Opposition Forces in Syria, Crypto's Milestone Week, New York City's Housing Plan
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What is the latest development in the Syrian opposition forces?
Syrian opposition forces swept into another government stronghold as the Syrian army withdrew. This puts the fighters closer to their goal of taking Damascus. Can they topple the Syrian regime? I'm Leila Fadil, that's Michelle Martin, and this is Up First from NPR News. The value of a single Bitcoin hit $100,000 for the first time ever this week.
This will create a short-term boom over the next couple of years. But it's going to be a sugar high.
Will the momentum behind crypto last? And New York City has a new plan to address its housing crisis.
The greatest city in the world has just passed the greatest housing legislation in our history.
Will it be enough to address soaring costs and homelessness? Stay with us. We'll give you the news you need to start your day. Syrian opposition forces are storming ahead with their largest offensive in years against the government of Bashar al-Assad.
The rebel push started last week when fierce fighting led to the stunning capture of Syria's second largest city, Aleppo. Then, as of yesterday, they swept into the city of Hama. a major government stronghold on the road south to Damascus.
NPR's Hadil El-Shalchi is with us now with more. Good morning, Hadil. Good morning. So where does this rebel advance stand now?
They seem to be moving so fast. They really are. I mean, it's been a week of violent fighting between the rebel forces. and pro-government factions which are backed by Russia and Iran. Army troops withdrew yesterday from the fringes of the city of Hama and the opposition forces were seen celebrating in the city center. We do know that Syrian groups have said that more than 100 civilians have been killed in the fighting.
I understand that Hama has been considered a key city since before the Syrian civil war that broke out in 2011. Could you just remind us of what makes it important?
Hama has been a notorious city since President Bashar al-Assad's father, Hafez al-Assad, ruled the country. In 1982, government security forces massacred thousands of people in an uprising led by the Muslim Brotherhood at the time. Last night, a video online showed people toppling over a statue of Hafez al-Assad. We couldn't verify the video independently. Hama has regional significance. The city is a main supply route that Iran uses to move weapons to its Lebanese ally, Hezbollah, who's fighting a war with Israel right now. The Israeli military said that it conducted strikes on what they are calling weapons smuggling routes used by Hezbollah at the Syrian-Lebanese border last night. Hadev, remind us, who is leading this offensive? Right.
So the main group is called Hayat al-Tahrir al-Sham. It's also known as HTS. HTS used to be affiliated with al-Qaeda, but broke off years ago. But the U.S. and other Western countries still designated a terrorist group. So, Mishal, for years, they've sort of moved away from a jihadist ideology. And while it's still a fundamentalist and not a democratic group by any stretch, they've become a bit more pragmatic, focusing on civilian rule, you know, setting up services, running a stronger economy in areas they control, etc. HTS's leader, Mohamed Jolani, told CNN in an interview today that, quote, the revolution has evolved from chaos and randomness into a state of order, both militarily and civilian matters. But there are questions whether this HTS branding is real or just a PR campaign. Given their background, do we have a sense of what civilians in Aleppo City and Hama have been saying? For sure.
So the main sentiment has been cautious optimism. Syrians living under government control have long complained about severe oppression. Some people I spoke to in Aleppo said the rebel forces were able to restore order back to the city as soon as they took it over. Video circulating online showed fighters and civilians celebrating in the streets and Jolani driving through, being greeted with joy. There's also been images of prisoners being released from Hama's jails where dozens of people were detained for anti-government activities. But then there are also thousands of people fleeing Hama, afraid. Kurds who hold their own rival territory in the northeast and many Alawites. They're the sect that Assad family comes from.
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Chapters
6 chapters
1
What is the latest development in the Syrian opposition forces?
0:02–5:03
2
How is the cryptocurrency market reacting this week?
5:03–8:21
3
What are the implications of New York City's new housing plan?
8:21–9:59
4
Who are the key players in the current Syrian conflict?
9:59
5
What does the future hold for cryptocurrencies under the new administration?
8:45–12:27
6
How has Bitcoin evolved since its creation?
11:14–12:27
Speakers
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