HTS militants take Damascus as President Assad's government falls

The Syrian government fell early Sunday in a stunning end to President Bashar al-Assad’s 24-year rule over the Arab country after the militant group Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) stormed and captured the capital Damascus.

In a statement on Sunday morning, the HTS militants declared that they had captured the capital, confirming reports of the fall of the Assad government.

Earlier in the day, Reuters quoted an unnamed officer as saying that the Syrian army command notified officers that the Assad government had fallen.

Syrian PM: Ready to cooperate with power transfer

Syrian Prime Minister Mohammed Ghazi al-Jalali expressed the government’s readiness to “extend its hand” to the militants and hand over its functions to a transitional government.

“I am in my house and I have not left, and this is because of my belonging to this country,” he said in a video statement.

He also noted that he would go to his office to continue work in the morning, calling on Syrian citizens not to deface public property.

Foreign-backed militants, led by the HTS, waged a surprise two-pronged attack on Syria’s Aleppo and the countryside around Idlib on November 27.

Soon afterward, they captured several Syrian cities, including Hama, Homs, Dara’a, Suwayda, and Damascus.

HTS leader Abu Mohammad al-Jolani called on militants to leave state institutions unharmed.

“To all military forces in the city of Damascus, it is strictly forbidden to approach public institutions, which will remain under the supervision of the former Prime Minister until they are officially handed over, and it is also forbidden to fire bullets into the air,” he said in a statement released on Telegram.

HTS declares fall of Assad government

In their statement, the HTS militant group, which called itself the Syrian National Transitional Council, announced the toppling of the Assad government.

It further vowed to “preserve the unity and sovereignty of Syrian territory, … protect all citizens and their property, regardless of their affiliations,” and “achieve comprehensive national reconciliation.”

Syrian state television aired a video statement by a group of militants saying that President Assad has been overthrown and all prisoners have been released.

“The city of Damascus has been liberated,” said one of the militants who read the statement.

“All the prisoners have been released from the prison of Damascus. We wish all our fighters and citizens preserve and maintain the property of the state of Syria. Long live Syria.”

'Power transfer to take place in cooperation with UN'

Head of the Syrian National Coalition, Hadi al-Bahra, said, “The situation is safe, and there is no room for revenge or retaliation.”

“Government institutions will resume operations within two days” and that the “transfer of power will take place in cooperation with the United Nations,” he told Al-Arabiya.

PTA allows users to register VPNs against mobile numbers

The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA), in its bid to facilitate freelancers, has announced the registration of virtual private networks (VPNs) against mobile numbers for those internet users who lack a static IP address.

In a statement issued on Saturday, the PTA said: "The step is aimed to further simplify the VPN registration process for facilitation of the IT industry".

Revealing that over 31,000 VPNs have been registered so far, the regulatory body advised users to register the VPNs against mobile numbers by accessing its website.

The development comes as the PTA, in light of security concerns raised by the government, had announced to initiate a crackdown against unregistered VPNs.

The body had initially set out a November 30 deadline for VPN registration. However, later it decided to not block VPNs on the expiration of the deadline maintaining that it would go beyond it.

The Ministry of Interior had announced to begin the process of shutting down all unregistered VPNs by the middle of November but later announced a two-week "grace period" allowing the unregistered VPNs to comply with mandatory registration requirements.

Speaking to the media Chairman Maj Gen (Retd) Hafeez Ur Rehman had confirmed that the authority would not block VPNs, as the government had decided to grant an extension to the stipulated deadline.

VPNs, commonly used worldwide to bypass restricted content and ensure data security, have witnessed a notable increase in their usage in Pakistan after authorities banned social media site X (formerly Twitter) earlier this year over "national security" concerns.

Stakeholders, including the IT industry and freelancers, have been pushing for an extension of the deadline for registration.

The PTA, according to sources, has emphasised that VPN registration is crucial for enhancing cybersecurity and ensuring national security and data protection.

VPN registration

The VPN registration process involves completing an online form and providing basic details, including computerised national identity card (CNIC), company registration details and taxpayer status.

Freelancers must submit documentation, such as a letter or email, verifying their project or company association, said the statement by the PTA.

Additionally, applicants must provide the IP address for VPN connectivity. If a fixed IP address is required, it can be acquired from an Internet Service Provider (ISP).

S Korea’s Yoon apologises for martial law crisis as impeachment vote looms

South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol has made a public apology for his attempt to impose martial law this week but did not resign, defying intense pressure to step down – even from some in his own party – only hours before a planned impeachment vote.

In a televised address to the nation on Saturday, Yoon said he would not seek to avoid legal and political responsibility for his decision to invoke the emergency measure of martial law for the first time in South Korea since 1980.

“I am very sorry and would like to sincerely apologise to the people who were shocked,” Yoon said, promising there would be no second attempt.

“I leave it up to my party to take steps to stabilise the political situation in the future, including the issue of my term in office,” he said, standing in front of the South Korean flag and bowing after he finished his brief remarks.

The speech was the embattled leader’s first public appearance since he rescinded the martial law order early on Wednesday, just six hours after it was declared and after parliament defied an armed military raid and police cordons to vote against the decree, which forced the president to revoke his order.

Han Dong-hoon, leader of Yoon’s People Power Party (PPP), said after the address that the president was no longer in a position to carry out his public duties and his resignation was now unavoidable.

On Friday, Han had said Yoon was a danger to the country and needed to be removed from power. On Saturday, Han met with the country’s Prime Minister Han Duck-soo to discuss the crisis, South Korea’s Yonhap news agency reported.

Under the constitution, if Yoon resigns or is impeached then the prime minister, who was appointed by Yoon, becomes South Korea’s acting president.

If Yoon leaves office before his single five-year term ends in May 2027, the constitution requires a presidential election to be held within 60 days upon his departure.

Lawmakers are scheduled to vote at 5pm local time (08:00 GMT) on the main opposition Democratic Party’s motion to impeach Yoon. Opposition leaders said if the motion fails, they plan to revisit it again on Wednesday.

Prosecutors, the police and the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials have all launched probes into Yoon and senior officials involved in the martial law decree, seeking to pursue charges of insurrection and abuse of power, among others.

Many in South Korea are still reeling from the president’s shock announcement late on Tuesday night, which gave the military sweeping emergency powers in order to combat unspecified threats from “North Korean communist forces”, and “to eradicate the shameless pro-North antistate forces”.

Yoon said martial law was necessary, accusing opposition members in the National Assembly of launching an unprecedented number of impeachment efforts against members of his administration, effectively paralysing key operations of government, and of handling the budget in a way that undermined the fundamental functions of government, including public safety.

Yoon’s move plunged Asia’s fourth-largest economy and key US military ally into its greatest political crisis in decades, and threatened to shatter South Korea’s reputation as a democratic success story.

Qatar hopes for Gaza ceasefire deal before Trump's inauguration

Qatar is engaging with the incoming Trump administration on Gaza after sensing a new momentum with the administration on ceasefire talks, Qatar’s Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani said on Saturday.

Al Thani said during the Doha Forum that his country has seen encouragement from the Trump administration to reach a ceasefire in Gaza before Trump’s inauguration in January.

The latest humanitarian situation report on Palestinians in the occupied West Bank paints a brutal picture of increasing Israeli settler violence, forced displacement of local Palestinian communities, and ongoing killings by Israeli forces.

In the week between November 26 and December 2, Israeli forces killed five Palestinians and wounded 27 others — including seven children — across the West Bank and occupied East Jerusalem, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) reports.

During the latest reporting period, 14 people, including eight children, in three Palestinian Bedouin households were forcibly displaced by Israeli settler violence, OCHA said.

The death toll in the Israeli air strike targeting a house in the Nuseirat refugee camp has risen to 20, Arab media reported.

The Wafa news agency reported that the death toll has now reached 20 including six children and five women.

The report added that Israeli warplanes had targeted the house that had been evacuated before the attack. Several people in neighbouring homes were wounded by the strike.

At the same time, a young girl was killed when Israeli artillery shelled tents housing displaced families near the western part of Nuseirat.

At least five people, including children, were killed during an Israeli air strike on a house in the Nuseirat refugee camp in central Gaza, Arab media reported.

The Wafa news agency reported that Israeli warplanes targeted a house that had been evacuated before the attack. The strike resulted in the deaths of five people and left several others wounded in neighbouring homes.

Three of those who lost their lives were transported to Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital in Deir el-Balah.

Since the war began in October 2023, Israeli attacks have killed at least 44,612 Palestinians and wounded 105,834 others.

Impeachment looms ever closer for South Korean president

South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol on Friday looked increasingly likely to be unseated after the head of his ruling party demanded he be stripped of office for briefly imposing martial law.

If Yoon remains, “there is a significant risk that extreme actions similar to the martial law declaration could be repeated, which could put the Republic of Korea and its citizens in great danger,” said Han Dong-Hoon, the head of Yoon’s People Power Party (PPP).

Opposition MPs were holed up in parliament until a vote on Yoon’s impeachment scheduled for Saturday evening, fearing the embattled president might launch one desperate final attempt to remain in power.

“With the impeachment vote set for tomorrow, the hours leading up to it are extremely precarious,” opposition leader Lee Jae-Myung told AFP. “Tonight will be the most critical period,” he said at the National Assembly, where according to an aide buses have been strategically parked to stop helicopters from landing.

‘Great danger’

Yoon declared martial law late Tuesday and sent soldiers and choppers to the parliament in a doomed bid to stop MPs from voting down his suspension of civilian government.

The opposition on Wednesday put forward the impeachment motion — now scheduled for a vote around 5:00pm (0800 GMT) Saturday, after it was brought forward two hours — but Han initially said he would oppose it.

On Friday, however, the once staunchly loyal head of Yoon’s PPP broke with the president.

“Considering the newly emerging facts, I believe that a swift suspension of President Yoon Suk Yeol’s duties is necessary to safeguard the Republic of Korea and its people,” said Han.

Protests

Police expect tens of thousands of people to attend anti-Yoon rallies on Saturday ahead of the impeachment vote, which needs a two-thirds majority. Organisers are hoping 200,000 people will take to the streets.

The opposition bloc holds 192 seats in the 300-strong parliament, while the PPP has 108. A successful vote would suspend Yoon from office pending a ruling by the Constitutional Court.

Han’s U-turn was “significantly influenced by the gravity of the situation, particularly the mobilisation of intelligence agencies to arrest politicians,” Shin Yul, a political science professor at Myongji University, told AFP.

A fresh opinion poll released Friday put backing for the 63-year-old president, who has lurched from crisis to crisis since taking office in 2022, at a record low of 13 per cent.

On Friday night, at least 15,000 anti-Yoon protesters braved the cold weather to gather in Seoul’s Yeouido district, where the National Assembly is located. They held candles and signs that read “Yoon Suk Yeol should resign (for) crimes of insurrection” while calling for his arrest.

WhatsApp brings new typing indicator feature

WhatsApp is set to implement the familiar “three dots” typing indicator, which will notify users when someone on the other end of the conversation is typing.

This new feature, referred to as “Typing Indicators,” has been made available to users on both Android and iOS platforms worldwide.

According to a statement released by the messaging service on Thursday, December 5, “When a participant starts typing in either a group or one-on-one chat, a visual ‘…’ cue will appear at the bottom of the chat interface, accompanied by their profile picture, thereby facilitating the identification of active participants in the discussion.”

This feature aims to enhance real-time interaction among WhatsApp users, as the three dots indicator will be visible in both group and individual chats.

It appears to be activated by default for all users, although it remains uncertain whether there is an option to disable it. The typing bubble indicator has long been a feature of Apple’s iMessage.

According to a 2024 report by the World Population Review, there are 52.3 million WhatsApp users in Pakistan. The company has sustained its popularity in the region by consistently introducing new features that enhance the platform’s versatility and richness.

Recently, there have been reports indicating that WhatsApp is experimenting with a new method that allows users to scan QR codes to access and join channels on the platform. Additionally, the Meta-owned service unveiled a ‘Drafts Indicator’ last month, designed to assist users in locating and completing their unfinished messages.

Instagram creators can now turn on replies in broadcast channels

Instagram is the third most widely used social media platform globally, with 2.11 billion monthly active users. Despite its extensive user base, the platform has encountered various operational challenges, leading to user dissatisfaction.

Recently, Instagram has introduced a significant update: the ability to enable replies in Broadcast Channels, facilitating a two-way communication flow between creators and their followers.

Initially launched last year, Broadcast Channels served as a one-way communication tool, permitting creators to send messages to their followers without allowing any responses. This limitation hindered creators’ ability to engage directly with their audience.

In response to user feedback, Meta has made a noteworthy enhancement. Creators can now enable replies in their broadcast channels, permitting followers to respond to posts and engage in discussions. Replies are organized neatly beneath the original message, ensuring that conversations remain structured.

This new functionality transforms broadcast channels into a more interactive environment, shifting the perception from a mere announcement board to a vibrant community dialogue.

In addition to replies, Instagram is introducing “Prompts” to foster further engagement. Prompts enable creators to pose questions or statements aimed at igniting conversation, such as inquiring about followers’ gratitude or requesting favorite recommendations.

Followers have a 24-hour window to respond with text or photos, and they can also like other responses. These features enhance the interactivity of Instagram’s Broadcast Channels, bringing them closer to the real-time, community-oriented engagement characteristic of platforms like X (formerly Twitter) and Discord.

Instagram distinguishes itself through its effective organization, as it consolidates all responses beneath the original post, thereby facilitating creators in managing discussions with ease.

Furthermore, the introduction of new metrics, such as overall interactions and story shares, equips creators with valuable insights into audience engagement. Additionally, Meta offers tailored advice to assist creators in enhancing their channels.