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Syria Revitalized After Assad’s Fall, Refugees Returning Home
International Desk
12 Dec 2024, 09:33
Photo: Collected
The fall of Assad’s 24-year regime has brought new hope to the Syrian people. Refugees are steadily returning to their homeland as celebrations erupt across the nation. Markets, once paralyzed by fear, are regaining vitality after two weeks of unrest.
Following weeks of attacks and chaos, ordinary Syrians are breathing a sigh of relief with the ousting of the authoritarian president. Just weeks ago, fear of Bashar al-Assad loomed large; today, jubilant crowds of Syrians fill the streets.
Hundreds of vehicles have been seen at Syria’s borders, with refugees returning from countries like Lebanon and Turkey. Displaced by the 14-year civil war, many had sought safety abroad but are now eager to return following the regime’s collapse. On Wednesday, large crowds gathered at the Masnaa crossing between Lebanon and Syria, as well as at the Turkey-Syria border.
The regime’s fall has also filled Syrians still residing in the country with renewed optimism. After years of indiscriminate killings and oppression, citizens are rejoicing at finally being able to live freely. Business activity is picking up, and markets are bustling again after years of government-imposed restrictions that stifled trade.
One Syrian resident remarked, “This country has seen too much bloodshed over personal ideologies and beliefs. We now crave peace. I hope the new administration separates religion from governance and politics and avoids marginalizing anyone in the name of faith.”
Another Syrian businessman said, “Thanks to God, things are stabilizing. I hope to see more progress soon. Previously, the government didn’t allow us to work freely, with patrols constantly watching us. But now, business is thriving.”
Meanwhile, United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres expressed a positive outlook on Assad’s fall, stating that it signals hope for the Middle East. He called on the international community to support Syria during this transitional period and pledged the UN’s backing for the interim government.
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Middle East Updates: / Blinken Calls for End to Gaza War
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Wednesday called for Israel to allow Palestinians back into Gaza as well as ensuring aid can be delivered to the embattled enclave. Speaking in Brussels, the departing US diplomat said Israel had achieved its aims in Gaza and should now end the war as it continues to spread across the region.
"The situation is so difficult and so dramatic that to fully redress it, to fully answer the needs of people, the best way to do that is to end the war," Blinken said.
US secretary of state said Israel had accomplished its goals of dismantling the military wing of Hamas, which initiated this latest war with an unprovoked attack on Israeli citizens on October 7, 2023, and ensuring that no similar attack could be launched by the militant Islamist group again.
"Israel, by the standards it set itself, has accomplished the strategic goals it set for itself. So this should be a time to end the war." Blinken added that hundreds of aid trucks in Gaza could not distribute relief supplies due to looting and other crimes. "It's imperative that that be addressed. Israel has responsibilities to do that. We're also working with Egypt," he said.
Additionally, Blinken called for "real and extended pauses" in the fighting in much of Gaza "so that the assistance can effectively get to people who need it." The US had initially set a 30-day deadline for Israel to takes steps to make sure aid gets delivered to Gaza or face cuts to US-Israel arms shipments. That deadline has passed with no noticeable improvement in the humanitarian situation.
Hezbollah claims Israel attacks
The Iran-back Islamist militia Hezbollah on Wednesday announced that it had carried out drone attacks against Israel. A statement released by the group said it had launched a drone attack targeting Hakirya military base, which houses Israel's military headquarters and ministry of defense in the city of Tel Aviv.
The Lebanese militant group said it conducted an "aerial attack with a squadron of exploding drones" on the site housing Israel's main defense institutions in the commercial hub. The Israeli military said that it intercepted two drones and 40 projectiles launched from Lebanon and that the attack had caused no injuries. The statements did not specify what sites had been targeted.
Bangladesh-Pakistan Maritime Link Reopens, India Concerned
For the first time since 1971, a Pakistani cargo ship has docked directly at a Bangladeshi port. The ship anchored at Chattogram last week, triggering significant concern in India.
Indian news outlet The Telegraph reported on Friday (November 15) that the direct maritime connection between Bangladesh and Pakistan could potentially be used to create instability in India’s Seven Sisters region. These northeastern states share close proximity to the Bangladesh border, making the development particularly sensitive for India.
Citing an Indian security official, The Telegraph noted that over the past five decades, Pakistan had no direct access to Bangladesh's major ports, Chattogram and Mongla. Trade between the two countries had been conducted via Singapore and Colombo.
However, with Pakistani ships now docking directly at Chattogram, there are concerns that banned items, such as weapons, could be smuggled from Pakistan and end up in the hands of armed groups. For instance, in 2004, Pakistan’s intelligence agency had sent 1,500 Chinese weapons via trawlers for Assam's separatist group ULFA. The shipment was seized before reaching the group.
The report also highlighted geopolitical implications, stating that India had previously managed to keep China away from Chattogram and Mongla ports by leveraging its ties with former authoritarian leader Sheikh Hasina. However, Pakistan’s newfound access to Chattogram could alter the region's geopolitical dynamics. Myanmar, being in close proximity to Chattogram and currently in political turmoil, adds to India’s apprehensions about increased illegal migration and drug trafficking into its territory.
Meanwhile, British news outlet The Independent described the arrival of the Pakistani ship in Bangladesh as "historic," indicating a warming of relations between the two countries, which have long been fraught with tensions.
27-Year-Old Caroline Named White House Press Secretary
U.S. President-elect Donald Trump has nominated Caroline Leavitt as the White House Press Secretary, reports the BBC on Saturday (November 16).
At just 27 years old, Caroline served as the spokesperson for Trump’s election campaign and is set to become the youngest press secretary in U.S. history.
In a statement on Friday, Trump said, “Caroline is a skilled and determined individual. She has proven her excellence in communication. I am confident she will excel in her role and help convey our message to the American people.”
Caroline joined Trump’s campaign team in January 2024. Previously, the youngest press secretary was Ron Ziegler, who assumed the role at age 29 in 1969.
Caroline will succeed Karine Jean-Pierre, who took office on May 13, 2022. Before joining the White House, Karine participated in Joe Biden’s 2020 campaign and worked under him when he was Vice President during the Obama administration.
Russia Halts Gas Supply to Austria, Maintains Ukraine Policy
Russia's state-owned natural gas company Gazprom will end its natural gas deliveries to Austria this weekend, the country's largest energy supplier, OMV said on Friday. OMV announced that Gazprom will stop supplying it with gas on Saturday.
The Austrian energy company said it had expected this development and that the country will continue to get gas through import from Germany, Italy and the Netherlands.
Austrian Chancellor Karl Nehammer said the country has a secure supply of alternative fuel and that "no one will freeze."
"The supply is secure," Nehammer said in an appearance at the chancellery to address the situation. "Our gas storage facilities are full and we have sufficient capacity to obtain gas from other regions," he added.
Most of Austria's gas supply is Russian
Austria's energy relationship with Russia dates back to the Cold War, as it was one of the first Western European countries to import gas from the Soviet Union in 1968.
The end of Russian gas deliveries to Austria follows an arbitration ruling by the International Chamber of Commerce, that awarded OMV some €230 million ($242 million) in a contractual dispute with Gazprom.
OMV then said it would stop paying Gazprom until it received an amount of gas equivalent to the €230 million that the Russian company owed them.
Austria gets most of its natural gas from Russia, as much as 98% in December 2023, according to Energy Minister Lenore Gewessler. The long road to green hydrogen
No change to Ukraine policy
Since the war in Ukraine began in 2022, only three European countries —Austria, Slovakia and Hungary — continued to import Russian gas via a pipeline that travels through Ukraine, despite the Russian invasion.
But Ukraine announced it will not continue gas transit on the pipeline after January 1, 2025, which would force those countries to find other suppliers.
Nehammer said in a statement on Friday that despite the halt in gas deliveries, his country would not change its Ukraine policy.
"We will not be blackmailed and will not be brought to our knees," he said.
Nehammer accused Gazprom of not fulfilling its delivery obligations on several occasions, with the goal of exerting pressure on Austria for its support of EU sanctions against Russia. (Source: Deutsche Welle)
Five Odd Facts About Trump's Surprising Lifestyle
Donald Trump was elected the 47th president of the United States on Wednesday, an extraordinary comeback for a former president who refused to accept defeat four years ago. With a win in swing state Wisconsin, Donald Trump cleared the 270 electoral votes needed to clinch the presidency. He also won Michigan on Wednesday sweeping the “blue wall” along with Pennsylvania.
Trump has returned with a promise to restore the 'American dream' and improve the country's economic conditions. Not many of us know about Trump's early life. Before entering into politics, Donald Trump was known as a real state mogul and the face of the Trump organization. He expanded the company to such great heights that he became a billionaire. Trump became a household name in the 2000s through his role as the host of the reality TV show 'The Apprentice'.
While he is set to become the 47th President of the United States, here's a look at some of the odd facts about Trump's lifestyle, we bet you never knew:
Trump is not a fan of pizza crust
Though Donald Trump and his former wife Ivana starred in a 1995 pizza commercial, awfully enjoying the pizza crust, in real life, Trump hates pizza crusts. Trump is known for his particular food preferences, often sticking to the Big 4 when it comes to American fast food: McDonald's, KFC, pizza, and Diet Coke. In an interview with Daily Mail, Trump has confessed he 'never' eats pizza crust.
Trump has a fear of eating at non-chain restaurants
Donald Trump's love for fast food is an open secret. Some reports claim he avoids dining at non-chain restaurants due to a fear of being poisoned, underscoring just how specific his tastes are. "One bad hamburger, you can destroy McDonald's. One bad hamburger and you take Wendy’s and all these other places and they're out of business. I like cleanliness, and I think you're better off going there than maybe someplace that you have no idea where the food is coming from," Trump was quoted as saying by CNN.
According to a report in The Times, Trump also never eats from a previously opened package, so bags of cookies follow him wherever he goes.
Donald Trump is fond of lavish residences
Trump was the fourth of five children of Mary Anne MacLeod Trump and her husband, Frederick Christ Trump. His father was a New York real estate tycoon and Trump was born into loyalty. He leads a lavish life. Having grown up in an affluent neighborhood in Queens, New York City, Trump owns several luxe residences in several parts of the world. His most loved abode is the Trump Tower, a 68-story skyscraper on Fifth Avenue, New York, according to TOI. He often stays in the penthouse.
Trump's love for golf
Trump and a golf course have almost been like an inseparable image for quite some time now. He has often been spotted at the golf courses, swinging it like a pro. Trump loves to golf. He owns 18 courses, most of them in the USA, but also Scotland, Ireland, and the UAE. His company also owns many golf courses worldwide.
Trump was sent to military school for misbehaving
Controversies and detours followed Donald Trump, even when he was very young. At the age of 13, Trump was sent off to the military academy, because he started misbehaving in school. Despite his affluent family background, he was expected to work the lowest-tier jobs within his father's company, reported TOI.
Iran Denies its UN Envoy Met with Elon Musk
Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi on Saturday strongly denied a reported meeting between Tehran's United Nations envoy and Elon Musk, the US billionaire and close adviser to President-elect Donald Trump.
US media, including The New York Times, reported this week that Musk and Iran's UN Ambassador Amir Saeid Iravani met for an hour-long conversation in New York on Monday.
"This was a fabricated story by American media, and the motives behind this can also be speculated," Araqchi said in an interview with state television, echoing an earlier denial by Iran's Foreign Ministry.
Leadership did not give permission for meeting, minister says
The Iranian minister said the "media fabrication" about a meeting was a form of testing the waters to see if the ground for such a move existed.
"We are still waiting for the new US administration to clarify its policies, and based on that, we will adjust our own policies. Right now, it is neither the time for such meetings nor is it appropriate," Araqchi said.
He added that there was no permission from the leadership for such a meeting, a reference to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
'Limited opportunity for diplomacy'
In an interview, Araqchi also warned that Iran was ready for "confrontation or cooperation" in its dispute with the UN nuclear watchdog, the IAEA, and Western countries within the agency over its nuclear program.
"There is still an opportunity for diplomacy, although this opportunity is not much, it is a limited opportunity," the minister said.
He stressed the 2015 nuclear deal, which Trump withdrew from in 2018 during his first term, no longer holds the same value for Iran.
"If negotiations begin, the nuclear pact may serve as a reference, but it no longer has its previous significance. We must reach a feasible agreement," Araqchi said.
His comments come after the head of the UN nuclear watchdog, Rafael Grossi, visited the Islamic Republic and met with senior officials.
US pressure on Iran
Trump imposed a policy known as "maximum pressure" on Iran during his first term, from 2017 to 2021.
This included tearing up an agreement on Iran's nuclear program that had been reached under his predecessor, Barack Obama, in 2015.
Trump reimposed heavy sanctions, which the current US administration under Joe Biden has maintained.
The 2015 deal provided for an easing of international sanctions in exchange for guarantees that Iran was not seeking to acquire nuclear weapons, something Tehran has consistently denied.
Super Typhoon Man-yi Makes Landfall in Philippines
Super Typhoon Man-yi, known locally as Pepito, made initial landfall on the coast of island province Catanduanes on Saturday night then churned through the sea toward the main island of Luzon's coast. It's expected to make a second landfall Sunday afternoon, according to the government's meteorological agency PAGASA.
Man-yi is an unprecedented fourth typhoon to hit the Philippines in less than two weeks, according to a CNN analysis of the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's historical hurricane database. The storm's course is projected to be farther south than the previous three typhoons, thus impacting many more people.
PAGASA said Man-yi is expected to weaken significantly as it moves across Luzon, home to more than half the country's population. But it still poses a "potentially dangerous and life-threatening situation," the agency warned on Sunday afternoon.
Man-yi has maximum sustained winds of 185 kilometers per hour (about 115 mph) near the center, and gusts of up to 230 kph (143 mph) according to PAGASA — the equivalent of a Category 3 hurricane.
The Philippines is struck by multiple storms annually, but the relentless pace of successive typhoons in the past month has complicated recovery efforts and thousands of people remain in evacuation shelters.
Typhoon Yinxing hit the northeastern Philippines last week, with winds equivalent to a Category 4 Atlantic hurricane. There were no casualties reported but the storm brought torrential rain, storm surges, and landslides.
Ahead of Man-yi's arrival, more than 500,000 people evacuated in Luzon's Bicol region, a disaster official told DZRH radio, Reuters reported Saturday. This number is expected to rise.
At least 26,000 people in the Northern Samar province were evacuated on Friday and Saturday, according to the government-run Philippine News Agency (PNA).
A further 18,000 were preemptively evacuated from the Eastern Samar and Samar provinces, PNA reported, with patients and staff members of Eastern Samar's Arteche District Hospital being evacuated to the area's municipal hall.
Civil defense chief Ariel Nepomuceno told Reuters that no casualties were reported, though the typhoon's strong winds damaged homes, schools, and commercial buildings in Catanduanes.
Catanduanes Gov. Joseph Boboy Cua also posted on Facebook that while authorities were still assessing the damage, so far no casualties had been reported.
The storm is expected to bring several meters of potentially catastrophic storm surge, widespread damaging winds and power outages, severe flooding, and landslides across a significant swath of eastern Luzon.
By Sunday night, it will exit through the other side of Luzon, departing the Philippines’ main islands, according to PAGASA.
Southeast Asia is already one of the most climate-vulnerable regions of the world, experts warn, making it more susceptible to extreme weather like heat waves, storm surges, and floods.
Ocean temperatures have been historically warm this year, and hotter oceans provide a huge source of energy for storms to strengthen and grow.
Warmer oceans are being supercharged by humans burning fossil fuels. They are also a major factor behind more significant storms appearing later in the year and scientists say this could become more commonplace in the future.
So far this year, the Philippine capital Manila, and parts of Luzon have seen devastating flooding from Typhoon Gaemi in July. In September, the country was also hit by powerful Typhoon Yagi, which left dozens dead after sweeping across southern China and Southeast Asia.
