UN may consider removing terror label from top Syrian rebel group
The United Nations special envoy to Syria said Monday, Dec. 9, it may consider removing Hayat Tahrir Al-Sham (HTS) from its list of terrorist groups. The envoy said it could happen if HTS forms a transitional government that includes religious minorities.
The international community welcomed the overthrow of Syrian President Bashar Assad. However, the U.N. and U.S. designate the leading rebel group as a terror group.
The State Department said it has no plans to remove the group’s designation as a foreign terrorist organization. However, the department said those designations are constantly under review, and HTS could prompt a review with future actions.
HTS is an Islamist militant group that has a stronghold in Syria’s province of Idlib. In recent years, they engaged with leaders of the Christian and Druze communities, granting more protections to religious minorities.
These steps are key for the group to earn additional support from the international community.
One rebel commander released a statement on Telegram on Saturday as the regime fell, saying, “We ask that all sects be reassured… for the era of sectarianism and tyranny has gone away forever.”
The U.N. envoy said progress toward an inclusive government could lead to more humanitarian aid and the return of refugees.
The U.S. said it has ways to legally communicate with HTS, even with its terrorist designation. If the U.S. lifted the ban, it would remove sanctions and allow for support, including economic aid and weapons.
Assad ouster in Syria will have ‘ripple effects’ in Iran, Russia
The Assad regime in Syria is over. In the next few days, the Syrian government is expected to turn over control of the country to the rebel-led Salvation Government.
After 50 years of the regime’s brutality, the lightning-fast offensive to push Bashar Assad out of power lasted just 12 days, but the ripple effects could last decades.
“This whole offensive, in the end of the day, definitely could not take place without the Turkish green light,” Avi Melamed said.
Melamed is a former Israeli intelligence officer, now an author and head of an organization called Inside the Middle East.
Melamed said Turkey may see the most immediate ripple effect of Assad’s fall. Turkey backed at least two of the rebel groups that overthrew the dictator: the Free Syrian Army (FSA) and Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS).
Turkey made proxies out of these groups to stop the flow of refugees into southern Turkey and out of concern about the establishment of a semi-autonomous zone in northeast Syria controlled by a group known as the Kurds.
“From a Turkish perspective, the situation in northern Syria is significant in the context of Turkish interests, and therefore the ability to maintain sort of like proxies on the ground, particularly the FSA, the Free Syrian Army, and also the HTS, even though the relationships between Turkey and the HTS are kind of like, you know, convoluted so to speak,” Melamed said. “On the one hand, tensions; on the other hand, cooperation.”
One thing that is not convoluted: all the rebel groups in Syria battling Assad hate Iran, which brings us to our second ripple effect.
“The common denominator of all the Syrian rebel groups, actually, is that they vow non-compromising animosity to Iran and its interference in Syria,” Melamed said.
“Their demand is very clear,” Melamed continued. “They want to kick Iran out of Syria and its militias—either the Iraqis or the Hezbollah and Afghan or Pakistani militias that are also present in Syria, backed by the Iranians. So as far as the Iranians are concerned, they are looking at a rivalry that has no intention to compromise with the Iranian presence in Syria.”
Losing Syria as a proxy is another serious blow to Iran’s Axis of Resistance. It’s an axis which includes Hamas and Hezbollah, two groups that were also recently decimated. But their destruction came at the hands of the Israel Defense Forces.
So, a further weakening of Iran and its proxies is a good thing for Israel and the United States’ interests in the region.
“The Iranians are now crying to high heaven saying that the Americans and the Israelis were the ones behind all this,” Matt Shoemaker, another former intelligence officer, said.
He worked on the Russia desk for the United States.
“As if we are able to control all of these outside events. Which, you know, if it’s true that we had a hand in it, I mean, wow! That’s impressive, you know, that we’re able to affect these sorts of things so quickly and so strategically. More power to them,” Shoemaker said. “But I’d be hard pressed without more evidence to say, ‘yeah, the United States is totally involved with that.’”
He said the fall of Assad’s government is going to have drastic consequences for Moscow too.
“Prior to last week, we thought for the most part Syria was a done deal and that Assad was sitting pretty essentially,” Shoemaker said. “I think that it took a lot of people off guard, and put everyone on the back foot, just how quickly the rebel forces were able to just sweep in there and take over.”
The fall of Assad’s regime, after helping prop it up for so long, will be an obvious blow to the Kremlin’s reputation and its claims of having one of the world’s strongest militaries. But it will also have a very real-world impact too.
Syria was the site of Russia’s only Mediterranean port, which the Kremlin abandoned as the rebels were encircling Aleppo.
“It’s not a terribly large port. It only has about four or five medium-sized ships,” Shoemaker said. “It’s mostly used for resupplying and power projection by the Russians in the region. As I said, it’s their only warm-water port in the Mediterranean. It gives them reach not only into the Middle East but also into Africa, where they’re very active in Libya, for example.”
Degrading hostile Russian activities around the world is a stalwart of American diplomacy and has been for decades. So, even though the U.S. may not have had a hand in the current situation in Syria, that doesn’t mean the U.S. can’t reap some of the benefits of the ripple effects.
“This is a situation where the timing of it is certainly interesting,” Shoemaker said. “It is not good for the Russians at all. They’re busy in Ukraine. The Iranians are distracted with what’s going on with Israel and Lebanon. So, on the one hand, does this benefit American interests that this happened at this particular time? Yeah, to a certain extent, there’s some benefit to this.”
“That doesn’t necessarily mean that we were the cause of it. Correlation is not causation,” Shoemaker continued. “More than anything, it is a data point where you’re like, ‘It worked out for us this time, great! We benefited from something that happened.’ Did we have a hand in it? No idea. But the timing of it is a ‘great! Something came out in our favor for once’ type thing. But yeah, it’s not a good day for Assad. It’s not a good day for the Iranians or the Russians. Sorry, too bad. That’s how things work.”
Suspect charged with murder in killing of UnitedHealthcare CEO
The man accused of gunning down the CEO of UnitedHealthcare on a New York City sidewalk is charged with murder. And the Biden administration levels allegations of war crimes against two Syrians who were high-raking members of the now ousted regime. These stories and more highlight your Unbiased Updates for Tuesday, Dec. 10, 2024.
Suspect charged with murder in killing of UnitedHealthcare CEO
After nearly a week of searching, the manhunt for the suspected gunman who shot and killed UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson outside a New York City hotel last week is over. Police said they located the 26-year-old suspect inside a McDonald’s in Altoona, Pennsylvania, about 300 miles from New York on Monday, Dec. 9.
The New York City Police Department filed first-degree murder charges against Luigi Mangione, according to court documents released Monday night. Mangione also faces charges of possession of a loaded firearm, possession of a forged driver’s license, and criminal possession of a weapon.
Mangione is described as a former high school valedictorian and a graduate of the University of Pennsylvania, who grew up in Maryland but has also had past addresses in California and Hawaii.
Mangione was taken into custody in Altoona after authorities said a McDonald’s employee recognized him as the person of interest seen in images related to Thompson’s shooting death.
When police arrived on the scene, they questioned Mangione. According to court documents, Mangione “started to shake” when asked if he’d recently been in New York City. Authorities said at first, he lied about his identity.
So proud of @NYPDMTN Detectives, and our Major Case and Homicide Squads, who worked around-the-clock on the homicide investigation in Midtown. I joined them last night to thank them for their dedication. No doubt, their work was instrumental to identifying the person of interest… pic.twitter.com/jAFA7JDcHd
Court documents show he was carrying a black 3-D printed pistol with a silencer. The NYPD said the “ghost gun” found on him was consistent with the one used in the murder. Ghost guns do not have serial numbers.
Police said Mangione also had on him a fake ID, matching the one used by the suspect at a New York City hostel before the shooting, and a three-page written note.
“That document is currently in the possession of the Altoona Police Department as part of their investigation but just from briefly speaking with them, we don’t think that there’s any specific threats to other people mentioned in that document, but it does seem that he has some ill will toward corporate America,” NYPD Chief of Detectives Joe Kenney said.
Multiple reports Tuesday morning, Dec. 10, claimed those writings included the phrases “these parasites had it coming” and it “had to be done.”
During a press conference Monday evening, Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro (D) spoke of how the killing has led to some people online sharing their frustrations and anger over the healthcare system but emphasized that Mangione is not a martyr.
“In some dark corners, this killer’s being hailed as a hero,” Shapiro said. “Hear me on this: he is no hero. The real hero in this story is the person who called 911 at McDonald’s this [Monday] morning. The real heroes every day in our society are the women and men who put on uniforms like these and go out in our communities to keep us safe. This killer is not a hero. He should not be hailed.”
Mangione will remain in custody in Pennsylvania pending his extradition to New York, which is expected to take place later this week.
Jury finds former US Marine not guilty in NYC chokehold death trial
Tensions remain high in New York after a jury acquitted U.S. Marine veteran Daniel Penny of all charges on Monday, including criminally negligent homicide, in the chokehold death of a schizophrenic man, whose behavior had some people on the New York subway testifying they feared for their lives.
The caught-on-camera deadly incident from May 2023 saw Penny put Jordan Neely in a chokehold from behind after Neely walked up and down the F train saying “somebody is going to die today”.
Prosecutors said the chokehold lasted too long, was reckless, and resulted in the 30-year-old homeless man’s death. The defense brought an expert in to show Neely was under the influence of the synthetic marijuana drug K2, arguing he died from drug use and a previous medical condition.
Outside the Manhattan courthouse Tuesday, fights broke out as protesters and counter-protesters clashed. After the verdict Neely’s father stated, “There is no justice.”
US charges 2 former Syrian officials with war crimes
The United States has charged two former high-ranking Syrian intelligence officials with war crimes. The DOJ said during Bashar al-Assad’s regime, Jamil Hassan and Abdul Salam Mahmoud oversaw operations of a detention facility where Americans and civilians who had been deemed enemies of the state were tortured.
In other developments in the Middle East, the U.S. has also sent a special envoy to Beirut, Lebanon to find out what happened to Austin Tice. Tice is an American journalist who vanished in Syria 12 years ago.
"We have heard from sources that have been vetted by the U.S. government that Austin is alive." Austin Tice has been missing in Syria for 12 years. Today his brother & sister tell me "every day is a day that Austin should be released and a day that Austin could be released." pic.twitter.com/o08OgOFKEm
On Sunday, Dec. 8, President Joe Biden said he believes Tice is still alive and his administration is committed to bringing him home. Syria has publicly denied holding Tice.
Meanwhile, Israel has launched a large-scale attack on Syria, striking what it called strategic military sites after the fall of the al-Assad government. It also expanded its presence into the Golan Heights, a buffer zone along the country’s border with Syria.
Israel claimed the move is temporary and aimed at ensuring nearby areas are not exposed to any potential security threats, but Iran has appealed to the United Nations Security Council, saying the expansion is a “flagrant violation” of U.N. charter, breaking a 50-year cease-fire agreement.
Hegseth looks to shore up Senate support on Capitol Hill
President-elect Donald Trump’s pick for defense secretary is back on Capitol Hill this week. He’s looking to shore up support from Senate Republicans.
Pete Hegseth met with Senators Joni Ernst and Lindsey Graham on Monday. Both had expressed concerns over allegations against Hegseth of sexual misconduct, financial mismanagement of veterans’ charities and excessive drinking.
Hegseth denies a lot of it and says he is changed man. He served in the Army in the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq.
Lord & Taylor to relaunch as online discount luxury retailer
Another department store chain is set to make an internet comeback. Lord & Taylor is set to relaunch in 2025 as a discount luxury e-commerce platform offering designer goods and Lord & Taylor-branded products, according to its new owner.
Regal Brands Global acquired the Lord & Taylor intellectual property in September after its previous owner, Saadia Group — which had re-launched the chain as an e-commerce website in 2021 — ceased operations.
Regal Brands reportedly aims to position Lord & Taylor products to compete with other high-end retailers such as Saks Fifth Avenue and Nordstrom.
‘Emilia Perez’ receives most Golden Globe nominations
Israel sends troops into Golan Heights buffer zone in response to coup in Syria
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has responded to the fall of Bashar al-Assad and the Assad regime in Syria, calling it a historic day in the history of the Middle East. He ordered the Israeli military to seize the buffer zone that separates the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights and southern Syria.
Israel captured the Golan Heights from Syria in 1967. The country created a 155-square mile buffer zone in 1974, in an agreement between Israel and Syria. U.N. peacekeepers currently monitor the buffer zone.
Over the weekend of Dec. 7, Israel announced the agreement had collapsed and that Syrian soldiers had abandoned their posts along the border.
“We will not allow any hostile force to establish itself on our border,” Netanyahu said.
Israel has deployed both ground and air troops to the area.
The prime minister vowed to defend villages in northern Israel. At the same time, he urged residents in southern Syria to stay home for their own safety.
Israel’s Arabic-language military spokesman moved to reassure Syrians by posting on social media that Israel intends no harm.
Netanyahu also addressed what he believes was Israel’s role in the fall of the Assad regime after 50 years. He said it was the direct result of Israel’s recent military campaign against Syrian allies, Iran and Hezbollah.
‘Risk and uncertainty’ as Syrian rebels oust Assad after decades in power
Syrian rebels oust dictator Bashar al-Assad, who has fled the country after nearly 25 years in power. And the suspected killer of a health care CEO in New York City is still at-large after eluding a massive manhunt for almost a week. These stories and more highlight your Unbiased Updates for Monday, Dec. 9, 2024.
‘Risk and uncertainty’ as Syrian rebels oust Assad after decades in power
It’s the dawn of a new era in Syria. After more than a decade of civil war in the country, President Bashar al-Assad was ousted after rebel groups overtook the capital in a coup on Sunday, Dec. 8.
Now Syria and its people are left with the question of what comes next as countries around the world, including the United States, react to the changing landscape.
Syrians could be seen celebrating in the streets as word spread that Assad had fled the country. State media reported the president and his family landed in Russia Sunday evening and Assad has been granted political asylum in Moscow.
The toppled leader, who had been in power since 2000 and whose family had ruled for five decades, was forced to vacate after rebel forces quickly captured city after city leading to them taking control of Damascus.
Since the civil war broke out in the wake of the pro-democracy Arab Spring demonstrations of 2011, Assad’s forces have been accused of brutal severe human rights violations, including using chemical weapons against their people. They’ve been held responsible for the deaths of more than 5,000 people and the displacement of millions of others.
The rebels who led to Assad’s ouster were headed by Abu Mohammad al-Jolani, the leader of the group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham. Jolani called the coup “a victory for the whole Islamic nation.”
Jolani’s group used to be linked to Al Qaeda. Though it has cut those ties, the U.S. still designates it a terrorist group.
President Joe Biden spoke from the White House Sunday, calling the end of Assad’s regime a “fundamental act of justice.” Biden added the U.S. will support Syria’s neighbors Jordan, Lebanon, and Iraq should any threat arise from this period of transition.
Biden referred to this as a time of “risk and uncertainty.”
“We will remain vigilante. Make no mistake, some of the rebel groups that took down Assad have their own grim record of terrorism and human rights abuses,” Biden said. “We’ve taken note of statements by the leaders of these rebel groups in recent days and they’re saying the right things now. But as they take on greater responsibility, we will assess not just their words but their actions.”
Biden said Assad’s downfall came in part due to allies Iran, Russia and Hezbollah being weaker today than when Biden began his term.
President-elect Donald Trump issued a statement on his Truth Social platform Sunday, saying Iran and Russia are in weakened states right now and calling for the end of the war in Ukraine. However, in a post on Saturday, Dec. 7, Trump said the U.S. should not get involved with Syria, saying, “This is not our fight. Let it play out.”
Iran’s president said it is up to the Syrian people to decide the future of their country.
Amid the time of transition in Syria, the U.S. showed it will continue its efforts against ISIS in the region. U.S. Central Command said it launched a series of airstrikes Sunday targeting ISIS camps and leaders in central Syria, confirming 75 “targets” had been hit. U.S. officials said it will not allow ISIS to take advantage of the current situation in Syria.
Trump promises to pardon Jan. 6 rioters on first day in office
In his first network TV interview since winning the election, President-elect Trump touched on some of his biggest campaign promises and his plans to start following through with them immediately when he takes office in January.
In an interview with NBC News’ Kristen Welker for Sunday’s “Meet the Press,” Trump said, “A lot of it will have to do with economics. A lot’s gonna do with energy. A lot’s having to do with the border. We’re gonna immediately strengthen up the border and do a real job.”
Trump also doubled down on his promise to pardon Americans jailed for their role in the Capitol riot on Jan. 6, 2021, saying they had no other choice than to plead guilty. Department of Justice records show more than 1,500 people have been arrested or charged in connection with that attack and nearly 900 have pleaded guilty.
While Trump said he will not tell his nominees for FBI director and attorney general to go after his political rivals, he did share his opinion on what should happen to lawmakers who were on the House’s select committee to investigate January 6.
“Everybody on that committee, for what they did, honestly, they should go to jail,” he said.
After that interview, former Congresswoman Liz Cheney (R-WY), who was on the committee, issued a statement saying, “Donald Trump’s suggestion that members of congress who later investigated his illegal and unconstitutional actions should be jailed is a continuation of his assault on the rule of law and the foundations of our republic.”
Trump did reiterate multiple times during Sunday’s interview he has no plans to go after political rivals, but as we’ve reported here at Straight Arrow News, President Biden is considering preemptive pardons for Cheney and others who were part of the House Jan. 6 investigation, as well as Dr. Anthony Fauci and Special Counsel Jack Smith.
Police release new images of suspect in NYC deadly shooting
The manhunt for the killer of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson enters a new week.
Over the weekend, the NYPD released new images of the apparent suspect. Police identify the man in the pictures as “a person of interest” wanted for questioning for the fatal shooting outside a Hilton hotel Wednesday, Dec. 4.
One image shows the masked man in the back of a taxi. Another shows him walking on the sidewalk outside a vehicle. Police are hoping these images, along with others released last week, will help lead to the gunman.
Authorities reportedly traveled to Atlanta on Saturday, Dec. 7, and have been searching a lake near Central Park. On Friday night, Dec. 6, reports said investigators found a backpack believed to belong to the shooter. Inside they found two items: a Tommy Hilfiger jacket and Monopoly money.
Jay-Z accused of raping 13-year-old girl alongside Diddy
Music mogul Jay-Z, whose real name is Shawn Carter, has been accused of raping a 13-year-old girl alongside Sean “Diddy” Combs. In a civil suit filed Sunday, the anonymous accuser claimed the assault happened in 2000 at an MTV Video Music Awards after-party.
The federal lawsuit was originally filed in October only listing Combs as a defendant, but it was refiled Sunday to include Carter.
Jay-Z, who is married to Beyonce, denied the accusation and said in a statement directed at the attorney who filed the suit, “These allegations are so heinous in nature that I implore you to file a criminal complaint, not a civil one!!”
Combs’ lawyer also responded, calling the suit a “shameless” publicity stunt.
In September, federal prosecutors in New York criminally charged Combs with racketeering, sex trafficking and other offenses. He is in jail awaiting trial, which is scheduled to start May 5.
Kennedy Center honors Coppola, Grateful Dead, The Apollo
President Biden was among those in attendance — a tradition President Trump did not continue during his first term in office, saying he did not want to be a political distraction as some attendees had threatened to boycott his appearance. As Trump gets ready to start his second term in office, there are questions about whether federal funding for the arts might be on the chopping block.
Reports: Juan Soto, Mets agree on largest contract in pro sports history
Former New York Yankees star outfielder Juan Soto is staying in the Big Apple, but moving leagues in reportedly the largest deal in professional sports history.
But should Soto decide not to opt out, his pay will reportedly go up an extra $4 million a year for the remainder of the deal — meaning in the end, this could be an over $800 million deal.
The agreement also reportedly includes a $75 million signing bonus. Soto’s deal surpasses the record set just last year by Shohei Ohtani’s 10-year, $700 million contract.
Note: The headline has been corrected to Assad. A previous version had the incorrect name.
Biden, Trump react to reignited rebellion in Syria as Assad flees
Syrian President Bashar Assad has landed in Russia, according to state media. This comes after a swift offensive targeting Damascus forced him to flee the country on Dec. 7, ending nearly 60 years of Assad family rule in Syria.
There were swift reactions from U.S. leaders, including from President-elect Donald Trump and President Joe Biden. Before Assad fled the country, Trump posted on Truth Social, saying, “THIS IS NOT OUR FIGHT, LET IT PLAY OUT, DO NOT GET INVOLVED.”
Trump also posted after Assad was confirmed to have fled to Moscow, saying, “Russia and Iran are in a weakened state right now.” He also called for a ceasefire in Ukraine.
President Biden also made announcements about the conflict. He says the administration is “clear eyed” on the subject of a potential IS resurgence, saying, “Just today, U.S. forces conducted a dozen precision strikes, airstrikes, within Syria targeting ISIS camps and ISIS operatives.”
Moscow has not been silent on the matter either, with Russian officials saying the country “is in contact with all factions of the Syrian opposition.” The Russian Foreign Ministry also confirmed that Assad, “made the decision to resign from the presidency and leave the country, instructing a peaceful transfer of power.”
After over 13 years of brutal civil war, back and forth offensives and civilian crackdowns in Syria, long time President Assad has fled the country to his allies in Moscow. Rebels, in a surprise offensive starting on Nov. 27, swiftly captured the major city of Aleppo, turning south and taking the major cities of Hama, then Homs.
The war began during the Arab Spring, a wave of pro-democratic protests, revolutions and civil wars that began in the early 2010s. Major leaders were toppled, including Muammar Gaddaffi in Libya, and Hosni Mubarak of Egypt.
⚡️The Syrian war as we known it for 14 years has ended.
Northern Idlib’s Syrian Salvation Government, headed by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), a U.S. designated terrorist organization, and the Syrian National Army (SNA), a Turkish backed group, began attacking southwards in late November, and by Dec. 5 were at the doors of Homs, a major logistical hub connecting the capital of Damascus to Syria’s Mediterranean coast.
On Dec. 6, rebel forces under the banner of the Southern Front captured a southern regional capital, Suwayda, as well as Daraa, and Assad’s forces were seen leaving much of the eastern part of the country, which is mostly desert. Those areas were taken in small chunks by Islamic State group remnants and U.S. backed Kurdish forces.
While HTS was occupied with resistance from Assad’s forces, Iranian militias, Russian soldiers and Hezbollah in Homs, the Southern Front began to enter outer Damascus on Dec. 7, slowly surrounding the capital city. By the end of the day, attacking forces were said to be in the suburbs of Damascus.
Very early on Dec. 8, defending forces retreated from Homs, and northern rebels were able to capture the city. Another U.S. backed group, the Syrian Free Army, was also able to approach Damascus from the north.
Later that day, Syrian Prime Minister Mohammad Ghazi al-Jalali stated that he was ready to cooperate with the rebels. In a recorded message he said “We are ready to cooperate with any leadership chosen by the people.”
Notably, President Assad had not made any public appearances in days within Damascus, with many wondering if he had fled. Russian officials later confirmed that he had “stepped down” and left the country, taking refuge in Moscow.
What’s next for the war-torn nation?
With Assad gone and a new normal being imposed on Syria by a number of different armed groups, many are left to wonder what sort of government will be set up in the dictator’s absence. The main group of the offensive, HTS, has links to Al-Qaida and IS, though the group has tried to shed those past connections.
HTS leader Abu Mohammed al-Golani met with CNN in an interview on Dec. 6, and says he has cut jihadist ties and now embraces religious tolerance and pluralism.
HTS leader Abu Mohammed al-Golani
Also still in the country are some Russian forces, which fled entrenched positions around the nation, now controlling only their leased Tartus naval base on the Mediterranean and Khmeimim air base near Latakia. Russian forces say they are on “high alert” as rebel forces near their positions.
In the northeast of the country, the Syrian Democratic Forces, a U.S. backed Kurdish group, still fights Turkish proxy groups such as the SNA, though notably HTS and other groups have not engaged the Kurds so far.
Israel also has a part to play, with the Israeli Defense Forces attacking a number of Assad government military installations near the occupied Golan Heights. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ordered a buffer zone be created near the Golan, with the 1974 ceasefire over the occupied zone void, according to the leader.
Though the fight to oust Assad is over, with major blows to Russian and Iranian influence and power in the region, it is unknown what sort of government may be set up by the number of different groups in Syria. Israeli attacks have only intensified, and it is unknown if these armed groups in the country will be able to keep the peace in the long term, not only within Syria, but with each other.
