Podcasts about Hama

President Donald Trump is right to believe that Iran is in a historically vulnerable position right now.    The Assad regime is kaput. Hezbollah's effectiveness has been dramatically reduced since Oct. 7. Hama is living underground among the rubble of Gaza.    However, even with a maximum pressure campaign, oil embargoes, domestic instability, two things will never change:    You can't trust a word that comes out of the Iranian regime's mouth, and their legitimacy hinges on acquiring nuclear weapons, argues Victor Davis Hanson on today's edition of “Victor Davis Hanson: In His Own Words:” “The pressure is all on Iran. Militarily. Diplomatically. Economically. Socially. Culturally. What do I mean by that? Culturally, there is about 30% to 40% of the country are non-Farsi Persian speakers. And they're very restive, angry. Power outages. The regime is unpopular. It's diverted billions of dollars to these terrorist appendages that now didn't pay off, that they're defunct.    “And so, Donald Trump thinks that he, with this maximum pressure, putting this crushing oil embargo—which by the way, Joe Biden lifted—that he can bring them to negotiations one last time.   “Personally, I don't think he can. Nothing that that regime has ever said is accurate. Nobody in the MAGA movement wants an optional war in the Middle East. But they will have nuclear weapons, perhaps in a year. So, what is the likely scenario?”  

President Donald Trump is right to believe that Iran is in a historically vulnerable position right now. The Assad regime is kaput. Hezbollah's effectiveness has been dramatically reduced since Oct. 7. Hama is living underground among the rubble of Gaza. However, even with a maximum pressure campaign, oil embargoes, domestic instability, two things will never […]

President Donald Trump is right to believe that Iran is in a historically vulnerable position right now. The Assad regime is kaput. Hezbollah's effectiveness has been dramatically reduced since Oct. 7. Hama is living underground among the rubble of Gaza. However, even with a maximum pressure campaign, oil embargoes, domestic instability, two things will never […]

President Donald Trump is right to believe that Iran is in a historically vulnerable position right now. The Assad regime is kaput. Hezbollah's effectiveness has been dramatically reduced since Oct. 7. Hama is living underground among the rubble of Gaza. However, even with a maximum pressure campaign, oil embargoes, domestic instability, two things will never […]

En Syrie, après 54 ans d'une dictature qui appliquait une censure implacable aux médias et éliminait toute voix critique, une nouvelle ère s'ouvre pour les journalistes en Syrie. L'agence de presse et les chaînes officielles, qui ne servaient qu'à diffuser la propagande du régime, ont été renversées et de nombreux reporters exilés se réinstallent progressivement en Syrie. Ahmed al-Charaa, le nouveau maître de Damas, a promis de faire respecter la liberté d'expression. Si certains veulent y croire et investissent dans la création d'un nouveau paysage médiatique pour la Syrie, d'autres restent méfiants. Travailler et émettre depuis Damas, en plein cœur de la Syrie. Une scène encore impensable il y a quelques semaines pour Mohamed Al Dughaim, producteur de la chaîne Syria TV, un des médias d'opposition les plus suivis en Syrie, dont le siège est à Istanbul en Turquie. « Nous sommes actuellement dans l'hôtel Sheraton, à Damas, et nous avons transformé une partie des chambres de l'hôtel en studio temporaire pour Syria TV, indique-t-il. Nous sommes arrivés à Damas progressivement avec les forces rebelles au fil des offensives militaires, d'abord Alep, puis Hama, puis Homs, et enfin Damas. C'est la première fois que l'on parle de Damas en étant à Damas. C'est un très beau sentiment pour tous les syriens et pour tous les journalistes. »Financée par le Qatar, Syria TV compte 250 employés répartis entre la Syrie et la Turquie. Sur la terrasse de l'hôtel, un plateau télé a été érigé. La chaîne diffuse des informations en direct 3 à 4 h par jour depuis Damas. Pour le producteur originaire d'Idlib, c'est le début d'une nouvelle ère. « Aujourd'hui, on peut parler de tout en Syrie sans être inquiété, sans que les services de renseignement ne vous convoquent, et sans risquer d'être emprisonné. L'avenir des médias en Syrie est bien meilleur qu'à l'époque de Bachar al-Assad. »Après 54 ans de dictature durant lesquels aucune critique du pouvoir n'était tolérée, la nouvelle administration dirigée par Hayat Tahrir Sham (HTS) – l'un des groupes rebelles qui a repris Damas – a annoncé début janvier s'engager en faveur de la liberté d'expression, avec quelques limites. « Dans la nouvelle Syrie, nous garantissons la liberté de la presse, mais il existe des lignes rouges sur certaines questions, comme la diffusion de la haine au sein de la société, ou tout ce qui touche à des sujets susceptibles d'attiser les tensions sectaires. Ne pas préserver la cohésion sociale est aussi une ligne rouge », explique Ali Al Rifai, directeur des relations publiques au ministère de l'Information. Le ministère a aussi annoncé que les journalistes ayant collaboré avec le régime devront rendre des comptes. Dans les cafés de la capitale, de nombreux Syriens se retrouvent pour débattre à haute voix de l'avenir du pays. Une scène, elle aussi, inimaginable il y a peu. « Nous sommes heureux d'avoir cette nouvelle liberté d'expression. J'ai beaucoup confiance dans la société syrienne qui est aujourd'hui très éveillée. Rien ne passe inaperçu. Il y a une pression populaire contre toute décision qui serait inappropriée », raconte Colette Bahna, écrivaine et activiste pour les droits des femmes, qui savoure cette liberté retrouvée. Pour de nombreux syriens, la prudence reste de mise. Seul le temps permettra de savoir si ces promesses de liberté dureront.À lire aussiSyrie: à Jaramana, la vie reprend dans une atmosphère de peur et de méfiance

En Syrie, après 54 ans d'une dictature qui appliquait une censure implacable aux médias et éliminait toute voix critique, une nouvelle ère s'ouvre pour les journalistes en Syrie. L'agence de presse et les chaînes officielles, qui ne servaient qu'à diffuser la propagande du régime, ont été renversées et de nombreux reporters exilés se réinstallent progressivement en Syrie. Ahmed al-Charaa, le nouveau maître de Damas, a promis de faire respecter la liberté d'expression. Si certains veulent y croire et investissent dans la création d'un nouveau paysage médiatique pour la Syrie, d'autres restent méfiants. Travailler et émettre depuis Damas, en plein cœur de la Syrie. Une scène encore impensable il y a quelques semaines pour Mohamed Al Dughaim, producteur de la chaîne Syria TV, un des médias d'opposition les plus suivis en Syrie, dont le siège est à Istanbul en Turquie. « Nous sommes actuellement dans l'hôtel Sheraton, à Damas, et nous avons transformé une partie des chambres de l'hôtel en studio temporaire pour Syria TV, indique-t-il. Nous sommes arrivés à Damas progressivement avec les forces rebelles au fil des offensives militaires, d'abord Alep, puis Hama, puis Homs, et enfin Damas. C'est la première fois que l'on parle de Damas en étant à Damas. C'est un très beau sentiment pour tous les syriens et pour tous les journalistes. »Financée par le Qatar, Syria TV compte 250 employés répartis entre la Syrie et la Turquie. Sur la terrasse de l'hôtel, un plateau télé a été érigé. La chaîne diffuse des informations en direct 3 à 4 h par jour depuis Damas. Pour le producteur originaire d'Idlib, c'est le début d'une nouvelle ère. « Aujourd'hui, on peut parler de tout en Syrie sans être inquiété, sans que les services de renseignement ne vous convoquent, et sans risquer d'être emprisonné. L'avenir des médias en Syrie est bien meilleur qu'à l'époque de Bachar al-Assad. »Après 54 ans de dictature durant lesquels aucune critique du pouvoir n'était tolérée, la nouvelle administration dirigée par Hayat Tahrir Sham (HTS) – l'un des groupes rebelles qui a repris Damas – a annoncé début janvier s'engager en faveur de la liberté d'expression, avec quelques limites. « Dans la nouvelle Syrie, nous garantissons la liberté de la presse, mais il existe des lignes rouges sur certaines questions, comme la diffusion de la haine au sein de la société, ou tout ce qui touche à des sujets susceptibles d'attiser les tensions sectaires. Ne pas préserver la cohésion sociale est aussi une ligne rouge », explique Ali Al Rifai, directeur des relations publiques au ministère de l'Information. Le ministère a aussi annoncé que les journalistes ayant collaboré avec le régime devront rendre des comptes. Dans les cafés de la capitale, de nombreux Syriens se retrouvent pour débattre à haute voix de l'avenir du pays. Une scène, elle aussi, inimaginable il y a peu. « Nous sommes heureux d'avoir cette nouvelle liberté d'expression. J'ai beaucoup confiance dans la société syrienne qui est aujourd'hui très éveillée. Rien ne passe inaperçu. Il y a une pression populaire contre toute décision qui serait inappropriée », raconte Colette Bahna, écrivaine et activiste pour les droits des femmes, qui savoure cette liberté retrouvée. Pour de nombreux syriens, la prudence reste de mise. Seul le temps permettra de savoir si ces promesses de liberté dureront.À lire aussiSyrie: à Jaramana, la vie reprend dans une atmosphère de peur et de méfiance

Early this month, Harvard Law School students participated in a “Wikipedia Edit-A-Thon” workshop. Students were asked to "gather data to edit the Wikipedia pages of Big Law firms to reflect cases they have recently argued," according to The Washington Free Beacon. What actually happened? Several students singled out and warped the Wikipedia pages of big law firms who previously that they would cut back recruitment from universities that did not curb the spread of anti-Semitism on-campus following the Oct. 7 Hama terror attacks. What are we getting at? For decades, America's elite law schools have degraded their standards in the pursuit of social justice and have become wholly dependent on foreign money. Now, it's finally catching up to them, argues Victor Davis Hanson on today's edition of “Victor Davis Hanson: In His Own Words.”

Geishas und Maid-Cafés, Samurais und Spielhöllen, Tempel und Schreine – das alles gehört zu Japan. Das Land bezaubert Besucher durch mystische Landschaften und eine märchenhafte Kultur. In den Hama-rikyu-Gärten in Tokio steht eine 300 Jahre alte Kiefer. Wolkenkratzer rahmen einen See ein, aus dem ein Teehaus ragt. „Shioiri-no-ike“, der Name des Sees, bedeutet „Gezeitenteich“. Er ist mit Salzwasser aus der Bucht von Tokyo gefüllt, der Wasserspiegel hebt und senkt sich mit Ebbe und Flut, Wolfsbarsche und Großkopfmeeräschen tummeln sich darin. An den Metrostationen in der größten Stadt der Welt ist es immer voll, aber nie hektisch. Manga-Fans zieht es nach Akihabara, in das Einkaufsviertel für Elektronikwaren und Computerzubehör. Wer Anime von Hayao Miyazaki und Studio Ghibli mag, kann eine riesige Uhr aus dem Film „Das wandernde Schloss“ vor dem Gebäude des Fernsehsenders Nippon TV bestaunen. Zur Entspannung dient ein Bad in einem Sento. Aus Okinawa stammt die Kampfkunst Karate. Zum Kern von Karatedo gehört das „Do“, das in vielen Namen von Sportarten steckt: Aikido, Judo oder Taekwondo. Der Begriff bezeichnet ein Prinzip der Weltanschauung und stammt aus dem japanischen Zen-Buddhismus. Er kann viele Bedeutungen haben, beispielsweise Weg, Grundsatz oder Methode. Das Ziel jedes Karateschülers ist nicht das Erlernen einer Technik, sondern das Erweitern seines Potenzials. Unsere Autorin Isa Hoffinger besucht alte Meister und lernt von ihnen, wie sie sich selbst verteidigen kann. Die Yoshida Brothers sind berühmte Shamisen-Musiker. Ryoichiro Yoshida und Ken´ichi Yoshida wurden auf der nördlichsten japanischen Hauptinsel Hokkaido geboren. Beide begannen bereits im Alter von fünf Jahren, Musik zu machen. Eine Shamisen ist eine Langhalslaute mit drei Saiten. Sie wird mit einem Plektrum gespielt. Die Ursprünge der Shamisen reichen 400 Jahre zurück. Die Yoshida Brothers berichten über ihre Liebe zur Musik und präsentieren einen Song exklusiv für die NDR-Hörer.

Welcome to The Doers Nepal Podcast, Nepal's No.1 Business Podcast! Here, we explore the journeys of industry leaders who are shaping global trade, business, and innovation. Join Rajan Krishna Shrestha, Managing Director at Hama Steel and Director at Siddhartha Premier Insurance Ltd., as he shares his journey in Nepal's steel industry—highlighting the power of sustainable steelmaking and advanced thermo-mechanically rolled rebars (TMT) and wire rods in shaping the nation's infrastructure. Discover how harnessing local expertise, integrating modern manufacturing techniques, and prioritizing sustainable practices can strengthen Nepal's construction ecosystem for industries and communities alike. Rajan's leadership underscores the importance of innovation, forward-thinking strategies, and meaningful collaborations in paving the way for a self-reliant and resilient Nepal. Get Inspired, Be a Doer.  

Rich Zeoli sits in for Dana. The FBI is investigating a dramatic spike in swatting incidents against high-profile figures in conservative media.  Chuck Schumer concedes to Republicans and says he will vote for the CR to keep the government open. Will AOC primary Chuck Schumer for his Senate seat?  Former Columbia University student Mahmoud Khalil awaits his day in court after being detained by ICE for his pro-Hama protest.  Prominent Democrats break with Chuck Schumer. Liberal plants disrupt a North Carolina town hall for Rep. Chuck Edwards.  Rep. Jasmine Crockett says we need illegals to pick our crops and clean our hotel rooms since the educated won't. Nancy Pelosi breaks with Chuck Schumer over the budget bill. Trump heads to the Justice Department to meet with Pam Bondi and Kash Patel to discuss the Epstein Files, deporting illegal immigrants and abuse of power by judges. Thank you for supporting our sponsors that make The Dana Show possible…Relief Factorhttps://relieffactor.comTurn the clock back on pain with Relief Factor. Get their 3-week Relief Factor Quick Start for only $19.95 today! Goldcohttps://DanaLikesGold.com My personal gold company - get your GoldCo 2025 Gold & Silver Kit. PLUS, you could qualify for up to 10% in BONUS silverAll Family Pharmacyhttps://AllFamilyPharmacy.com/DanaCode Dana10 for 10% off your entire orderByrnahttps://byrna.com/danaDon't leave yourself or your loved ones without options. Visit Byrna.com/Dana receive 10% off Patriot Mobilehttps://patriotmobile.com/DanaDana's personal cell phone provider is Patriot Mobile. Get a FREE MONTH of service code DANAHumanNhttps://humann.comSupport your metabolism and healthy blood sugar levels with Superberine by HumanN. Find it now at your local Sam's Club next to SuperBeets Heart Chews.  Tax Network USAhttps://TNUSA.com/DANADon't let the IRS's aggressive tactics control your life empower yourself with Tax Network USA's support.  Reach a USA based agent @ 1(800) 958-1000 - Don't fight the IRS aloneKelTechttps://KelTecWeapons.comSee the NEW PS57 - Keltec Innovation & Performance at its bestPreBornhttps://Preborn.com/DanaDonate by dialing #250 and saying “BABY” or give securely at Preborn.com/Dana.

February 26, 2025 ~ Doron Levin, freelance, pro-Israel reporter, joins Guy and Lloyd to discuss the mood in Israel following the discovery of the murder of Bibas family, assess Hama's control in Gaza, the unpredictable future of a two-state solution, and much more.

This is it! We finally talk about the GREATEST animated show of ALL TIME!! And clearly Nick is excited!Join us as we joyfully ramble and go on tangents about Avatar The Last Airbender. Who is Nick's weird choice for favourite character? And was Hama right? (Spoiler: yes, yes she was).

Visions of “The Good Life” (James 1:9-11) - Matt Hama | February 16, 2025The book of James describes an integrated faith & life—a life made whole in its holiness. James was the pastor of the first Christian church in Jerusalem, writing to Jewish believers living outside the nation of Israel. The words of James are God's word for us—relevant and immediately applicable to our lives. As we journey through the book of James, immersing ourselves in the symbolic world + pressing concerns of the first century followers of Jesus, we learn to apply James' message to our lives in the 21st century.The Way Church is a church in Vancouver joining Jesus in the restoration of all things. For more information, visit our website at http://thewaychurch.caLINKSConnect Form: http://connect.thewaychurch.caKids: http://thewaychurch.ca/kidsYouth: http://thewaychurch.ca/youthAlpha: http://thewaychurch.ca/alpha

We look at the Bureau of Investigative Journalism story about a Syrian kleptocrat and alleged war criminal, and the British Crown Dependency of Guernsey. It throws up all kinds of questions about policing compliance, enforcement and the need for public beneficial ownership registers, with good quality information. Also, on day one of his presidency, Donald Trump pulled the United States out of the OECD's global minimum tax deal. So what now? We'll talk to the Tax Justice Network's Alex Cobham. Featuring: Reporter at The Bureau of Investigative Journalism, Ed Siddons  Guernsey-based investigative and podcast journalist, Rob Byrne Alex Cobham of the Tax Justice Network Hosted and produced by Naomi Fowler, Tax Justice Network Transcript of the show is here (some is automated) https://podcasts.taxjustice.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Jan_25_Taxcast_Transcript.pdf  Further reading: ‘Butcher of Hama': Assad's uncle used Guernsey fund manager to stash millions looted from Syria (Bureau of Investigative Journalism) https://www.thebureauinvestigates.com/stories/2024-12-16/butcher-of-hama-assads-uncle-used-guernsey-fund-manager-to-stash-millions-looted-from-syria/ Guernsey, country profile, Tax Justice Network https://taxjustice.net/country-profiles/guernsey/  Guernsey Financial Services Commission notice regarding Ginette Blondel https://www.gfsc.gg/news/ms-ginette-louise-blondel  The Guernsey finance worker, the alleged war criminal and a £210k fine - Bailiwick Express News Jersey https://www.bailiwickexpress.com/news/focus-210k-fine-working-alleged-war-criminal-without-licence/ Sentencing of Bashar Assad's Uncle in France Exposes Bank's AML Failure https://www.moneylaundering.com/news/exclusive-sentencing-of-bashar-assads-uncle-in-france-exposes-banks-aml-failure/ Assad uncle used Guernsey adviser to secretly manage vast wealth https://www.theguardian.com/world/2024/dec/16/assad-uncle-used-guernsey-adviser-to-secretly-manage-vast-wealth Former Syrian Vice President Rifaat al-Assad will stand trial in Switzerland on charges of war crimes and crimes against humanity https://trialinternational.org/latest-post/former-syrian-vice-president-rifaat-al-assad-will-stand-trial-in-switzerland-on-charges-of-war-crimes-and-crimes-against-humanity/ When will the British government impose public registries on its tax havens? Tax Justice Network blog from 2019 https://taxjustice.net/2019/03/04/when-will-the-british-government-impose-public-registries-on-its-tax-havens/  "The three Crown Dependencies have committed to introducing public registers. Guernsey, Jersey and the Isle of Man have private registers. However, in response to the 2022 ECJ ruling, in December 2022 the three governments said they would wait for legal advice before taking further steps." https://commonslibrary.parliament.uk/research-briefings/cdp-2023-0220/ (House of Commons Library) Dear European Court of Justice, you were played, Tax Justice Network blog on 2022 European Court of Justice ruling https://taxjustice.net/2022/12/05/dear-european-court-of-justice-you-were-played/  Officer: GINETTE LOUISE BLONDEL, Data from Paradise Papers - Malta corporate registry https://offshoreleaks.icij.org/nodes/56057386   Guernsey FSC Prohibitions and Disqualified Directors https://www.opensanctions.org/datasets/gg_disqualified_directors/   Trump demands countries surrender tax sovereignty at economic gunpoint, Tax Justice Network https://taxjustice.net/press/trump-demands-countries-surrender-tax-sovereignty-at-economic-gunpoint/    Countries should stand up to President Trump's tax threat and continue working together to deliver a progressive global tax reform. https://www.icrict.com/non-classe/countries-should-stand-up-to-president-trumps-tax-threat-and-continue-working-together-to-deliver-a-progressive-global-tax-reform/    Our website with all our podcasts is https://podcasts.taxjustice.net/         

There are four sources in the Torah to derive the law that the accused must be warned before committing the crime in order for the court to convict. Why were all four necessary? Rav Chanan ruled that eidim zomemim who falsely testified against a betrothed woman that she engaged in relations with another man are not killed as they can claim they were only trying to forbid her to her husband and not to get her killed. However, a question is raised regarding laws of warning - as when they testified, mustn't they need to testify that they warned her that if she engaged in relations with this man, she would receive the death penalty, and then it would be clear that they were trying to get her punished with murder?! The Gemara answers that Rav Chanan must have made his statement regarding a case where the woman was a chavera, a woman who adheres strictly to mitzvot and according to Rabbi Yosi b'Rabbi Yehuda who does not require a warning for chaverim. Rav Chisda explains which types of contradictions are accepted in testimony and which ones are not. However, four sources are brought to raise difficulties with Rav Chisda's statement, but each is resolved. One source was from our Mishna regarding Ben Zackai who asked about the stem of the fig. Is Ben Zackai Rabban Yochanan ben Zackai or not? The Mishna explains that if one witness says "I don't know" regarding a bedika question, the testimony is accepted, and also if both say "I don't know." The latter case is unnecessary and that leads Rav Sheshet and Rava to offer alternative versions of that line in the Mishna. Rami bar Hama asked Rav Safra and Rav Kahana: if both bedikot and chakirot are required by Torah law, why if the witnesses say they don't know in a chakira question, the testimony is cancelled but in a bedika question, their testimony stands? They answered that chakira questions are necessary to establish the testimony since without it, it is testimony that cannot be cancelled by eidim zommemim, as they establish where and when the event transpired. If the witnesses have a discrepancy of one day regarding the date, it can be assumed that one did not know when Rosh Chodesh was, and that they are actually referring to the same day. However, this is limited to the first part of the month, as once it is the middle of the month, one can assume that they know the correct date. There is a blessing that is recited each month on the new moon, birkhat (kiddush) ha'levana. Until what day of the month can it be recited? Rabbi Yochanan answered, however, there are two opinions to explain what date he was referring to - the seventh of the month or the sixteenth.  

There are four sources in the Torah to derive the law that the accused must be warned before committing the crime in order for the court to convict. Why were all four necessary? Rav Chanan ruled that eidim zomemim who falsely testified against a betrothed woman that she engaged in relations with another man are not killed as they can claim they were only trying to forbid her to her husband and not to get her killed. However, a question is raised regarding laws of warning - as when they testified, mustn't they need to testify that they warned her that if she engaged in relations with this man, she would receive the death penalty, and then it would be clear that they were trying to get her punished with murder?! The Gemara answers that Rav Chanan must have made his statement regarding a case where the woman was a chavera, a woman who adheres strictly to mitzvot and according to Rabbi Yosi b'Rabbi Yehuda who does not require a warning for chaverim. Rav Chisda explains which types of contradictions are accepted in testimony and which ones are not. However, four sources are brought to raise difficulties with Rav Chisda's statement, but each is resolved. One source was from our Mishna regarding Ben Zackai who asked about the stem of the fig. Is Ben Zackai Rabban Yochanan ben Zackai or not? The Mishna explains that if one witness says "I don't know" regarding a bedika question, the testimony is accepted, and also if both say "I don't know." The latter case is unnecessary and that leads Rav Sheshet and Rava to offer alternative versions of that line in the Mishna. Rami bar Hama asked Rav Safra and Rav Kahana: if both bedikot and chakirot are required by Torah law, why if the witnesses say they don't know in a chakira question, the testimony is cancelled but in a bedika question, their testimony stands? They answered that chakira questions are necessary to establish the testimony since without it, it is testimony that cannot be cancelled by eidim zommemim, as they establish where and when the event transpired. If the witnesses have a discrepancy of one day regarding the date, it can be assumed that one did not know when Rosh Chodesh was, and that they are actually referring to the same day. However, this is limited to the first part of the month, as once it is the middle of the month, one can assume that they know the correct date. There is a blessing that is recited each month on the new moon, birkhat (kiddush) ha'levana. Until what day of the month can it be recited? Rabbi Yochanan answered, however, there are two opinions to explain what date he was referring to - the seventh of the month or the sixteenth.  

In the first episode recorded in 2025, Andrew and Max join the episode and reflect on some big changes that took place for each of them in 2024. Andrew discusses hosting Flo in Ghana and the two get into some of the highlights from their times in Accra. The group gets into some of their 2025 new year's resolutions, talk about the decline in drinking across the USA, and end with some NFL playoff predictions.TIME STAMPS:Start - 10:12     Recapping big changes of 202410:12-21:32      Ghana trip 21:32-33:00      New Year's Resolutions 33:00-35:19     Looking ahead to 202535:19-47:32      Dry January / Reduction in drinking 47:32-51:20      NFL playoff predictions 51:20-End       Departing message for 2025CREDITS:Hosted by Folarin OkulajaProduced by Folarin OkulajaEngineered by Folarin OkulajaSubscribe to Go With the Flo on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts!https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCeheP4nl7aAFDmC8QgV-LUQhttps://open.spotify.com/show/0TCIEfodZuvVgnOVsho4lj?si=N3Pvw2hpR7u4979mwAZ5lQ&dl_branch=1https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/go-with-the-flo/id1551569516

This is the full show for January 17, 2025. We ask the American Mamas about the upcoming inauguration. We Dig Deep into the Senate Confirmation hearing for Scott Bessent, Trump's nominee to be the Treasury Secretary. Plus, it's Fake News Friday! And we finish off with some Inauguration Quotes who will make you say, “Whoa!” 

Can Rami bar Hama's interpretation that gambling is prohibited due to asmachta (conditional commitment) align with the Mishna's position? What factors determine this alignment? Rava expanded the disqualification of witnesses to include not only those who lend with interest, but also those who borrow with interest. How should we understand mafrichei yonim (dove-handlers) in the Mishna? Two interpretations exist: either those who engage in bird racing (a form of gambling) or those who train doves to lure other birds. When someone repents, what evidence must they show the community to regain their eligibility as a witness? Does the path to rehabilitation differ between a butcher who fraudulently sold non-kosher meat as kosher and other disqualified witnesses like gamblers or usurers? Which other categories of people were initially qualified to serve as witnesses but later became disqualified? What led to these changes in status?

Can Rami bar Hama's interpretation that gambling is prohibited due to asmachta (conditional commitment) align with the Mishna's position? What factors determine this alignment? Rava expanded the disqualification of witnesses to include not only those who lend with interest, but also those who borrow with interest. How should we understand mafrichei yonim (dove-handlers) in the Mishna? Two interpretations exist: either those who engage in bird racing (a form of gambling) or those who train doves to lure other birds. When someone repents, what evidence must they show the community to regain their eligibility as a witness? Does the path to rehabilitation differ between a butcher who fraudulently sold non-kosher meat as kosher and other disqualified witnesses like gamblers or usurers? Which other categories of people were initially qualified to serve as witnesses but later became disqualified? What led to these changes in status?

Syria's de facto leader has reached an agreement to dissolve and consolidate rebel groups under the defence ministry. Also on the programme, is Israel nearing a hostage deal with Hamas? And, a Nasa spacecraft has made history with the closest-ever approach to the Sun.(Photo: A child looks on next to a flag adopted by the new Syrian rulers, during a protest against the burning of the Christmas tree in Hama, in Damascus, Syria December 24, 2024. REUTERS/Amr Abdallah Dalsh)

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit andrewsullivan.substack.comWhat the hell just happened in Syria? We asked one of the sharpest scholars on the subject to give us a primer. Aaron Zelin is a fellow at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy, where he also directs the “Islamic State Worldwide Activity Map” project. He's also a visiting research scholar in the politics department at Brandeis and the founder of the website Jihadology. His first book is titled Your Sons Are At Your Service: Tunisia's Missionaries of Jihad, and his forthcoming book covers the history of Syrian jihadism. We talk about the entire history of Syria, as it faces what could be a turning point. For two clips of our convo — on the evil of the Assad dynasty, and the sudden fall of Bashar al-Assad — pop over to our YouTube page.Other topics: how Aaron's career was influenced by 9/11 at age 15; becoming an expert on jihadism; St. Paul at Damascus; the Ottoman Empire; the Arab Congress; Syria's independence from France after WWII; the subsequent coups; the Sunni majority in Syria; the rise of the Alawites; the Druze and Christians; the Kurds; the optimism in the ‘60s/‘70s for Arab liberalization; pan Arabism and Nasser; the Muslim Brotherhood; Hafez al-Assad coming to power in 1971; his son Bashar educated in the UK; how a former Nazi for real helped shape the regime; al-Qaeda and bin Laden; the Islamic State; “Baby It's Cold Outside”; the secret police of Syria; the 1982 massacre in Hama; Bashar coming to power in 2000 because of his older brother's early death; Bashar seen as nerdy and uncharismatic; the Damascus Spring; the Iraq War; the rebel leader Abu Mohammed al-Golani; his imprisonment in Abu Ghraib; Zarqawi; the Arab Spring; civil war erupting in Syria in 2011; the Free Syrian Army; the Assad regime torturing kids; the refugee crisis; Russia getting bogged down in Ukraine; Hezbollah and Hamas decimated; Iran on the defense; how the Assad regime collapsed in ten days; and Golani's potential as a reformer.Browse the Dishcast archive for an episode you might enjoy (the first 102 are free in their entirety — subscribe to get everything else). Coming up: Brianna Wu on trans lives, Mary Matalin on our sick culture, Adam Kirsch on his book On Settler Colonialism, John Gray on the state of liberal democracy, Jon Rauch on his new book on “Christianity's Broken Bargain with Democracy,” Nick Denton on the evolution of new media, and Ross Douthat on how everyone should be religious. Please send any guest recs, dissents, and other comments to dish@andrewsullivan.com.

Hama and Haleth are inseparable; Alan and Matt, not so much. Join The Man of the West and The Nerd of the Rings for An Unexpected Episode under your podcast tree, as we review the new film The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim! This blurb may be spoiler-free, but the episode certainly isn't, so see the movie first, then come and enjoy our ‘short' conversation about the movie. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week we talk about coups, the Arab Spring, and Bashar al-Assad.We also discuss militias, Al Qaeda, and Iran.Recommended Book: The Algebraist by Iain M. BanksTranscriptIn the early 2010s, a series of uprisings against unpopular, authoritarian governments spread across the Middle East—a wave of action that became known as the Arab Spring.Tunisia was where it started, a man setting himself on fire in protest against the nation's brazenly corrupt government and all that he'd suffered under that government, and the spreading of this final gesture on social media, which was burgeoning at the time, amplified by the still relatively newfound availability and popularity of smartphones, the mobile internet, and the common capacity to share images and videos of things as they happen to folks around the world via social media, led to a bunch of protests and riots and uprisings in Jordan, Egypt, Yemen, and Algeria, initially, before then spreading to other, mostly Arab majority, mostly authoritarian-led nations.The impact of this cascade of unrest in this region was immediately felt; within just two years, by early 2012, those ruling Tunisia, Egypt, Libya, and Yemen had been toppled, there were attempts to topple the Bahraini and Syrian governments, there were massive protests in Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Morocco, Oman, Algeria, and Sudan, and relatively minor protests, which were still meaningful because of the potential punishments for folks who rocked the boat in these countries, smaller protests erupted in Djibouti, Western Sahara, Saudi Arabia, Palestine, and Mauritania.Several rulers and their ruling parties committed to stepping down soon, or to not run for reelection—some of them actually stuck with that commitment, though others rode out this period of tumult and then quietly backtracked.Some nations saw long-lasting periods of unrest following this eruption; Jordan had trouble keeping a government in office for years, for instance, while Yemen overthrew its government in 2012 and 2015, and that spun-out into a civil war between the official government and the Iran-backed Houthis, which continues today, gumming up the Red Sea and significantly disrupting global shipping as a consequence.What I'd like to talk about today, though, is another seriously disruptive sequence of events that have shaped the region, and a lot of things globally, as well, since the first sparks of what became the Arab Spring—namely, the Syrian Civil war—and some movement we've seen in this conflict over the past week that could result in a dramatically new state of affairs across the region.—In 1963, inspired by their brethren's successful coup in nearby Iraq, the military wing of the Arab nationalist Ba'ath party of Syria launched a coup against the country's post-colonial democratic government, installing in its stead a totalitarian party-run government.One of the leaders of this coup, Hafez al-Assad, became the country's president in 1971, which basically meant he was the all-powerful leader of a military dictatorship, and he used those powers to even further consolidate his influence over the mechanisms of state, which meant he also had the ability to name his own successor.He initially planned to install his brother as leader when he stepped down or died, but that brother attempted to overthrow him when he was ill in 1983 and 1984, so when he got better, he exiled said brother and chose his eldest son, Bassel al-Assad, instead.Bassel died in a car accident in 1994, though, so Hafez was left with his third choice, Bashar al-Assad, which wasn't a popular choice, in part because it was considered not ideal for him to choose a family member, rather than someone else from the leading party, but also because Bashar had no political experience at the time, so this was straight-up nepotism: the only reason he was selected was that he was family.In mid-2000, Hafez died, and Bashar stepped into the role of president. The next few years were tumultuous for the new leader, who faced heightened calls for more transparency in the government, and a return to democracy, or some form of it at least, in Syria.This, added to Bashar's lack of influence with his fellow party members, led to a wave of retirements and purgings amongst the government and military higher-ups—those veteran politicians and generals replaced by loyalists with less experience and credibility.He then made a series of economic decisions that were really good for the Assad family and their allies, but really bad for pretty much everyone else in the country, which made him and his government even less popular with much of the Syrian population, even amongst those who formerly supported his ascension and ambitions.All of this pushback from the people nudged Bashar al-Assad into implementing an increasingly stern police state, which pitted various ethnic and religious groups against each other in order to keep them from unifying against the government, and which used terror and repression to slap down or kill anyone who stood up to the abuse.When the Arab Spring, which I mentioned in the intro, rippled across the Arab world beginning in 2011, protestors in Syria were treated horribly by the Assad government—the crackdown incredibly violent and punitive, even compared to that of other repressive, totalitarian governments in the region.This led to more pushback from Syrian citizens, who began to demand, with increasing intensity, that the Assad-run government step down, and that the Ba'athists running the dictatorship be replaced by democratically elected officials.This didn't go over well with Assad, who launched a campaign of even more brutal, violent crackdowns, mass arrests, and the torture and execution of people who spoke out on this subject—leading to thousands of confirmed deaths, and tens of thousands of people wounded by government forces.This response didn't go over super well with the people, and these protests and the pushback against them spiraled into a full-on civil uprising later in 2011, a bunch of people leaving the Syrian military to join the rebels, and the country breaking up into pieces, each chunk of land controlled by a different militia, some of these militias working well together, unifying against the government, while others also fought other militias—a remnant of the military government's efforts to keep their potential opposition fighting each other, rather than them.This conflict was officially declared a civil war by the UN in mid-2012, and the UN and other such organizations have been fretting and speaking out about the human rights violations and other atrocities committed during this conflict ever since, though little has been done by external forces, practically, to end it—instead it's become one of many proxy conflicts, various sides supported, mostly with weapons and other resources, though sometimes with training, and in rare instances with actual soldiers on the ground, by the US, Turkey, Russia, Iran, the Iran-backed group Hezbollah, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Britain, France, Israel, and the Netherlands.This conflict has demanded the country's full attention for more than a decade, then, and it's had influence even beyond Syria's borders, as groups like the Islamic State, or ISIS has been able to grow and flourish within Syria, due to all the chaos and lack of stability, refugees from Syria have flooded across borders, fleeing the violence and causing all sorts of unintended disruptions in neighboring and even some further-afield countries where, in some cases, millions of these refugees have had to be taken care of, which in turn has influenced immigration-related politics even as far away as the European Union. Also due to that lack of internal control, crime has flourished in Syria, including drug-related crime. And that's lets to a huge production and distribution network for an illegal, almost everywhere, amphetamine called Captagon, which is addictive, and the pills often contain dangerous filler chemicals that are cheaper to produce.This has increased drug crime throughout the region, and the Syrian government derives a substantial amount of revenue from these illicit activities—it's responsible for about 80% of global Captagon production, as of early 2024.All of which brings us to late-2024.By this point, Syria had been broken up into about seven or eight pieces, each controlled by some militia group or government, while other portions—which make up a substantial volume of the country's total landmass—are considered to be up in the air, no dominant factions able to claim them.Al-Assad's government has received a fair bit of support, both in terms of resources, and in terms of boots on the ground, from Iran and Russia, over the years, especially in the mid-20-teens. And due in large part to that assistance, his forces were able to retake most of the opposition's strongholds by late 2018.There was a significant ceasefire at the tail-end of 2019, which lasted until March of 2020. This ceasefire stemmed from a successful operation launched by the Syrian government and its allies, especially Iran, Russia, and Hezbollah, against the main opposition and some of their allies—basically a group of different rebel factions that were working together against Assad, and this included groups backed by the Turkish government.On March 5, 2020, Turkish President Erdogan and Russian President Putin, which were backing opposite sides of this portion of the Syrian civil war, agreed on a ceasefire that began the following day, which among other things included a safety corridor along a major highway, separating the groups from each other, that corridor patrolled by soldiers from Turkey and Russia.This served to end most frontline fighting, as these groups didn't want to start fighting these much larger, more powerful nations—Russia and Turkey—while trying to strike their enemies, though there were still smaller scuffles and attacks, when either side could hurt their opponent without being caught.In November of 2024, though, a coalition of anti-Assad militias launched a new offensive against the Syrian government's forces, which was ostensibly sparked by heavily shelling by those forces against civilians in rural areas outside Aleppo, the country's second-largest city.On the 29th of November, those forces captured most of Aleppo, and then plowed their way through previously government-held towns and cities at a fairly rapid clip, capturing another regional capitol, Hama on December 5, and securing Damascus, the capitol of the country, on December 8.This ended the 13-year civil war that's plagued Syria since all the way back in 2011; Bashar al-Assad fled to Russia, according to Russian and Iranian officials, and he resigned before he hopped on that flight; Russian state media is saying that Assad and his family have been granted asylum by the Russian government.This is a rapidly developing story, and we'll know more over the next few weeks, as the dust settles, but right now it looks like the Syrian government has been toppled by rebel forces led by a man named Abu Mohammad al-Jolani, a 42-year-old child of Syrian exiles who was born in Saudi Arabia, and who spent the early 2000s fighting against US occupation forces in Iraq as part of Al Qaeda.He apparently spent a few years in an Iraqi prison, then led an Al Qaeda affiliate group, which evolved into its own thing when he broke ties with Al Qaeda's leadership.This new group that he formed, Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, tried to differentiate itself from groups like Al Qaeda by saying they didn't want to play a role in the global jihad, they just wanted to reform the government in Syria. As part of that pivot, they started governing and building infrastructure across the chunk of Syria they claimed, even to the point of collecting taxes and providing civilians with identity cards; though throughout this period they were also known for ruling with an iron fist, and for being hardcore authoritarians, dedicated to implementing a hard-line version of Islamist ideological law.In the midst of their blitz-like capture of Syria, though, representatives from this group have said they'll implement a religiously tolerant representative government, and they won't tell women in the country how to dress.Following the capture of Damascus, Syria's Prime Minister said that he would remain in the country, and that he was ready to work with whomever takes the reins as things settle down, happy to make the transition a smooth and peaceful one, essentially, whatever that might mean in practice.The US military has taken this opportunity to strike dozens of Islamic State facilities and leaders across the country, marking one of the biggest such actions in recent months, and military leaders have said they would continue to strike terrorist groups on Syrian soil—probably as part of an effort to keep the new Syrian government, whatever its composition, from working with IS and its allies.Russia has requested a closed-door meeting with the United Nations Security Council to discuss Syria's collapse, and it's been reported that they failed to come to Assad's aid because they're too tied up in Ukraine, and they weren't able to move forces from North Africa rapidly enough to do much good; though there's a chance they'll still shift whatever chess pieces they can to the area in order to influence the composition of the new government, as it's forming.Iran has said they welcome whatever type of government the Syrian people decide to establish, though it's likely they'll try to nudge that formation in their favor, as Syria has long been an ally and client state of theirs, and they are no doubt keen to maintain that reality as much as possible, and bare-minimum to avoid the establishment of an enemy along their border.And Israel has entered what's supposed to be a demilitarized buffer zone in the Golan Heights because this zone is on the Syrian border; they've also captured a buffer zone within Syria itself. They've launched airstrikes on suspected chemical weapon sites in Syria, to prevent them from falling into extremist hands, they've said, and Israeli leaders said they want to keep any issues in their neighbor from impacting Israeli citizens. And Iraq's government has announced that they're doing the same along their shared border with Syria, so the whole region is bulwarking their potential weak points, just in case something goes wrong and violence spreads, rather than being tamped down by all this change.Israel's prime minister, and other higher ups in the government, have also claimed responsibility for Assad's toppling, saying it was their efforts against Iran and its proxy forces, like Hezbollah, that set the stage for the rebels to do what they did—as otherwise these forces would have been too strong and too united for it to work.Notably, the now-in-charge rebel group has been a longtime enemy of Iran and Hezbollah, so while there's still a lot of uncertainty surrounding all of this, Israel's government is no doubt generally happy with how things have progressed, so far, as this could mean Syria is no longer a reliable corridor for them, especially for the purposes of getting weapons to Hezbollah in southern Lebanon, along Israel's northern border.That said, this same group isn't exactly a fan of Israel, and is backed by Turkey, which has been highly critical of Israel's actions in Gaza and Lebanon.So it's an incredibly tumultuous moment in Syria, right now, and in this region, as a whole, because the conflict in Syria has been super impactful on everyone thereabouts, to varying degrees, and this ending to this long-lasting civil war could lead to some positive outcomes, like Syrian refugees who have been scattered across neighboring countries being able to return home without facing the threat of violence, and the release of political prisoners from infamous facilities, some of which have already been emptied by the rebels—but especially in the short-term there's a lot of uncertainty, and it'll likely be a while before that uncertainty solidifies into something more knowable and predictable, as at the moment, much of the country is still controlled by various militia groups backed by different international actors, including Kurdish-led forces backed by the US, and forces allied with Turkey in the north.So this change of official governance may shuffle the deck, but rather than stabilizing things, it could result in a new conflict catalyzed by the power vacuum left by the Assad government and its allies, if rebel forces—many of which have been labeled terrorists by governments around the world, which is another wrinkle in all this—if they fail to rally behind one group or individual, and instead start fighting each other for the opportunity to become the country's new dominant force.Show Noteshttps://www.nytimes.com/2024/12/08/world/middleeast/syria-hts-jolani.htmlhttps://www.nytimes.com/2024/12/06/briefing/syria-civil-war-assad.htmlhttps://www.wsj.com/world/middle-east/assads-rule-collapses-in-syria-raising-concerns-of-a-vacuum-95568f13https://www.nytimes.com/2024/12/02/world/middleeast/syria-rebels-hts-who-what.htmlhttps://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/2024/12/07/syria-rebels-biden-intelligence-islamists/https://apnews.com/article/turkey-syria-insurgents-explainer-kurds-ypg-refugees-f60dc859c7843569124282ea750f1477https://apnews.com/article/israel-hamas-war-gaza-lebanon-news-7-december-2024-53419e23991cfc14a7857c82f49eb26fhttps://apnews.com/article/syria-assad-sweida-daraa-homs-hts-qatar-816e538565d1ae47e016b5765b044d31https://www.nytimes.com/2024/12/08/world/middleeast/syria-damascus-eyewitness-assad.htmlhttps://www.nytimes.com/article/syria-civil-war-rebels.htmlhttps://www.nytimes.com/live/2024/12/08/world/syria-war-damascushttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ba%27ath_Partyhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1963_Syrian_coup_d%27%C3%A9tathttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hafez_al-Assadhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Syrian_revolutionhttps://www.cfr.org/article/syrias-civil-warhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Syrian_civil_warhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bashar_al-Assadhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fenethyllinehttps://carnegieendowment.org/research/2024/07/border-traffic-how-syria-uses-captagon-to-gain-leverage-over-saudi-arabia?lang=enhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Northwestern_Syria_offensive_(December_2019_%E2%80%93_March_2020)https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2024_Syrian_opposition_offensiveshttps://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c8j99447gj1ohttps://apnews.com/article/syria-assad-rebels-war-israel-a8ecceee72a66f4d7e6168d6a21b8dc9https://www.nytimes.com/live/2024/12/09/world/syria-assad-rebelshttps://www.nytimes.com/2024/12/09/world/middleeast/israel-assad-syria.htmlhttps://apnews.com/article/iran-mideast-proxy-forces-syria-analysis-c853bf613a6d6af7f6aa99b2e60984f8https://www.nytimes.com/2024/12/09/briefing/irans-very-bad-year.htmlhttps://apnews.com/article/syria-hts-assad-aleppo-fighting-2be43ee530b7932b123a0f26b158ac22https://apnews.com/article/syria-insurgents-aleppo-iran-russia-turkey-abff93e4f415ebfd827d49b1a90818e8https://www.nytimes.com/2024/12/06/world/middleeast/syria-rebels-hama-homs.htmlhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Syrian_civil_warhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arab_Spring This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit letsknowthings.substack.com/subscribe

On Sunday, Syrian rebels led by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) made its final march on the Syrian capital of Damascus. The rebels had already claimed the major cities of Aleppo, Hama and Homs. In a matter of hours and with little violence, Syrian government forces abandoned their posts and HTS claimed victory. Syrian President Bashar al-Assad fled the country and has been granted asylum in Russia.After more than five decades, Syria is no longer under the rule of the Assad dynasty. And the region is transformed forever. But as people rejoice across Syria – what's left is immense uncertainty about the future of the country's government and its place in the region.We get to the latest and look to the future for both Syria and the Middle East.Want to support 1A? Give to your local public radio station and subscribe to this podcast. Have questions? Connect with us. Listen to 1A sponsor-free by signing up for 1A+ at plus.npr.org/the1a.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

The latest reports from Syria say Islamist rebels are closing in on the centre of the city of Homs - as they continue their advance to Damascus. On this programme we will hear from the Syrian opposition as well as the UN envoy Geir Pederson.Also on the programme: The singer Angelique Kidjo on the re-dedication of the Notre Dame cathedral in Pais.(Picture: A member of the Syrian opposition stands at an entrance to the Hama governorate on the Damascus-Aleppo International Highway, Syria. Credit: MOHAMMED AL RIFAI/EPA-EFE/REX/Shutterstock)

A manhunt is underway in New York City for the killing of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson. He was shot and killed on a busy Midtown Manhattan street in a targeted early morning attack.And despite saying that he wouldn't do so, President Joe Biden pardoned his son, Hunter, this week for federal crimes.Also this week, South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol declared martial law. The move was rejected by the parliament and reversed by the president six hours later. His political future hangs in limbo. And rebel groups now control significant parts of the Syrian cities of Aleppo and Hama, forcing government forces to retreat. Want to support 1A? Give to your local public radio station and subscribe to this podcast. Have questions? Connect with us. Listen to 1A sponsor-free by signing up for 1A+ at plus.npr.org/the1a.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Danny and Derek once again combine powers to find that they have none. This week: an update on the "ceasefire" in Lebanon (0:29); the situation in Syria progresses as rebels take Hama (4:38); in Israel-Palestine, Amnesty accuses Israel of genocide (12:34) as parties make another push for a ceasefire (14:27); South Korea's President Yoon (briefly) declares martial law (17:05); the Zamzam displacement camp is shelled in Sudan (19:59); Chad's government breaks a military agreement with France (21:46); in Ukraine, Zelenskyy broaches territorial concessions, but demands NATO membership in return (24:53); the Barnier government in France falls in a no confidence vote (27:49); NATO makes a new push to ramp up defense spending amidst concerns over sabotage (30:48); and President Biden makes his first (and last) trip to Africa (34:21). Be sure to check out our special on South Korea with Eun A Jo.

Rebel forces in Syria are bearing down on the city of Homs, a vital link between the capital, Damascus, and the Assad regime's coastal stronghold. We hear from a Christian priest in the coastal city of Latakia.Also in the programme: Romania's top court annuls the results of the first round of the presidential election, after the surprise victory of an unknown far-right nationalist; and Notre Dame cathedral in Paris is reborn after a devastating fire five years ago.(IMAGE: Opposition fighters pose for a selfie in front of a Syrian government building after they entered the city of Hama, Syria, 06 December 2024 / CREDIT: Bilal al Hammoud/EPA-EFE/REX/Shutterstock)

Your daily news in under thre Your daily news in under three minutes. At Al Jazeera Podcasts, we want to hear from you, our listeners. So, please head to https://www.aljazeera.com/survey and tell us your thoughts about this show and other Al Jazeera podcasts. It only takes a few minutes! Connect with us: @AJEPodcasts on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook

Your daily news in under three minutes. At Al Jazeera Podcasts, we want to hear from you, our listeners. So, please head to https://www.aljazeera.com/survey and tell us your thoughts about this show and other Al Jazeera podcasts. It only takes a few minutes! Connect with us: @AJEPodcasts on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook

Islamist rebels celebrate the capture of the Syrian city of Hama. Also: US Police search for the gunman who shot dead a health insurance boss on the streets of New York, and a faster way to predict the weather.

The Syrian army says it's withdrawn from the city of Hama after intense clashes. Also: health workers in Sierra Leone will be among the first to receive an Ebola vaccine, as part of a nationwide campaign.

Syrian anti-government insurgents claim they have entered the city of Hama — a major Syrian government stronghold.This continues their momentum over the last week, when they also seized Syria's second largest city, Aleppo. Since the war started in 2011, half a million people have been killed and many millions of others displaced.The Syrian Civil War has been locked in a stalemate for years. Now, rebel forces are gaining ground against the oppressive regime of Bashar al-Assad. Will the group ultimately end his control over the country?For sponsor-free episodes of Consider This, sign up for Consider This+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org.Email us at considerthis@npr.org.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

It's an EmMajority Report Thursday! She speaks with John Carl Baker, director of programs at Ploughshares, to discuss the ongoing political unrest in South Korea. Then, she speaks with Giorgio Cafiero, CEO of Gulf State Analytics & adjunct assistant professor at Georgetown University, to discuss the recent developments in Syria after rebel forces entered Aleppo. First, Emma runs through updates on the search for the UnitedHealthcare CEO's killer, SCOTUS' oral arguments on Tennessee's ban on trans care for minors, Memphis Police discrimination, Trump's elite-led cabinet, questions about Tulsi Gabbard's loyalties, Pete Hegseth's myriad embarrassments, Israel's genocide in Gaza, Trump's legal woes, and the future of Democratic leadership, before parsing a little deeper through yesterday's oral arguments for US v. Skrmetti in front of the Supreme Court, and the fear that they might uphold Tennessee's violently transphobic policy. John Carl Baker then joins, diving right into a step-by-step breakdown of how South Korean President Yoon's attempt (and failure) to declare and enforce martial law last Tuesday developed, beginning with his declaration and assembling of soldiers and police around the National Assembly, through the rampant protests to allow legislatures to enter the assembly to vote down Yoon's attempted coup, and to the overwhelming 190-0 (in an assembly of 300) veto of the President's martial law. After briefly touching on the limited vocal support for Yoon from among his conservative allies, Baker steps back to explore the history of South Korea's conservative ties to dictatorship, beginning with Japan's brutal 30-year occupation of Korea through the end of the Second World War – an occupation bolstered by cooperation and support from conservative, capitalist, and right-wing Koreans – and through the sequential regimes of Chon Doo-hwan and Park Chung-hee from the 1960s-80s, with Park Geun-hye (daughter of Chung-hee) even rising to the Presidency just a decade ago only to be impeached over her corrupt practices, also unpacking the continued prevalence of authoritarian strains within the South Korean right over the last century. He and Emma then look at the non-coup-related failures of Yoon's regime that created both his overwhelming unpopularity and the strong opposition he sought to undermine via coup, wrapping up the interview by unpacking the role of the US in backing Yoon's regime, and what the ideal future of US-Korean relations would look like to the Korean electorate. Professor Giorgio Cafiero then joins, first running through updates on the recent sweeping offensives by Syrian rebels, successfully taking both Aleppo and Hama from the Assad regime, before taking a sharp step back as he walks us through the evolution of the 13-year Civil War, beginning with the Arab spring and spurring the intervention of myriad regional and international actors, through the 2015 intensification of conflict at the hand of increased Russian support for Assad and Iranian-backed groups, and to the lull in tensions that started in 2020, only to break this past week. After parsing through the more specific history of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, and the deep and complex ties between the Syrian and Iranian regimes, Emma and Professor Cafiero tackle the prevalent role of external conflicts in how the impact of these Syrian Rebel conquests will unfold, with Iran's involvement in Hezbollah's conflict with Israel and Russia's ongoing invasion of Ukraine giving two major parties conflicting interests. Cafiero expands on the precarious state of the Syrian state at this moment, looking both at what that means for a potential (however brief) lull in conflict and for the future of the Syrian government, before wrapping up with the ongoing role of Israeli relations in shaping Middle Eastern politics. And in the Fun Half: Emma is joined by Brandon Sutton and Matt Binder as they listen to Eddie from Fort Worth's Stetson Kennedy recommendations, talk with Gary from North Carolina about the divide between Trump voters and down-ballot GOP voters, and admire Jane Fonda's performance on Bill Maher. Meg from Seattle unpacks the harrowing and life-threatening impacts of repressive reproductive care, and Megyn Kelly aids in the attempted resuscitation of Pete Hegseth's potential career, plus, your calls and IM! 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The loss of Hama is a major blow to President Assad's forces as rebels continue to advance across the country. Video footage showed insurgents parading through the streets and firing guns in celebration. We hear the latest from our correspondent in the region and ask Middle East expert Julien Barnes-Darcy how worried President Assad should be in the capital, Damascus.Also in the programme: President Macron addresses the people of France amid political turmoil. And we hear from Mick Mulvaney, former acting chief of staff in President Trump's White House.(Photo: A rebel fighter stands atop a military vehicle in northwestern Idlib province, Syria, 1 December, 2024. Credit: REUTERS/Mahmoud Hassano)

Rebels dealt another blow to the Syrian government by capturing a city in the center of the country. Opposition forces took control of Hama, one of the few cities that remained largely under government control since the civil war started in 2011. The northern city of Aleppo fell earlier this week as the opposition launched a major operation against the regime of Bashar al-Assad. John Yang reports. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

Impeachment looms for South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol, whose declaration of martial law spurred mass protests; French lawmakers passed the first no-confidence vote in more than sixty years, as the country is set to mark the the reopening of Notre Dame cathedral; Syrian rebels continue a surprise offensive against President Bashar al-Assad's regime after seizing the cities of Aleppo and Hama; and U.S. President-Elect Donald Trump threatens 100 percent tariffs on BRICS nations.   Mentioned on the Podcast   Steven A. Cook, “What Syria's Revived Civil War Means for the Region,” CFR.org   John Deluray, “Martial Law in South Korea,” CFR.org   Sarah Jeong, “Six Hours Under Martial Law in Seoul,” The Verge   Brad W. Setser, X   For an episode transcript and show notes, visit The World Next Week at: https://www.cfr.org/podcasts/twnw/turmoil-south-korea-french-government-collapses-syrian-rebels-reignite-conflict-and-more 

Plus: The Syrian government said it was pulling military forces from the city of Hama following fierce fighting with rebels. The combined wealth of U.S. billionaires grew by about 28% last year, to $5.8 trillion, according to UBS. J.R. Whalen reports. Sign up for the WSJ's free What's News newsletter.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

//The Wire//2300Z December 5, 2024////ROUTINE////BLUF: CALIFORNIA EXPERIENCES TSUNAMI SCARE DUE TO SUBSTANTIAL EARTHQUAKE OFF THE COAST. CHINESE CYBER INCIDENTS HIGHLIGHT TELECOM VULNERABILITIES. SYRIAN REBELS CAPTURE HAMA.// -----BEGIN TEARLINE------International Events-Syria: On the southern front, rebel forces have taken the city of Hama, and have begun the southern push toward Homs. On the eastern front HTS has made a rapid advance to the Upper Euphrates River Valley, reaching Lake Assad overnight.AC: HTS and other rebel forces have been able to take significant ground, while the Syrian Army has largely ceded most of their terrain to the rebel advance. In most areas, HTS has encountered little resistance from the Syrian Army. Russian forces have offered up varying levels of resistance to HTS operations, with some reports claiming significant Russian retaliatory bombings (such as in Aleppo), but other reports indicating Russian forces largely withdrawing without a shot being fired. At the moment, the Russian naval base of Tartus is very much in danger of being cut-off from Damascus by land.France: Following a vote of no-confidence yesterday, Prime Minister Michel Barnier has been ousted from his position. As of this morning, PM Barnier became the shortest-serving PM in French history by resigning his post which he was appointed to only in September. AC: To highlight Barnier's unpopularity, both the far-left and far-right factions in government united to oust him for their disapproval of his handling of the budget, making his removal the only successful no-confidence vote in France since 1962. -HomeFront-California: This afternoon a Tsunami Warning was issued for the coast of northern California due to a 7.3 magnitude earthquake that struck the region. In response to the tsunami threat, the mass evacuation of millions of people was ordered, with limited success. After some time, the Warning was canceled, with no tsunami being reported due to the earthquake. AC: Considering the sheer number of people that live directly within the high-tsunami-risk areas in California, the chances of a mass evacuation being successful in the little time allotted were always minimal. However the attempt was made, and mass traffic gridlock was reported before the Tsunami Warning was cancelled.Washington D.C. – During ongoing investigations into the incidents surrounding the inadequacies of the US Secret Service to protect Donald Trump, Director Ronald Rowe appeared to have a psychological episode during his testimony before Congress. While being questioned by Congressman Pat Fallon, a shouting match erupted between Congressman Fallon and Director Rowe, which began rather suddenly without much warning. As Congressman Fallon was asking Rowe about a photograph of Rowe which was taken at a 9/11 memorial (where Rowe was on-the-job in an official USSS capacity on protective detail), Rowe began rambling about his role in the actual 9/11 attack itself, which immediately devolved into a shouting match between himself and the Congressman.AC: Shouting at an elected official who represents the people who sign one's paycheck demonstrates a rather interesting perspective of job security. Regardless of political party, Director Rowe, was not shouting at a suit in Washington…he was shouting at the American taxpayer who demands accountability. Either way, this incident is yet another in a long list of indications of what the American political system has become, and also demonstrates the very serious problems within the agency. A Director who is mentally unwell or has anger issues to the point that he can't even control himself while answering basic questions about his job (a job which involves the use of lethal force) is probably a more practical indicator of how serious the problems within the USSS are than any other Congressional testimony.USA: This morning, vario

In this episode of The President's Daily Brief: An update on the fragile ceasefire between Hezbollah and Israel, which is already showing signs of strain just one week after being brokered. A report from Syria, where insurgents have captured four new towns as they advance toward the central city of Hama, with intense fighting continuing between rebels and government forces. Details on the U.S.'s latest $725 million military aid package to Ukraine, aimed at bolstering the nation's defense as its troops are urged to hold on and wait for a potential shift in U.S. policy under President-elect Trump. And in today's Back of the Brief: surprising revelations from a meeting between President-elect Trump and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, where Trump floated the idea of Canada becoming the 51st state. To listen to the show ad-free, become a premium member of The President's Daily Brief by visiting PDBPremium.com. Please remember to subscribe if you enjoyed this episode of The President's Daily Brief. YouTube: youtube.com/@presidentsdailybrief Patriot Gold: Call 1-888-870-5457 for a free investor guide. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

//The Wire//2300Z December 4, 2024////ROUTINE////BLUF: SITUATION IN SOUTH KOREA SOMEWHAT STABILIZED AS DEVELOPMENTS CONTINUE. UNITED HEALTHCARE CEO ASSASSINATED IN NYC. HAMA IN DANGER OF ENCIRCLEMENT IN SYRIA.// -----BEGIN TEARLINE------International Events-Syria: Rebel forces continue their assault on Hama as Russian forces continue to lose terrain and equipment. This morning, rebel forces allegedly photographed the capture of a Podlet K1 radar system in Hama, which is used in conjunction with S300/S400 air defense systems. AC: By this afternoon, it appears that Hama may be close to becoming encircled by rebel forces, with the only point of egress to the south of the city becoming threatened by HTS forces which have pushed south from the east and west of the city in a classic pincer movement throughout the day.South Korea: The impacts from yesterday's events continues to be felt throughout Seoul as lawmakers begin impeachment proceedings against President Yoon. So far, the military situation has reached a point of stability, though it is uncertain as to who has been arrested so far.-HomeFront-New York: The CEO of United Healthcare Brian Thompson was assassinated this morning by an unknown assailant on the sidewalk outside of the Hilton Midtown hotel. The assassin remains at large. AC: Of note, this incident appears to be a more professional assassination and not an incident of random street crime.-----END TEARLINE-----Analyst Comments: The additional details that have become public during yesterday's rapid-pace of events in South Korea have been interesting. In typical South Korean fashion, the situation has mostly been a rollercoaster of events, with many power-players changing perspectives and positions in rapid order. The coup-that-never-was continues to be a series of exceptionally strange events that do not adhere to the normally-observed characteristics of a full-blown military coup.Militarily speaking, the exact military units that took part in the failed coup attempt remain unidentified. Following the high-tensions in the morning, throughout the day other unidentified military forces were observed outside the homes of prominent opposition politicians as well as many journalists. Separately, several RoK defense officials stated that they had no idea what was happening at the time, and only heard of the activities at the National Assembly Building from the local news broadcasts.This could indicate several possibilities that are usually inherent to similar coup attempts such as this one. For one, many of the generals who were indeed supportive of Yoon during this crisis will undoubtedly remain silent now that Yoon's attempt failed. On the other hand, compared to the actual size of South Korea's military, and the speed at which events transpired, it is very likely that most of the military (probably to include many senior leaders) actually did not know what was happening, and therefore had no hand in any of this.Additional details complicate the involvement of military forces. For instance, some of the teams that breached the windows and gained entry into the National Assembly Building appeared to have been outfitted with weapons that were for training purposes. Specifically, some citizens were able to photograph the configuration of some of the soldiers' weapons, which indicated that at least several of them were outfitted with training bolts. This means that in at least some cases, soldiers were incapable of firing live rounds, but rather outfitted in a training role. Other soldiers were observed to have no magazines in their sidearms as well.This detail complicates the picture significantly, with a few possibilities remaining plausible. The deployment of troops to the National Assembly Building could have been a very dangerous bluff, with the soldiers never really intending to militarily overthrow anyone, but rathe

South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol issued a surprise televised announcement overnight imposing martial law, saying "North Korean forces" needed to be eradicated. Lawmakers quickly acted to cancel the emergency declaration, but the bitter political divide in the country remains unresolved. Also, a coalition of rebel forces in Syria is continuing its advance after capturing Aleppo, making its way through towns and villages toward the central city of Hama. And, a court in Vietnam upholds the death penalty for property tycoon Truong My Lan following her April conviction for embezzlement and bribery amounting to $12.5 billion. Plus, an aging population across Japan is redefining what it means to work.Listen to today's Music Heard on Air.We're thankful for listeners like you who power our newsroom! Donate today to keep The World fully powered all year long.

Over the past week, Syrian opposition fighters have seized control of Aleppo and advanced further south towards Hama. This unexpected move has reignited what was largely a frozen conflict. In response, the Syrian Army, with support from Russia and reportedly, Iraqi militias, has intensified bombing campaigns on opposition-held areas. So, what's next for Syria's war? In this episode: Qutaiba Idlbi (@Qidlbi), Director of Syria Initiative at The Atlantic Council Episode credits: This episode was produced by Ashish Malhotra and Amy Walters with Sarí el-Khalili, Hagir Saleh, Duha Mosaad, Cole Van Miltenberg, and our host, Natasha Del Toro, in for Malika Bilal. Our sound designer is Alex Roldan. Our video editor is Hisham Abu Salah. Alexandra Locke is The Take's executive producer. Ney Alvarez is Al Jazeera's head of audio. Connect with us: @AJEPodcasts on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, Threads and YouTube

//The Wire//2200Z December 3, 2024////ROUTINE////BLUF: MARTIAL LAW DECLARED IN SOUTH KOREA, PRESIDENT DEPLOYS MILITARY THROUGHOUT SEOUL BEFORE PARLIAMENT NULLIFIES ORDER. SYRIAN REBEL FORCES CAPTURE ALEPPO, PIVOT SOUTH TOWARD HAMA.// -----BEGIN TEARLINE------International Events-Syria: Opposition forces have completely taken the city of Aleppo, which largely remains under the control of opposition forces comprising of HTS, ISIS, and various other smaller al-Qaeda splinter groups. Syrian governmental forces largely have offered little resistance to the advance, which has continued to push south toward Hama. Fighting has now reached the suburbs of Hama, where the Syrian Army and Russia have mounted varying levels of defense.Korean Peninsula: This morning President Yoon Suk-yeol declared martial law throughout South Korea and immediately ordered the suspension of Parliament and the deployment of military forces in Seoul. Immediately following this declaration, many events occurred in very short order. As military forces surrounded Parliament and entered the building with the goal of shutting down proceedings, legislators called an Emergency Session to conduct a snap vote to nullify the martial law declaration.While Members of Parliament were climbing over barricades and using other means to gain access to the main voting hall of the National Assembly Building, soldiers encircled the building, with a large complement of military and police taking up position at the main entrance on the south side of the building. A detachment of unidentified soldiers (likely a Quick Reaction Force (QRF) from the RoK Army Special Warfare Command) were observed breaching the exterior windows of the Assembly Building to gain entry as at least 3x UH-60 helicopters established an aerial presence over the structure (possibly intending to conduct an Air Assault to fast-rope soldiers onto the roof of the building, but more likely to provide transportation for other QRF elements that deployed to the Assembly complex).As armed soldiers were in the hallway outside the main chamber attempting to break through and/or bypass the barricades hastily constructed by Parliamentary staffers, the vote to nullify the martial law order passed unanimously, with 190 Members of Parliament who were able to vote supporting the reversal of the martial law declaration. Zero MPs voted to continue the state of martial law. Following the vote, the Speaker was able to convince the soldiers to depart from the building. A few minutes after the vote, military forces began withdrawing from the interior of the National Assembly Building, with most forces remaining in the vicinity while the details of command were being worked out.Per South Korean law, the vote to nullify the state of marital law does not actually do so in practice, President Yoon is still required to issue the stand-down order himself. The vote in Parliament merely forces the President to issue the recension order. Consequently, Parliament announced that they will not leave the building until the order is rescinded by Yoon. Though the initial confrontations have simmered down, President Yoon has not been seen or heard from since the order was issued around midnight, and military spokesmen have indicated that they will not fully stand down without the order from Yoon himself. A few moments ago, rumors indicated that Yoon may issue the order to withdraw tomorrow.However, several hours after the initial scuffle at the National Assembly Building, some reports suggested that military forces had indeed decided to follow their original orders as issued by President Yoon, which included arresting the leaders of Yoon's opposition movement in Parliament: Lee Jae-myung, Han Dong-hoon, and Woo Won-sik. Earlier in the day, Lee Jae-myung had filmed himself stating that President Yoon was no longer President due to his actions. At the moment it is not clear

//The Wire//2300Z December 2, 2024////ROUTINE////BLUF: ALEPPO OFFENSIVE CONTINUES, ADDITIONAL AXIS OF ADVANCE OPENS TOWARDS HAMA. HUNTER BIDEN PARDONED. TENUOUS CEASEFIRE IN LEBANON COLLAPSES.// -----BEGIN TEARLINE------International Events-Syria: The advance on Aleppo continues, with rebel forces (mostly HTS) now controlling most of the western half of the city. The airport in Aleppo is also now controlled by rebel forces, to include a few major Syrian Army (SAA) depots and the complement of fighter aircraft that were abandoned by the Army as the airport was being overrun.Over the weekend, a separate axis of advance was observed maneuvering toward Hama, another major city just north of Homs. This southern advance now threatens the logistical corridor used by the Russian Naval base in Tartus, Russia's only direct access point for the Mediterranean Sea that does not involve going through the Turkish Straits.Lebanon: The ceasefire has collapsed following targeting in Lebanon this afternoon. Today, Hezbollah launched two rockets toward Israeli positions, prompting Israel to renew aerial targeting efforts. AC: Both sides claim the other broke the ceasefire first; Hezbollah claims their rockets were the retaliation for earlier Israeli targeting, while Israel omits any previous targeting that they have conducted after the ceasefire was brokered.-HomeFront-Washington D.C. – Yesterday afternoon President Biden pardoned his son Hunter for any and all crimes he has committed from January 1, 2014 until December 1, 2024. This afternoon the White House confirmed that this will not be the only pardon issued by President Biden before leaving office, and that other pardons are currently in the works.Also in Washington, this morning mainstream media (citing unnamed sources) have claimed that the United States is preparing another $725 million aid package to Ukraine, which allegedly includes military aid in the form of Anti-Personnel Landmines (APLs).Florida: Controversy has erupted following some of the more contentious cabinet appointment choices that Donald Trump has announced as his administration takes shape. Over the weekend the incoming Trump administration announced the nomination of Florida Sheriff Chad Chronister to lead the DEA. AC: Chronister has gained infamy over the years for his draconian policies during the COVID era, which included the arrest of a local pastor who dared to hold Church services in violation of social-distancing orders. Chronister is also a supporter of transgender ideology (and law enforcement taking part in it via various social events celebrating social degeneracy), and has been a champion of DEI initiatives, to include the early release of violent criminals who have gone on to immediately reoffend.-----END TEARLINE-----Analyst Comments: Online, the reaction to Hunter Biden's pardon has been mixed. Most people seem to be reflecting on the hypocrisy of Joe Biden pardoning a family member when he explicitly stated that he would not do that, while many others have taken the perspective that Biden's act was a respectable one. However, for those equating Biden's act as one of a father doing anything to save his son, one detail might derail that wholesome thought. Hunter's pardon was a blanket amnesty, covering anything Hunter might have done over a period of 11 years. Considering the potential crimes that he may have committed that we will never even know about (because no investigation will ever be conducted now), this distinction is important and has a wider range of implications than a simple case of corruption. For instance, if we were to find out that Hunter Biden was the kingpin of the Epstein human trafficking network, he's already been pardoned for it. Though no one actually expects any member of society's elite to actually serve a sentence for a crime they have committed, by issuing a blanket pardon the inve

The tenth chapter begins with a comparison between two different types of documents - a regular one (pashut) and one that has folds (mekushar). The differences include the number of witnesses required and where they sign. Several verses are brought to find a source for these two documents and their differences in the Torah and in Yirmiyahu. However, since these verses can be explained in another manner, the Gemara concludes that these differences are rabbinic and are merely connected to verses as an asmachta. The get mekushar was instituted in a particular place where many kohanim lived who were known to be short-tempered and would decide in a moment of anger to divorce their wives. Since kohanim cannot remarry their wife after divorcing her, the rabbis instituted a takana that the kohanim would need to give their wives a get mekushar, which is very time-consuming. This would buy time so they could calm down from their anger and hopefully decide not to divorce their wives. Rav Huna and Rav Yirmia bar Abba debate where the witnesses sign on a get mekushar, either between the folds or on the back of the document opposite the writing. Rami bar Hama asked about Rav Huna's opinion, why are we not concerned that someone will add words to the text below after the witnesses sign.

Russia has been aiding the Syrian air force to carry out intensive airstrikes in Idlib and Hama provinces. The strikes come after rebel forces in the north of the country launched their rapid offensive, taking the city of Aleppo, earlier this week. We speak to a member of the volunteer civil defence group, known as the White Helmets, who are scrambling to respond to the bombings.Also in the programme: Huge protests continue in Georgia despite the prime minister appearing to row back on his unpopular pledge to suspend EU accession efforts; and Belgium becomes the first country to give legally enforceable labour rights to sex workers.(Picture: White Helmets members work at the scene of what the organisation says is a strike in Idlib. Credit: White Helmets handout/Reuters)

Syria's president Bashar al Assad has promised to defeat those he described as terrorists and their backers, in his first public comments since a blistering rebel offensive began four days ago. Mr Assad said he would do so with help from his allies. The Jihadist-led forces have retaken swathes of land from his regime's troops, including much of Aleppo and are now reported to be approaching the city of Hama.Also on the programme: we hear from Georgia's president Salome Zourabichvili amid the third night of anti-government protests; and will the buzz surrounding Gladiator II and Wicked help to turn around the film industry's fortunes?(Picture: Syrian opposition fighters tear up a portrait of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in central Aleppo. Credit: Karam Al-Masri/EPA-EFE/REX/Shutterstock)