Middle East
The iconic Al-Hadba minaret has been restored in Mosul
The Al-Hadba minaret was part of the centuries-old Great Mosque of al-Nuri when it was destroyed in 2017 by ISIS. Now, a multi-year rebuilding effort involving the United Arab Emirates, UNESCO and local Iraqi craftsmen is complete. The World’s Host Marco Werman speaks with Iraqi photojournalist Ali Al-Baroodi about the significance of the restoration and the ongoing efforts to restore Mosul’s old city.
Out of Eden Walk: Food to power a walk around the world
National Geographic Explorer Paul Salopek is on a 24,000-mile, transcontinental journey, and he’s traveling the slow way: on foot. In this installment, we learn a bit more about the local foods he’s eaten along the way. He tells host Marco Werman about some of the dishes he’s tasted — from a meat dumpling stew in the Palestinian West Bank, to fresh fruits and vegetables gathered on a Turkish farm, to pizza in rural India.
Out of Eden Walk: Walking through unknown Pakistan
The feudal principalities of far northern Pakistan, home to walled villages, yak herders, glacial rivers, golden poplar forests, and snow leopards, held off—or played off—would-be conquerors ranging from Alexander the Great to imperial Great Britain. Host Carolyn Beeler speaks with National Geographic Explorer Paul Salopek, whose globe-spanning journey on foot brought him through this remote region on the cusp of change.
Palestinian arrests in the West Bank have skyrocketed
There’s been a 100% increase in the number of Palestinians detained since Oct. 7. And watchdog groups are sounding the alarm on what they claim are ‘brutal’ conditions inside Israeli prisons. The grounds for the arrests are often murky, and many are put into administrative detentions that can last for weeks or months. At least 27 Palestinians have died while in Israeli prisons in the last eight months. Rebecca Rosman reports from Israel.
ICC prosecutor seeks arrest warrants for leaders from Hamas and Israel
The top prosecutor at the International Criminal Court today announced a request for arrest warrants for top leaders from both Hamas and the Israeli government. Karim Khan said that he has reason to believe that Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, along with the Israeli defense minister, and three top leaders from Hamas all “bear criminal responsibility” for alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity.
Gaza war is putting Egyptian-Israeli relations to the test
When the Israeli military seized control of the border crossing at Rafah, the Egyptian government seemed to be taken by surprise. Egypt’s government has stopped cooperating with aid shipments into Rafah. It’s also joined South Africa’s effort at the International Court of Justice to bring charges of genocide against Israel. Experts say the 45-year-old Egyptian-Israeli peace treaty is being put at risk.