Sunday, December 15th, 2024 

Former Chinese footballer and coach Li Tie is sentenced to 20 years in prison for bribery and match-fixing. (CNN) 

McKinsey & Company agrees to pay $650 million and enter a deferred prosecution agreement with the U.S. Department of Justice to resolve criminal charges related to its advisory work for Purdue Pharma on increasing OxyContin sales, including conspiracy to misbrand a drug and obstruction of justice. (Al Jazeera) 

Moody’s downgrades France’s bond credit rating from “Aa3” to “Aa2” following the collapse of the Barnier government, citing “political fragmentation” as a threat to the country’s ability to reduce its public debt and lower its deficit. (DW)

French President Emmanuel Macron appoints François Bayrou as Prime Minister. (Politico)

The U.S. military evacuates American citizen Travis Timmerman out of Syria after Timmerman had previously been reported missing in the country. (NBC News) 

The Turkish Armed Forces and pro-Turkish rebel groups amass troops on the Syria–Turkey border outside of Kobani, Aleppo Governorate, Syria, and along the nearby Qarqozak Bridge, following several breaches in an internationally-brokered temporary ceasefire agreement between them and the Syrian Democratic Forces. (Enab Baladi) 

At least one person is killed when two Russian oil tankers, Volgoneft-212 and Volgoneft-236, are damaged due to bad weather. Oil from the tankers is actively leaking into the Kerch Strait. (CNN) 

The death toll from Cyclone Chido on the French overseas department of Mayotte increases to 14 people. The cyclone is described as the worst on the island in 90 years. (France24) 

Saturday, December 14th, 2024 

A court in The Hague, Netherlands, rejects a request by 10 pro-Palestinian NGOs for the Netherlands to stop arms exports to Israel. (Reuters) 

Iraqi water experts issue warnings regarding cracks that have formed in the Tishrin Dam in Aleppo Governorate following continuous bombardment by Turkish and pro-Turkish forces and the possibility of further damage causing a dam failure. (Waradana) 

South Korea’s National Assembly votes to impeach president Yoon Suk Yeol over his recent attempt to impose martial law. (The Guardian) 

At least 52 Palestinians are killed in Israeli airstrikes on two schools in Gaza City and Rafah in the Gaza Strip. (Al Jazeera) 

One police officer is killed and at least two others are injured in an explosion in Dnipro, Ukraine. (Ukrinform) 

Cyclone Chido kills two people and causes “catastrophic” damage to the island of Mayotte, with many more feared dead on the island. (France 24) 

Cyclone Chido destroys most of Agaléga, Mauritius. (L’Express) (Le Mauricien) 

Georgian Dream candidate Mikheil Kavelashvili is elected as president by the electoral college. Major opposition parties do not participate in the vote, having boycotted Parliament since the parliamentary election in October. (CNN) 

President of Georgia Salome Zourabichvili states that she will not recognize the scheduled presidential election results as legitimate due to the election not being a direct vote, and repeats her intention to remain as president until new parliamentary elections are held. (Anadolu Agency) 

At least eight people were killed and ten others injured in a deadly inter-clan conflict in a rural area under the El Buur district of Galgadud region in south-central Somalia (Hiiraan Online) 

Two Somaliland troops are killed and eight others are injured in fighting between Somaliland and SSC-Khatumo forces in Erigavo, Sanaag, Somaliland. (Idil News) 

Friday,  December 13th, 2024 

The Ukrainian government says it is ready to supply food to Syria after Russia suspended wheat supplies to Syria amid uncertainty about the new government and payment delays. (Reuters) 

Syrian sources report that Israeli forces met with village dignitaries in the Yarmouk Basin area of Daraa Governorate, instructing them to surrender all weapons in the villages and for villagers to comply with home searches. (Erem News)

Russia launches one of its largest attacks on the Ukrainian energy infrastructure since the conflict began, with about 290 missiles fired and drones striking multiple regions. The Russian Defense Ministry claims that the attack was in response to a recent Ukrainian ATACMS attack on Taganrog-Central air base in Rostov Oblast, Russia. (The Kyiv Independent)

The Parliament of Moldova votes in favor of declaring a 60-day national state of emergency beginning on December 16 due to Ukraine not renewing its transit contract with Gazprom to deliver Russian gas to Moldova. (Reuters) 

The number of Palestinians killed in an Israeli airstrike on the Nuseirat refugee camp yesterday increases to 33, most of whom are from the same family. 84 others are reported to be either injured or missing. (Al Jazeera) 

Six people are killed and 66 others are injured in a fire at a nursing home in Amman, Jordan. (Reuters) 

Nine people are killed and 20 others are injured in a Rapid Support Forces airstrike on a hospital in Al-Fashir, North Darfur, Sudan. (Reuters) 

Three people are killed and 48 are injured in a bombing during a fair in Umphang District, Tak Province, Thailand. Two suspects are arrested. (Thai PBS) 

The End

Operation Wacht am Rhein

533 – Vandalic War: Byzantine general Belisarius defeats the Vandals, commanded by King Gelimer, at the Battle of Tricamarum. 

687 – Pope Sergius I is elected as a compromise between antipopes Paschal and Theodore. 

1025 – Constantine VIII becomes sole emperor of the Byzantine Empire, 63 years after being crowned co-emperor. 

1161 – Jin–Song wars: Military officers conspire against the emperor Wanyan Liang of the Jin dynasty after a military defeat at the Battle of Caishi, and assassinate the emperor at his camp. 

1167 – Sicilian Chancellor Stephen du Perche moves the royal court to Messina to prevent a rebellion. 

1256 – Mongol forces under Hulagu enter and dismantle the Nizari Ismaili (Assassin) stronghold at Alamut Castle (in present-day Iran) as part of their offensive on Islamic southwest Asia. 

1270 – The Nizari Ismaili garrison of Gerdkuh, Persia surrender after 17 years to the Mongols.

Thursday, December 12th, 2024 

Edith Heard, biologist specialist of epigenetics and director-general of the European Molecular Biology Laboratory, is awarded the CNRS Gold Medal, France’s highest research award. (CNRS – Le Journal) 

Paraguay reopens its embassy in Jerusalem, Israel. (Reuters) 

Armed men raid and set fire to the tomb of former president Hafez al-Assad and also conduct attacks on other tombs and graves in Qardaha District, Latakia Governorate, Syria. (SOHR) 

At least six civilians are reported to have been killed by gunfire in celebration of the fall of the Assad regime. (SOHR) 

Satellite images and MarineTraffic data confirm that the Russian Navy has abandoned its naval base in the port city of Tartus. (The Telegraph) 

The Syrian transitional government announces that the constitution and parliament will be suspended during the three-month transitional period. (Al Arabiya) 

Turkish military forces and the pro-Turkish Dawn of Freedom Operations Room launch an attack with tanks and drones against the Tishrin Dam on the Euphrates river, which the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights warns could trigger a dam failure and a severe humanitarian crisis. (SOHR) 

Large-scale protests occur in Manbij, Aleppo Governorate, Syria, against pro-Turkish Dawn of Freedom Operations Room revenge killings and crimes against civilians. (SOHR) 

Pro-Turkish factions are filmed executing dozens of surrendered prisoners of the pro-Kurdish Manbij Military Council and Syrian Democratic Forces. (SOHR) 

Syrian residents of the villages of Hader, Hamidiya, and Umm Batna in Quneitra Governorate are displaced from their homes after Israeli military forces enter the villages with military vehicles. (SOHR) 

Four police officers are injured in a drone attack on the barracks of a police regiment building in Grozny, Chechnya, Russia. (Kyiv Independent) 

The Islamic State – Khorasan Province claims responsibility for yesterday’s suicide bombing in Kabul, Afghanistan, which killed acting Minister of Refugee and Repatriation Khalil Haqqani and several other people. (AP) 

United States President-elect Donald Trump is named Person of the Year by Time magazine. (BBC News) 

Astro Bot wins Game of the Year at The Game Awards 2024. (Polygon) 

Tropical Cyclone Chido makes landfall over Agaléga, Mauritius. (Crisis24) 

U.S. President Joe Biden announces pardons for 39 people convicted of non-violent offenses, and commutes the sentences of 1,500 others who had been released from prison to house arrest during the COVID-19 pandemic. It is considered the “largest single-day grant of clemency in modern history“. (AP) 

A Danish court sentences British hedge fund trader Sanjay Shah to 12 years in prison for tax fraud. (The National) 

Gukesh Dommaraju defeats Ding Liren to win the World Chess Championship 7½-6½, becoming the youngest ever chess champion at the age of 18 years. (Sportstar) 

Wednesday, December 11th, 2024 

The United States Department of State approves a $266.4 million sale of F-16 maintenance equipment to Ukraine. (Newsweek) 

Somali forces launch a failed attack on Jubaland regional forces, with Jubaland capturing hundreds of Somali soldiers and claiming to have fully taken over Ras Kamboni, Lower Juba, Somalia. (Reuters)

At least 29 people are killed in Israeli airstrikes on civilian areas in Beit Lahia, North Gaza Governorate, Gaza. (Al Jazeera) 

An Israeli boy is killed and three others are injured by a Palestinian gunman attack on a bus in Al-Khader, West Bank. (The Times of Israel) 

The Parliament of Canada approves the allocation of CA$764 million (US$587 million) in military aid to Ukraine. (Ukrainska Pravda) 

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights urges Syria’s military leadership to prevent ongoing sectarian riots, looting, and assaults on civilians from armed groups. (SOHR) 

The Federal Foreign Office of Germany announces an additional €8 million (US$8.4 million) in humanitarian aid to Syria following the fall of the Assad regime. (APA) 

Toussaint Louverture International Airport in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, reopens after it was closed in November when a Spirit Airlines aircraft was struck by gunfire. (DW) 

Afghanistan’s acting Minister of Refugee and Repatriation Khalil Haqqani and five other people are killed in a suicide bombing at the Ministry’s headquarters in Kabul, Afghanistan. (Reuters) 

Five civilians are killed in Israeli airstrikes in Ainata, Bint Jbeil, and Beit Lif, Lebanon, despite the agreed ceasefire with Hezbollah. (Al Jazeera) 

Amnesty International reports that Sudan is currently facing the worst humanitarian crisis in the world, with over 30 million people at risk or in need of humanitarian aid. (DW) 

American grocery store company Albertsons of Boise, Idaho backs out of a $24.6 billion merger deal between Cincinnati-based grocer Kroger and files a lawsuit against them that includes a $600 million termination fee. (ABC News) 

One person is killed in a fire and explosion at a residential high-rise apartment building in Shenzhen, China. (Reuters) 

Fourty-four people are presumed dead from drowning when a boat carrying refugees from Sierra Leone capsizes on its way from Sfax, Tunisia, to Europe. (DW) 

Iran announces that all government offices, universities, and schools in Tehran province will be closed for two days due to severe air pollution. (AP) 

A special investigations team conducts a raid on South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol‘s office, the National Police Agency headquarters, the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency headquarters, and the office of the National Assembly’s security service, as part of an investigation into Yoon’s failed attempt at imposing martial law last week. (DW) 

Jailed former national defense minister Kim Yong-hyun, who allegedly helped President Yoon Suk Yeol impose martial law, attempts suicide while in custody. (BBC News) 

Hundreds of tractors block Whitehall in protest of Labour government changes to agricultural inheritance tax. (The Independent) 

FIFA announces that Saudi Arabia will host the 2034 FIFA World Cup. (Khaleej Times) 

Tuesday,  December 10th, 2024 

A suspect is arrested in Altoona, Pennsylvania, United States, for the murder of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson. (CNN) 

China launches an investigation into American chip manufacturer Nvidia over suspected violations of China’s anti-monopoly law. (CNA) 

The Islamic State summarily execute 54 Syrian Army soldiers captured near Al-Sukhnah, Homs Governorate. (SOHR) 

The Islamic State summarily executes 54 Syrian Army soldiers captured near Al-Sukhnah, Homs Governorate. (SOHR) 

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) reports that pro-Turkish factions have begun revenge operations involving the identity-based killings of at least three Kurdish civilians in Manbij, Aleppo Governorate, Syria, as well as burning and looting civilian homes. (SOHR) 

The Israeli Air Force launches several airstrikes on the city of Daraa and also carries out a series of airstrikes on Syrian Air Force bases, destroying the Syrian Air Force‘s entire fleet of MiG-29 fighter jets. (Erem News)

Austria and Germany announce that they will freeze all new and ongoing asylum applications by Syrians and will review previous asylum claims by Syrians following the fall of the Assad regime. (Euronews) 

Pro-Turkish factions impose a siege on several neighborhoods in Manbij, preventing civilians from easily leaving and prompting humanitarian concerns of potential massacres and kidnappings. (SOHR) 

The SOHR reports that the Free Syrian Army-affiliated Dawn of Freedom Brigades performed a field execution of dozens of injured pro-Kurdish Manbij Military Council soldiers who had been receiving hospital treatment. (SOHR) 

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) reports that pro-Turkish factions have begun revenge operations involving the identity-based killings of at least three Kurdish civilians in Manbij, as well as burning and looting civilian homes. (SOHR) 

The Military Operations Command says that its forces have taken full control of Deir ez-Zor following days of clashes with the Syrian Democratic Forces. (Trend News Agency) 

Regional security sources report that Israeli troops reached Qatana in Rif Dimashq Governorate, 10 km into Syrian territory and 25 km (16 mi) southwest of the capital of Damascus. (Reuters) 

The Israeli Navy attacks and destroys most of the Syrian Navy‘s fleet at anchor in the Port of Latakia, including Osa-class missile boats and minesweepers. (MSN)

Qatar, Turkey, Egypt, Iran, and Saudi Arabia condemn Israel’s actions in Syria and the United Nations special envoy for Syria calls on Israel to stop its military movements and bombardments inside Syria. (The Times of Israel) 

The United Nations reports that humanitarian aid has been blocked from entering the Gaza Strip for at least 66 days, leaving at least 65,000 Palestinians without food, water, electricity, and healthcare. (AP) 

At least 65 people are killed and hundreds of others are injured in Rapid Support Forces artillery shelling on a market in Karary District, Khartoum State, Sudan. (Anadolu Agency)

At least 100 people are killed and 37 others are injured in a Sudanese Air Force airstrike on Kabkabiya District, North Darfur, Sudan. Other SAF airstrikes also hit the towns of Mellit and Al-Kuma and the cities of Nyala and El Fasher. (BBC News) 

A Russian missile strike on a private clinic in Zaporizhzhia, Ukraine, kills four civilians and injures 20 others. (Al Arabiya) 

One Pakistani soldier and 15 separatist militants are killed in an operation in Zhob District, Balochistan, Pakistan (Arab News) 

Filipino singer Sofronio Vasquez wins the 26th season of The Voice, becoming the first Filipino and Asian contestant to win a season of the show. (MSN) 

U.S. federal judge Adrienne Nelson of the U.S. District Court for the District of Oregon blocks a $24.6 billion bid by Kroger to acquire stores from Albertsons. (Bloomberg Law) 

In Malibu, California, United States, the Franklin Fire spreads to more than 2,800 acres, prompting over 20,000 people to evacuate. (KABC-TV) 

Switzerland suspends all new and pending asylum requests and announces that they will review their asylum policy following the fall of the Assad regime. (The Economic Times) 

Switzerland suspends all new and pending asylum requests procedures and will review their policy in the future following the fall of the Assad regime. (The Economic Times) 

Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko confirms the presence of nuclear weapons in his country, including Russia’s Oreshnik missile system. (AP) 

The Russian Federal Security Service arrests a German-Russian man for allegedly planning to sabotage a rail line in Nizhny Novgorod, Russia, on behalf of the Security Service of Ukraine. (DW) 

Kenya Police fire tear gas at hundreds of demonstrators in Nairobi, Kenya, protesting against gender-based violence and femicide. Protests also took place in Mombasa and Lodwar, with at least three people arrested. (Al Jazeera)

Monday,  December 9th, 2024 

Syrian opposition leader Mohammed al-Bashir is appointed Prime Minister of the Syrian transitional government. (Al Jazeera) 

The opposition Syrian National Army takes control of the city of Manbij, with 50 people killed in fighting between the Syrian National Army and the Syrian Democratic Forces. (LiveUA)  

The White Helmets civil defense organization announces they have freed over 20,000 prisoners from Sednaya Prison, with over 10,000 others unaccounted for. They report that there are areas of the prison hidden underground that they do not have access codes to, but can see prisoners on security cameras. (Reuters)

Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz orders the Israeli Defense Forces to quickly occupy the entire Syrian buffer zone and to establish a new security zone further into southern Syria free of all insurgent infrastructure and heavy weapons. (Israel Hayom) 

At least 50 Palestinians are killed and 84 others are injured in Israeli airstrikes across the Gaza Strip, including ten at a flour distribution zone in Rafah. (Al Jazeera) 

The Hamas delegation holds another round of ceasefire talks in Cairo, Egypt, with General Intelligence Service chief Hassan Mahmoud Rashad. (APA) 

The Arakan Army announces their capture of Maungdaw, Rakhine State, giving them full control over the Bangladesh–Myanmar border. (AP News) 

The rescue operation at the scene of an explosion at several apartments in The Hague, Netherlands, two days ago, officially ends, with the final toll being six people killed and five others injured. (Euronews) 

Ten people are killed and two others are missing in floods and landslides in Sukabumi, West Java, Indonesia. (AP) 

A fishing boat collides with a sand barge near Gyeongju, South Korea, killing seven people with another person missing. (AP) 

Two military helicopters collide during a training flight in Isparta, Turkey, killing six soldiers. (Daily Sabah) (AP) 

At least seven people are killed and 42 others are injured when a bus rams into several vehicles and pedestrians in Mumbai, Maharashtra, India. The bus driver is detained by local police. (DW)

At least 40 schools in New Delhi, India, receive bomb threats and a $30,000 ransom demand via e-mail on the same day. No evidence of explosives are found. (DW)

The local government of Azad Kashmir, Pakistan, repeals an executive order that banned protests following four days of shutter-down demonstrations in May. (Daily Express) 

The South Korean Corruption Investigation Office imposes a blanket travel ban on President Yoon Suk Yeol for his failed attempt at imposing martial law last week. (Kyodo News) 

The End Tuesday 

Monday,  December 9th, 2024 

Lieutenant General Ali Mahmoud, Maher al-Assad‘s office manager and leader of several Syrian civil war campaigns, is found murdered in his office in the Damascus countryside. (SOHR) 

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reports that a Turkish drone strike on a civilian family in Al-Mustariha village in Raqqa Governorate kills twelve family members, most of whom are women and children. (SOHR) 

Fighting between the Turkey-backed Syrian National Army and Kurdish Syrian Democratic Forces in Manbij leads to 50 deaths. (SOHR) 

Manbij is taken by the Syrian opposition, Syrian National Army. (LiveUA) (The Jerusalem Post) 

Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz orders the Israeli Defense Forces to quickly occupy the entire Syrian buffer zone, and to establish a new security zone further into southern Syria free of all insurgent infrastructure and heavy weapons. (Israel Hayom) 

The Israeli Air Force launches several airstrikes on the city of Daraa in southwestern Syria. (Erem News) 

Hamas‘ delegation holds another round of ceasefire talks in Cairo, Egypt, with General Intelligence Service chief Hassan Mahmoud Rashad. (APA) 

In Haiti‘s Cité Soleil slum, at least 110 elderly people are killed following accusations by a gang leader that they practiced witchcraft against the leader’s child.(France24) 

Two people are killed, nine injured and three missing after an explosion at an Eni factory in Calenzano, Metropolitan City of Florence, Italy. (Il Messaggero) 

PHIVOLCS raised the alert level of Kanlaon Volcano to Level 3 after an explosive eruption occurred at the summit vent. (Rappler) 

Australia and Nauru announce a joint security treaty that sees Australia sending Nauru AU$100 million (US$64 million) in direct support over five years in exchange for Nauru consulting Australia before signing any bilateral agreements with other countries. (DW) (Nikkei Asia) 

Prime Minister of Tonga Siaosi Sovaleni resigns ahead of a vote of no confidence. (Reuters) 

Above posted 

XXXX above new tuesday

Monday,  December 9th, 2024 

Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz orders the Israeli Defense Forces to quickly occupy the entire Syrian buffer zone, and to establish a new security zone further into southern Syria free of all insurgent infrastructure and heavy weapons. (Israel Hayom) 

The Israeli Air Force launches several airstrikes on the city of Daraa in southwestern Syria. (Erem News) 

Hamas’ delegation holds another round of ceasefire talks in Cairo, Egypt, with General Intelligence Service chief Hassan Mahmoud Rashad. (APA) 

Lieutenant General Ali Mahmoud, Maher al-Assad‘s office manager and leader of several Syrian civil war campaigns, is found murdered in his office in the Damascus countryside. (SOHR) 

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reports that a Turkish drone strike on a civilian family in Al-Mustariha village in Raqqa Governorate kills twelve family members, most of whom are women and children. (SOHR) 

Fighting between the Turkey-backed Syrian National Army and Kurdish Syrian Democratic Forces in Manbij leads to 50 deaths. (SOHR) 

Manbij is taken by the Syrian opposition, Syrian National Army. (LiveUA)

PHIVOLCS raised the alert level of Kanlaon Volcano to Level 3 after an explosive eruption occurred at the summit vent. (Rappler) 

Two people are killed, nine injured and three missing after an explosion at an Eni factory in Calenzano, Metropolitan City of Florence, Italy. (Il Messaggero) 

Australia and Nauru announce a joint security treaty that sees Australia sending Nauru AU$100 million (US$64 million) in direct support over five years in exchange for Nauru consulting Australia before signing any bilateral agreements with other countries. (DW)

Prime Minister of Tonga Siaosi Sovaleni resigns ahead of a vote of no confidence. (Reuters) 

The End

So 13 years and at least 470,000 violent deaths is a peaceful transition of power these days. How droll.

Syrian Prime Minister Mohammad Ghazi al-Jalali says that he is not leaving Syria and will commit to a peaceful transition of power to the Syrian opposition. Al-Jalali also calls on rebel forces to not damage state institutions in Damascus or to harm civilians. (Axios) 

And in other news, Zelensky doesn’t seem to be very good at math or propaganda or both or something.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says that 43,000 Ukrainian soldiers have been killed in action since Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022 and that 370,000 soldiers have been injured, while estimating the number of Russian casualties at 198,000 soldiers killed and more than 550,000 soldiers injured. (Politico) 

Iran finally had some luck.

The Iranian Space Agency successfully launches the Simorgh rocket carrying two satellites and the Saman-1 space tug from the Imam Khomeini Space Launch Terminal in Semnan, Iran, the heaviest payload ever launched in Iran. (DW) 

And also, two people were killed in England by trees.

Two people are killed by falling trees in England and more than 1.5 million people experience power outages in Ireland and the United Kingdom as Storm Darragh hits the British Isles. (BBC News)

Sunday, December 8th, 2024 

In professional baseball, the New York Mets sign Dominican outfielder Juan Soto to a $765 million, 15-year contract, the largest contract in Major League Baseball history. (Reuters) 

In auto racing, McLaren wins the World Constructors’ Championship at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, its first title since 1998. (NBC News) 

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says that the 1974 Agreement on Disengagement between Israel and Syria has “collapsed” and orders the Israel Defense Forces to occupy the Syrian side of the Golan Heights. (New Arab) 

Israeli tanks and troops enter Syria’s Quneitra Governorate to reportedly establish a buffer zone, marking Israel’s first crossing of the ceasefire line in 50 years. (The Times of Israel) (Al Jazeera) 

Israeli forces take control of the towns of Madinat al-Baath and Khan Arnabah in Quneitra Governorate and also capture the Syrian side of Mount Hermon in Rif Dimashq Governorate. (Factjo) (The Times of Israel) 

The Israeli Air Force launches targeted airstrikes on ammunition and equipment depots at Mezzeh Air Base in Damascus and Khalkhalah air base in Suwayda Governorate. An Israeli airstrike also targets the Scientific Research Center in Damascus’s security zone, which oversees chemical weapons and ballistic missile programs. (Reuters) (Sada El-Balad) (Al Jazeera) 

The United States launches airstrikes on ISIL targets in Syria following the collapse of the Assad regime. (The Telegraph) 

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad leaves the country on a flight from Damascus International Airport to an unknown destination. (BBC News)

A Syrian Air Ilyushin Il-76T disappears from radar near Homs, Syria, after departing from Damascus International Airport. Initial rumors speculated that the plane was carrying President of Syria Bashar al-Assad who was fleeing the country due to the fall of his regime after the Syrian opposition captured Damascus. However, Russia reports that Assad and his family are currently in Moscow. (Tampa Free Press)

Russian state media reports that Bashar al-Assad is in Moscow, Russia, and that he and his family have been granted asylum by the Russian government. (Euronews)

Senior Syrian government officials are reportedly in talks with the Syrian opposition and are preparing to defect. (CNN) 

The Syrian Army says that Bashar al-Assad’s rule has ended and orders all of its troops to lay down arms and stop fighting. (Reuters) 

Syrian rebels seize state television and announce to the nation that Bashar al-Assad has been toppled and that a new government will be formed. (Xinhua) 

Rebel forces seize the Presidential Palace in Damascus, which is later looted by armed soldiers and civilians. (The Guardian)

Rebel forces take control of Sednaya Prison and begin releasing thousands of prisoners, including many political prisoners. (Barron’s) 

Thousands of Damascus residents gather in Umayyad Square to celebrate the collapse of the Assad regime. (BBC News) 

A video posted to X shows Syrians tearing down posters of former Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah and former Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps commander Qasem Soleimani at the Iranian embassy in Damascus. Statues of former president Hafez al-Assad are also toppled across the city. (Al Bawaba)

Syrians abroad celebrate the collapse of the Assad regime, with rallies being held in cities across Europe. (The Guardian) 

Turkish security sources claim that 80% of Kurdish-held positions in the city of Manbij in Aleppo Governorate have been taken by the Turkey-backed Syrian National Army. (Türkiye Today) 

Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan threatens “appropriate measures” against Kurdistan Workers’ Party-aligned rebel groups, and states that Turkey will never allow these groups control over any part of Syria or its government. (Shafaq) 

Syrian regime forces reportedly surrender Deir ez-Zor to opposition forces, according to Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham. (BBC News) 

U.S. President Joe Biden praises the end of the Ba’athist Syria regime and announces that the U.S. will support Syria and its neighbors during Syria’s political transition. (CNBC) 

Turkish forces bombard positions in Syrian Democratic Forces-controlled areas in Al-Hasakah. (SOHR) 

The Syrian opposition takes control of the city of Jableh in Latakia Governorate. (Al Jazeera) 

At least 16 Palestinians are killed in Israeli airstrikes across the Gaza Strip, including in Deir al-Balah and the Bureij refugee camp. (Al Jazeera) 

The Notre-Dame cathedral in Île de la Cité, Paris, France, reopens and holds its first public mass five years after a structural fire damaged the building and destroyed its spire. French President Emmanuel Macron and dozens of world leaders attend the reopening ceremony. (Irish Independent)

Three are killed after their fishing boat capsizes in restricted and hazardous waters near Lock and Dam No. 12 on the Mississippi River near Bellevue, Iowa, United States. (KSOM) 

South Korean National Police arrest former national defense minister Kim Yong-hyun and raid his home, alleging that Kim helped President Yoon Suk Yeol institute martial law. (DW) (Anadolu Agency) 

Former Ghanaian President and National Democratic Congress candidate John Mahama wins the presidential election as incumbent vice president and New Patriotic Party candidate Mahamudu Bawumia concedes defeat. (BBC News) 

Saturday, December 7th, 2024 

More than 1,000 Syrian soldiers seeking refuge cross into Iraq through the Al-Qa’im border crossing according to Iraqi authorities. (Iraqi News Agency) 

A United States court of appeals upholds the Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act, which requires China-based company ByteDance to sell TikTok by January 19 or face an effective ban on operations in the United States. (CNBC) 

The UN World Food Programme reports that the renewed conflict in Syria is estimated to displace around 1.5 million Syrians. (Al Jazeera) 

Syrian security officials and Arab officials say that First Lady of Syria Asma al-Assad fled with her three children to Russia last week. However, amid conflicting reports, Syrian state television says that President Bashar al-Assad remains in Damascus. (BBC News) 

The Military Operations Command coalition led by Tahrir al-Sham says that a military operation to capture Damascus is underway with rebels reportedly advancing on the capital on several fronts. (The Jerusalem Post) 

Turkish-backed Syrian National Army forces conduct extensive drone strikes and artillery shelling on villages near U.S.-backed Kurdish Syrian Democratic Forces positions in the city of Manbij in Aleppo Governorate, Syria. (Motabaat)

New Zealand Police presume that two Americans and a Canadian are dead after evidence suggests they fell while attempting to summit Mount Cook (Aoraki), suspending search operations. (CNN) 

Rebel forces capture the cities of Al-Dumayr and Yabroud and the town of Sa’sa’ in Rif Dimashq Governorate as the Syrian Defense Ministry denies reports that its troops are abandoning positions in the Damascus countryside. (Al Arabiya)

United Nations Special Envoy for Syria Geir Otto Pedersen calls for an “orderly political transition” from the collapsing Syrian government to the Syrian opposition in order to end the conflict. (Barron’s) 

A statue of former Syrian president Hafez al-Assad is toppled in the Damascus suburb of Jaramana. (NBC News)

The Syrian Armed Forces announce a complete withdrawal from the Daraa and Suwayda Governorates in order to reinforce Damascus. (AP) 

Rebel forces capture the city of Al-Sanamayn in Daraa Governorate and also capture the city of Quneitra. (Al Arabiya) 

Rebel forces enter the city of Homs, eventually capturing the city after hours of urban warfare to oust Assad loyalists. Rebels also capture Homs Central Prison and release around 3,500 prisoners. (Reuters)

The U.S.-backed Revolutionary Commando Army takes control of the city of Palmyra in Homs Governorate following heavy fighting with pro-government forces. Rebels also capture the towns of Al-Sukhnah and Al-Qaryatayn in Homs Governorate. (Yeni Safak) 

The Syrian Army withdraws from the cities of Al-Hasakah and Qamishli in Al-Hasakah Governorate, transferring control of the Kurdish-majority cities to the Syrian Democratic Forces. (Anadolu Agency)

Iran begins to evacuate military personnel, diplomatic staff, and civilians from Syria amid rebel advances. (The New York Times) 

At least 20 people, including six children, are killed in Israeli airstrikes on the Nuseirat refugee camp in Deir al-Balah Governorate, Gaza. (Al Jazeera) 

Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani says at the Doha Forum that his country is seeing a momentum build up for a ceasefire to end the conflict between Israel and Hamas in the Gaza Strip. (Al Jazeera) 

Six Pakistan Army soldiers and 22 Tehreek-e-Taliban militants are killed in clashes near the Afghan border. (Reuters) 

Five people are killed, four others are injured, and several others are missing in an explosion that destroyed several apartments in The Hague, Netherlands. (BBC News)

Prosecutors in Taiwan charge four soldiers with espionage, accusing the soldiers of passing photographs of Taiwan’s military capability to Chinese agents in exchange for money between 2022 and 2024. (DW)

A vote to impeach South Korean president Yoon Suk Yeol fails in the National Assembly due to a boycott of the vote by members of Yoon’s People Power Party. (AP) 

President Yoon Suk Yeol apologizes to the South Korean population, promising that he will not avoid legal sanctions or institute martial law a second time. (The Guardian) 

Over 100 Indian farmers march from Punjab to the capital city New Delhi to demand for the legal assurance of a minimum support price for all crops as well as loan forgiveness for farmers. (DW) 

Punjab Police set up barricades and fire tear gas at the marching farmers as they enter Haryana, causing them to turn around and return to Shambhu, Punjab. (Hindustan Times) (Anadolu Agency) 

Ghanaians vote to elect the President and the 275 members of the Parliament. (France24) 

Former Workers’ Party Secretary-General and longest-serving opposition Member of Parliament Low Thia Khiang announced retirement in politics ahead of the election. (The Straits Times) (CNA) 

Interim President and military junta leader of Burkina Faso Ibrahim Traoré dismisses Prime Minister Apollinaire J. Kyélem de Tambèla and dissolves the government. (DW)

In association football, the Los Angeles Galaxy defeat the New York Red Bulls 2–1 to win a record 6th championship. (AP) 

Friday,  December 6th, 2024 

Tahrir al-Sham leader Abu Mohammad al-Julani says that his forces will not end their military campaign until Syrian president Bashar al-Assad is removed from power. (France 24) 

Egypt and Jordan both urge Bashar al-Assad and his family to leave Syria, saying that Assad can no longer stop the rebel offensive. (The Wall Street Journal) 

Russian and Syrian warplanes bombard rebel-held areas in Homs Governorate, killing at least 20 people. (BBC News) 

After capturing the town of Talbiseh and the city of Al-Rastan, rebel forces capture several more towns and villages in the northern countryside of Homs Governorate, Syria, reaching the town of Al-Dar al-Kabirah and approaching the outskirts of Homs. (Anadolu Agency) 

Syrian Army soldiers from the 8th Armoured Division in Daraa defect to the Syrian opposition as rebels launch attacks on pro-government checkpoints across Daraa Governorate, taking control of several towns, including Inkhil, Ghabaghib, and al-Jiza, as well as the city of Jasim. Rebels later claim near total control of the governorate. (Yeni Safak) 

Rebels take full control of the city of Daraa after agreeing to allow Ba’ath Party officials to leave the city with safe passage to Damascus, and also take full control of the mainly Druze city of Suwayda. (The Times of Israel) (The New Arab) (Anadolu Agency) (Newsweek) 

Jordan closes its border with Syria after rebel forces seize the main Nasib Border Crossing. (Reuters) 

The Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces take control of Deir ez-Zor and its airport following the withdrawal of pro-government forces. (Enab Baladi) (SOHR) 

Iraqi militias withdraw from the Syrian side of the Al-Qa’im border crossing on the border with Iraq. (Shafaq) 

Russia tells its citizens to leave Syria on commercial flights while they still can amid rebel advances in the country. (Al Arabiya) 

Turkey freezes the assets of deceased former commander of Tahrir al-Sham Abu Maria al-Qahtani, who was killed in April, to comply with the United Nations Security Council‘s policies. (Turkish Minute) 

The Indian Ministry of External Affairs advises its citizens to leave Syria and avoid all travel to the country indefinitely. (WION) 

Israeli drone strikes on the northern and western sides of the Kamal Adwan Hospital in Beit Lahia in the Gaza Strip kill at least 29 Palestinians. Israeli forces subsequently raid the hospital, killing four doctors. (CNN) 

A Russian missile strike kills ten civilians in Zaporizhzhia, Ukraine, and injures four others, including two children. Separately, a missile attack on an administrative building in Kryvyi Rih, Ukraine, kills two people and injures 16 others. (Reuters) 

The European Union and Mercosur trade bloc finalize a free trade deal in Montevideo, Uruguay, after 25 years of negotiations. (France 24) 

Millions of people receive emergency alerts in the United Kingdom as Storm Darragh prepares to make landfall over the British Isles. (BBC News) 

Twenty-six people are killed and 28 more injured after a collision between two minibuses in Brokoua, Ivory Coast. (AP) 

Russian President Vladimir Putin and Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko sign an agreement in Minsk, Belarus, offering security guarantees to Belarus including nuclear security and the possible use of Russian nuclear weapons in order to repel aggressions. (AP) 

Two people are injured in an arson attack on a synagogue in Melbourne, Australia. (DW) (The Australian Jewish News) 

Arubans vote to elect the 21 members of the Parliament. The Aruban People’s Party wins nine seats and the People’s Electoral Movement wins eight seats, neither parties achieving a majority. (Aruba Papers) 

An uncontested election is held for the President of Mauritius, with former minister of education and Labour Party representative Dharam Gokhool winning without contest. Robert Hungley is elected Vice-President. (Xinhua) 

The Constitutional Court of Romania annuls the first round results of the presidential election vote two days before the second round of the election. (The Washington Post) 

The End