Gilbert was arrested in 2018 and charged with espionage, which she denied throughout her harsh confinement in Iran's notorious Evin and Qarchak prisons. Iran
Honor killings against women increase in southeast Syrian city Civil activists protested the lack of judiciary against domestic violence and honor killings, launching the hashtag “Our blood is on your hands” and calling on the government to consider honor killings as a crime to prevent the death of more women. Syria
Egypt's ancient monastery library preserves precious manuscripts The historic library of Saint Catherine’s Monastery is in the middle of a conservation project to protect the most precious volumes of its large collection of ancient manuscripts. Egypt
COVID-19 breaks records in Turkey as health experts call for tighter controls New daily COVID-19 rates hit record highs four days in a row in Turkey, prompting local health officials to call for more stringent social distancing measures. Turkey
Humanitarian disaster looms over Syria’s Idlib amid COVID-19 surge The coronavirus continues to spread in the opposition-controlled areas of Syria, with daily counts ranging between 300 and 500, and health workers say a health catastrophe is imminent. Syria
Turkish cop photographed killing Kurdish student walks free Young Kurd Kemal Kurkut was shot dead in 2017 in Diyarbakir and while his police officer killer will go unpunished, the photographer who documented the incident faces serious charges. Turkey
Interfaith marriage fatwa feeds debate in Egypt An Islamic scholar has stated that the Quran does not forbid Muslim women from marrying non-Muslim men as the endless debate on interfaith marriage continues in Egypt. Egypt
West Bank, Gaza record highest ever daily virus toll The UN recently warned that parts of the Palestinian territories are not prepared to cope with a major outbreak of COVID-19. Palestine
