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Following the burning of a Christmas tree in Suqaylabiyah, a Christian-majority town in central Syria, protests have erupted, with calls for the new Islamist authorities to ensure the protection of minorities. Social media footage captured the tree ablaze in the town's main square.

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The recent ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah marks a significant diplomatic breakthrough, offering a momentary respite to communities ravaged by 13 months of relentless conflict. Brokered by the United States and France, the agreement promises a carefully choreographed withdrawal that could reshape the geopolitical landscape of southern Lebanon.

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Between 2018 and 2019, Syria's central bank secretly transferred $250 million in cash to Russia. The Financial Times uncovered these covert operations, highlighting how Bashar al-Assad's regime, reeling under Western sanctions, resorted to such measures to secure funds and maintain power. The cash shipments, flown in $100 bills and €500 notes, were deposited into sanctioned Russian banks through Moscow's Vnukovo Airport, underscoring the deep financial ties between Assad's regime and the Kremlin.

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Seventeen people are missing, while 28 others have been rescued after a tourist boat sank in the Red Sea. The boat with 31 tourists and 14 crew - who were all Egyptians - sent a distress signal at 05:30 (03:30 GMT), according to the governor of Red Sea province. Authorities have not indicated the possible cause of the incident.

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In a series of  radical  and unexpected turn of events, Syrian opposition forces have shattered years of stalemate, sweeping into Aleppo and dramatically challenging President Bashar al-Assad's regime. The lightning-fast offensive marks the first time rebels have controlled significant portions of the city since 2016, signaling a potential transformation in Syria's protracted civil war.

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