Middle East

President Biden's Decision To Withdraw From Afghanistan May Have Derailed Peace Talks

5:52pm April 22, 2021

by Diaa Hadid

President Biden's announcement for U.S. and foreign forces to withdraw from Afghanistan by Sept. 11 appears to have derailed the peace process that was meant to wind down the conflict in that country.

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A picture taken on March 29, 2021, shows the new passenger terminal of Bahrain International Airport. Bahrain established diplomatic ties with Israel last year. In Israel and Bahrain, vaccine passports will be entirely digital: a QR code on one's phone, r

Vaccine Passports: Israel, Bahrain Reach Landmark Agreement

3:26pm April 22, 2021

by Daniel Estrin

"This is the most effective way to enable movement of people between countries," an Israeli official says. Israel says this is the world's first bilateral agreement on COVID-19 vaccine passports.

How Israel Successfully Combated COVID-19 Vaccine Hesitancy

8:38am April 20, 2021

by Daniel Estrin

As part of NPR's series on fighting disinformation, we look at Israel's success combating widespread vaccine skepticism – especially among ultra-Orthodox Jewish communities.

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World News

Withdrawing Troops From Afghanistan Does Not Mean Conflict Will End In Country

7:40am April 16, 2021

by Greg Myre

President Biden's decision to withdraw U.S. troops from Afghanistan raises questions about whether the Afghan government and the Taliban will work a political deal or keep fighting on the battlefield.

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Afghanistan's Ambassador to the U.S. Looks Toward A Future Without U.S. Troops

4:35pm April 15, 2021

NPR's Mary Louise Kelly speaks with Roya Rahmani, Afghanistan's ambassador to the U.S., about President Biden's decision to withdraw all remaining troops from Afghanistan by September of this year.

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World News

Indirect Talks Over Nuclear Deal To Begin Between U.S., Iran

6:28am April 15, 2021

NPR's Noel King talks to Corey Hinderstein of the Nuclear Threat Initiative about the resumption of discussions with Iran and other parties to the nuclear deal, including the United States.

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Biden Plans To Withdraw U.S. Troops From Afghanistan, Ending America's Longest War

4:26pm April 14, 2021

by Mara Liasson

President Biden says he will withdraw U.S. troops from Afghanistan after 20 years without conditions, ending America's longest war.

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Former Army Commander Weighs In On Biden's Decision To Pull Troops Out Of Afghanistan

4:26pm April 14, 2021

Host Mary Louise Kelly speaks with former U.S. Army Col. Christopher Kolenda about President Biden's decision to pull U.S. troops out of Afghanistan by Sept. 11 of this year.

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Biden Plans For U.S. Troops To Be Out Of Afghanistan By Sept. 11 Of This Year

4:09pm April 13, 2021

by Tom Bowman

The Biden administration plans to withdraw all U.S. troops from Afghanistan by Sept. 11 of this year. The move would bring to a close America's longest war.

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World News

Iranian Nuclear Site Sabotaged Amid Attempts To Revive Nuclear Deal

7:34am April 13, 2021

by Daniel Estrin

Are Israel and the U.S. working at cross purposes on countering Iran's nuclear program? That's the question after the sabotage at an Iranian nuclear site over the weekend.

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