All Middle East
Turkish pianist's Twitter barbs land him conviction for insulting IslamFazil Say's case highlights a curtailing of free expression in Turkey that has also put 49 journalists in prison. He was convicted of insulting Islam in a series of mocking tweets.
In rebel fighter's personal story, the arc of Syria's warWhen The Monitor first met Syrian rebel fighter Abu Omar last July, he was buoyant and determined to bring down the Assad regime. Now his outlook is a bit more grim.
Hebrew lives on in Hamas-run GazaPalestinian Daniel Fares, fluent in Hebrew from his days working in an Israeli Coca-Cola factory, still tunes in to Israeli news stations daily.
US loses a West Bank darling with resignation of Palestinian prime ministerPalestinian Authority Prime Minister Salam Fayyad, who resigned this weekend, was liked by the US, but he had less approval at home, where many saw him as a lackey of the West.
Egypt's Copts lash out at government's anti-海角大神 rhetoricEgypt's Coptic Church聽unleashed one of its strongest criticisms ever of the government after back-to-back deadly attacks on Copts that the pope insists were incited by harsh anti-海角大神 rhetoric.聽
A goat farmer, lured by the green GalileeAvi Yankelevitch, who runs an eco-tourist goat farm in the Galilee, comes from an archetypal Israeli pioneer family 鈥� European Jews, enchanted by the land they feel called on to work.
Booting up Arab access to Israeli high-tech jobsArabs make up 20 percent of the Israeli population, but only 1.4 percent of Israel's high-tech industry. One NGO is closing the gap by helping Israeli Arabs through the job search process.
Al Qaeda in Iraq and Syrian rebel group Jabhat al-Nusra make it officialThe leader of Iraq's local Al Qaeda affiliate has claimed sponsorship of Jabhat al-Nusra, a militant group fighting alongside the Syrian rebels 鈥� confirming what everyone long suspected.聽- Business before politics: Merchants set up court to handle Israeli-Palestinian trade disputesTired of waiting for a political solution, Israeli and Palestinian businessmen are taking matters into their own hands, launching a court to handle business disputes properly.聽
- 'The Fatwa Show': Moroccan journalist tells clerics to just have some fun'The Fatwa Show' satirizes Islamic legal opinions, and is one聽of the most popular features on the new Arab world news and commentary website Free Arabs.
Fashionable and ready to fight'I always teach my children that Palestine is for us,' says Shireen Qawasmi, a Palestinian聽mother of three.
Why Kerry could succeed at securing Israeli-Palestinian peaceDespite deep-seated cynicism about prospects for Israeli-Palestinian peace, Secretary of State John Kerry has kicked off his term with the biggest American push for an agreement since 2000.- In Gaza, a dream of sailboats meets land's limited horizonsMahfouz Kabariti spent years trying to round up a fleet of sailboats for Gaza's children as a distraction from their violent life. The boats arrived, but remain beached in his yard.
On 10th anniversary of Baghdad's fall, Iraqis remain tornMany Iraqis are glad Saddam Hussein is gone, but still grieve about what followed.- Welcome to The Olive PressChrista Case Bryant introduces a new blog focused on the life stories of people in the Middle East.
Iran's 'axis of resistance' loses its Palestinian arm to Syrian warSunni Hamas has broken its longtime ties with the Assad regime to fight alongside the predominantly Sunni Syrian opposition.
Cyber attack on Israel falls short of promised havocHackers vowed that yesterday's attack would be 'the largest Internet battle in the history of mankind,' waged in defense of freedom, not a particular political preference.聽
Holocaust Day: New film tells story of survival in Ukrainian cavesThe 83-minute film, 鈥淣o Place on Earth,鈥� premiered this weekend in New York, just as Israel is marking Holocaust Day. It is scheduled to open in major cities across the US in coming weeks.
Deep rifts exposed in latest round of Iran nuclear talksTwo days of talks in Kazakhstan between Iran and six world powers illustrated the magnitude of the diplomatic challenge ahead.
Iran stance 'puzzles' negotiators after first day of nuclear talksThe threat of deadlock loomed over Iran nuclear talks in Kazakhstan today after Iran presented a revised set of proposals.
