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Sunday

Years Of Turmoil Weigh On Beirut As Syria Strains Lebanon

Lebanese security forces and firefighters inspect the scene of a car bomb explosion that rocked central Beirut on Friday. AFP/Getty Images hide caption

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AFP/Getty Images

Parallels

Years Of Turmoil Weigh On Beirut As Syria Strains Lebanon

Violence from the crisis next door in Syria has been seeping into Lebanon for months. The city is also absorbing a new flood of Syrian refugees. One man who has lived in the city his whole life says it might finally be time to leave.

Friday

Bomb Blast In Beirut Kills Former Ambassador To U.S.

Some of the destruction at the scene of Friday's car bombing in Beirut. AFP/Getty Images hide caption

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AFP/Getty Images

The Two-Way

Bomb Blast In Beirut Kills Former Ambassador To U.S.

The diplomat, Mohammed Chatah, was a senior aide to former Prime Minister Saad Hariri. Chatah was also a critic of Syrian President Bashar Assad and the militant group Hezbollah that is allied with the Syrian leader. At least five other people were killed and about 70 were injured by Friday's blast.

Correspondent Susannah George describes the scene in Beirut

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Wednesday

Hezbollah Commander Dies In Attack Outside Beirut Home

Hassan al-Laqis, described as one of Hezbollah's founding members, was killed in an attack outside his home in Beirut. He's seen here in a photo released Wednesday by the Hezbollah Media Relation Office. AP hide caption

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AP

The Two-Way

Hezbollah Commander Dies In Attack Outside Beirut Home

Hassan al-Laqis was reportedly a veteran commander with expertise in technology and intelligence. Hezbollah blamed Israel for the killing, but Israeli officials denied the claim.

Tuesday

Two Explosions, Multiple Deaths At Iranian Embassy In Beirut

This car was among many vehicles destroyed by bombs Tuesday in Beirut. Nearby buildings suffered extensive damage. More than 20 people, including an Iran diplomat, were killed by the explosions near Iran's embassy. Nabil Mounzer/EPA/LANDOV hide caption

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Nabil Mounzer/EPA/LANDOV

The Two-Way

Two Explosions, Multiple Deaths At Iranian Embassy In Beirut

The blasts happened in a part of the city that is also home to offices of a Shiite party that is allied with Hezbollah. Forces battling Syrian President Bashar Assad have carried their fight to his supporters in Lebanon. There are reports that a brigade with ties to al-Qaida claimed responsibility.

Friday

Wednesday

How Syria's Neighbors View A Possible Military Strike

Syrian refugees stand in line for food at Kawergost refugee camp in Irbil, Iraq, on Aug. 21. The Syrian civil war has already sparked a refugee crisis in the region. Now, many countries are waiting to see the effects of a possible U.S. military strike. Hadi Mizban/AP hide caption

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Hadi Mizban/AP

Parallels

How Syria's Neighbors View A Possible Military Strike

Some of Syria's neighbors are already feeling the impact of the civil war there. The war has led to an upsurge in regional violence and has sent refugees flowing across borders.

Tuesday

Friday

Watching From The Rooftops As A Fierce Syrian Battle Unfolds

A Syrian soldier walks through the hotly contested city of Qusair on May 22. The Syrian army, backed by Lebanon's Hezbollah militia, has been waging a fierce fight with rebels in the key western city for the past two weeks. STR/STR/AFP/Getty Images hide caption

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STR/STR/AFP/Getty Images

Parallels

Watching From The Rooftops As A Fierce Syrian Battle Unfolds

Syria's government appears to be making gains this week against rebel forces in a hard-fought battle. This comes as Lebanon's Hezbollah sends militia fighters across the border to bolster troops loyal to Syria's President Bashar Assad.

Watching From The Rooftops As A Fierce Syrian Battle Unfolds

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Wednesday

The Stream Of Syrian Refugees Strains Lebanon

Um Ahmed, her husband, Abu Ahmed, and their two children sit inside a United Nations refugee registration center in Tripoli, Lebanon. They fled the northern Syrian city of Aleppo a month ago. "There was a lot of shelling," said Um Ahmed. "I wasn't thinking. I was just thinking of my children." Nicole Beemsterboer/NPR hide caption

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Nicole Beemsterboer/NPR

The Two-Way

The Stream Of Syrian Refugees Strains Lebanon

More than 8,000 Syrians cross the border into neighboring countries each day. Lebanon has the biggest urban refugee population in the region, and the highest number of unregistered Syrians. The U.N. says despite its best efforts, Syrian refugees in Lebanon can still expect to wait at least four months before receiving help.

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