7 days agoUSA UpdateComments Off on Five Dollar Tree items for $1.25 to elevate your holiday decor – and shoppers call them a ‘simple’ upgrade
DOLLAR TREE fans can elevate their holiday decor for just a few dollars with these five budget items.
With the holiday season now in full swing, many of us will be avidly decorating our homes ahead of friends and family coming over for Christmas.
GettyShoppers can elevate their holiday decor with Dollar Tree bargains[/caption]
DollarTreeMaking a DIY pillow is cheap and easy[/caption]
However, with money tight for many this year, Christmas can often come with an overwhelming price tag.
Fortunately, Dollar Tree have plenty of budget solutions, to make sure your home looks stylish and festive for just a few dollars.
One of the simplest ways to update your decor for the holidays is to update your throw pillows.
Christmas pillows can be pricey in stores, but one Dollar Tree fan shared how you can easily make your own using budget buys.
To make your pillowcases, all you need is some Christmas ribbon, a snowflake ornament, burlap gift bags, twine, and a hot glue gun, each of which are priced at just $1.25 from Dollar Tree.
Star Pillow
To make a silver star pillow, simply wrap ribbon around your pillow case like a present, and glue it in place with the glue gun.
Then, secure the star ornament on top with glue, and voila, a gorgeous Christmas pillow.
DollarTreeTo make a silver star pillow, simply wrap ribbon around your pillow case like a present, and glue it in place with the glue gun[/caption]
Present Pillow
To create a chic pillow that looks like a Christmas present, wrap two pieces of ribbon around the pillow, and then secure it with a hot glue gun.
DollarTreeTo create a chic pillow that looks like a Christmas present, wrap two pieces of ribbon around the pillow, and then secure it with a hot glue gun[/caption]
Cut a tag shape out of a burlap gift bag, and then glue the snowflake ornament to the tag.
Next, cut a slit at the top of the tag and loop a piece of twine through it, before glueing the tag to the ribbon.
Finally, create a festive bow using the rest of the ribbon, and glue it to the pillow.
Once the holiday season is over, you can simply take the items off the pillows, and then re-use the decorations again next year.
And these aren’t the only Christmas bargains Dollar Tree is selling over the holiday season.
Dollar Tree shoppers can now pick up a Christmas buy that will have your guests feeling festive before they even walk through the door.
Dollar Tree dupes
Savvy shoppers have scoured Dollar Tree to find dupes of their favorite products
Shoppers found a perfect replica of a $150 set of Pottery Barn plates and bowls. Plus, Dollar Tree has matching mugs.
7 days agoUSA UpdateComments Off on Watch as chilling robot servant with eerie disembodied design does LAUNDRY as China touts futuristic chore-busting tech
WATCH the chilling video showing the army of robot servants being built up in China that can do the laundry and other household chores.
The footage marks the latest in a string of unsettling Chinese advances, including stretching silicone skin over machine faces and replacing people with human-like bots at car manufacturers.
x/@disclosetvOne of Agibot’s new robot models is designed to be able to do the laundry in washing machines[/caption]
x/@disclosetvSome of the models are built to be very human-like[/caption]
x/@disclosetvThe robots can perform a range of domestic tasks, like a servant would[/caption]
The promotional video showcases the new range of five robots being mass produced by the Shanghai-based tech start-up Agibot.
The shiny footage shows eerie humanoid robots walking around on two legs and interacting with people
At the AIDEA Giga Data Factory, the tech can be seen doing everyday chores including making beds, cleaning tables and doing the laundry.
Some of the bots are built to closely resemble humans and are biped, meaning they walk around on two legs.
Others are more machine-like, moving around on wheels.
All of the bots, however, appear to be equipped with two humanoid arms which they use as their main tools.
The four-minute video walks the viewer through the production process, beginning with “material unloading” and ending with “inference”, where the robots are shown in-place performing a range like servants.
Agibot, founded in February 2023, released its first-ever model, Raise A1, in August 2023.
This machine was initially aimed at industrial applications, but the company have plans for it to become a general household assistant that can cook, do laundry and care for the elderly.
Its first full set of humanoid robots was unveiled on August 18 this year – five new wheeled and biped machines tailored for a range of tasks.
The tech firm spearheading the robot revolution was founded by former Huawei “Genius Youth” recruit Peng Zhihui.
Their flagship product is a biped humanoid robot called Yuanzheng A2 that stands 175cm tall and weighs 55 kg.
The South China Morning Post (SCMP) reported that it is equipped with a range of sensors and powered by AI – meaning it can see, hear and process text, audio and visual information.
The futuristic creation is even precise enough the thread a needle.
AGIBOT is aiming to challenge Tesla, which is developing a range of humanoid robots called Optimus.
Some market analysts have predicted a future product war between the two firms, with each competing to develop products the fastest.
Founder Peng told SCMP: “We have made some breakthroughs in product research and development in the past year, and we’re now at the forefront of the industry,” at the video launch.
“We don’t think the gap between the two sides [Optimus and Agibot] will be big. Our commercialisation and cost-control ability is better than that of Tesla.”
ReutersChina is also experimenting with using silicon faces to make the robots even more convincing[/caption]
ReutersThe lifelike robots are made using masks which are fixed onto the metallic droid to provide facial expressions[/caption]
7 days agoUSA UpdateComments Off on Bizarre pub rule NO-ONE knows about could see you fined £200 and kicked out this Christmas – how to avoid punishment
PUBGOERS have been warned there is one sneaky rule that could set you back £200, and get you kicked out of your local this Christmas.
The 150-year-old rule is rarely enforced but is a bizarre law that still stands today.
GettyThere is one rule you may not know about that could set you back £200 this Christmas[/caption]
GettyBeing drunk in a pub is actually an offence and could lead to a hefty fine[/caption]
Drinking too much alcohol in any public house is actually a fineable offence.
It turns out that if you are drunk in a boozer, you could be slapped with a £200 punishment.
With mulled wine, eggnog, bucks fizz, and Bailey’s hot chocolate all flowing over the festive season, it’s hard to keep clear of the booze.
But you can actually get a Fixed Penalty Notice if you’re unlucky.
Section 12 of the Licensing Act 1872 reads: “Every person found drunk on any licensed premises, shall be liable to a penalty.”
However, it’s safe to say the outdated law actually is in place to discourage disorderly behaviour, rather than drunkeness.
If a pubgoer is getting aggressive, rude or can no longer control themself the police might get involved.
It was put in place to promote moderate drinking but this is quite hard to quantify.
The peculiar rule doesn’t just affect merry punters in pubs though.
It affects venues and any other public space, so make sure to pace yourself this Christmas.
It’s also good to keep in mind that drinking booze on public transport is often illegal, so hold on to your canned cocktails until you arrive at your destination.
Transport for London services including buses, trams, DLR and the underground prohibits the consumption of alcohol
The Licensing Act 2003 states that the bartender serving alcohol to somebody who is intoxicated will also be hit with a fine.
Landlords and hospitality staff could find themselves with a Fixed Penalty Notice of £90 issued by the cops.
If the penalty ends up going to court it could even be increased to a £1,000.
Thankfully these fines are rarely issued.
However, if you get into your car while above the legal limit, you will likely get into serious trouble.
Being in charge of a vehicle while over the legal limit can land you with three months in prison, a £2,500 fine or a driving ban.
Driving while drunk can result in six months imprisonment, an unlimited fine, and a ban from driving for up to 10 years.
Why do some people get worse hangovers than others?
Ever wondered why some people seem to breeze through the morning after a big night out while others feel like they’ve been hit by a train?
It turns out the science of hangovers is as complex as it is painful.
“Variability in the experience of hangovers is something we see in research,” says Sam Royle, from the University of Salford and a member of the Alcohol Hangover Research Group, told Sun Health.
“Around five per cent of people report what we call hangover-resistance – they can drink amounts that would typically lead to a hangover but claim they don’t experience one.”
However, even in these cases, markers of immune response still spike, meaning their bodies are reacting, even if they don’t feel the effects.
For the rest of us mere mortals, the severity of a hangover can come down to three main factors: genetics, drinking habits, and psychology.
1. Genetics play a role
“Some people have reduced expression of a gene that produces aldehyde dehydrogenase, a key enzyme in alcohol metabolism,” explains Sam.
This can lead to the infamous “flushing” reaction – when someone turns red after a drink – and it’s often accompanied by more severe hangovers.
In fact, studies suggest genetics account for 24 per cent of hangover variability in men and 16 per cent in women.
2. What you drink matters
The type of alcohol you consume also plays a part, the expert said.
Drinks with higher levels of congeners – chemical byproducts of fermentation found in dark spirits like whiskey and red wine- tend to cause worse hangovers.
And then there’s the obvious: how much you drink, how quickly, and whether you’ve eaten beforehand.
3. Your mindset matters more than you’d think
Personality traits and pain tolerance can even influence hangover severity.
“People who focus negatively on pain tend to report worse hangovers,” says Royal.
Interestingly, how drunk you feel while drinking is one of the strongest predictors of next-day misery—factors like stress, tiredness, and how fast you’re drinking can all amplify that sensation.
While science hasn’t cracked the code of why some people suffer more than others, researchers are investigating these patterns to uncover potential links between hangover severity and health risks, such as addiction.
For now, the best defence is moderation—and maybe a good breakfast before heading to the pub!
7 days agoUSA UpdateComments Off on Viral Syrian ‘prisoner’ found by CNN crew cowering in cell ‘was fleeing Assad officer pretending to be regime opponent’
THE viral “prisoner” discovered by a CNN news crew cowering in a cell was one of Assad’s evil torturers, a Syrian fact-checking site has claimed.
The so-called imprisoned civilian was found trembling under a blanket before being freed by the team, exclaiming: “Oh God, there is light.”
CNNThe TV crew found the apparent Syrian prisoner hiding under a blanket[/caption]
CNNThe Syrian prisoner looks up at the sky and exclaims, ‘Oh God, there is light’ in the clip[/caption]
CNNThe man had named himself to CNN’s Clarissa Ward as Adel Gharbal[/caption]
The man had named himself to CNN’s Clarissa Ward as Adel Gharbal, a father from Homs.
Gharbal is captured on video being broken out of a cell that he said he had been held in for three months.
He’s shaking and on the verge of tears in the footage, holding Clarissa’s hand while he says that Assad’s intelligence service took him from his home and guards beat him in the prison.
The man gets taken into the sunlight by the team, which he said he hadn’t seen for months.
But fact-checking site Verify-Sy picked up that the alleged prisoner bizarrely didn’t flinch or blink when he looked up at the sky, which seems unusual for someone who had been held captive for so long.
The site, a part of Poynter’s International Fact-Checking Network, said: “Despite the purported harsh treatment of detainees in secret prisons, Gharbal appeared clean, well-groomed and physically healthy, with no visible injuries or signs of torture.”
They added that it was “an incongruous portrayal” of someone allegedly kept “in solitary confinement in the dark for 90 days”.
The CNN team had provided food and water for the man after getting him out the cell, who claimed he was left without any supplies for four days when his captors fled.
While Verify-Sy couldn’t immediately confirm Gharbal’s identity, after speaking to locals in Homs, they were able to confirm the man as Salama Mohammad Salama, or Abu Hamza.
They said he was a first lieutenant in the Syrian Air Force Intelligence which served overthrown tyrant Bashar al-Assad under his regime.
Verify-Sy reported that residents of the Al-Bayyada said he was “frequently stationed at a checkpoint in the area’s western entrance, infamous for its abuses”.
They went on to accuse Salama of involvement in “theft, extortion and coercing residents into becoming informants,” adding that he participated in military operations on various fronts in Homs in 2014.
Salama also allegedly brutally killed civilians and was responsible for detaining and torturing young men in the city on fabricated charges, residents claim.
Verify-Sy said: “Many were targeted simply for refusing to pay bribes, rejecting cooperation or even for arbitrary reasons like their appearance.”
Residents also say Salama was thrown into the Damascus prison less than a month ago because of a disagreement he had with a higher-ranking officer over cash he allegedly extorted.
After the spectacular fall of the regime, the man has been trying to gain sympathy to protect his life, claiming he was “forced” into committing his crimes, locals said.
Salama allegedly even went as far as deactivating his social media accounts and changing his phone number to erase any evidence of his involvement under Assad’s regime.
GettyShoes and clothes were found in secret compartment at Sednaya Prison[/caption]
GettyA view of personal belongings of inmates in ‘White Building’ also called as the execution block of Sednaya Prison[/caption]
GettyDozens of red rope nooses used for mass hanging were also found[/caption]
After the CNN clip, it’s unclear what happened to the apparent prisoner as he was captured getting into a Red Crescent vehicle that drove away.
But a CNN spokesperson said its portrayal of the man’s rescue was authentic and played out how it was reported.
The spokesperson told the Daily Beast: “No one other than the CNN team was aware of our plans to visit the prison building featured in our report that day.
“The events transpired as they appear in our film.
“The decision to release the prisoner featured in our report was taken by the guard – a Syrian rebel. We reported the scene as it unfolded, including what the prisoner told us, with clear attribution.”
But the spokesperson acknowledged the prisoner may have given Clarissa Ward a fake name.
They added: “We have subsequently been investigating his background and are aware that he may have given a false identity.
“We are continuing our reporting into this and the wider story.”
One of the biggest rebel operations after overthrowing Assad saw fighters liberate the harrowing Sednaya Military Prison – nicknamed the Human Slaughterhouse.
Haunting images from Sednaya show massive piles of clothes and shoes hidden away in a secret compartment.
Horrific footage also revealed piles of dead bodies in the dungeons of the hellhole site.
The bodies were taken to Al-Mujtahid Hospital as teams carried out an investigation into the secret areas of the prison.
RAPE, TORTURE AND DEATH
Some held at Sednaya say they were raped, and in some cases, forced to rape other inmates.
Floors of cells were coated in blood from tortured prisoners, according to a 2017 Amnesty report, with the bodies of dead inmates collected like rubbish at 9am each morning by guards.
Detainees were also made to follow horrific rules while being deprived basic necessities like food, water and medicine.
When food would be delivered it would often be cruelly scattered across cell floors by guards with a mixture of blood and dirt.
A human iron press was even discovered that was allegedly used to crush prisoners to death in Sednaya.
Rebels also found dozens of red rope nooses used for mass hangings in an execution room.
Other disturbing accounts say the mass hangings occurred once or twice a week on a Monday and Wednesday – chillingly in the middle of the night.
What is Sednaya Prison?
By Annabel Bate, Foreign News Reporter
SEDNAYA Prison – otherwise known as the Human Slaughterhouse – was a military prison near Damascus, Syria.
Operated by the government of Syrian Arab Republic, the hellhole prison was used to hold thousands of inmates that were civilian detainees, anti-government rebels and political prisoners.
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) estimated in January 2021 that an overwhelming 30,000 detainees were horrifically executed under the Assad regime in Sednaya.
Guards would use torture as a killing technique, as well as have mass executions.
Some held at the horrific prison of Sednaya say they were raped, and in some cases, forced to rape other inmates.
A regular form of punishment was some kind of torture and sever beatings from guards, it’s claimed, which led to individuals suffering life-changing damage like disabilities or death.
Floors of cells were coated in blood and pus from tortured prisoners, according to a 2017 Amnesty report, with the bodies of dead prisoners collected like rubbish at 9am each morning by guards.
Detainees were also forced to follow horrific rules as they were forced as they were deprived the basic necessities of food, water and medicine.
When food would be delivered it would often be cruelly scattered across cell floors by guards with a mixture of blood and dirt.
Other disturbing accounts say the mass hangings occurred once or twice a week on a Monday and Wednesday – chillingly in the middle of the night.
The unbelievable practices, which human rights groups say amount to war crimes and crimes against humanity, were authorised at the highest level of the Syrian government under Assad.
7 days agoUSA UpdateComments Off on Balatro developer takes shots at EA FC 25 over child safety and 18+ age rating
BALATRO is one of the best games of the year with millions of players, offering an excellent game at an affordable price.
The Poker roguelike that was developed by just one person picked up numerous accolades this year, winning three prizes at The Game Awards.
Apple / BalatroBalatro asks you to play Poker hands but you don’t bet with either real or in-game currencies[/caption]
EA SportsGames like EA Sports FC ask players to spend real money to purchase Ultimate Packs which have random cards inside[/caption]
The Pokemon Company / GLHFAnother example is TCG Pocket where you grab different cards in each pack[/caption]
Balatro has a PEGI – the age ratings board for Europe – age rating of 18, as it includes a guide to the various Poker hands and teaches you which cards can make them.
However, while the game is based on Poker, you don’t bet or play against others; instead, you try to create a high score by adding multipliers to your cards.
Balatro bears a passing resemblance to Poker in that the cards you play are loosely based on the various Poker hands.
Balatro creator LocalThunk wrote “Since PEGI gave us an 18+ rating for having evil playing cards, maybe I should add microtransactions/loot boxes/real gambling to lower that rating to 3+ like EA Sports FC.”
This is a reference to the Ultimate Packs featured in EA FC games, which can be purchased with real money.
Different cards can appear in Ultimate Packs, making them similar to loot boxes that are viewed by many as gambling.
PEGI notes that EA FC includes in-game purchases that contain random items, but has still given the game a 3+ rating.
EA FC – and previously FIFA games – have come under scrutiny in European countries like the Netherlands and Belgium, which have strict gambling laws.
In the Netherlands, games where you can buy card packs with random items, like TCG Pocket, are illegal.
Despite the links between Ultimate Packs and gambling, PEGI has still rated EA FC suitable for very young children.
The age rating board does concede that: “Parents, carers or other responsible adults should check to see what is being offered before making any purchase on behalf of a child.”
Child Gambling
In modern times gambling takes on many different forms and is no longer stuck in casinos and bookies.
People can gamble online with constant adverts for betting apps flooding sites like YouTube.
Balatro doesn’t have any in-game purchases, and doesn’t even include wagers for fake in-game currencies.
There needs to be more awareness of the different forms of gambling, such as loot boxes and online apps so that young people can understand what they are getting involved with.
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7 days agoUSA UpdateComments Off on Who is Anna Woolhouse? Popular Sky Sports presenter for boxing and darts
ANNA Woolhouse is now a well recognised face of Sky Sports coverage, after joining the company in 2012.
She famously presents high-profile boxing shows and some of the biggest darts events in the calendar. Here’s what we know about her.
Anna Woolhouse is one of Sky Sports’ most popular presentersInstagram @woolyanna1
Fan favourite Anna is the main host for Darts and Boxing coverage on the channelInstagram @woolyanna1
Anna Woolhouse is also hugely popular on social media and has around 170k followersInstagram / woolyanna1
Here Anna Woolhouse stands with Eddie Hearn (right) and Lawrence Okolie (left)Instagram @woolyanna1
Who is Anna Woolhouse?
Born in Market Deeping in 1984, Anna graduated from Leeds University where she achieved a BA Honours degree in music.
As a result, music and dance are among her hobbies.
Anna later gained a post-graduate degree in broadcast journalism and pursued a career in the media.
Anna began her career in radio, before she joined Sky Sports in 2012.
She has also presented Netball, Ice Hockey and F1 shows – where she gained experience on the ‘Midweek Report’.
Anna is a fitness fanatic and regularly posts workout pictures and videos online.
Anna is a well-known presenter on Sky Sports’ boxing coverage
She is frequently ringside as she presents Sky’s pay-per-view and regular boxing coverage.
During her time on the channel, she has fronted the coverage for a number of high-profile fights, including Anthony Joshua v Daniel Dubois for the IBF heavyweight title at Wembley.
She often presents alongside former WBO cruiserweight champion Johnny Nelson, who regularly provides expert analysis.
Woolhouse is also a regular on Sky Sports’ coverage of the darts – and she will be at Alexandra Palace for the World Darts Championship in the coming weeks.
Anna Woolhouse has become a huge asset to Sky Sport’s coverage at home and abroad
The former Sky Sports News presenter has become a big fan with boxing and darts TV viewersInstagram @woolyanna1
7 days agoUSA UpdateComments Off on Tyrant Assad breaks silence after fleeing Syria & says Putin FORCED him into cowardly escape…saying ‘I wanted to fight’
BASHAR al-Assad has broken his silence and claims Vladimir Putin forced him into a cowardly escape from Syria – but he wanted to stay and fight.
The ousted leader has released a statement from Moscow saying he had to flee after the Russian base he was hiding in began to be bombed.
Bashar al-Assad says Vladimir Putin forced his escape from Syria on himAPAn opposition fighter steps on a broken bust of the late Syrian President Hafez Assad[/caption]
Assad dished out fighting talk from the Russian capital saying the only course of action was to stay and fight – before he then left.
The statement was published today on the Syrian presidency’s Telegram channel and was Assad’s first in public since he was toppled more than a week ago by a lightning fast rebel offensive.
Assad said he stayed in the capital until the early hours of Sunday December 8 before “terrorist forces infiltrated Damascus”.
He then claims he moved to the Russian air base in Lattakia, named Khmeimim, to oversee his army fighting the rebels.
But just house later the base itself came under drone strikes.
Assad said: “Upon arrival at the Khmeimim airbase that morning, it became clear that our forces had completely withdrawn from all battle lines and that the last army positions had fallen.”
Assad then claims that as those inside could not safely leave the base and remain in Syria, Russia called for it to be evacuated.
He said: “At no point during these events did I consider stepping down or seeking refuge, nor was such a proposal made by an individual party.
“The only course of action was to continue fighting against the terrorist onslaught.”
Assad goes on to say that he refused to negotiate on the war to keep himself in power.
In a bizarre section of the statement, he begins to speak about himself in the second person as he boasts about his loyalty.
Assad said: “He is the same person who, during the darkest years of the war, did not leave but remained with his family alongside his people, confronting terrorism under bombardment and the recurring threats of of terrorist incursions into the capital over 14 years of war.
“The person who has never abandoned the resistance in Palestine and Lebanon, nor betrayed his allies who stood by him, cannot possibly be the same person who would forsake his own people or betray the army and nation to which he belongs.”
Assad said, despite being in Moscow, that he had not lost or diminished his sense of belonging to Syria.
AFPA rebel fighter inside the presidential palace[/caption]
ReutersRebel fighters sit on a motorcycle in Homs[/caption]
Incredibly, the ousted dictator left the door open for a return saying he hoped Syria would be “once again free and independent”.
It is not yet clear exactly how Assad made it out of Damascus, but Reuters reported that the tyrant kept his escape plan secret.
He continued to act like he would stay and fight – even meeting with army chiefs hours before he escaped telling them to keep fighting and that Russia was coming to help.
ReutersAssad’s ‘People’s Palace’ was trashed by rebels after his overthrow[/caption]
Assad told his staff at the end of Saturday when he finished work that he was going home.
He even told his media adviser to come to his home and write a speech.
But, when she got there, she didn’t find the tyrant who had instead fled to the airport.
It appears that Assad then spent several hours at the airport in Damascus before he flew to the Russian airbase.
GettyAssad fled Syria and his palaces after the Russians told him to evacuate, he said[/caption]
Assad’s maternal cousins, Ehab and Eyad Makhlouf, were also left in the dark Damascus fell to the rebels.
The pair tried to flee in a car, but rebels ambushed them and shot dead Ehab and wounded Eyad.
A fully kitted-out kitchen complete with Pepsi cans and Tetley tea, a modern sitting room and bathroom, and discarded shopping bags could be seen in the unsettling clip.
Syrians ride on a statue of HafezAFPAssad said he would never be disloyal to his country[/caption]
Maher wound up flying a helicopter himself to Iraq as he also fled the country.
Assad sent tonnes of cash to Russia in the years before his his overthrow, reportedly valued at £200m in hard currency.
Records show tonnes of cash being sent from Damascus to Moscow between 2018 and 2019, the FT reports.
The payments came at a time when Assad’s regime was being propped up by Russia’s fighter jets and the Wagner mercenary group.
Once the cash was shifted, Assad’s family also began buying up luxury properties in Moscow as well as paying for food and military help.
One book appeared to show the names of 29,000 people killed at the “slaughterhouse” Sednaya prison.
Dozens of dead bodies were also discovered by rebels when they overtook the military prison.
Rebels opened the gates and set detainees free but found some locked away in secret cells.
The Assad Dynasty
THE Assad dynasty in Syria began with Hafez al-Assad – who seized power in 1971 through a military coup and established an authoritarian regime.
His rule focused on centralised government control, military strength, suppression of dissent, aligning Syria closely with the Soviet Union, and an anti-Israel stance.
He established a cult of personality and corruption flourished as loyalty to Hafez became the most important value.
Bashar was not the first choice to succeed his father, with his elder son Bassel groomed to take over the role.
Bashar was working as an ophthalmologist at Western Eye Hospital in London when Bassel died in a car crash in 1994.
Suddenly, Bashar became the heir apparent and was called back to Damascus to be groomed for leadership.
He spent six and a half years learning the ropes from his father and working in the military.
Hafez died from a heart attack in 2000 and, with the loyalty of his party, transferred power to Bashar establishing the first Arab dynastic republic.
Initially, there were hopes for liberal reforms under Bashar, but hopes faded as he instead continued his father’s repressive policies.
When protesters rose up in 2011, Assad brutally sought to crush them with harsh violence.
But, he lost the support of many of his people and brought about the Syrian Civil War.
In 2013, the cruel dictator even used chemical weapons on rebel areas as he did anything to stay in power.
The civil war dragged on killing hundreds of thousands, destroying cities, and opening the way for ISIS to flourish.
Eventually, Assad gained the upper hand after Iran sent in Hezbollah crack forces and Russia sent in jets to bomb rebels and mercenary group Wagner to fight them.
It appeared that Assad was on the brink of winning the war earlier this year with the rebels confined to an area in the northwest of the country.
Assad chose not to negotiate with the rebels and instead sought to defeat them completely.
But the rebels launched a surprise offensive on November 27 and swept aside Assad’s corrupt and disloyal army.
After seizing Damascus in a swift and decisive offensive, rebel forces declared victory and announced that the city was “free of Assad.”
The dictator fled Syria in total humiliation – having to issue a statement through the Russians he had resigned the presidency and left the country.
Bashar has now been given refuge in Moscow and is currently under Russian protection.
The collapse of the 54-year-old Assad dynasty ignited celebrations across Syria.
In the capital, thousands poured into the streets, waving rebel flags and lighting flares.
Statues of Assad and his late father, Hafez, were toppled in symbolic acts of defiance.
APAssad has been given asylum by Putin in Russia[/caption]
Rebel fighters pose after beating the regime’s armed forces
7 days agoUSA UpdateComments Off on Chinese at kinakasama arestado sa ikinasang buy-bust operation ng PNP sa Navotas
Isang Chinese at kinakasama nito ang arestado sa ikinasang buy-bust operation ng mga pulis sa Navotas. Bitbit ng suspek, na supplier umano ng iligal na droga sa CAMANAVA area, ang higit dalawang kilo ng hinihinalang shabu.
