Iran war
Caring for Orphans in a Time of War
As U.S. and Israeli bombs fell on Iran, the country's strict child welfare system was forced to break with decades of practice, placing infants in private homes to shield them from attacks on hospitals and orphanages. The move is reshaping how Iranians think about motherhood and guardianship.
The Flares Go Dark
An open-source investigation using satellite imagery, geolocated footage and 3D reconstruction reveals how Israeli strikes disrupted steel plants tied to 5% of Iran's gross domestic product and 1.2 million jobs.
Bahraini Lawmakers Face Backlash for Questioning Citizenship Revocations
After revoking the citizenship of 69 people accused of sympathizing with Iran during the U.S.-Israeli war, the Gulf kingdom has made revocation a "sovereign act" that can be handed down without evidence, a hearing or appeal. Three parliamentarians who questioned the measure now face expulsion from the body.
Pakistani Nationals Allege Arbitrary Detention and Deportation From the UAE
Pakistani nationals, many of them Shiite, allege being arbitrarily detained and deported from the UAE amid deteriorating relations between the countries in the wake of the Iran war.
Pakistan Is Taking on a New Role in the Middle East
Pakistan’s mediation in the Iran war and its growing ties with Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Qatar signal its emergence as a key security actor in southwest Asia’s shifting order and a significant expansion of its regional stature.
Music and Survival in Wartime Tehran
As U.S. and Israeli missiles rained down on Iran, music emerged as a means of fostering resilience and a tool of resistance, but the war’s destruction has left many artists struggling to support themselves.
Iraq’s Militias Are in a Struggle for Survival
Iraqi Shiite militias, now the last intact pillar of Iran’s regional network, are navigating an existential conflict. Embedded within the Iraqi state yet aligned with Tehran, their future, and Iraq’s, hinges on the outcome of a wider confrontation with the United States.