Middle East

World News

Al-Jazeera Under Fire For Its Coverage Of Egypt

7:45am July 18, 2013

by Kelly McEvers

The accuracy of Al-Jazeera's reporting has come under criticism in the past, and now the network is taking a hit amid claims it slanted its coverage in favor of the Muslim Brotherhood during Egypt's recent political crisis. At stake, too, is the credibility of Al-Jazeera's main backer, Qatar.

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Iranians surf the web at an Internet cafe in Tehran on April 28, 2013. The recently elected president, Hasan Rowhani, has suggested that he may loosen restrictions on the Internet.

World News

Iran's New President Hints At Easing Internet Controls

5:10am July 15, 2013

by Peter Kenyon

Iran's President-elect Hasan Rowhani says his country should be more engaged with the world. While analysts are not expecting radical change, they say Rowhani could tackle pragmatic issues like increasing Internet broadband speed.

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Soldiers close the gate to the tiny West Bank outpost, right next door to a Jewish settlement, where the HaHod platoon of the ultra-Orthodox Netzah Yahuda battalion is stationed.

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Israel's Internal Battle Over Ultra-Orthodox Soldiers

8:14am July 14, 2013

by Emily Harris

Ultra-Orthodox Jewish men are exempt from military service in Israel, but a proposed law would change that. It would be a major social shift that is part of the larger question concerning the role of the ultra-Orthodox in Israeli society.

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World News

Syrian Conflict Continues Violent Spillover Into Lebanon

8:13am July 14, 2013

by Kelly McEvers

A massive car bomb explosion in one of Hezbollah's Beirut strongholds left dozens of people wounded. It's the latest and deadliest response to the militant group's moves to support the embattled Syrian government's battle against rebel forces.

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Free Syrian Army fighters after a battle against government troops in Zaizoon, near Dera'a, on Feb. 16.

World News

In Southern Syria, Rebels Say U.S. Support Is Critical

8:38pm July 12, 2013

by Deborah Amos

After a string of defeats, Syrian rebels have scored rare victories around Dera'a, a key battlefront near Damascus. Rebel commanders say those gains could be lost without a dependable arms supply and promised U.S. aid. So far, those weapons haven't materialized.

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Egypt's Economic Health Needs Outside Help

3:21pm July 10, 2013

Egypt desperately needs foreign assistance to keep its economy from collapsing. The country's neighbors have been stepping up, dwarfing U.S. economic aid since the fall of Hosni Mubarak in 2011. To discuss Egypt's immediate financial issues, Renee Montagne talks to Mohsin Khan, a senior fellow at the Rafik Hariri Center for the Middle East at the Atlantic Council and the former director of the Middle East Department at the International Monetary Fund.

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World News

Egyptian Military Pushes Ahead With New Constitution Plans

8:13am July 10, 2013

by David Greene

Egypt's interim president will shortly appoint the members of two panels who will draft amendments to the constitution that will then be put to a nationwide referendum. It's the first step in the transition plan announced by the military after the ouster of Islamist president Mohammed Morsi.

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World News

With Turmoil In Egypt, Obama Urges All To 'Avoid Violence'

12:38pm July 09, 2013

Robert Siegel talks to NPR's Scott Horsley about the White House's reactions to Wednesday events in Egypt, where President Mohammed Morsi was ousted from power. In a statement, President Obama said he was "deeply concerned" by the Egyptian military's actions and that "ultimately the future of Egypt can only be determined by the Egyptian people."

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Refugees at the Zaatari refugee camp in Jordan try to squeeze on one of the buses heading back to Syria. Syrian refugees have been coming to Jordan for two years, but some are now starting to head home.

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Reversing Direction, Some Syrian Refugees Now Head Home

12:36pm July 09, 2013

by Deborah Amos

Syrian refugees have been pouring into Jordan since the war broke out. But over the past month, more Syrian refugees went back than came to Jordan. The returnees cite rough conditions in the Jordanian camps and recent rebel advances.

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In an image from a video broadcast on Egyptian state TV, President Mohammed Morsi addresses the nation on July 2 — his final speech before the military deposed him.

World News

What Egyptian State TV Says About The State Of Egypt

8:23am July 09, 2013

by Merrit Kennedy

Egypt's state-run television station has worked under four different leaders in less than three years. For the past year, it has been pro-Islamist and pro-President Mohammed Morsi — before his ouster. Then it abruptly began reporting the military's view once again.

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