E. Martinez

Thanks, Layla.

And that's Up First for Tuesday, December 9th.

I'm Leila Faldin.

And I'm E. Martinez.

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Today's episode of Up First was edited by Rebecca Metzler, Krishnadov Kalamar, Kelsey Snell, Mohamed El-Bradisi, and Alice Wolfley.

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The fall of Syria's ruler is a blow against Iran.

I'm E. Martinez, that's Steve Inskeep, and this is Up First from NPR News. Some American colleges have a warning for their international students. They're suggesting students who leave for the holidays should try to return before Inauguration Day to avoid any trouble at the border. How real is that concern?

I'm E. Martinez, that's Steve Inskeep, and this is Up First from NPR News. Some American colleges have a warning for their international students. They're suggesting students who leave for the holidays should try to return before Inauguration Day to avoid any trouble at the border. How real is that concern?

I'm E. Martinez, that's Steve Inskeep, and this is Up First from NPR News. Some American colleges have a warning for their international students. They're suggesting students who leave for the holidays should try to return before Inauguration Day to avoid any trouble at the border. How real is that concern?

Yeah, that's because the longtime enemy of Israel in the U.S. relied on Syria as one of its allies in a bid for power across the Middle East. Iranian troops and money propped up the ruler Bashar al-Assad during years of civil war. Now, if you look at a map... You can actually see why. Syria offered a connection to Iran's proxies in nearby Lebanon.

Yeah, that's because the longtime enemy of Israel in the U.S. relied on Syria as one of its allies in a bid for power across the Middle East. Iranian troops and money propped up the ruler Bashar al-Assad during years of civil war. Now, if you look at a map... You can actually see why. Syria offered a connection to Iran's proxies in nearby Lebanon.

Yeah, that's because the longtime enemy of Israel in the U.S. relied on Syria as one of its allies in a bid for power across the Middle East. Iranian troops and money propped up the ruler Bashar al-Assad during years of civil war. Now, if you look at a map... You can actually see why. Syria offered a connection to Iran's proxies in nearby Lebanon.

Now the government's collapse amounts to Iran's latest disaster.