Reports are already circulating that the battalion responsible for his protection has surrendered and decided to lay down arms.

Many of the people who survived the initial earthquake were trapped under collapsed buildings.

During the night of 22 October 1867, the group was surrounded by Papal Zouaves, and Giovanni was severely wounded.

Those now in Aleppo, fighting for freedom and dignity, are the salt of the earth. If they are besieged, bombed and murdered, how will the earth be made salty again?

(Such low hanging fruit has been increasingly scarce for the Republican Party, which is beleaguered by the perception that it has been hijacked by its most extreme elements.)

Back in February, al Jourish was one of the women who participated in a very publicized sit in, before they were arrested and imprisoned for weeks. Her family's house was under siege, and her children were prohibited from contacting anyone.