Advertisement
Image
Celebrating one year after the fall of Bashar al-Assad in Hama, Syria, on Friday. Credit...David Guttenfelder/The New York Times
Something of a miracle in Syria
By Raja Abdulrahim
During a recent reporting trip to Syria, I was visiting an aunt in Aleppo when a plane flew overhead. Sitting near the balcony door, my aunt listened to the roar for a second before commenting that only recently had she stopped flinching at the sound of an aircraft.
For more than a decade, that sound meant warplanes and helicopters dropping bombs and firing rockets, often on civilians. Today, it just means a flight is overhead — perhaps one carrying Syrians returning from exile, or investors scoping out the country or even tourists visiting for…
Advertisement
Image
Celebrating one year after the fall of Bashar al-Assad in Hama, Syria, on Friday. Credit...David Guttenfelder/The New York Times
Something of a miracle in Syria
By Raja Abdulrahim
During a recent reporting trip to Syria, I was visiting an aunt in Aleppo when a plane flew overhead. Sitting near the balcony door, my aunt listened to the roar for a second before commenting that only recently had she stopped flinching at the sound of an aircraft.
For more than a decade, that sound meant warplanes and helicopters dropping bombs and firing rockets, often on civilians. Today, it just means a flight is overhead — perhaps one carrying Syrians returning from exile, or investors scoping out the country or even tourists visiting for the first time.
It was a year ago today that the Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad was overthrown. A new government, formed by the rebels who ousted him, took over.
Since then, the initial jubilation and optimism have been tempered by reality. The government of President Ahmed al-Sharaa has faced plenty of criticism for its missteps, including outbreaks of sectarian violence involving some forces affiliated with the government and his tendency to restrict decision-making to a tight circle of advisers. I wrote about efforts to rebuild the Syrian military, which many say is favoring loyalists over those with expertise.
As the international community is trying to understand where Syria is headed, the anniversary of al-Assad’s fall feels like an opportunity to look at what’s gone right. Because it’s arguably something of a miracle that a Syrian state is functioning at all.
No more front lines, no more Assad photos
I’m often asked, “How is Syria these days?” It’s an impossible question to answer succinctly because the situation is so complex.
During my latest trip, many complained about how electricity prices seemed poised to skyrocket just as it was getting colder. Others criticized the government’s inability to ensure security amid post-conflict revenge killings and kidnappings. Some Syrians — especially those from the country’s religious and ethnic minorities — are fearful of the new Islamist leaders and the conservative direction the country may take.
These concerns are important. They’re also a reflection of the enormousness of the challenge of rebuilding and unifying a country as diverse as Syria, which has collectively gone through severe trauma.
Syria’s nearly 14-year civil war cut across the country’s many religious, sectarian and ethnic groups — Sunnis, Shiites, Alawites, Christians, Druse and Kurds — leaving it deeply divided and distrustful. When I say it’s a miracle that there’s a functioning state at all, this is part of why.
And yet here are some of the ways Syria feels like a new country.
There are no more front lines. Millions of displaced Syrians who either left the country or fled to other parts of Syria have the opportunity to return home. There is no more military conscription. Thousands of men who had fled or went into hiding to avoid the draft have since come back or finally feel safe leaving their homes.
Image
Credit...David Guttenfelder/The New York Times
Gone are the ubiquitous photos of al-Assad, along with those of some of his family members, that stared down on Syrians like a Big Brother warning them not to step out of line.
No longer are Syrians held hostage by the fear that “the walls have ears” — the threatening adage that for decades warned them that any talk of politics, or a stray word deemed to be anti-Assad, could lead to their being disappeared. During the last years of the war, the Assad government outlawed the use of foreign currencies, and even the mention of the word “dollar” could potentially get someone arrested.
Today, Syrians say they have a different experience of the state. They marvel that they can visit government buildings and be treated respectfully by civil servants.
On recent visits, I’ve noticed a particular song playing, sometimes, on repeat at neighborhood gatherings, weddings and graduation parties. It’s a revolutionary song: “Raise your head high, you are a free Syrian.”
Reclaiming the skies
For Syria to emerge successfully as a unified and functional country, it will take many years and continued global support.
Much of the international community has welcomed Syria’s new leader, and countries that had regarded it as a pariah state have reestablished ties.
But those ties and support are not unconditional, which is part of why it’s so important for people to understand the full picture in Syria today — the negatives, yes, but the positives, too.
Those airplanes my aunt used to flinch at? On several occasions — including the March anniversary of the start of the Syrian uprising — the new Syrian government has used the country’s military helicopters to drop flowers over crowds, reclaiming both the aircraft and the skies for beauty.
The Defense Ministry has said it plans to do the same again today to commemorate Dec. 8 — the first anniversary of al-Assad’s ouster.
MORE TOP NEWS
Image
Soldiers in front of Benin’s radio and television offices in Cotonou, yesterday.Credit...Charles Placide Tossou/Reuters
An attempted coup in Benin
The West African country of Benin was thrown into a state of confusion after an attempted coup by some members of the military yesterday. The government said that 14 members of the military had been arrested, though much remained unclear.
A government spokesman said that the president, Patrice Talon, was safe but he had not been seen in public or made a statement throughout the day. The developments in Benin are a new reminder of the instability that has rocked Africa in recent years. Nine military takeovers took place from 2020 to 2023 — a number unseen in decades.
Video
The Impact of Trump’s Slipping Approval Rating
After months of holding steady, President Trump‘s approval rating has dipped over the past several weeks, according to a New York Times analysis of public polling.
A slip in Trump’s approval rating
A Times analysis of polling data shows that President Trump’s approval rating has dipped over the past several weeks. The shift, while small, is notable after months of stability. Watch my colleague Tyler Pager explain in the video above what’s driving the drop.
More news about Trump:
The Trump administration issued a new security strategy that called for European countries to take “primary responsibility” for their own defense. What is most striking about the 33-page document is what it ignores, David Sanger writes.
OTHER NEWS
At least 25 people died when a fire tore through a nightclub in the Indian state of Goa.
The Hong Kong government pushed to increase turnout in legislative elections, which were overshadowed by a deadly fire at an apartment complex last month.
President Vladimir Putin has ordered the Russian military to prepare for winter combat, signaling after talks with U.S. officials that he is not budging from his demands.
Netflix plans to buy Warner Bros. Discovery for $82.7 billion in a deal that could redefine Hollywood and the broader media landscape.
Saudi Arabia has quietly opened up sales of alcohol to some foreign residents.
Katy Perry and Justin Trudeau posed together while exploring Japan in photos that made them “Instagram official.”
Image
Credit...Pantone
Cloud dancer
— Pantone, the self-styled color experts in the U.S., chose a shade that they believe will define the upcoming year. They call the color of 2026 “Cloud Dancer.” Just about everyone else calls it “white.”
MORNING READ
Image
Magmaz, an all-female rock band from Japan, was told its China tour had been canceled.Credit...Magmaz
A diplomatic feud between China and Japan is spilling into the cultural sphere. The Chinese authorities have recently halted the release of Japanese films, scrapped plans for anime-themed festivals and canceled concerts by Japanese artists.
The reprisals are part of a broader effort to punish Japan for its support of Taiwan. A Japanese band that had a tour of China abruptly canceled is using social media to keep in touch with its Chinese fans. “It’s not war,” the group’s manager said. “We just have to wait for the tensions to pass.” Read more****.
AROUND THE WORLD
Image
Credit...Matthew Abbott for The New York Times
What kids are up to … in Australia
A trend has taken off among young teenage boys in Sydney, but it isn’t a video game, a dance move or an anime series. It’s the age-old, tranquil art of fishing.
Most afternoons along the city’s coastline, clusters of boys cast lines into the harbor. Local government officials, retailers and news media have credited the surge in interest to, of all things, TikTok.
Fishing influencers demonstrate techniques, suggest prime spots and show off their catches as part of an online community that has become known as #FishTok. In comments, some boys complain that school exams are cutting into their fishing time.
But what happens when they’re cut off from TikTok? A landmark Australian law that bars children under 16 from social media is set to take effect on Wednesday. In a very unscientific tally on a recent hourlong run along the waterfront in Sydney, past the Opera House and under the Harbour Bridge, I counted nine young boys fishing. We’ll see how that changes in the coming weeks and months. — Victoria Kim, who covers Australia from Sydney
Image
Credit...Linda Xiao for The New York Times
Bibimbap, the Korean mixed rice dish, is a kaleidoscope of flavors and textures and comes in many variations. You can add seasoned vegetables to a bowl with leftover rice and seasonings like spicy-sweet gochujang and nutty sesame oil. Or, if starting from scratch, you can prep each component separately.
WHERE IS THIS?
Image
Credit...Susan Wright for The New York Times
Katrin Bennhold is the host of The World, the flagship global newsletter of The New York Times.
Advertisement