All Middle East
- How Afghan midwives are challenging Taliban strictures on women
Afghan midwives present a conundrum for the Taliban: educated women performing lifesaving work that the Taliban will not allow a male doctor to do.
- As Tunisia’s democracy wobbles, an unexpected gain: first woman premier
The symbolic victory seen in the naming of a woman as Tunisia’s prime minister comes amid a deepening battle over the nation’s democratic character.
- Jordanians get a taste of history in their daily bread
Jordan’s “wheat is a blessing” initiative is reviving cultivation of a hearty ancient grain. At stake are food security and a fading pastoral culture.
- First LookIranians 'pinching pennies' as inflation spikes. Is US to blame?
Long stunted by U.S. sanctions, Iran’s economy is now being hit by another strain: rapid inflation at its highest since 1994. Food prices have increased by almost 60%, making basic groceries unaffordable and pushing many families into poverty.
- In Israel, religious schools begin opening an old world to the new
Pressed from without and within, some Israeli ultra-Orthodox parents are choosing schools that also teach “secular” subjects like math and science.
- Difference MakerThey found hope in Afghanistan. Now they strive to preserve it.
Marnie Gustavson and Mohammad Tamim Hamkar united for a better Afghanistan, training youths for leadership and service. Now they face a new challenge.
- Palestinian leaders are ready for talks. Their voters aren’t so sure.
A U.S.-backed thaw in Palestinian-Israeli relations has yielded modest gains, but many Palestinians question their leadership’s legitimacy.
- Afghan journalists’ battle: To keep free expression alive
How long will the Taliban tolerate independent journalism? Many Afghan reporters fled amid threats, but many stayed, to boldly do their jobs.
- In Gaza, a museum filled with history ‘picked up’ along the way
The Gaza Strip’s first private museum holds more than artifacts from millennia of local culture. On display are the ingredients of Gazans’ identity.
- Afghanistan: Can social gains of last 20 years survive Taliban rule?
The Taliban face Afghans protective of social gains made during the 20-year American presence – on women’s rights, health, education, and the economy.
- First Look'A positive first step': Flight takes 200 foreigners out of Kabul
A commercial flight flew some 200 foreign passengers, including U.S. citizens and green card holders, out of Afghanistan with Taliban support on Thursday. Another 200 passengers will leave Afghanistan on Friday, according to an official from Qatar.
- Taking responsibility in Afghanistan: A look back, and forward
Edward Girardet, who first reported from Afghanistan for The Christian Science Monitor just before the Soviet invasion in 1979, considers the country’s future.
- First LookWhat does the Taliban’s all-male Cabinet mean for Afghanistan?
On Tuesday, the Taliban announced an interim Cabinet comprised only of men, many of whom were members of the hard-line regime. The new government, however, needs financial support from the international community, which may force a more moderate rule.
- First LookWomen demand rights as first days under Taliban rule unfold
As Taliban gunmen watched, a small group of women protested in Afghanistan’s capital to demand access to education, the right to return to work, and a role in governing the country. The Taliban have promised some freedoms for women but will enforce Sharia law.
- The ExplainerAfter US exit from Afghanistan, a new jihadist landscape
In a post-U.S. Afghanistan, several jihadist groups are competing for influence. Who are they and what will this mean for the country and its neighbors?
- First LookGirls youth soccer team in Afghanistan waiting to score safe exit
While most of the Afghanistan women’s national soccer team has safely evacuated from Kabul, there are many other girls left behind who fear retaliation for playing a sport that may not be considered acceptable under the Taliban’s new rule.
- The Taliban are back in power. But how will they govern?
Have the Taliban reformed, or are they clinging to the past? Two things are clear: Afghanistan has changed, and to govern, the Taliban will need help.
- In Taliban’s Afghanistan, opportunity for Al Qaeda, ISIS
As it exited Afghanistan, the U.S. relied, in part, on Taliban pledges to curb terrorism. The Kabul attack underscores doubts about their abilities.
- First LookAfter deadly blast, urgent evacuations from Kabul resume
The death toll in Afghanistan after Thursday’s suicide attacks at the airport has climbed over 100. The White House said more than 100,000 people have been safely evacuated from Kabul but thousands more struggle to leave in one of history’s largest airlifts.
- Afghan diplomacy? What terror attacks mean for West, Taliban.
Before the terror attacks in Kabul, diplomatic engagement with the Taliban had its own logic. Now, terror concerns threaten to overshadow all else.