The defendant, Anwar Raslan, right, stands in the courtroom before the pronouncement of the verdict at the Higher Regional Court in Koblenz, Germany, Thursday, Jan. 13, 2022. 

Former Syrian colonel convicted of crimes against humanity

Full Episode

The defendant, Anwar Raslan, right, stands in the courtroom before the pronouncement of the verdict at the Higher Regional Court in Koblenz, Germany, Thursday, Jan. 13, 2022. 

Thomas Frey/AP/Pool

A German court has convicted former Syrian army colonel Anwar Raslan of crimes against humanity, handing him a life sentence. It’s the world’s first trial related to state-sponsored torture under Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. And after a seven-month ban, Nigeria has restored access to Twitter, after the social networking giant agreed to a number of conditions that may permit tighter government control of social media. Plus, the lights went out in Argentina this week after a heat wave led to a higher demand for power, putting a strain on the electrical grid. The power outages led to protests in several Buenos Aires neighborhoods.

In This Episode

German court sentences Syrian colonel to life in prison for war crimes
Raslan verdict impact on human rights
France schools close as teachers stage one-day walkout
Dead trees stand on the beach and in the ocean at "The Boneyard," created by beach erosion and fierce storms, in Hunting Island State Park on Hunting Island, S.C., in the United States
Seemingly small shifts in global temperatures have huge consequences for the planet
Special Coverage
Nigeria restores Twitter access
China sees winter sports boom as Olympics near
After a week of US-Russia talks in Europe, Moscow isn’t budging
Power cuts in Argentina spark protests
Climate disasters cost world’s insurers $120 billion, says new report