Dec 08 Syrians celebrate end of Assad regime with jubilation in the capital and outside the country By Abdelrahman Shaheen, Associated press, Abby Sewell, Associated Press Joyful crowds gathered in central squares in Damascus, waving the Syrian revolutionary flag in scenes that recalled the early days of the Arab Spring uprising, before a brutal crackdown and the rise of an insurgency plunged the country into a… Continue reading
Dec 08 Syrian government falls to rebel offensive in stunning end to Assad family's 50-year rule By Bassem Mroue, Zeina Karam, Associated Press Ousted Syrian leader Bashar Assad fled to Moscow and received asylum from his longtime ally, Russian media said Sunday, hours after a stunning rebel advance seized control of Damascus and ended his family’s 50 years of iron rule. Continue reading
Dec 07 Analysis: What Syria's reignited civil war means for the Middle East By Steven A. Cook, Council on Foreign Relations The surprise rebel offensive that has seized Aleppo and threatens other regime-held territories could mark a further weakening of Iran's regional sway but also spur a new cycle of violence and instability. Continue reading
Dec 07 Watch 7:50 Notre Dame's ceremonial reopening also marks Trump's return to the world stage By John Yang, Claire Mufson, Kaisha Young Against the Paris skyline, the Notre Dame Cathedral has risen from the ashes with its official reopening Saturday. Dozens of world leaders, diplomats and celebrities attended the celebration of the monument’s rebirth, including a high-profile return to the global spotlight… Continue watching
Dec 07 Watch 2:46 News Wrap: Hamas releases new video of young Israeli hostage In our news wrap Saturday, Hamas released a video of Israeli hostage Matan Zangauker, Syrian opposition fighters reached the suburbs of Damascus, lawmakers in South Korea’s ruling party boycotted a vote in parliament to impeach President Yoon, and veterans and… Continue watching
Dec 07 PHOTOS: An archbishop's knock heralds Notre Dame's reopening as world leaders look on By Thomas Adamson, John Leicester, Associated Press The evening’s celebration, attended by 1,500 dignitaries, including President-elect Donald Trump, U.S. first lady Jill Biden, Britain’s Prince William and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, underscored Notre Dame’s enduring role as both a spiritual and cultural beacon. Continue reading
Dec 07 Explosion in a residential area of The Hague kills at least 3 people and injures others By Molly Quell, Associated Press An explosion and fire rocked a neighborhood in the Dutch city of The Hague on Saturday, killing three people and destroying several apartments, according to authorities. The cause of the disaster was unclear. Continue reading
Dec 07 Trump meets with France's Macron and Ukraine's Zelenskyy during visit to Paris By Sylvie Corbet, Adriana Gomez Licon, Jill Colvin, Associated Press The president-elect's visit to France, ahead of a celebration of the reopening of Notre Dame Cathedral five years after a devastating fire, comes as Macron and other European leaders are trying to win Trump’s favor and persuade him to maintain… Continue reading
Dec 07 Syrian insurgents have reached the gates of the capital city of Damascus, reports say By Bassem Mroue, Zeina Karam, Associated Press Insurgents' stunning march across Syria accelerated Saturday with news that they had reached the gates of the capital and that government forces had abandoned the central city of Homs. The government was forced to deny rumors that President Bashar Assad… Continue reading
Dec 07 South Korean President Yoon avoids getting impeached over short-lived martial law By Kim Tong-Hyung, Hyung-Jin Kim, Associated Press South Korea's embattled President Yoon Suk Yeol avoided an opposition-led attempt to impeach him over his short-lived imposition of martial law, as most ruling party lawmakers boycotted a parliamentary vote Saturday to deny a two-thirds majority needed to suspend his presidential powers. Continue reading