<p>The high winds of Storm Darragh emerged as challenging conditions for pilots who took over the duty of flying in it and landing the aeroplanes at Heathrow Airport on Saturday morning (Dec 07).</p>

<p>Various planes were forced to perform go-arounds and other planes were seen straightening up before making a touchdown safely.</p>

<p><strong>Also Read:&nbsp;</strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/two-killed-thousands-of-homes-without-power-as-storm-darragh-batters-uk-782411">Two killed, thousands of homes without power as Storm Darragh batters UK</a></p>

<p>Because of the storm, there have been multiple disruptions around the country as roads, railways, and airports remain affected. Thousands of people were also left without power, as per the National Grid.</p>

<h2><strong>Video of wobbly landings of planes goes viral</strong></h2>

<p>A camera was stationed by BigJetTV just outside the airport, in which the wobbly landings of dozens of flights were documented amid fierce gusts that neared 50 mph.</p>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Storm Darragh causing problems at LHR a few minutes ago.<br />
I mean, how would yer pants be if you were on this aircraft?!! <a href="https://t.co/YzsCOKy8pa">pic.twitter.com/YzsCOKy8pa</a></p>
— Michael Volpe OBE (@NoisyMV) <a href="https://twitter.com/NoisyMV/status/1865701353932136565?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 8, 2024</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Another Whoahhhh moment during Storm Darragh yesterday 😬💨<br />
<br />
📹 <a href="https://twitter.com/airlinerslive?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@airlinerslive</a> <a href="https://t.co/V70rT0oS5Z">pic.twitter.com/V70rT0oS5Z</a></p>
— Volcaholic 🌋 (@volcaholic1) <a href="https://twitter.com/volcaholic1/status/1865786280946098300?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 8, 2024</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

<p>In the hair-raising footage, pilots were seen trying to keep the aeroplane steady as they made the final approach.Some of them had to abort the landings while others went for a second attempt.</p>

<h2>All about Storm Darragh&nbsp;</h2>

<p>In the storm, at least two people were&nbsp;killed in England, and nearly 600,000 people between Ireland, England and Wales were left without power.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Watch:&nbsp;Storm Darragh's Fury: Storm Darragh Batters UK &amp; Ireland</strong></p>

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/storm-darraghs-fury-storm-darragh-batters-uk-ireland-782368/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

<p>At Wales’ Capel Curig, gusts had reached 93 mph, 70 mph in Dublin, 62 mph in Belfast, and 92 mph in Aberdaron.</p>

<p>Electricity connections were disrupted in more than 259,000 houses after their roofs were ripped and trees were cut down across the country following the 'risk-to-life' alert of the government.</p>

<p>Storm Darragh also hammered the coastline of Cornwall, and kiosks on the pier at Llandudno in North Wales were knocked over.</p>

<p>The Met Office had issued a hazard warning at 1 am on Saturday (Dec. 7).</p>

<p>In the worst-hit areas of Northern Ireland, residents were asked to stay indoors on the western coasts of Wales and England.&nbsp;</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>


The high winds of Storm Darragh emerged as challenging conditions for pilots who took over the duty of flying in it and landing the aeroplanes at Heathrow Airport on Saturday morning (Dec 07).

The high winds of Storm Darragh emerged as challenging conditions for pilots who took over the duty of flying in it and landing the aeroplanes at Heathrow Airport on Saturday morning (Dec 07). Various planes were forced to perform go-arounds and other planes were seen straightening up before making a touchdown safely. Also Read: Two killed, thousands of homes without power as Storm Darragh batters UK Because of the storm, there have been multiple disruptions around the country as roads, railways, and airports remain affected. Thousands of people were also left without power, as per the National Grid. Video of wobbly landings of planes goes viral A camera was stationed by BigJetTV just outside the airport, in which the wobbly landings of dozens of flights were documented amid fierce gusts that neared 50 mph. Storm Darragh causing problems at LHR a few minutes ago. I mean, how would yer pants be if you were on this aircraft?!! pic.twitter.com/YzsCOKy8pa — Michael Volpe OBE (@NoisyMV) December 8, 2024 × Another Whoahhhh moment during Storm Darragh yesterday 😬💨 📹 @airlinerslive pic.twitter.com/V70rT0oS5Z — Volcaholic 🌋 (@volcaholic1) December 8, 2024 × In the hair-raising footage, pilots were seen trying to keep the aeroplane steady as they made the final approach.Some of them had to abort the landings while others went for a second attempt. All about Storm Darragh In the storm, at least two people were killed in England, and nearly 600,000 people between Ireland, England and Wales were left without power. Watch: Storm Darragh's Fury: Storm Darragh Batters UK & Ireland At Wales’ Capel Curig, gusts had reached 93 mph, 70 mph in Dublin, 62 mph in Belfast, and 92 mph in Aberdaron. Electricity connections were disrupted in more than 259,000 houses after their roofs were ripped and trees were cut down across the country following the 'risk-to-life' alert of the government. Storm Darragh also hammered the coastline of Cornwall, and kiosks on the pier at Llandudno in North Wales were knocked over. The Met Office had issued a hazard warning at 1 am on Saturday (Dec. 7). In the worst-hit areas of Northern Ireland, residents were asked to stay indoors on the western coasts of Wales and England. (With inputs from agencies)

Watch: Plane wobbles scarily while landing at Heathrow airport amid Storm Darragh

<p>An overseas travel ban was imposed on South Korea's President Yoon Suk Yeol by the authorities a week after his botched imposition of martial law, which pushed the democracy of the country into chaos.</p>

<p>The ban has been imposed to investigate President Yoon&nbsp;as prosecutors continue to weigh possible insurrection charges against him.</p>

<p>On Saturday (Dec. 7), Yoon was able to survive an impeachment vote in the parliament. However, now he is facing a travel ban, which was confirmed by the Corruption Investigation Office on Monday (Dec. 9).</p>

<p>Yoon's party had earlier said that they would seek the resignation of the president and appealed to him to remain suspended from duties for protecting the country from “grave danger.”</p>

<p><strong>Also Read:</strong>&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/nearly-150000-people-protesting-outside-south-korea-parliament-demanding-presidents-resignation-782264">Nearly 150,000 people protest outside South Korea parliament asking Yoon to quit as impeachment fails</a></p>

<p>During a parliamentary hearing, a lawmaker asked if President Yoon would be banned from travelling abroad. In reply, the immigration services commissioner at the Ministry of Justice, Bae Sang-up, said, "Yes, that's right."</p>

<p>Earlier, the head of the corruption investigation agency had said that he had asked the&nbsp;investigators to seek a travel ban on Yoon.</p>

<h2><strong>Why is Yoon facing a ban on foreign travel?</strong></h2>

<p>Last week, Yoon declared martial law in the country while stating that he was trying to get rid of the "pro-North Korean forces" in the country, which pushed South Korea into political turmoil.&nbsp;</p>

<p>In no time, armed soldiers were seen marching on the streets of the capital and surrounding the parliament.</p>

<p>In the next few hours, the president faced immense political pressure and was forced to reverse the decree. Later, Yoon apologised for his actions but did not resign.</p>

<p><strong>Watch:&nbsp;South Korea Faces Political Turmoil &amp; Economic Challenges</strong></p>

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/south-korea-faces-political-turmoil-economic-challenges-782591/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

<p>“This emergency martial law declaration stemmed from my desperation as the ultimate responsible party for state affairs,” said Yoon in his two-minute address.</p>

<p>Opposition parties&nbsp;tried to impeach the president&nbsp;but failed to do so after the floor vote was boycotted by most ruling party lawmakers.</p>

<p>The People Power Party (PPP) said that they had blocked the motion&nbsp;to avoid "severe division and chaos" and added that it would "resolve this crisis in a more orderly and responsible manner."</p>

<p>The travel ban on President Yoon was imposed at a time when the commander of&nbsp;South Korea’s&nbsp;special forces apologised for instructing his troops to enter parliament after the declaration of martial law.</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>


An overseas travel ban was imposed on South Korea's President Yoon Suk Yeol by the authorities a week after his botched imposition of martial law, which pushed the democracy of the country into chaos.

An overseas travel ban was imposed on South Korea's President Yoon Suk Yeol by the authorities a week after his botched imposition of martial law, which pushed the democracy of the country into chaos. The ban has been imposed to investigate President Yoon as prosecutors continue to weigh possible insurrection charges against him. On Saturday (Dec. 7), Yoon was able to survive an impeachment vote in the parliament. However, now he is facing a travel ban, which was confirmed by the Corruption Investigation Office on Monday (Dec. 9). Yoon's party had earlier said that they would seek the resignation of the president and appealed to him to remain suspended from duties for protecting the country from “grave danger.” Also Read: Nearly 150,000 people protest outside South Korea parliament asking Yoon to quit as impeachment fails During a parliamentary hearing, a lawmaker asked if President Yoon would be banned from travelling abroad. In reply, the immigration services commissioner at the Ministry of Justice, Bae Sang-up, said, "Yes, that's right." Earlier, the head of the corruption investigation agency had said that he had asked the investigators to seek a travel ban on Yoon. Why is Yoon facing a ban on foreign travel? Last week, Yoon declared martial law in the country while stating that he was trying to get rid of the "pro-North Korean forces" in the country, which pushed South Korea into political turmoil. In no time, armed soldiers were seen marching on the streets of the capital and surrounding the parliament. In the next few hours, the president faced immense political pressure and was forced to reverse the decree. Later, Yoon apologised for his actions but did not resign. Watch: South Korea Faces Political Turmoil & Economic Challenges “This emergency martial law declaration stemmed from my desperation as the ultimate responsible party for state affairs,” said Yoon in his two-minute address. Opposition parties tried to impeach the president but failed to do so after the floor vote was boycotted by most ruling party lawmakers. The People Power Party (PPP) said that they had blocked the motion to avoid "severe division and chaos" and added that it would "resolve this crisis in a more orderly and responsible manner." The travel ban on President Yoon was imposed at a time when the commander of South Korea’s special forces apologised for instructing his troops to enter parliament after the declaration of martial law. (With inputs from agencies)

South Korea's President Yoon faces ban on travelling abroad after martial law fiasco

<p>India's Union Minister Kiren Rijiju on Monday (Dec 9) called the alleged links between Congress leader Sonia Gandhi and Hungarian-American businessman George Soros a "serious" concern and appealed that it should not be seen through a "political lens", while appealing for a united front against "anti-India forces."</p>

<p>"It is an important issue that I want to raise without doing politics over it. The links between Sonia Gandhi and George Sores are serious. We do not want to see it by giving a political spin," said Rijiju.</p>

<p>"We want to run parliament. I want to clarify that some issues are politically driven but if powers outside India are trying to defy India and fight against India then there are serious concerns," said the minister.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Also Read:</strong>&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/bjp-accuses-us-deep-state-elements-for-targeting-pm-modi-says-washington-trying-to-destabilise-india-782118">BJP accuses US 'deep state' elements for targeting PM Modi, says Washington trying to 'destabilise India'</a></p>

<p>“The issue of George Soros was raised in the Parliament. The report is in the public domain and there are serious allegations&nbsp;in&nbsp;it. Whoever the leader is from whichever party. I don’t want to name them. This Soros works against India," said Rijiju, while speaking to reporters.</p>

<p>“I only appeal to remain united against anti-India&nbsp;elements. The government is always ready for a discussion," he added.</p>

<h2><strong>What are the allegations of the BJP?</strong></h2>

<p>The Bharatiya Janata Party on Sunday (Dec 8) alleged that Congress leader Sonia Gandhi has ties with the organisation which is financed by the George Soros Foundation. The foundation supports the idea of Kashmir as an independent nation.</p>

<p>As per BJP, Gandhi has played the role of the co-president of the Forum of Democratic Leaders in Asia Pacific (FDL-AP) Foundation earlier, which is concerning.</p>

<p>“Notably, the FDL-AP Foundation has expressed their views that treat Kashmir as a separate entity. This association between Sonia Gandhi and an organisation that has backed the idea of Kashmir as an independent nation expresses the influence of foreign entities on India’s internal affairs and the political impact of such connections," said the party.</p>

<p>The ruling party also pointed towards partnerships between Soros-linked organisations and the Rajiv Gandhi Foundation, calling it evidence which proves foreign influence in the country's domestic affairs.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The accusations of the BJP were dismissed by the US government as the embassy called them "disappointing".</p>

<p><strong>Watch:&nbsp;PM Modi-Led BJP Says US State Department Targeting India</strong></p>

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/pm-modi-led-bjp-says-us-state-department-targeting-india-782297/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

<p>However, BJP MP Nishikant Dubey said that 10 questions will be posed by him to Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi in the Lok Sabha on this issue.</p>

<h2><strong>Congress rebuts allegations of BJP&nbsp;</strong></h2>

<p>Speaking to NDTV, Congress MP Karti Chidambaram dismissed the allegations of the BJP and called them "dark fantasies" which should only remain in the "dark web".</p>

<p>"These deep state theories should be confined to the dark web and not serious political discourse. People have dark, morbid fantasies and they can continue to have them, and there will be no credence given to all these conspiracy theories. We are always for the sovereignty and unity of India. We are patriots, we are nationalists and we are doing nothing that is against the integrity of India," he said.&nbsp;</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>


India's Union Minister Kiren Rijiju on Monday (Dec 9) called the alleged links between Congress leader Sonia Gandhi and Hungarian-American businessman George Soros a "serious" concern and appealed that it should not be seen through a "political lens", while appealing for a united front against "anti-India forces.

India's Union Minister Kiren Rijiju on Monday (Dec 9) called the alleged links between Congress leader Sonia Gandhi and Hungarian-American businessman George Soros a "serious" concern and appealed that it should not be seen through a "political lens", while appealing for a united front against "anti-India forces." "It is an important issue that I want to raise without doing politics over it. The links between Sonia Gandhi and George Sores are serious. We do not want to see it by giving a political spin," said Rijiju. "We want to run parliament. I want to clarify that some issues are politically driven but if powers outside India are trying to defy India and fight against India then there are serious concerns," said the minister. Also Read: BJP accuses US 'deep state' elements for targeting PM Modi, says Washington trying to 'destabilise India' “The issue of George Soros was raised in the Parliament. The report is in the public domain and there are serious allegations in it. Whoever the leader is from whichever party. I don’t want to name them. This Soros works against India," said Rijiju, while speaking to reporters. “I only appeal to remain united against anti-India elements. The government is always ready for a discussion," he added. What are the allegations of the BJP? The Bharatiya Janata Party on Sunday (Dec 8) alleged that Congress leader Sonia Gandhi has ties with the organisation which is financed by the George Soros Foundation. The foundation supports the idea of Kashmir as an independent nation. As per BJP, Gandhi has played the role of the co-president of the Forum of Democratic Leaders in Asia Pacific (FDL-AP) Foundation earlier, which is concerning. “Notably, the FDL-AP Foundation has expressed their views that treat Kashmir as a separate entity. This association between Sonia Gandhi and an organisation that has backed the idea of Kashmir as an independent nation expresses the influence of foreign entities on India’s internal affairs and the political impact of such connections," said the party. The ruling party also pointed towards partnerships between Soros-linked organisations and the Rajiv Gandhi Foundation, calling it evidence which proves foreign influence in the country's domestic affairs. The accusations of the BJP were dismissed by the US government as the embassy called them "disappointing". Watch: PM Modi-Led BJP Says US State Department Targeting India However, BJP MP Nishikant Dubey said that 10 questions will be posed by him to Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi in the Lok Sabha on this issue. Congress rebuts allegations of BJP Speaking to NDTV, Congress MP Karti Chidambaram dismissed the allegations of the BJP and called them "dark fantasies" which should only remain in the "dark web". "These deep state theories should be confined to the dark web and not serious political discourse. People have dark, morbid fantasies and they can continue to have them, and there will be no credence given to all these conspiracy theories. We are always for the sovereignty and unity of India. We are patriots, we are nationalists and we are doing nothing that is against the integrity of India," he said. (With inputs from agencies)

BJP's Kiren Rijiju calls Sonia Gandhi-George Soros link 'serious concern', Congress pushes back

<p>After Bashar al-Assad fled Syria, the rebel forces who had stormed into the capital city of Damascus entered his palace on Sunday (Dec 8) and discovered a massive fleet of high-end cars which included Mercedes, Porches, Audis and Ferraris, reports said.</p>

<p>In the videos which went viral on social media, the looters were seen roaming around what was apparently the presidential palace's massive garage, filled with high-end roadsters from the private stash of the deposed dictator.</p>

<p>In one video, one eagle-eyed commentator was seen showing a coveted Mercedes-Benz which had gullwing doors.</p>

<p><strong>Also Read:&nbsp;</strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/after-toppling-of-assad-us-airstrikes-isis-camps-hidden-in-syria-782556">After toppling of Assad, US airstrikes on ISIS camps hidden in Syria</a></p>

<p>The rebels found SUVs, motorcycles, ATVs and even an armoured truck when they entered the palace where they took selfies and fired guns in the air, as was seen in the videos shared on X.</p>

<p><em>Disclaimer: WION cannot independently verify the authenticity of photos and videos shared on social media.</em></p>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<p dir="ltr" lang="en">🇸🇾 <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/BREAKING?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#BREAKING</a>: SYRIAN REBELS DISCOVER ASSAD'S LUXURY CAR COLLECTION!<br />
<br />
Rebels have uncovered Bashar al-Assad's garage, filled with dozens of luxury vehicles, as his regime crumbles.<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Breaking?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Breaking</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Syria?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Syria</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Assad?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Assad</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Damascus?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Damascus</a> <a href="https://t.co/mGDGWXnVx7">pic.twitter.com/mGDGWXnVx7</a></p>
— Breaking News (@PlanetReportHQ) <a href="https://twitter.com/PlanetReportHQ/status/1865724053467607263?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 8, 2024</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<p dir="ltr" lang="en">🔴Bashar al-Assad's palace in <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Damascus?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Damascus</a><br />
<br />
◾️Everything was thought of, including fortified escape tunnels.<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Syria?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Syria</a> <a href="https://t.co/QO4oOZR8qX">pic.twitter.com/QO4oOZR8qX</a></p>
— Ülküm Gözde Gündoğdu (@Ulkumgozde) <a href="https://twitter.com/Ulkumgozde/status/1865832072352247819?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 8, 2024</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<p dir="ltr" lang="en">I love watching the video footage of jubilant and outraged Syrians looting deposed President Bashar al-Assad’s palace, carting off Louis Vuitton-branded boxes and other luxury goods after the regime’s stunning collapse and Assad’s flight from the country.<a href="https://t.co/nX50OivzWb">pic.twitter.com/nX50OivzWb</a></p>
— Jon Cooper 🇺🇸 (@joncoopertweets) <a href="https://twitter.com/joncoopertweets/status/1865880577670332747?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 8, 2024</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Syrians ransacked Bashar al-Assad's abandoned presidential palace in Damascus today while others loot bags of CASH from central bank 👀.<br />
<br />
Scores of people can be seen in one video within the palace's walls raiding cupboards of the president and his British-born glamorous wife… <a href="https://t.co/lF1Bj5WRbK">pic.twitter.com/lF1Bj5WRbK</a></p>
— Elijah 🇺🇬🇺🇲 (@RealDigitalVybz) <a href="https://twitter.com/RealDigitalVybz/status/1865789530298548592?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 8, 2024</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

<h2><strong>What did the rebel soldiers find in Assad's palace?</strong></h2>

<p>The palace of Bashar al-Assad was a sprawling and blocky fortress made of marble and stone, perched atop a hill on the outskirts of Damascus.</p>

<p>It was once described by The Guardian as an “echoing monument to dictator decor".</p>

<p>The palace was abandoned after Assad fled by plane.</p>

<p>The rebel soldiers found it the best opportunity to rip off the richness of the place where the dictator and his family had spent&nbsp;24 years like emperors.</p>

<p>In videos shared on X, men were seen taking away artwork and furniture while women - who were wearing hijab - were picking the bed linens and dishes.</p>

<p><strong>Watch:&nbsp;Syria War: France's Macron Welcomes Al-Assad's Fall, Hails Syrians Courage&nbsp;</strong></p>

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/syria-war-frances-macron-welcomes-al-assads-fall-hails-syrians-courage-world-news-wion-782579/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

<p>In one video, the stocked armoury was seen filled with scores of submachine guns. “I imagine he and those close to [Assad] … thought: &nbsp;we have enough ammo! We are invincible! Nothing can shake us!" wrote the user who posted the video.</p>

<p>In another video, a bunker network was discovered by the looters which was hidden deep beneath the main structure. Empty cigar boxes and gun cases littered the concrete floors.</p>

<p>“He who fears the people digs hundreds of feet underground,” wrote the user, Abdullah Almousa, in Arabic.</p>

<p>The rebels did not just ransack the palace but also government buildings after the soldiers took off their uniforms and left their posts.</p>

<p>In one video, people were shown carrying what was described as sacks of “money and valuables” from the central bank.</p>

<p>“The smart people did not go to Assad’s palace for chandeliers, but to the bank for cash and gold!” wrote the user who shared the video.</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>

<p><em>Disclaimer: WION takes utmost care to accurately and responsibly report conflicts in West Asia involving Israel, Iran, Syria, Iraq and non-state actors like Islamic State, among others. In this context, claims and counterclaims are being made online and offline. WION cannot independently verify the authenticity of all statements, social media posts, photos and videos.</em></p>


After Bashar al-Assad fled Syria, the rebel forces who had stormed into the capital city of Damascus entered his palace on Sunday (Dec 8) and discovered a massive fleet of high-end cars which included Mercedes, Porches, Audis and Ferraris, reports said.

After Bashar al-Assad fled Syria, the rebel forces who had stormed into the capital city of Damascus entered his palace on Sunday (Dec 8) and discovered a massive fleet of high-end cars which included Mercedes, Porches, Audis and Ferraris, reports said. In the videos which went viral on social media, the looters were seen roaming around what was apparently the presidential palace's massive garage, filled with high-end roadsters from the private stash of the deposed dictator. In one video, one eagle-eyed commentator was seen showing a coveted Mercedes-Benz which had gullwing doors. Also Read: After toppling of Assad, US airstrikes on ISIS camps hidden in Syria The rebels found SUVs, motorcycles, ATVs and even an armoured truck when they entered the palace where they took selfies and fired guns in the air, as was seen in the videos shared on X. Disclaimer: WION cannot independently verify the authenticity of photos and videos shared on social media. 🇸🇾 #BREAKING: SYRIAN REBELS DISCOVER ASSAD'S LUXURY CAR COLLECTION! Rebels have uncovered Bashar al-Assad's garage, filled with dozens of luxury vehicles, as his regime crumbles.#Breaking #Syria #Assad #Damascus pic.twitter.com/mGDGWXnVx7 — Breaking News (@PlanetReportHQ) December 8, 2024 × 🔴Bashar al-Assad's palace in #Damascus ◾️Everything was thought of, including fortified escape tunnels.#Syria pic.twitter.com/QO4oOZR8qX — Ülküm Gözde Gündoğdu (@Ulkumgozde) December 8, 2024 × I love watching the video footage of jubilant and outraged Syrians looting deposed President Bashar al-Assad’s palace, carting off Louis Vuitton-branded boxes and other luxury goods after the regime’s stunning collapse and Assad’s flight from the country.pic.twitter.com/nX50OivzWb — Jon Cooper 🇺🇸 (@joncoopertweets) December 8, 2024 × Syrians ransacked Bashar al-Assad's abandoned presidential palace in Damascus today while others loot bags of CASH from central bank 👀. Scores of people can be seen in one video within the palace's walls raiding cupboards of the president and his British-born glamorous wife… pic.twitter.com/lF1Bj5WRbK — Elijah 🇺🇬🇺🇲 (@RealDigitalVybz) December 8, 2024 × What did the rebel soldiers find in Assad's palace? The palace of Bashar al-Assad was a sprawling and blocky fortress made of marble and stone, perched atop a hill on the outskirts of Damascus. It was once described by The Guardian as an “echoing monument to dictator decor". The palace was abandoned after Assad fled by plane. The rebel soldiers found it the best opportunity to rip off the richness of the place where the dictator and his family had spent 24 years like emperors. In videos shared on X, men were seen taking away artwork and furniture while women - who were wearing hijab - were picking the bed linens and dishes. Watch: Syria War: France's Macron Welcomes Al-Assad's Fall, Hails Syrians Courage In one video, the stocked armoury was seen filled with scores of submachine guns. “I imagine he and those close to [Assad] … thought: we have enough ammo! We are invincible! Nothing can shake us!" wrote the user who posted the video. In another video, a bunker network was discovered by the looters which was hidden deep beneath the main structure. Empty cigar boxes and gun cases littered the concrete floors. “He who fears the people digs hundreds of feet underground,” wrote the user, Abdullah Almousa, in Arabic. The rebels did not just ransack the palace but also government buildings after the soldiers took off their uniforms and left their posts. In one video, people were shown carrying what was described as sacks of “money and valuables” from the central bank. “The smart people did not go to Assad’s palace for chandeliers, but to the bank for cash and gold!” wrote the user who shared the video. (With inputs from agencies) Disclaimer: WION takes utmost care to accurately and responsibly report conflicts in West Asia involving Israel, Iran, Syria, Iraq and non-state actors like Islamic State, among others. In this context, claims and counterclaims are being made online and offline. WION cannot independently verify the authenticity of all statements, social media posts, photos and videos.

Syria's ousted president Bashar al-Assad had a private fleet of luxury cars. Here's all that he owned

<p>The long and intense handshake, which appeared more like a battle, between US President-elect Donald Trump and French President Emanual Macron went viral on the social media platform as netizens wondered who dominated whom when they met in Paris.</p>

<p>The handshake happened when Trump visited the French capital on Saturday (Dec 7) to attend the reopening of Norte Dame cathedral, which was restored after a fire destroyed it.</p>

<p>This is the first international visit of Trump after clinching victory in the presidential elections and the Republicans are now non-stop cheering "how Trump has already taken over the control of the world".</p>

<p><strong>Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/trump-in-paris-us-president-elect-says-world-little-crazy-as-he-meets-macron-ahead-of-notre-dame-reopening-782332">Trump in Paris: US President-elect says world 'little crazy' as he meets Macron ahead of Notre Dame reopening</a></strong></p>

<p>In the video which went viral, Trump and Macron are seen shaking hands, which appeared like a wrestling moment, before Trump let go of Macron's hand.</p>

<h2><strong>Here's how netizens reacted to the video</strong></h2>

<p>"President Trump is back to dominating world leaders with his handshake. Macron is going to need a hand massage after all that twisting and pulling Trump did to him," wrote a user who is clearly a Trump fan.</p>

<p>"President Trump manhandles French President Emmanuel Macron with one of the most dominating handshakes I’ve ever seen. We are so back," said commentator Drew Hernandez.</p>

<p>"7 years later and the handshake battle continues between Donald Trump and Emmanuel Macron," wrote Colin Rugg.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"The Trump-Macron handshake is hilarious," commented author John Lefevre in a post on X. "Because it happened twice. And you know Macron was told to prepare and probably practised and then still got dominated," he said.&nbsp;</p>

<p>“President Trump just made Macron his b—h with one handshake," wrote a critic on X.</p>

<p>“I’ve missed the Trump-Macron arm-wrestles,” said television personality&nbsp;Piers Morgan on X.</p>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<p dir="ltr" lang="en">President Trump is back to dominating world leaders with his handshake.<br />
<br />
🇫🇷 Macron is going to need a hand massage after all that twisting and pulling Trump did to him 🤣 <a href="https://t.co/FQkeEORO3S">pic.twitter.com/FQkeEORO3S</a></p>
— George (@BehizyTweets) <a href="https://twitter.com/BehizyTweets/status/1865426089876611340?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 7, 2024</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

<p>“Welcome to the latest round of the Trump/Macron handshake power struggle saga…”&nbsp;said a user.</p>

<p>“There’s that handshake again,”&nbsp;another user commented.</p>

<p><strong>Watch:&nbsp;Macron, Trump &amp; Zelensky Holds Three-Way Talks At Elysee Palace</strong></p>

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/macron-trump-zelensky-holds-three-way-talks-at-elysee-palace-782354/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

<p>“The handshake!! I will admit I missed *this* part of the circus,”&nbsp;commented a user on X.</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>In the past, handshakes of Trump with world leaders have gone viral.</p>

<p>In 2019, he had pulled the arm of Russian President Putin during a handshake.</p>

<p>In early 2017, an equally awkward handshake was exchanged between Trump and Macron in front of the media when the former tried to pull away only for the latter to tighten his grip.</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>


The long and intense handshake, which appeared more like a battle, between US President-elect Donald Trump and French President Emanual Macron went viral on the social media platform as netizens wondered who dominated whom when they met in Paris.

The long and intense handshake, which appeared more like a battle, between US President-elect Donald Trump and French President Emanual Macron went viral on the social media platform as netizens wondered who dominated whom when they met in Paris. The handshake happened when Trump visited the French capital on Saturday (Dec 7) to attend the reopening of Norte Dame cathedral, which was restored after a fire destroyed it. This is the first international visit of Trump after clinching victory in the presidential elections and the Republicans are now non-stop cheering "how Trump has already taken over the control of the world". Also Read: Trump in Paris: US President-elect says world 'little crazy' as he meets Macron ahead of Notre Dame reopening In the video which went viral, Trump and Macron are seen shaking hands, which appeared like a wrestling moment, before Trump let go of Macron's hand. Here's how netizens reacted to the video "President Trump is back to dominating world leaders with his handshake. Macron is going to need a hand massage after all that twisting and pulling Trump did to him," wrote a user who is clearly a Trump fan. "President Trump manhandles French President Emmanuel Macron with one of the most dominating handshakes I’ve ever seen. We are so back," said commentator Drew Hernandez. "7 years later and the handshake battle continues between Donald Trump and Emmanuel Macron," wrote Colin Rugg. "The Trump-Macron handshake is hilarious," commented author John Lefevre in a post on X. "Because it happened twice. And you know Macron was told to prepare and probably practised and then still got dominated," he said. “President Trump just made Macron his b—h with one handshake," wrote a critic on X. “I’ve missed the Trump-Macron arm-wrestles,” said television personality Piers Morgan on X. President Trump is back to dominating world leaders with his handshake. 🇫🇷 Macron is going to need a hand massage after all that twisting and pulling Trump did to him 🤣 pic.twitter.com/FQkeEORO3S — George (@BehizyTweets) December 7, 2024 × “Welcome to the latest round of the Trump/Macron handshake power struggle saga…” said a user. “There’s that handshake again,” another user commented. Watch: Macron, Trump & Zelensky Holds Three-Way Talks At Elysee Palace “The handshake!! I will admit I missed *this* part of the circus,” commented a user on X. In the past, handshakes of Trump with world leaders have gone viral. In 2019, he had pulled the arm of Russian President Putin during a handshake. In early 2017, an equally awkward handshake was exchanged between Trump and Macron in front of the media when the former tried to pull away only for the latter to tighten his grip. (With inputs from agencies)

Watch: Trump and Macron's 17-second intense handshake battle goes viral. Here's who dominated...

<p>The leader of Syria's main rebel group claimed that they had taken control of its third-largest city Homs, and have entered the capital city of Damascus as part of their ongoing offensive. As the rebel forces escalated their offensive, two senior Army officers told&nbsp; Reuters news agency that Syrian President Bashar al-Assad had boarded a plane and departed from Damascus for an undisclosed destination.</p>

<p>Syrian rebel leader Abu Mohammed al-Golani claimed that the capture of Homs was a "historic victory" and appealed to his followers not to hurt those who had chosen to surrender.&nbsp;</p>

<p>“Homs city is fully liberated," said Syria's main rebel group in the early hours of Sunday morning (Dec 8).</p>

<p>However, the claims of Syrian rebels have not been confirmed at the time of writing this.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Quashing the reports of the fall of Homs as 'false', the Syrian defence ministry said&nbsp;the scenario in Homs was "stable and safe".</p>

<p><strong>Also Read:</strong>&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/syrian-conflict-rebel-factions-say-theyre-encircling-damascus-782318">Syrian conflict: Minister says military imposed cordon around Damascus</a></p>

<p>Syrian rebels made the announcement of the fall of Hama two days after spokesperson Lt. Col Hassan Abdel Ghani claimed that the rebel group had captured Hama, which is a city to the north of Homs.</p>

<h2><strong>Rebel forces 'enter Damascus' as regime's leaders consider to defect: Reports</strong></h2>

<p>As per CNN, the rebel forces have stormed into&nbsp;the Syrian capital of Damascus as the collapse of Assad's regime appears to be near.</p>

<p>The rebel forces have also taken control of the radio and television building in the capital city, as per a report in Al Jazeera.</p>

<p>The rebels claimed they have been in touch with the senior leaders of the Assad regime who are thinking about defecting.</p>

<p>Earlier in a statement, Syria’s main rebel group said they will now focus on Damascus.</p>

<p>“We were able to liberate four Syrian cities within 24 hours: Daraa, Quneitra, Suwayda and Homs, and our operations are continuing to liberate the entire Damascus countryside, and our eyes are on the capital, Damascus,” said rebel spokesperson Lt. Col. Hassan Abdul Ghani on Sunday morning local time.</p>

<p>"Our forces have begun entering the capital Damascus," said the rebels on their Telegram channel.</p>

<p><strong>Watch:&nbsp;Syrian Rebels Eye Damascus After Fall of Three Key Cities</strong></p>

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/syrian-rebels-eye-damascus-after-fall-of-three-key-cities-782353/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

<p>Meanwhile, reconnaissance units entered the capital city overnight and failed to find President Bashar al-Assad, as per reports.</p>

<p>The people of Syria were also seen tearing down posters of President al-Assad which were very similar to the scenes that appeared during the Arab Spring. Videos shared on social media appeared to show&nbsp;many of them cheering on the rebels as they entered the battle-torn cities.</p>

<h2><strong>US says 'not going to dive into' Syria's civil war</strong></h2>

<p>On Saturday (Dec 7), White House National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan said the United States is “not going to dive into” Syria's civil war.</p>

<p>“The United States is not going to dive into the middle, militarily dive into the middle, of a Syrian civil war. What we are going to do is focus on the American national security priorities and interests,” said Sullivan.</p>

<p>“The first, critically is, do not let this allow for the resurgence of ISIS [the Islamic State terror group], and we are going to take steps to make sure that that happens.</p>

<p>"Second, we do have a profound interest in shoring up the security of our partners in the region – Israel, Jordan, Iraq, others – we’ll do that.</p>

<p>"And third, we will attend to the humanitarian situation because we believe that we have an obligation to do that," he added.&nbsp;</p>

<p>There has been renewed fighting in the last few days in Syria’s civil war in which more than 300,000 people have lost their lives and around six million refugees have left the country since it started in 2011.</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>

<p><em>Disclaimer: WION takes utmost care to accurately and responsibly report conflicts in West Asia involving Israel, Iran, Syria, Iraq and non-state actors like Islamic State, among others. In this context, claims and counterclaims are being made online and offline. WION cannot independently verify the authenticity of all statements, social media posts, photos and videos.</em></p>


The leader of Syria's main rebel group claimed that they had taken control of its third-largest city Homs, and have entered the capital city of Damascus as part of their ongoing offensive.

The leader of Syria's main rebel group claimed that they had taken control of its third-largest city Homs, and have entered the capital city of Damascus as part of their ongoing offensive. As the rebel forces escalated their offensive, two senior Army officers told Reuters news agency that Syrian President Bashar al-Assad had boarded a plane and departed from Damascus for an undisclosed destination. Syrian rebel leader Abu Mohammed al-Golani claimed that the capture of Homs was a "historic victory" and appealed to his followers not to hurt those who had chosen to surrender. “Homs city is fully liberated," said Syria's main rebel group in the early hours of Sunday morning (Dec 8). However, the claims of Syrian rebels have not been confirmed at the time of writing this. Quashing the reports of the fall of Homs as 'false', the Syrian defence ministry said the scenario in Homs was "stable and safe". Also Read: Syrian conflict: Minister says military imposed cordon around Damascus Syrian rebels made the announcement of the fall of Hama two days after spokesperson Lt. Col Hassan Abdel Ghani claimed that the rebel group had captured Hama, which is a city to the north of Homs. Rebel forces 'enter Damascus' as regime's leaders consider to defect: Reports As per CNN, the rebel forces have stormed into the Syrian capital of Damascus as the collapse of Assad's regime appears to be near. The rebel forces have also taken control of the radio and television building in the capital city, as per a report in Al Jazeera. The rebels claimed they have been in touch with the senior leaders of the Assad regime who are thinking about defecting. Earlier in a statement, Syria’s main rebel group said they will now focus on Damascus. “We were able to liberate four Syrian cities within 24 hours: Daraa, Quneitra, Suwayda and Homs, and our operations are continuing to liberate the entire Damascus countryside, and our eyes are on the capital, Damascus,” said rebel spokesperson Lt. Col. Hassan Abdul Ghani on Sunday morning local time. "Our forces have begun entering the capital Damascus," said the rebels on their Telegram channel. Watch: Syrian Rebels Eye Damascus After Fall of Three Key Cities Meanwhile, reconnaissance units entered the capital city overnight and failed to find President Bashar al-Assad, as per reports. The people of Syria were also seen tearing down posters of President al-Assad which were very similar to the scenes that appeared during the Arab Spring. Videos shared on social media appeared to show many of them cheering on the rebels as they entered the battle-torn cities. US says 'not going to dive into' Syria's civil war On Saturday (Dec 7), White House National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan said the United States is “not going to dive into” Syria's civil war. “The United States is not going to dive into the middle, militarily dive into the middle, of a Syrian civil war. What we are going to do is focus on the American national security priorities and interests,” said Sullivan. “The first, critically is, do not let this allow for the resurgence of ISIS [the Islamic State terror group], and we are going to take steps to make sure that that happens. "Second, we do have a profound interest in shoring up the security of our partners in the region – Israel, Jordan, Iraq, others – we’ll do that. "And third, we will attend to the humanitarian situation because we believe that we have an obligation to do that," he added. There has been renewed fighting in the last few days in Syria’s civil war in which more than 300,000 people have lost their lives and around six million refugees have left the country since it started in 2011. (With inputs from agencies) Disclaimer: WION takes utmost care to accurately and responsibly report conflicts in West Asia involving Israel, Iran, Syria, Iraq and non-state actors like Islamic State, among others. In this context, claims and counterclaims are being made online and offline. WION cannot independently verify the authenticity of all statements, social media posts, photos and videos.

Syrian rebels claim to capture Homs, enter Damascus as President al-Assad reportedly leaves capital

<p>A family, who belonged to the Indian state of Bihar, was following the directions given on Google Maps while travelling to Goa.&nbsp;</p>

<p>However, the app, instead of taking them to their destination, guided them towards a thick forest zone in Khanapur taluk, Belagavi district.</p>

<p>The situation turned scarier for the family as they had to spend a harrowing night inside their car until the local police rescued them with the help of the villagers, said the police.</p>

<p>Khanapur police inspector Manjunath Nayak said that a family, comprising six to seven members, including children, remained stranded nearly eight kilometres inside the forest.</p>

<p><strong>Also Read:&nbsp;</strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/car-cruising-down-bridge-to-nowhere-plunges-into-river-in-up-three-dead-778869">Car cruising down ‘bridge to nowhere’ plunges into&nbsp;river&nbsp;in&nbsp;UP, three dead</a></p>

<p>“The family, led by Rajdas Ranjitdas from Bihar, had been following Google Maps for their journey to Goa. After passing through Khanapur town, the map directed them to a path between Shirodaga and Hemmadaga villages, leading them 7 kilometres into the Bhimghad wildlife zone on Thursday. With no mobile network in the area, the family spent the night in the car, isolated and unable to contact anyone for help," said Nayak.</p>

<p>“The family, unaware of how to get out of the forest, spent the entire night in their locked car, surrounded by wildlife. The next morning, the family retraced their route for about 3 kilometres, where they regained mobile network coverage. They immediately called the police helpline to report their situation,” he added.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Explaining how the family was rescued, Nayak said, “The Belagavi police control room passed the information to the Khanapur police, who used GPS coordinates to locate the family and reach them with the help of villagers."</p>

<p>According to the police official, the family was fortunate to get stranded in a location where they had access to a mobile signal.</p>

<h2><strong>Here's how netizens reacted</strong></h2>

<p>The incident sparked a discussion on social media as many people shared their thoughts on the strange incident.</p>

<p>"Not that Google Maps is always accurate, but while travelling long distance to another state, apart from Google Maps, u need Map reading skills, eyes to read markers and directions on highway and most importantly, common sense (sic)," said a user.</p>

<p>"No one should travel by looking at Google Maps," wrote another user.</p>

<p>"It’s time Google prioritises safety over convenience. These tragedies demand accountability and immediate action to prevent more lives from being lost," commented a user.&nbsp;</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>


A family, who belonged to the Indian state of Bihar, was following the directions given on Google Maps while travelling to Goa. However, the app, instead of taking them to their destination, guided them towards a thick forest zone in Khanapur taluk, Belagavi district.

A family, who belonged to the Indian state of Bihar, was following the directions given on Google Maps while travelling to Goa. However, the app, instead of taking them to their destination, guided them towards a thick forest zone in Khanapur taluk, Belagavi district. The situation turned scarier for the family as they had to spend a harrowing night inside their car until the local police rescued them with the help of the villagers, said the police. Khanapur police inspector Manjunath Nayak said that a family, comprising six to seven members, including children, remained stranded nearly eight kilometres inside the forest. Also Read: Car cruising down ‘bridge to nowhere’ plunges into river in UP, three dead “The family, led by Rajdas Ranjitdas from Bihar, had been following Google Maps for their journey to Goa. After passing through Khanapur town, the map directed them to a path between Shirodaga and Hemmadaga villages, leading them 7 kilometres into the Bhimghad wildlife zone on Thursday. With no mobile network in the area, the family spent the night in the car, isolated and unable to contact anyone for help," said Nayak. “The family, unaware of how to get out of the forest, spent the entire night in their locked car, surrounded by wildlife. The next morning, the family retraced their route for about 3 kilometres, where they regained mobile network coverage. They immediately called the police helpline to report their situation,” he added. Explaining how the family was rescued, Nayak said, “The Belagavi police control room passed the information to the Khanapur police, who used GPS coordinates to locate the family and reach them with the help of villagers." According to the police official, the family was fortunate to get stranded in a location where they had access to a mobile signal. Here's how netizens reacted The incident sparked a discussion on social media as many people shared their thoughts on the strange incident. "Not that Google Maps is always accurate, but while travelling long distance to another state, apart from Google Maps, u need Map reading skills, eyes to read markers and directions on highway and most importantly, common sense (sic)," said a user. "No one should travel by looking at Google Maps," wrote another user. "It’s time Google prioritises safety over convenience. These tragedies demand accountability and immediate action to prevent more lives from being lost," commented a user. (With inputs from agencies)

Family tries to reach Goa using Google Maps, reaches forest in Karnataka. Here's how netizens reacted

<p>In a shocking incident, a man living in the United States disclosed how he started receiving death threats on social media platforms because of a viral post in which he was wrongly identified as the killer of CEO of&nbsp;UnitedHealthcare Brian Thompson.</p>

<p>A picture of the man was shared on X along with the suspect's image and the caption read, “Possible match for the United Healthcare CEO assassin identified! Do you recognise this person?!”&nbsp;</p>

<p>Sharing the post, political analyst Joey Mannarino wrote on X, “How is this allowed? This can get me killed.” The post received more than 19.4 million views.</p>

<p><strong>Also Read:</strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/deny-depose-defend-man-who-shot-unitedhealthcare-ceo-reportedly-left-cryptic-message-on-bullet-casings-781779"><strong>&nbsp;</strong>'Deny, depose, defend': Man who shot UnitedHealthcare CEO reportedly left cryptic message on bullet casings</a></p>

<p>Clarifying the post, the readers said, “Incorrect claim. The picture on the right is Joey Mannarino, who is not a suspect.”</p>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<p dir="ltr" lang="en">How is this allowed?<br />
<br />
This can get me killed. <a href="https://t.co/bQTt0pxN3R">https://t.co/bQTt0pxN3R</a></p>
— Joey Mannarino (@JoeyMannarinoUS) <a href="https://twitter.com/JoeyMannarinoUS/status/1865042483568165371?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 6, 2024</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

<p>Mannarino, in a follow-up post, highlighted the situation's gravity and how he has been getting threatening messages.</p>

<p>“Due to this post, I'm receiving death threats like this one below from @smoking539675 in my inbox. This is not normal&nbsp;nor is this something someone should deal with&nbsp;as it puts my family and myself at risk. Someone must be held to account,” Mannarino wrote.</p>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Due to this post, I’m receiving death threats like this one below from <a href="https://twitter.com/smoking539675?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@smoking539675</a> in my inbox.<br />
<br />
This is not normal nor is this something someone should deal with as it puts my family and myself at risk.<br />
<br />
Someone must be held to account. <a href="https://t.co/8Cn1x452qx">pic.twitter.com/8Cn1x452qx</a></p>
— Joey Mannarino (@JoeyMannarinoUS) <a href="https://twitter.com/JoeyMannarinoUS/status/1865158452730810523?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 6, 2024</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

<p>Later, he shared another screenshot that had warnings. He said that the post on X in which he was blamed for killing the&nbsp;CEO received more than 13,000,000 views so far. "About to write my own version of “If I Did It…” like OJ did!" he said.</p>

<h2><strong>Netizens react to Mannarino's post</strong></h2>

<p>Reacting to Mannarino's post on X, people extended their support for the man. Some netizens called it "depraved" and "dangerous".</p>

<p><strong>Watch:&nbsp;UnitedHealthcare CEO Murder: Manhunt Underway For Gunman</strong></p>

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/unitedhealthcare-ceo-murder-manhunt-underway-for-gunman-782133/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

<p>“He thinks just because his account is satire he can do whatever he wants. This is in poor taste and could potentially be dangerous for you,” said one user.</p>

<p>“This is how big problems start—false accusations can ruin lives," commented another user. “Unacceptable on every level,” wrote a third user.</p>

<p>UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson was shot and killed in Manhattan on December 4, and&nbsp;the New York police called it a “brazen, targeted attack.”&nbsp;</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>


In a shocking incident, a man living in the United States disclosed how he started receiving death threats on social media platforms because of a viral post in which he was wrongly identified as the killer of CEO of UnitedHealthcare Brian Thompson.

In a shocking incident, a man living in the United States disclosed how he started receiving death threats on social media platforms because of a viral post in which he was wrongly identified as the killer of CEO of UnitedHealthcare Brian Thompson. A picture of the man was shared on X along with the suspect's image and the caption read, “Possible match for the United Healthcare CEO assassin identified! Do you recognise this person?!” Sharing the post, political analyst Joey Mannarino wrote on X, “How is this allowed? This can get me killed.” The post received more than 19.4 million views. Also Read: 'Deny, depose, defend': Man who shot UnitedHealthcare CEO reportedly left cryptic message on bullet casings Clarifying the post, the readers said, “Incorrect claim. The picture on the right is Joey Mannarino, who is not a suspect.” How is this allowed? This can get me killed. https://t.co/bQTt0pxN3R — Joey Mannarino (@JoeyMannarinoUS) December 6, 2024 × Mannarino, in a follow-up post, highlighted the situation's gravity and how he has been getting threatening messages. “Due to this post, I'm receiving death threats like this one below from @smoking539675 in my inbox. This is not normal nor is this something someone should deal with as it puts my family and myself at risk. Someone must be held to account,” Mannarino wrote. Due to this post, I’m receiving death threats like this one below from @smoking539675 in my inbox. This is not normal nor is this something someone should deal with as it puts my family and myself at risk. Someone must be held to account. pic.twitter.com/8Cn1x452qx — Joey Mannarino (@JoeyMannarinoUS) December 6, 2024 × Later, he shared another screenshot that had warnings. He said that the post on X in which he was blamed for killing the CEO received more than 13,000,000 views so far. "About to write my own version of “If I Did It…” like OJ did!" he said. Netizens react to Mannarino's post Reacting to Mannarino's post on X, people extended their support for the man. Some netizens called it "depraved" and "dangerous". Watch: UnitedHealthcare CEO Murder: Manhunt Underway For Gunman “He thinks just because his account is satire he can do whatever he wants. This is in poor taste and could potentially be dangerous for you,” said one user. “This is how big problems start—false accusations can ruin lives," commented another user. “Unacceptable on every level,” wrote a third user. UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson was shot and killed in Manhattan on December 4, and the New York police called it a “brazen, targeted attack.” (With inputs from agencies)

US man gets wrongly identified as killer of UnitedHealthcare CEO, receives death threats

<p>A lightning offensive led by the Islamist militant group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) culminated with the historic toppling of President Bashar-al Assad's regime in Syria's 13-year-long conflict.&nbsp;</p>

<p>HTS, which had emerged from al-Qaeda-affiliated Jabhat al-Nusra, in its surprise assault captured more than 50&nbsp;towns and villages in Syria followed by some of its strategic cities and eventually stormed into the capital Damascus on Sunday (Dec 8).&nbsp;</p>

<p>The United Nations, United States, Turkey and other nations have designated HTS as a terrorist organisation.</p>

<h2><strong>All about Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS)</strong></h2>

<p>In 2011, HTS started as Jabhat al-Nusra, which was an affiliate of Al Qaeda and was famous for its brutality and effectiveness.</p>

<p>In English, “Hayat Tahrir al-Sham” means "Organisation for the Liberation of the Levant".</p>

<p>Earlier, it was aligned with the Free Syrian Army in the uprising against President Assad.&nbsp;</p>

<p>However, the group's strict jihadist ideology soon led to its alienation from other rebel groups.</p>

<p><strong>Also Read:</strong>&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/bashar-al-assad-syrias-tyrant-who-pushed-the-country-into-a-decade-long-civil-war-782409">Bashar Al-Assad: Syria's 'tyrant' who pushed the country into a decade-long civil war</a></p>

<p>HTS is headed by Abu Mohammed al-Golani, who is a former leader of Jabhat al-Nusra.</p>

<p>The group follows the Salafi-jihadist ideology and its aim has always been toppling the government of Assad and establishing Islamic rule in the country.<br />
&nbsp;<br />
Islamic State (IS) group's leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi was also involved in the formation of HTS.</p>

<p><strong>Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/syrias-13-year-war-a-timeline-of-key-events-since-2011-782392">Syria's 13-year civil war: Timeline of key events since 2011 - What you should know</a></strong></p>

<p>The group was renamed HTS in 2016 after the leader of the group Abu Mohammed al-Jawlani publicly broke ranks with Al Qaeda.</p>

<p>HTS had set up its power base in the north-western province of Idlib and worked as the region's de facto local administration.</p>

<p><strong>Watch:&nbsp;Syrian Army Command Tells Officers That Assad's Rule Has Ended, Officer Says</strong></p>

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/syrian-army-command-tells-officers-that-assads-rule-has-ended-officer-says-782396/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

<p>HTS has also been governing parts of the country through the Syrian Salvation Government (SSG), providing essential services like food aid and welfare programmes for nearly four million residents in its territories.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The group has also taken under its control critical resources such as the Bab al-Hawa border crossing with Turkey, through which humanitarian aid is facilitated.&nbsp;</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>

<p><em>Disclaimer: WION takes utmost care to accurately and responsibly report conflicts in West Asia involving Israel, Iran, Syria, Iraq and non-state actors like Islamic State, among others. In this context, claims and counterclaims are being made online and offline. WION cannot independently verify the authenticity of all statements, social media posts, photos and videos.</em></p>


A lightning offensive led by the Islamist militant group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) culminated with the historic toppling of President Bashar-al Assad's regime in Syria's 13-year-long conflict.

A lightning offensive led by the Islamist militant group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) culminated with the historic toppling of President Bashar-al Assad's regime in Syria's 13-year-long conflict. HTS, which had emerged from al-Qaeda-affiliated Jabhat al-Nusra, in its surprise assault captured more than 50 towns and villages in Syria followed by some of its strategic cities and eventually stormed into the capital Damascus on Sunday (Dec 8). The United Nations, United States, Turkey and other nations have designated HTS as a terrorist organisation. All about Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) In 2011, HTS started as Jabhat al-Nusra, which was an affiliate of Al Qaeda and was famous for its brutality and effectiveness. In English, “Hayat Tahrir al-Sham” means "Organisation for the Liberation of the Levant". Earlier, it was aligned with the Free Syrian Army in the uprising against President Assad. However, the group's strict jihadist ideology soon led to its alienation from other rebel groups. Also Read: Bashar Al-Assad: Syria's 'tyrant' who pushed the country into a decade-long civil war HTS is headed by Abu Mohammed al-Golani, who is a former leader of Jabhat al-Nusra. The group follows the Salafi-jihadist ideology and its aim has always been toppling the government of Assad and establishing Islamic rule in the country. Islamic State (IS) group's leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi was also involved in the formation of HTS. Also Read: Syria's 13-year civil war: Timeline of key events since 2011 - What you should know The group was renamed HTS in 2016 after the leader of the group Abu Mohammed al-Jawlani publicly broke ranks with Al Qaeda. HTS had set up its power base in the north-western province of Idlib and worked as the region's de facto local administration. Watch: Syrian Army Command Tells Officers That Assad's Rule Has Ended, Officer Says HTS has also been governing parts of the country through the Syrian Salvation Government (SSG), providing essential services like food aid and welfare programmes for nearly four million residents in its territories. The group has also taken under its control critical resources such as the Bab al-Hawa border crossing with Turkey, through which humanitarian aid is facilitated. (With inputs from agencies) Disclaimer: WION takes utmost care to accurately and responsibly report conflicts in West Asia involving Israel, Iran, Syria, Iraq and non-state actors like Islamic State, among others. In this context, claims and counterclaims are being made online and offline. WION cannot independently verify the authenticity of all statements, social media posts, photos and videos.

Who are the Syrian rebels who overthrew Bashar-al Assad's 24-year-old regime in two weeks?

<p>Syrian rebel forces announced on Sunday (Dec. 8) that Damascus was “free" and claimed that President Bashar al-Assad had left the capital, marking the historic end of the Assad family's 50-year rule, hours after the fall of Homs.</p>

<p>“We declare the city of Damascus free from the tyrant Bashar al-Assad,” wrote the Military Operations Command in a post on Telegram.</p>

<p>With the announcement, celebrations broke out in Aleppo and Damascus.&nbsp;</p>

<p>“To the displaced all over the world, a free Syria awaits you,” said the message.</p>

<p>Syrian Prime Minister Mohammed al-Jalali said he was willing to "cooperate" with any leadership that people choose, and is ready for any handover process.</p>

<p>"This country can be a normal country that builds good relations with its neighbours and the world... but this issue is up to any leadership chosen by the Syrian people. We are ready to cooperate with it (that leadership) and offer all possible facilities," said Jalali in a video statement shared on his Facebook account.</p>

<p><strong>Also Read:&nbsp;</strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/syrian-rebels-claim-to-capture-homs-close-in-on-damascus-as-assads-defences-collapse-782356">Syrian rebels claim to capture Homs, enter Damascus as President al-Assad leaves capital city</a></p>

<p>“I am in my house and I have not left, and this is because of my belonging to this country,” Jalili said in the statement, made after rebels announced that President Assad had fled from Syria to an unknown destination.</p>

<p>Earlier, the rebels stormed into the capital and took control of the notorious Saydnaya Military Prison, located in the north of Damascus.</p>

<p>“We broke the news to the Syrian people of liberating our prisoners and unchaining them, and announcing the end of the era of injustice in Saydnaya Prison,” said the rebels in the statement.</p>

<p>Now, the rebels are capturing state media offices in Damascus. “The Military Operations Command is moving to seize control of the Radio and Television Building to broadcast the victory announcement over Assad,” read the statement.</p>

<p>The Damascus airport is in chaos amid the storming of the capital by the rebel forces.</p>

<p>No imminent departures were seen on the flight monitoring websites as the airport looked largely unstaffed.</p>

<h2><strong>Syrian rebels capture Homs</strong></h2>

<p>Earlier, the leader of Syria's main rebel group announced that they had taken control of Syria's third-largest city, Homs.</p>

<p><strong>Watch:&nbsp;Syrian Rebels Eye Damascus After Fall of Three Key Cities</strong></p>

<p><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/syrian-rebels-eye-damascus-after-fall-of-three-key-cities-782353/embed" width="560"></iframe></p>

<p>Abu Mohammed al-Golani said the capture of Homs was a "historic victory" and appealed to his followers not to hurt those who had chosen to surrender.&nbsp;</p>

<p>There has been renewed fighting in the last few days in Syria’s civil war, in which more than 300,000 people have lost their lives and around six million refugees have left the country since it started in 2011.</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>

<p><em>Disclaimer: WION takes the utmost care to accurately and responsibly report conflicts in West Asia involving Israel, Iran, Syria, Iraq, and non-state actors like the Islamic State, among others. In this context, claims and counterclaims are being made online and offline. WION cannot independently verify the authenticity of all statements, social media posts, photos&nbsp;and videos.</em></p>


Syrian rebel forces announced on Sunday (Dec. 8) that Damascus was “free" and claimed that President Bashar al-Assad had left the capital, marking the historic end of the Assad family's 50-year rule, hours after the fall of Homs.

Syrian rebel forces announced on Sunday (Dec. 8) that Damascus was “free" and claimed that President Bashar al-Assad had left the capital, marking the historic end of the Assad family's 50-year rule, hours after the fall of Homs. “We declare the city of Damascus free from the tyrant Bashar al-Assad,” wrote the Military Operations Command in a post on Telegram. With the announcement, celebrations broke out in Aleppo and Damascus. “To the displaced all over the world, a free Syria awaits you,” said the message. Syrian Prime Minister Mohammed al-Jalali said he was willing to "cooperate" with any leadership that people choose, and is ready for any handover process. "This country can be a normal country that builds good relations with its neighbours and the world... but this issue is up to any leadership chosen by the Syrian people. We are ready to cooperate with it (that leadership) and offer all possible facilities," said Jalali in a video statement shared on his Facebook account. Also Read: Syrian rebels claim to capture Homs, enter Damascus as President al-Assad leaves capital city “I am in my house and I have not left, and this is because of my belonging to this country,” Jalili said in the statement, made after rebels announced that President Assad had fled from Syria to an unknown destination. Earlier, the rebels stormed into the capital and took control of the notorious Saydnaya Military Prison, located in the north of Damascus. “We broke the news to the Syrian people of liberating our prisoners and unchaining them, and announcing the end of the era of injustice in Saydnaya Prison,” said the rebels in the statement. Now, the rebels are capturing state media offices in Damascus. “The Military Operations Command is moving to seize control of the Radio and Television Building to broadcast the victory announcement over Assad,” read the statement. The Damascus airport is in chaos amid the storming of the capital by the rebel forces. No imminent departures were seen on the flight monitoring websites as the airport looked largely unstaffed. Syrian rebels capture Homs Earlier, the leader of Syria's main rebel group announced that they had taken control of Syria's third-largest city, Homs. Watch: Syrian Rebels Eye Damascus After Fall of Three Key Cities Abu Mohammed al-Golani said the capture of Homs was a "historic victory" and appealed to his followers not to hurt those who had chosen to surrender. There has been renewed fighting in the last few days in Syria’s civil war, in which more than 300,000 people have lost their lives and around six million refugees have left the country since it started in 2011. (With inputs from agencies) Disclaimer: WION takes the utmost care to accurately and responsibly report conflicts in West Asia involving Israel, Iran, Syria, Iraq, and non-state actors like the Islamic State, among others. In this context, claims and counterclaims are being made online and offline. WION cannot independently verify the authenticity of all statements, social media posts, photos and videos.

Damascus falls: Syrian rebels announce capital city 'free', PM says ready for handover

<p>On the morning of Sunday (Dec 8), Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad was nowhere to be found in Damascus when the rebel forces stormed the capital city after taking over five other cities in a span of a few days.</p>

<p>As the leader now appeared to have been left to fend for himself, the sequence of tumultuous events marked the end of the 24-year rule of the man who has often been called a "tyrant".</p>

<p>Years ago, it was the same President Assad who spearheaded the merciless crackdown on the people who were carrying out the pro-democracy revolt that soon turned into one of the bloodiest wars of the century and eventually toppled the leader.</p>

<p>President&nbsp; Assad faced nationwide protests demanding his resignation and also battled an armed rebellion. He eventually crushed it, and took back control of much of the country embroiled in the civil war which had started in 2011.</p>

<h2><strong>Who is Bashar al-Assad?</strong></h2>

<p>Bashar al-Assad became the president of Syria in 2000 after his father Hafez al-Assad, who was the country's ruler for almost 30 years, died of a heart attack in the same year.</p>

<p>Bashar was born in Damascus on 11 September 1965, and was the second son of Hafez, the leader of the Ba'ath Party and a military officer who became Syria's president after a coup in 1971.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Also Read:</strong>&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/syrias-13-year-war-a-timeline-of-key-events-since-2011-782392">Syria's 13-year civil war: Timeline of key events since 2011 - What you should know</a></p>

<p>The Assad family came from the Shia minority sect of Alawites. Shias are only around&nbsp;13 per cent of the population. But the Alawites, and particularly the Assad family, are known to have been dominant in politics since the 1960s.</p>

<p>Bashar studied in a school in Damascus and completed his medical degree specialising in&nbsp; ophthalmology from the University of Damascus in 1988. He worked as an army doctor and later shifted to London in 1992 for further studies.</p>

<p>Bashar's older brother Basil, who was expected to succeed their father, lost his life in a car accident in 1994.&nbsp;</p>

<h2><strong>Bashar al-Assad comes to power&nbsp;</strong></h2>

<p>The then 29-year-old Bashar came back to Syria to take the place of his brother. After his father's death on June 10, 2000, the Syrian parliament amended the constitution swiftly and decreased the minimum age for presidential candidates from 40 to 34 to bring Bashar al-Assad to the helm.</p>

<p>On July 11, 2000, Bashar officially took office and became commander-in-chief of the military and the leader of the Ba'ath Party. As soon as he came to power, Bashar refused to adopt democracy as a model for Syria.&nbsp;</p>

<p>He followed the hardline stance of his father on the conflict between Syria and Israel, and also opposed the US invasion of Iraq.</p>

<p><strong>Also Read:&nbsp;</strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/damascus-falls-syrian-rebels-announce-capital-city-free-pm-says-ready-for-handover-782370">Damascus falls: Syrian rebels announce capital city 'free', PM says ready for handover</a></p>

<p>Assad's regime also saw strained relations between Syria and Lebanon after the involvement of Damascus was suspected in the assassination of Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri as Syrian troops withdrew from Lebanon.</p>

<h2><strong>Civil war in Syria&nbsp;</strong></h2>

<p>Mass protests started in Syria in March 2011, inspired by the Arab Spring. Initially, Assad promised to bring reforms like releasing political prisoners and abolishing emergency laws, however, violence escalated against the protesters.</p>

<p>Troops and tanks were deployed by the government as Assad played the role of a victim of what he called an international conspiracy.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The armed opposition groups picked up the momentum by September 2011 and it soon turned into a full-blown civil war by mid-2012.</p>

<p>Hundreds were killed near Damascus in August 2019 in attacks which involved chemical weapons, which led to calls for international military action.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The United States, Russia and Syria signed an agreement as per which the country's chemical weapons were placed under international control.</p>

<p><strong>Watch:&nbsp;Syrian Army Command Tells Officers That Assad's Rule Has Ended, Officer Says</strong></p>

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/syrian-army-command-tells-officers-that-assads-rule-has-ended-officer-says-782396/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

<p>Even after this, indiscriminate use of weapons was seen in the war, including barrel bombs dropped by Assad's forces in rebel-controlled areas.</p>

<p>A controversial measure, Law 10, was also implemented in which the government was free to seize property from the displaced Syrians which were then redistributed to loyalists.</p>

<p>Elections were held by Assad in June 2014 which kept him in power, but the polls were widely believed to be a sham.</p>

<p>After 13 long years, the Syrian rebel forces finally stormed into Damascus and toppled Bashar al-Assad's regime which marked the historic end of the Assad family's 50-year rule of Syria.</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>

<p><em>Disclaimer: WION takes utmost care to accurately and responsibly report conflicts in West Asia involving Israel, Iran, Syria, Iraq and non-state actors like Islamic State, among others. In this context, claims and counterclaims are being made online and offline. WION cannot independently verify the authenticity of all statements, social media posts, photos and videos.</em></p>


On the morning of Sunday (Dec 8), Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad was nowhere to be found in Damascus when the rebel forces stormed the capital city after taking over five other cities in a span of a few days.

On the morning of Sunday (Dec 8), Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad was nowhere to be found in Damascus when the rebel forces stormed the capital city after taking over five other cities in a span of a few days. As the leader now appeared to have been left to fend for himself, the sequence of tumultuous events marked the end of the 24-year rule of the man who has often been called a "tyrant". Years ago, it was the same President Assad who spearheaded the merciless crackdown on the people who were carrying out the pro-democracy revolt that soon turned into one of the bloodiest wars of the century and eventually toppled the leader. President Assad faced nationwide protests demanding his resignation and also battled an armed rebellion. He eventually crushed it, and took back control of much of the country embroiled in the civil war which had started in 2011. Who is Bashar al-Assad? Bashar al-Assad became the president of Syria in 2000 after his father Hafez al-Assad, who was the country's ruler for almost 30 years, died of a heart attack in the same year. Bashar was born in Damascus on 11 September 1965, and was the second son of Hafez, the leader of the Ba'ath Party and a military officer who became Syria's president after a coup in 1971. Also Read: Syria's 13-year civil war: Timeline of key events since 2011 - What you should know The Assad family came from the Shia minority sect of Alawites. Shias are only around 13 per cent of the population. But the Alawites, and particularly the Assad family, are known to have been dominant in politics since the 1960s. Bashar studied in a school in Damascus and completed his medical degree specialising in ophthalmology from the University of Damascus in 1988. He worked as an army doctor and later shifted to London in 1992 for further studies. Bashar's older brother Basil, who was expected to succeed their father, lost his life in a car accident in 1994. Bashar al-Assad comes to power The then 29-year-old Bashar came back to Syria to take the place of his brother. After his father's death on June 10, 2000, the Syrian parliament amended the constitution swiftly and decreased the minimum age for presidential candidates from 40 to 34 to bring Bashar al-Assad to the helm. On July 11, 2000, Bashar officially took office and became commander-in-chief of the military and the leader of the Ba'ath Party. As soon as he came to power, Bashar refused to adopt democracy as a model for Syria. He followed the hardline stance of his father on the conflict between Syria and Israel, and also opposed the US invasion of Iraq. Also Read: Damascus falls: Syrian rebels announce capital city 'free', PM says ready for handover Assad's regime also saw strained relations between Syria and Lebanon after the involvement of Damascus was suspected in the assassination of Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri as Syrian troops withdrew from Lebanon. Civil war in Syria Mass protests started in Syria in March 2011, inspired by the Arab Spring. Initially, Assad promised to bring reforms like releasing political prisoners and abolishing emergency laws, however, violence escalated against the protesters. Troops and tanks were deployed by the government as Assad played the role of a victim of what he called an international conspiracy. The armed opposition groups picked up the momentum by September 2011 and it soon turned into a full-blown civil war by mid-2012. Hundreds were killed near Damascus in August 2019 in attacks which involved chemical weapons, which led to calls for international military action. The United States, Russia and Syria signed an agreement as per which the country's chemical weapons were placed under international control. Watch: Syrian Army Command Tells Officers That Assad's Rule Has Ended, Officer Says Even after this, indiscriminate use of weapons was seen in the war, including barrel bombs dropped by Assad's forces in rebel-controlled areas. A controversial measure, Law 10, was also implemented in which the government was free to seize property from the displaced Syrians which were then redistributed to loyalists. Elections were held by Assad in June 2014 which kept him in power, but the polls were widely believed to be a sham. After 13 long years, the Syrian rebel forces finally stormed into Damascus and toppled Bashar al-Assad's regime which marked the historic end of the Assad family's 50-year rule of Syria. (With inputs from agencies) Disclaimer: WION takes utmost care to accurately and responsibly report conflicts in West Asia involving Israel, Iran, Syria, Iraq and non-state actors like Islamic State, among others. In this context, claims and counterclaims are being made online and offline. WION cannot independently verify the authenticity of all statements, social media posts, photos and videos.

Bashar Al-Assad: Syria's 'tyrant' who pushed the country into a decade-long civil war

<p>Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky found himself in the eye of the storm when his fashion sense was questioned on Saturday (Dec&nbsp;7) because he chose to go for casual dressing when attending the reopening of Notre Dame cathedral in Paris and meeting US President-elect Donald Trump.</p>

<p>To attend the ceremony, the Ukrainian leader decided to go with a rugged black sweatshirt, black slacks and brown combat boots. He donned the same attire when he met Trump and French President Emmanuel&nbsp;Macron at Élysée Palace.</p>

<p>The military sweatshirt of Zelensky had a symbol similar to the Ukraine Armed Forces' official emblem that he had emblazoned on a T-shirt which he wore in 2022.</p>

<p><strong>Also Read:&nbsp;</strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/zelensky-says-talks-with-trump-were-good-and-productive-insists-on-just-settlement-with-russia-782362">Zelensky says talks with Trump were 'good and productive', insists on ‘just’ settlement with Russia</a></p>

<p>Taking to X, Zelensky later said that he had “a good and productive trilateral meeting” with Trump and Macron.&nbsp;</p>

<p>“President Trump is, as always, resolute. I thank him. I also extend my gratitude to Emmanuel for organizing this important meeting,” he said. “We all want this war to end as soon as possible and in a just way. We spoke about our people, the situation on the ground, and a just peace," the Ukrainian president wrote.&nbsp;</p>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<p dir="ltr" lang="en">I had a good and productive trilateral meeting with President <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@realDonaldTrump</a> and President <a href="https://twitter.com/EmmanuelMacron?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@EmmanuelMacron</a> at the Élysée Palace.<br />
<br />
President Trump is, as always, resolute. I thank him. I also extend my gratitude to Emmanuel for organizing this important meeting.<br />
<br />
We all want… <a href="https://t.co/eKMtuhp2ZI">pic.twitter.com/eKMtuhp2ZI</a></p>
— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) <a href="https://twitter.com/ZelenskyyUa/status/1865451236482310227?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 7, 2024</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

<p>“We agreed to continue working together and keep in contact. Peace through strength is possible," Zelensky said.</p>

<h2><strong>Here's how netizens reacted to Zelensky's attire&nbsp;</strong></h2>

<p>The casual attire of Zelensky faced a lot of criticism online, as people asked if he didn't have a suit and that it was disrespectful to Americans.</p>

<p>“Everybody is dressed business attire. But not Zelenskyy. He shows up in a sweater and jacket. He’s an embarrassment, or should be,” said a user on X.</p>

<p>Trump advisor Roger Stone commented that the attire was “disrespectful to the American people”</p>

<p>“He can’t afford a suit? He wore a suit and tie to the World Economic Forum event, but can’t wear one to address a joint session of Congress or to meet the President-elect of the United States?” he said while speaking to The New York Post.</p>

<p>“As a French person, I’m no fan of Macron: but at least we still know how to dress. Small mercies!” wrote one X user.&nbsp;</p>

<p>“Maybe you can buy a nice suit courtesy of American tax dollars,” added another user. “Sad that Zelenskyy can't dress like an adult after all the billions of dollars the World has given him," wrote a third user.</p>

<p><strong>Watch:&nbsp;Macron, Trump &amp; Zelensky Holds Three-Way Talks At Elysee Palace</strong></p>

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/macron-trump-zelensky-holds-three-way-talks-at-elysee-palace-782354/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

<p>“You couldn’t wear a suit to a reopening of an iconic cathedral?” commented a user.</p>

<p>“Do you not own a suit?” said a user. “You can’t be bothered to put on a suit? Would it hurt to wear a suit every once in a while? Called respect,” said another user.</p>

<p>"Should “pockets open Zelenskyy” have the decency to wear a suit when he meets with the former/future President of the United States of America?" said a user on X.</p>

<p>"Zelensky, wear a suit. Being a country at war doesn't obligate you to a wardrobe of t-shirts for the rest of your life. Come on, man," commented a user.</p>

<p>"Zelensky should be required to wear a suit next time he meets Trump. We have given Ukraine 200 billion dollars. Is that too much to ask?" wrote another.</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>


Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky found himself in the eye of the storm when his fashion sense was questioned on Saturday (Dec 7) because he chose to go for casual dressing when attending the reopening of Notre Dame cathedral in Paris and meeting US President-elect Donald Trump.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky found himself in the eye of the storm when his fashion sense was questioned on Saturday (Dec 7) because he chose to go for casual dressing when attending the reopening of Notre Dame cathedral in Paris and meeting US President-elect Donald Trump. To attend the ceremony, the Ukrainian leader decided to go with a rugged black sweatshirt, black slacks and brown combat boots. He donned the same attire when he met Trump and French President Emmanuel Macron at Élysée Palace. The military sweatshirt of Zelensky had a symbol similar to the Ukraine Armed Forces' official emblem that he had emblazoned on a T-shirt which he wore in 2022. Also Read: Zelensky says talks with Trump were 'good and productive', insists on ‘just’ settlement with Russia Taking to X, Zelensky later said that he had “a good and productive trilateral meeting” with Trump and Macron. “President Trump is, as always, resolute. I thank him. I also extend my gratitude to Emmanuel for organizing this important meeting,” he said. “We all want this war to end as soon as possible and in a just way. We spoke about our people, the situation on the ground, and a just peace," the Ukrainian president wrote. I had a good and productive trilateral meeting with President @realDonaldTrump and President @EmmanuelMacron at the Élysée Palace. President Trump is, as always, resolute. I thank him. I also extend my gratitude to Emmanuel for organizing this important meeting. We all want… pic.twitter.com/eKMtuhp2ZI — Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) December 7, 2024 × “We agreed to continue working together and keep in contact. Peace through strength is possible," Zelensky said. Here's how netizens reacted to Zelensky's attire The casual attire of Zelensky faced a lot of criticism online, as people asked if he didn't have a suit and that it was disrespectful to Americans. “Everybody is dressed business attire. But not Zelenskyy. He shows up in a sweater and jacket. He’s an embarrassment, or should be,” said a user on X. Trump advisor Roger Stone commented that the attire was “disrespectful to the American people” “He can’t afford a suit? He wore a suit and tie to the World Economic Forum event, but can’t wear one to address a joint session of Congress or to meet the President-elect of the United States?” he said while speaking to The New York Post. “As a French person, I’m no fan of Macron: but at least we still know how to dress. Small mercies!” wrote one X user. “Maybe you can buy a nice suit courtesy of American tax dollars,” added another user. “Sad that Zelenskyy can't dress like an adult after all the billions of dollars the World has given him," wrote a third user. Watch: Macron, Trump & Zelensky Holds Three-Way Talks At Elysee Palace “You couldn’t wear a suit to a reopening of an iconic cathedral?” commented a user. “Do you not own a suit?” said a user. “You can’t be bothered to put on a suit? Would it hurt to wear a suit every once in a while? Called respect,” said another user. "Should “pockets open Zelenskyy” have the decency to wear a suit when he meets with the former/future President of the United States of America?" said a user on X. "Zelensky, wear a suit. Being a country at war doesn't obligate you to a wardrobe of t-shirts for the rest of your life. Come on, man," commented a user. "Zelensky should be required to wear a suit next time he meets Trump. We have given Ukraine 200 billion dollars. Is that too much to ask?" wrote another. (With inputs from agencies)

'Zelensky, wear a suit': Ukrainian president meets Trump in sweatshirt and boots, faces backlash

Author

Zee News Rajasthan

Editor

Prisha

Home

Live Tv

Latest

World

India

Business

Entertainment

Sports

Opinions

Videos

Photos

Gravitas

Lifestyle

Science

Tech

Rajasthan News in Hindi: In-depth coverage of Rajasthan Crime, Political News, Education, Rajasthan Weather Update and Latest Rajasthan News on Zee News Rajasthan.