Middle East

World News

Danish Government Dealing With Refugee Crisis At Home And Abroad

11:58am May 15, 2016

Denmark agreed to send 400 soldiers to Syria to help fight ISIS, and it may spend $3 billion on U.S. stealth fighter jets. Renee Montagne talks to Denmark's Foreign Minister Kristian Jensen.

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Economy

Saudi Arabia's Plan To Reduce Oil Dependency

7:58am May 15, 2016

Saudi Arabia recently presented a vision for the future of the kingdom. NPR's Linda Wertheimer speaks with Thomas Lippman of the Middle East Institute about the most ambitious part of the plan.

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Hezbollah supporters carry the coffin of their slain top commander Mustafa Badreddine during his funeral procession in a southern suburb of Beirut, Lebanon, on Friday.

World News

Hezbollah Says Insurgents Killed Its Top Commander In Syria

8:36am May 14, 2016

by Merrit Kennedy

The Lebanese militant organization says it was insurgent shelling near Damascus International Airport that killed Musrafa Badreddine. But major questions remain about the circumstances of his death.

World News

'Lawrence In Arabia' Author Examines Lasting Impact Of Sykes-Picot Agreement

7:13pm May 13, 2016

NPR's Robert Siegel talks to Lawrence in Arabia author Scott Anderson about the Sykes-Picot Agreement, a secret pact signed among allied nations that shaped the geography of the Middle East following the First World War.

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Declassified Documents Provide Insight Into Saudi Support For 9/11 Attackers

5:02pm May 13, 2016

NPR's Robert Siegel talks Philip Shenon about his article in the Guardian about the relationships between Saudi officials and the hijackers in the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks.

A scene from Save the Children's "Still the Most Shocking Second a Day" ad, which imagines a young British girl fleeing war in the U.K. and embarking on a dangerous journey.

Health & Safety

Are You More Sympathetic Because She's British, And Not Syrian?

3:47pm May 13, 2016

by Tanya Basu

A new video ad from Save the Children shows a girl going through the harrowing journey of a Syrian refugee — only she's British and it takes place in London.

Slain Hezbollah top military commander Mustafa Badreddine smiling during a meeting in a photo released by the group Friday.

World News

Hezbollah Says A Top Commander Was Killed By 'Huge Blast' In Syria

3:25pm May 13, 2016

by Merrit Kennedy

Mustafa Badreddine is believed to oversee the group's extensive military operations inside Syria since 2011. It's not clear what kind of explosion killed him or who is responsible.

'New York Times Magazine' Profile Stirs Controversy Over Iran Nuclear Deal

1:05pm May 13, 2016

by David Folkenflik

A profile of Ben Rhodes, one of President Obama's chief national security aides, reports Rhodes and the administration used spin and manipulation to sell the Iran Nuclear Deal to the public.

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A Syrian soldier walks on a ravaged street in Daraya, a besieged suburb of Syria's capital, in February.

World News

Convoy Carrying Desperately Needed Aid Refused Entry To Besieged Damascus Suburb

5:57pm May 12, 2016

by Merrit Kennedy

A U.N. official said Daraya was "probably the place in Syria where the greatest unmet needs exist." The Red Cross says a government checkpoint turned away the convoy carrying baby milk and vaccines.

U.S. Allies Told Don't Use ISIS As An Excuse To Crack Down On Dissent

9:22am May 12, 2016

by Michele Kelemen

At a U.N. Security Council meeting, U.S. Ambassador Samantha Power put Egypt on the spot for restricting free speech. She said attacks on the media create alienation benefiting terror groups.

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