Middle East

Gargur, No'maan, Melsoon and Shams — four of the Muppet stars of Iftah Ya Simsim, the first Arabic-language version of Sesame Street. The show went off the air 25 years ago, and other Arabic-language Sesame Street spinoffs have launched since — but no

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After 25-Year Hiatus, First Arabic-Language 'Sesame Street' Opens Again

2:19pm September 25, 2015

by NPR Staff

Iftah Ya Simsim was one of the earliest foreign-language Sesame Street spinoffs when it launched in 1979. But the beloved show went dark when its studio was partially destroyed during the Gulf War.

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Ambassador Power: Measures In Place To Resettle Migrants Safely

2:18pm September 25, 2015

As the U.S. says it will almost double the number of migrants it accepts in the next two years, NPR's Renee Montagne speaks to the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations Samantha Power.

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Muslim pilgrims and rescuers gather around people who were crushed by overcrowding in Mina, Saudi Arabia, during the annual hajj pilgrimage on Thursday.

Saudi Arabia Faces Criticism Over Hajj Stampede That Killed 700

8:44am September 25, 2015

by Scott Neuman

Iran accuses Riyadh of "incompetence" for the Saudi government's handling of security during the pilgrimage.

'A Street Divided' Explores The History Of An Arab-Israeli No Man's Land

6:46pm September 24, 2015

Renee Montagne talks with Dion Nissenbaum, whose book tells the stories of Israeli and Palestinian families on Assael Street, a political and religious fault line in Jerusalem since 1948.

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The Svalbard Global Seed Vault was opened on Feb. 26, 2008. Carved into the Arctic permafrost and filled with samples of the world's most important seeds, it's a Noah's Ark of food crops to be used in the event of a global catastrophe.

Syrian Civil War Prompts First Withdrawal From Doomsday Seed Vault In The Arctic

4:03pm September 24, 2015

by Laura Wagner

Researchers in the Middle East have requested the first-ever withdrawal from the "final backup" seed bank because of destruction caused by the Syrian civil war.

A group of migrants run to board a train as heavy rain starts to fall in Barcs, Hungary, on Thursday.

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Croatia, Serbia Close Border In Row Over Migrants

3:27pm September 24, 2015

by Scott Neuman

Zagreb shut down crossings for migrants and Belgrade followed suit in a tit-for-tat over the burgeoning refugee crisis.

Egyptian President Issues Pardons For 3 Al Jazeera Journalists

2:19pm September 24, 2015

NPR's Kelly McEvers speaks with Baher Mohamed, one of the reporters pardoned by Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi on Wednesday.

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As U.S. Announces Plan To Accept More Refugees, Michigan Gets Ready

2:00pm September 24, 2015

by Sarah Cwiek

Southeast Michigan has taken in waves of refugees from the Middle East conflicts for decades, resulting in a strong Arab-American community. Refugee advocates say they're prepared to help Syrians.

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Saudi police and national guard are deployed to the area of a stampede in the Mina valley near the Saudi holy city of Mecca on Thursday. Officials say hundreds of people were killed.

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Stampede At Hajj Pilgrimage Near Mecca Kills Hundreds

9:55am September 24, 2015

by Bill Chappell

The stampede is being called the worst in 25 years. It occurred on a street in Mina, a large valley where thousands of pilgrims camp overnight.

President Dwight D. Eisenhower delivered his Atoms for Peace speech at the U.N. General Assembly in 1953. As part of this program, the U.S. helped Iran and other countries develop civilian nuclear technology based on the belief this would keep them from s

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Born In The USA: How America Created Iran's Nuclear Program

9:22am September 24, 2015

by Steve Inskeep

The U.S. provided Iran with its first nuclear reactor. It's still in operation at Tehran University, near the place where Iranians chant, "Death to America." It's all part of a long, strange history.