World
Taking Syria: The opposition’s battles shown in 11 maps for 11 days
In the early hours of Sunday morning, Syrian opposition fighters announced that they had captured the capital, Damascus, and that President Bashar al-Assad had fled the country.
The announcements came hours after the fighters took a fourth strategic city in a lightning offensive that began on November 27.
In just 11 days, the 24-year rule of President Bashar al-Assad came to an end.
The maps below provide a day-by-day overview of territorial control.
Build-up to November 27
Before November 27, Syrian opposition forces were mostly confined to their stronghold in the northwestern governorate of Idlib, following a ceasefire brokered in March 2020 by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Russian President Vladimir Putin.
The map below shows Syria’s territorial control before November 27.
On the ground, four main groups were competing for control, including:
- Syrian government forces: The army fought alongside the National Defence Forces, a pro-government paramilitary group, and was supported by Hezbollah, Iran and Russia.
- Syrian Democratic Forces: This Kurdish-dominated, United States-backed group controls parts of eastern Syria.
- HTS and other allied rebel groups: Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), the largest fighting force, was in control of Idlib for years before this offensive.
- Turkish and Turkish-aligned Syrian rebel forces: The Syrian National Army is a Turkish-backed rebel force in northern Syria.
Day 1 – November 27
On Wednesday, November 27, just one day after a ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon came into effect, Syrian opposition forces, led by HTS, launched an offensive from their base in the Idlib governorate in northwestern Syria.
The rebel group said their attacks were in retaliation for recent Syrian government assaults on cities in Idlib, including Ariha and Sarmada, which had resulted in several civilian casualties in recent weeks.
By the evening, the group had seized at least 19 towns and villages from pro-government forces, including military sites, as they pushed into western Aleppo governorate.
The Syrian regime responded by shelling rebel-held areas while the Russian air force carried out air strikes.
Day 2 – November 28
By Thursday, the rebels had captured more territory and expelled government forces from villages in eastern Idlib, then began pushing towards the M5 highway, a strategic road that leads south to the capital, Damascus, about 300km (186 miles) away.
Day 3 – November 29
By Friday, rebel forces had entered parts of Aleppo city after detonating two car bombs and engaging government forces on the city’s western edge, according to a Syrian war monitor and fighters. Syrian state television said Russia was providing Syria’s military with air support.
Day 4 – November 30
By Saturday, images and videos began circulating online showing rebel fighters taking photos next to the ancient Citadel of Aleppo as they advanced through the city.
After capturing Aleppo, the rebels advanced south, towards Hama.
Day 5 – December 1
By Sunday, Syrian and Russian jets intensified their air attacks in Idlib city and positions in Aleppo as government forces tried to slow the advance of opposition fighters.
In his first public comments since the start of the offensive, President al-Assad said his forces would continue to defend the government’s “stability and territorial integrity against terrorists and their supporters”.
Day 6 – December 2
Fierce battles continued in the outskirts of Hama as Syrian opposition fighters advanced to the strategic central city – Syria’s fourth largest.
As the site of the most brutal politically motivated massacre in Syria’s recent history, the city also held symbolic importance.
Day 7 – December 3
The Syrian government said its counteroffensive had pushed back opposition fighters attempting to advance into Hama. In contrast, opposition forces said they captured more Syrian troops and Iran-backed fighters in fierce battles.
Day 8 – December 4
Opposition fighters continued to push further south as they captured more towns in the Hama governorate.
A regime air strike killed Syrian photographer Anas Alkharboutli, who was working for German news agency dpa, near the city of Hama. Alkharboutli, 32, had long documented Syria’s 13-year war.
Day 9 -December 5
By Thursday, the rebels announced they had full control of Hama. Seizing the city brought them one step closer to severing the coastal cities of Tartous and Latakia from the rest of the country.
Latakia is a key political stronghold for al-Assad and Syria’s Alawite community, as well as a strategic Russian naval base.
Day 10 -December 6
The capture of Hama paved the way to Homs, Syria’s third-largest city.
Homs, a key crossroads city linking Damascus to Syria’s coastal areas, lies approximately 46km (29 miles) south of Hama.
Al Jazeera’s Omar al-Hajj said Syrian government forces had conducted several air strikes on the main road in an effort to stop the opposition’s advance.
Day 11 – December 7
On Saturday, southern forces started moving and Deraa-based opposition fighters said they seized control of the city, the fourth strategic loss for President Bashar al-Assad’s forces in a week. Deraa, which lies only a few kilometres from the border with neighbouring Jordan, is known as the cradle of the 2011 revolution.
The same day, rebel fighters came within kilometres of the capital, Damascus. By the evening, they had reached its suburbs, and in the early hours of the morning on December 8, fighters captured the capital.
World
2 people killed in collision between jet and vehicle at New York’s LaGuardia Airport, source says
NEW YORK (AP) — An Air Canada regional jet struck a fire truck on the runway after landing at New York’s LaGuardia Airport late Sunday night, crushing the nose of the plane, according to authorities and photos of the wreckage.
Two people were killed, according to a person familiar with the investigation into the crash. The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss an active investigation.
Two Port Authority employees who were traveling in the fire truck also were injured, the person said.
There were 72 passengers and four crew members aboard the aircraft, a Jazz Aviation flight operating on behalf of Air Canada, according to a statement from the airline. The flight originated at Montréal-Pierre Elliott Trudeau International Airport, the major airport serving Montreal.
The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey said in a statement that the jet had struck a rescue and firefighting vehicle that was responding to a separate incident at about 11:45 p.m. The airport was closed as of 3 a.m. to facilitate the investigation, officials said.
Photos and videos from the scene showed severe damage to the front of the aircraft, with cables and debris hanging from a mangled cockpit. Nearby, a damaged emergency vehicle lay on its side.
Stairways used to evacuate passengers from aircraft were pushed up to the emergency exits on the jet, a Bombardier CRJ. The impact left the jet with its crumpled nose tilted upward.
In the moments before the crash, an air traffic controller could be heard on a radio transmission giving clearance to a vehicle to cross part of the tarmac, then trying to stop it.
“Stop, Truck 1. Stop,” the transmission says. The controller can then be heard frantically diverting incoming aircraft from landing.
Jazz Aviation issued a statement confirming the accident and noting the passenger and crew list was preliminary and subject to confirmation.
The National Transportation Safety Board said it was investigating the incident.
World
Trump, Starmer agree Strait of Hormuz must reopen as Middle East conflict escalates
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President Donald Trump spoke with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer on Sunday to discuss escalating tensions in the Middle East, with a focus on the urgent need to reopen the Strait of Hormuz and restore global shipping.
The leaders discussed the current situation in the Middle East, and in particular, the need to reopen the Strait of Hormuz to resume global shipping, Downing Street said in a statement.
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Keir Stamer, UK prime minister, during a news conference providing an update on the situation in the Middle East, at Downing Street in London, UK, on Thursday, March 5, 2026. (Tolga Akmen/EPA/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
“They agreed that reopening the Strait of Hormuz was essential to ensure stability in the global energy market. They agreed to speak again soon.”
The call came amid a rapidly intensifying conflict in the region, with Iran blocking the strategically vital strait since the United States and Israel launched coordinated strikes against Iranian targets on Feb. 28.
The military action triggered swift retaliation from Tehran and has since escalated into a broader regional war as Iran has sent missiles into numerous neighboring countries not directly involved in the initial conflict.
UK NUCLEAR SUBMARINE DEPLOYED TO ARABIAN SEA BEFORE IRAN TARGETS KEY US-UK BASE: REPORTS
President Donald Trump takes questions from reporters during a meeting with Irish Prime Minister Micheál Martin in the Oval Office of the White House, on St. Patrick’s Day, Tuesday, March 17, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)
On March 21, Trump issued a 48-hour ultimatum to Iran demanding the reopening of the key maritime route, through which approximately 20% of the world’s oil supply passes.
In a post on Truth Social, Trump warned that failure to comply would result in further U.S. action, including potential strikes on Iran’s energy infrastructure.
EU PUSHES FOR END OF IRAN WAR IN A MANNER WHERE ‘EVERYBODY SAVES FACE’
Bulk Carrier, Belray, in the Gulf, near the Strait of Hormuz on March 22, 2026 in northern Ras al Khaimah, United Arab Emirates. (Getty Images/Getty Images)
Sunday’s conversation between Trump and Starmer perhaps reflected a thaw in the tense relationship between the two leaders.
Trump had publicly criticized the U.K. government, stating that Britain “should have acted a lot faster” in allowing the U.S. to use British military bases for strikes targeting Iranian missile sites.
Starmer had also maintained that the use of U.K. bases could only be justified under the principle of “collective self-defense” in the region.
He had initially declined to support the U.S.-Israeli military operation, drawing repeated criticism from the White House.
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Meanwhile, Trump appeared to apply public pressure, sharing a “Saturday Night Live” clip Sunday mocking the British prime minister’s handling of the crisis.
World
French elections: Paris stays left as far right makes mixed gains
France’s municipal runoff delivered a mixed verdict for the country’s main political forces on Sunday: the Left held Paris with Socialist Emmanuel Grégoire, the far-right and its allies scored a major symbolic win in Nice, and mainstream parties pointed to resilience in several big and mid-sized cities ahead of the 2027 presidential race.
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Municipal elections in France are local contests to elect mayors and local councils, but they are closely watched because they test party organisation, alliance-building, and grassroots strength before national campaigns begin.
In the capital, Socialist Emmanuel Grégoire defeated conservative rival Rachida Dati, ensuring Paris remains under left-wing control after outgoing mayor Anne Hidalgo chose not to seek another term.
The result extends a quarter-century of left-led rule of the capital and hands to the Socialists one of the most visible prizes of the night. Grégoire presented the result as a mandate for a progressive vision of the city.
Elsewhere, the left also had reasons to celebrate. In Marseille, Socialist incumbent Benoît Payan was re-elected after the far right had hoped to seize France’s second-largest city.
While in Lyon, Green mayor Grégory Doucet held on after a hard-fought race against his conservative rival, which was reshaped by a last-minute merger with the list of hard-left party France Unbowed.
Socialists record strong showing
The Socialists also held or performed strongly in several regional cities, reinforcing the impression of a broader recovery for the traditional left.
For the far right, the picture was more complex. National Rally (RN) leader Jordan Bardella hailed what he called the party’s biggest local breakthrough, and RN kept the southwestern city of Perpignan while also winning smaller municipalities.
But the party fell short in several of the larger cities it had targeted, notably Marseille, Toulon and Nîmes. The exception was Nice, where Éric Ciotti — once a senior figure in the mainstream right and now allied with RN — won the race, giving the far right and its partners control of France’s fifth-largest city.
The elections also brought clearer signs of fragmentation on the centre-right and in President Emmanuel Macron’s camp.
Former prime minister Édouard Philippe was re-elected in Le Havre, strengthening his standing as a possible 2027 contender, while Macron’s centrist forces could point to a symbolic win in Bordeaux, where Renaissance candidate Thomas Cazenave defeated outgoing Green mayor Pierre Hurmic.
At the same time, the loss of Macron’s former PM, François Bayrou, in southwestern Pau, underlined the vulnerabilities of the broader presidential alliance.
Turnout remained a concern. According to the Interior Ministry, participation in mainland France stood at 48.1% at 5 p.m., higher than the Covid-disrupted 2020 election but still below pre-pandemic levels.
Taken together, the results do not predict who will succeed Macron in 2027. But they do sketch the political landscape from which that contest will emerge: a left that can still win major cities, a mainstream right that remains locally entrenched, a centre searching for durable footholds, and a far right that is growing but may still face limits in the country’s biggest urban battlegrounds.
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