Middle East

Lawyers gather in a demonstration against the Israeli government's controversial plans to overhaul the judicial system, outside the Tel Aviv District Court of Justice on Jan. 12. The new justice minister Yariv Levin outlined proposals such as allowing politicians to override Supreme Court decisions.

World News

Israel's far-right government wants the power to override its Supreme Court

5:01am February 04, 2023

by Daniel Estrin

Despite huge protests, Israel's new far-right government is doubling down on its first major initiative: to weaken the judiciary. Hungary and Poland's far-right did the same when they entered office.

Queue Listen Now

World News

Tensions rise in the wake of violence in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict

5:44pm February 03, 2023

by Peter Kenyon

In the wake of recent violence, members of Israel's right wing are calling for tougher action against Palestinians — which could just harden the attitudes of Palestinians bearing the brunt.

Queue Listen Now

'Let it Be Morning' is the story of Sami (Alex Bakri), a Palestinian citizen of Israel living in Jerusalem who receives an invitation to his brother's wedding forcing him to return to the village where he grew up.

World News

Let It Be Morning shines light on Palestinians' unease with the status quo in Israel

1:44pm February 03, 2023

NPR's Leila Fadel speaks with Israeli filmmaker Eran Kolirin and Palestinian actor Alex Bakri about the film 'Let it Be Morning'.

Queue Listen Now

Then-U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell holds up a vial that he said was the size that could be used to hold anthrax as he addresses the United Nations Security Council in February 2003 at the U.N. in New York.

20 years ago, the U.S. warned of Iraq's alleged 'weapons of mass destruction'

12:45pm February 03, 2023

by Jack Mitchell

U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell's speech to the United Nations Security Council in February 2003 came to define and undermine the Iraq War.

Queue Listen Now

Majid Khan, a 42-year-old Pakistani man, was released from the U.S. military prison in Guantánamo Bay, Cuba, on Thursday. Pictured here in 2022, he was sent to Belize after suing for unlawful imprisonment.

A Guantánamo inmate was released to Belize after suing for wrongful imprisonment

12:06pm February 03, 2023

by Sacha Pfeiffer

A 42-year-old Pakistani man who spent nearly half his life in U.S. custody has been released from Guantánamo and resettled in Belize after suing the Biden administration for unlawful imprisonment.

Queue Listen Now

Yeshnee Naidoo prepares a "flow cell" for analysis by one of the center's many genetic sequencing machines.

Who's most likely to save us from the next pandemic? The answer may surprise you

1:07pm February 02, 2023

by Nurith Aizenman

The South African-based scientist who co-discovered the omicron variant of COVID-19 makes an intriguing argument.

Queue Listen Now

World News

Encore: Seagulls near Beirut's airport lured by uncollected trash

4:56pm January 31, 2023

by Ruth Sherlock

Some flights at Beirut's international airport are being affected by huge flocks of birds attracted to nearby trash or stray bullets from nearby suburbs - what some say signal the country's problems.

Morning news brief

6:44am January 31, 2023

Secretary of State Blinken meets with Palestinian President Abbas, deadline to cut water use along the Colorado River, evidence is presented on Trump's role in paying hush-money to Stormy Daniels.

Queue Listen Now

Blinken urges calm amid escalating Israel-Palestinian conflict

5:28pm January 30, 2023

by Peter Kenyon

The U.S. secretary of state calls for calm on a trip to Jerusalem, which is seeing an escalation in Israeli-Palestinian violence.

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken walks by U.S. and Israeli flags upon arrival to Ben Gurion airport near Tel Aviv.

World News

Israel clears a hurdle for visa-free U.S. travel — but there are strings attached

12:32pm January 30, 2023

by Daniel Estrin

The State Department has announced Israeli tourists may qualify for visa-free travel to the U.S., but only if Israel stops discriminating against Arab Americans.