Middle East

Religion

Depictions Of Muhammad Aren't Explicitly Forbidden, Says Scholar

6:47pm January 10, 2015

Many Muslims see any depiction of the Prophet Muhammad as disrespectful. NPR's Arun Rath speaks with religious scholar Reza Aslan about how radical Islamists have used that to justify attacks.

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World News

Saudi Blogger Raif Badawi Flogged For Insulting Islam

8:00pm January 09, 2015

by Krishnadev Calamur

The punishment meted out comes despite calls from the U.S. and others to cancel the punishment. Badawi's sentence partly calls for him to receive 50 lashes a week for 20 weeks.

World News

Saudi Blogger To Be Publicly Flogged For Insulting Islam

6:53pm January 09, 2015

by Krishnadev Calamur

Raif Badawi was sentenced in May to a decade in prison and 1,000 lashes for comments made in Free Saudi Liberals, a website he created. Starting Friday, he will receive 50 lashes a week for 20 weeks.

Abu Hamza al-Masri, also known as Mustafa Kamel Mustafa, at a 2002 fundamentalist Islamic conference in London, where he condemned what he called oppression of Muslims in the West. Masri was sentenced Friday in U.S. court to life in prison on terrorism-re

British Imam Convicted In U.S. Of Terrorism Charges Gets Life

3:04pm January 09, 2015

by Scott Neuman

Abu Hamza al-Masri was found guilty eight months ago of charges stemming from plots to kill tourists in Yemen to a plan to open a jihadist training camp in rural Oregon.

Syrian refugees carry gasoline under heavy snow fall at the a U.N.-run refugee camp of Fayda near the Bekaa Valley town of Zahle in eastern Lebanon on Jan. 7.

World News

Syrian Refugees Suffer Double Threat Of Severe Winter, Less Aid

1:28pm January 09, 2015

As the Syrian war nears its fifth year and a bitter storm hits, refugees say this is the worst winter yet. To make matters worse, cash constraints mean they're getting less help from aid groups.

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Safi al-Kasasbeh and his wife Saafia are the parents of Moath al-Kasasbeh, the Jordanian air force pilot captured by the self-proclaimed Islamic State in Syria. The worried parents are proud of their son, but say Jordan should not be involved in the coali

World News

With A Son Missing, Family Questions Jordan's Mission Against ISIS

7:13am January 09, 2015

by Alice Fordham

The family of the Jordanian air force pilot recently captured in Syria has deep misgivings about the kingdom's decision to join the U.S. in the fight against the self-proclaimed Islamic State.

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British writer Salman Rushdie leafs through a book in his study. He went into hiding for years after the Iranian leader Ayatollah Khomeini issued a fatwa calling for his death in 1989. The ayatollah denounced Rushdie's portrayal of the Prophet Muhammad in

World News

From Threats Against Salman Rushdie To Attacks On 'Charlie Hebdo'

3:03pm January 08, 2015

by Greg Myre

When Iran's leader called for the killing of the British writer in 1989, it shocked the West. Now, such threats from Islamic radicals are becoming common and actual attacks are becoming more frequent.

King Abdullah (right) and Crown Prince Salman (left) are shown in this 2012 poster. The king, who is at least 90, was hospitalized last week and Salman on Tuesday stepped in for the monarch and delivered an annual televised speech to the nation.

With The Saudi King Ailing, Succession Speculation Begins

8:47pm January 06, 2015

by Michele Kelemen

King Abdullah, who's at least 90, was hospitalized last week and Crown Prince Salman delivered an annual televised speech Tuesday. One analyst says the kingdom is stable, perhaps too much so.

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An Israeli woman holds a poster with photos of three Israeli teens, who were killed in the summer of 2014.

World News

Palestinian Sentenced To 3 Life Terms Over Murder Of Israeli Teens

1:17pm January 06, 2015

by Eyder Peralta

The killing preceded a 50-day war in Gaza last summer. The military court also ordered Hussam Qawasmeh to pay $63,000 to the victims' families.

World News

Lebanon Imposes Restrictions On Syrian Refugees

10:34am January 06, 2015

On Monday, Lebanon imposed new visa-like restrictions on Syrian refugees entering the country. Steve Inskeep talks to Ron Redmond, a spokeman for the UN High Commissioner for Refugees.

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