National and international media news & headlines compiled by CLG
Jihadists claim to take over power in Syria –Islamists entered Damascus and declared it “free,” asserting President Bashar Assad has fled the capital | 8 Dec 2024 | Jihadists and other anti-government militias have entered Damascus on Saturday, taking control over the Syrian capital. They declared the city to be “free” from President Bashar Assad’s government and claimed he had left the capital. According to Reuters, Assad, who ruled the Middle East country for almost a quarter of a century, flew out of Damascus on Saturday evening “for an unknown destination,” citing two senior army officers. Just hours earlier, jihadists announced they had gained full control of the key city of Homs after only a day of fighting.
Assad took off from Damascus, but the plane later disappeared from radar – report | 8 Dec 2024 | Two senior Syrian officers told Reuters that President Bashar al-Assad had left Damascus for an unknown destination. According to reports in Syria, Assad’s plane took off from the country shortly after the rebels took over the capital, but the plane later disappeared from radar and at this point it is unclear what happened to it. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, an opposition organization based in London, told the AFP news agency that the Syrian army and security forces had withdrawn from Damascus International Airport following the rebels’ terrorists’ advance toward the capital.
Russian-Syrian airstrikes kill dozens of terrorists – media –Warplanes have attacked militant forces in central Syria, SANA has reported | 7 Dec 2024 | Russian and Syrian warplanes have carried out airstrikes targeting terrorist forces in the northeast part of Homs province, killing dozens of militants, the state-run SANA news agency has said. The large-scale fighting in Syria erupted last week after several terrorist groups, spearheaded by Hayat Tahrir-al-Sham (HTS), an offshoot of Jabhat al-Nusra, launched a surprise offensive against government forces. The jihadists have made rapid progress, particularly in Aleppo province, and the Syrian army has withdrawn from the city of Hama. However, the Damascus government has received support from Russian warplanes stationed in the country. In a post on Telegram on Saturday, the outlet said, citing a military source, that the joint “concentrated” bombardment targeted clusters of terrorists in the Homs countryside. The attacks killed “dozens” of jihadists and destroyed their vehicles and equipment, the report said, without providing the exact tally.
Biden regime announces $988M in aid to Ukraine on same day Trump meets with Zelensky in Paris –The Biden regime has committed to giving Ukraine as much aid as possible before Trump takes office in January | 7 Dec 2024 | The Biden regime on Saturday announced a 988 million aid package to Ukraine. The aid package is provided through the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative and “will provide Ukraine with munitions for rocket systems and unmanned aerial systems,” a release from the administration said. “This package also includes support for maintenance and repair programs to help Ukraine reconstitute its forces and build and sustain combat power.” The announcement came as President-elect Trump met with Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky while at a ceremony commemorating the reopening of the Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris on Saturday after a devastating fire there in 2019.
Conservative group compiles list of ‘woke’ senior officers they want Pete Hegseth to fire | 7 Dec 2024 | As Pete Hegseth continues to rally support for his nomination to lead the Department of Defense, a conservative research group has compiled a list of “woke” senior officers they want him to sack should he be confirmed to lead the Pentagon. In a letter obtained by Fox News Digital, the American Accountability Foundation (AAF) sent a letter to Hegseth with a list of 20 general officers or senior admirals whom it says are excessively focused on Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) and other similar left-wing initiatives. Those on the list in many cases seem to be targeted for public comments they made either in interviews or at events on diversity, and in some cases for retweeting posts that promote diversity.
Fears mystery killer disease already in America as Ohio hospital quarantines traveler with unknown illness | 6 Dec 2024 | An Ohio hospital was in panic last night after a patient who had recently arrived from Africa was rushed to its ER with a flu-like illness. The individual was quarantined when staff learned the patient had traveled from Tanzania, which borders the Democratic Republic of Congo, where a mystery disease outbreak has killed dozens. But in an update this morning, a spokesperson for the hospital said the patient’s condition was found to be “routine” and not linked to the outbreak. They have now been removed from isolation. The response, however, highlights growing concerns around the situation in the DRC that has so far sickened at least 376 people and killed up to 143.
Daniel Penny’s manslaughter charge dropped as jury fails to reach a verdict – but ex-Marine still faces four years in jail after judge refuses to call a mistrial | 6 Dec 2024 | Daniel Penny is one step closer to freedom after a judge dismissed the top manslaughter charge against him on Friday — but he must return to court next week to face lesser charges. Penny, a young Marine veteran, was charged with manslaughter for stepping in when Neely, a mentally ill homeless man, threatened subway passengers on an F train on an early summer afternoon in New York City in May 2023… The jury of 12 New Yorkers were forensic with the evidence, poring over testimony transcripts and watching bodycam footage from the day in question multiple times. But today, they announced they had failed to come to a unanimous verdict for a second time on the key charge of second degree manslaughter. They had deliberated for four days. Rather than declaring a mistrial, the judge agreed to an unorthodox request from the prosecution — the top charge was dropped, and the jury has been told to come back next week to focus on count two: criminally negligent homicide.
7.0 California quake may have killed endangered fish 500 miles away in Death Valley | 7 Dec 2024 | The endangered pupfish in Death Valley National Park had their world rocked Thursday when the magnitude 7.0 earthquake that struck off the Northern California coast sent tremors through their delicate habitat 500 miles away. Known as the Devils Hole Pupfish, the animals live in a deep, water-filled cave that lends the fish their name. The National Park Service said this cave is the only place in the world where Devils Hole Pupfish live, and there’s just a total of just over 200.