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
Architects from Middle East, beyond tear down barriers in Venice Turkey’s national pavilion and other entries from the region are among the highlights at this year’s Venice Architecture Biennale, whose theme "Freespace" has prompted curators to investigate national boundaries, the human toll of migration and the concept of freedom. Saudi Arabia
'Hipstanbulites' struggle to preserve their city's heritage Istanbul, a magnificent city, has become a victim of its own beauty by overpopulation. Now, college students, young professionals, artists and others find ways to preserve breathable spaces in Istanbul. Turkey
Egyptians outraged at plans to leave best beaches to tourists Egypt has a bad record when it comes to tourist harassment, but keeping locals out of beaches in Alexandria may not be the best way to prevent it. Egypt
Decks and the City: Artist proposes gardens over car parks in Beirut This year's Beirut Design Week focuses on urban design, and the projects and showcases include street revival and creative new green spaces. Lebanon
Instant verbal divorce rips families apart in Iran's Kurdish region An uncommon Sunni practice granting immediate verbal divorce has wreaked havoc on the lives of many Kurdish-Iranian families, and some legal and religious parties argue it should be abolished. Iran
Egyptian activist creates music from garbage “Music has logic, and anything can make a sound,” says Shady Rabab, who received a UN prize for addressing poverty and waste management in Egypt by making musical instruments from trash and training young people in a band. Egypt
Child abuse case brings outrage, but no change in Iran Just a month after a high-profile child molestation case shook Iran, the outrage has died down and very little is being done to prevent future abuse. Iran
Sufi women blazing new trail in Nablus A unique group of some 40 women come together each week at a religious school in Nablus to practice Sufi rituals and study the faith. Palestine
Film explores how things have, and haven't, changed for Tunisia's women The female-directed drama "Beauty and the Dogs" shows how much Tunisia has changed since the revolution in which it was set. Tunisia
Istanbul exhibit casts light on Ottoman photography An Istanbul exhibit looks at the photographic albums that Ottoman Sultan Abdulhamid sent to German Chancellor Otto von Bismarck in an effort to entice Germany to invest in Anatolian railways. Turkey
Egyptian artist portrays soccer stars as saints Proud Egyptians have been putting the faces of their soccer team on everything from T-shirts to Ramadan lanterns, but when an artist decided to paint them as saints, all hell broke loose. Egypt
Film about Egyptian superstar a hit everywhere but Egypt In Europe, Iranian director Shirin Neshat’s "Looking for Oum Kulthum" is seen as a landmark artistic collaboration across the Middle East, but Egyptian critics are unimpressed with its historical inaccuracies. Egypt