Assad approved Syria quake aid with a UAE nudge

Reuters was first to reveal that President Bashar al-Assad ceded to calls for additional aid access to Syria after prodding from the UAE. This is a diplomatic win for the Gulf state, which has rebuilt ties with Damascus despite U.S. disapproval. Assad’s decision to approve wider aid access for U.N. convoys into the northwest from Turkey marked a shift from his long-standing opposition to cross-border aid flows into the area, which is controlled by his insurgent enemies and where 4 million people were already dependent on aid.