All Middle East
First LookAnother first for Saudi women: legal attendance at sports matchesTwo years after a woman disguised as a man was arrested for attending a soccer game, Saudi women will be allowed to attend games in stadiums, as long as they sit in the designated 'family' section.
How Taliban are evolving to compete in AfghanistanThe once mostly Pashtun insurgency is broadening its ranks, amending its tactics, and seeking political relevance, even as it advances its campaign of violence and intimidation against Afghanistan.
First LookRed Cross gains access to families of ISIS fighters held in MosulThe Red Cross announced that it now has access to families of suspected ISIS fighters that are being held in Mosul by Iraqi forces. Red Cross officials fear that tensions could result in illegal torture and executions of the women and children.聽聽
ISIS post caliphate: who's left, and where they areThe rapid territorial losses in Iraq and Syria will likely drive the jihadists underground there, but ISIS 'provinces' and expatriates are scattered broadly, and the resilient organization remains a threat even without its caliphate.
First LookKurdish authorities push for dialogue with Iraqi governmentIraqi Kurds press the government for talks after Kurds voted for independence in what Baghdad views as an illegal referendum. In return, the Iraqi government stipulates that the vote's outcome be canceled before any talks commence.
Breaking barriers, Arab-Israeli women join movement to 'wage peace'Frustrated with the peace process, more Arab-Israeli women are joining the ranks of Women Wage Peace, rejecting pressure not to 'normalize' relations with Israeli Jews. 'We want, in our own way, to make peace,' says one member.
First LookSaudi Arabia plans an investment zone to expand its economy beyond oilIn response to persistent low oil prices Saudi Arabia says it will create a joint industrial and business zone with Jordan and Egypt to bring in new development and investment in energy, manufacturing, food, water, and more.聽
Trump's Afghan policy causing a rethink on both sides in conflictThe Taliban made fewer territorial gains this combat season, but say they're still ready to fight Americans. Afghans welcome Trump's fight-to-win approach, but the path to victory is still unclear.
In Turkish move into Syria, a sign of how Russia is shaping the countryTurkey's incursion into Idlib province was part of a 'de-escalation' agreement with pro-Syrian powers Russia and Iran and an outgrowth of a diplomatic process that some analysts say could lay the groundwork for a long-sought political solution in Syria.
First LookDespite potential trade sanctions, Kurds continue with exportsThe Iraqi government and neighboring nations threatened a crackdown on trade with the Kurdish region following its independence vote. Sanctions could hurt the region's economy but Kurdish leaders are confident their聽goods are too valuable to the larger economy.聽
After brutal Syrian war, how ready is region to do business with Assad?Much blood has been spilled in Syria's civil war, and many of Assad's neighbors have supported forces that sought his ouster. Whether to reengage with someone accused of crimes against humanity is more than just a tactical decision.
First LookUS-backed forces chase ISIS militants from Raqqa after three horrific yearsThe Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces ended the clash in Raqqa on Tuesday, combing the northern Syrian city for land mines and searching for any ISIS sleeper cells left behind.聽
In assault on Kirkuk, Iraqi Kurds see region's reply to independence voteAfter the euphoria of the vote, the advance on energy-rich Kirkuk by Iraqi federal forces signaled a worrisome dynamic for the Kurds: Baghdad's coordination with Turkey and Iran, and internal Kurdish divisions.
First LookResidents of Gaza yearn for economic relief from Hamas and Fatah dealTired of being disappointed by past deals falling through, Palestinians are hopeful that the reconciliation deal between the two rival political factions, Hamas and Fatah, will stick.
First LookA step toward unity: Gaza governing deal reached by rivals Hamas and FatahLeaders of Hamas and Fatah delegations signed a preliminary reconciliation deal Thursday in which Hamas would hand over governing Gaza to the West Bank-based government of Prime Minister Rami Hamdallah.
Old Kabul reborn: Art, culture, and a rare ray of lightA British charity's rehabilitation of one of Kabul's poorest historic districts is doing more than restoring buildings and training traditional artisans. It is 'preserving the soul of the country.'
First LookTrump threatens to blacklist elite Iranian security forceUS-Iran tensions flared as President Trump threatened to list Iran's elite security force, the Revolutionary聽Guard Corps, as a terrorist organization as part of his attack on the Iran nuclear deal. Iran responded saying that such a move would be met with reciprocal action.聽
Palestinian reconciliation? What's driving Hamas and Fatah this time.As Palestinians in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank press for unity, the factions meet for talks in Cairo. Hamas is showing signs of governing fatigue, but Fatah is wary of Hamas political gains at its expense.
What drove Saudi Arabia to lift driving ban? It's not all about women.Alleviating the burden on middle-class Saudi families is part of it. So is the boon to the economy from enabling women's employment. But it could also be a distraction as the crown prince consolidates power and cracks down on dissent.
ISIS attacks Shiites, but Afghans resist push to make conflict religiousAfghanistan's 16-year war has been political, not sectarian. But the Afghan branch of ISIS is trying to drive a different dynamic, related to its view of Shiites as infidels and the participation of some Afghan Shiites in fighting ISIS in Syria.
