Middle East

World News

Political Unrest In Yemen A Blow To U.S. Counterrorism Efforts

6:27pm February 11, 2015

Rachel Martin speaks with Stephen Seche, former U.S. Ambassador to Yemen about the decision to close down the U.S. embassy in Sana'a and how that could affect U.S. counterterrorism efforts in Yemen.

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Iran's President Hassan Rouhani waves during a rally to mark the 36th anniversary of the Islamic revolution at Azadi Square in Tehran on Wednesday. President Hassan Rouhani delivered a speech saying the world needs Iran to help stabilize the troubled Midd

World News

On Revolution Day, Iran's President Calls For A 'Win-Win' Nuke Deal

4:59pm February 11, 2015

by NPR Staff

Iran's leaders sounded a positive note about the possibility of a deal on Iran's nuclear program. Still, a final agreement is considered uncertain at best.

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World News

Global Community Funds Jordan's First Skateboard Park

2:30pm February 11, 2015

by Alice Fordham

Getting skateboarding off the ground in Amman, Jordan, was a bit of a challenge. Donations helped build the first skate park in the country. Newly opened, it's attracting a lot of curious onlookers.

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World News

Aid Worker Held By ISIS Put Beliefs Into Action, Friends Say

2:18pm February 11, 2015

by Gillian Ferris

Kayla Mueller, 26, has been confirmed dead by her parents and the White House. She had been held by Islamic State militants since 2013. Friends gathered in Prescott, Ariz., to remember her.

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Sen. Kaine Pushes For Vote On Military Strikes Against ISIS

1:44pm February 11, 2015

As the White House decides to seek congressional approval to conduct the war against militants of the Islamic State, also known as ISIS, Renee Montagne talks to Democratic Sen. Tim Kaine of Virginia.

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Random violence in Syria makes it a dangerous place for aid workers. This month, members of the Syrian Arab Red Crescent transported Syrians from a rebel area to a part of Aleppo controlled by the Assad regime.

Kayla Mueller's Death Underscores Risks For Aid Workers Abroad

12:00pm February 11, 2015

by Marc Silver

Humanitarian groups say the world is more dangerous than it was 15 years ago. How can they keep their staff safe in places of turmoil?

President George W. Bush addressed a joint session of Congress shortly after the Sept. 11 attacks, vowing to tap "every resource" to fight terrorism. Two days before the speech, he had signed an Authorization for Use of Military Force passed by Congress.

In White House Memory, A-U-M-F Translates To B-U-S-H

9:26am February 11, 2015

by Ron Elving

Surely it is not a welcome thought for the current White House that it is going to Congress for the Authorization for the Use of Military Force " ... just like President Bush."

World News

Examining The Years Since Egypt's Arab Spring

8:00am February 11, 2015

by Leila Fadel

It's been four years since Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak resigned during the Arab Spring. Since then, the new government has cracked down on dissent.

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World News

Assad Says He Wants No Part Of U.S. Campaign Against ISIS

8:53pm February 10, 2015

by Deb Amos

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad granted a rare interview to the BBC. In it, he said the Syrian government has given the U.S. intelligence on airstrikes against the militants of the Islamic State, but he said there is no tactical cooperation with Washington, D.C.

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Members of the family of Kayla Mueller, 26, have confirmed that their daughter has died. She had been held captive since being taken prisoner in 2013 while doing humanitarian work in Syria.

Family Confirms U.S. Hostage Kayla Mueller Dead

4:24pm February 10, 2015

by Krishnadev Calamur

In a statement, her family said they had received information the 26-year-old was dead. Mueller, who was captured in August 2013, was a prisoner of the self-described Islamic State when she died.