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I'm VOA's Joe Ramsey with your worldwide news update.
Syria's future is uncertain after rebels seized the capital Damascus and President Bashar Assad fled to Russia following 13 years of civil war and a half century of his family's brutal rule. Reuters correspondent Zachary Goelman reports. Syrians awoke Monday free from the brutal Assad family dictatorship that had governed the country for 50 years. A lightning campaign by Syrian rebel forces in recent weeks and the rapid collapse of government forces culminated in President Bashar al-Assad and his family fleeing to Russia over the weekend. Amid the celebrations, regional and global powers moved to secure their interests and settle scores in the war-torn country. U.S. jets attacked what Washington said were Syrian targets associated with the Islamic State militant group. The Kremlin said it planned to discuss the future of Russian military bases in Syria with the country's new rulers. Reuters correspondent Zachary Goelman. Israel has seized control of a demilitarized buffer zone in the Golan Heights and attacked weapons factories near Damascus following the overthrow of Assad. Linda Gradstein reports for VOA from Jerusalem. Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar said Israel is concerned that some of Syria's weapons could fall into the hands of those who want to harm the Jewish state. For decades, the boundary between Israel and Syria had been Israel's quietest border following an agreement after the 1973 Yom Kippur War. But some analysts say that the new situation could eventually lead to a peace treaty between Israel and Syria. Israel is watching to see how Iran will react to the events in Syria. Some in Israel fear that Iran could try to re-establish deterrence by moving ahead with its nuclear program, which could spark an Israeli attack on Iran. Linda Gradstein, VOA News, Jerusalem. This is VOA News. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy made the case on Monday for a diplomatic settlement to Russia's war in Ukraine and raised the idea of foreign troops being deployed in his country until it could join the NATO military alliance. Reuters correspondent Sean Hogan has more. Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy opened the door to negotiations with Russia on Monday as he sent the latest signal for a potential diplomatic settlement to end Russia's war in the country. The remarks came at a joint press conference with German opposition leader Friedrich Merz. Zelenskyy also returned to an idea raised in February about the possibility of European nations sending troops to Ukraine. There was no consensus on the matter among European leaders. Zelenskyy added Ukraine must have a clear understanding of when it will join the EU and receive an invitation into NATO. Kyiv has insisted it needs security guarantees to prevent Russia launching another invasion once the current hostilities are halted. Reuters correspondent Sean Hogan. TikTok and its China-based owner ByteDance asked a U.S. appeals court Monday to temporarily block a law that would force a sale of the short video app in the U.S. by early next year or face an unprecedented ban. Reuters correspondent Alex Cohen reports. The companies filed an emergency motion with the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia pending a review by the U.S. Supreme Court. Last week, a three-judge panel of the appeals court upheld the law, jeopardizing the future of the app which is used by 170 million Americans. Lawyers for the company said the prospect the Supreme Court will take the case and reverse is sufficiently high to warrant the temporary pause needed to create time for further deliberation. The law to force a sale or ban TikTok was driven by widespread worries among U.S. lawmakers that China could access Americans' data or servile them with the app. TikTok has denied it has or ever would share U.S. user data. Also TikTok and ByteDance have called the law unconstitutional and a violation of Americans' free speech rights. Reuters correspondent Alex Cohen. New York police said on Monday a strong person of interest in the killing of an American healthcare executive has been arrested. UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson died in a dawn ambush Wednesday as he walked to the company's annual investor conference from his hotel. Court documents say police found a black, 3D-printed pistol and a 3D-printed silencer in the 26-year-old suspect's backpack. He has been charged with weapons, forgery and other charges. That wraps up this update, but the world and news never stop. For additional updates visit our website. I'm Joe Ramsey, VOA News. |