The lives of 2 men are intertwined after they met in a Syrian prison
Two men met in a Syrian prison. One is an American who admits he broke a lot of rules, the other is a British doctor. Their lives are now connected.
Middle East
As Turkey's currency drops, some worry the government can't turn things around
Turkey's currency has recently hit record lows in value, driving up prices in the country. But the president's recipe for fixing the problem is the opposite of what economists generally recommend.
Formula 1 race in Saudi Arabia draws accusations of 'sportswashing'
NPR's David Folkenflik speaks with scholar Helen Lenskyj about this weekend's Formula 1 Grand Prix in Saudi Arabia and the role of "sportswashing" in countries with human rights abuses.
Negotiators are working behind the scenes for a new truce between Israel and Hamas
Six months after an 11-day war between Hamas and Israel, some limited reconstruction is going on in the Gaza Strip, and a prisoner swap could lead to more agreements.
Saudi Arabia and China are accused of using sports to cover up human rights abuse
Saudi Arabia has invested hundreds of millions of dollars to stage high-profile sporting events. Critics say those investments are an attempt by the kingdom to cover up human rights violations.
Iran expected to drive hard bargain in nuclear talks
There's new leadership in Iran and it's putting a harder edge on the country's position heading into nuclear talks starting Monday, with Europe, China and the U.S.
Iran nuclear talks are starting again. A lot has changed, and here's what's at stake
The deal provided Iran sanctions relief for limits on its nuclear program. But now there's new Iranian leadership and more uranium in their stockpile than when Trump abandoned the agreement.
The Netherlands and Australia find the omicron variant as curbs spread
A raft of travel restrictions are being imposed by nations around the world as they scramble to slow the variant's spread.
U.S. and Iran to talk nuclear deal on Monday
The Biden administration will take another try at reviving the Iran nuclear deal in talks that start in Vienna. Time has passed and much has changed since the Trump White House abandoned the deal.
A U.S. weapons sale is raising doubts about Biden's promise to help end war in Yemen
The Biden administration has promised to help end the war in Yemen, but it continues to approve weapons sales to the Saudi government that is blamed for prolonging the war.