Tuesday Briefing: Joy and uncertainty in Syria

Plus, an arrest in the shooting of a health care C.E.O.

View in browser|nytimes.com December 10, 2024 By Natasha Frost Good morning. We're covering the latest from Syria and the arrest of a suspect in the killing of a health care executive. Plus: The Golden Globe nominations. Syrians celebrated in Umayyad Square in Damascus yesterday. Daniel Berehulak/The New York Times Syrians celebrated the unthinkable A day after the regime of President Bashar al-Assad fell, civilians poured into the streets of Damascus, Syria, some weeping in disbelief. Many sought word of relatives held in a notorious prison on the outskirts of the city. Others clambered on top of cars and screamed curses at the Assad family, words that days ago could have meant a death sentence. Here's the latest. The rebels who took over the capital announced yesterday that a new government would begin work immediately, as millions of Syrians and the wider world struggled to process the stunning end to the Assad family's decades-long reign. Rebel fighters took up positions outside public buildings and directed traffic in a show of their newly claimed authority. Across Damascus, rebels and residents alike were reckoning with the beginning of an uncertain new chapter in Syria. The situation is precarious, and it is unclear what might come next. Alissa Rubin, a senior Middle East correspondent, helped explain the context. Can you explain the regional factors that played into the fall of the Assad regime? This certainly happened in large part because of Israel's weakening of Hezbollah, whose troops were supporting Assad. That made it more difficult for Iran, which is close to Hezbollah and worked with them in Syria, to operate there. Russia was also busy elsewhere. So there were all these international factors that created this moment, but those factors — and powers like Turkey — will also be part of creating the future. What are the biggest challenges heading into that future? There's going to be an enormous number of military and security developments, and a lot of questions about how people will both be safe and also able to make it their country again. There is no plan yet for how to rule or control the country. What happens in Damascus, which is pretty far west, has a limited amount to do with what happens in Aleppo, and certainly nothing to do with what happens out on the Iraqi border or down south near Jordan. All of that is going to be up for grabs, and there are a lot of different actors, including the Islamic State, which is present and has been resurgent there in the last couple of years. Iran has actually broached the idea of a sort of national conference to figure all this out, which would include all Syrians. I hope there will be someone to come and organize that. But it sounds daunting at the moment. Related: The Biden administration is scrambling to find ways to engage with groups in Syria and around the Middle East during a period of risky and intense change. Al-Assad's grip over Syria was once visible everywhere in the capital. Videos show how it was all dismantled in less than 24 hours. Luigi Mangione, 26, was arrested and arraigned in Altoona, Pa., after being spotted at a McDonald's. Rachel Wisniewski for The New York Times A suspect in the C.E.O. killing was charged with murder A suspect in the fatal shooting of a health insurance executive on a New York City street last week has been arrested in Pennsylvania and charged with murder in Manhattan. Here's the latest. The man, identified as Luigi Mangione, 26, was arrested on gun charges in a McDonald's in the city of Altoona yesterday morning after an employee recognized him and called the authorities, the police said. He was denied bond in a Pennsylvania courtroom. Mangione was carrying a gun, a silencer and false identification cards similar to those that the police believe were used by the gunman who killed Brian Thompson, the chief executive of UnitedHealthcare, a law enforcement official said. He was also carrying a handwritten manifesto that criticized health care companies for putting profits above care, according to two law enforcement officials. Background: Mangione attended Gilman School in Baltimore, a private high school, where he wrestled and graduated in 2016 as the class valedictorian. He earned bachelor's and master's degrees at the University of Pennsylvania and graduated in 2020. For more: Here's what else we know about Mangione and the killing. Adèle Haenel in Chatham, N.Y., in 2023. Lauren Lancaster for The New York Times France's first big #MeToo case goes to trial Five years ago, the actress Adèle Haenel shocked France's film world when she accused the director Christophe Ruggia of isolating her, grooming her and sexually assaulting her. When it began, she said, he was 36. She was 12. The case went to court yesterday, marking the first major #MeToo accusations in France to proceed to trial. Ruggia, 59, is charged with aggravated sexual assault against a minor. If found guilty, he faces up to 10 years in prison as well as a fine of up to 150,000 euros, about $190,000. He has repeatedly denied the allegations. MORE TOP NEWS Bashar Taleb/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images War in Gaza: Cease-fire talks between Israel and Hamas are quietly advancing behind the scenes, mediators and officials say. India: The Trump Organization is getting a warm welcome there, where status-hungry home buyers clamor for a famous American brand. Ukraine: Telegram's popularity has soared during the war with Russia, leading Kyiv officials to weigh the upsides of the messaging app against its security risks. China: Beijing's mineral export ban goes further than expected. It orders companies around the world not to allow critical minerals mined in China to reach the U.S. Human rights: Desperate Haitians who fled to the Dominican Republic are being sent back in cages. Dominican officials have said their goal is 10,000 deportations per week. TikTok: The company, trying to buy time, is requesting a pause on a law that requires that the app be sold or face a ban in the U.S. by mid-January. Media: A Nevada commissioner ruled against Rupert Murdoch's attempt to change his family's trust to consolidate his eldest son's control of his media empire. Computing: Google unveiled an experimental machine capable of tasks that a traditional supercomputer could not master in 10 septillion years. SPORTS NEWS Baseball: Juan Soto is set to join the New York Mets with a 15-year, $765 million contract in the largest deal in the sport's history. Skiing: Lindsey Vonn has returned, at 40, to the sport and has earned World Cup eligibility. Soccer: Christian Pulisic has been sidelined until early January with a calf muscle tear. MORNING READ Benjamin Norman for The New York Times Weeks into Winston Nguyen's teaching career at an elite private school in Brooklyn, his eighth-grade students discovered that he was a felon. School administrators told parents they had nothing to worry about — but within a year, Nguyen had adopted a fake identity online to solicit sexual images from students, the Brooklyn district attorney said. Lives lived: Silvia Pinal, an award-winning Mexican actress who earned worldwide acclaim for her work with the Surrealist director Luis Buñuel, died late last month. CONVERSATION STARTERS Don't steal my vibe: In a lawsuit, one influencer is accusing another of copying her minimalist aesthetic online. A grand tour's grand total: For the last 21 months, Taylor Swift's Eras Tour has been the biggest thing in music. Now we know how big: $2,077,618,725 in ticket sales. Surveillance classrooms: A.I.-powered software that tries to detect self-harm and suicidal ideation is being used on many students' school laptops. It doesn't always work as intended. Measure by measure: What if charity shouldn't be optimized? ARTS AND IDEAS Robyn Beck/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images The Golden Globe nominations Netflix's "Emilia Pérez," a Spanish-language musical exploring trans identity, led the nominations for the Golden Globes, receiving 10 nods, including one for best comedy or musical. "The Brutalist," "Conclave," "Wicked" and "Anora" will be among the other films contending for the top prizes. "The Bear," "Shogun," "Only Murders in the Building" and "Baby Reindeer," among others, will vie for the TV equivalents. The Globes have been in turmoil since it was revealed in 2021 that the voting pool had no Black members. Publicists in turn refused to make stars available for Golden Globe appearances, leading to NBC's cancellation of the 2022 telecast. NBC brought the show back in 2023 before walking away completely, ending a three-decade partnership. Read more about a tortured awards ceremony. We hope you've enjoyed this newsletter, which is made possible through subscriber support. Subscribe to The New York Times. RECOMMENDATIONS Christopher Testani for The New York Times Cook: Easy burritos were one of our most popular recipes of 2024. Dress: Our critic suggests what to wear to your office holiday party. Listen: Here are seven key songs from 1984, a pivotal year in music. Prepare: Stay ahead of thieves and scammers while you're traveling. Play the Spelling Bee. And here are today's Mini Crossword and Wordle. You can find all our puzzles here. That's it for today's briefing. See you tomorrow. — Natasha Reach Natasha and the team at briefing@nytimes.com. Need help? Review our newsletter help page or contact us for assistance. You received this email because you signed up for Morning Briefing: Europe Edition from The New York Times. To stop receiving Morning Briefing: Europe Edition, unsubscribe. To opt out of other promotional emails from The Times, including those regarding The Athletic, manage your email settings. To opt out of updates and offers sent from The Athletic, submit a request. Subscribe to The TimesGet The New York Times app Connect with us on: Change Your EmailPrivacy PolicyContact UsCalifornia Notices The New York Times Company. 620 Eighth Avenue New York, NY 10018