Middle East

World News

Syrian Opposition Leader Says Russian Involvement Will Only Help Assad

3:20pm September 30, 2015

by Michele Kelemen

Be wary of Russia's role in Syria, the opposition figure warns. He's working the sidelines of the U.N. General Assembly, pushing for more help for Syria's rebels and civilians.

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Journalist Discusses The Rise Of ISIS And Its Future In Syria And Iraq

1:41pm September 30, 2015

Joby Warrick, author of Black Flags, traces the Islamic State's development from an al-Qaida-related insurgency in Iraq to a successful jihadist movement that now holds territory in Syria and Iraq.

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Russia has ramped up its role in Syria's civil war. Here, President Vladimir Putin (center) speaks with Secretary of State John Kerry (right) and Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov at the U.N. General Assembly on Monday.

World News

Russia Begins Airstrikes In Syria After Assad's Request

1:39pm September 30, 2015

by Bill Chappell

The U.S. military says a Russian official informed the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad about the missions; Syria says it invited Russia's air force to help fight terrorism.

World News

Tracing The Origins Of The Islamic State

12:23pm September 30, 2015

by Renee Montagne

Host Renee Montagne talks with Washington Post reporter Joby Warrick about his new book, "Black Flags," on the origins of the Islamic State.

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World News

After Nearly 2 Years In Egyptian Prison, Journalist Feels 'Born Again'

10:47am September 30, 2015

by Renee Montagne

Former Al Jazeera journalist Mohammed Fahmy talks about the nearly two years he spent imprisoned in Egypt. He received a presidential pardon last week.

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World News

Palestinian Leader Poised For Big Moment At U.N. Amid Pressure Back At Home

9:17am September 30, 2015

by Emily Harris

Mahmoud Abbas is set to address the United Nations on Wednesday, capping the day by raising the Palestinian flag alongside those of member states. But back home, his leadership is in doubt.

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World News

Among U.N. Members, Growing Agreement ISIS Should Go — But What About Assad?

7:09pm September 29, 2015

by Michele Kelemen

World leaders agree on at least one thing when it comes to the war in Syria: ISIS is now a global threat that needs to be countered. President Obama chaired a special U.N. summit on the issue, and he says an international coalition is growing — though some countries differ on how to handle Syrian President Bashar Assad.

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World News

What Does Vladimir Putin Want In Syria?

6:28pm September 29, 2015

by Tom Bowman

Host David Greene speaks with Michele Flournoy of the Center for a New American Security and NPR's Tom Bowman about how Russian President Vladimir Putin and President Obama are approaching Syria.

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Report: 250 Americans Have Gone To Syria And Iraq To Fight

1:55pm September 29, 2015

A congressional report scheduled for release Tuesday suggests some 30,000 people worldwide have gone to Syria to fight in recent years. That includes some 250 Americans who've gone there and to Iraq.

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Nazmiye Cakir, a 60-year-old "bird whistler," learned the whistled language from her grandparents, and still uses it. "The one thing you don't whistle about is your love talk," she says with a laugh, "because you'll get caught!"

In A Turkish Village, A Conversation With Whistles, Not Words

1:51pm September 29, 2015

by Peter Kenyon

High above the Black Sea, villagers communicate across deep valleys using a whistled language. Elders are working to keep alive this tradition, which could have implications for brain science.

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