Middle East

Turkish officials ask how shoddy construction might have led to collapsed buildings

5:03am February 13, 2023

Millions of people are living in temporary shelters a week after an earthquake hit parts of Turkey and Syria. The death toll from the powerful 7.8 magnitude quake stands at more than 34,000 people.

How is the U.S. helping the victims of last week's quake in Turkey and Syria?

5:03am February 13, 2023

NPR's A Martinez speaks to U.S. Ambassador to Turkey Jeff Flake about American aid for Turkey and Syria following the devastating earthquake that hit the region a week ago.

World News

A Syrian doctor on earthquake rescue efforts

6:18pm February 12, 2023

NPR's Michel Martin speaks with Dr. Mohamed Al-Abrash, a surgeon at Idlib Central Hospital, about what it's been like to treat patients in northwestern Syria after last Monday's deadly earthquake.

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Emergency teams search for people in the rubble of a destroyed building in Adana, southern Turkey, Tuesday, Feb. 7, 2023. For Syrians and Ukrainians fleeing the violence back home, the earthquake that struck in Turkey and Syria is but the latest tragedy.

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Turkey detains building contractors as the quake death toll rises to more than 33,000

10:27am February 12, 2023

by The Associated Press

As rescuers still pulled some from the rubble, Turkish officials detained those allegedly involved in constructing buildings that toppled down and crushed their occupants.

A man holds an Iranian flag during a parade in western Tehran.

World News

Fireworks and 'Death to the dictator': Iranians assess the Revolution, 44 years on

6:49am February 12, 2023

Following protests and crackdowns over the past five months, authorities held events to mark the 1979 Revolution this week. They show Iranians have mixed feelings about their nation.

Northern Syria is desperate for aid after the earthquake

7:05pm February 11, 2023

by Ruth Sherlock

A rare look at hard-to-reach areas of Syria hit by this week's earthquake reveals people desperate for help. They're in areas still outside the Syrian government's control.

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The earthquake in Turkey could have political aftershocks

5:35pm February 11, 2023

NPR's Michel Martin speaks with Turkey correspondent for The Economist, Piotr Zalewski, about the political implications in the aftermath of the earthquake there.

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People walk past collapsed buildings on Thursday in the town of Jinderis, in Syria's Aleppo province, days after a massive earthquake devastated the region.

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Northern Syria, already ravaged by war, is desperate for aid after the earthquake

3:04pm February 11, 2023

by Ruth Sherlock

In northern Syria, people already displaced by civil war are now suffering from the effects of this week's earthquake. But aid has been unable to reach them.

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Iranians are protesting their government on the anniversary of the Islamic Revolution

1:25pm February 11, 2023

Today is Revolution Day in Iran, the anniversary of the Islamic revolution that toppled the U.S.-backed shah. This year, many Iranians are protesting the government that came to power.

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A 26-year-old pregnant woman named Talibe Gezginci cleans her tent in a makeshift camp for displaced people in Gaziantep.

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After Turkey's quake, some people left homeless say they haven't eaten in days

1:06pm February 11, 2023

by Erin O'Brien

In a camp in Gaziantep and in makeshift settlements in the fields around it, survivors of Monday's quake say they do not have enough food, water, heating or basic amenities to keep themselves alive.