New exhibition spotlights forgotten Egyptians who discovered King Tut Delving into the archives of British archaeologist Howard Carter, who led the mission down to the pharaoh’s burial chamber, the University of Oxford’s Bodleian Libraries shines a spotlight on the immense contribution of the locals — a role largely overlooked by history. Culture
Photographer captures surrealist post-explosion Beirut at Dubai art show Surreal silos and ruins of ancient buildings are the subjects of the new series of works by Dia Mrad, recently presented at the biggest art fair in the Middle East. Culture
Threat of demolition looms over Cairo’s historic necropolis A group of architects, historians and other heritage enthusiasts have launched a campaign to safeguard the City of the Dead in the face of the government’s new infrastructure plans. Culture
First underwater fashion show in Egypt Egyptian fashion designer Amany Yehia held her first underwater photo shoot, the first of its kind in Egypt. Culture
Biologists dive for secrets of coral reef that survives hot Gulf waters Coral reefs are sensitive ecosystems that rarely survive sea temperatures above 32 degrees Celsius, yet coral reef fauna thrives in the Persian Gulf, where scientists hope to find clues about climate change survival. United Arab Emirates
Young Libyan atheists seeking refuge online Since the 2011 revolution and the expansion of the Islamic State, more Libyan young people have reneged on their Muslim beliefs and are now part of a secret community on Facebook with fellow atheists. Libya
UAE camel racing to resume following a five-month hiatus The United Arab Emirates announced the resumption of camel racing, coupled with precautionary guidelines, which is among the most popular sports in the Gulf with prizes sometimes reaching millions of dollars. United Arab Emirates
Egypt’s top fatwa authority raises controversy after describing Ottoman control of Constantinople as 'occupation' Egypt’s Dar al-Ifta described the Ottoman conquest of Constantinople as an invasion, raising controversy in Turkey and among critics who believe religious authorities should not get involved in politics. Egypt
Israel kicks party business off beaches An Israeli court has ruled in favor of protecting Israel’s beaches from commercial use such as keeping tents and other equipment on them. Israel
Will Covid-19 put an end to hookah culture in Egypt? Once a symbol of Egypt’s cafes and mentioned through history, hookahs are slowly disappearing from society amid the closure of cafes across the country due to the coronavirus pandemic. Egypt
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
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
Egyptian archaeologists rely on technology to preserve past Prominent Egyptian archaeologist Monica Hanna is using modern technology, including Google tools, to help protect Egypt’s heritage and teach students. Egypt
Israeli museums reopen with a bang after COVID-19 Several museums in Israel are reopening their doors this week, after having been closed for more than two months due to the coronavirus outbreak. Israel
