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Iraq's voters go to the polls on Sunday to elect a new parliament

Saturday, October 09, 2021

With the current parties in power expected to dominate results again, many Iraqis say they see no reason to vote.

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Iraqi protesters helped spur new elections. But many doubt their votes will matter

Friday, October 08, 2021

The current parties in power — many backed by militias involved in deadly attacks on protesters — are poised to dominate parliamentary elections scheduled to take place Sunday. Here's what to know.

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Iraqis will vote for a new parliament on Sunday

Friday, October 08, 2021

While some new voices have emerged in the campaigning, it looks like the usual parties will win. One underdog candidate got some voters on her side when she resolved a sewer problem in a Baghdad slum.

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Iraqis split on whether upcoming elections can bring meaningful change

Thursday, October 07, 2021

The election in Iraq that anti-government protestors gave their lives calling for is this weekend — but it might not lead to the changes people want.

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Syrian Government Takes Opposition Town After Weeks Of Siege

Saturday, September 25, 2021

The fall of a Syrian opposition town to the government this week after a siege and threats of air strikes serves as a reminder that the civil war continues.

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Lebanon's Unique Terrain Is Helping Hikers Connect With Nature, History And Culture

Monday, September 06, 2021

With areas of Lebanon mired in power cuts and a historic economic crisis, some are getting into the mountains where hiking has started to gain popularity.

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1 Year After Beirut Explosion, Lebanese Push For Government Accountability

Saturday, August 07, 2021

The people of Beirut are still reeling from the effects of the deadly port explosion a year ago — and asking that leaders who could have prevented it be held responsible.

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In Beirut, Thousands Marched To Mark The Anniversary Of Port Blast That Killed 200

Wednesday, August 04, 2021

As Lebanon marks a year since a huge blast at the Beirut port, the sister of one of the victims is still working to pick up the pieces of her life and continue her search for justice.

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Lebanese Demand Justice A Year After The Deadly Beirut Port Explosion

Wednesday, August 04, 2021

A Human Rights Watch report states there's little chance the probe will hold any ranking officials accountable — despite evidence they failed to act on warnings about dangerous chemicals at the port.

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A Crisis Follows After Tunisia's Prime Minister Is Removed From Office

Tuesday, July 27, 2021

Tunisia's president has taken the country's fragile democracy to the brink by shutting parliament down — the latest chapter in the struggle between secular and Islamist factions there.

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Power Struggle In Tunisia Threatens The Country's Fragile Democracy

Monday, July 26, 2021

Tunisia's fragile democracy is put to the test as the president shuts down parliament — drawing praise from crowds in the streets but also accusations of an attempted coup.

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Biden To Welcome Iraq's Prime Minister To The White House

Monday, July 26, 2021

President Biden plans to host Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa Al-Kadhimi at the White House on Monday. One of the major topics will be how long the last of the U.S. troops will remain in the country.

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Families In Lebanon Aim To Celebrate Eid Despite The Steep Costs

Thursday, July 22, 2021

The Muslim holiday of Eid al-Adha finds people in Lebanon mired in an economic crisis that makes eating or paying rent difficult — let alone taking part in family celebrations.

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Lebanon Sees Price Gouging Of Basic Necessities During Economic Crisis

Saturday, July 17, 2021

Lebanon's former prime minister has given up on forming a new government, as the country's political and economic crises continue to worsen.

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Iraqi Hospital Fire In Coronavirus Ward Kills Over 90 People

Tuesday, July 13, 2021

In Iraq, where COVID-19 is surging, the death toll from a fire in the coronavirus ward of a hospital continues to climb. Officials say more than 90 people have died and dozens more have been injured.

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More Than 60 People Are Dead After A Hospital Fire In A Southern Iraqi City

Tuesday, July 13, 2021

On Monday, flames swept through outbuildings of the al-Hussein Teaching Hospital in Nasiryah that had been set up to isolate COVID-19 patients.

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The Economic Crisis In Lebanon May Be One Of The Worst In The World Since The 1800s

Monday, July 12, 2021

The once-thriving middle class in Beirut, Lebanon, has collapsed amid a historic economic crisis. Banks are freezing withdrawals and pharmacies are running out of medicines.

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Attacks Are On The Rise Between U.S. Troops And Iranian-Backed Militias

Tuesday, June 29, 2021

The U.S. struck militia bases in Syria and Iraq after a series of drone attacks on U.S. bases. Now the region waits to see what will happen next.

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Countries Seem To Be Normalizing Relations With The Syrian Regime

Wednesday, June 23, 2021

Resigned to the apparent hold that the Syrian government has regained over most of the country, the U.S. and others who once sought to unseat the regime appear to be preparing to live with it.

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Syria Bombs Hospitals. Now It Will Help Lead The World Health Organization

Saturday, June 12, 2021

It was a decision that appalled and angered Syrian opposition groups and international medical organizations. On May 28 Syria was appointed to the World Health Organization's Executive Board.

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