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
How clipping Turkey's religious reach has boosted Erdogan in Europe Western moves to curb Turkey's official religious body's activities in Europe are boosting support for Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan among the Turkish diaspora in Europe. Turkey
Actor's revelation about transgender son sends shock waves across conservative Egypt A prominent actor's disclosure about his daughter's transition has been met with a rare show of support in a conservative society with little tolerance for gender nonconformity. Egypt
Tunisia emerges healthy from six-week lockdown Tunisia has started to ease lockdown measures, pointing to the relative success of the restrictions it imposed early on in the pandemic. Tunisia
Israel expands settlement projects around Hebron’s mosque Israel has approved a project near the Ibrahimi Mosque in Hebron in another step toward annexation. Palestine
Women protest spike in domestic violence as locked-down Israel simmers In nationwide demonstrations over the last few days, Israeli women are demanding help with the spike violence against women during the COVID-19 crisis. Israel
Turkey throttles water as pandemic looms over northeast Syria Western nongovernmental organizations confirm that the water supply from the Alok pumping station has been repeatedly interrupted since the Turkish offensive. Syria
With virus numbers low, Turkey turns to ailing lira Nearly 83,000 people in Turkey have recovered from the novel coronavirus but as the government touts its success on the public health front, another fire has ignited: a record low in the lira as foreign investors flee. Turkey
In Israel, coronavirus crisis improves Jewish-Arab relations Contrary to past emergency situations, the COVID-19 crisis seems to have helped improve the relationship between the Jewish and Arab communities. Palestine
Turkey's occupation of northern Syria includes population transfers Turkey’s transfer of Syrian families to Tell Abyad from Afrin has reignited worries of demographic engineering in northern Syria. Syria
Turkish soccer to welcome back players — but not fans Turkey's professional soccer teams will begin playing in empty stadiums in June, the Turkish Football Federation president said Wednesday. Turkey
Bahrain eases coronavirus restrictions, allowing shops to reopen Beginning Thursday, shops and industrial businesses in the Gulf kingdom can resume business, though some restrictions remain in place. Bahrain
How COVID-19 threatens Istanbul's cultural heritage The novel coronavirus pandemic presents multiple threats to Istanbul's cultural heritage, both decimating tourism and distracting from destructive development projects. Turkey
