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

I'm Alex Ritson, and in the early hours of Tuesday the 17th of December, these are our main stories.

We report from the Syrian port city of Latakia, where the rebels, who are now the de facto

rulers, are providing law and order. Germany's embattled Chancellor Olaf Schultz

loses a vote of confidence in Parliament, triggering the early elections he wants.

France's President Macron will fly to Mayotte to oversee the relief operation after Cyclone

Cheeto. Also in this podcast, the businessman and close confident of Prince Andrew, who's accused of spying for China, has been named.

And hundreds of new species have been discovered in the Mekong region in Southeast Asia.

Every time we look, every time we take the time in patience to peer under a rock, look behind a tree and so on, we find new things.

And to me that's part of the excitement, that's part of the joy of living on this planet.

We start in Syria, where just nine days since the fall of President Bashar al-Assad,

the people continue to celebrate their newfound freedom.

There were celebrations also in the port city of Latakia.

But Bashar al-Assad and most of his military and intelligence staff were Al-Alawites.

And following recent attacks, some members of Latakia's minority al-Alo-Wite community

say they're now too scared to leave their homes.

Hyatt Tyre al-Sham, or HTS, Syria's new de facto rulers, have pledged to protect everyone.

Its fighters are patrolling Lataki's streets to try to curb any violence.

From there, our Middle East correspondent, Quentin Somerville, sent this report.

It's hard really to do justice to the sense of bewilderment that's being felt

about how quickly the Assad regime has fallen and the rebels have taken over this country.

And that bewilderment has felt most sharply here in the A-a-white heartland, the former Assad stronghold

...