Many in Iraq regard women riding bikes as promiscuous. Some women see it as activism
For some women in Iraq, learning to ride bikes is a way of finding freedom from confining social restrictions.
Middle East
'A Hero' tells the story of how complicated a good deed (and a small lie) can be
NPR's Mary Louise Kelly speaks with Iranian director Asghar Farhadi about his new film, A Hero. The story examines the complexity of what appears to many to be a good deed.
Iranian Oscars entry 'A Hero' explores the complexity of a good deed
The Iranian film A Hero is about a man who becomes a celebrity after doing a good deed. In filmmaker Asghar Farhadi's hands, what seems to be a black and white morality tale becomes more gray.
Israel sets COVID-19 record as rule changes create whiplash
The omicron variant is outpacing the government's ability to make and execute clear pandemic public policy.
Western Wall prayer site's future is in doubt under Israel's fragile government
Israel's refusal to recognize liberal Reform and Conservative streams of Judaism has long been a point of tension with American Jews.
2 years after the U.S. killed Iran's Qasem Soleimani, tensions remain
NPR's Mary Louise Kelly talks with Karim Sadjadpour, senior fellow at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, about the impact of the U.S.'s assassination of Iranian Gen. Qasem Soleimani.
An American was locked up in Syria. A pact with a British inmate may have saved him
Kevin Dawes describes how a fellow prisoner in Syria kept a promise that called attention to Dawes' detention. Now, five years after his release, Dawes is suing the Syrian regime.
These are the top stories NPR's correspondents around the world recommend from 2021
We asked the network's international journalists to pick one story from the year you should check out. Here are their selections.
What lies ahead for Iran and its new president
Iran's new president will be looking to show he can improve the country's economy and to tamp down public dissent among Iranians. that might hinge on its nuclear program and relations with the West.
Negotiators in Vienna will try to revive the Iran nuclear agreement
Iran has ramped up its program since the Trump administration abandoned the deal and reimposed sanctions. Negotiators meet for what could be a key phase of talks attempting to restart the agreement.