Syria

Expanding ISIS Fight Scrambles GOP Plan To Extend Budget And Get Out

1:03pm September 12, 2014

by Ailsa Chang

House Republicans were hoping for a smooth two weeks before hitting the campaign trial, but a request to arm Syrian rebels has muddled that, as well as the one bill that must pass before they leave.

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A young Iraqi on Thursday stands amid the debris of a double car bomb attack in Baghdad. There was no immediate claim of responsibility. President Obama's plan to attack Islamic State militants in Iraq and Syria will require help from partners on the grou

Obama's Plan: The Pros And Cons

8:14am September 12, 2014

by Greg Myre

The president has opted for an open-ended air campaign to fight the Islamic State. A look at what it will take to make the plan work and the risks that could cause it to fail.

President Obama has been wary of open-ended military commitments in the Middle East. But the president, shown speaking in Estonia on Sept. 3, now appears likely to expand the current bombing campaign against the Islamic State.

How Far Will President Obama Go?

1:43pm September 10, 2014

by Greg Myre

The president has spent most of his tenure scaling back the U.S. military role in the Middle East. Now he appears poised to broaden an operation that will bring with it substantial risks.

Race

First Syrian Refugees Arrive In Triad

12:32pm September 08, 2014

The first in the current wave of Syrian refugees will arrive in the Triad this week.

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Journalist James Foley in 2011. He was killed by Islamic State militants in Syria earlier this month.

Foley's Mother: We Didn't Want Him To Go Back To Syria

7:28pm August 28, 2014

Diane Foley tells NPR that her son, slain journalist James Foley, "could have done so many other things. But he, I think, was drawn to some of the drama, some of the rawness of the conflict zones."

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Forces loyal to Syria's President Bashar Assad walk along a street in Mleiha, near the Damascus airport, during a tour organized by the Syrian government on Aug. 15.

In Syria, The U.S. Weighs A Range Of Unpalatable Options

8:35pm August 20, 2014

by Michele Kelemen

The U.S. could aid moderate rebels. It could bomb militants of the Islamic State. Or it could sit on the sidelines as the war plays out. There are many choices, but none appears promising.

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On the outskirts of Islamabad, a Pakistani health worker vaccinates an Afghan refugee against polio.

The Comeback Of Polio Is A Public Health Emergency

4:25pm May 06, 2014

by Jason Beaubien

The paralyzing virus had seemed on the verge of disappearing. But this year cases are being reported in 10 countries. The World Health Organization has responded with strict vaccination rules.

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A man looks at an unexploded barrel bomb that landed in a cemetery after being dropped by forces loyal to Syria's President Bashar Assad in the northern Syrian city of Aleppo on Thursday.

World News

Iranians Begin To Feel The Heavy Burden Of Syria's War

4:04pm March 31, 2014

by Deborah Amos

Iran has been a close ally of Syria for decades and a staunch supporter in Syria's current war. But a growing number of Iranians are questioning the costs of backing President Bashar Assad.

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An informal Girl Scout group at the Zaatari refugee camp in Jordan sings: "We want to learn and rise up to fulfill our dreams."

World News

A Syrian Refugee Camp With Girl Scouts And A Safeway Store

8:57pm March 17, 2014

by Deborah Amos

Three years into Syria's civil war, a resigned stability and a sense of permanence are taking hold at the Zaatari refugee camp in Jordan.

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Refugees warm their hands at a refugee camp in Harmanli, Bulgaria, on Nov. 27. More Syrians are turning up in Europe. Many are trying to get to northern Europe, believing that is the best place to start a new life.

World News

With The Help Of Smugglers, Syrian Refugees Sneak Into Europe

9:57pm December 07, 2013

by Deborah Amos

Many Syrians fled their country and took refuge just across the border, planning to wait out the war. But now, a growing number are working with smugglers to get to northern Europe. The Syrians say they see no end in sight to the civil war and want to start a new life.

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