World News

President Trump says Qassem Soleimani was plotting "imminent and sinister attacks on American diplomats and personnel," in a statement at the Mar-a-Lago estate in Palm Beach, Fla., on Friday afternoon.

Trump Says Killing Of Iranian General Was Necessary To 'Stop A War,' Not 'Start One'

4:51pm January 03, 2020

by Claudia Grisales

Democrats say they were not informed ahead of Thursday's airstrike targeting Qassem Soleimani. Republicans, though, say President Trump ended a terrorist's reign.

World News

What Qassem Soleimani's Death Means For Iraq

4:39pm January 03, 2020

NPR's Ailsa Chang speaks with Iraqi journalist Hiwa Osman about what Qassem Soleimani's death means for Iraq.

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Israelis Wonder If Iran Will Avenge Soleimani Killing By Attacking Israel

4:39pm January 03, 2020

by Daniel Estrin

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu praised the U.S. airstrike on Iran's most prominent general. But his country is bracing for possible reprisals.

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U.S. Airstrike That Killed Iranian General Sent Shock Waves Through Financial Markets

4:39pm January 03, 2020

by Scott Horsley

Oil prices rose and the stock market fell Friday, as investors reacted to rising tension in the Middle East. Fallout from the killing of a top Iranian military leader was more muted than expected.

World News

The Latest Development On The U.S. Airstrikes That Killed Iran's Qassem Soleimani

4:12pm January 03, 2020

NPR's Audie Cornish wraps the latest Iran developments with a roundtable of NPR correspondents covering the Pentagon, the White House and the State Department.

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Act Of Self-Defense Or Assassination? Debate Surrounds Killing Of Top Iranian General

4:12pm January 03, 2020

by Jackie Northam

The U.S. says it killed a top Iranian general because he was an imminent threat, but others say it was more an assassination than an act of self-defense.

World News

Australian Volunteer Firefighter On Fighting This Year's Massive Wildfires

4:12pm January 03, 2020

NPR's Audie Cornish speaks with Australian volunteer firefighter Mark Walkom. He's part of the New South Wales Rural Fire Service and has been battling this year's massive wildfires.

World News

A Look At The Effects Qassem Soleimani's Death Will Have Throughout The Middle East

4:12pm January 03, 2020

NPR's Ailsa Chang speaks with Naysan Rafati of the International Crisis Group about the U.S. killing of an Iranian military commander and the effects his death will have on the region.

Why The U.S. Waited So Long To Act On Iran Gen. Qassem Soleimani

4:12pm January 03, 2020

by Greg Myre

Iran's Maj. Gen. Qassem Soleimani was long on the U.S. radar. So why was he allowed to move freely throughout the Middle East for years, and why did President Trump decide to act now?

Largest Plague Of Locusts In A Quarter Century Hits Africa And Middle East

4:12pm January 03, 2020

by Eyder Peralta

The worst locust infestation in a quarter century has struck wide areas of Africa and the Middle East, endangering populations that are already living on the edge.