When the Smoke Clears
NEED TO KNOW When the Smoke Clears LEBANON Above the hills of Beirut, the marble halls of Baabda Palace, where the Lebanese […]
Holding It Together
NEED TO KNOW Holding It Together IRAQ Those who remember the years of chaos and instability that plagued Iraq after the US-led […]
The Cloudy Crystal Ball
Dear Readers, Over the holidays, GlobalPost is collaborating with our sister publication, World Politics Review, to bring you special coverage of the […]
When the Pillars Fall
NEED TO KNOW When the Pillars Fall IRAN Iran has had a bad year. Israel has decimated Hamas, the Iranian-backed Palestinian group […]
When Hope Came to Town
NEED TO KNOW When Hope Came to Town SYRIA World leaders assumed Syrian President Bashar Assad enjoyed the upper hand in the […]
Straddling the World
NEED TO KNOW Straddling the World OMAN The deputy ambassador of Oman to the US, Sabra Ahmed Al-Hooti, recently made a nuanced […]
The Rock Stars
NEED TO KNOW The Rock Stars YEMEN Some believe the Houthis of Yemen are having a moment. The scrappy rebel Shiite group […]
Long History, Short Memories
NEED TO KNOW Long History, Short Memories ISRAEL/ WEST BANK & GAZA European Union foreign affairs chief Josep Borrell recently told Israeli […]
Knock-On Effects
NEED TO KNOW Knock-On Effects MIDDLE EAST The death of Yahya Sinwar in Gaza marked what could become the beginning of the […]
A Tale of Two Countries
NEED TO KNOW A Tale of Two Countries LIBYA Anyone interested in learning about how failed states survive might consider the story […]
I Vote, Therefore I Am
NEED TO KNOW I Vote, Therefore I Am IRAQI KURDISTAN Lawyers affiliated with a range of political parties in Kurdistan recently volunteered […]
Shapeshifting
NEED TO KNOW Shapeshifting MIDDLE EAST A year ago, after Hamas broke through a Gaza border fence on the morning of Oct. […]
‘The War of Liberation’
NEED TO KNOW ‘The War of Liberation’ TUNISIA Tunisian fruit seller Mohamed Bouazizi immolated himself in protest against his country’s uncaring, corrupt […]
The Cooling Welcome
NEED TO KNOW The Cooling Welcome MIDDLE EAST Life has never been easy for the 12 million Syrian refugees who fled their […]
The Acceleration
NEED TO KNOW The Acceleration LEBANON Starting on Sept. 17, hundreds of pagers and two-way handheld radios exploded in homes, supermarkets, buses, […]
Stuck in the Middle
NEED TO KNOW Stuck in the Middle JORDAN The Jordanian government approved an electoral law two years ago, and amendments to it […]
Victories, Great and Fixed
NEED TO KNOW Victories, Great and Fixed ALGERIA Imane Khelif returned to Algeria a hero. The Olympic gold medalist who garnered headlines […]
Punch Drunk
NEED TO KNOW Punch Drunk ISRAEL/ LEBANON Smoke billowed from the streets of Khiam in southern Lebanon recently after Israeli military forces […]
Playing Chicken
NEED TO KNOW Playing Chicken MIDDLE EAST Iranian leaders recently warned commercial airlines and others to avoid Iranian airspace as the country […]
Growing Back Limbs
NEED TO KNOW Growing Back Limbs IRAQ/ SYRIA The terrorist group known as the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (or ISIS) […]
The Practical Prince
NEED TO KNOW The Practical Prince SAUDI ARABIA Chinese solar panel companies TCL Zhonghuan and Jinko Solar reached a $3-billion deal with […]
A Moderate’s Tale
NEED TO KNOW A Moderate’s Tale IRAN A moderate candidate, Masoud Pezeshkian, 69, shockingly and decisively won the Iranian election earlier this […]
The Endgame That Wasn’t
NEED TO KNOW The Endgame That Wasn’t SYRIA Syrian voters will elect their members of parliament on July 15 – or at […]
Passing the Bar
NEED TO KNOW Passing the Bar IRAN Iran’s mullahs approved six candidates to run for president on June 28, the date for […]