World Briefing: December 10, 2024

Israeli forces have carried out large-scale attacks across Syria, targeting three major airports and other strategic military infrastructure, including in the capital, Damascus. Meanwhile, toppled Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s prime minister says he has agreed to hand power to the opposition-led Salvation Government, headed by Mohammed al-Bashir - Al Jazeera

The main Islamist rebel leader in Syria says senior officials of the Assad regime who were involved in torturing political prisoners will be named. Abu Mohammed al-Jolani says rewards will be offered for information about senior army and security officers involved in "war crimes.” Meanwhile rescue workers say they have ended their search for possible detainees in secret cells or basements at Saydnaya military prison without finding anyone. Specialised teams assisted by K9 dog units and individuals familiar with the layout had been combing the prison, as crowds gathered in the hope of finding their missing relatives. In Damascus, rebel fighters reportedly say they've found more than 40 bodies in a hospital morgue showing signs of torture - BBC

Saudi Arabia says that Israel’s seizure of a buffer zone in the Golan Heights shows its determination to sabotage Syria’s chance of restoring stability. Israeli forces announced over the weekend that they had deployed to the buffer zone, claiming that the move was to protect Israeli citizens. The Biden administration did not condemn or call out the Israeli violation but said it should not be permanent. Despite Israel’s foreign minister saying the takeover was temporary, embattled Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu quickly came out and said that the Golan Heights would remain Israeli “for eternity.” Saudi Arabia’s Foreign Ministry criticized what the UN criticized as a violation of the 1974 disengagement agreement between Syria and Israel. The takeover “affirmed Israel’s continued violations of international law and its commitment to sabotaging chances for Syria to reclaim its security, stability and its territorial integrity,” the foreign ministry said in a statement. Riyadh called on the international community to condemn the Israeli decision and urged respect for Syria’s sovereignty, “and the Golan is occupied Syrian land” - Al Arabiya

The transition from authoritarianism to some form of power-sharing in Syria is bound to bring challenges, Mohamad Elmasry, professor at the Doha Institute for Graduate Studies, told Al Jazeera. These include writing a new constitution, forming political parties, reforming the judiciary, the military and the media landscape. “But I think the priority right now is to stabilise the country,” Elmasry said, citing as top concerns Israel’s attacks and the Syrian Democratic Forces’ control over large swaths of the country’s northeast. “One of the things that’s encouraging is that HTS has been saying all the right things,” including vowing to have a democratic turn, give voice to Syrians and respect diversity, he said. “If that’s the case, then Syria can overcome some of these challenges,” he added. “But if HTS decides to consolidate power, then we can be in for a lot of instability and infighting.” He said Syrians would be looking in the coming days for more announcements on a timeline for some kind of interim government and constitutional assembly, and the formation of political parties. Seeking accountability for members of the al-Assad regime would also “do more to stabilise the country, as people are going to want justice,” the analyst said.

Luigi Nicholas Mangione, a 26-year-old Ivy League graduate from a prominent Maryland real estate family, was arrested Monday in the killing of Brian Thompson, who headed one of the United States’ largest medical insurance companies. He remained jailed in Pennsylvania, where he was initially charged with possession of an unlicensed firearm, forgery and providing false identification to police. By late evening, prosecutors in Manhattan had added a charge of murder, according to an online court docket. He’s expected to be extradited to New York eventually - AP

French President Emmanuel Macron on Monday called cross-party talks aimed at “forming or making possible a government of national interest” after the ouster of Prime Minister Michel Barrier triggered a political crisis. Party leaders were invited to Macron’s Elysee Palace office for 2pm on Tuesday, the presidency said, in a departure from Macron’s previous method of meeting leaders individually. France’s parliament has been divided almost evenly between a left alliance, Macron’s centrists and the far right since snap elections in July, producing deadlock. The president took almost two months to name conservative Barnier as premier in September. But the PM was toppled last week in a no-confidence vote over a cost-cutting draft budget for 2025 meant to tackle France’s yawning deficit - France 24

As the Washington Post newsroom awaits the appointment of a new top editor, its acting news chief intervened to block an article about the departure of its second-highest-ranking editor, a contender for the position, according to several people with knowledge of events. Managing Editor Matea Gold, a veteran of 11-and-a-half years at the Post who has built up deep loyalty among staffers, had been herself considered a top internal candidate to run the newsroom. According to associates, it became clear that Post Publisher and Chief Executive Will Lewis was poised to pass over her. She is instead headed to be second-highest ranking leader of the New York Times Washington bureau, as the Times announced today. - NPR

Climate change has been behind over a third of all weather-related insurance losses over the last 20 years, a new report from the campaign group Insure Our Future has found. In total, that is an estimated $600 billion (€567 billion) in losses from climate change - an immense price tag insurance providers have been passing on to policyholders. Few regions have been spared in 2024. The UK, for example, saw $190 million (€180 million) in insured losses from Storm Henk’s extreme rainfall. This rainfall is estimated to have been made four times more likely by climate change. Europe saw its second-highest insured losses from flooding ever this year, according to Swiss Re Institute's estimates. Estimated losses from natural disasters are expected to exceed $135 billion (€128 billion) in 2024 alone - Euronews

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