Former Syrian prison chief convicted in landmark torture trial in LA

NPR | By Deborah Amos

Published March 18, 2026 at 4:07 PM EDT

A former Syrian prison chief has been convicted in a landmark torture trial in Los Angeles.

More Stories

Senate Intelligence Committee questions national security chiefs about the Iran war

Greg Myre, Mary Louise Kelly

The nation's top intelligence official, Tulsi Gabbard, said today that Iran's government still seems to be functioning, though it has been greatly weakened by the U.S. and Israeli bombing campaign.
Tracing recent events that led Netanyahu to launch the war against Iran

Daniel Estrin

A chain of events in recent years led Israel and the U.S. to do what they had hesitated to do for decades: launch all-out war against Iran.
Federal Reserve holds a key interest rate steady amid growing economic pressures

Scott Horsley, Mary Louise Kelly

The Federal Reserve held its benchmark interest rate steady today. The central bank is wrestling with a lot of uncertainty with a weak job market and stubborn inflation.
KiKi Shepard, an avatar of elegance on 'Showtime at the Apollo,' has died

Neda Ulaby

KiKi Shepard, the longtime co-host of Showtime at the Apollo, died this week at 74.
Former federal advisers on autism who were let go by RFK Jr. form a new committee

Jon Hamilton

An independent group of experts plans to offer an alternative to the Trump administration's autism agenda. The group features prominent scientists who used to serve on a federal advisory committee.