Greetings from Syria, where time seems to melt as a glassmaker braves scorching temps

As a Syrian glassmaker created his wares in Damascus, watching his craft reminded this reporter to slow down and enjoy the moment.

As a Syrian glassmaker created his wares in Damascus, watching his craft reminded this reporter to slow down and enjoy the moment.

Officials in the UAE, which is leading the inquiry, say they're still trying to learn what motivated the attack. Israeli officials also have called it a terrorist attack.
(Image credit: Erik Marmor)

Retired Lt. Gen. H.R. McMaster, who commanded U.S. troops in Iraq, says the withdrawal could strengthen Iran and leave Iraq more vulnerable to ISIS.
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NPR's Michel Martin speaks with Robert Malley, a negotiator of the 2015 Iran nuclear deal, about where talks stand after President Trump rejected Iran's offer to reopen the Strait of Hormuz.

23 years after the United States military invaded Iraq, sparking an insurgency and a civil war, the U.S. has withdrawn its forces, as the country still tries to combat Iranian influence.
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NPR's Michel Martin speaks with retired Lt. Gen. H. R. McMaster, former U.S. National Security Advisor, about the impact the final withdrawal of U.S. troops from Iraq will have on the Middle East.
The documentary by Israeli filmmakers about the actions of Israel's military in Gaza is set to premiere in the U.S. It's gotten massive acclaim internationally but faces growing controversy in Israel.

Turkey's bid for regional influence comes as the Middle East has been hit by profound shocks that started with the Hamas-led 2023 attack on Israel and continue with the seven-month-old war on Iran.
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Investigators haven't concluded whether the incident was state-backed. They are investigating a possible link to Iran, Russia or non-state militant groups.
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President Trump has rejected the latest Iranian proposal to end the conflict. Meanwhile, France is sending military support to Saudi Arabia in its war against Iranian-backed militants.
NPR's Steve Inskeep speaks with former assistant secretary of defense for the Middle East Dana Stroul about the latest ceasefire proposal from Iran.

Akbar Shahid Ahmed discusses his new book, Crossing the Red Line: Biden, His Advisors, and Israel's War in Gaza.
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President Trump said he was rejecting an Iranian plan to reopen the Strait of Hormuz. The Iranian proposal is similar to a memorandum of understanding agreed upon by the U.S. and Iran back in June.
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Middle East crises draw major focus as the U.N. General Assembly hears from Israel, the Palestinian Authority and Yemen.
(Image credit: Seth Wenig)

Palestinian artist Sliman Mansour spent his life painting the faces and landscapes of Israeli occupation. His sons say NPR was the last media to meet him before he died in August.
(Image credit: Afif Amireh for NPR)
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu gave an address to the United Nations General Assembly amid wide criticism of Israel's conduct in Gaza. Meanwhile, Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas delivered an address via pre-recorded video.
Born a year before Israel's creation, Palestinian artist Sliman Mansour spent his life painting the faces and landscapes of Israeli occupation. He died in August aged 79, and was buried in the occupied West Bank.

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian addressed the U.N. General Assembly a day after President Trump threatened from the same podium to "annihilate" Iran.
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As the U.S. conflict with Iran drags, the Iranian-backed Houthis in Yemen have opened a new front, taking new territory and displacing more than 100,000 people.
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More than six months into the conflict between the U.S. and Iran, it's become a high-stakes game of endurance.