With Israel and Hezbollah locked in the fiercest fighting in decades, many Lebanese have taken refuge in schools, hotels and other shelters.

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The war between Israel and Hamas in Gaza approaches the one year mark. Violence between Israel and Hezbollah in Lebanon continues to escalate. And there are fears that Iran will get deeply involved with these conflicts. In a volatile moment in the region, Jordan balances a unique set of relationships with all these countries. We hear from Ayman Safadi, who is Jordan's Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister, about what he thinks it will take to end the conflicts.

For more coverage of differing views on these conflicts, go to npr.org/mideastupdates

NPR's Leila Fadel talks to Ayman Safadi, Jordan's deputy prime minister and foreign affairs minister, about the risk of an all-out war in Lebanon. Jordan has ties to Israel, Lebanon and the U.S.

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RT was long known to be a source of Russian propaganda. But a recent indictment of two employees for covertly funneling $10 million to pro-Trump influencers shines a light on its covert activities.

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President Zelenskyy seeks U.S. support to end the war with Russia on Ukraine's terms. Sources say New York City's mayor has been indicted. Hurricane Helene roars north through the Gulf of Mexico.

A court ruled Thursday that an 88-year-old former boxer was not guilty in a retrial for a 1966 quadruple murder. He spent 48 years behind bars, making him the world's longest-serving death row inmate.

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Hezbollah is a Lebanese paramilitary organization and political party that's directly supported by the Islamic Republic of Iran. In the wake of the October 7, 2023 Hamas-led attack on Israel, and Israel's invasion of Gaza, there have been escalating attacks between Hezbollah and Israel across the border they share.

Today on the show: a history of Hezbollah.

The zoo has agreed with Chinese authorities to return two giant pandas to China more than eight years ahead of schedule because they have become too expensive to maintain amid declining visitors.

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The U.S., France and other allies jointly called Wednesday for an immediate 21-day cease-fire to allow for negotiations in the escalating conflict between Israel and Hezbollah.

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The worst floods that Bangladesh has seen in decades occurred in August, displacing millions. Many people are still struggling to rebuild their lives and find sources of income.

As the war in Ukraine drags on, the U.S. military is keeping a close eye on how drones are changing the conflict. They are used by both Russia and Ukraine to watch troop movements, identify targets and drop bombs. We go to the woods of Louisiana to see what lessons the U.S. Army is incorporating into its training and understand what it might mean for future wars.

The Taliban have been targeting thousands of Afghan National Army soldiers and police officers, accusing them of being American spies.

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Ukraine's President Volodmyr Zelensky tries to rally support at a UN distracted by the Middle East and warns Russia may be planning to attack his country's nuclear power plants.

For Palestinians in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, access to water has been a struggle for years. But since last Oct. 7, water has become even harder for them to obtain.

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It is the world's largest displacement crisis: 13 million people have fled their homes in war-torn Sudan. In neighboring Chad, both refugees and locals cope with this extraordinary upheaval.

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Extensive early warnings and years of adaptation made the floods less deadly than they otherwise might have been.

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As the battle between Israel and Hezbollah intensifies, western nations aim to prevent the conflict from spiraling into a broader regional war –- one that could draw in Iran, Hezbollah’s key backer.

Threats and violence against inspectors have caused the U.S. to suspend inspections in the past. California growers question Mexico's inspectors would be better equipped to withstand the pressure.

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The conflict in the Middle East dominates day one of the annual UN general assembly — as the UN secretary general warns of a "powder keg" of global conflicts that risk engulfing the world.

The refugees escaping the civil war in Sudan recount the violence which took the lives of many men and boys. That violence, they say, was directed towards those of particular tribes and skin colors.