Syria
With Assad gone and Syria’s war over, the White Helmets have a new mission
Vilified by the Assad regime, these Nobel-nominated first responders operated only in rebel areas. Now their founder is in the new government and they're extending their reach to all of Syria.
Syria hopes tourists will return to Palmyra, a World Heritage Site ravaged by war
Before 2015, Palmyra was considered one of the world's most intact ancient Roman sites. ISIS blew up many key monuments of this storied Silk Road city. Syrians hope restoration can begin now.
How Trump’s cuts to U.S. foreign aid are imperiling Syria’s war crimes investigations
When former leader Bashar al-Assad fell, new Syria war crimes investigations began. But U.S. budget cuts have halted some work. For families of the disappeared, it means justice delayed or denied.
Syria’s dictator is gone. Its civil war is over. But Israel keeps attacking
Almost immediately after dictator Bashar al-Assad fled, Syria came under attack. Israeli airstrikes have hit several hundred times since December. Syria's new leaders are starting to speak up.
Druze militias are suspicious of Syria’s new leaders — and are ready to go to battle
The new leadership vowed to disband all militias. But the fiercely independent Druze have made no agreement, and say they're gathering fighters and making plans to repel government forces if needed.
What happened when Syria’s conservative new leaders tried to shut 60 Damascus bars
When Syria's new leaders shut 60 Damascus bars, drinkers protested, and the government reversed itself. It's an example of the tussle between secular and Islamist values in the new Syria.
The missing children of Syria: Hidden in orphanages under Assad, where are they now?
Assad's forces detained mothers and children and sent many of the youth to orphanages. Syrians whose children vanished during the war are now seeking information on their fate. NPR investigates.
He fled Syria’s war as a teenager. He went back to help launch a tech industry
Abdulwahab Omira escaped Syria's war with his family as a teenager. He recently returned as a Stanford graduate student and a budding entrepreneur, hoping to help jumpstart the country's tech industry.
Syria imposes curfew after its worst clashes since the Assad regime ouster
Syria's new government sent in security reinforcements and imposed curfews on a coastal area after major clashes with fighters loyal to the deposed Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.
Meet the Syrians behind the music that inspired a revolution
Syrian soccer player Abdel Basset al-Sarout became the poster child for the Syrian revolution with his iconic protest anthems. In death, he has become its saint. But he didn't do it alone.
Kurdish militant group PKK declares ceasefire after decades of conflict with Turkey
Militants from the Kurdistan Workers' Party have declared a ceasefire, in what may represent a significant political breakthrough for Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.
Syrian Jews return to Damascus for the first time in decades, hoping to build bridges
Thousands of Jews left Syria in 1992, when they were allowed to emigrate. The visit by a small delegation of U.S.-based Syrian Jewish religious figures last week was their first time back since then.
Trump’s Gaza proposal has rattled the Middle East. More surprises are likely
President Trump has already shaken up the Middle East by suggesting a U.S. takeover of Gaza. More drama could be on the way when the president spells out plans for other parts of the volatile region.
Palestinian refugees in Syria have a message for Gazans: Don’t leave your land
Palestinians fled the 1948 Mideast War and took refuge in neighboring Syria. After 77 years, they're still waiting to go back. They are telling Palestinians in Gaza to stay put.
Alabama woman who joined IS hopes to return from Syria camp
Hoda Muthana was born in New Jersey to Yemeni immigrants and was raised in a conservative Muslim household in Hoover, Alabama, just outside Birmingham. In 2014, she flew to Turkey and crossed into Syria.
Judge Dismisses Alabama’s Suit Against U.S. Over Refugees
A federal judge has dismissed Alabama’s lawsuit against the U.S. over potential Syrian refugee resettlement.
Alabama Sues Federal Government Over Refugee Resettlement Program
Alabama has become the second state to sue the U.S. government over refugee resettlement, accusing the Obama administration of failing to consult with states on placement of those who have fled their home countries.
Birmingham Residents Rally to Show Support for Syrian Refugees
A about four dozen people gathered Saturday morning in Birmingham's Railroad Park downtown to take a picture showing that some Alabamians would like to accept Syrian refugees.
Fear Shouldn’t Define Us After Terror Attacks
Alabama Governor Robert Bentley is standing by his opposition to Syrian refugees settling in the state following last week's terror attacks in Paris. Authorities say one of the suspects in those attacks may have entered Europe with refugees feeling Syria. More than half of governors, mostly Republicans, have made similar moves to Bentley. But it's also prompted plenty of criticism. We talk about it with Alabama Media Group columnist John Archibald.
Kyle Whitmire: Gov. Bentley and Syrian Refugees
Governor Robert Bentley orders state agencies to turn away Syrian refugees in Alabama, but does he have the authority to do this? WBHM’s Esther Ciammachilli talks with Kyle Whitmire, state […]
