All Middle East
Amid US talks with Taliban, Afghan women remain vigilantAs the US prepares to pull out of Afghanistan, many women are, unsurprisingly, worried they will face heightened risks and challenges. But our correspondent found a spirit of determined optimism too.
First LookIsraeli startups align with firms making lab-grown 'clean meat'Lab-grown meat is considered a solution to feeding the world's ever-growing population. After its early decades of meat rationing, Israel is quickly becoming a leader of the synthetic food frontier.
First LookFleeing Syria defeat, ISIS fighters slip into IraqSyrian coalition forces have stamped out the Islamic State, but hundreds of fighters are streaming across the border into Iraq, further destabilizing the country鈥檚 fragile security with attacks and extortion rackets that threaten to undo Iraq's 鈥渧ictory鈥� over ISIS in late 2017.
First LookTurkey's Erdogan woos voters with cheaper vegetables ahead of electionsThe cost of goods in Turkey has jumped by about a third since President聽Recep Tayyip Erdogan's policies caused the national currency to slump. Now, the government has set up stalls to sell cheaper vegetables, targeting Mr. Erdogan's traditional low-income voter base.
First LookIraqi rapper gives voice to anger, disillusionment in BasraThe Iraqi city of Basra, which erupted in demonstrations last summer over failing services and unsafe drinking water, has found an artistic outlet in rapper Ahmed Chayeb. He says his generation is fed up with the politicians and religious authorities who have let Basra fall apart.
No smoking: How one city is cutting the hookah hazeCities, over larger government entities, have increasingly been drivers of change. When Jordan鈥檚 smokers seemed unmoved by national laws, Amman joined a global cities alliance to help reduce public smoking.
US-Taliban talks: Is Afghanistan ready for real peace?Finding a path to peace involves taking risks and building trust. In Afghanistan, the US seems eager to end its longest war, and Afghans yearn for peace. Still, issues of trust and risk-taking loom large.
First LookIn Hebron, Palestinians patrol after foreign monitors leaveThe West Bank's largest city is a frequent flashpoint between Israeli settlers and Palestinians. Now聽Palestinian activists have launched their own patrols to document alleged settler violence in Hebron after Israel expelled international observers.
First LookWar museum in Baghdad underlines militia's growing cloutA new museum in Iraq's capital honors the mainly Shiite聽militiamen who died fighting the Islamic State. The Iran-backed militias gained prominence after helping the government in the war. Some worry that this spells trouble for a country with a聽history of bloody sectarian strife.
First LookRussia more assured about war with Afghan three decades onFriday marks the anniversary of Soviet withdrawal from Afghanistan 30 years ago. Once聽hailed as a much sought-after end to a bloody quagmire, many Russians now see the decade-long war as successful and legitimate action against United States-backed militants.
The ExplainerIn Arab world, a new alliance is on the riseWhat impact does America's inward gaze have on international problem-solving? That's an issue we will return to regularly. Here, a look at how six US-friendly Arab nations are banding together.
First LookEven after being liberated from ISIS control, Iraqi 海角大神s fear for their safetyDespite the eradication of Islamic State militants from their small Iraqi town, many 海角大神 residents fear returning to Bartella, which is now run by Shiite militias who frequently bully and assault 海角大神s 鈥� a power grab that is playing out across Iraq.
As Iran鈥檚 revolution turns 40, a consensus: Things must changeCan the Islamic Revolution reform itself? What was once unlikely now seems inevitable as the regime weighs its failures and successes and pushes to reinvigorate flagging support among Iranians.
In Iran, a hardline hunt for 鈥榠nfiltrators鈥� has political target, tooIranian hardliners鈥� fear of Western cultural influence has morphed into anxiety over an 鈥渋nfiltration project鈥� by the US, Israel, and others, spurring arrests of alleged enemies, including even government officials.
鈥楩eels like home鈥�: Israeli school for migrant kids wins by bridging worldsHow to provide for the children caught up in the uncertainty and often trauma of migration is an increasingly pressing question for many societies. A school in Tel Aviv offers a model that is succeeding.
Amid Turkey's brain drain, why some choose to stayThe decision to leave one鈥檚 homeland is hardly ever trivial, even when safety is the issue. Turkey鈥檚 economic and political slide has moved many to leave, but the 鈥榮tay or go鈥� debate is an agonizing one.
With mud hut and chickens, an ancestral village heals generational divideFor the children of immigrants, there鈥檚 often a detachment from older relatives as well as a physical distance from ancestral land. In Israel, a model Ethiopian village is bringing generations together.
Rebuilding Syria: Why Arabs and the West are on a collision courseIt鈥檚 a natural cycle: After war, even the most brutal, comes rebuilding. But when is it time, and how lasting is the bitterness? On Assad鈥檚 Syria, the Arab world and the West are increasingly out of sync.
First LookAmid rising violence, Palestinians ask UN to replace observer force in West BankIsraeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has vowed to disband the observing force that currently reports on human rights violations in Hebron. But the Palestinian government sees its presence as increasingly necessary protection against "settler attacks."
As Israel, Iran square off in Syria, can Russia play peacemaker?The planned US withdrawal from Syria has both practical and symbolic implications. On the ground, Russia now appears best positioned to resolve disputes in the country, if it is ready to take on the role.
