Middle East

Syrian refugees shop at a makeshift grocery store at the Zaatari camp in March.

World News

Sea Of Syrian Refugees Threatens To Overload Jordan

9:23pm May 02, 2013

More than half a million refugees have crossed into Jordan, and the number is expected to rise rapidly. Jordanian officials say the influx is threatening the stability of the kingdom.

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President Obama speaks at a news conference Tuesday. He addressed the use of chemical weapons in Syria and said he's weighing his options.

How Will Obama Make His Case On Syria?

10:09am May 02, 2013

by Don Gonyea

When it comes to the U.S. role in Syria's civil war, President Obama says he's weighing all options. Whatever he decides, he'll have to make his case to a public that hasn't been paying close attention.

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"War" by Touka Neyestani: Neyestani received a degree in architecture from Tehran's Science and Industry University, and has been a cartoonist for more than 30 years.

Iran's Political Scene Is Sketchy For Cartoonists

12:32pm May 01, 2013

by NPR Staff

Political cartoons have a long history in Iran and give voice to critics of the authoritarian regime. Lately cartoonists have been increasingly persecuted for their work. A recent book, Sketches of Iran, pairs 40 political essays with cartoons depicting life in Iran today.

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Doctors at a hospital in Aleppo, Syria, treat a boy injured in what the government said was a chemical weapons attack on March 19. Syria's government and rebels accused each other of firing a rocket loaded with chemical agents outside of Aleppo.

How Doctors Would Know If Syrians Were Hit With Nerve Gas

12:02pm May 01, 2013

by Christopher Joyce

An international team of doctors is helping Syrian health workers recognize the signs of a chemical attack. They're also teaching them how to collect and preserve tissues as potential evidence if war crimes charges are brought.

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Israeli students snap photos of the Syrian landscape from Mount Bental in the Golan Heights, which is occupied by Israel. Israelis have even watched Syrian troop and rebel movements from here.

World News

In the Golan Heights: Stray Bullets And Spring Cleaning

9:52am April 28, 2013

by Emily Harris

The Syrian civil war rages just a short distance across the frontier from Israeli-occupied territory. As spring blossoms around them, Israelis are watching warily.

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World News

How Chemical Weapons Could Change Strategy For Syria

9:51am April 28, 2013

British, French and Israeli officials say they have evidence that the Syrian government repeatedly used chemical weapons against civilians. Though the U.S. hasn't confirmed the allegations, the Obama administration previously said that the use of chemical weapons could provoke a stronger response.

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World News

Egyptian Activists: Our Religion Is None Of Your Business

8:17pm April 27, 2013

by Leila Fadel

Violence between Muslims and Christians in Egypt, which has only increased since the revolution, is prompting public debate about religious identity. To try to ease tension and de-emphasize differences, one group of Egyptians wants to remove religious labels from national ID cards.

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Does Syria's Alleged Use Of Chemical weapons 'Cross The Line?'

3:57pm April 27, 2013

Weekend Edition Saturday host Scott Simon talks with Vali Nasr of Johns Hopkins University about allegations that the Syrian government used chemical weapons against its own citizens, and whether this crosses a "red line" drawn by the Obama Administration.

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President Obama meets with the emir of Qatar, Sheik Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, in the Oval Office on Tuesday. The emir is among a series of visiting Middle East leaders urging the U.S. to take a greater role in the Syrian conflict.

World News

U.S. Wary As Qatar Ramps Up Support Of Syrian Rebels

4:47pm April 26, 2013

by Michele Kelemen

The tiny Gulf nation of Qatar has been "punching above its weight" diplomatically in the region in recent years. Now, it's taking a prominent role in Syria, arming rebels there. The U.S. wants to see such aid go to moderates. Qatar has its own approach.

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White House Undecided On Action For Syria Crossing 'Red Line'

8:16pm April 25, 2013

by Mara Liasson

President Obama has said repeatedly that the use of chemical weapons by the Syrian government against its own people was a red line, and crossing it would bring U.S. action. On Thursday, the administration said that the intelligence community "does assess with vary degrees of confidence" that the regime has used such weapons "on a small scale." Yet the administration also contends that these findings fall short of the red line.

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