--:-- [Up First theme music fades out]
--:-- Leila Fadel: Syrian opposition forces swept into another government stronghold as the Syrian army withdrew. This puts the fighters closer to their goal of taking Damascus. Can they topple the Syrian regime?
--:-- Michelle Martin: I'm Leila Fadel, that's Michelle Martin, and this is Up First from NPR News.
--:-- Leila Fadel: The value of a single Bitcoin hit $100,000 for the first time ever this week. This will create a short-term boom over the next couple of years, but it's going to be a sugar high. Will the momentum behind crypto last?
--:-- Michelle Martin: And New York City has a new plan to address its housing crisis. The greatest city in the world has just passed the greatest housing legislation in our history. Will it be enough to address soaring costs and homelessness? Stay with us. We'll give you the news you need to start your day.
--:-- [Support message from Strawberry.me]
--:-- Leila Fadel: If you could go back and talk to your younger self, would you tell yourself that you have a job that truly makes you happy? Many people are stuck in jobs they've outgrown or never really wanted. A career coach from Strawberry.me can help you move on to something you actually love.
--:-- Michelle Martin: Benefit from having a dedicated coach in your corner and claim a special offer at strawberry.me slash NPR.
--:-- [Support message from Doctors Without Borders]
--:-- Leila Fadel: This message comes from Doctors Without Borders. People are living through a moment defined by unrelenting crises and need. Civilians are caught in the crossfire of violence and war. Malnutrition threatens the lives of children. Communities depend on life-saving humanitarian aid. Doctors Without Borders is meeting this moment of overwhelming need with action. But they can't do it alone. Help provide life-saving care around the world. Learn how to donate today at doctorswithoutborders.org slash NPR.
--:-- [Support message from Mint Mobile]
--:-- Leila Fadel: This message comes from Mint Mobile. If you're tired of spending hundreds on big wireless bills, bogus fees, and free perks, Mint Mobile might be right for you with plans starting from $15 a month. Shop plans today at mintmobile.com slash switch.
--:-- Michelle Martin: Upfront payment of $45 for a 3-month 5-gigabyte plan required. New customer offer for first 3 months only. Then full-price plan options available. Taxes and fees extra. See Mint Mobile for details.
--:-- Leila Fadel: Syrian opposition forces are storming ahead with their largest offensive in years against the government of Bashar al-Assad. The rebel push started last week when fierce fighting led to the stunning capture of Syria's second-largest city, Aleppo. Then, as of yesterday, they swept into the city of Hama, a major government stronghold on the road south to Damascus.
--:-- Michelle Martin: NPR's Hadil al-Shalchi is with us now with more. Good morning, Hadil.
--:-- Hadil al-Shalchi: Good morning. So where does this rebel advance stand now? They seem to be moving so fast.
--:-- Leila Fadel: They really are. I mean, it's been a week of violent fighting between the rebel forces and pro-government factions, which are backed by Russia and Iran. Army troops withdrew yesterday from the fringes of the city of Hama, and the opposition forces were seen celebrating in the city center.
--:-- Hadil al-Shalchi: We do know that Syrian groups have said that more than 100 civilians have been killed in the fighting.
--:-- Michelle Martin: I understand that Hama has been considered a key city since before the Syrian civil war that broke out in 2011. Could you just remind us of what makes it important?
--:-- Hadil al-Shalchi: Yeah, so Hama has been a notorious city since President Bashar al-Assad's father, Hafez al-Assad, ruled the country. In 1982, government security forces massacred thousands of people in an uprising led by the Muslim Brotherhood at the time. And last night, a video online showed people toppling over a statue of Hafez al-Assad.
--:-- Michelle Martin: I mean, we can't verify the video independently. And Hama has regional significance. The city is a main supply route that Iran uses to move weapons to its Lebanese ally Hezbollah, who are fighting a war with Israel right now.
--:-- Hadil al-Shalchi: The Israeli military said that it conducted strikes on what they are calling weapon smuggling routes used by Hezbollah at the Syrian-Lebanese border last night.
--:-- Michelle Martin: Hadid, remind us who is leading this offensive.
--:-- Hadil al-Shalchi: Right. So the main group is called Hayat Tahrir Shem. It's also known as HTS. HTS used to be affiliated with Al-Qaeda but broke off years ago. But the U.S. and other Western countries still designated a terrorist group.
--:-- Michelle Martin: So, for years, they've sort of moved away from a jihadist ideology. And while it's still a fundamentalist and not a democratic group by any stretch, they've become a bit more pragmatic, focusing on civilian rule, you know, setting up services, running a stronger economy in areas they control.
--:-- Hadil al-Shalchi: HTS's leader, Mohamed El-Jolani, told CNN in an interview today that, quote, the revolution has evolved from chaos and randomness into a state of order, both militarily and civilian, matters.
--:-- Michelle Martin: But there are questions whether this HTS branding is real or just a PR campaign. Given their background, do we have a sense of what civilians in Aleppo city and Hama have been saying?
--:-- Hadil al-Shalchi: For sure. So the main sentiment has been cautious optimism. Syrians living under government control have long complained about severe oppression. Some people I spoke to in Aleppo said the rebel forces were able to restore order back to the city as soon as they took it over.
--:-- Michelle Martin: Video circulating online showed fighters and civilians celebrating in the streets and Jolani driving through, being greeted with joy. There's also been images of prisoners being released from Hama's jails, where dozens of people were detained for anti-government activities.
--:-- Hadil al-Shalchi: But then there are also thousands of people fleeing Hama, afraid. Kurds who hold their own rival territory in the Northeast and many Alawites. They're the sect that Assad family comes from.
--:-- Michelle Martin: What are we going to be looking at next? Our sights are all on the next big city, Homs, where there are reports that there's fighting on the outskirts already. The regime has also tried to destroy strategic bridges leading to Homs.
--:-- Hadil al-Shalchi: We're on the road to Damascus, and if the rebels keep up this momentum, they'll be inching closer to the Syrian government's seat of power.
--:-- Michelle Martin: That is NPR's Hadil Al-Shantri. Hadil, thank you.
--:-- Hadil al-Shalchi: You're welcome.
--:-- Michelle Martin: President-elect Trump has announced a White House AI and crypto czar. Longtime Silicon Valley venture capitalist David Sachs will take up the role and is tasked with guiding the administration's policies towards the technologies.
--:-- Rafael Nam: This comes after the value of a single Bitcoin hit $100,000 this week for the first time in its young history. On this milestone week for digital currency, we thought this would be a good time to call NPR senior business editor Rafael Nam.
--:-- Michelle Martin: Rafael, good morning.
--:-- Rafael Nam: Good morning, Michelle. So, so much momentum behind crypto this week. What's going on?
--:-- Michelle Martin: It's really this excitement of what Trump could mean for cryptocurrencies. He has promised to make the U.S. the crypto capital of the planet. And he's promised to nominate regulators who are friendly to the industry.
--:-- Rafael Nam: So a very different approach from the Biden administration. David Sachs, like you just mentioned, Michelle, for example. He was a top executive at PayPal and is known to be close with Elon Musk.
--:-- Michelle Martin: And now he's expected to be part of that friendlier approach to crypto. And earlier this week, Trump nominated a former financial regulator, Paul Atkins, as the new chair of the Securities and Exchange Commission.
--:-- Rafael Nam: Atkins is also a public advocate of cryptocurrencies, and he's in line now to become the next Wall Street cop. So it seems as though the US government is going to become a big supporter of crypto now.
--:-- Michelle Martin: Well, that's certainly the hope for crypto investors. And it's kind of incredible because let's remember here the history of Bitcoin and what it actually is. It's only over 15 years old and it basically a digital currency made up of computer coding.
--:-- Rafael Nam: It was created by somebody or maybe a group of people going by the name of Satoshi Nakamoto. And to this day, we don't know who Satoshi is.
--:-- Michelle Martin: Bitcoin was created around the global financial crisis, and Satoshi's idea was to create a currency for the people. A currency that's not controlled by one country or one central bank.
--:-- Rafael Nam: That's not how it's turned out. You can't really use Bitcoin today to go buy a cup of coffee, for example.
--:-- Michelle Martin: So what do people use it for? Well, Bitcoin may have been intended as a currency. And yes, there are some businesses and even some cities like Detroit that are starting to accept cryptocurrencies.
--:-- Rafael Nam: But really, it's become a speculative investment for people on Wall Street and for average people, too. A way to make money, essentially.
--:-- Michelle Martin: The thing is, cryptocurrencies are incredibly volatile and they've created a lot of financial pain. So critics like Dennis Kelleher from advocacy group Better Markets are concerned that this latest rally could end really badly.
--:-- Rafael Nam: This will create a short-term boom over the next couple of years. But it's going to be a sugar high. And the clock will start ticking on a coming catastrophic financial crash that, in my view, will be much worse than 2008.
--:-- Michelle Martin: And it's only a matter of time. Worse than the global financial crisis. And if that prediction does come true, it would be ironic given that Bitcoin was created in part as a response to the crisis.
--:-- Rafael Nam: And isn't Bitcoin associated with all kinds of shady activities?
--:-- Michelle Martin: Indeed. Cryptocurrencies have become widely used by all kinds of illegal actors, from hackers looking for ransomware to drug dealers.
--:-- Rafael Nam: So yes, there is a lot of excitement about Bitcoin, but there's also a lot of people who are alarmed.
--:-- Michelle Martin: That is NPR's Rafael Nam. Rafael, thank you.
--:-- Rafael Nam: Thank you, Michelle.
--:-- Michelle Martin: New York City has more than 3.5 million homes, but finding one to rent or buy, well, that's a challenge. Yeah, most are occupied, and prices outpace nearly every other place in the country.
--:-- David Brand: Officials have taken a step toward addressing the city's housing crisis by approving a housing plan that could pave the way for 80,000 new homes over the next 15 years.
--:-- Michelle Martin: Here to tell us more about it is reporter David Brand from member station WNYC. Good morning, David.
--:-- David Brand: Good morning. So first, walk us through the plan. The plan is called City of Yes, and it would increase the amount of housing that could be built in every part of the city.
--:-- Michelle Martin: Now, when people think in New York City, they may picture the skyscrapers of Manhattan. But the landscape here is really diverse. Big sections look more like suburbs, and many neighborhoods are made up of three- to four-story apartment buildings.
--:-- David Brand: This plan has tweaks that will permit more housing in pretty much all of them. Some homeowners will be able to add extra units on their properties. Developers can build bigger buildings near subway stations.
--:-- Michelle Martin: And the rules will make it easier to convert empty offices into condos and apartments.
--:-- David Brand: I think one of the things that's really become clear is that a lot of places around the country have a housing shortage, David. But is the feeling that this will solve the problem in New York City?
--:-- David Brand: No, this is significant, but it's not going to solve New York City's housing shortage, especially for the lowest income New Yorkers. That's been a big concern for a lot of the council members who voted on this plan.
--:-- Michelle Martin: City Council Speaker Adrienne Adams says zoning alone doesn't automatically create affordable housing. So she got the mayor to commit more funding for rental assistance and low-income housing.
--:-- David Brand: People needed to know that they would have places that they could afford, not just market rate anything. We have that already. We had to go farther than zoning.
--:-- Michelle Martin: Rents and home prices are soaring and homelessness here is at a record high.
--:-- David Brand: And David I think people might remember that New York City Mayor Eric Adams was indicted in September on federal corruption charges. He is running for re-election.
--:-- Michelle Martin: What does this mean for him? Does this change the narrative for him?
--:-- David Brand: Yeah, he's touting it as a signature achievement. The greatest city in the world has just passed the greatest housing legislation in our history.
--:-- Michelle Martin: You're right that this has been a perilous political time for Adams. He's facing criminal charges for allegedly accepting illegal campaign contributions and doing favors for foreign benefactors.
--:-- David Brand: Many of his top aides and even top police officials have been tied up in a series of separate state and federal investigations.
--:-- Michelle Martin: So this is definitely a win and, like you said, a chance to change the narrative. But New York City is not exactly a national leader on bold moves to address housing shortages.
--:-- David Brand: California already permits property owners to add an extra unit on their lots. Columbus, Ohio, Minneapolis, and Austin have all approved major changes to fuel more development.
--:-- Michelle Martin: And those are far more ambitious plans than the one that New York City just passed.
--:-- David Brand: Even having said that, though, when will New Yorkers start to see construction on all these new units?
--:-- Michelle Martin: Well, housing takes a long time to build, and this is a 15-year plan. So, you know, developers and property owners need to submit plans. They need to get permits, and construction takes years to complete.
--:-- David Brand: So I don't think we're going to be seeing cranes going up on our blocks tomorrow, but in the near future.
--:-- Michelle Martin: That is David Brand of Member Station WNYC. David, thank you.
--:-- David Brand: Thanks for having me.
--:-- Michelle Martin: And that's Up First for Friday, December 6th. I'm Michelle Martin. And I'm Leila Fadel. And don't forget Up First airs on the weekend, too. Ayesha Roscoe and Scott Simon have the news. It'll be here in this feed or wherever you get your podcasts.
--:-- [Up First theme music fades in]
