All Middle East
Breathing new life into Lebanon's ancient art of glassblowingBy boosting the recycling of green glass and finding a new use for it, Ziad Abichaker rescued the Khalife family and their trade from the brink of extinction.
Encircled and alone, Lebanese village braces for Syrian assaultTfail, located on a spit of land that extends into Syria, is surrounded by Syrian forces on three sides. Hezbollah, a regime ally, sits on the fourth side.
Why Israel may need to rethink its assumptions on Palestinian unityIsrael criticized Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas for siding with a terrorist group instead of pursuing peace with Israel. But Mr. Abbas can鈥檛 enforce peace without unity.
Tilt towards military unbalances Egypt's ultra-conservative SalafistsSalafist politicians who supported the military-led overthrow of former President Mohamed Morsi, their former ally, are flailing as security forces extend a crackdown on Islamists.
Europe keeps wary eye on jihadists traveling to fight in SyriaAs the number of Western fighters in Syria grows, officials in Europe say the situation could eventually prove more dangerous to the West than Afghanistan.
Arab entrepreneurs face digital divide in Israel's start-up tech sceneA new office park in Nazareth for Arab tech companies is a symbol of thwarted ambitions. Less than 1 percent of government research grants for tech firms go to Arab entrepreneurs. 聽
Cease-fires bring patchy peace to Damascus neighborhoodsSyrian opposition sources says rebels are only agreeing to regime-led local cease-fires because the alternative is starvation.
Four sons killed fighting for Assad, but mother's loyalty to regime enduresOf the estimated 150,000 killed in Syria in the last three years, at least 58,000 were regime fighters 鈥� an estimated 20,000 more than the opposition.
Behind Qatar's bet on the Muslim BrotherhoodQatar's support for the Muslim Brotherhood through a punishing crackdown in Egypt is in part a bet on the longevity of people-powered political movements.
FocusCan Israel's natural gas reserves pump up regional peace?Israel is preparing to export a portion of its offshore natural gas reserves. The resulting business partnerships could hurdle political obstacles to better relations with neighbors.
Iran ahead of schedule in complying with nuclear deal, UN watchdog saysThe IAEA reported that Iran has significantly reduced its stockpile of near bomb-grade enriched uranium and is moving more quickly than required to dispose of remaining stocks by mid-July.
In Upper Egypt, police avert eyes from ethnic bloodshedIn Aswan, inter-tribal and ethnic tensions run high. Dozens died last week in two days of clashes while the Egyptian police focused on breaking up a local Islamist demonstration.
Assad offers Syrian voters a first: another name on the ballotNeither President Assad nor his father ever had an electoral challenger 鈥撀爑ntil this year. But any opposition candidate is likely to be a strawman put up to give the vote legitimacy.
Libya's PM to step down after gunmen allegedly target his familyLibya's parliament ousted the previous prime minister in March. Abdullah al-Thani said he would stay on as interim prime minister until a replacement is found.聽
Cover StoryThe big test facing IraqAs the first elections loom since the US left four years ago, Iraq struggles to avoid splitting apart amid escalating violence and political paralysis.
Wealthy Qatar, a backer of Syria's armed rebels, makes room for displaced studentsThe school uses the Syrian curriculum so that if and when the conflict ends, displaced children can easily resume their education in Syria.
Overcoming looting and years of war, Iraq Museum moves to reopenMany pieces looted amid the 2003 invasion have been recovered, and the museum repaired. While tough challenges remain, the staff is optimistic they will soon throw the doors open to the public.
'Return to Homs' embeds viewer in an embattled Syrian cityThe director of the documentary, shot in the besieged Syrian city between 2011 and 2013, had to line up backup crew and cast in case anyone was killed.
West Bank settlers derided as terrorists for turning on their own armyExtremist Jewish settlers attacked a nearby IDF encampment after several mobile homes in a settlement outpost were demolished. Israeli security officials called for harsh measures.
FocusErdogan's missed opportunity to mix Islam and democracy in TurkeyTurkey has prospered under the controversial prime minister. But his modernization agenda has also fueled opposition to his rule and exposed his autocratic style.
