This is the Global News podcast from the BBC World Service.

I'm Alex Ritson, and in the early hours of Thursday the 12th of December, these are our main stories.

Fighters have destroyed the tomb of the late Syrian leader Hafez al-Assad, father of the ousted President Bashar al-Assad.

Saudi Arabia has officially been chosen to host the

2034 men's football World Cup, despite criticism of its record on human rights and the environment.

Dozens of soldiers and civilians are reported to have been killed in attacks by jihadists in Niger.

Also in this podcast.

I just love this spark of galaxy with its Christmas light shining as it was when the universe

was just 600 million years old.

NASA's James Webb Space Telescope has captured an image of a galaxy so far away

that it offers an insight into the formation of the universe.

We begin in northwestern Syria in the town of Cadeha at the tomb of Hafez al-Assad, the father of deposed Syrian president, Bashar al-Assad.

Between them, the two men ruled the country for more than 50 years.

In the town, rebel fighters broke into the mausoleum and set pots on fire.

Images show three-starred flags, the symbol of Syria's opposition,

displayed next to a smoldering coffin. A local resident, Mohamed Nassif, described what he saw.

We are at the tomb of Hafez al-Assad. We came and saw it burnt and destroyed by the people of his village

because he starved them, because they hated him, and because he destroyed us.

He displaced them and displaced us.

350 kilometres south of the town of Kadaha lies the Syrian capital, Damascus.

From there, our chief international correspondent, Leis Doucette reports.

Third day of these momentous times draws to a close. The nighttime curfew here in Damascus has

...