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
Ankara spouts fury as Twitter takes down pro-Erdogan trolls Twitter said the suspensions were part of a broader operation in which it had removed and suspended accounts linked to state-run propaganda and disinformation centers in China, Russia and Turkey. Turkey
New wave of protests rocks Beirut Lebanon's wide protests are regaining steam and the streets are growing more violent as partisan loyalties foment conflict among the demonstrators. Lebanon
Archaeologists, activists alarmed by online calls to demolish Pyramids After bringing down statues, symbolic of racism and oppression in the US and the UK during the Black Lives Matter protests, some social media activists started calling for the demolition of the Pyramids, basing their argument on the contested notion that they were built by slaves. Egypt
Israeli knitting project empowers Bedouin, Syrian women Israeli luxury brand IOTA offers high-quality knitted objects and furniture, while empowering Israeli, Bedouin and Syrian women. Israel
Turkish women rage against sexism with topsy-turvy tweets Ever since last week, Turkish women have been giving their male counterparts a taste of sexist remarks by switching sex in popular sayings or political statements. Turkey
Shin Bet halts surveillance of coronavirus patients With Shin Bet head Nadav Argaman reluctant and faced with public objections, the Israeli government has suspended consideration of a bill legalizing the electronic tracking of those infected with the novel coronavirus. Israel
Sharm el-Sheikh prepares for antiquities museum opening Egypt is getting ready to open the first antiquities museum in the Red Sea resort of Sharm el-Sheikh later this year, in the hope of boosting the tourism sector that has been badly affected by the coronavirus lockdown. Egypt
Erdogan transforms neighborhood watchmen into loyalist force Turkish lawmakers are considering a bill to empower the country's controversial neighborhood watch in what critics say is a ploy to give the president a vigilante force under his direct control. Turkey
Netanyahu connects directly with Israelis in new vlog In his new vlog, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu shows once again that he is a virtuoso when it comes to using social networks to bypass the media and control his messaging. Israel
Classic cars find life after rust in Ramallah A Palestinian mechanic in Ramallah collects and restores classic cars, bringing relics of the past back to life. Palestine
Saudi Arabia puts Jeddah under 15-day curfew after virus spike Beginning Saturday, residents of Jeddah must adhere to a curfew from 3 p.m. to 6 a.m. Saudi Arabia
Turkish soccer gears up for return, haunted by financial woes Turkey’s debt-ridden soccer industry is likely to grow more desperate for government support under the bruising impact of the COVID-19 crisis. Turkey
