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.

Syria’s ruler Ahmad Al Shara has demanded that Russia hand over former president Bashar Al Assad and an estimated $2 billion dollars in liquid assets held by the Assad family in Russian banks, during a meeting in Damascus,

Saudi Arabia’s top diplomat, Prince Faisal bin Farhan, was received by al-Sharaa on Friday, making his first visit since al-Assad’s overthrow.

Two African states are frustrating Moscow's efforts to establish a stronger ... From Donald Trump being shot at a campaign rally to Bashar al-Assad's shock overthrow, Newsweek writers on the ...

Assad, fled to Moscow last year after being ousted in a lightning rebel offensive that ended five decades of rule by the Assad family.

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.

Al-Sharaa is not willing to continue cooperation with Moscow without 'concrete measures such as compensation, reconstruction, and recovery' after years of support for the Assad regime

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.

Gabbard replied that she had only meant to highlight the “egregiously illegal and unconstitutional programs” that Snowden had exposed—specifically NSA programs that intercepted communications of U.S. citizens—and that his leaks had led to “serious reforms.”

Former U.S. Rep. Tulsi Gabbard, President Donald Trump's choice to be director of national intelligence, faced harsh criticism of her past defense of former NSA contractor Edward Snowden and comments seen as supportive of Russia at a confirmation hearing on Thursday.

Lawmakers gave DNI nominee Tulsi Gabbard more than a half-dozen chances to withdraw past support of Edward Snowden in her confirmation hearing, but she didn't take them.