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One summer night a decade ago, the al-Shami family was woken up by a roaring sound or rockets but it wasn't followed by the usual explosions. Instead, the family members started having difficulty breathing. Ghiad al-Shami, 26, remembers how everyone tried to run to the rooftop of their apartment building in eastern Ghouta, a Damascus suburb that at the time was held by opposition fighters trying to topple Syrian President Bashar Assad. Al-Shami's mother, three sisters and two brothers died that night — victims of the Aug. 21, 2013 sarin gas attack that killed hundreds and left thousands of others hurt. Ten years on, al-Shami and other survivors say there has been no accountability for the attack and for the other atrocities committed in Syria during the country's brutal civil war, now in its 13th year. Over the past year, Assad's government — accused by the United Nations of repeated chemical weapons attacks on Syrian civilians — has been able to break out of its political isolation. Assad was welcomed back to the Arab League, which had suspended Syria’s membership in 2011 following a crackdown on anti-government protests. With the help of top allies Russia and Iran, Assad also recaptured large swaths of territory he initially lost to opposition groups. “Today, instead of holding perpetrators accountable, Assad is being welcomed back into the Arab League and invited to international conferences, cementing impunity for the most heinous of crimes,” said Laila Kiki, executive director of The Syria Campaign advocacy group. “To all those who seek to shake hands with Assad, this anniversary should serve as a clear reminder of the atrocities his regime has committed,” she said in a statement. In 2013, Assad was widely held responsible for the eastern Ghouta attack — weapons specialists said the rocket systems involved were in the Syrian army’s arsenal. The Syrian government has denied ever using chemical weapons. Russia, Syria’s prime ally, claims the Ghouta attack was carried out by opposition forces trying to push for foreign military intervention. The United States threatened military retaliation in the aftermath of the attack, with then-President Barack Obama saying Assad’s use of chemical weapons would be Washington’s “red line.” However, the U.S. public and Congress were wary of a new war, as invasions in Afghanistan and Iraq had turned into quagmires. In the end, Washington settled for a deal with Moscow for Assad to give up his chemical weapons' stockpile. Syria says it eliminated its chemical arsenal under the 2013 agreement. It also joined a global chemical weapons watchdog based in The Hague, Netherlands, as global pressure mounted on Damascus. The Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons has blamed the Syrian government for several deadly chemical attacks, most recently for a 2018 chlorine gas attack over Douma, another Damascus suburb, that killed 43 people. Syrian authorities refused to allow investigation teams access to the site of the attack, and had their voting rights within the OPCW suspended in 2021 as punishment for the repeated use of toxic gas. Damascus has accused the watchdog of bias in favor of the West and has not recognized its authority. Western countries say that Syria has not fully declared its chemical weapons stockpile to the OPCW to be destroyed. The Syrian government and its allies reclaimed eastern Ghouta in 2018, with most of its residents fleeing to the last rebel-held enclave in Syria's northwest. Abdel Rahman Sabhia, a nurse and former resident of the suburb, has since moved to the town of Afrin in the northern Aleppo province, now under Turkish-backed groups. “We lost hope in the international community,” said Sabhia, who worked at a voluntary field hospital in Ghouta at the time of the gas attack. “Why should we trust in them if we still haven’t seen any accountability for all the children who lost their families?” Sabhia says he had gotten used to airstrikes and shelling, but the aftermath of the 2013 attack was different. The streets were eerily quiet, “like a ghost town,” he recalled. “We broke into a house and saw a baby, just months old, lying dead in bed with his parents." At the time, dozens of bodies were laid out in hospitals with families looking to identify their loved ones. Some families were buried together in large graves. Al-Shami, who now lives in Istanbul recalls regaining consciousness a day after the attack. “I felt helpless,” he said. ___ Chehayeb reported from Beirut. Read More Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Protests rock government-held areas in southern Syria as economy crumbles Iran's foreign minister visits Saudi Arabia's powerful crown prince as tensions between rivals ease Syrian president doubles public sector wages as national currency spirals downwards

Pep Guardiola rules John Stones out of action for Man City until after the international break.

Borussia Dortmund sporting director Sebastian Kehl has responded to Jude Bellingham's supposed criticism of the "levels" at the German club.

Bayern Munich & Liverpool have both shown interest in Man City midfielder Kalvin Phillips.

As Olga Carmona ran back to the Spanish celebrations, having just declared that the federation’s support was “marvellous” with a World Cup medal around her neck, she and manager Jorge Vilda high-fived then shared a huge hug. It was an image that went against the more prolific pictures of other players refusing to even look at their coach in the moment of glory. This is not to try and say it was all much rosier in the Spanish camp than had been reported. It is quite the opposite. It points to how multi-layered the many issues in the squad were, going way beyond a mutiny against the manager. The tragic news of Carmona's father passing away before the final illustrates this. But, separate from this tragedy, the issues were real. The Spanish federation’s social media account did put out a post with a picture of the coach and the Women’s World Cup trophy declaring “Vilda in”. The manager, having eventually appeared for his press conference after almost three hours of celebrating, was asked about this – and those who doubted him. In other words, the players at the core of the mutiny, who did not come back. Vilda’s answer was perhaps the most direct reference he’s made to the controversy throughout this World Cup, but was still oblique. “I’m happy for everyone we made happy and that wanted our squad to win. That’s it.” It was just another layer to a situation that has seen a core of players mutiny against the coach and the federation, some come back, with individuals then standing alongside replacements for rebels. It is understood there is a growing Real Madrid-Barcelona issue, to go alongside a more complicated split between those who are in the squad and have little time for Vilda and those who are completely indebted to him. Madrid’s Carmona, whose influence in the squad grew after the mutiny, is very much one of the latter. There is a lot that can be said about all this, but all pale next to the most relevant statement of all. Spain are world champions. Jenni Hermoso had an unintentionally pointed comment on that: “It is easier to say you are world champions than to achieve it.” That has rarely been so true. The most fascinating part of it all is that nobody has ever won any major tournament in a manner even close to this. It is a victory completely without precedent in the history of the sport. There’s an obvious reason for that. Squads faced with such strife usually fall apart. The centre doesn’t hold. It is in many ways how not to win a World Cup. You only have to look at France 2002 and 2010, the Netherlands at Euro 96 and even various men’s Spanish teams. And yet, in the moment of glory, there was another image that symbolised so much. By the penalty area where goalkeeper Cata Coll withstood England’s late pressure, all of the Spanish players had come together in one big group. Almost at the other end of the pitch, by the sideline, the coaching staff celebrated in their own separate huddle. That alone symbolised so much. And yet there was more. In the middle was the entire England squad, Sarina Wiegman and her staff gathering the players together for a consoling message of pride. It was the team with much more unity that had, in many ways, been taken apart. The question isn’t quite how, though. There are obvious explanations. Just as a very specific set of circumstances fostered this crisis, a very specific set of circumstances have also made Spain the best team in the world. All of these players have come through a superb coaching infrastructure, immersed in a highly specific identity, that just isn’t yet visible anywhere else in a developing women’s game. It has given them a supreme advantage that allows them to overcome an unprecedented number of problems. You only have to look at the instinctive way their players get out of the tightest of spaces, to initiate an intricate passing triangle. Any conscious issues are inevitably overcome when it comes that naturally. Carmona’s goal was the perfect example of this. It was executed at such speed and with such flow it was as if they didn’t even need to think about it. They just knew what to do. It was ingrained. It used to be like this for the Spanish men, goalkeeper Coll even making a point of mentioning of how she was inspired by Andres Iniesta and Iker Casillas in 2010. It was just that other countries caught up and began to develop plans that worked very well to counter it. Wiegman gave as good an attempt as anyone, other than Japan. This is another historic anomaly with this Spanish team. No one outside West Germany 1954 has ever won either a men or women’s World Cup having lost a game by more than two goals. Wiegman and her staff had, of course, pored over footage of Spain’s 4-0 defeat to Japan. They thought they had something figured out, but found Vilda’s side had stepped up a level. The Japan match had evidently allowed insight into potential solutions for Spain’s tactical problems. Wiegman almost seemed blown away by how good Spain were, in a very gracious press conference. She naturally admitted they deserved it and then elaborated on the almost impossible balance she tried to strike between pressing Spain but not leaving space in behind. It’s immensely difficult when a player like Aitana Bonmati can just escape in the way she does. That is, again, the other side of this issue. If Spain’s preparation shows how not to win a World Cup, their idea of the game is just how to play football. There are so many moments you watch one of those moves and think every single footballer should have this as a fundamental of their game. There may be fair questions over whether Vilda is any good as a coach at all but he did get one big call right on Sunday: it was clearly correct to go with Salma Paralluelo over Alexia Putellas and became more pronounced given Wiegman’s reluctance to play Lauren James from the start. One stuck. One twisted. It is one of many turns in the story of this campaign, that has never been as neat or as binary as portrayed. It still isn’t how you’d want to prepare for a World Cup, though. That is by far the most remarkable aspect of this fully deserved win. Read More Jorge Vilda: Spain’s World Cup coach at the heart of a civil war Spain star Jenni Hermoso reacts after FA president kisses her on lips Olga Carmona: Spain’s World Cup-winning goalscorer is informed of father’s death minutes after final ends Spanish FA boss who kissed player filmed making obscene gesture The anguish, emotion and the story of the Women’s World Cup in photos Women’s World Cup 2023 LIVE: England head home after final heartbreak

Provides and overview of Guatemala, including key facts about this Central American country.

By Panu Wongcha-um and Panarat Thepgumpanat BANGKOK (Reuters) -Thailand's populist Pheu Thai Party announced on Monday a controversial pact to

Everton have condemned “vile” racist abuse aimed at midfielder Amadou Onana on social media and vowed to track down the alleged perpetrator. The Premier League club released a statement on Monday revealing the 22-year-old Senegal-born Belgium international had been targeted and reiterating its zero-tolerance stance on discrimination. An investigation is under way with the Toffees ready to support police in any action they may take. The statement read: “Everton Football Club strongly condemns any form of racist and discriminatory abuse towards our players. “The club is aware of a racist post targeted at Amadou Onana. Such abuse is vile and will not and should not be tolerated. “The club is conducting an investigation to identify the individual responsible and will also be supporting police with any investigation they conduct. “We must all take a zero-tolerance stance by reporting such behaviour to social media platforms and the authorities. Racism has no place online, in our stadia or in our communities.” Onana, a £34million signing from French club Lille last summer, played the full 90 minutes in Sunday’s 4-0 Premier League defeat at Aston Villa. The defensive midfielder has been linked with a move to Manchester United in recent weeks.

Olga Carmona scores World Cup-winning goal for Spain, then learns of father's death ... Donald Trump's unconventional campaign is destined to get even more unconventional .... Disappointing New York Yankees mired in longest losing streak since 1995 ... Oppenheimer cruises past $700-million mark, now become megahit ... John Sterling almost bonked with another foul ball ... Angel Hernandez continued to build to an impressive legacy with an iffy call ... A Russian spacecraft has crashed into the moon ... Aldi is expanding and possibly coming to an area near you .... Bradley Cooper controversy over before it could really begin ... Charlize Theron, like the rest of us, is aging ...

Tish Cyrus and Dominic Purcell's romantic journey began in July 2022, just three months following her divorce from Billy Ray Cyrus

The woman who broke the internet by launching into a flummoxing rant aboard an American Airlines (AA) flight is doing everything she possibly can to rebrand herself as a beacon of positivity. Tiffany Gomas was widely christened the “crazy plane lady” after footage of her meltdown – during which she uttered the now immortal words “that motherf**ker is not real” – went viral online. The 38-year-old marketing executive has since addressed her actions, admitting that they were “completely unacceptable”. However, she has also urged viewers to appreciate that “we all have our bad moments”. And on Sunday, a week after sharing her tearful apology, she posted some groomed-but-relaxed photos of herself on Instagram, accompanied by the caption: “One moment doesn’t define you; but it can define your purpose.” In the snaps, Gomas looks a far cry from the frazzled, scraped-bun-banshee on board that AA aircraft and, instead, shows off her long, flowing hair as she poses barefoot on her kitchen floor. Emphasising her ambitions to become a motivational mental health guru, she added the hashtags: “#selflove #empowerment #motivation #staytuned.” The “stay tuned” refers to a project she has been promoting ever since sharing her public apology. She Texas-based exec insists that she wants to use the “life-altering” experience of becoming an internet personality to “do a little bit of good in the world” and has hinted that she’d like to become an influencer. Gomas ended her video message last week with the message: “Join me on my journey of promoting positive mental health and standing up against cyberbullying,” alongside a link to a new eponymous website. So far, the only content on the site is that same video, and a message reading: “Stay tuned”. It's Tiffany Gomas www.youtube.com Numerous admirers have commented on her recent photos, insisting she can’t possibly be “the same lady from the plane”. However, the 38-year-old has held her hands up and explained that whilst it was, indeed, her, she should not be “judged” for a one-off slip-up. In an interview with the Daily Mail, she said that in the wake of the incident, her life had “blown up”. “It’s frightening,” she admitted: “Things go viral and everything changes. “No one knows anyone else’s story, and no one should judge. No one knows what it’s like.” In the notorious clip, Gomas stormed to the front of the plane and declared that she was getting off because “that motherf**ker back there is not real.” “You can sit on this plane and you can die with them or not. I’m not going to,” she yelled before being removed by members of the cabin crew. Gomas flew into a rage following an argument with a relative, whom she accused of stealing her AirPods, according to police records reviewed by The New York Post. Because of her behaviour, passengers were forced to disembark Flight 1009 from Dallas to Orlando, before eventually being allowed to re-board – causing a delay of at least 3 hours, the US news outlet reported. Gomas was issued a warrant for criminal trespass after police found her sitting outside the airport terminal waiting for an Uber, however, she was neither arrested nor charged. Now, she clearly just wants to move on with her life. Onwards and upwards, eh, Tiff. Sign up for our free Indy100 weekly newsletter Have your say in our news democracy. Click the upvote icon at the top of the page to help raise this article through the indy100 rankings.

Most of us will need help with daily tasks at some point, such as dressing or bathing