Assad's police threatened to bury me and my reporting. Now I'm back, and free

BREAKING NEWS

20/04 21:01 - Trump boasts on ‘winning war’ on social media posts 20/04 21:01 - Trump boasts on ‘winning war’ on social media posts 20/04 20:54 - Senate Democrats to force fifth war powers resolution as ceasefire deadline looms – live 20/04 20:44 - Europol and partners trace 45 ‘forcibly transferred’ Ukrainian children 20/04 20:44 - Europol and partners trace 45 ‘forcibly transferred’ Ukrainian children 20/04 20:13 - Funerals held across Lebanon during 10-day ceasefire 20/04 20:13 - Funerals held across Lebanon during 10-day ceasefire 20/04 19:57 - How Pakistan learned to speak Trump’s language, becoming an unlikely peacemaker 20/04 19:52 - With Orban Out, the Pianist András Schiff Plans a Return to Hungary 20/04 19:23 - 'Trump has boxed himself into a corner', expert says as fate of Iran peace talks uncertain 20/04 18:55 - Bulgaria is not going ‘pro-Russia’ – the EU is just paranoid 20/04 18:36 - JD Vance to lead US delegation in Pakistan if Iran agrees to talks 20/04 18:13 - Iran says 'no decision' on joining new talks, with US delegation set to depart 20/04 18:13 - Ukrainian drone attack hits Russia’s Tuapse port 20/04 18:13 - Ukrainian drone attack hits Russia’s Tuapse port 20/04 18:11 - Starmer says it ‘beggars belief’ he wasn’t told about Mandelson vetting failure as he faces down the Commons – UK politics as it happened 20/04 18:01 - Kevin Warsh, Trump’s Fed Pick, to Defend Bank’s Ability to Set Rates Independently 20/04 17:55 - Germany summons Russian ambassador, citing ‘direct threats’ 20/04 17:55 - Germany summons Russian ambassador, citing ‘direct threats’ 20/04 17:39 - US spending on ‘reckless’ Iran war could have saved 87m lives, says UN 20/04 17:03 - Polymarket in fundraising talks that could value the prediction platform at $15bn 20/04 16:43 - Ukraine, Short on Troops, Is Turning to Robots to Help Its War Efforts 20/04 16:01 - Remains of US soldier who went missing in Korean war laid to rest after 75 years 20/04 15:58 - Palestinians not welcome as Israel marks Memorial Day 20/04 15:58 - Palestinians not welcome as Israel marks Memorial Day 20/04 15:51 - Hungary’s Magyar eyes swift political deal to unfreeze EU funds after Orbán years – as it happened 20/04 15:23 - ‘Israel never talked me into the war with Iran,’ Trump says 20/04 15:23 - ‘Israel never talked me into the war with Iran,’ Trump says 20/04 15:11 - Scientists, authorities divided over fate of stranded whale in Baltic Sea 20/04 15:00 - NDIS infiltrated by organised crime gangs using intimidation and threats of violence against Australians 20/04 14:54 - EU arms spending a ‘magnet’ for criminals – anti-fraud chief 20/04 14:54 - Japan on high alert for 'huge' second quake after issuing tsunami warning 20/04 14:24 - News24 | Canada’s PM Mark Carney warns: ‘We’ve faced down threats like this before’ on US ties 20/04 14:16 - Japan tsunami alerts downgraded following powerful earthquake off northern coast – as it happened 20/04 14:00 - Democrats urged to link clean energy to affordability as Iran war hikes up prices 20/04 13:58 - Macron meets Tusk to discuss possible Polish role in French nuclear deterrence 20/04 13:42 - Pakistan seeks to raise its global standing in push for Middle East peace 20/04 13:27 - Israel army warns Lebanese against returning to south 20/04 13:23 - Israel army says established 'Yellow Line' in Lebanon, as in Gaza 20/04 13:05 - A new foothold for Moscow in Europe after Bulgaria election 20/04 12:39 - The Iran War Sent Shock Waves Through Asia That Are Likely to Spread 20/04 12:35 - Carney says Canada’s strong economic ties to US are ‘weakness’ to be corrected 20/04 12:28 - Tsunami Warnings Downgraded in Japan After Strong Offshore Earthquake 20/04 12:14 - Are insider traders making millions from the Iran war? 20/04 11:55 - First Thing: US military seizes Iran-flagged ship trying to pass strait of Hormuz blockade 20/04 11:25 - Electric car sales soar 51% in mainland Europe as Iran war drives up fuel prices 20/04 11:23 - Russia claims Ukraine-linked bomb plot foiled, German woman arrested 20/04 11:23 - Russia claims Ukraine-linked bomb plot foiled, German woman arrested 20/04 11:13 - Quarter of a million people could lose job by middle of 2027 as UK ‘flirts with recession’, analysis says 20/04 11:03 - Moscow-friendly Rumen Radev wins absolute majority in Bulgarian elections 20/04 11:00 - US urges contractor to evacuate workers from Kuwait and Iraq over worries of Iran-backed attacks 20/04 10:46 - ‘Technofascism’: Critics accuse Palantir of pushing AI war doctrine 20/04 10:46 - ‘Technofascism’: Critics accuse Palantir of pushing AI war doctrine 20/04 10:42 - News24 | ANALYSIS | The Chagos conundrum – a high-stakes game of brinkmanship 20/04 10:40 - Gulf nation warns US it could ditch petrodollar for yuan – WSJ 20/04 10:15 - Rumen Radev, pro-Russia ex-pilot who wants to give Bulgaria wings 20/04 10:01 - Dialogue with Russia ‘must be restored’ – Bulgarian election winner 20/04 09:57 - Ukraine police chief resigns after officers reportedly fled Kyiv shooting 20/04 09:26 - Magnitude 7.5 earthquake strikes northern Japan; tsunami warning issued 20/04 09:26 - Magnitude 7.5 earthquake strikes northern Japan; tsunami warning issued 20/04 09:23 - Ukraine claims attack on Russian warships in occupied Crimea 20/04 09:23 - Ukraine claims attack on Russian warships in occupied Crimea 20/04 09:20 - Weather tracker: temperatures in Spain and Brazil well above late April norm 20/04 09:20 - Bulgaria Kremlin-friendly ex-president wins parliamentary majority 20/04 09:19 - ‘We wasted a lot of lives’: CIA spymaster’s caution over past Iran intervention resurfaces from beyond the grave 20/04 09:19 - Bulgaria's former President Radev takes strong lead in election 20/04 09:15 - China warns joint US, Philippines and Japan drills risk regional trust 20/04 09:10 - News24 | Japan braces for 3m tsunamis after 7.4-magnitude earthquake strikes 20/04 09:10 - Inside war-hit Sudan’s only functioning hospital curing tropical diseases 20/04 09:10 - Inside war-hit Sudan’s only functioning hospital curing tropical diseases 20/04 09:00 - ‘Reefer Madness,’ the P.S.A. That Backfired Spectacularly 20/04 09:00 - Myanmar military regime widens sanitary towel ban, claiming rebels use them for first aid 20/04 08:49 - French prosecutors summon Elon Musk over alleged child abuse images on X 20/04 08:36 - Iran condemns US ‘maritime piracy’ after ship seizure 20/04 08:07 - Strong 7.4 earthquake hits off Japan, tsunami warning issued 20/04 08:07 - Strong 7.5 earthquake hits off Japan, tsunami warning issued 20/04 07:46 - Bulgaria's Kremlin-friendly former president Radev wins parliamentary election 20/04 07:44 - Australia news live: Trucking industry celebrates Fair Work fuel payment win; Sydney man dies after glass panes fall on him 20/04 07:39 - 'Unprecedented since 1999': Radev secures absolute majority with reformist and eurosceptic coalition 20/04 07:21 - Iran war: What is happening on day 52 of US-Israeli attacks? 20/04 07:21 - Iran war: What is happening on day 52 of US-Israeli attacks? 20/04 07:01 - 30 Basics That ~Basically~ Are Begging To Be Added To Your Wardrobe 20/04 05:50 - The Strokes use Coachella set to denounce US foreign intervention 20/04 04:09 - Middle East crisis live: ceasefire under pressure and talks in doubt as Iran threatens to ‘retaliate’ to US seizure of ship 20/04 04:00 - Ed Miliband to double down on net zero with measures to combat Iran energy shock 20/04 04:00 - Get a grip on ‘scandal’ of illegal child social care in England, ministers are told 20/04 02:02 - Pope denies ‘tyrants’ speech aimed at Trump 20/04 00:23 - ‘We’re Catholic first’: Sunday mass attenders weigh in on Trump’s feud with Pope Leo 20/04 00:00 - Iran war live: Tehran will skip talks as tensions rise over US ship seizure 20/04 00:00 - Iran war live: Tehran will skip talks as tensions rise over US ship seizure 19/04 23:16 - Middle East war live: Israel talks aim to end 'occupation', says Lebanon's Aoun 19/04 22:25 - Bulgaria's pro-Russian former president takes strong lead 19/04 21:57 - Kremlin-friendly ex-president headed to victory in Bulgaria election 19/04 21:26 - Ukrainian best-selling author, Andrey Kurkov speaks to France 24 19/04 21:23 - Argentina’s Milei backs US-Israel war on Iran in Jerusalem visit 19/04 21:23 - Argentina’s Milei backs US-Israel war on Iran in Jerusalem visit 19/04 21:01 - Protesters defy Berlin rain to call for end to global wars 19/04 21:01 - Protesters defy Berlin rain to call for end to global wars 19/04 19:06 - Did the US misjudge Iran? A military strategist answers 19/04 19:06 - Did the US misjudge Iran? A military strategist answers