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Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Janine Herbst.

Syrians around the world are celebrating the fall of the Assad regime after rebels

swept through the capital of Damascus overnight.

Imperial Batrawi spoke with a man who backed the opposition from Washington.

Mohamed Ghanem lobbied the White House and members of Congress over the years pushing for tougher

stances against the Syrian government. He says his most recent meeting was just days ago with

White House officials to talk about the lightning advances by rebel forces across Syria after

years of stalemate in the war. Ghanim's advocacy meant he couldn't return to his hometown of

Damascus for the past 14 years,

or he'd face arrest and torture. I'm euphoric because now my father, who is 86 years old,

I've been very concerned about my father passing away without me being by his bedside. Now,

finally, I have a chance to go back to Damascus and be with my debt.

He says his biggest concern now is Syrian factions getting the transition right toward democracy.

Ayabotrawi, MPR News.

South Korea's ruling party says it will engineer the president's resignation.

Empir's Anthony Kuhn reports this comes a day after Parliament tried but failed to

impeach the president for briefly putting South Korea under martial law last week.

Ruling people power party leader Han Dong Hun told reporters that an early and orderly departure

for President Yun Song Yol would minimize political instability. He said the Prime Minister and ruling party and not Yun would handle state affairs until

Yun resigns.

Heim did not give a timeline or any legal basis for the move.

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