Live updates: Follow the latest on the Syrian rebel advance
President Joe Biden on Sunday said the collapse of the Assad regime was a “fundamental act of justice” and that the US will work with all in the country, including the US-designated terrorist group Hayat Tahrir Al Sham, as Syria's next chapter is written.
In his first comments since rebels seized Damascus and president Bashar Al Assad fled to Moscow, Mr Biden described a moment of “considerable risk and uncertainty” for Syria. “But I also believe it’s the best opportunity in generations for Syrians to forge their own future,” he said from the White House.
The US has about 900 troops in Syria, most of them in the north-east, where they have been based for nearly a decade to help Kurdish forces fight ISIS. Mr Biden said he is “clear-eyed” that ISIS will try to take advantage of any vacuum to re-establish itself or create a safe haven.
“We will not let that happen,” he said, noting that US forces on Sunday had conducted dozens of air strikes in Syria on ISIS camps and operatives. The operation struck more than 75 targets using US Air Force planes including B-52s, F-15s and A-10s, US Central Command said.
The US “will support Syria's neighbours, including Jordan, Lebanon, Iraq and Israel, should any threat arise from Syria during this period of transition,” Mr Biden said. He said he will speak to regional leaders in the coming days.
A senior US administration official on Sunday said Washington is in contact with all Syrian groups, including Hayat Tahrir, which the UN has also designated as a terrorist group.
“It’s safe to say there’s contact with all Syrian groups as we work to do whatever we can to support the Syrians through the transition,” the official told reporters.
Hayat Tahrir leaders are "saying the right things so far, doing the right thing … we will intend to engage with them appropriately and with US interests in mind," the official added.
The group's leader, Abu Mohammed Al Jawlani – who has dropped his nom de guerre for his original name, Ahmad Al Shara – has sought to project a moderate stance and distance himself from his extremist past that includes fighting for an Al Qaeda affiliate.
The Biden administration, which ends with president-elect Donald Trump's inauguration on January 20, had until now maintained a cautious stance on its Syria messaging as Hayat Tahrir swept across Syria.
Mr Biden said the US would engage with "all Syrian groups … to establish a transition away from the Assad regime toward an independent … and sovereign Syria with a new constitution, and a new government that serves all Syrians".
ISIS threat
He said Mr Al Assad's fall from power was a direct result of Israel's attacks on Hezbollah and Iranian interests, and Ukraine's fight against Russia, both of which have been pressed with the “unflagging support of the United States”.
Mr Trump at the weekend gave early indications about his Syria policy, reflecting his “America First” stance.
He said on Truth Social on Saturday that the US should stay out of Syria’s conflict, and should have “nothing to do with” what comes next. He tried to withdraw US troops from Syria during his first term but military officials convinced him to let them stay, as they were crucial in preventing a resurgence of ISIS.
Frank McKenzie, a retired general and the former head of Centcom, said Mr Trump would have to take a "good, hard look" at his Syria policy when he takes office.
"Our interest in Syria is probably preventing violent extremist groups from being able to plan and execute attacks against our homeland and the homeland of our friends and partners abroad," Mr McKenzie told ABC.
Colin Clarke, a Syria expert and senior research fellow at The Soufan Centre, warned of the risks Syria faces as external and internal interests vie for influence.
Mr Al Shara is saying the "right thing" by promising not to allow Syria to be turned into a launch pad for terrorist groups.
But "are they going to be able to exercise a monopoly on the use of force over the entire country? I doubt it," Mr Clarke told The National. "There's other groups operating on Syrian soil. I would just urge caution that we're not really out of the woods here."
He said that Mr Biden's influence in the region is perceived as weak, so all eyes are on Mr Trump's administration, particularly in terms of negotiations with Turkey. Ankara wants the US out of north-east Syria and to stop backing the Kurds there.
Congressman French Hill, the Republican co-chair of the Syria Caucus, said: “Since the start of the war, we have only heard the demands of 'Assad or we burn the country'. Today, the country finally may have stopped burning.”
Mr Hill said that moving forward, Washington will “need to work with our regional partners to pursue the merits of UN Security Council Resolution 2254," which calls for a free and democratic Syria.
Gerry Connelly, a senior Democratic congressman, warned on Sunday that “revolutions often end with disappointment and suppression".
“There is a window to build a democratic Syria. But it is fragile,” he added.
Mouaz Moustafa, the executive director of the Washington-based Syrian Emergency Task Force who has lobbied forcefully for Syrian democracy, told The National he “doesn’t have the words to describe how he feels".
“The Syrians have their country back and the Syrians can finally build a democracy. True hope now is blooming in Syria.”
Mike McCaul, Republican chairman of the House foreign affairs committee, said: "There must be accountability for the egregious crimes committed by the Assad regime, Russia, Iran and Hezbollah against the Syrian people."
Austin Tice
Mr Biden also said the US believes journalist Austin Tice, who has been missing since his 2012 abduction in Syria, is thought to still be alive.
“We believe he is alive. We think we can get him back, but we have no direct arrangements to that yet,” he said. Earlier, Tice’s mother expressed optimism her son would be coming home, telling journalists he would need lots of “care and attention” when he is freed.
The US is offering a reward of up to $1 million for information leading directly to Tice's safe location and return.
At the UN, Secretary General Antonio Guterres called for international support to ensure that any political transition in Syria is “inclusive and comprehensive”.
"After 14 years of brutal war and the fall of the dictatorial regime, today the people of Syria can seize an historic opportunity to build a stable and peaceful future,” Mr Guterres said in a statement. “Syria’s sovereignty, unity, independence and territorial integrity must be restored.
Ellie Sennett and Adla Massoud contributed to this report from Washington and New York
Europe's top EV producers
- Norway (63% of cars registered in 2021)
- Iceland (33%)
- Netherlands (20%)
- Sweden (19%)
- Austria (14%)
- Germany (14%)
- Denmark (13%)
- Switzerland (13%)
- United Kingdom (12%)
- Luxembourg (10%)
Source: VCOe
SPECS
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EEngine%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%206-cylinder%203-litre%2C%20with%20petrol%20and%20diesel%20variants%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETransmission%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E8-speed%20automatic%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPower%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20286hp%20(petrol)%2C%20249hp%20(diesel)%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETorque%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E450Nm%20(petrol)%2C%20550Nm%20(diesel)%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPrice%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EStarting%20at%20%2469%2C800%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EOn%20sale%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ENow%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
The biog
Family: wife, four children, 11 grandchildren, 16 great-grandchildren
Reads: Newspapers, historical, religious books and biographies
Education: High school in Thatta, a city now in Pakistan
Regrets: Not completing college in Karachi when universities were shut down following protests by freedom fighters for the British to quit India
Happiness: Work on creative ideas, you will also need ideals to make people happy
In numbers: China in Dubai
The number of Chinese people living in Dubai: An estimated 200,000
Number of Chinese people in International City: Almost 50,000
Daily visitors to Dragon Mart in 2018/19: 120,000
Daily visitors to Dragon Mart in 2010: 20,000
Percentage increase in visitors in eight years: 500 per cent
RESULTS
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Lexus LX700h specs
Engine: 3.4-litre twin-turbo V6 plus supplementary electric motor
Power: 464hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 790Nm from 2,000-3,600rpm
Transmission: 10-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 11.7L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh590,000
The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
Power: 261hp at 5,500rpm
Torque: 405Nm at 1,750-3,500rpm
Transmission: 9-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 6.9L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh117,059
U19 WORLD CUP, WEST INDIES
UAE group fixtures (all in St Kitts)
Saturday 15 January: v Canada
Thursday 20 January: v England
Saturday 22 January: v Bangladesh
UAE squad
Alishan Sharafu (captain), Shival Bawa, Jash Giyanani, Sailles Jaishankar, Nilansh Keswani, Aayan Khan, Punya Mehra, Ali Naseer, Ronak Panoly, Dhruv Parashar, Vinayak Raghavan, Soorya Sathish, Aryansh Sharma, Adithya Shetty, Kai Smith
Timeline
2012-2015
The company offers payments/bribes to win key contracts in the Middle East
May 2017
The UK SFO officially opens investigation into Petrofac’s use of agents, corruption, and potential bribery to secure contracts
September 2021
Petrofac pleads guilty to seven counts of failing to prevent bribery under the UK Bribery Act
October 2021
Court fines Petrofac £77 million for bribery. Former executive receives a two-year suspended sentence
December 2024
Petrofac enters into comprehensive restructuring to strengthen the financial position of the group
May 2025
The High Court of England and Wales approves the company’s restructuring plan
July 2025
The Court of Appeal issues a judgment challenging parts of the restructuring plan
August 2025
Petrofac issues a business update to execute the restructuring and confirms it will appeal the Court of Appeal decision
October 2025
Petrofac loses a major TenneT offshore wind contract worth €13 billion. Holding company files for administration in the UK. Petrofac delisted from the London Stock Exchange
November 2025
180 Petrofac employees laid off in the UAE
MATCH INFO
Quarter-finals
Saturday (all times UAE)
England v Australia, 11.15am
New Zealand v Ireland, 2.15pm
Sunday
Wales v France, 11.15am
Japan v South Africa, 2.15pm
The Kites
Romain Gary
Penguin Modern Classics
more from Janine di Giovanni
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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Wicked: For Good
Director: Jon M Chu
Starring: Ariana Grande, Cynthia Erivo, Jonathan Bailey, Jeff Goldblum, Michelle Yeoh, Ethan Slater
Rating: 4/5
Company profile
Name: One Good Thing
Founders: Bridgett Lau and Micheal Cooke
Based in: Dubai
Sector: e-commerce
Size: 5 employees
Stage: Looking for seed funding
Investors: Self-funded and seeking external investors
SPECS
Mini John Cooper Works Clubman and Mini John Cooper Works Countryman
Engine: two-litre 4-cylinder turbo
Transmission: nine-speed automatic
Power: 306hp
Torque: 450Nm
Price: JCW Clubman, Dh220,500; JCW Countryman, Dh225,500
Last 10 NBA champions
2017: Golden State bt Cleveland 4-1
2016: Cleveland bt Golden State 4-3
2015: Golden State bt Cleveland 4-2
2014: San Antonio bt Miami 4-1
2013: Miami bt San Antonio 4-3
2012: Miami bt Oklahoma City 4-1
2011: Dallas bt Miami 4-2
2010: Los Angeles Lakers bt Boston 4-3
2009: Los Angeles Lakers bt Orlando 4-1
2008: Boston bt Los Angeles Lakers 4-2
Key findings
- Over a period of seven years, a team of scientists analysed dietary data from 50,000 North American adults.
- Eating one or two meals a day was associated with a relative decrease in BMI, compared with three meals. Snacks count as a meal. Likewise, participants who ate more than three meals a day experienced an increase in BMI: the more meals a day, the greater the increase.
- People who ate breakfast experienced a relative decrease in their BMI compared with “breakfast-skippers”.
- Those who turned the eating day on its head to make breakfast the biggest meal of the day, did even better.
- But scrapping dinner altogether gave the best results. The study found that the BMI of subjects who had a long overnight fast (of 18 hours or more) decreased when compared even with those who had a medium overnight fast, of between 12 and 17 hours.
SPIDER-MAN%3A%20ACROSS%20THE%20SPIDER-VERSE
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The%20specs
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Messi at the Copa America
2007 – lost 3-0 to Brazil in the final
2011 – lost to Uruguay on penalties in the quarter-finals
2015 – lost to Chile on penalties in the final
2016 – lost to Chile on penalties in the final
Islamic%20Architecture%3A%20A%20World%20History
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EAuthor%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Eric%20Broug%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPublisher%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Thames%20%26amp%3B%20Hudson%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPages%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20336%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EAvailable%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20September%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
10 tips for entry-level job seekers
- Have an up-to-date, professional LinkedIn profile. If you don’t have a LinkedIn account, set one up today. Avoid poor-quality profile pictures with distracting backgrounds. Include a professional summary and begin to grow your network.
- Keep track of the job trends in your sector through the news. Apply for job alerts at your dream organisations and the types of jobs you want – LinkedIn uses AI to share similar relevant jobs based on your selections.
- Double check that you’ve highlighted relevant skills on your resume and LinkedIn profile.
- For most entry-level jobs, your resume will first be filtered by an applicant tracking system for keywords. Look closely at the description of the job you are applying for and mirror the language as much as possible (while being honest and accurate about your skills and experience).
- Keep your CV professional and in a simple format – make sure you tailor your cover letter and application to the company and role.
- Go online and look for details on job specifications for your target position. Make a list of skills required and set yourself some learning goals to tick off all the necessary skills one by one.
- Don’t be afraid to reach outside your immediate friends and family to other acquaintances and let them know you are looking for new opportunities.
- Make sure you’ve set your LinkedIn profile to signal that you are “open to opportunities”. Also be sure to use LinkedIn to search for people who are still actively hiring by searching for those that have the headline “I’m hiring” or “We’re hiring” in their profile.
- Prepare for online interviews using mock interview tools. Even before landing interviews, it can be useful to start practising.
- Be professional and patient. Always be professional with whoever you are interacting with throughout your search process, this will be remembered. You need to be patient, dedicated and not give up on your search. Candidates need to make sure they are following up appropriately for roles they have applied.
Arda Atalay, head of Mena private sector at LinkedIn Talent Solutions, Rudy Bier, managing partner of Kinetic Business Solutions and Ben Kinerman Daltrey, co-founder of KinFitz
The specs: 2018 Nissan Patrol Nismo
Price: base / as tested: Dh382,000
Engine: 5.6-litre V8
Gearbox: Seven-speed automatic
Power: 428hp @ 5,800rpm
Torque: 560Nm @ 3,600rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 12.7L / 100km
SANCTIONED
- Kirill Shamalov, Russia's youngest billionaire and previously married to Putin's daughter Katarina
- Petr Fradkov, head of recently sanctioned Promsvyazbank and son of former head of Russian Foreign Intelligence, the FSB.
- Denis Bortnikov, Deputy President of Russia's largest bank VTB. He is the son of Alexander Bortnikov, head of the FSB which was responsible for the poisoning of political activist Alexey Navalny in August 2020 with banned chemical agent novichok.
- Yury Slyusar, director of United Aircraft Corporation, a major aircraft manufacturer for the Russian military.
- Elena Aleksandrovna Georgieva, chair of the board of Novikombank, a state-owned defence conglomerate.
