Lebanese wave their national flag as they attend a rally marking the fifth anniversary of the assassination of Lebanese premier Rafik Hariri in downtown Beirut on February 14, 2010. Anwar Amro/AFP/Getty Images hide caption

Soraya Sarhaddi Nelson
Soraya Sarhaddi Nelson is a NPR foreign correspondent based in Cairo.Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad waves to the crowds from the sunroof of his SUV upon his arrival in Beirut on Wednesday. Thousands of cheering Lebanese welcomed Ahmadinejad to Lebanon, throwing rose petals and sweets at his motorcade at the start of a visit that underscores a growing recognition of Iran as a power broker in the region. Mahmoud Tawil/AP hide caption
In Jalalabad, women walk past posters of candidates running in Saturday's parliamentary elections. Officials are seeking to reassure wary Afghans that it will be safe to vote, despite threats from the Taliban warning people not to leave their homes. Rahmat Gul/AP hide caption
Afghans walk past a branch of Kabul Bank in the capital on Wednesday. Shareholders met this week to decide the fate of the bank after suspected irregularities raised concerns over the country's biggest private financial institution. Ahmad Massoud/AP hide caption
Afghanistan’s Ring Road, the main highway connecting this war-ravaged country, is littered with burned out vehicles like this bus. They were destroyed by roadside bombs or rocket propelled grenades fired by insurgents. Soraya Nelson/NPR hide caption
Afghan metal workers put together billboards for Ghazni candidate Daoud Sultanzoi. The incumbent is seeking re-election to his seat in parliament. Soraya Sarhaddi Nelson/NPR hide caption
Muslim Egyptian men pray during the Islamic holy month of Ramadan at Cairo's historic Al-Azhar mosque in September 2009. Some experts say many Egyptians have lost the meaning of the holy month, spending too much time after hours partying, eating and watching TV. Khaled Desouki/AFP/Getty Images) hide caption
Ahmed Abdel Aziz sings the call to prayer, or the azan, at Al- Maghfara Mosque in a suburb of Cairo last month. Holly Pickett for NPR hide caption