Politics:
There were also signs that Russia, Mr. Assad’s most important foreign supporter, was exerting some pressure on him to allow a daily pause in the fighting and to permit outside aid to victims of the conflict, which the United Nations has estimated has left more than 8,000 dead and thousands more displaced.But the timing, location and intensity of the Damascus clashes suggested that diplomacy had made little headway in resolving the conflict. By contrast, the Syrian Army appeared to have advanced significantly in recent days against rebel enclaves around the country, from the northern city of Idlib to Dara’a in the south, the birthplace of the protests that began last March.
NY Times: Syrian Defectors Clash With Security Forces in Capital, March 19, 2012
The latest documents appear to shed more direct light on the regime's strategy against the uprising, including the deployment of thousands of militia known as "shabiha" and Ba'ath party members in operations designed to cut off Damascus, Aleppo, Idlib and other large cities from surrounding regions.In the capital, the documents show, the main squares are the responsibility of different branches of Syria's large security apparatus, including the notorious air force intelligence directorate, which has been repeatedly accused of brutality and torture by Syrian opposition supporters and foreign human rights watchdogs.
The Guardian: Syria: leaked documents reveal Bashar al-Assad's role in crushing protests, March 19, 2012
The Guardian: Kofi Annan leaves Syria after talks with Assad, March 11, 2012
As the Republican primary race continues (in a state that is culturally and politically divided), the question seems to be who the smallest loser is.
Pop Culture:
Carrie Brownstein and Fred Armisen were guest DJs on NPR's All Songs Considered.
The awesome, awesome Rookie magazine features an interview with designer Scott Sternberg and excerpts from his lookbook, which features Michelle Williams.
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