This archive covers progress stories and milestones from across the Middle East, spanning countries from Egypt and Jordan to the Gulf states and beyond. Readers will find reporting on health, education, environment, and civic life — moments where communities and institutions are moving in a positive direction.
The U.S. will return more than 17,000 ancient artifacts, including the Gilgamesh Dream Tablet, after authorities recently reached a repatriation agreement with Baghdad to return artifacts seized from dealers and museums.
Based on figures provided by the Eduction Ministry, last school year, Iran offered free education to about 560,000 foreign students, the majority of them Afghans.
According to the museum’s founder, Ahmed Obaid AlMansoori, the opening of the museum is timely, as parts of the Middle East region open up and there is an effort being made towards normalizing relations between countries.
The factory will have the capacity to produce 1,100 lb of cultured chicken, pork and lamb each day, which is equivalent to around 5,000 burgers, and the company says beef products are on the way.
The Shusha Island Coral Park will cover 100 hectares and become a global center to showcase innovations to protect and restore coral reefs and accelerate conservation solutions.
The state-backed Human Rights Commission said 27 executions were recorded in 2020. That is down from 184 the year before, according to rights watchdog Amnesty International.
The new legislation will come into effect in six months — a historic decision for animal rights and protection.
The Green Saudi and Green Middle East initiatives aim to take the crown of the world’s largest tree-planting effort—50 billion across the Arab states, as well as efforts at home to more than double the size of the Kingdom’s protected areas.
IRENA’s annual Renewable Capacity Statistics 2021 shows that global renewable energy capacity grew by more than 260 GW last year, beating the previous record set in 2019 by nearly 50%.
Researchers in Saudi Arabia have developed thin, organic solar cells with a few advantages over others of their type. The new solar cells are more efficient, made using more common elements, and can be inkjet-printed onto surfaces, making them light and flexible enough to power wearable electronics.
