Middle East

World News

On The 10th Anniversary Of The Syrian War, Hardship Persists On Both Sides

4:26pm March 15, 2021

by Ruth Sherlock

This week marks the 10th anniversary of the start of the unrest leading to the Syrian civil war. A check-in shows that it's tough for people on both government and rebel sides.

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Biden Has Options To Leverage Trump's Sanctions On Iran

4:10pm March 15, 2021

by Jackie Northam

The tough sanctions that former president Trump slapped on Iran are still in place and President Biden has a few options to use them to bring Iran back to the nuclear deal.

Volunteers clear the Old Market district of debris in Aleppo, Syria, in 2019. Years of fighting have left many sections of Aleppo destroyed.

World News

Syria's Civil War Started A Decade Ago. Here's Where It Stands

10:51am March 15, 2021

The conflict has not only pitted the regime of Syrian President Bashar Assad against a band of rebels, but drawn the U.S., Iran, Russia and Turkey, among others, into a complex proxy war.

The International Atomic Energy Agency has been responsible for policing the Iran deal. It has sealed some equipment, preventing its use, and installed cameras and other electronic monitoring.

With Iranian Nuclear Deal In Limbo, Some Worry Inspectors Will Lose Access For Good

6:24am March 15, 2021

by Geoff Brumfiel

Nuclear inspections have been a key part of the Iran nuclear deal. International inspectors stand to permanently lose access to key sites, unless the U.S. and Iran can find a way forward.

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Jan. 19, 2017: Douma — A young girl blows bubbles.

Blowing Bubbles And Running From Bombs: The Reality Of War For The Children Of Syria

11:26am March 14, 2021

As the 10-year anniversary of the war approaches, a new book from the photojournalist Bassam Khabieh shares moments of normalcy and resilience against a backdrop of violence, displacement and fear.

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World News

Marking 10 Years Of War In Syria

5:34pm March 13, 2021

by Ruth Sherlock

A decade since the start of Syria's civil war, hundreds of thousands have died, millions have been displaced, and the war still isn't over — although the Syrian regime has the clear upper hand.

Books
Arts

'Silence Is A Sense' Works To Dispel The Terrible Abstractions Of Syria's Civil War

12:16pm March 13, 2021

by Scott Simon

Layla Alammar's new novel is about a journalist who's fled the Syrian civil war for a new life in London — but can only tell anonymous stories about her neighbors because trauma has left her silent.

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World News

How Syrian Conflict May Have Strengthened The Influence Of The Country's First Lady

8:19am March 13, 2021

NPR's Scott Simons asks Economist correspondent Nicolas Pelham about Syria's first lady, Asma al-Assad, and how she has profited during the decade-long conflict in her country.

Biden Administration May Have To Fight To Repair Iran's Nuclear Program Deal

4:15pm March 11, 2021

by Peter Kenyon

The longer it takes, the tougher it may be to revive the deal putting limits on Iran's nuclear program. Iranians already feel burned from former president Trump backing out of their 2015 agreement.

World News

Israel's Prime Minister May Benefit From A Rift Over LGBTQ Rights

6:14am March 11, 2021

by Daniel Estrin

With elections later this month, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is courting votes among Israel's Palestinian citizens after a controversy over LGBTQ rights.

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