Jane Arraf

President Trump's first day in Saudi Arabia began with a lavish reception and ended with an ostentatious ceremony, but not before Trump and the Saudi king signed several agreement.

President Trump is preparing to visit Saudi Arabia, arriving Saturday morning. It's his first trip overseas as president. He's planning to meet with Arab leaders during his time there.

The war on ISIS has emboldened Iraq's Kurds to take a provocative step — raising their flag above the disputed, multi-ethnic city of Kirkuk. The flag raising has caused ripples around the region.

Pope Francis arrives in Egypt on Friday, after the Islamic State claimed responsibility for attacks on two Coptic Christian churches this month that killed dozens of people.

We discuss President Trump's first 100 days, a "ridiculous standard" that he's embraced. Also, a rare interview with Secretary of State Rex Tillerson. And the Pope arrives in Egypt.

It's a nervous time for Christians in Egypt after suicide attacks on churches there. They look forward to a visit from Pope Francis tomorrow to boost morale.

U.S. Secretary of Defense James Mattis is stressing efforts against Iran and changing the U.S. tone in the region with visits to Egypt, Saudi Arabia and Israel. Human Rights are lower on the agenda.

Venezuelan activists are calling for mass protests on Wednesday. Also, Sabrina Siddiqui of The Guardian talks about Georgia's runoff election, and an Egyptian-American aid worker has been released.

Defense Secretary James Mattis is traveling to Saudi Arabia at the start of a trip to several countries in the Middle East. We look at what the trip means for U.S. foreign relations.

Egyptian authorities say no tourists were involved but one security officer was killed and four others injured. The ancient monastery is about 130 miles from the Red Sea resort of Sharm al-Sheikh.

More than 300,000 civilians are still trapped in northern Iraq's Mosul. ISIS has kept them there as human shields to prevent the U.S. and Iraq from launching airstrikes and mortars against them.

After three years in detention, Egypt has cleared Aya Hijazi, an Egyptian-American aid worker accused of child abuse and human trafficking. The case was emblematic of Egypt's crackdown on aid groups.

An investigation into U.S.-launched airstrikes targeting ISIS and killing an estimated 150 civilians last month is underway. Survivors say families were forcibly packed into houses by ISIS fighters.

Survivors of last month's U.S. airstrike on the Iraqi city of Mosul, which targeted ISIS but is suspected of killing scores of civilians, talk about why they were in the houses that collapsed on them.

The Iraqi commander coordinating the battle tells NPR the Iraqi military will slow an offensive pushing into the crowded old district of the city, using fewer U.S. and Iraqi air strikes.

Amgad Naguib collects old ticket stubs, wigs, letters and toothbrushes that he says tell Egypt's history. "I am sure I have more dresses and hats and handbags than you and all your friends," he says.

A New York-based group of medics is working near the frontlines in Mosul, giving emergency care to Iraqi troops fighting ISIS.

As the fight to push ISIS out of Mosul grinds on, civilians stream out of liberated areas that are unlivable, and Iraqi forces "clear" areas of holdouts and fire mortars at remaining ISIS areas.

Egypt's former President Hosni Mubarak is a free man for the first time in six years. He was freed from house arrest at a military hospital after being cleared of claims he ordered Arab Spring protesters shot.

Former Egyptian president Hosni Mubarak was freed Friday morning after six years in detention. His lawyers say he has left a military hospital where he has essentially been under house arrest.