The Trump administration said it will end the Temporary Protected Status program for Afghanistan this summer. That means more than 9,000 refugees may be forced back to the Taliban-ruled country.

Syria is in a precarious place as it emerges from civil war and a long dictatorship. The recently announced removal of U.S. sanctions bring hopes that the economy might stabilize. Another challenge is Syria's population— it is one of the most diverse countries in the Middle East and with that comes competing demands and priorities from various groups. NPR's Jane Arraf takes us to southern Syria, near the border with Israel and introduces us to one of the biggest minority groups, the Druze.

Far-Flung Postcards is a weekly series in which NPR's international correspondents share snapshots capturing moments from their lives and work in places around the world.

Duterte's youngest son, Sebastian, the incumbent mayor of Davao, was declared Davao vice mayor. His eldest son, Paolo, was reelected as a member of the House of Representatives, and two grandsons won in local races, an indication of the family's continued influence.

Pope Leo XIV and Ukraine's President Zelenskyy spoke by phone recently, according to the Vatican.

Gulf states are keen to invest in Syria, which has important mineral and oil reserves, but had been prevented from doing so by U.S. sanctions. President Trump has now pledged to lift the restrictions.