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
Can Elia Suleiman's satirical film bring Palestine its first Oscar? "It Must Be Heaven" centers on the story of a Palestinian fugitive in search of a new homeland — with a reference to national poet Mahmoud Darwish's line “Where do the birds fly after the last sky?” Palestine
Why Sufis let Alexandria mosque be destroyed The Egyptian government faced little opposition as it demolished a Sufi mosque in Alexandria to conclude a major road project, suggesting Sufis’ need for political protection may outweigh their reverence for shrines. Egypt
West Bank village courts tourists with eggplant, stone terraces A festival in the West Bank village of Battir celebrates the locally grown eggplant of the village known for its terraced cultivation of vines and olives. Palestine
Can this documentary bring Iran its third Oscar? The documentary "Finding Farideh" has been chosen as Iran's submission in the international feature film category to the Academy Awards, but some argue that the movie does not fit the criteria. Iran
How cultural war made Ankara an architectural battleground Ankara’s austere and minimalist flavor is a shock to many who are more accustomed to architecture around the Bosphorus, but for local residents, the city's gray buildings are icons from a cherished era. Turkey
Iraq poised for ambitious plan after Babylon listed by UNESCO Baghdad lobbied for more than three decades to get Babylon on UNESCO World Heritage List, but the way ahead may be even more difficult. Iraq
Art imitates life and death in war-ravaged Afrin Two Syrian artists, a sculptor and a photographer, agree that the tragedies of war have given them rich fodder for art and opportunities to speak out for life and human dignity. Syria
Egyptians revive Pharaonic beauty, health secrets Ancient Egyptian remedies and practices are making a comeback in the form of natural beauty products and pharaonic medicine. Egypt
Is Middle East's young labor boom blessing or curse? By 2040, the Middle East and North Africa will see a sharp increase in young people who enter the labor force, which could lead to disaster if areas like education aren’t improved. Lebanon
How Palestinian women's self-sufficiency blossoms in this new garden A garden built by the Cedar Environmental for Soufra Kitchen, a catering company run by Palestinian women at Lebanon's Burj el-Barajneh, enables the group to grow organic produce. Palestine
Will Turkey's oldest library sweep Aga Khan prize? The restoration of Beyazit State Library, established by Sultan Abdulhamid II in 1884, has been short-listed for the prestigious Aga Khan Award for Architecture. Turkey
Who is pulling the strings in Egypt's irreverent puppet show? A new satirical puppet show in Egypt has thousands of fans — but there is a major debate on who is behind it. Egypt
