Dec 13 Watch 5:36 Syrians express jubilation during first Friday prayers since overthrow of Assad By Leila Molana-Allen, Sonia Kopelev Barely a week after Bashar al-Assad fled the country he destroyed, Syrians welcomed the first Friday prayers. There are many unanswered questions about this new Syria, but one thing is for certain, there is unfettered jubilation. Special correspondent Leila Molana-Allen… Continue watching
Dec 13 Watch 7:29 Former ambassador outlines role Syria’s neighbors could play in its future By Amna Nawaz Turkey announced it would reopen its embassy in Damascus after closing it 12 years ago as Bashar al-Assad began the murderous campaign against his own people. Turkey and Syria's other neighbors could play a critical role in rebuilding the country. Continue watching
Dec 13 Analysis: How does Assad’s ouster in Syria affect Iran’s influence over the region? By Ray Takeyh, Council on Foreign Relations The Bashar al-Assad regime’s rapid collapse deals a heavy blow to Iran’s “axis of resistance” and its ability to project power in the region, and it raises fears Iran will focus more on developing its nuclear program. Continue reading
Dec 13 Russia targets Ukrainian energy infrastructure with massive cruise missile and drone attack By Illia Novikov, Associated Press Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy described the attack as one of the heaviest bombardments of the country's energy sector since Russia's full-scale invasion almost three years ago. Continue reading
Dec 13 France’s Macron names centrist ally Bayrou as country’s next prime minister By Sylvie Corbet, Associated Press French President Emmanuel Macron on Friday named centrist ally François Bayrou as prime minister in an effort to address the country's deep political crisis, after a historic parliamentary vote ousted the previous government last week. Continue reading
Dec 12 Watch 5:47 Daily life in Syria begins to return as new leaders work on building a functioning nation By Simona Foltyn Days after Bashar al-Assad’s overthrow, Syria's capital appears to be functioning. Streets are getting busier by the day and shops and government institutions are slowly returning to work. Apart from the joy and relief, the mundane but vital work of… Continue watching
Dec 12 Watch 8:20 Freed Syrian prisoners describe the horrors they faced under Assad By Leila Molana-Allen, Eric O'Connor, Sonia Kopelev The Assad legacy is one of horror with hundreds of thousands dead and millions displaced or in exile. Perhaps nothing illustrates the depths of the depravity more than the archipelago of prisons and torture centers where tens of thousands were… Continue watching
Dec 12 Defending martial law decree, South Korea’s Yoon vows to fight attempts to impeach him By Hyung-Jin Kim, Kim Tong-Hyung, Associated Press In a televised speech Thursday, Yoon, a conservative, said he enacted martial law as a warning to the liberal Democratic Party. His short-lived Dec. 3 martial law declaration has generated political chaos and large protests calling for his ouster. Continue reading
Dec 12 UN General Assembly approves resolutions demanding Gaza ceasefire, more aid to Palestinian refugees By Edith M. Lederer, Associated Press The U.N. General Assembly has overwhelmingly approved resolutions demanding an immediate ceasefire in Gaza and backing the U.N. agency for Palestinian refugees that Israel has moved to ban. Continue reading
Dec 12 Israeli strikes kill 28 in Gaza hours after UN resolution demanding ceasefire, Palestinian medical officials say By Associated Press Palestinian medical officials say Israeli airstrikes have killed at least 28 people in the Gaza Strip, including seven children and a woman. Continue reading