. >> host: in the western pressw during this crisis or uprising in syria, alepo was described as the commercial center of the country. why is that? tell us about that city. >> guest: for several hundred years, if not more, it was the meeting point between europe and asia and always developed a -- developed as a center of trade and commerce. that comet -- continued, of course, throughout the centuries throughout the 20th century and made it what it is in terms of its trade, in terms of its trade potential. now, also, it's a large city, not just a second city, it has been a place where many traders and manufacturers as well preferred either because it was historically quite vibrant or because it was far away from the center where they might have a bit more freedom, even though that margin of freedom was not wide. >> host: where are you from originally? >> guest: i'm lebanese, but my mother is syrian. >> host: lebanon is bordering syria; correct? >> guest: yes. >> host: lebanon's, how would you describe their economy? >> guest: well, it's going to take until saturday to cover this becau

they will let it continue to alepo if nothing is found. are banning flights from the other country after turkey divert a plane from russia last week. >>> a devastating fire in prince william county where more than 80 storage units went up in flames. this happened at the store all facilities. investigators don't know what caused the fire. >>> tucker barnes joins us once again. a couple of showers out there. >> a couple scattered showers. i think they will be enhanced later this morning. it won't rain all day. it feels like rain but not rain all day. >> good. i like it. >> kids getting off for school -- >> they are fine. >> sunshine most of the rest of the week. >> everything has an asterisk next to it in the weather. 64 in leonardtown. a nice mild start to the day. overnight lows in the mid- to upper-60s. of course yesterday we had the great day with highs in the 70s keeping things on the warm side. we have the front moving in from the north and west. already a couple of showers during the early morning. a few showers developing up north an