Transcript of Sky News at Ten: The Assad regime falls in Syria

It's 10 o'clock. This is Sky News at 10. Our top story, the Assad regime falls in Syria. Tonight, Russian state media says Bashar al Assad has fled to Moscow with his family.

At long last, the Assad regime has fallen. This regime brutalized and tortured and killed literally hundreds of thousands of innocent Syrians. The fall of the regime is a fundamental act of justice.

Toppled after a quarter of a century, Assad's government fell in Syria after a lightning rebel offensive. Bagging the remains of a defeated dictatorship, Syrian residents ransack the presidential palace. After widespread celebrations on the streets of Damascus, an overnight curfew is imposed. The diaspora and the displaced Syrians in the UK hail the end of his dictatorship and dare to contemplate heading home. And that story is on tomorrow's front pages.

We'll take a first look in our press preview from 10:30. Good evening. When the end came, it was a lot sooner than many expected. The collapse of Bashar al Assad's 24 year iron grip on Syria taken away after a lightning offensive by anti regime forces. Tonight, Russian state media says the fallen president and his family have arrived in Moscow where they've been given asylum.

Opposition rebels declared the future is ours as they entered the Syrian capital Damascus in the early hours of this morning. As people took to the streets in celebration, looters picked over the contents of the presidential palace. Live reaction from Moscow and Washington to come, But our first report tonight comes from our Middle East correspondent, Alastair Bankel.

Just hours after Bashar al Assad had fled Damascus, his presidential palace was being ransacked and looted by the very Syrian people who he had oppressed for so many years. Liberated, they bagged the remains of a corrupt and defeated dictatorship as a new day and a new future started in Syria. They discovered Assad's vast car collection. The spoils of greed and excess accumulated as his tyrannous rule drove Syrians into poverty.

It has been 13 years that we have been waiting for this day, and today is our day. It is the Kurds' day. It is the Kurds' and Kurdistan's day. And God willing, it will be full of joy and happiness.

The opposition only took control of Aleppo a week ago. They now have control of the government buildings, the citadels of power in the center of the capital abandoned by the former regime. The rebel leader, Mohammed al Ghalani, knelt in prayer in Central Damascus. He will now need to shape Syria's future, and it is an uncertain 1.

Dear brothers, this is a new victory for the whole nation. This victory is new to the whole region. It's enough what we've suffered. He left Syria to be a farm for Iranian ambitions. He spread sectarianism.

He spread corruption. The country has become run by the worst dictator in the world.

State television showed this image for much of the morning, saying that the Syrian revolution is victorious before the rebels then gave a televised statement.

With God's help, the city of Damascus has been liberated, and the tyrant Bashar al Assad has fallen and all the unjustly detainees have been released from all the regime prisons.

Bashar al Assad fled Damascus in the middle of the night with the neck closing in and his fate inevitable. Russia has confirmed that he and his family had been given asylum in Moscow. Across Syria, regime soldiers have been laying down their weapons, abandoning posts or surrendering to the opposition. This was in the city of Homs, 1 of the last and most significant dominoes to topple. In Latakia, on Syria's coast, where the Assad family originally came from, a statue was dragged and ridden through the streets.

Anything with an Assad face on is being defaced and destroyed.

We got

rid of injustice and this bad person, thanks to God, and we're very happy

for that.

It took barely 7 days to end more than half a century of Assad rule. Few will mourn the downfall of a dictator, But it does leave a power vacuum in an unstable country and with the keys to government now in the hands of a designated terrorist organization. Syria's future, to say the least, is uncertain.

And Alistair joins us now from Jerusalem where we've heard from the Israeli prime minister tonight suggesting president Assad's downfall could help advance a deal to secure the release of the Israeli hostages held in Gaza. But first to our Moscow correspondent, Ivor Bennett, that's following the news Bashar Alassan has been granted asylum in Russia. Ivor, he is where you are. What protection does that afford him?

Good evening, Jillian. So I think these reports that he's in Moscow really come as no surprise because Russia has, of course, been a staunch supporter of the Assad regime. There are reports that he was here as recently as a week ago when the rebels were storming Aleppo, and so there was a high degree of expectation and speculation that he would come here in the event of his regime falling if he could get out of Syria. There's not been any official confirmation from Russia, from the Kremlin that they have granted asylum to him and his family. There was a statement from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs earlier.

There was no mention of his whereabouts, only that he had left Syria. Instead, the reports have come from Russian state media quoting a Kremlin source, but that does normally mean the information is accurate. And in terms of support, well, it's just that. It's refuge and asylum, so he's considered to be safe here. In terms of what all this means for Moscow, well, I think it's it's a disaster for Moscow.

It's a big blow because, they have lost in Assad, a key strategic ally. Russia has 2 military bases in Syria, an air base in Natakia, and a naval base in Tartus on the Mediterranean coast, which is of huge strategic value because it's Russia's only Mediterranean naval hub. And if they lose that, then they lose a great deal of influence in the Middle East, in the Mediterranean, and in Africa. Moscow has been saying today that those bases are not under any immediate threat, but they have said they are on high alert, those bases, and they have said that they're monitoring events with extreme concern. And this all prompts the question, given all this was all what was at stake for Moscow, why didn't they try harder than to keep Assad in power this week given all they've done over the last 9, 10 years or so during the civil war to prop up his regime?

I think the answer is because of Ukraine, because of the war in Ukraine, and the sense that Moscow really couldn't afford to be sucked into another conflict right now.

And, Alastair, what does this mean for Israel, and what are the implications for the wider region?

Well, almost nothing that happens in the Middle East is local. There's almost always regional ramifications. And, actually, what has been happening in Syria over the last week is in part a consequence of what's been happening here over the last year or so. Of course, what's been happening in Ukraine with Russia, but Israel's war with Hezbollah and Israel's fight with Iran, both of which weaken those 2 supporters of president Assad. So what is happening in Syria right now will have wider consequences around the Middle East, perhaps around the world.

For Israel and Israelis, they are looking upon this rather nervously. They had no love with president Assad, but he was the devil they knew. He gave them the ability really to be able to operate in the air across Syria pretty much at will. The Israelis would carry out regular strikes to try and disrupt that Hezbollah smuggling route to try and disrupt Iranian weapons factories, and they've been doing exactly that today. There's been a number of Israeli air strikes in Syria.

They've also pushed their forces into the buffer zone in the disputed Golan Heights to try and just protect that, they say, temporarily. I think this in a way that it is disastrous for Russia, as Ivo was saying, probably more so for Iran, the other major state backer of Assad. Syria was the centerpiece of this kind of sheer arc that they use to push their influence through this part of the Middle East. Has been severely weakened. The Iranian regime has been weakened, and now they've lost president Assad in Syria.

And then you've got Iraq as well, which has, you know, close links with Syria because of of the geographical border between the 2 of them, and often what happens in Syria or Iraq spills into each other each other's country. So what comes next, whatever government is formed and whether or not that is done in an orderly fashion or whether or not it descends in some sort of chaos could have massive consequences for here in the Middle East.

Alastair and Iva, thank you both. As the Assad regime falls, all eyes will be on the Middle East to see what sort of impact it has on an increasingly volatile region as we're hearing. Our security and defense editor, Deborah Haines, reports.

After the downfall of Syria's regime, the dawn of a new reality. Hopes for peace, but there is much peril here following more than 13 years of civil war. External powers also at play with Russia and Iran core backers of the ousted president, doubtless left reeling and regrouping. Western leaders watch from the sidelines.

As we all turn to the question of what comes next, the United States will work with our partners and the stakeholders in Syria to help them seize an opportunity to manage the risk.

It is important now, that we stabilize, that we reject violence and terrorism, and that we all work, towards a political solution to this political settlement for the future of Syria and, of course, for the region.

Much will hinge on this man, Abu Mohammed al Jalani. He's the leader of Hayat Tarir al Sham or HTS, the main rebel group that took Damascus, once linked to Al Qaeda, now presenting itself as a less radical, more unifying force. In a sign of the changing times, a former British spy chief even says the UK should reconsider its labeling of HTS as a terrorist group.

Abu Mohammed al Joolani, the the leader, has made great efforts over the last 10 years to distance himself from those, terrorist groups. And, certainly, the actions we've seen of Tahrir Esham over the last, last 2 weeks has been those of a liberation movement, not of a terrorist organization.

Next door, Israel isn't taking any chances. Its prime minister visiting the Golan Heights, where he says his troops have temporarily seized a buffer zone that's been in place since 1974 with Israeli soldiers still on the ground inside Syria.

This is a historic day for the Middle East. The collapse of the Assad regime, the tyranny in Damascus offers great opportunity, but also is fraught with significant dangers.

Any security vacuum could lead to a resurgence of Islamic State. US backed Kurdish forces in the northeast of Syria played a key part in their demise. Yet these Kurdish fighters are now under pressure from neighboring Turkey, which supports some of the other rebel groups. The conflict in Syria, like much of the Middle East, is complex, interconnected, and very hard to control. Deborah Haines Sky News.

Well, let's take you through now how the rebels got to this stage. Here's Laura Bondock.

The fall of Assad's regime in Syria has been faster than anyone imagined. Here's how it happened. Well, until just over a week ago, this was the division of control. The rebels led by the Islamist group Hayat Tarir al Sham or HTS, they're in green there. Assad's regime forces in red, the Kurdish led troops, and Turkish aligned groups at the top in purple and yellow.

Now the rebels began their offensive from the northern province of Idlib, which for years had been the last anti regime stronghold in Syria. At the end of last month, they moved east into Aleppo, Syria's second city. In just 3 days, they'd taken

control here.

They took over the historic city center, the first major assault here since 2016. Now heading south, the rebels on Thursday pushed into the city of Hama, capturing smaller towns along the way. They toppled statues, including this 1 of Assad's late father, and they also liberated political prisoners. And then on Saturday, rebels entered Homs, Syria's 3rd largest city, having already taken nearby towns on their advance. This is a strategically critical city, a crossroads with important links to coastal ports along the west.

Now by Saturday at night, they advanced to Damascus, the capital and home of the Assad family. The regime retreated as the rebels closed in, storming the Iranian embassy here and taking over the presidential palace. I hear people can be seen inside taking photos and selfies, walking through the corridors and rooms once at the heart of the regime. This is interesting. Russia, a key ally of the Assad regime, has a major air base in Syria and also a significant naval base.

Their future is now uncertain. So within days, the rebels have overturned the regime. No 1 expected them to go so far so fast. The president has stepped down and fled, and after years of repression, the country is now entering a new reality.

Sky's Mark Stone examines the rise and fall of a dictator who's been swept from power after nearly a quarter of a century. A warning, his report contains the footage of the aftermath of a chemical weapons attack.

Adal Farar.

For nearly 25 years, 1 man has dominated everything in Syria. Bashar al Assad was the London trained eye doctor who became 1 of the world's most ruthless dictators. The soft voice belied the brutality of the man and the regime he inherited from his father. The story of Syria under Assad gives the context for so much beyond. Chemical weapons and the red lines crossed.

ISIS and their caliphate, a migration flow across Europe, Iran, and their influence in the region. When Assad took power in 2000, there was a wind of change and hope.

Would you like to take the opportunity, mister president, on Sky News to invite Barack Obama to come here? I will. I

will. Opening up, engaging with the West, change maybe from the ruthlessness of his father.

He had a different trajectory for his life. Slightly surprisingly came into the position to rule. But by all accounts, he knew exactly what he was doing when he got the chance, and he simply followed it's not unreasonable to have tried in Western states to say, should you become the leader, here are opportunities for democratic rule.

But they were opportunities dashed. Assyrians joined the regional revolution. Assad hit back and crushed the uprising with a force that the west first tried to counter. America arming the moderate opposition and drawing red lines.

A red line for us is we start seeing a whole bunch of chemical weapons moving around or being utilized.

Anietta Sad, with Russian support, walked right over those red lines. He used chemical weapons on his people. Sickening images from communities like Douma and Ghouta made those places forever synonymous with horror.

Chemical weapons for me, for the Assad regime, are are absolutely synonymous with its evil. I've always said that I thought Assad remained in power because he used chemical weapons and because the west didn't really punish him for it.

And while he held on to his grip, other horrors emerged. It was from Syria that the world first saw the brutality of ISIS, another extremism which tried to replace Assad's. The hostages, the beheadings, the caliphate, terrorism exported to European streets. The west took on ISIS, but not Assad. His regime was allowed to reclaim most of the country.

Millions streamed into Europe, the biggest migration challenge since World War 2, the catalyst for an enduring shift in politics across the continent. As the years passed, the Assad grip grew tighter again, cemented by Russia and Iran. The country had become their fiefdom until this weekend. All this happened because of a confluence of moments. Israel's destruction of Assad's Bakr Hezbollah in Lebanon, a bombing of Iranian forces inside Syria, Ukraine bogging Russia down, and America's political vacuum between 1 president and the next.

And so the long war for Syria is over. A dictatorial dynasty has gone, and with it, regional power has shifted profoundly. What matters now is what follows, how Israel, Iran, Russia, and Trump's America respond. It is an inflection point indeed. Mark Stone, Sky News in Washington.

Well, tonight, the United States Central Command has confirmed its forces conducted 75 strikes on Islamic State targets in Central Syria. Their fears the extremist group could exploit any power vacuum in the country to its advantage. Let's speak to Mark in Washington now. And Mark put into context this quite substantial strike on, Islamic State in Central Syria. Put it into context for us with what is happening.

Yeah. Well, it's just 1 of many, unknowns to come. The the resurgence perhaps of the Islamic State, of course, not aligned 1 bit with president Assad. But as I said in my report, they sought, to fill the vacuum that was back then, 1 that they that that they wanted to, to take, advantage of. And and so and so they did.

And ever since then, the Americans and the west, while not dealing with the problem of Assad, was dealing and continues to deal with the Islamic State. And so I think what happened overnight, was simply, there was no point in not doing anything. Everything was unfolding, in Syria, and the Americans saw an opportunity to make sure that as, as the rebels moved south towards Damascus, that, Islamic State did not take advantage once again, and and so they hammered them with some, quite remarkable, strikes. But, you know, Gillian, taking a step back, as I said in my report, an inflection point, for sure, for the Middle East, for the wider world, maybe. There are times as as as as the saying goes where decades happen in days, and this, without question, is certainly 1 of those moments.

Mark, thank you. Here, crowds of flag waving Syrians gathered in Manchester and London to celebrate the overthrow of the man who followed on from his father to run the country for more than 50 years. Sky's Sadia Choudhary reports.

Jubilant Syrians across the UK, diaspora and displaced. This is Manchester.

And we should start a new new future for Syria, democratic Syria.

I'm looking for the the the first flight to Syria to go back.

Amina Khulani is a survivor of Bashar al Assad's torture.

In my dream, I cannot imagine we will arrive to this to this moment. Do you know what happened now? The dictator is gone. Sorry. This is the freedom for Syria.

We pay a huge a huge price for that.

In London, nearly everyone we speak to knows someone who has been detained, disappeared, or killed by Assad forces.

Of course, I was tortured. A lot of others were tortured. I was lucky to survive and go out. Others didn't make it.

Finally, proud to say I am Syrian without being scared that the Syrian regime will reach to me, no more torture, no more bombing, no more disappearance.

British reaction doesn't end there. UK based lawyers are supporting Syrians to bring the Assad regime to justice.

Efforts will will have to be accelerated, whether that's at the International Criminal Court, whether whether there is a special tribunal set up for chemical weapons, the use of chemical weapons by the Assad regime, or whether he is to be tried, now he's no longer a head of state, in in a a foreign state and a universal jurisdiction.

In London, Bashar al Assad's British born wife, Asma, has been the subject of a Metropolitan Police investigation. She's accused of supporting and encouraging terrorism. The force previously told Sky News its war crimes unit is looking into a case. British humanitarian workers have also long been focused on Syria. Many are now set to ramp up their efforts.

I am confident that every Syrian in this world will wants to go back and to participate in rebuilding the future.

Over 50 years of dictatorship over in Syria. Now focus turns to the enormous humanitarian crisis left behind. Saadia Choudhary, Sky News.

Well, that was Sky News at 10. Coming up, we'll take a first look at tomorrow's newspapers in the press preview. Joining me will be the global affairs correspondent at the I, Mollie Blackall, and columnist Angela Epstein. Do stay with us for more. Once the stories we'll be discussing this on the front of the Financial Times about tonight's top story on Sky News.

Their headline, Syria's rebel army ouced Assad. We'll be right back. Do stay with us.

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You're watching Sky News. In just a moment, the press preview. A first look at what's on the front pages as they arrive. But first, our top stories. Rebel forces in Syria capture the capital as ousted president Assad flees to Russia.

Damascus is under a curfew tonight after a day of celebrations as rebels ransack the presidential palace. The prime minister, and US president Biden are amongst world leaders who've welcomed Assad's downfall. You are watching the press preview of first look at what's on the front pages as they arrive in the next half hour. We'll see what's making the headlines with global affairs correspondent at the eye, Molly Blackall and columnist Angela Epstein. So let us see what's on some of those front pages for you now.

Well, the sudden and dramatic fall of the Assad regime in Syria is top story in the Financial Times. The headline, Syria's rebel army ousts Assad. This is the front of Molly's paper, the eye, it's headlined, The Fall of Assad. The Times shows pictures of the toppling of a statue of the deposed President in Damascus as the people celebrate. The Express speaks of the delight on the streets of Syrian cities as President Assad and his family flee to Russia.

The Guardian too says Assad and his family have now been granted asylum in Russia. As does the front of the daily telegraph. The metro leads with 1 question. As Saad falls, but what now? The male too wonders with Islamist rebels now in charge of the country, is there worse to come?

And finally on a different topic, the star tells us that there's more windy weather to come in the UK causing travel chaos at Christmas. And a reminder that by scanning the QR code you'll see on screen during the program, you can check out the front pages of tomorrow's newspapers while you watch us, and we're joined by Molly Blackall and Angela Epstein. Welcome to you both. 1 story in town, and that is Syria. We'll start with the Feet front page.

They're headline Syria's rebel army oussed Assad. The photo there of rebels jubilant outside the presidential palace. It's it's much the same for for all of the papers after more than 50 years of a sad rule. Obviously, his father before him. This is the end of an era that many didn't see coming.

Absolutely. I think, as you say, this is such a seismic shift. It's sort of, it's difficult to explain really how how momentous it is, not only within Syria, but across the Middle East. Assad, as you say, and his family in power since 1970, a military coup and known around the world for their repression sanctioned by, us here in the UK for the use of chemical weapons against, their own population. And I think it's it's fair to say very unpopular.

But I think the speed at which this has all happened is the really shocking thing. It was only sort of a week ago, that these rebels were making gains, but certainly very far from Damascus. And it's all changed really in the last 36 hours. They've made huge advances, and we've seen Assad, finally flee, and and the regime has toppled.

Yes. And Angela, the the Feet looking at the, geopolitical jigsaw that that exists in in the world and the ramifications for for other He's also noting that, Donald Trump is quoted on his, Truth Media site saying Assad is gone, also saying Russia led by Vladimir Putin was not interested in protecting him any longer. Russia and Iran are in a weakened state right now, 1, because of Ukraine and the bad economy, the other because of Israel and its fighting success. So nodding to how the the pieces of the jigsaw might move from now on.

Yeah. Although it's very interesting that Assad, as we understand, is now in Russia and has take has claimed sanctuary there. We were trying to work out before we came on air whether we could think of dictators who had actually escaped with their lives over after, as Molly Wright said, a seismic event like this. I think the big issue now is what will happen. On a micro level, what will happen to Assad?

I mean, I don't know how he will, you know, prolong any kind of presence. He won't have any presence in the in the kind of political world after this. He was a grotesque butcher who had no no consideration for his own people. That's a very much a kind of euphemism. And, and we know he used chemical weapons on his own people.

But what will happen now? We know that the rebels are by no means, you know, flawless when it comes to their CV and when it comes to terrorism. Will we have a more extreme government? We knew we knew after the Taliban reclaimed Afghanistan, and they said it's gonna be fine. Don't fear us.

How will it be for the Christians, for the Kurds, for the women? Will the constituent parts of this rebellion really all be able to get on? This is a somebody said today, a fleeting moment and for which for Syria to redefine itself. But how will that redefinition if you like? Look.

What what shape will it take? So as much as there is it's not a 0 sum game. As much as, yes, Assad, we're we're all delighted that he has gone. And also the other thing for me personally is I can never get my head around with Assad. He trained as a doctor.

He trained in Damascus. He did medicine in Damascus. Came to London, Moorfields. He was an ophthalmologist. You know, physician heal thyself.

And he had no compunction about absolutely showing his brutality when it came to quelling the rebels in 2,011. So, you know, it is. It it's an absolute powder keg, I think, still. I don't think this is a a simple landscape that's been left behind.

But but thus far, Molly, we've heard from the, incoming rebels who've said that, you know, people shouldn't seek retribution on those from the previous asset regime and they have to move forward positive that they're not seeking to, you know, meet out destruction and and death on those that there were the persecutors.

I think there's definitely been more more positive signs on the kind of the lip service at least that's being paid to sort of upholding some, you know, degree of human rights and and kind of respect for for those previously in opposition. And obviously, we've seen the prime minister as was, saying that he was gonna stay in the country to try and facilitate a peaceful, you know, orderly transfer, of power. But I was also thinking of the Taliban. They made lots of noises about being more liberal and and wanting to be part of the international community. And now we've got a state where women can't walk around, you know, without a chaperone.

So I think with all of these things, it it's all gonna be hindering really on on how hinging, sorry, on on how the next few days play out because, the rebel factions are by no means a sort of homogeneous entity. It's quite a mishmash of groups with different agendas, different backing, different level of extremism.

Bigger than the others. You know?

So But, you know, even the type of power they might hold because a dictatorship has fallen, the organs of government will change within Syria. And I think it's also to play for in terms of how that power is carved up. Syria, obviously, a very diverse country, you know, run for a long time by lots of different groups, lots of different religious, organizations. So I think it's very hard to see how that doesn't implode into infighting in some capacity. They've united clearly behind a common enemy with Assad, but what happens when that's gone?

But also this is this is a region. The geopolitics of this region, they are so massively on you know, the instability is huge. The volatility is huge. Ukraine is a terrible conflict, but it's not surrounded, if you like, in itself by, you know, more region wide instability. We have Israel, you know, fighting genocidal enemies on almost all borders.

You're the only democracy in the Middle East. You've got all the the the implications of Assad now going to Russia. What will happen with Trump who said the other day, you know, I know how to talk to Vladimir Putin as if that's kind of, you know, the the big marker on his on his curriculum vitae. So we don't know how that's going to play out. Syria, you know, Assad no longer had that protection from Russia or Iran.

Iran and Russia are themselves weakened as an axis of power. So there there is much to to, you know, consider and be fearful of, I think, at the moment.

Yeah. So the metro asking the very question that that that you did. What now? The sand has fallen, but what comes next? HST are saying that they will keep the interim, government machinery going.

So as you said, the the, prime minister will help, transition, power, and they've, been very courteous in their treatment of him. He's, I believe, been put up in in a hotel. But what happens now?

I think this all just shows, and it's I think what Angela was alluding to really is the the tinderbox that is the Middle East at the moment. I mean, we've got Yemen and and the Houthis. We've got now Syria, the conflict between Iran and Israel. We've got Lebanon. I mean, it's you know, even a year ago, the picture there was so different.

We've already seen, you know, Israel's move some troops into the golden heights. So along that demilitarized zone, sort of shore up its its border with Syria. The whole sort of geography of the area is being potentially redrawn once again, within the Middle East. And I I think I do worry slightly just on on some of the papers that we see here. These images of jubilance really, you know, that there's a sigh of relief, I think, for so many Syrians both within the country and around the world.

But I think people worry how long this will last. You know? Is this going to be a real moment for a new Syria as people are calling it? Or is this, you know, potentially going to be a moment of hope, which sadly doesn't doesn't last?

But but you can't deny people their, their their jubilance

to be

scared of their own. And if you look at the front of the express and and and no, I'm not being facetious here. It genuinely looks like something for the Syrian tourist board, if you can see it because it it's such a happy picture. I mean, I know you've got the vibrancy of color there, and the the 1 on the front of the eye perhaps has more texture to it if you've seen that the front of that particular, paper with the photograph there. But the sheer happiness, as you say, give them their moment because how it's going to play out and how this is what opportunities are going to lie ahead are very uncertain.

Even Joe Biden had a moment of clarity today. He said, I think it was in the mail, he said this is a moment of risk and uncertainty. I don't think we've heard him say anything that sensible for a long time. So, you know, even it's amazing what a huge conflict can do to a person.

I think 1 of the key actors, which aren't be isn't being spoken about too much at the moment, but likely will be is, is ISIS. We saw strikes from the US on, ISIS targets across Syria today. Yes. And I was in Iraq earlier this year just over the border in Syria reporting on the aftermath of ISIS. And that's still very much a kind of there's still a huge and ongoing legacy there.

You know, we were, clearing landmines that were right back to the 19 eighties, which I think shows you just how, you know, even seemingly small, changes. And this isn't by any stretch 1, have these enormous lasting effects which go on a very long time and open things up for actors like ISIS to come in and exploit that chaos.

Yes. And hence the the the strike from the US, a quite substantial strike on Islamic state in central Syria.

Yeah. And I think talks about the the the notion of exploitation because you had a Syrian army here, and they had stuff. They had infrastructure. They had chemical weapons. They had they had all the all the apparatus of war, which in in the moment when they fled will have been left behind.

I know, Israel particularly was bombing some targets today because there is a fear about whose hands those things those awful things will fall into it. Sounds terribly simplistic. But when you leave you leave behind the theater, all the all the things that create the theater of war, and you have such an unstable situation, what's going to happen to them? We all agree chemical weapons are terrible. Promises are made.

These fine people on the front of the express and on the front of the eye, you know, deserve a a better future, but it all still exists. And what's gonna happen to them? I mean, some

of the papers reporting that that civilians are on the streets are picking up some of the weapons Yes. Scurrying off home with them as souvenirs.

Yeah. And doesn't that show you just how quickly this regime, which has, you know, as Assad himself in power for 24 years, his family, you know, decades before that. This seemingly sort of impenetrable regime, which had withstood the Arab Spring, democratic uprises in 2011, and then it all just crumbles down. You know, the Syrian military leaving behind these weapons Yeah. They just abandoning their posts.

I think it shows you how shocked they were and and how shocked HTS were as well. I think at how much progress was made so quickly.

Yes.

They were they're stripping out of their uniforms so they wouldn't be identified with the the regime. Let's talk about the, the geopolitical jigsaw as I've been describing it. And and Israel, Benjamin Netanyahu is suggesting that, Assad's downfall could help advance a deal with the the release of

of of the hostages? Well, 1 hope so. I had the, the great privilege to hear the mother of the remaining British hostage, speak the other day at at, a parliamentary lunch, and it has been, as we know, well over a year, there were the war in Gaza rages on. Hamas genocidal terrorists, if they would lay down their arms, give back the terrorists they give back beg your pardon, give back the, hostages. Innocent people on both sides are being killed as a consequence.

Hezbollah obviously were huge supporters of Assad. They immediately went into retreat. Israel has now entered this buffer zone for the first time since 1974 when they they, established an accord with, with Syria after the the end of the 1973 war. And they are there principally to protect the communities there. Israel has taken a very interesting role actually because they are watching.

They never got too involved with Assad because I think the fear from my understanding, the fear was that was a better default position because who know what could come in in his place. You know, when you when you remove power, what fills the vacuum and all the things Molly said about about ISIS and and all. So I think, it's interesting to see whether this would advance it. To me, personally, I think the greatest thing will will advance the, the end of the Gaza war, which we all hope for for all parties, innocent parties concerned, is Trump. It's not a popular thing to say.

There's a lot of egregious things that he has said and done that that make us a bit worried about him being president of the United States. But I feel he has a unique ability to cut through. And, yes, the whole issue in Syria may well help, Hezbollah on retreat, seriously weakened. We know how mass is seriously weakened. But it it may be that he is the the catalyst or the tinderbox, that makes it all change.

But I

have to say, I would be surprised if Trump wasn't factoring into these calculations being made in Syria as well. I think, you know, these things don't happen in a vacuum. Why is it that now after all these decades, you know, h s s HTS is is making these pushes forward? I think they will have 1 eye on what's happening in the US. It's been very clear from Trump's position.

Yes. He's taking a more isolationist approach. He's sort of less interested in US intervention overseas. And and yesterday, he was saying, this is not our fight. This is for the Syrian people.

To some, I think that could be read as a not a green green light, but I think people will be aware that they may be less likely to face repercussions at least from, the US. So I do think there'll be a reading of the impact

of that. Tension between that and being the great peacemaker. The 1 that said, I'm always tempted to impersonate him, and I won't because this is a serious moment. But, you know, I'm gonna go in. I'm gonna sort them.

And he uses almost this this childish language that insults toddlers to say he uses toddler style language, but he does. And as much as we sort of we recoil or we laugh, there is a sense that in this massive turmoil that we've talked about the jigsaw as as you absolutely rightly say, that maybe it just seemed needs somebody with this singular focus, this this clarity that he has, which is almost childish, but may well may well be what's needed. Simplistic approach.

Yeah. Absolutely. Angela and Molly, thank you very much for the moment. We're going to take a break coming up. Back home, Britain is picking up the pieces after storm Dara, but there's more windy weather on the way for christmas.

More on that story coming up. Do stay with us.

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Welcome back. You are watching the press preview. Still with me, the global affairs correspondent at the I, Molly Blackall, and economist Angela Epstein. Let's take a look at the star, first of all, the 1 story that that isn't on Syria. Storm Dara, set to cause chaos through through Christmas.

Why are we even surprised? Why are we surprised? You know, it it 70 Mile at the the story the star is not big on detail. I love the star and and they are absolutely kingmakers when it comes to headlines. 'Tis the season to be jolly windy and that's nothing to do with what's gonna be served on the table apparently at Christmas.

That's not my joke. It was Molly's, but

I nicked it. That's what I first thought.

Got lots of sprouts. We got

lots of sprouts.

We got lots of sprouts. Star.

I'm ashamed. Star. That's the star. Molly's joke because it was so good. I am crediting her with it.

So mega winds of up to 70 miles an hour are going to cause Christmas travel chaos as they sweep in from the Atlantic. We've obviously, as you say, just had storm Darra. And once again, not that we're saying anything new here, this country seems to be incapable of dealing with what are so called weather extremes. And I know other countries laugh at us, but then they have them more often than we do. But if whether it's climate change or whatever is a thing, we will see hotter summers, wetter autumns, colder or windier winters.

I mean, we had, where I live in Manchester, a huge tree fell across the the main road at the bottom of my road and blocked it. We all stood there looking at it like it was an unexploded bomb. Like, oh, it's a tree. Because, you know, it's like, gosh, this stuff happens, and it took ages for it to be cleared. So, yes, it's warning us.

I hope it's not gonna spoil Christmas, but somehow this government, we've got a new government, needs to do better in terms of, what's happened previously in terms of dealing with extreme weather.

Yeah. Mary Angela's right. We are useless at dealing with extreme weather.

Yeah. I mean, we had the new head of the climate change committee saying this week, the UK is not prepared for these kind of extreme weather events, which because of the climate crisis that we're in are becoming more and more common. But at the same time, you know, as a as a northerner, I'm looking at this thinking, oh my gosh, because I don't remember Christmas where I've, you know, managed to get home on the train, I think, with ease. It always seems to be some form of rail chaos or another at the moment, isn't it?

Yeah. To the metro and, the headline there, Mamma Mia. Very good. ABBA bring £1,000,000 £1,000,000 £1,000,000, £1,000,000, £1,000,000, sorry, to the economy. This is as a result of ABBA Voyage, the virtual, performance which I have seen.

You

Yes. I've seen it too. So it launched in 2022. They're not there, but that doesn't seem to matter to those of us apparently who've been to see it. Nearly 3,000,000 people have already seen it.

I think it's already been re signed up whatever till 26. That's the point. This is the whole point. So so because that they they appear in a hologram form or 3 d form, call it what you will. And as long as I think you stand sufficiently back, so you don't try and work out the science because I'm obviously terribly curious and nosy and at killjoy.

They are just so good. The music speaks for itself. We know through Mamma Mia. You hear it on the radio. But also, isn't it incredible that this has been such a great boost for our economy?

We talk about sluggish growth, we talk about the naysaying of Reeves' budget and people not wanting to invest in this country. ABBA could have taken this show anywhere in the world. There was no specific reason why the UK should have it, but the UK got to host the show. And when they could have gone anywhere, and as a consequence, it's brought in all this money. But a vast amount, I think it's 1 in 3 giggoers are actually from abroad.

So it's also marvelous for our tourist industry. I mean, even if they want a windy Christmas, they'll at least say a good Apple show, won't they?

Yeah. 1 of the producers on here is comparing it to the Olympics, which I think I mean, high praise obviously for his own show, but not nonetheless, the point remains. I think as the only person in London who has not been to see this show,

is it really worth it? Well, so that it everything yes. Everything is relative. If you have the it's not even about disposable chemicals. But I think you're

right. Splurge.

Go further back. Go further back.

The effect is is better.

The music is so, so good.

Do you wanna hear my quick Abba Oh, yes, please. I sang with them when I was a 10 year old. No. I I have a dream. The kids' choir, it was my school.

No. Close your mouth.

What a bombshell on that bombshell. Done. Okay. Just kidding.

We've just got time for this, last story. This is on front of the time. It's only a tiny story here, but, continued on page 11. Councils are going to lose the power to veto big developments under plans to hand mayors greater control over planning.

Yeah. It's bizarre because this is all about this is Angela Rayner. They've talked about wanting to build 1 point 5,000,000 homes. She gave a real car crash of an interview this morning. On the 1 hand, she said we've got enough homes, then she said we haven't got enough homes.

And, this is all about the fact that local authorities who, you know, historically have been the custodians of the planning laws in terms of what's allowed to get built and what isn't. This will this will mean that we are bypassing local democracy in order for, for houses to be built. What's interesting about the whole labor story about having 1,500,000 houses built is Starmer in his keynote speech didn't talk about how he's going to curtail mass immigration, both legal and illegal. And, you know, many commentators are talking about that's 1 of the reasons there is so much pressure on housing amongst other things. So there is a balance to be struck about looking at housing, not in isolation, but as part of a general landscape of of what the what are the domestic issues that are creating so much pressure on the on the housing ladder.

Molly, very quickly, an unwelcomed housing shakeup?

Well, it does say here that the the mayors are getting some more power, I think, as part of this. So it's not sort of solely being taken, right to the center. I think, listen, people want to see the housing system shaken up. Whether or not this is the way to do it, I'm not sure, but I think so many people are feeling the pinch of high higher rents, higher mortgages, and might welcome some fresh ideas to

the table. Molly and Angela, thank you so much for taking us through the papers. We'll see you in the 11 o'clock hour. In the meantime, let's update you on the weather. Well, after the stormy weekend, it'll be more settled this coming week with the return of overnight frost and fog.

Most places will have a dry start tomorrow with a frost under clear skies in the north and west. Scotland, Ireland and Northern Ireland will be mainly dry, sunny and calm through through the morning, but areas near the Irish Sea will have blustery showers. Elsewhere, it will be breezier with a bit more cloud around, especially for central and eastern England, where patchy rain is likely. It'll be colder than recently. The afternoon, we'll see rain easing westwards across southern Britain, but the southeast looks wet into the evening.

Coming up next on Sky News at 11, the latest international reaction to news. President Assad has fled to Russia after rebels seized control of the Syrian capital.

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