Afghanistan

Buddha Statues Return To Afghanistan's Bamiyan Valley

7:30am June 12, 2015

In 2001, the Taliban destroyed the statues with explosives. A Chinese couple used a 3-D holographic projector to recreate the Buddhas in the cliff faces where they had stood for centuries.

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Fatima Haidari, second from the right, and her bike riding club caught the attention of Humans of Kabul — the Afghanistan version of the popular Humans of New York blog.

A Gender Revolution Hits The Streets, Two Wheels At A Time

9:40am June 10, 2015

by Linda Poon

On one ride, a guy knocked one of the girls off her bike. But it didn't discourage these Afghan teens from cruising around Kabul every Friday and challenging the view that women shouldn't bike.

A group of Afghan women are attempting to reach the 24,580-foot summit this summer. In mid-May, two of the climbers, along with two American chaperones, visited Afghanistan's highest mountain to see the terrain firsthand in preparation for the historic cl

World News

For Afghan Women Mountaineers, Uphill Battles Begin Before The Climb

11:52am June 09, 2015

by Soraya Sarhaddi Nelson

Scaling Afghanistan's tallest mountain will be difficult enough. But Afghan female climbers and their American guides also face civil war, red tape and cultural taboos.

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World News

Afghan Women Climbers Face Challenges Beyond Scaling Summit

9:59pm June 08, 2015

by Soraya Sarhaddi Nelson

It's been a difficult two months of intense training in secret for a dozen Afghan girls and women who are preparing for an unprecedented climb to Afghanistan's highest peak.

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Former U.N. Envoy To Syria: Iran Has 'Too Much Influence In The Region'

10:47am June 04, 2015

by Alice Fordham

Veteran diplomat Lakhdar Brahimi has taken on tough gigs, but being an envoy to Syria during the civil war topped them all. He now works with The Elders, a group of global leaders working for peace.

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Foreign Policy Experts Weigh In On U.S. Strategy Against The Islamic State

9:01pm May 28, 2015

NPR's Robert Siegel speaks with White House spokesman Josh Earnest about the current U.S. strategy in Iraq and Syria. He also interviews foreign policy experts who say that policy needs review.

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Worker productivity has grown, but wages have fallen far behind.

What Will The Next President Face On #Day1?

11:20am May 28, 2015

by Amita Kelly

This week, NPR looks at four seemingly intractable problems that await the 45th president: stagnant wages, violent extremism, cybersecurity and the federal debt.

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World News

With Limited U.S. Troops, Afghan Forces Take The Brunt In Fight Against Taliban

8:08am May 25, 2015

Renee Montagne talks with U.S. Army General John Campbell, about how Afghan forces are faring against the Taliban now that they are fighting combat missions largely on their own.

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World News

Notes On A Month Spent Embedded In Afghanistan

9:49pm May 23, 2015

by Arun Rath

Producer Rebecca Hersher is just back from a monthlong reporting trip to Afghanistan. She talks to host Arun Rath about her experience.

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Afghan women demand justice for a woman who was beaten to death by a mob after being falsely accused of burning a Quran, at a demonstration in March.

Judge Sends 11 Afghan Policemen To Prison Over Mob Killing Of Woman

4:13pm May 19, 2015

by Eyder Peralta

The case of Farkhunda has prompted an outcry over violence against women in the country. It has resulted in rare sentences. Eight other police officers implicated in the case were released.