All Middle East
In Iran, US sanctions are being felt, with harsher measures to comeDo sanctions on countries hit the right targets? While humanitarian goods are exempt from US sanctions, one Iranian charity says it鈥檚 struggling to buy medicine because of restrictions on banks.
First LookMillions of Shiite Muslims make peaceful trek to Iraq's KarbalaMillions of people from all over the world are making the pilgrimage to the Iraqi city of Karbala. The pilgrimage, described as a "walk to heaven" by one traveler, is the first since Iraq's government declared victory over the Islamic State group in January.
First LookUS sanctions against Hezbollah and Iran hurt Shiite militiasThe renewal of US sanctions against Iran and Hezbollah in Lebanon is starting to be felt across the so-called 'Axis of Resistance', especially as Tehran reels from deep economic woes.聽
First LookSyria frees Japanese journalist after three years captivityJumpei Yasuda was held hostage for 40 months by an Al Qaeda-affiliated group in Syria before finally being released on Oct. 24. His kidnapping underscores a worrying trend of journalists being taken captive in the Middle East.聽
For Iran's women's movement, progress is slow. But it's progress.Observer or participant? When assessing change, frame of reference matters. So it is with the progress of Iran's women's movement. As one woman told us: 鈥淵ou don鈥檛 change a patriarchal society overnight.鈥�
First LookHuman Rights Watch report highlights torture at the hands of PalestiniansA report released by the Human Rights Watch on Oct. 23 accuses both the Palestinian Authority and Hamas of suppressing dissent in the West Bank and Gaza respectively through arbitrary arrests and torture.聽
First LookIraq tries a new approach to filling cabinet positions: open to all via online platformPrime Minster-designate Adel Abdul-Mahdi opened an online portal allowing anyone to apply to run one of Iraq's 22 ministries. What his administration wasn't prepared for was receiving more than 15,000 applications in a matter of days.聽
How Syrian refugees strain 鈥� and strengthen 鈥� JordanWhat role does culture play in a nation's ability to handle a huge influx of refugees?聽Jordanians say their hospitality stems from their Bedouin roots and ancient desert customs. Part 2 of On the Move: the faces, places, and politics of migration.
First LookPalestinian activist, Ahed Tamimi, takes her cause abroadArrested for slapping an Israeli soldier in front of her West Bank home, the 17-year-old is meeting dignitaries and activists across the Middle East and Europe after serving an eight-month prison sentence, showing signs of a changing Palestinian activism that dismays Israeli officials.聽
First LookElection postponed in Kandahar after attack on security meetingAfghanistan's election has been postponed for a week in Kandahar province after an elite Afghan guard opened fire at the end of a meeting between Kandahar and US officials. The Taliban claimed responsibility for the assault that killed聽police chief Gen. Abdul Raziq and wounded three Americans.
First LookUpcoming Afghan elections test country's commitment to women's rightsSince the US invasion in 2001, one of the few areas of progress in Afghanistan has been the advancement of women. They face many challenges as elections near, including passing legislation against violence and changing cultural norms.聽
At stake in Khashoggi affair: control of the Arab world鈥檚 narrativeIf human rights and a free press are fundamental values in the West, what obligations does it have to ensure the Khashoggi affair does not squelch voices of dissent across the Arab world, as many fear?
First LookWater pollution threatens Mandaean religious practices in IraqMandaeans, a minority religious group following the teachings of John the Baptist, have worshipped at the banks of the Tigris River for hundreds of years. Today, industrial chemicals and untreated sewage make it difficult for the Mandaeans to practice religious rites.聽
A seat at the table: Wave of Arab women running in local elections in IsraelPaths to progress must often pierce both tradition and discrimination. But as one Israeli Arab woman tells us: 鈥業t鈥檚 time for people to take us seriously.... We can contribute, too.鈥�
First LookChildren of ISIS fighters struggle for survival in IraqSome of the most invisible victims of the Islamic State's caliphate are children of the fighters themselves. Traumatized, alone, and stigmatized by the actions of their parents, their lives reveal the long road of recovery ahead in sectarian-ridden Iraq.聽
First LookJoint 'inspection' planned for Saudi consulate in IstanbulTurkish officials have announced that the Saudi Arabian consulate in Istanbul will be inspected on Oct. 15 after Washington Post contributor Jamal Khashoggi disappeared there almost two weeks ago.聽
First LookBehind glitz of Saudi Crown Prince's reforms, a record of human rights abusesAs the disappearance of Saudi journalist聽Jamal Khashoggi strains US-Saudi relations, the record of ambitious Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman is getting a closer look, from his involvement in a bloody war in Yemen to the silencing of critics in his kingdom.聽
First LookIslamic State returning to insurgency as caliphate disappearsThe loss of territory and propaganda networks have severely cut into the effectiveness of ISIS military campaigns. But recent massacres in Syria and its history of survival during the Iraq War point to it continuing in a new form utilizing ambush surprise attacks.聽
Iran: As economy stumbles, tension grows between rich and poorHow does one assess a society's resilience? One measure might be social cohesion. With Iran bracing for tougher US sanctions, resentment is growing against the well-connected who flaunt their wealth.
First LookCorruption indictment looms for Israel's Netanyahu in lead up to electionsEarly elections look likely in Israel as the Netanyahu government splits over ultra-Orthodox military conscription, the Israeli attorney general considers corruption indictments, and Prime Minister聽Benjamin Netanyahu seeks to solidify his position and international alliances.聽
