and $52 million for a total of $350 million of 12 days. >> and the news is next. we'll tonight, syria's regime falls. rebels topple the government of president bashar al assad ending decades of a family president bashar al assad ending decades of family dictatorship marked by intense civil war. >> rebels celebrate their rapid takeover of the war torn

country, the president and his family have reportedly been granted asylum in russia. fundamental act of justice. >> also tonight, trump's agenda and a new interview, the president-elect lays out his plans for day one and beyond, including sweeping tariffs and the mass deportation of migrants. plus hunting for a killer. police in new york have released new photos of the suspect wanted for the execution-style murder of the ceo of unitedhealthcare. the search for the mystery gunman extends into several states. the bells ring again at the cathedral of notre dame in paris, and mass is observed for the first time since the fire that almost destroyed this centuries-old landmark. meet some of the students behind the intricate renovation. >> i helped create something better than what it was and it will outlast my lifetime. >> and later, minding your

music. the therapy hitting all the right notes to unlock precious memories. >> music, from my experience, is a universal language. >> announcer: this is the "cbs weekend news" from new york with gentleman reca duncan. good evening and thank you r for joining us on this sunday. we begin with the dramatic fall of damascus and the ousting of longtime dictator in syria. rebel forces moving in quickly, and in just over a week seizing control of key cities, while forcing syria's president, bashar al assad, from power after nearly a quarter century. president joe biden today calling this a moment of opportunity, risk, and uncertainty. tonight, the pentagon says u.s. air forces have struck more than 75 islamic state targets in syria. our coverage begins tonight with

cbs' imtiaz tyab on the border of syria and turkey. good evening, imtiaz. >> jericka, good evening. syria's president and his family have reportedly been granted asylum in russia, after the kremlin -- quote transfer power peacefully, effectively ending the assad dynasty's brutal rule that lasted over 54 years. in the heart of damascus' city, syrian rebels celebrated the fall of the regime they've been battling for years. scenes like this would have been unthinkable just one week ago. but president bashar al assad is gone. his palace once impenetrable now open to a photo taking public. hasan's defeat was at the hands of a group who watched a lightning fast offensive and

faced little resistance from the syrian army. rebel forces say they have, quote, fully liberated a number of cities and have emptied prisons that had become a symbol of torture. in a civil war that up until now seemed frozen. but as the statues and muonumens to the assad dynasty, authoritarian rule passed from father to son is now over. ten years ago, at the height of the civil war, assad was barely clinging on to power and was rescued by russia and iran, along with lebanon's powerful iranian-backed hezbollah militia, who ticked the war firmly in his favor through a pushing campaign of well-documented war crimes, including indiscriminate air strikes and chemical weapons

attacks, a brutality against his own people that's hard to fathom. but russia is now preoccupied with its war on ukraine. hezbollah's leadership has been decapitated after a year of cross-border fighting with israel and iran, along with its proxies have also been degraded by israeli strikes, meaning assad's rule is unlikely to be rescued or resurrected, ushering in a new but deeply uncertain era for syria. belongs to a group -- which used to be aligned with al qaeda has said he wants a peaceful transition of power. but the power vacuum left by bashar al assad is enormous, jericka. so, amid the celebrations, there's a deep sense of uncertainty. president biden welcomed the

downfall of syria's leader with cautious optimism. cbs senior national security correspondent charlie d'agata is at the pentagon. charlie, what are you learning? >> reporter: good evening jericka. defense officials tell cbs news that u.s. war planes have conducted multiple air strikes inside syria in the past 24 hours. they used a-15 fighter jets, a-10 attack aircraft. jericka, this is a significant escalation in america's ongoing mission against i.s.i.s. and it says a lot about the rapidly changing situation on the ground. for all the celebrations and uncertainties following the spectacular fall of the assad regime in syria, the upheaval presents the u.s. with yet another unpredictable crisis in an already volatile region. described as a moment of considerable risk by the president today. >> we will remain vigilant. make no mistake some of the

rebel groups that took down assad have their own grim record of human right abuses. but as they take on greater responsibility, we will assess not just their words but their actions. >> president-elect donald trump makng his word clear on his social media platform, truth social. syria is a mess. the united states should have noing to do with it. this is not our fight. let it play out. do not get involved. but the united states is already involved. and that wave of u.s. air strikes reflects the instability in a country where 900 u.s. forces have been operating inside syria for years.years. their stated mission, to prevent the re-emergence of i.s.i.s. defense officials told us today the soldiers are deployed far away from the rebel war path to damascus. they remain focused on the mission to defeat i.s.i.s., retain the right of self-defense, and will take necessary steps to protect u.s.

service members. and we are learning tonight that the fbi has renewed its call for information leading to safe relocation and return of american journalist, austin theis, who has been held in syria since 2012. >> thank you so much. i know you spent many years covering syria and the civil war. do you foresee a smooth transition of power? >> reporter: jericka, it's going to be a challenge. you know, remember, this isn't one group of revolutionaries that overthrew the regime, but several groups of vastly different ideologies, led by an islamic group. in some cases, you have turkish and kurdish factions, their sworn enemies, let alone different ideas on how to run the company. and after 50 years of repression, there's going to be scores to settle. members of the outgoing government have offered to help. assad himself isn't there, so there won't be a bloody coup.

but they're rejockeying for territory and power. so, there are challenges ahead. >> and bidien saying he's willig to talk to all groups. what greater impact could this have on the middle east region? >> russia didn't come to their side. iran has been decimated, hezbollah decapitated. this is a real moment of opportunity for the people of syria. but it will all come down to forming that coalition government going forward. >> a historic day indeed. charlie d'agata, thank you. before weighing in on syria, president-elect donald trump addressed many of his top priorities in a wide ranging interview. cbs' nikole killion is outside trump's mar-a-lago estate. nikole? >> good evening to you, jericka. president-elect donald trump acknowledged that bashar al assad is gone. he said that russia could no longer support him because of the ongoing war with ukraine. and he called for an immediate

ceasefire between russia and ukraine. foreign policy is one of many topics he addressed in his first post-election interview. fresh off his whirlwind weekend on the world stage, president-elect donald trump appeared on nbc's "meet the press," where he was pressed on his agenda weeks ahead of taking office from tariffs -- >> can you guarantee american families won't pay more? >> i can't guarantee anything. >> -- to the border. >> is it your plan to deport everyone who is here illegally over the next four years? >> well, i think you have to do it. and it's a -- it's a very tough thing to do. >> on his mass deportation plan, trump said he would prioritize criminals who are in the country illegally. he also said it could include families with mixed citizenship. but he indicated he's open to allowing dreamers, those brought into the u.s. as children, to stay. and he reiterated his -- >> all persons born in the united states are citizens. can you get around the 14th

amendment with executive action >> we may have to go back to the people. >> the president-elect, who refused to concede the 2020 election, also vowed not to go after political rivals like president joe biden. >> i'm really looking to make our country successful. i'm not looking to go back into the past. i'm looking to make our country successful. retribution will be through success. >> but he said he would like to see some members of the january 6th select committee behind bars. >> you think liz cheney should go to jail? >> i think everybody -- >> and he said he would pardon those who attacked the capitol on day one. >> i'm going to look at -- >> everyone. >> yeah. but i'm going to be acting very quickly. >> president-elect trump was also asked if he would fire fbi director christopher wray. he said he's not thrilled with him and has named a possible replacement, kash patel.

both are expected on capitol hill this week. jericka. >> nikole killion from west palm beach. thank you so much, nikole. turning now to the manhunt for the suspected murderer of unitedhealthcare ceo, brian thompson. police have new evidence in the case. however, they still don't have the weapon. cbs' shanelle kaul has the very latest. shanelle, good evening. still so many questions in this one. >> reporter: yeah, that's right, jericka. and despite police gathering over 200 images of the suspect and offering a substantial cash reward, authorities have not positively identified the person they believe carried out this vicious and targeted attack. >> these new images released by new york city police on saturday appear to show the masked gunman inside a taxi just 20 minutes after he murdered unitedhealthcare ceo brian thompson. the only surveillance photos of the man's full face released by

police were taken when he checked into a nearby hostile. investigators say he switched to a blue surgical mask before taking the bus to uptown manhattan wednesday morning. sources tell cbs news, he may have boarded a bus bound for atlanta. >> it's going to make it more difficult being able to track him down. >> for a second day police sent drivers into this lake in central park after finding what they believe to be the gunman's bag nearby. inside the bag, they found a jacket and monopoly money. sources also telling cbs news, new york city police officers are now on the ground on stops at the bus route between new york and atlanta. officers from more than 80 police departments have joined the search. >> i'm wondering what the role is, those departments, police departments, across the country will actually play in this

investigation. especially given the fact that we don't know fun publicly the person's name plis are looking for. >> the investigators that are assisting may know. >> and investigators are still trying to determine where the gunman boarded that bus that brought him to new york city ten days before the shooting. jericka? >> shanelle kaul for us in new york tonight. straight ahead on the cbs weekend news, from ashes to glory. we'll go inside the restored notre dame cathedral for the milestone mass.

an alternative to pills, voltaren is a clinically proven arthritis pain relief gel, which penetrates deep to target the source of pain with nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medicine directly at the source. voltaren, the joy of movement. can neuriva support your brain health? mary. janet. hey! eddie. no! fraser. frank. frank. fred. how are you? support up to seven brain health indicators, including memory. when you need to remember, remember neuriva. ♪ support(vo)to seven brain health indicapurina cares here.mory. (cough cough) (sneeze) (♪♪) new alka-seltzer plus cold or flu fizzy chews. chew. fizz.

feel better fast. no water needed. new alka-seltzer plus fizzychews. for more than a decade farxiga has been trusted again and again, and again. ♪ far-xi-ga ♪ ♪ far-xi-ga ♪ ♪ far-xi-ga ♪ ♪ far-xi-ga ♪ ask your doctor about farxiga. the faithful return to the notre dame cathedral in paris today. the famed cathedral hosted mass for the first time since that devastating fire back in 2019. french president emmanuel macron, dignitaries, and bishops around the world were among the

2,500 guests attending the service, which was closed to the public. the cathedral bells tolled last night in a grand reopening ceremony. cbs' elaine cobbe met up with some young people, including americ americans, who helped rebuild this monument. >> reporter: as the flames engulfed notre dame, many feared that even if it survived the fire, the skills needed to rebuild the cathedral were long lost. but it turned out there were still traditional craftsmen and women quietly at work around france. and soon an army of artisans was drafted in to restore the historic monument. >> it's quite a privilege. >> it is a privilege. >> this woman is a decorative painter who described her job as applying make-up touchups over the stone mason's work. >> it's gratifying to know that i helped create something better than what it was, and it will outlast my lifetime. >> so, if we're looking at it now, can you see where you worked? >> well, the idea of my job is

that you don't actually see what i did. so, if you don't see what i did, it's mission accomplished. >> chief architect -- says the restoration shown a new light on traditional ways of working in construction and restoration. what is great about notre dame is it's like a school, he says, where we pass skills from generation to generation. traditional carpenter, hank silver, worked on the roof of the cathedral. >> young people who would never know they could have a career as a carpenter, stone cutter, mason. >> from around france are learning traditional methods of stone masonry, carpentry, and roofing. >> he feels a duty to protect france's architectural heritage, and that's why he learning

traditional methods here. >> i can identify as my ancestors by working with them. >> this apprentice was lucky enough to work on the cathedral. it was very emotional, he said. i never thought i would get to do something like that. for the artisans who have now finished, the reopening is a bittersweet moment. >> i feel like it's, in a way, my little baby, and now it's all grown up and now it's going to be everyone's to visit. >> and there has been huge demand for access to the religious services for the public all next week. all the places were reserved within 24 minutes of going online. elaine cobbe, cbs news in notre dame. >> can't wait to visit. still ahead on the cbs weekend news, a final curtain call for taylor swift. news" a f call for taylor swift. i know, it's wild. future you. anyway, our doctor figured it out.

all that constipation with belly pain that keeps coming back, it's ibs-c. she said linzess could help you get ahead of it. whatta you say? yess! get ahead of your ibs-c with linzess. linzess is not a laxative. it's a once-daily pill that helps you get ahead of your symptoms. it's proven to help you have more frequent and complete bowel movements. and helps relieve overall abdominal symptoms - belly pain, discomfort, and bloating. do not give linzess to children less than two. it may harm them. do not take linzess if you have a bowel blockage. get immediate help if you develop unusual or severe stomach pain, especially with bloody or black stools. the most common side effect is diarrhea, sometimes severe. if it's severe, stop taking linzess and call your doctor right away. other side effects include gas, stomach area pain, and swelling. imagine...what could relief from ibs-c mean for you? talk to your doctor and say yess to linzess. learn how abbvie and ironwood could help you save. a chewy order is en route for monkey, who loves to climb. so mom uses chewy to save 40% on gifts that help keep the tree intact, and monkey good and grounded.

for low prices... for holidays with pets, there's chewy. after careful review of medical guidance and research on pain relief, my recommendation is simple: every home should have salonpas. powerful yet non-addictive. targeted and long-lasting. i recommend salonpas. it's good medicine. ♪ hisamitsu ♪ (♪♪) when your child has moderate to severe eczema, it's okay for them to show off. show off their clearer skin and noticeably less itch, with dupixent. because children 6 months and older with eczema have plenty of reasons to show off their skin. with dupixent, the number one prescribed biologic by dermatologists and allergists, they can stay ahead of their eczema. it helps block a key source of inflammation inside the body that can cause eczema to help heal your child's skin from within. severe allergic reactions can occur. get help right away for face, mouth, tongue,

or throat swelling, wheezing or trouble breathing. tell your doctor of new or worsening eye problems like eye pain, vision changes, or blurred vision, joint aches and pain, or a parasitic infection. don't change or stop asthma or other medicines without talking to your doctor. show off to the world. ask your child's eczema specialist about dupixent. (♪♪) today, president biden hosted the kennedy center honorees at the white house. this year's recipients include filmmaker francis ford coppola and the grateful dead. the apollo theater is also being honored for providing a platform for generations of black artists. the event celebrates contributions to american culture through performing arts. the tribute airs right here on cbs december 22nd. well, it is the end of an era for taylor swift's record-smashing tour. it wraps up tonight in vancouver. swift kicked off her eras tour

in arizona in march of 2023, almost two years ago. she's performed 149 shows for swifties worldwide. eras is the highest grossing musical tour in history, with an estimated $2 billion. next up on the cbs weekend news, unlocking memories with the power of music. again, and a. ♪far-xi-ga♪ ♪far-xi-ga♪ ask your doctor about farxiga. ♪ (vo) purina cares here. (♪♪) from celebration moments... ...to joyride moments. your moments are worth protecting against rsv.

rsv is a highly contagious virus if you're 60 or older with certain chronic conditions, you're at higher risk of being hospitalized from rsv. and there are no prescription rsv treatments. you know how to protect against covid and flu. so ask your pharmacist or doctor about scheduling pfizer's rsv vaccine, too. because moments like these matter. want a next level clean? swish with the whoa of listerine. it kills 99.9% of bad breath germs for five times more cleaning power than brushing and flossing alone. get a next level clean... ahhhhh with listerine. feel the whoa! (cough cough) (sneeze) (♪♪) new alka-seltzer plus cold or flu fizzy chews. chew. fizz. feel better fast. no water needed. new alka-seltzer plus fizzychews. still have moderate to severe ulcerative colitis... ...or crohn's disease symptoms after taking... ...a medication like humira or remicade?

put them in check with rinvoq, a once-daily pill. when symptoms tried to take control, i got rapid relief with rinvoq. check. when flares tried to slow me down,... ...i got lasting remission with rinvoq. check. and many were in remission... ...even at nearly 2 years. and rinvoq... ...helped visibly reduce damage of the intestinal lining. check. rapid symptom relief. lasting remission. and visibly reduced damage. check. rinvoq can lower ability to fight infections. before treatment, test for tb and do bloodwork. serious infections, blood clots, some fatal;... ...cancers, including lymphoma and skin;... ...serious allergic reactions; gi tears; death;... ...heart attack; and stroke occurred. cv event risk increases in age 50 plus... ...with a heart disease risk factor. tell your doctor if you've had these events, infection,... ...hep b or c, smoked,... ...are pregnant or planning. don't take if allergic or have an infection. put uc and crohn's in check... ...and keep them there. with rinvoq. ask your gastroenterologist... ...about rinvoq.

♪ finally tonight, notes from a pianist who's helping to heal. cbs' carter evans explains. ♪ >> reporter: for college sophomore grace sun, playing the piano is therapeutic, not just for her, but also her audience . in her free time, she volunteers to play for seniors. >> the concept of music therapy is using music as a healing tool. to provide comfort and happiness to those living with dementia and alzheimer's disease. >> she was inspired by her 79-year-old grandmother, isolated at the height of the 2020 pandemic. >> this is really detrimental to the mental health of these seniors. and i was thinking, what if i used my interests and my passions so we could help out those people. >> it sparked her idea for

melodies for remedies. the concerts were virtual at first, playing for hospitals and senior centers. but over the years, it's grown into a movement with more than 100 musicians performing. aster jin was grace's high school classmate at san diego's bishop school. >> what drew you to it. >> >> part of it was wanting to perform, but it was also personal to me. my grandmother also had alzheimer's. >> music can boost cognitive function in alzheimer's's patients by up to 50%. >> it's almost like they're a different person, like when they were younger and they weren't suffering from this disorder. >> over the last four years, melodies for remedies musicians have performed for more than 40,000 seniors around the world. >> music from my experience is a

universal language. and i think it deserves to be shared around the world and to whoever needs it. >> bringing back old memories while creating priceless new ones. carter evans, cbs news, san diego. >> that is the cbs weekend news for this sunday. from all of us here in new york, we thank you for watching. i'm jericka duncan. have a great night. now the at 6:00, syria's assad regime has fallen. details on the upheaval. they go nuts out here, they fight. >> a series of crimes in oakland last night, prompting concerns. da lin has more as the city grapples with the budget deficit that could cut

the police force. and it is a hazy day for most parts of the bay area. meteorologist, darren peck, breaks down what's causing it. live from the cbs news bay area in san francisco, i'm brian hackney. >> i'm andrea nakano. we begin with major developments in the middle east, where the ruling assad family has fled from syria, making room for new world order. >> crowds gather in damascus and celebrated with chants, prayers, and gunfire. >> it brought the end of the assad family's 50 years of rule that left countless syrians dead under the regime. as wendy gillette reports, the development raises new questions about the future of syria and the balance of power in the middle east. >> reporter: president biden delivered his first public remarks sunday on the collapse of syria's long-time ruling regime under president bashar al-assad. >> at long last, the assad regime has fallen. this regime