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
Botched restoration makes Turkish antiquities into punchlines Experts accuse the Turkish government of hiring inexperienced construction companies to restore precious historical monuments, and the results have been predictable. Turkey
Iraqi Jews want to regain their citizenship As the region witnesses a wave of normalization with Israel, Iraqi Jews demand restoration of their citizenship. Iraq
Private gun ownership soars in West Bank Crime rates are rising in the West Bank, where illegal weapons are turning family feuds deadly. Palestine
Three killed in UAE in restaurant gas blasts The two separate explosions in the Emirati cities were blamed on malfunctioning gas connections. United Arab Emirates
Nile River flooding kills 90, destroys thousands of homes in Sudan The heavy rainfall has also affected Sudan's talks with Egypt and Ethiopia on Ethiopia's Nile River dam. Sudan
Alleged sexual offenders face social media barrage in Egypt Despite rising online calls for sexual offenders to be held accountable for their crimes and a new amendment to the anti-sexual harassment law guaranteeing confidentiality of survivors, many women in Egypt are still reluctant to report sexual harassment incidents for fear of being stigmatized. Egypt
Egyptian women embrace natural hair in identity revolution Salons and kitchens are hotspots of a change that is sweeping Egypt as women reject European beauty standards and celebrate their hair as it is. Egypt
Egypt sends antiquities abroad on tourism-boosting tours As Egypt finds new ways to promote tourism in the time of the coronavirus crisis, the Czech Republic is hosting an exhibition of Egyptian antiquities found by a Czech archaeological mission. Egypt
Is COVID-19 pushing women in Egypt out of workforce? With schools reopening and many shifting to partial online learning because of the coronavirus crisis, working moms in Egypt are facing the challenging task of juggling work and supporting their children’s education. Egypt
Palestinian man arrested for allegedly helping Irish nationalist group The man's lawyer said the accused doctor from the West Bank is involved in peaceful activism and was entrapped by British intelligence. Palestine
Israeli ultra-Orthodox cry persecution over Ukraine's ban on pilgrimage The ultra-Orthodox community has united behind a small, unpopular sect after Ukraine forbade this year's traditional pilgrimage. Israel
Rape of teen shocks Israelis, sends them to the streets Women rights groups were joined by many Israeli firms in a protest over the gang rape of a 16-year-old in Eilat. Israel
