Middle East

U.S. Plans To Offer More Direct Aid To Syrian Rebels

5:57pm February 27, 2013

by Michele Kelemen

Secretary of State Kerry is in Rome for a meeting on Thursday with the leaders of Syria's opposition coalition. Ahead of the session, there are indications the U.S. is prepared to provide some direct aid to the coalition, including military hardware such as body armor and armored vehicles. The European Union is discussing similar aid.

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An Iranian woman shops at a supermarket in the capital, Tehran, on Feb. 22. International sanctions have hurt Iran's economy, but prospects for a breakthrough on Iran's nuclear program are dim as negotiators meet in Kazakhstan.

World News

Sanctions Bite, But Iran Shows No Signs Of Budging

12:31pm February 27, 2013

by Tom Gjelten

A new round of talks on Iran's nuclear program is under way. But international sanctions haven't led to the type of concessions the West hoped for, and prospects for a breakthrough are limited.

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World News

Talks On Iran's Nuclear Program To Resume In April

7:37am February 27, 2013

Two days of talks on Iran's nuclear program ended in Kazakhstan Tuesday. Although there were no dramatic breakthroughs, officials reported there was enough movement to return to the table in April to try to resolve concerns and questions about the program.

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World News

A West Bank Story, Told Through Palestinian Eyes

8:49am February 24, 2013

by Larry Abramson

Palestinian Emad Burnat got a video camera to document his son's childhood. But he has spent the past several years filming the conflict between Palestinian residents of his village and Israelis who are building a separation barrier. His work is now up for an Oscar.

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World News

Damascus Dragged Into Syrian War With Latest Wave Of Bombings

6:47pm February 22, 2013

by Deborah Amos

Central Damascus had remained largely on the sidelines of the Syria war, but now the ancient city has been dragged into the battle with a wave of bombings on Thursday that left close to 100 people dead. Many military analysts say President Bashar al-Assad can't win the war, but he's a long way from losing. In the meantime, Syria may cease to function as a state, and the spillover is escalating in Lebanon, as evidence mounts that Hezbollah is playing a larger role in the fighting.

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World News

Violence In Syria's Capital Escalates, Along With Refugee Crisis

9:40am February 21, 2013

Fighting in Damascus has escalated, and the U.N. says 5,000 Syrian refugees are fleeing every day. The humanitarian crisis is growing along the borders with Turkey and Lebanon, and Israel launched its first airstrike inside Syria on Wednesday, reportedly targeting weapons destined for Hezbollah.

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Rabbi Susan Silverman (center, left), the sister of American comedian Sarah Silverman, along with her teenage daughter Hallel Abramowitz (center, right), are arrested by Israeli police as they leave the Western Wall in Jerusalem, on Monday.

Women In Prayer Shawls Detained At Judaism's Holiest Site

9:40am February 21, 2013

by Larry Abramson

Police detained 10 women for donning prayer shawls at the Western Wall in Jerusalem on Monday. They are part of the group Women of the Wall, which is fighting to worship in the same manner as men do at Judaism's holiest site.

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World News

Syria's Christians Caught Between Rebels, Regime's Soldiers

6:47am February 21, 2013

by Deborah Amos

Syria's minority Christians are caught in the middle of the country's 23-month conflict. Many members of one of the oldest Christian communities in the Middle East are fleeing Syria. Those who stay say they fear they will be targeted by Islamist militants — a growing force among rebels fighting President Assad's regime.

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Pakistani Muslim cleric Tahir-ul-Qadri (center), speaks to a crowd from a bulletproof box in Islamabad in January. The cleric recently returned to Pakistan after years in Canada, and his calls for an end to corruption have brought supporters to the street

World News

Controversial Cleric Stirs Protests Upon Return To Pakistan

8:34pm February 20, 2013

by Jackie Northam

Dr. Tahir-ul-Qadri returned to his home country late last year, after spending eight years in Canada. The cleric has ignited a disgruntled electorate by taking on Pakistan's government, saying it has failed to curb militancy or fix the economy. His critics call him a demagogue who's more interested in the limelight.

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World News

Flames Of Protest: The History Of Self-Immolation

2:19pm February 20, 2013

More than 100 Tibetans have set themselves on fire since 2009 to protest Chinese rule, according to Tibetan advocacy groups. Self-immolations in Tunisia and Vietnam also gained international attention, but the motives and effectiveness of the practice are widely debated.

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