☕️ What is happening in Syria?

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“I hate to predict things like that… There is a period of transition, because what we’re doing is very big. We’re bringing wealth back to America. That’s a big thing. And there are always periods of, it takes a little time. It takes a little time, but I think it should be great for us.”
U.S. President Donald Trump during an interview with Fox News, speaking to concerns a stock market dip indicates the country is entering a recession.

17%
The percentage of cities globally with the World Health Organisation’s recommended level of air quality, according to a study by IQAir. The study looked at 40,000 air quality monitoring stations in 138 countries.

Sesquipedalian [ses-quip-eh-DAY-lee-an]
Definition: An adjective to describe a long word with many syllables, or a piece of writing with many long words.
Used in a sentence: That was a very sesquipedalian way of telling me you’re hungry!

The Queensland Government has said its focus is “squarely on recovery” following ex-Tropical Cyclone Alfred.

Power has been restored to hundreds of thousands of homes, schools have begun reopening, and recovery hubs have been set up as residents return home.

On Tuesday, Qld Premier David Crisafulli said: “Rainfall is easing, rivers are receding, and the threat of heavy rainfall is disappearing.”

Flood warnings remain in place for parts of the state.

The Bureau of Meteorology (BOM) downgraded Tropical Cyclone Alfred on Saturday, after it made landfall on outer Qld islands as a Category 1 system.

While the BOM says “widespread heavy rain” across Qld and NSW has eased to showers and isolated thunderstorms, flood warnings remain in place, and strong winds continue to pose a risk.

The BOM said it forecasts “calmer and drier” conditions later this week.

During the ex-cyclone’s peak destructive period, more than 450,000 properties lost power.

Most have had power restored, while around 120,000 homes and businesses are still without electricity.

Qld’s state-owned energy company Energex said “it’s all systems go” to restore power.

Federal and state governments have agreed to provide emergency relief payments to impacted residents.

On Tuesday, Crisafulli announced the opening of six cyclone recovery hubs.

“This is not meant to be a one day effort or a one week effort. Recovery takes time but if you are focused and you have people at the heart of what you do, communities bounce back from disaster,” Crisafulli said.

In NSW, 120 weather warnings remain in place for northern parts of the state.

Premier Chris Minns said on Tuesday that while “the immediate threat to the community has been reduced,” residents in flood-prone areas must not remain complacent.

“We want to make sure… we are in a position to say that there’s been no further loss of life, no unintended terrible accidents, as we head into the final hours of this emergency,” Minns said.

Reporting by Achol Arok.

Hundreds of people have been killed in violent clashes in Syria, months after rebels toppled the country’s government.

Loyalists of ousted former President Bashar al-Assad launched an attack on the new government in the country’s west earlier this month.

Militants associated with the rebel government struck back over the weekend.

The UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) alleges these militants have carried out revenge killings of civilians from an ethnic minority in the region.

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad ruled the country from 2000 to 2024, following his father’s 29-year rule. Following peaceful protests against Assad’s government in 2011, known as the ‘Arab Spring’, the regime killed protesters and other civilians.

In December, a coalition of armed rebel groups toppled the government, and Assad fled to Russia.

The coalition was led by Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), an Islamist extremist organisation designated as a terrorist group by Australia. HTS leader Ahmed al-Sharaa took over as President.

Violence erupted on Thursday, when armed Assad supporters attacked government security officers at official checkpoints on Syria’s western coast.

The Assad loyalists later seized control of Qardaha — the former President’s hometown.

In response, supporters of the new government reportedly joined the security forces in a violent crackdown.

SOHR has accused these fighters of targeting the Alawite ethnic minority.

The Alawite community makes up about 10% of Syria’s population. While HTS and the new government is affiliated with the Sunni branch of Islam, the Alawites are affiliated with the Shi’ite branch.

The Assad family is part of this group, and many of its members formed part of their regime.

According to SOHR, at least 973 civilians have been killed in the ongoing violence between the two groups so far.

The organisation has also reported government forces looting and burning homes in Alawite villages.

In a speech on Sunday, Al-Sharaa announced a “fact-finding committee” to investigate “all those involved in the bloodshed of civilians”.

Al-Sharaa mainly referred to the Assad loyalists in his speech, calling on them to “surrender to the law immediately”.

“Syria will remain steadfast, and we will not allow any foreign forces or local parties to drag it into chaos or civil war,” he added.

The United Nations said it has received “extremely disturbing reports” of killings by both sides.

UN Human Rights Chief Volker Türk has urged the President to take “all necessary measures” to protect civilians while authorities investigate human rights violations.

“Those responsible must be held to account, in line with international law norms and standards. Groups terrorising civilians must also be held accountable,” Türk said.

Reporting by Achol Arok.

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Eastern Monarchs have been threatened by climate change and use of pesticides in their North American breeding areas in recent years. However, World Wildlife Fund Mexico has recorded an increase in numbers of the butterfly, after it led a survey with local conservation and community groups. WWF Mexico said: “The population wintering in central Mexico's forests occupied 4.42 acres, up from 2.22 acres during the previous winter.” Conservationists hope these important pollinators will continue occupying more forest habitat over the coming years.

Want more good news? Sign up to our weekly Good Newsletter here - we promise it’ll make your week better!

Reporting by Emma Gillespie.

King Charles III has revealed a list of some of his favourite songs.

To commemorate ‘Commonwealth Day’, the King released a podcast on Apple Music called ‘His Majesty King Charles III’s Playlist’.

‘The Loco-Motion’ by Kylie Minogue and ‘Haven’t Met You Yet’ by Michael Bublé feature, along with many other artists from countries in the Commonwealth.

One non-Commonwealth inclusion is ‘Crazy in Love’, by the “incomparable” Beyoncé – the King’s words.

The King said: “They evoke many different styles and many different cultures. But… in their many different ways, [they] share the same love of life in all its richness and diversity.”

Have a listen to the full playlist here.

Reporting by Rosa Bowden.

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Riddle answer: Neither. Roosters don’t lay eggs.

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