Middle East

World News

Massive Explosion Devastates Thousands In Beirut

7:24am August 05, 2020

NPR's Noel King speaks with Wall Street Journal reporter Dion Nissenbaum about the explosion in Beirut that killed more than 100 people and injured thousands others, including Nissenbaum's daughter.

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Firefighters extinguish flames at nearby damaged buildings following a large explosion at the Port of Beirut in Lebanon on Tuesday.

World News

Enormous Explosion Rocks Beirut, Killing Dozens And Wounding Thousands

7:49pm August 04, 2020

by Bill Chappell

The dramatic blast was caught on numerous videos by people who had been filming a fire that was burning at an industrial port in Lebanon's capital.

A man walks through debris near the scene of the enormous explosion in Lebanon on Tuesday. At least 70 people were killed, and at least 2,700 people were hurt. The blast shattered windows and damaged buildings across a wide swath of Beirut.

World News

Photos: Explosion Leaves Beirut In Shatters

7:43pm August 04, 2020

by Emily Bogle

The blast has killed dozens and hurt thousands in Lebanon's capital. Images show firefighters dousing flames in the port, people walking through debris and ambulances lined up to help the injured.

World News

A Massive Explosion Rocks Lebanon's Capital, Beirut

5:09pm August 04, 2020

NPR's Ari Shapiro speaks with journalist Nada Homsi about a massive explosion Tuesday in Lebanon's capital.

An Israeli company is selling airline meals as many flights remain grounded.

World News

Airline Food For Sale. No Plane Ticket Required

5:06pm August 03, 2020

by Daniel Estrin

"Chicken or beef?" A leading Israeli airline food company, which is struggling with most flights grounded, is selling its meals to the public as a low-cost delivery option during the pandemic.

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Afghan security personnel take position on the top of a building where insurgents were hiding in the city of Jalalabad, Afghanistan, on Monday. The day before, militants attacked a prison holding many ISIS members.

World News

ISIS Attack On Afghan Prison Leaves At Least 29 Dead

11:57am August 03, 2020

by Laurel Wamsley

About 1,000 prisoners who escaped during the attack were later found by Afghan security forces. The attack shattered a three-day ceasefire between Afghan forces and the Taliban.

World News

Six Years After The ISIS Yazidi Genocide, One Woman Reflects

8:03am August 02, 2020

by Jane Arraf

A Yazidi woman struggles with the trauma of the ISIS genocide that devastated her people and her life six years ago this week.

A medic checks the temperature of a Syrian worshipper before entering the Umayyad Mosque in Damascus to attend Friday prayer on May 15. To try to slow the coronavirus outbreak, the Syrian government has banned mass prayers and asked Syrians to stay home o

Syria Is Overwhelmed By Coronavirus As Govt Conceals Outbreak, Health Worker Says

4:37pm July 31, 2020

Medical workers in and outside the country say there's a lack of medicine and tests.

Screenshot of video on Facebook showing an Egyptian sarcophagus with mummy inside for sale. According to the ATHAR Project, the video is from an area known for extensive antiquities looting. Facebook bans trade in antiquities and human remains, but relies

World News

Facebook Has Moved To Ban Sales Of Looted Antiquities. Will It Make A Difference?

2:47pm July 31, 2020

by Jane Arraf

Archaeologists have ID'ed 100-plus Facebook groups offering looted and illicit antiquities for sale. New rules ban the sale of "historical artifacts" on Facebook but critics want more enforcement.

Yaseen Khan, 6, throws stones at a homemade pillar, meant to evoke the ritual of driving away the devil during the hajj.

Unable To Travel To Mecca, Muslim Community Holds Drive-Thru Hajj

12:02pm July 30, 2020

by Daniella Cheslow

Religiously speaking, it was not a substitute for the real pilgrimage, which all Muslims must try to make in their lifetime. But it inspired many to go once it's possible again.