Tourists can witness it firsthand, thanks to Intrepid Travel's partnership with a local NGO.

Power struggle between Bashar al-Assad and first cousin sparks rare family fissure and leaves public aghast

A defiant tyrant and his ruthless wife square up against the family oligarch, with the spoils of a nation at stake. It could be standard Ramadan television fare, but not this year. Instead, all the intrigue of Syria’s ruling family has been laid out in a spectacular real-life drama that has gripped the country and the region.

Leading the cast is the Syrian leader, Bashar al-Assad, and Syria’s first lady, Asma al-Assad, but star billing has so far been taken by the president’s first cousin, Rami Makhlouf, who last week took to Facebook to do the unthinkable: air the normally inscrutable family’s dirty laundry.

At least 40 civilians were killed, including 11 children, when a bomb detonated in the northern Syrian town of Afrin on Tuesday, the Turkish Defence Ministry said, blaming the attack on the Syrian Kurdish YPG militia.

Syrian air defences thwarted an Israeli missile attack on a research centre and a military base in the northern province of Aleppo, state media said on Monday, in the fifth such strikes in two weeks on suspected Iranian targets.

Pics/Crossing lines

On a fine April morning, when Mumbai-based slackliner Samar Farooqui drove into Settlement Number 63 in Chtaura, a town wedged between Beirut and Damascus, all he could see was a sea of white tents glistening in the sun. Under the plastic tarps lived thousands of displaced Syrians who had fled to the Bekaa Valley, the largest affected area and temporary home to over 3,00,000 Syrian refugees, when a brutal civil war broke out in 2011. Lugging the nylon webbings, carbiners and other slacklining equipment, Farooqui and 14 other volunteers, stationed themselves at the nearby parking lot waiting for the refugee children.

This was to be their playground for the next two weeks. Life on the line Slacklining is the art of balancing along a narrow, flexible piece of portable fabric which is usually anchored between two points, mostly trees. "Apart from being a fun fitness activity, it has an incredible ability to connect people, start conversations and change lives," says 27- year old Farooqui. It's the reason he booked a flight to Beirut and signed up for the Crossing Lines Project, an initiative launched in 2013 by Sonya Iverson, a scientist from San Francisco, who uses slacklining to change the way we see and talk about refugees. "I had met Sonya several times at different events. The last time we interacted was at the Move Copengagen festival in Denmark, when she mentioned her plan to introduce slacklining to Syrian refugees and organise a highline festival in Lebanon. It was just the kind of inspiration I was looking for," says the Neral resident who made a career out of slacklining when he founded Slacklife Inc. — a sport and recreation company — in 2014. A level playing field At the Chtaura parking lot, the lines are hooked to the cars in the absence of trees. It's one of the things the sport has taught him — to make the best use of whatever is available at hand. "In Mumbai, I've slacklined in building compounds, garden and promenades. In fact, I was even been arrested for slacklining at Marine Drive," he laughs. Once the line was set up at the camp, Farooqui says the excitement among kids was palpable.

"Children everywhere are the same. You don't have to be concerned about the language or the way you look. I didn't speak Arabic but we managed to communicate fairly well through non-verbal cues in those two weeks. With hand gestures, I would tell them to slow down or stop or move ahead," he says. It was through two local volunteer-based NGOs Salaam and Sonbola that provides education and recreational facilities to those living in the camps in the Bekaa Valley, that the team got access to the children. Forging a personal rapport with each child — there were nearly 400 of them — was difficult for the volunteers who hailed from Iran, America and the UK.

"On the face of it, you couldn't tell that the children had gone through so much trauma. There were some who were more reserved and took time to open up," he says. Periodically, the team would sit down and discuss the day's progress. "If one of students perhaps struggled through the slacklining experience and we noticed it, we discussed it and psycho-analysed it till we came up with a solution to make sure that we didn't leave with someone feeling demoralised," he says. In the two weeks, Farooqui picked up a couple of Arabic words from them, and in turn taught them English. What was most interesting, though was how the sport changed the dynamics among the children themselves. "When you are standing on the rope, wobbling and holding the hand of the person standing on ground, you are opening up to them. So the bullies in the group ended up bonding with the rest. Everybody was on the level playing field," he says.

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Experts warn that disaster looms in war-torn Syria, where hospitals are unable to meet existing needs and hygiene conditions are dire. The Damascus government has closed borders, forbidden movement between provinces and shut schools and restaurants in an effort to stem the spread.

Official numbers are low with two deaths and 19 confirmed cases, but only 100 patients are being tested daily. "Medical staff believe that there are many people who are dying with the symptoms of the virus. But the security agencies ask them or order them not to mention it," said Zaki Mehchy, senior consulting fellow at a London-based think tank.

"There is a disaster in the making," said Emile Hokayem, an analyst. "Lack of food, water and exposure to cold weather have already left thousands in poor health, making them even more vulnerable," said IRC's Misty Buswell, adding that the devastation in Idlib could be "unimaginable".

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Exports to Syria in Turkey increased to 116357.25 USD THO in March from 76651.55 USD THO in February of 2020. Exports to Syria in Turkey averaged 118030.20 USD THO from 2014 until 2020, reaching an all time high of 311719 USD THO in July of 2014 and a record low of 68184.85 USD THO in January of 2020. This page includes a chart with historical data for Turkey Exports to Syria.

Imports from Syria in Turkey decreased to 13313.66 USD THO in March from 16560.15 USD THO in February of 2020. Imports from Syria in Turkey averaged 6566.66 USD THO from 2014 until 2020, reaching an all time high of 23925 USD THO in November of 2014 and a record low of 1373 USD THO in August of 2015. This page includes a chart with historical data for Turkey Imports from Syria.

IP Addresses in Syria increased to 554074 IP in the first quarter of 2017 from 545615 IP in the fourth quarter of 2016. IP Addresses in Syria averaged 355931.44 IP from 2007 until 2017, reaching an all time high of 656393 IP in the third quarter of 2013 and a record low of 16913 IP in the third quarter of 2007. This page includes a chart with historical data for SyriaIP Addresses.

Precipitation in Syria decreased to 22.47 mm in December from 24.23 mm in November of 2015. Precipitation in Syria averaged 24.67 mm from 1901 until 2015, reaching an all time high of 134.84 mm in January of 1969 and a record low of 0 mm in September of 2004. This page includes a chart with historical data for Syria Average Precipitation.

Temperature in Syria decreased to 7.28 celsius in December from 13.55 celsius in November of 2015. Temperature in Syria averaged 17.92 celsius from 1808 until 2015, reaching an all time high of 32.65 celsius in August of 2010 and a record low of 1.76 celsius in January of 1813. This page includes a chart with historical data for Syria Average Temperature.

Exports in Syria increased to 328519 SYP Million in 2016 from 210065 SYP Million in 2015. Exports in Syria averaged 75432.24 SYP Million from 1983 until 2016, reaching an all time high of 505107 SYP Million in 2011 and a record low of 13391.20 SYP Million in 2004. Since the civil war started, Syria has been unable to trade due to international sanctions. Oil used to dominate foreign trade and accounted for 67 percent of Syrian exports before the war. Syria’s other exports included fuels, calcium phosphate, sheep, tomatoes, electricity, cotton, chemicals and eggs. Syria’s main exports partners were Italy, France, Iraq, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Spain, the United States and Jordan. . This page provides - Syria Exports - actual values, historical data, forecast, chart, statistics, economic calendar and news.

Cost of food in Syria decreased 0.50 percent in December of 2017 over the same month in the previous year. Food Inflation in Syria averaged 27.46 percent from 2008 until 2017, reaching an all time high of 169 percent in August of 2013 and a record low of -39.96 percent in October of 2014. This page provides - Syria Food Inflation - actual values, historical data, forecast, chart, statistics, economic calendar and news.

Syria recorded a Current Account deficit of 418.30 SYP Billion in 2011. Current Account in Syria averaged -34.73 SYP Billion from 2003 until 2011, reaching an all time high of 47.05 SYP Billion in 2006 and a record low of -418.30 SYP Billion in 2011. Current Account in Syria is reported by the Central Bank of Syria. Current Account is the sum of the balance of trade (exports minus imports of goods and services), net factor income (such as interest and dividends) and net transfer payments (such as foreign aid). This page provides - Syria Current Account - actual values, historical data, forecast, chart, statistics, economic calendar and news.

Syria scored 3.85 points out of 7 on the 2016-2017 Global Competitiveness Report published by the World Economic Forum. Competitiveness Index in Syria averaged 3.86 Points from 2008 until 2012, reaching an all time high of 3.99 Points in 2009 and a record low of 3.76 Points in 2010. Competitiveness Index in Syria is reported by the World Economic Forum. The most recent 2014-2015 edition of Global Competitiveness Report assesses 144 economies. The report is made up of over 110 variables, of which two thirds come from the Executive Opinion Survey representing the sample of business leaders, and one third comes from publicly available sources such as the United Nations. The variables are organized into twelve pillars with the most important including: institutions, infrastructure, macroeconomic framework, health and primary education and higher education and training. The GCI score varies between 1 and 7 scale, higher average score means higher degree of competitiveness. This page provides the latest reported value for - Syria Competitiveness Index - plus previous releases, historical high and low, short-term forecast and long-term prediction, economic calendar, survey consensus and news.

Syria is the 98 most competitive nation in the world out of 138 countries ranked in the 2016-2017 edition of the Global Competitiveness Report published by the World Economic Forum. Competitiveness Rank in Syria averaged 89.40 from 2008 until 2012, reaching an all time high of 98 in 2012 and a record low of 78 in 2009. Competitiveness Rank in Syria is reported by the World Economic Forum. The most recent 2014-2015 edition of Global Competitiveness Report assesses 144 economies and indicates their position relative to the other countries and territories in the index. This page provides the latest reported value for - Syria Competitiveness Rank - plus previous releases, historical high and low, short-term forecast and long-term prediction, economic calendar, survey consensus and news.

GDP Constant Prices in Syria increased to 747949 SYP Million in 2017 from 641640 SYP Million in 2016. GDP Constant Prices in Syria averaged 1064196.39 SYP Million from 2000 until 2017, reaching an all time high of 1537191 SYP Million in 2011 and a record low of 641640 SYP Million in 2016. This page provides - Syria GDP Constant Prices - actual values, historical data, forecast, chart, statistics, economic calendar and news.

The Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in Syria expanded 1.90 percent in 2017 from the previous year. GDP Annual Growth Rate in Syria averaged 3.31 percent from 1971 until 2017, reaching an all time high of 25 percent in 1972 and a record low of -26.30 percent in 2012. The current civil war has brought Syria’s economy to a standstill as international sanctions have disrupted trade and millions of people have been displaced and are unable to work. Before the war, Syria’s economy was based on oil production, agriculture, industry and tourism. Oil production peaked during the 90s, and in 2010 accounted for 35 percent of government revenue and 25 percent of GDP. Also, due to government efforts to improve irrigation system, Syria had become a net exporter of many agricultural products. In recent years, tourism had also become major source of economic growth. This page provides - Syria GDP Annual Growth Rate - actual values, historical data, forecast, chart, statistics, economic calendar and news.

Gold Reserves in Syria remained unchanged at 25.80 Tonnes in the fourth quarter of 2019 from 25.80 Tonnes in the third quarter of 2019. Gold Reserves in Syria averaged 25.85 Tonnes from 2000 until 2019, reaching an all time high of 25.91 Tonnes in the second quarter of 2000 and a record low of 25.80 Tonnes in the fourth quarter of 2017. Gold Reserves are country’s gold assets held or controlled by the central bank. This page provides - Syria Gold Reserves - actual values, historical data, forecast, chart, statistics, economic calendar and news.

Syria is ranked 176 among 190 economies in the ease of doing business, according to the latest World Bank annual ratings. The rank of Syria improved to 176 in 2019 from 179 in 2018. Ease of Doing Business in Syria averaged 159.17 from 2008 until 2019, reaching an all time high of 179 in 2018 and a record low of 134 in 2011. The Ease of doing business index ranks countries against each other based on how the regulatory environment is conducive to business operationstronger protections of property rights. Economies with a high rank (1 to 20) have simpler and more friendly regulations for businesses. This page includes a chart with historical data for Ease of Doing Business in Syria.

Consumer Price Index CPI in Syria increased to 811.20 Index Points in December from 796.32 Index Points in November of 2018. Consumer Price Index CPI in Syria averaged 356.32 Index Points from 2007 until 2018, reaching an all time high of 811.20 Index Points in December of 2018 and a record low of 110.54 Index Points in June of 2007. In Syria, the Consumer Price Index or CPI measures changes in the prices paid by consumers for a basket of goods and services. This page provides the latest reported value for - Syria Consumer Price Index (cpi) - plus previous releases, historical high and low, short-term forecast and long-term prediction, economic calendar, survey consensus and news.

The inflation rate in Syria was recorded at 3.80 percent in December of 2018. Inflation Rate in Syria averaged 10.88 percent from 1957 until 2018, reaching an all time high of 121.29 percent in August of 2013 and a record low of -31.05 percent in September of 2014. In Syria, the most important categories in the consumer price index are food and non-alcoholic beverages (40 percent of the total weight); housing, water, electricity, gas and other fuels (25.5 percent) and transport (7 percent). The index also includes: clothing, footwear (5.6 percent); communication (4.2 percent); health (3.8 percent); miscellaneous goods and services (3.4 percent); restaurants and hotels (2.0 percent); alcoholic beverages and tobacco (1.8 percent); education (1.6 percent) and recreation and culture (1 percent). . This page provides - Syria Inflation Rate - actual values, historical data, forecast, chart, statistics, economic calendar and news.

Terrorism Index in Syria decreased to 8.01 in 2018 from 8.32 in 2017. Terrorism Index in Syria averaged 4.61 from 2002 until 2018, reaching an all time high of 8.62 in 2016 and a record low of 0 in 2003. The Global Terrorism Index measures the direct and indirect impact of terrorism, including its effects on lives lost, injuries, property damage and the psychological aftereffects. It is a composite score that ranks countries according to the impact of terrorism from 0 (no impact) to 10 (highest impact).

Syria recorded a Government Debt to GDP of 30.01 percent of the country's Gross Domestic Product in 2010. Government Debt to GDP in Syria averaged 120.65 percent from 1990 until 2010, reaching an all time high of 189.76 percent in 1990 and a record low of 30.01 percent in 2010. Government Debt to GDP in Syria is reported by the Central Bank of Syria. Generally, Government debt as a percent of GDP is used by investors to measure a country ability to make future payments on its debt, thus affecting the country borrowing costs and government bond yields. This page provides - Syria Government Debt To GDP - actual values, historical data, forecast, chart, statistics, economic calendar and news.

Syria recorded a Current Account deficit of 0.62 percent of the country's Gross Domestic Product in 2010. Current Account to GDP in Syria averaged 1.11 percent from 2003 until 2010, reaching an all time high of 3.45 percent in 2003 and a record low of -2.15 percent in 2009. The Current account balance as a percent of GDP provides an indication on the level of international competitiveness of a country. Usually, countries recording a strong current account surplus have an economy heavily dependent on exports revenues, with high savings ratings but weak domestic demand. On the other hand, countries recording a current account deficit have strong imports, a low saving rates and high personal consumption rates as a percentage of disposable incomes. This page provides - Syria Current Account to GDP - actual values, historical data, forecast, chart, statistics, economic calendar and news.

The Gross Domestic Product per capita in Syria was last recorded at 1700.39 US dollars in 2010. The GDP per Capita in Syria is equivalent to 13 percent of the world's average. GDP per capita in Syria averaged 1147.70 USD from 1960 until 2010, reaching an all time high of 1700.39 USD in 2010 and a record low of 563.07 USD in 1960. The GDP per capita is obtained by dividing the country’s gross domestic product, adjusted by inflation, by the total population. This page provides - Syria GDP per capita - actual values, historical data, forecast, chart, statistics, economic calendar and news.

The Gross Domestic Product per capita in Syria was last recorded at 4684.72 US dollars in 2012, when adjusted by purchasing power parity (PPP). The GDP per Capita, in Syria, when adjusted by Purchasing Power Parity is equivalent to 26 percent of the world's average. GDP per capita PPP in Syria averaged 3661.99 USD from 1980 until 2012, reaching an all time high of 4684.72 USD in 2012 and a record low of 2810.84 USD in 1989. The GDP per capita PPP is obtained by dividing the country’s gross domestic product, adjusted by purchasing power parity, by the total population. This page provides - Syria GDP per capita PPP - actual values, historical data, forecast, chart, statistics, economic calendar and news.

Syria recorded a Government Budget deficit equal to 11.40 percent of the country's Gross Domestic Product in 2012. Government Budget in Syria averaged -3.45 percent of GDP from 2003 until 2012, reaching an all time high of -1.04 percent of GDP in 2003 and a record low of -11.40 percent of GDP in 2012. Government Budget is an itemized accounting of the payments received by government (taxes and other fees) and the payments made by government (purchases and transfer payments). A budget deficit occurs when an government spends more money than it takes in. The opposite of a budget deficit is a budget surplus. This page provides - Syria Government Budget - actual values, historical data, forecast, chart, statistics, economic calendar and news.

Imports in Syria increased to 2238472 SYP Million in 2016 from 1497340 SYP Million in 2015. Imports in Syria averaged 145618.63 SYP Million from 1983 until 2016, reaching an all time high of 2238472 SYP Million in 2016 and a record low of 17337.20 SYP Million in 2004. Since the civil war started, Syria has been unable to trade due to international sanctions. Syria’s main imports were fuels, sugar, grains, iron and steel, cigarettes, plastics, vehicles and soy beans. Syria’s main imports partners were Ukraine, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, the United States, South Korea, Italy, Germany and Egypt. . This page provides - Syria Imports - actual values, historical data, forecast, chart, statistics, economic calendar and news.

Syria recorded a trade deficit of 1909953 SYP Million in 2016. Balance of Trade in Syria averaged -70186.40 SYP Million from 1983 until 2016, reaching an all time high of 82856.40 SYP Million in 1990 and a record low of -1909953 SYP Million in 2016. Due to the civil war, Syria is under international sanctions and foreign trade has been brought to a halt. In the 90s, Syria benefitted from higher oil revenues and was major oil producer. However, in recent years, declining oil production and a growth in imports had led to trade deficits. Syria’s other exports included fuels, calcium phosphate, sheep, tomatoes, electricity, cotton, chemicals and eggs. Syria mostly imported fuel, sugar, grains, iron and steel, cigarettes, plastics, vehicles and soy beans. Syria’s main trading partners were Italy, France, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Iraq, Ukraine, China, the United States, Russia, Lebanon, South Korea and Egypt. This page provides - Syria Balance of Trade - actual values, historical data, forecast, chart, statistics, economic calendar and news.

Syria scored 13 points out of 100 on the 2019 Corruption Perceptions Index reported by Transparency International. Corruption Index in Syria averaged 22.76 Points from 2003 until 2019, reaching an all time high of 34 Points in 2004 and a record low of 13 Points in 2016. The Corruption Perceptions Index ranks countries and territories based on how corrupt their public sector is perceived to be. A country or territory’s score indicates the perceived level of public sector corruption on a scale of 0 (highly corrupt) to 100 (very clean). This page provides the latest reported value for - Syria Corruption Index - plus previous releases, historical high and low, short-term forecast and long-term prediction, economic calendar, survey consensus and news.

Syria is the 178 least corrupt nation out of 175 countries, according to the 2019 Corruption Perceptions Index reported by Transparency International. Corruption Rank in Syria averaged 135.24 from 2003 until 2019, reaching an all time high of 178 in 2017 and a record low of 66 in 2003. The Corruption Perceptions Index ranks countries and territories based on how corrupt their public sector is perceived to be. A country or territory's rank indicates its position relative to the other countries and territories in the index. This page provides the latest reported value for - Syria Corruption Rank - plus previous releases, historical high and low, short-term forecast and long-term prediction, economic calendar, survey consensus and news.

Unemployment Rate in Syria increased to 8.40 percent in 2019 from 8.30 percent in 2018. Unemployment Rate in Syria averaged 8.53 percent from 1991 until 2019, reaching an all time high of 11.60 percent in 2001 and a record low of 6.80 percent in 1991. In Syria, the unemployment rate measures the number of people actively looking for a job as a percentage of the labour force. This page provides - Syria Unemployment Rate - actual values, historical data, forecast, chart, statistics, economic calendar and news.

The Corporate Tax Rate in Syria stands at 28 percent. Corporate Tax Rate in Syria averaged 28.50 percent from 2006 until 2019, reaching an all time high of 35 percent in 2006 and a record low of 28 percent in 2007. In Syria, the Corporate Income tax rate is a tax collected from companies. Its amount is based on the net income companies obtain while exercising their business activity, normally during one business year. The benchmark we use refers to the highest rate for Corporate Income. Revenues from the Corporate Tax Rate are an important source of income for the government of Syria. This page provides - Syria Corporate Tax Rate - actual values, historical data, forecast, chart, statistics, economic calendar and news.

The Personal Income Tax Rate in Syria stands at 22 percent. Personal Income Tax Rate in Syria averaged 21.25 percent from 2004 until 2019, reaching an all time high of 22 percent in 2010 and a record low of 20 percent in 2005. In Syria, the Personal Income Tax Rate is a tax collected from individuals and is imposed on different sources of income like labour, pensions, interest and dividends. The benchmark we use refers to the Top Marginal Tax Rate for individuals. Revenues from the Personal Income Tax Rate are an important source of income for the government of Syria. This page provides - Syria Personal Income Tax Rate - actual values, historical data, forecast, chart, statistics, economic calendar and news.

The Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in Syria was worth 65 billion US dollars in 2019, according to official data from the World Bank and projections from Trading Economics. The GDP value of Syria represents 0.05 percent of the world economy. GDP in Syria averaged 16.26 USD Billion from 1960 until 2019, reaching an all time high of 73.67 USD Billion in 2012 and a record low of 0.86 USD Billion in 1960. The gross domestic product (GDP) measures of national income and output for a given country's economy. The gross domestic product (GDP) is equal to the total expenditures for all final goods and services produced within the country in a stipulated period of time. This page provides - Syria GDP - actual values, historical data, forecast, chart, statistics, economic calendar and news.

The total population in Syria was estimated at 16.7 million people in 2019, according to the latest census figures and projections from Trading Economics. Looking back, in the year of 1960, Syria had a population of 4.6 million people. The population of Syria represents 0.30 percent of the world´s total population which arguably means that one person in every 335 people on the planet is a resident of Syria. This page provides - Syria Population - actual values, historical data, forecast, chart, statistics, economic calendar and news.

Crude Oil Production in Syria remained unchanged at 25 BBL/D/1K in December from 25 BBL/D/1K in November of 2019. Crude Oil Production in Syria averaged 337.93 BBL/D/1K from 1994 until 2019, reaching an all time high of 598 BBL/D/1K in December of 1996 and a record low of 14 BBL/D/1K in January of 2017. This page provides the latest reported value for - Syria Crude Oil Production - plus previous releases, historical high and low, short-term forecast and long-term prediction, economic calendar, survey consensus and news.

Deposit Interest Rate in Syria decreased to 6.22 in 2010 from 6.35 in 2009. Deposit Interest Rate in Syria averaged 4.90 from 1980 until 2010, reaching an all time high of 9 in 2005 and a record low of 4 in 1981. Deposit Interest Rate in Syria is reported by the World Bank. This page includes a chart with historical data for Deposit Interest Rate in Syria.

Gross Fixed Capital Formation in Syria decreased to 59203 SYP Million in 2016 from 59989 SYP Million in 2015. Gross Fixed Capital Formation in Syria averaged 22501.96 SYP Million from 1987 until 2016, reaching an all time high of 196164 SYP Million in 2013 and a record low of 3224.50 SYP Million in 1988. This page provides - Syria Gross Fixed Capital Formation - actual values, historical data, forecast, chart, statistics, economic calendar and news.

Imports from Syria in Australia remained unchanged at 0 AUD Million in March from 0 AUD Million in February of 2020. Imports from Syria in Australia averaged 0.12 AUD Million from 1988 until 2020, reaching an all time high of 26 AUD Million in December of 1990 and a record low of 0 AUD Million in January of 1988. This page includes a chart with historical data for Australia Imports from Syria.

The doctor at the heart of this film shows dauntless compassion

Killings in Dera’a province are testing Syrian leader’s alliance with Russia

Rami Makhlouf’s complaints against his cousin show strains in power structure

During Syria's eight year civil war, around half a million Syrians have lost their lives and many more have lost their livelihoods. But a few individuals have made millions by helping the Assad regime. Chloe Cornish has been investigating and she tells Josh Noble about some of Syria's war profiteers.

Contributors: Josh Noble, weekend news editor, and Chloe Cornish, Middle East correspondent. Producers: Fiona Symon and Persis Love

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Obama said during his first presidential campaign that presidents can't order military strikes unless the U.S. is directly threatened, or Congress declares war.

'We are lucky Mrs. Clinton didn't get her way and the Obama administration did not bring about regime change in Syria,' the Kentucky senator wrote. 'That new regime might well be ISIS.'

Sen. McCain 'did meet with ISIS, and had his picture taken, and didn't know it was happening at the time,' Sen. Paul claimed, setting off angry denials and a D.C.-wide press scrum to call him a liar.

The All Blacks centre said meeting vulnerable children at a Syrian refugee camp in Lebanon made him realise how 'ignorant' he has been about the escalating crisis.

WARNING GRAPHIC CONTENT: Sonny Bill Williams tweeted explicit pictures of two dead children with wounds to their heads and torsos following his visit to Syrian refugee camps.