Syria is buckling under the stresses caused by civil war, a brutal dictatorship, punishing international sanctions, and most recently the devastation caused by earthquakes in the region last February.

At the same time, the effectiveness of sanctions meant to hurt and isolate the regime of dictator Bashar al-Assad is being questioned. Recently, a group of former U.S. officials and Syria experts urged President Biden to rethink U.S. policy and make sanctions more effective. 

NPR's Aya Batrawy traveled to a government-controlled area of Syria to learn more about what life under sanctions is like there.

In participating regions, you'll also hear a local news segment to help you make sense of what's going on in your community.

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In Nearly Every Part of Syria, Life Is  Struggle

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Last year, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis signed a strict immigration law making it harder to hire undocumented workers. 

But like much of the country, Florida is dealing with a tight labor market and some employers are struggling to find workers. 

NPR's Jasmine Garsd reports on how the law is affecting the state's economy, from construction sites, to strawberry fields.

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How DeSantis' immigration laws may be backfiring

One of Richard Nixon's most famous quotes...right up there with "I am not a crook"... had to do with presidential immunity.

"When the president does it" he said "that means that it is not illegal." That idea – that you can't prosecute someone for actions taken as president - the Supreme Court has never actually ruled on it.

On Thursday, the Justices will take a crack, with the federal election interference case against former president Donald Trump hanging in the balance.

We preview how things might go.

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Trump is arguing for immunity in his criminal case. Will the Supreme Court agree?

Americans often rank the economy as a number one voting issue. As part of NPR's "We the Voters" series we check back in with four Americans we've been following since the pandemic.

They share how they're faring in a the current economy, and how that might influence the positions they take in the 2024 presidential election.

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How voters from different economic sectors see the 2024 election

The broad outlines of Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg's case have been known for months. 

Hush money payments to a former porn star made in 2016, when Trump was a presidential candidate. Bragg alleges Trump was involved in a scheme to cover up those payments, one that amounted to criminal fraud.

Now we're getting a more detailed outline of their arguments – and Trump's defense.  

We break down the legal case at the center of the political universe.

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Breaking down the legal case at the center of the political universe

For the last 60 years a transportation revolution has largely passed America by. 

Bullet trains were invented in Japan in the early 1960s. Since then, countries all over the world have adopted the technology and constructed sprawling networks of high speed rail lines. 

Despite spending billions of dollars in federal funding, he U.S. lags far behind. But a recent visit from Japan's Prime minister has revived interest in bullet train projects around the country. 

One of those projects is in Texas – a proposed high-speed rail line between Houston and Dallas.

NPR's Andrew Limbong speaks with Dallas Morning News mobility and transportation reporter Amber Gaudet about what it will take to get Texas' high-speed rail project completed, and what it could mean for high-speed rail in America.

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In Nearly Every Part of Syria, Life Is Struggle

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