All Middle East
First LookTrump tweet triggers diplomacy meetings in PakistanIn a New Year's Day tweet President Trump accused Pakistan of harboring terrorists and declared an end to US aid.聽
First LookSyrian opposition rejects Russia's proposed peace talksRebel groups, including Ahrar al-Sham and Army of Islam, said they are committed to the UN-led Geneva process, now in its seventh year.
First LookSyrian government allows critically ill to evacuate besieged suburbThe Army of Islam, a prominent rebel group in eastern Ghouta, said patients will be evacuated as part of a deal that was conditional on it releasing an equivalent number of captives.
How Sunnis' post-ISIS crisis is leading some to a new Iraqi nationalismAs Iraq celebrates the defeat of ISIS, the Sunni Arab community is confronting an identity crisis in the aftermath of the occupation. For some, accommodation with the Shiite-led government offers a new Iraqi nationalism.
First LookCould a CPEC extension mend fragile relations between Afghanistan and Pakistan?China and Pakistan will consider extending their $57 billion infrastructure project, the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), to Afghanistan.
First LookArab supporters join voices to send message to US about JerusalemA UN resolution proposed聽by Egypt and supported by 14 Security Council members would have forced President Trump to back down on his recognition of Jerusalem as Israel's capital. Russia has indicated it's ready to stand in as an 'honest mediator' in the peace process.聽
How Trump move on Jerusalem throws a lifeline to Muslim BrotherhoodThe conservative Brotherhood, outlawed or marginalized around the Arab world, has opposed the Arab-Israeli peace process for decades. It has emerged as a political winner as it leads popular protests against Trump's declaration in multiple Arab states.
Cover StoryHow Iran, the Mideast's new superpower, is expanding its footprint across the region 鈥� and what it meansIran has achieved milestones of leverage and influence that rival any regional power in the past half-century. While there are limits to how far it can extend its authority, Tehran鈥檚 rapid rise poses new challenges to the US, Israel, and Saudi Arabia as it undermines their previous dominance. How far can Tehran extend its reach?
First LookPalestinian president calls for US to leave peace negotiationsMahmoud Abbas has insisted the US is no longer fit to serve as mediator following President Trump's US embassy move announcement. Mr. Abbas called for the UN to replace the US for the remainder of the negotiations.聽
Jerusalem: Exhausted and adrift, Palestinians offer muted response to TrumpWhen Trump recognized Jerusalem as Israel's capital, analysts warned it could bring a wave of violence. But the response of outraged and distrustful Palestinians has been muted, and some are ready to abandon the two-state solution for peace.
First LookNetanyahu visits EU to win support following Trump's embassy move announcementPrime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu visited Brussels to ask EU leaders to join President Trump in recognizing Jerusalem as Israel's capital. Many EU foreign ministers continue to criticize Mr. Trump's decision and its ramifications for the peace process.聽
First LookAfter 35-year ban, movie theaters allowed once again in Saudi ArabiaThe arrival of movie theaters in Saudi Arabia will mark the latest cultural change as a result of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman's efforts to liberalize the conservative country.
Second day of protests after Trump's announcement continue in West Bank and GazaMuslims and Arabs around the world continue to protest President Trump's decision to move the US Embassy to Jerusalem, officially recognizing the Holy City as Israel's capital.聽
Yemen: Why death of ex-dictator makes ending war harder, and more urgentJust before his death, ex-dictator Ali Abdullah Saleh seemed to offer the Saudis a face-saving way out of their war in Yemen, where a humanitarian crisis is already in full swing. For now, they are vowing to press the attack against the Shiite Houthis.
First LookArab world responds to Trump鈥檚 Jerusalem decision with protests and warningsAfter President Trump recognizing Jerusalem as Israel's capital, Palestinian protesters聽burned posters of President Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, as well as Israeli and United States flags across the West Bank.
In Jordan, an empowering solution for UN-run refugee campsAt two UN-run refugee camps, solar power projects bring reassuring light to the desert night, renewable energy sources for Jordan's future, and jobs and training for Syrian refugees.
First LookYemen's ex-president killed by rebels, destroying Houthi allianceThe alliance between former president聽Ali Abdullah Saleh's forces and the Houthi rebels, which has been fraying in recent months, broke as Houthi rebels killed Mr. Saleh near Sanhan in Yemen. The Houthis believed Saleh was shifting his support to the opposition.聽
On Israel's left, a young firebrand is building her baseStav Shaffir's in-your-face, in-the-weeds approach to governing, and her commitment to transparency and tackling corruption, is challenging a political system accustomed to backroom deals and minimal oversight.
In Iraq, artists work toward a postwar revivalWith the trials and horrors of sanctions and war retreating into the past, Iraqi artists are looking for their muse and markets as they seek to rebuild a creative culture.
Why Sinai mosque attack is seen as a major ISIS miscalculationTo gain power, ISIS has a history of exploiting sectarian divides. But the sheer carnage of the attack on a mosque frequented by Sufi Muslims appears to be alienating ISIS's base, even among Sinai's downtrodden.
