Alison Meuse
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Russian-backed government troops have entered the ancient city after days of intense clashes with Islamic State militants. Local activists said ISIS warned civilians via loudspeaker to flee.
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The Russian airstrikes have emboldened President Bashar Assad's army to press a major offensive in a crucial city. Thousands of civilians have fled and are massing at the nearby Turkish border.
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A strategic town in the south of Syria long-controlled by opposition fighters has reportedly fallen to regime troops with the assistance of Russian air power.
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Syrian migrant workers have been going to Lebanon to work in illegal hashish fields for years. Those who leave areas controlled by ISIS are unsure now if they can ever go home.
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Bars and restaurants in Beirut closed Saturday in solidarity with anti-government protests that have grown over the last week.
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In a country with a stunning coastline, a lack of governance has allowed private developers to gobble up prime seaside real estate and shunt aside ordinary Lebanese who depend on public beaches.
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Activists want more pressure on the Syrian regime to stop using the primitive and indiscriminate barrel bombs that have killed thousands in the Syrian civil war.
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Many Syrian refugee children haven't been to school in years. NPR's Deborah Amos visits one school in southern Turkey that serves as a refuge for those lucky enough to attend.
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Beirut's streets are piled with two weeks' worth of uncollected trash. To many Lebanese, it's no surprise. The country has been without a president for more than a year.
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Activists say the Syrian regime continues to attack its people with chlorine gas — with little reaction from an international community once focused on preventing Syria's use of chemical weapons.
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Herbs like za'atar and sumac have long been stars of Lebanese cuisine. Now they're moving out of the kitchen and into beers and cocktails, infusing them with a patriotic taste.
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They protested against the Assad regime in 2011, hoping for democracy. Now they're in exile, fighting extremists for their country's future and trying to provide a lifeline for others back in Syria.