After 14 years of war and oppression, Syria seems poised for change as Bashar al-Assad’s regime falls and opposition forces, led by Abu Mohammad al-Julani, take Damascus.

In an interview with the Saudi Arabia-based Al Hades channel, Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan stated that Türkiye wants a civilian and democratic state to be built in Syria and said, "That is exactly what we want, we want both a civilian and democratic state. Of course, Syria got rid of Bashar al-Assad, but there may be some problems and problem areas in the new period.

On 8 December, IA tass.ru reported: “Former Syrian President Bashar al-Assad is in Moscow and has been granted asylum in Russia, a Kremlin source told TASS. ‘Assad and his family members have arrived in Moscow. Russia, based on humanitarian considerations, has granted them asylum,’ the agency's interlocutor said.

Indonesia plans to amend its drug laws, sending users to rehabilitation instead of prison under the "restorative justice" approach in the new Criminal Code set for 2026. Coordinating Minister Yusril Ihza Mahendra aims to address prison overcrowding, as 70% of inmates face drug-related charges.