All Middle East
First LookIranian coffee shop empowers disabled people, combats prejudicesIn Iran, where the unemployment rate is currently 12.5 percent, work is hard to find 鈥� especially for those with disabilities. But one coffee shop in Tehran is providing new opportunities for people with down syndrome and autism.聽
First LookTrump says sanctions against Iran reinstated for 'world peace'The reinstated sanctions target financial聽transactions involving US dollars, Iran's automotive sector, the purchase of commercial airplanes, and metals, including gold. The stiff sanctions increase pressure on Iran and have been met with disapproval from European allies.聽
In Israel, tiny Druze minority galvanizes opposition to nation-state lawIsrael鈥檚 Druze, a minority within a minority, are respected by Israeli Jews for their military service and loyalty to the state. Now they are in the vanguard of a fight for equal rights and democracy.
First LookUS-backed coalition cut deals with Al Qaeda in YemenThe Saudi-led coalition has been paying off Al Qaeda聽militants to retreat, claiming victories without disclosing payment deals, according to an Associated Press investigation. The compromises run the risk of strengthening the terror organization.聽
First LookWhite House assembles Middle East policy team to rollout peace planPresident Trump's Middle East policy team is soon to roll out, headed by聽Jared Kushner and Jason Greenblatt. The team will be responsible for Mr. Trump's Israeli-Palestinian peace plan, a delicate diplomatic venture that would need to unite a divided Middle East.
Has US misread the Iranian street?Recent street protests over Iran's economy seem to suggest the country could be vulnerable to outside pressure. But Iranians say the White House has miscalculated, resulting in increased unity instead.
In Jordan, UN tries helping refugees find a missing piece: communityAmid the global refugee crisis, it's easy to forget that people who have left everything need more than just the basics of food, clothing, and shelter. To create new lives, community is vital.
Does new law tilt Israel away from its democratic values?For decades, Israel's leaders have sought to preserve a balance between its dual identity as a Jewish, but also democratic, state. A new law, say critics, has upset that balance.
Did Turkey end its state of emergency or make it permanent?Sustained security threats, real or imagined, can harm democracy. In Turkey, President Erdogan ended a two-year state of emergency, but its contribution to his tight grip on power may be lasting.
First LookUS, allies set to evacuate Syrian 'White Helmets' away from Russian-backed forcesThe United States, Britain, and Canada will lead an evacuation for Syrian civil defense workers trapped in southwest Syria as the Syrian Army appears to be gaining ground and could likely target the Western-backed White Helmets.聽
First LookIsrael passes bill defining country as Jewish nation-stateOpponents argue the bill marginalizes Israel鈥檚 Arab minority, however, the Israeli government argues the bill merely enshrines into law Israel's existing character as a Jewish state.聽
For stressed African migrants in Israel, collective farms offer a refugeA government plan to expel thousands of African refugees elicited an emotional response from many Israeli Jews 鈥� and the idea that kibbutz members could host at-risk families.
First LookIn Syria, ex-rebels and government enter era of uneasy 'reconciliation'As government forces reclaim rebel held territory, the military and former fighters are beginning what some call a "reconciliation" process but others consider a humiliating surrender.
How US stance on Iran could raise price of peace in LebanonFor any country, what does achieving domestic tranquility cost? In Lebanon, the triumph of Hezbollah has brought relative calm but pushed the country further into the US-Iran line of fire.
In rediscovered reed flute, a soulful link to Jordanian identityMusic speaks to our souls and our individual and collective identities. How much more so when the music comes from the soil under our feet? And how unfortunate, then, would it be to lose it?
Syrian civil war, on Israel's doorstep, brings swirl of changing attitudesWars bring horror, and Syria鈥檚 war is no exception. But in the desperate fight for survival, myths can be smashed, and that sets the stage for sometimes surprising changes in thinking.
First LookSome Syrians return home although risks remainThousands of Syrians stuck at the border of Jordan are returning home after government forces reclaimed previously rebel-held territory. But those returning have concerns about safety or being detained or drafted into the Syrian Army.聽
Iran protests: why Rouhani's foes are backing off their hard line
Into dark cycle of Mideast revenge, this group tries to bring lightSocial media can make activism as easy as the click of a mouse. Our reporter accompanied a group whose more demanding mission is to console the victims of Israeli-Palestinian violence in person.
First LookIranian nuclear enrichment signals resistance to US sanctionsThe Atomic Energy Organization of Iran reopened a plant that converts yellowcake 鈥� an ingredient that can be used in nuclear power plants or atomic bombs 鈥� into gas, calling attention to the uncertain future of the country's international nuclear deal.聽
