As part of The Takeaway’s week-long focus on Syria, Ayat Shukairy, a listener from Detroit, joins the program to share updates from her family and friends currently living in Damascus, Homs, and Hama. Syrian government forces have reportedly stepped up their attacks on the besieged city of Homs. Roads in and out of parts of the city have been blocked and a week-long bombardment of tanks helicopter and artillery fire has reportedly killed hundreds. Ayat Shukairy, a Takeaway listener from Detroit, has family and friends in Syria.