2012 FEBRUARY
Feb. 8, 2012

Inside Homs, 'The Blood Is on the Floor'
Reports from the besieged Syrian city of Homs paint a dire picture. On Tuesday, the NewsHour spoke with activist Sami Ibrahim, who was there, about the frightening increase in violence.

Feb. 7, 2012

Assad Running out of Friends, but China, Russia Still Among Allies
As violence continued Tuesday in Homs, Syria, Russia's Foreign Minister Sergey V. Lavrov visited with top Syrian leaders in Damascus. Ray Suarez discusses Syria's ongoing bloodshed and President Assad's remaining allies with Rania Abouzeid of Time Magazine.

  

Feb. 7, 2012

After Russia's Veto at U.N., Foreign Minister Gets Hero's Welcome in Syria
Russia's Foreign Minister Sergey V. Lavrov visited Tuesday with top Syrian leaders in Damascus as the Assad regime's crackdown on opposition intensified. Jonathan Miller of Independent Television News reports.

  

Feb. 7, 2012

News Wrap: Iran Calls U.S. Sanctions on Central Bank 'Psychological War'
In other news Tuesday, Iran dismissed U.S. sanctions against the country's central bank. A spokesman for the Iranian foreign ministry equated the move to "psychological war," and said Iran would not give up its nuclear program. In Iraq, ministers from a Sunni-backed bloc ended their boycott of the Cabinet and returned to work.

  

Feb. 6, 2012

News Wrap: Obama Orders New Sanctions on Iran's Government, Central Bank
In other news Monday, President Obama imposed new sanctions on Iran and its central bank to increase pressure on the country's regime over its nuclear program. Also, a deep freeze paralyzed much of Eastern Europe for another day. The cold wave is more than a week old with no immediate end in sight.

  

Feb. 6, 2012

Syrian Instability: How Would Rest of World Respond?
Citing security woes amid Syria's escalating crackdown, American and British diplomats have left Damascus. Ray Suarez discusses other countries' diplomatic and military options and the mounting pressure on Assad's regime with the University of Oklahoma's Joshua Landis and Steven Heydemann of the United States Institute of Peace.

  

Feb. 6, 2012

U.S. Closes Embassy in Syria as Assad Regime Feels 'Noose Tightening'
As a new surge of killings erupted Monday in Homs, Syria, the United States shuttered its embassy in Damascus, citing security problems. British Foreign Secretary William Hague also dialed back relations with what he called a "doomed" and "murdering" regime. Ray Suarez reports.

  

Feb. 3, 2012

How Will Iran's Threats Affect U.S.-Israeli Ties?
Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak issued a warning at a security conference Thursday that time is running out, and dealing with a nuclear Iran would be more complicated and costly than attempting to stop one. Ray Suarez and guests discuss the potential of a unilateral Israeli strike and a U.S. response to Israeli action.

  

Feb. 3, 2012

Iran's Supreme Leader: 'Real War' Would Be More Harmful to U.S.
With rising talk of war, Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei rallied his public Friday in prayers broadcast on state television -- warning the U.S. against any military strike or oil embargo and calling Israel "a cancerous tumor that should and will be cut." Ray Suarez reports.

  

JANUARY
Jan. 31, 2012

Rice on Syria Proposal: U.S. Seeks 'Unified Decision' in Security Council
The 15-nation United Nations Security Council drafted an Arab League proposal Tuesday, calling for an end to the Syrian government's crackdown on the opposition and requiring President Bahar al-Assad to hand over power to his vice president. Ray Suarez discusses the U.N initiative with U.S. Ambassador Susan Rice.

  

Jan. 31, 2012

U.N. Security Council Drafts Resolution on Syria
As violence continued to ensnare Syria Tuesday, Western and Arab diplomats launched talks at the United Nations to oust the government of President Bashar al-Assad. Ray Suarez reports.

  

Jan. 30, 2012

News Wrap: White House Urges Political Solution in Syria
In other news Monday, Syrian government forces pushed back rebellious army units around Damascus as the West took a new diplomatic offensive. At least 100 people died in three days of fighting, according to activists. Also, in Washington, Occupy protesters were ordered by the National Park Service to pack up their gear.

  

Jan. 27, 2012

In Syria, Reports of 'Daily Double-Digit Death Tolls'
Violence in Syria continues to escalate, with activists reporting at least 70 dead in the last two days of fighting in Homs, Hama and Idlib. Margaret Warner and Time magazine's Rania Abouzeid discuss the uptick in violence, plus reports of opposition forces capturing Iranian agents inside Syria.

  

Jan. 27, 2012

News of Escalated Violence in Syria Troubles Arab League Monitors
Violence in Syria continued Friday as activists reported at least 70 dead from fighting by government forces in Homs, Hama and Idlib -- news that has frustrated both the Arab League monitors and the United Nations Security Council. Lindsey Hilsum of Independent Television News reports.

  

Jan. 27, 2012

News Wrap: Suicide Bombing Kills at Least 33 in Iraq
In other news Friday, at least 33 people were killed in a suicide bombing in Iraq. The bomb went off in southeastern Baghdad during a funeral procession through a largely Shiite neighborhood. Also, French troops may leave Afghanistan a year early in 2013, President Nicolas Sarkozy proposed.

  

Jan. 25, 2012

News Wrap: At Least 7 Killed by Syrian Government Forces in Overnight Assault
In other news Wednesday, Syrian government forces launched a new assault overnight in Hama, according to the opposition. At least seven people were killed there and elsewhere. Also, Indiana's GOP-led House moved closer to adopting a "right-to-work" law, banning unions from requiring workers to join and pay dues.

  

Jan. 24, 2012

News Wrap: Forces Loyal to Gadhafi Seize Key City in Libya
In other news Tuesday, forces loyal to Moammar Gadhafi seized control of a key city in Libya, three months after the dictator's death. They retook the former Gadhafi stronghold of Bani Walid, after clashing for hours with revolutionary forces. Also, a string of car bombings rocked Baghdad, killing at least 14 Iraqis.

  

Jan. 23, 2012

Syria's Assad: How Powerful, Dangerous Is He Now?
Syrian President Bashar al-Assad dismissed the Arab League's plans to end his country's 10-month old crisis Monday. Ray Suarez discusses the organization's presence in the embattled country with Emile Hokayem of the International Institute for Strategic Studies and Andrew Tabler of the Washington Institute for Near East Policy.

  

Jan. 23, 2012

Syria's Assad Dismisses Arab League's Peace Plan
On Monday, as an opposition group reported 23 more killings, the Syrian government rejected an Arab League peace plan -- a proposal the organization hoped would end violence in the troubled country. Ray Suarez reports on the dismissed arrangement that called for forming a unity government and hosting supervised elections.

  

Jan. 19, 2012

Jordan's King Abdullah: Coming Weeks Critical for Syria, Assad, Arab League
King Abdullah II of Jordan, the first Arab leader to urge President Assad to step down, sat down with Margaret Warner Thursday to discuss his expectation of more killings in Syria, the Arab League's role in quelling unrest there as well as the latest Israeli-Palestinian peace initiative and reforms within his own kingdom.

  

Jan. 19, 2012

Killings in Syria Continue Unabated as Arab League Mission Ends
As the Arab League's peace monitoring mission in Syria officially came to an end Thursday, Syrian opposition activists said security forces had killed at least 16 more people. The monitors were assessing whether President Bashar al-Assad's regime had stopped firing on civilians as promised. Margaret Warner reports.

  

Jan. 19, 2012

Jordan's King Abdullah: 'Loss of Life' Will Continue in Syria
EmbedVideo;King Abdullah II of Jordan told Margaret Warner Thursday that he expects the "loss of life" will continue in Syria and that the key players "don't really know what to do" about the conflict in the Middle Eastern country.

  

Jan. 18, 2012

Are U.S. and Iran Veering Toward War?
Riding on more sanctions and rhetoric, tensions between the U.S. and Iran continue to escalate. Margaret Warner discusses whether the U.S. and Iran appear to be sliding into war with Tufts University's Vali Nasr and Dennis Ross, who served in the National Security Council and State Department in four administrations.

  

Jan. 18, 2012

Panetta Leaves Diplomatic, Military Options Open Over Iran
Tehran claimed Wednesday that Iran's supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, had received a letter from President Obama containing threats and an offer of new talks. Margaret Warner reports on the rising tension between the two countries, as well as allusions of military confrontation.

  

Jan. 18, 2012

Are U.S., Iran Headed Toward War?
In the salons of foreign policy wonks in Washington and New York, a fast and furious debate is raging over whether the United States or its allies should launch a military strike on Iran's nuclear facilities.

Jan. 13, 2012

News Wrap: Investigators Identify Marines in Taliban Body Desecration Video
In other news Friday, there was new fallout from a video that appears to show U.S. Marines urinating on dead Taliban fighters in Afghanistan. Investigators have identified and interviewed the four enlisted Marines seen on the video, officials said. Also, a fresh outpouring of protesters filled cities across Syria.

  

Jan. 12, 2012

Are Syrian Spies On U.S. Soil?
Are Syrian spies operating on U.S. Soil? Several Syrian-Americans shared their stories of being watched by the Syrian government for a PBS NewsHour investigation. The Syrian government denies any spying takes place.

Jan. 12, 2012

Who's Killing Iran's Nuclear Officials?
After Wednesday's deadly attack on a nuclear scientist in Tehran, Jeffrey Brown discusses the unclear covert sabotage on Iran's nuclear program with Ronen Bergman from the newspaper Yedioth Ahronoth and David Albright of the Institute for Science and International Security.

  

Jan. 12, 2012

Tehran Bombing Latest in Attacks on Iran's Nuclear Scientists, Program
In the latest in a string of attacks in Iran targeting top nuclear officials, two assailants in Tehran Wednesday stuck a magnetic bomb on the car of a nuclear scientist, killing 32-year-old Mostafa Ahmadi Roshan and his driver. Jeffrey Brown reports.

  

Jan. 11, 2012

News Wrap: Hit-and-Run Bombing Kills Top Iranian Nuclear Scientist
In other news Wednesday, assassins struck a new blow at Iran and its nuclear program. A hit-and-run bombing killed a top nuclear scientist in Tehran. Also, in Israel, the head of the military suggested that things might happen "unnaturally" to Iran in 2012.

  

Jan. 10, 2012

Why Assad Won't Back Down
In a defiant public speech Tuesday, Syrian President Assad repeated promises of reform and plans to crush dissent against his regime. Margaret Warner discusses what's next for Syria with former U.S. Ambassador Theodore Kattouf and Andrew Tabler, a Washington Institute fellow who lived in Syria for most of the last decade.

  

Jan. 10, 2012

Defiant Assad Blames Foreign Meddling for Syria's Turmoil
In a public address Tuesday, Syria's President Bashar al-Assad declared his plans to defeat conspiracy against his country's regime. John Ray of Independent Television News reports on his speech and the government's ongoing crackdown against dissidents.

  

Jan. 9, 2012

News Wrap: White House Chief of Staff Steps Down; Bombings in Iraq
In other news Monday, President Obama announced White House Chief of Staff Bill Daley's resignation. Daley had been in the position for a year, and will be succeeded by Jacob Lew, the president's current budget director. Also, a court martial began for the last U.S. Marine accused in the massacre of two dozen Iraqis.

  

Jan. 9, 2012

Pentagon Signals 'This Is Not the Point of No Return for Iran'
U.S.-Iranian tensions are further on the rise amid revelations over Iran's nuclear program, threats over the Strait of Hormuz and an American's death sentence. Margaret Warner discusses how the two countries are dealing with each other with The New York Times' David Sanger and Julian Barnes of The Wall Street Journal.

  

Jan. 9, 2012

U.S.-Iranian Tensions Escalate Further Over Nuclear Program, Death Sentence
Tensions between the United States and Iran were further heightened Monday as Ayatollah Ali Khamenei vowed that Iran wouldn't relinquish its nuclear program, despite economic damage from sanctions. Also, an Iranian court sentenced to death a U.S.-born Iranian man charged with spying for the CIA. Margaret Warner reports.

  

Jan. 6, 2012

News Wrap: In Syria, Cause Unclear in Blast That Killed at Least 25
In other news Friday, at least 25 people died in Syria when an explosion rocked an intersection in Damascus. Government officials claimed the blast was the result of a suicide bombing, but opposition activists accused the regime of staging the attack. Also, five NATO troops were killed in a series of bombings in Afghanistan.

  

Jan. 5, 2012

News Wrap: Another Wave of Bombings in Iraq Kills at Least 78
In other news Thursday, another wave of bombings struck in Iraq, killing at least 78 people. It was the second such coordinated attack since U.S. troops left the country last month. Also, the government of Myanmar announced that the party of opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi will be allowed to run in upcoming elections.

  

Jan. 4, 2012

What Have Sanctions Done to Iran's Economy, People?
European Union nations reportedly agreed in principle Wednesday to ban imports of Iranian oil. Margaret Warner discusses mounting tensions between Iran and the West with Haleh Esfandiari of the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars and Karim Sadjadpour of the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace.

  

Jan. 4, 2012

U.S.-Iran Tensions Riding on Oil Shipments Through the Strait of Hormuz
A drumbeat of new threats from Iran on the crucial Strait of Hormuz began last week, punctuated by a show of naval force in the Persian Gulf. Margaret Warner reports on Tehran's reactions to Western sanctions on its oil that are set to take effect in several months.

  

Jan. 4, 2012

News Wrap: Big 3 Automakers Turn in Upbeat Sales for 2011
In other news Wednesday, the Big Three U.S. automakers turned in upbeat sales reports for 2011. Chrysler led the pack with a 26 percent gain over 2010 while General Motors sold 13 percent more. Also, opposition leaders said Syria's government is misleading Arab League peace monitors about the military presence in some cities.

  

Jan. 3, 2012

Are Syrian Spies Keeping Tabs on Opposition Activists in U.S.?
While the death toll in Syria's unrest has climbed above 5,000, another side of the government crackdown has played out in the U.S. A federal indictment filed in October alleges a Virginia man was actively spying on expatriates in the U.S. and passing information back to Syria. Hari Sreenivasan reports.

  

Jan. 3, 2012

News Wrap: Despite Iranian Threats, U.S. Navy Sending Warships to Persian Gulf
In other news Tuesday, the U.S. Navy will continue sending warships to the Persian Gulf, despite threats from Iran, which said its recently completed naval drills could close the Strait of Hormuz if the West tries to embargo its oil. Also, a string of bombings struck Southern Afghanistan, killing at least 13 people.

  

Jan. 3, 2012

Biggest Story of 2011: Arab Spring or Fall of Democratic Stability?
As the weighty foreign policy journals weigh in with their year-end editions, there's a surprising result: far less about the implications of the Arab Spring and more about the economic and political threats to the liberal democratic order that was created in the wake of World War II.

Jan. 3, 2012

Panetta to Unveil Plan for Military Cuts
Defense Secretary Leon Panetta is expected to unveil his plan later this week for cutting hundreds of billions of dollars from the U.S. military budget in coming years. He will address this and other matters related to the Defense Department on the PBS NewsHour on Thursday, Jan. 5.

Jan. 3, 2012

Are Syrian Spies on U.S. Soil?
Syrian spies are operating in the United States, keeping tabs on Syrian-Americans who oppose President Bashar al-Assad, according to a federal indictment filed in October and PBS NewsHour interviews with Syrian-Americans.

Jan. 2, 2012

News Wrap: Iran Test-Fires Missile as Part of Strait of Hormuz War Games
In other news Monday, Iran test-fired an improved cruise missile, adding to tensions with the United States, Europe and Israel. The missile test was part of war games that have focused on the vital Strait of Hormuz. Also, security was tighter than usual at the Rose Parade as Occupy protesters marched after the parade ended.

  

Jan. 2, 2012

PBS NewsHour Seeks Syrian-American Voices
Are you a Syrian living in the United States? Have you been harassed or intimidated by agents of the Assad regime or the Mukhabarat? Has your family in Syria been punished for your political beliefs or actions here? The NewsHour has been gathering stories of Syrian-Americans who say they are victims of this kind of harassment.

2011 DECEMBER
Dec. 30, 2011

News Wrap: Assad Faces New Challeges as Anti-Government Protests Swell in Syria
In other news Friday, an outpouring of anti-government protesters filled cities across Syria, marking a new challenge for President Bashar al-Assad. The opposition reported as many as 250,000 people turned out in Idlib and Hama. Also, at least nine people were killed in Pakistan when a car bomb exploded in the city of Quetta.

  

Dec. 30, 2011

In Photos: World Events of 2011
The start of 2011 saw rolling anti-government protests, dubbed the "Arab Spring", cross North Africa and the Middle East. In the spring, a powerful earthquake triggered a tsunami in Japan that caused not only loss of life but a near nuclear disaster. World leaders died, wars ended and a country was born.

Dec. 29, 2011

News Wrap: Egyptian Forces Raid Human Rights Groups Critical of Military Rule
In other news Thursday, police in Egypt raided 17 offices of pro-democracy and human rights groups that have criticized military rule. Security forces interrogated employees and seized files and computers, according to witnesses. Also, the U.S. finalized the sale of $30 billion worth of F-15 fighter jets to Saudi Arabia.