Middle East

World News

Can Iran's New President Resolve Nuclear Program Dispute?

4:45am June 21, 2013

Many are wondering whether Iran's newly elected president Hassan Rowhani will be able to change his nation's posture on nuclear enrichment and convince the West to end crippling economic sanctions. To find out, Steve Inskeep talks to Gary Samore, a former White House coordinator for arms control and weapons of mass destruction.

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After A Surge Of Violence, The Threat Of A New Civil War In Iraq

2:10pm June 20, 2013

Since the beginning of April, more than 2,000 people have died in bombings and other attacks in Iraq. NPR foreign correspondent Kelly McEvers, just back from a trip to Baghdad, explains what's behind the recent rise in violence and what's changed since U.S. troops left the country in 2011.

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What Does It Mean That Iran's President-Elect Is A Moderate?

7:07am June 20, 2013

The man elected to be Iran's new president has been consistently described as moderate. In the days since the election, many have come to question what that means — especially when it comes to the country's nuclear program and its relations with the U.S. Steve Inskeep talks to one of the president-elect's long-time deputies, Hossein Mousavian.

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U.S. To Test The Waters With Iran's New President Rohani

9:40am June 19, 2013

by Michele Kelemen

Iran's newly elected president is signaling he might take a more pragmatic, moderate approach to nuclear negotiations with major world powers. But there's a lot of debate in Washington policy circles about what Hassan Rohani's election might mean for the U.S.

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A Look Ahead To The Future Of Afghanistan

2:07pm June 18, 2013

Twelve years after the war began, Afghanistan's president announced Tuesday that Afghan forces officially assumed control of security for the country. U.S. and NATO troops will remain until the 2014 deadline, but the Afghan military is now expected to fight without NATO support.

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Is Big Change Ahead In Iran? A Biography Of The President-Elect

8:56am June 18, 2013

Iranians elected Hasan Rowhani, a reformist-backed cleric, as president — a surprise to many who expected an ultraconservative candidate to win. Former NPR foreign correspondent Mike Shuster provides analysis, and responds to opinion pieces about what has changed after the election.

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Pakistan's New Government Faces Country Awash With Conflict

5:42am June 18, 2013

by Philip Reeves

A new government started work in Pakistan this month. It faces a country awash with conflict. To get a sense of how serious this is, NPR's Philip Reeves focused on a 48-hour period. He chose this past weekend.

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U.S. War Planes Participate In Exercises In Jordan

1:13pm June 17, 2013

by Deborah Amos

Jordan is hosting major military exercises known as Eager Lion 2013. More than 15,000 soldiers from 18 countries, including the U.S., will be participating. The war games kicked off as Syria's civil war rages next door.

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Turkish Security Forces Arrest Hundreds Of Protesters

1:13pm June 17, 2013

Turkey's Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan drew hundreds of thousands supporters to Taksim Square, where he celebrated the successful eviction of protestors by riot police using teargas and water cannons. Unions have called for a national strike to protest Erdogan's increasingly authoritarian rule.

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American-Israeli solar entrepreneur Yosef Abramowitz, aka Captain Sunshine, speaks during a rally of electric car owners in Israel.

Can Captain Sunshine Save The Israeli Electric Car Dream?

8:19am June 16, 2013

by Emily Harris

The electric car company Better Place failed to build the dream it had designed. Its bankruptcy left tech-watchers worried about the stain on the country, which is proud of its image as a startup hotbed. But there may be a savior in the wings.

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