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Sunday, May 19, 2013

The Two-Way

Syrian Troops Target Key Rebel-Held Town

Syrians inspect Saturday the rubble of buildings damaged by government airstrikes in Qusair, Syria. The image was provided by Qusair Lens, and was authenticated based on its contents and other AP reporting.

May 19, 2013 Qusair is a strategically important town that lies between Homs, where the Syrian uprising began two years ago, and the Lebanese border. If President Bashar Assad's troops – reportedly backed by Hezbollah fighters — regain the town, they would control an important route from the coast to the capital, Damascus.

Summary

Friday, May 17, 2013

The Two-Way

Reports: Russia Sends More Missiles, Has Ships Near Syria

May 17, 2013 Efforts to stop the war between the Assad regime and those trying to topple it could be set back again by Russia's actions, U.S. lawmakers say.

Summary

Tuesday, May 14, 2013

Parallels

American Doctors Reach Out To Syria

Dr. Zaher Sahloul, a Syrian-American physician in Chicago, heads a group of U.S. doctors providing help to those injured in Syria's civil war.

May 14, 2013 Syria's civil war has left tens of thousands dead and wounded, while medical care is in short supply in many areas. A Syrian-American doctor has organized efforts to provide an underground health care system.

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Monday, May 13, 2013

The Two-Way

Britain's Cameron Sees 'A Real Breakthrough' On Syria

British Prime Minister David Cameron (left) and Russian President Vladimir Putin viewed the Sochi Olympic Park along the Black Sea coast by helicopter Friday.

May 13, 2013 A plan for U.S.-Russian peace conference marks a major step, the prime minister tells NPR. He believes that while Russian President Vladimir Putin still differs with the West over what to do about Syrian President Bashar Assad, there is agreement about the need for a peaceful transition.

Summary

Thursday, May 09, 2013

The Two-Way

Top U.S. Official Meets With Rebels Inside Syria

Robert Ford, the State Department's point man on Syria policy, appears before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee on April 11.

May 9, 2013 Ambassador Robert Ford, the State Department's point man on Syrian policy, met with the head of the Aleppo military council on Wednesday. Syrian rebels thanked him for the delivery of some 65,000 MREs. Both the visit and the shipment appear to be a sign of support for Gen. Salim Idriss, the rebels' commander.

Summary

Wednesday, May 08, 2013

The Two-Way

Syria Gets Its Internet Back

Syrians check e-mails, chat and connect to their Facebook accounts in 2011 at an Internet cafe in Damascus.

May 8, 2013 The state news agency said the near-20 hour outage was caused by problems with a fiber optics cable.

Summary

Monday, May 06, 2013

The Two-Way

UPDATE: White House Doubts Syrian Rebels Used Sarin

Carla del Ponte, a diplomat and prosecutor who now serves on the Independent International Commission of Inquiry for Syria.

May 6, 2013 United Nations prosecutor Carla del Ponte has told Swiss news outlets that there's evidence pointing at the opposition, not the Assad regime. The U.N. says no "conclusive findings" have been reached. The White House is skeptical about del Ponte's comments.

Summary

Sunday, May 05, 2013

The Two-Way

Israel Reportedly Attacks Syrian Facility, In An Escalation

An image taken from video obtained from the Ugarit News, which has been authenticated based on its contents and other AP reporting, shows an airstrike hitting the area around Damascus, Syria, early Sunday.

May 5, 2013 Israeli warplanes attacked a military research center near Damascus early Sunday, according to intelligence reports and Syrian state media. Israel has offered no comment on the raid, which came days after a similar strike that reportedly targeted missiles intended for Hezbollah militants in Lebanon.

Summary

Saturday, May 04, 2013

The Salt

As Syria Melts Down, Ice Cream Shop Sets Up In Jordan

Employees scoop ice cream, which is topped with pistachios, at Bakdash's opening in Amman, Jordan, this week. Bakdash has been a landmark in Damascus, Syria, since 1895. But the war there has made it hard to get supplies, so the owners have set up a new shop in Amman.

May 4, 2013 The Bakdash ice cream parlor has been a landmark in the Syrian capital Damascus for more than a century. But after two years of war, the owners have set up a new shop in Amman, Jordan, home to many Syrian refugees.

Summary

The Two-Way

Israel Reportedly Attacked Target In Syria In Airstrike

May 4, 2013 Israel has conducted an airstrike against a target in Syria, in an apparent attempt to keep a shipment of missiles from reaching Hezbollah, according to multiple news agencies citing Israeli and U.S. officials. Israel has not officially confirmed the attack, which reportedly came early Friday.

Summary

Wednesday, May 01, 2013

The Two-Way

U.S. Said To Be Leaning Toward Arming Syrian Rebels

Opposition fighters from the Free Syrian Army last month in Aleppo, Syria.

May 1, 2013 Administration officials tell NPR and other news outlets that the arms could include shoulder-fired missiles. The news comes as the U.S. considers how to respond to reports that the Assad regime may have used chemical weapons against its own people.

Summary

ListenPlaylist

Tuesday, April 30, 2013

Shots - Health News

How Doctors Would Know If Syrians Were Hit With Nerve Gas

Doctors at a hospital in Aleppo, Syria, treat a boy injured in what the government said was a chemical weapons attack on March 19. Syria's government and rebels accused each other of firing a rocket loaded with chemical agents outside of Aleppo.

April 30, 2013 An international team of doctors is helping Syrian health workers recognize the signs of a chemical attack. They're also teaching them how to collect and preserve tissues as potential evidence if war crimes charges are brought.

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On All Things ConsideredPlaylist

The Two-Way

Bombing In Syrian Capital Kills More Than A Dozen People

Syrian government security officers after a blast in the Marjeh district of Damascus on Tuesday.

April 30, 2013 The bombing is the second in as many days in Damascus and is thought to be part of a stepped-up campaign against the government.

Summary

Friday, April 26, 2013

The Two-Way

Will Chemical Weapons Change U.S. Policy Toward Syria?

The White House said this week that it believes Syria has been using chemical weapons, but President Obama has not said how the U.S. might respond. Here, rebel fighters in Syria prepare to launch of a rocket in the northern Syrian city of Aleppo, on April 21. The rebels have also accused the Syrian government of employing chemical weapons.

April 26, 2013 The White House now believes Syria has used chemical weapons. But President Obama has shown no inclination toward military involvement in another Middle Eastern war.

Summary

Thursday, April 25, 2013

The Two-Way

White House: Evidence Syria Used Chemical Weapons

Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel speaks with reporters on Thursday in the United Arab Emirates after reading a statement on chemical weapon use.

April 25, 2013 The administration has warned Syria against using chemical weapons but does not say how this might change U.S. policy toward the Syrian regime.

Summary

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