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Efforts to end Israel's genocide in Gaza are picking up pace again, a month after being stalled. US National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan and Secretary of State Antony Blinken are both in the region to drive the negotiations. Qatar has resumed its mediation along with other stakeholders to try and halt Israeli bombardments and seek a deal on swapping captives and prisoners. What is behind this push for peace in the final days of the Biden administration? How have conditions changed to facilitate these discussions? And is a ceasefire and exchange of captives possible?

In recent months, tens of thousands of Haitians have fled escalating gang violence and a worsening humanitarian crisis in their home country. Most of those who make the gruelling journey to the US-Mexico border are denied asylum in the US. Meanwhile, President-elect Donald Trump has threatened to deport Haitian recipients of Temporary Protected Status. What does the future hold for Haitians under the Trump administration?

After Iran was pushed out of Syria, and its influence in Lebanon wanes, the map of the Middle East is rapidly changing. Iranian-American political scientist Vali Nasr tells host Steve Clemons that Iran’s retreat in the region opens a door for improved relations with the United States, which has imposed crippling sanctions on Tehran ever since the Islamic revolution of 1979. Nasr also warns that Israel should not consider all the shifts in the region to be in its favour because Israel destroyed the resistance in Lebanon in 1982 - only for it to grow much more powerful within years.

France and Germany have long been deemed the main axis of power in the European Union. But, both are now facing serious political and economic turmoil. The uncertainty has come at a critical moment, with US President-elect Donald Trump threatening tariffs as soon as he takes office in January. The European economy is already lagging behind the US and China. A political paralysis in France and Germany could derail its competitiveness even further. Also covered in this episode of Counting the Cost, the World Bank has announced a record $100bn in support for poorer nations. Plus, why is coffee so expensive?

After 13 years of war, an offensive by Syrian opposition groups ousted Bashar al-Assad as Syria’s president in just 11 days. What happened? Who’s running Syria now? And what could happen next?

For decades, South Korea prided itself on being a mono-ethnic country. Until the late 1980s, the nation tightly controlled immigration, largely keeping foreigners out. But facing the world’s lowest fertility rate and a dramatic population decline, South Korea is opening up. The country is now letting in record-high numbers of foreign workers to fill labour shortages and fuel economic growth. Yet migrants often face exploitation and deadly working conditions. 101 East asks if South Korea is ready to embrace its growing diversity.

More than a million Syrians have sought asylum in Europe in the past 13 years. But the overthrow of Bashar al-Assad is raising questions about the future of about 100,000 refugees. At least eight nations have frozen Syrian asylum applications. What triggered this drastic decision? Do European governments believe Syria is safe for refugees to return? And if they do choose to go home, what lies ahead?

Thousands of prisoners held in Syria’s notorious prisons remain unaccounted for, days after President Bashar al-Assad fled for Russia. Families face an agonising search for their loved ones during a bittersweet moment of freedom. We dive into the emotional toll and the ongoing fight for answers.

Years of war and sanctions mean Syria is in dire need of reconstruction. Foreign funding is essential, along with political stability so work vital to the country's future can begin. So how can this be achieved - and who will pay?

As the Assad government falls, Israel seizes more territory in Syria's Golan Heights. That move tears up a 50-year-old agreement. But Israeli far-right ministers say their country's borders should extend further - to Damascus. So what are Israel's plans in Syria?