Syria has demanded reparations from Russia in order to "rebuild trust" after a meeting between Damascus' new administration and a Moscow delegation, according to local news sources. Russia and Syria's meeting to discuss future relations comes as Moscow looks to retain its two military bases in the Middle Eastern country.

Tulsi Gabbard, President Trump's nominee for director of national intelligence, appears to be headed to a close vote in the Senate. Nick Schifrin reports on the questioning she faced in her confirmation hearing.

Among the topics that came up: her stance on an electronic surveillance program, her push to drop charges against Edward Snowden and her 2017 meeting with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.

Two Russian ships docked at Syria’s main Mediterranean port last week, in what appears to be part of a large-scale withdrawal of equipment. The loss of access to the port has left Russia’s navy adrift – not to mention Moscow’s entire Middle East strategy.

Russia said on Wednesday it had held "frank" discussions with Syria's new de facto leader as it tries to retain its two military bases in the country, but it declined to comment on what he was demanding in return.

Russia is struggling to retain two military bases in Syria that have enabled it to project influence in the Middle East and Africa, according to a person in Moscow familiar with the situation.

Tulsi Gabbard, President Donald Trump's pick to be director of national intelligence, faced sharp criticism from Democrats and Republicans alike Thursday during a fiery confirmation hearing.

Tulsi Gabbard faced tough questions Thursday about past comments about Russia, Syria and government leaker Edward Snowden during a Senate confirmation hearing on her nomination to lead the U.S. intelligence service.

Ahmed al-Sharaa went on to say that once these steps are over, "a constitutional declaration will be published to serve as a legal basis for the transitional period"

In a pre-recorded speech, Sharaa vowed to "pursue the criminals who shed Syrian blood and committed massacres and crimes", whether they were in Syria or abroad, and to establish "real transitional justice" after Assad's fall.

Ahmed al Sharaa was declared the new president of Syria in the transitional government that came into power after the collapse of the Assad regime on December 8. This declaration led to congratulations from several Arab states in the region,