Middle East

Washington Post Iranian-American journalist Jason Rezaian, seen here with his wife, Yeganeh Salehi, has been held prisoner since he was arrested in Tehran last July. On Thursday, a powerful Iranian politician said of a potential prisoner swap, "That's one

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Speaker Of Iran's Parliament Suggests Prisoner Swap For Rezaian, Other Americans

11:11am September 04, 2015

by Steve Inskeep

In a new sign that Iran might consider freeing Jason Rezaian, a powerful Iranian politician tells NPR that there are ways to liberate the Washington Post reporter and other prisoners.

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Islamic State Militants Target More Ancient Ruins In Syria

8:12am September 04, 2015

Syria's antiquities chief Maamoun Abdulkarim told Reuters that ISIS had destroyed three ancient tower tombs in Palmyra, built between the years 44 and 103 CE.

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Obstacles Hamper Saudi Women From Registering To Vote

1:47am September 04, 2015

In Saudi Arabia, women are registering to vote and run for political office for the first time. Renee Montagne talks to Hatoon al-Fassi, who teaches Women's History at King Saud University.

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Abdullah Kurdi, father of 3-year-old Aylan and his brother, Galip, age 5, whose drowned bodies both washed up on a Turkish beach.

Image Of Dead Syrian Child Shakes Up Media Coverage Of Refugee Crisis

8:16pm September 03, 2015

by David Folkenflik

Photos of 3-year-old Aylan Kurdi, who drowned when his family was attempting to cross the Mediterranean into Greece, had many news outlets struggling with the decision to publish — or not publish.

A Turkish paramilitary police officer carries the body of 3-year-old Aylan Kurdi, found washed ashore near the Turkish resort of Bodrum early Wednesday. The boats carrying the boy's family to the Greek island of Kos capsized. His 5-year-old brother and mo

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That Little Syrian Boy: Here's Who He Was

8:03pm September 03, 2015

by Hannah Bloch

A photo of a drowned Syrian toddler on a Turkish beach sparked anguish and outrage over the handling of the world's migration crisis.

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U.N. Presents Bleak Outlook In Latest Report On Gaza

7:07pm September 03, 2015

by Emily Harris

A United Nations report says if things continue as they are now, Gaza won't be "habitable" by 2020. Water shortages are a major problem, among other things.

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Dalaa al-Aydi, 4, and her family left Syria just before the start of the civil war. Her only memory of Damascus is, "Takh, takh," the sounds she makes mimicking the gunfire.

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Here's What It's Like To Be A Syrian Refugee In Europe

5:29pm September 03, 2015

by Joanna Kakissis

In February, NPR published this look at families struggling to stay together amid civil war. The crisis has only intensified since then and we are republishing the original story.

Migrants charge their cellphones at Keleti Railway Station in Budapest, Hungary, on Thursday.

World News

Migrants Refuse To Leave Train At Refugee Camp In Hungary

4:21pm September 03, 2015

by Scott Neuman

Police in Budapest lifted a two-day blockade of the Keleti station, allowing migrants to enter. But some inadvertently boarded trains bound for a refugee camp outside the capital.

World News

No Cause For Murder Charges In Arafat's Death, French Investigators Say

7:21pm September 02, 2015

by Bill Chappell

More than two years after accusations arose that Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat's 2004 death was the result of polonium-210 poisoning, French judges say there isn't enough evidence.

Obama Clinches 34th Vote To Secure Iran Nuclear Deal

7:16pm September 02, 2015

by Michele Kelemen

Winning over its 34th member of the Senate, the Obama administration now has enough votes to block Congressional efforts to derail the nuclear deal with Iran. Secretary of State John Kerry also boosted the deal in a speech Wednesday in Philadelphia.

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