After more than a week of deadly sectarian clashes between armed Bedouin tribes and Druze fighters, a fragile ceasefire appears to be holding in southern Syria. In Sweida, communities caught in the crossfire are reeling from the violence.

As Suwayda

A fragile ceasefire in Sweida, Syria, is facing significant challenges as clashes persist between Druze fighters and Bedouin tribes. Despite government intervention and roadblocks to prevent further escalation, tensions remain high, with both sides expressing distrust and recounting violence and loss. 

Civilians are bearing the brunt of the conflict, with many Druze residents trapped in the city and Bedouin families displaced to government-controlled areas. Access to essential supplies such as food, water, and medicine is severely limited, and both communities report casualties and missing family members. The ongoing sectarian violence threatens the already fragile social cohesion in the region.

Ceasefire in Syria: Inside the sectarian conflict in Sweida

These Bedouin tribesmen have come from all over Syria. They're trying to get to Suwayda city. They tell us the fight there is far from over, and that it's their honor that's on the line. They've slaughtered, burned, and raped our women. There are hundreds in there. We want the bodies. We have brothers, cousins, and women in there. We want them back. We want to take the bodies. These people cannot be trusted. That anger is directed at Druze fighters in Suwayda. For days, clashes raged between them and local Bedouin tribes, exacerbated by the intervention of Syrian government forces. Despite an announced ceasefire, Bedouin tribesmen continue to flock the area, bound for Suwayda. But for now, this is as close as they can get. The city center lies about 20 kilometers in that direction. We can still hear the sound of gunfire, and we can still see smoke billowing from the distance. As a very fragile ceasefire still struggles to take hold, government forces here have put up this roadblock, they tell us, to stop Bedouin fighters from joining their brethren on the other side. Tensions are at a boiling point here. The tribesmen, all armed, want to get in at any cost. They want to take matters into their own hands. They try to reason with security forces to no avail. The state's responsible for bringing back any bodies, any captives, if there's a prisoner swap. There are forces from here to Suwayda. If they go in, there'll be more clashes. The tribesmen tell us they won't leave. They have no trust in these promises. And they're not the only ones who feel that Syrian government forces can't protect them. I have no hope. When you see your brothers and your family getting slaughtered in their own country, you feel that this is not your country. Who am I supposed to seek protection from? From the people that have violated and killed us? Hassan Halebi is a Syrian Druze. We met him in Jaramana, on the outskirts of Damascus. Like many people here, he has family in Suwayda. Hassan has not heard from them since the clashes began. All he has are videos like these that have been flooding the internet, allegedly showing Bedouin fighters and security forces killing Druze in Suwayda. People are worried, terrified. Maybe the Druze are getting threats from the areas around us. These drone shots sent to us from central Suwayda show how sectarian violence has turned the area into a ghost town. People on the ground are struggling. The area is surrounded. Basic life necessities are missing. Food, electricity, medicine, water. We've not been able to pick up the bodies of our martyrs from their homes. And while most Druze civilians are still trapped inside Suwayda, hundreds of Bedouin families have been able to flee and have taken shelter in government-controlled areas. They tell us horror stories of Druze fighters attacking them, they say, unprovoked. It's like a friend coming to stab you in the back. They killed my neighbor and her five children. They cut their heads off and then killed her. I saw this with my own eyes. This woman tells us her daughter and other family members are being held captive by Druze fighters. I do not know if she's alive or dead. If they slaughter her with her children, how will I know? The area is already reeling from more than a decade of bloody conflict. As it navigates an uncertain transition, sectarian tensions like the ones flaring up in Suwayda are threatening the little cohesion the country still has. And it's the civilians, whether it's these Bedouins here or their Druze neighbors, who end up paying the highest price.

After reviewing the Epstein files, Attorney General Pam Bondi told President Trump his name appears alongside many others, according to a new report in the Wall Street Journal. CNN’s Paula Reid details what we know.

Washington

DOJ told Trump his name is among many in Epstein files: Sources

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky signed a bill reducing the autonomy of two Ukrainian anti-corruption bureaus. Ukrainians protested in Lviv and Kyiv, concerned that the bill could lead to more corruption and threaten Ukraine’s chances of entering the European Union.

Kyiv

Ukrainians protest new anti-corruption law

A federal judge on Wednesday ordered Kilmar Abrego Garcia's release as a second judge barred ICE from taking him into custody. CBS News legal reporter Katrina Kaufman has more.

Nashville

Judge orders Kilmar Abrego Garcia's release

A judge on Wednesday (July 23) sentenced Bryan Kohberger to four life sentences without the possibility of parole after he pleaded guilty to the murders of four University of Idaho students in 2022.

Boise

Bryan Kohberger sentenced to life in prison

House Speaker Mike Johnson is sending lawmakers home early for their August recess amid a continued push to release all files related to Jeffrey Epstein. CBS News' Taurean Small has the latest.

Speaker Johnson sends House lawmakers home early

Venezuela Attorney General Tarek Saab's office will investigate El Salvador's President Nayib Bukele and two other officials for the alleged abuse of Venezuelans who were detained in the Central American country.

Caracas

Venezuela to investigate Bukele for alleged detainee abuse

U.S. President Donald Trump touted new trade agreements with Japan, Indonesia and the Philippines ahead of his looming August 1 global tariff deadline. CBS News' Natalie Brand has the latest from the White House.

Global Tariffs

Trump touts new trade deals with Japan, Indonesia, Philippines

As Bryan Kohberger faces sentencing for the University of Idaho murders, families and investigators are breaking their silence. The gag order has been lifted, prompting emotional impact statements and new revelations from officials involved in the case.

Officials, families break silence as Bryan Kohberger sentencing begins

U.S. President Donald Trump accused former President Barack Obama of "treason" on Tuesday, accusing him, without providing evidence, of leading an effort to falsely tie him to Russia and undermine his 2016 presidential campaign.

Trump accuses Obama of treason in attacks over 2016 Russia probe

President Donald Trump announced a long-awaited trade agreement with Japan on Tuesday night, a framework between the allies and major trading partners that appeared elusive just weeks ago.

Trump announces U.S.-Japan trade deal

The Syrian defense ministry said it was aware of reports of "shocking violations" by people wearing military fatigues in the country's predominantly Druze city of Sweida, and said it would launch an investigation. That came after fighting between Druze militia and government forces sent to the city to quell the unrest has led to hundreds of people killed.

Middle East Conflict

Syria to probe 'shocking violations' in Sweida after hundreds killed

The U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee changed its eligibility rules on Monday, effectively barring transgender women from competing in Olympic women's sports. CBS News correspondent Elise Preston has more.

USOPC effectively bars transgender women from women’s sports

President Donald Trump says he's reached a trade deal with Japan that will set tariffs on Japanese imports at 15% and see Japan invest $550 billion into the U.S.

Trump says he's reached trade deal with Japan

Photos from Trump’s 1993 wedding and video footage from 1999 Victoria’s Secret fashion show shed light on the Trump-Epstein relationship.

New York

Photos show Jeffrey Epstein attended Trump’s wedding in 1993

Trump announced a new 19% tariff rate for goods from the Philippines after what he called a "beautiful visit" by Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to the White House, and said U.S. goods would pay zero tariffs.

Trump says U.S. will charge 19% tariff on goods from Philippines

Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche, who represented President Trump in his "hush money" case, announced he plans to meet with Jeffrey Epstein's former girlfriend and co-conspirator, Ghislaine Maxwell, as the push to release files related to Epstein's trafficking case continues.

Deputy attorney general seeks interview with Ghislaine Maxwell

Ozzy Osbourne, the hellraising frontman of Black Sabbath and reality TV star, has died aged 76. CNN’s Stephanie Elam looks back at the legendary career as the Godfather of Heavy Metal.

Los Angeles

Legendary singer Ozzy Osbourne dies at 76

A SkyWest flight, operating as a Delta connection, with 80 people on board made a sharp maneuver to avoid a B-52 bomber flying over the North Dakota State Fair. The FAA is investigating how the aircraft came so close.

Minot

Investigation underway after jet narrowly avoids Air Force bomber

A judge on Monday sentenced ex-Louisville police officer Brett Hankison to 33 months in prison and three years of subsequent supervised release, following the 2020 shooting death of Breonna Taylor.

Louisville

Judge sentences ex-officer in Breonna Taylor raid to nearly 3 years

A six-week-old infant and three other children have died of starvation in Gaza in the past 24 hours, local health officials said, with malnutrition and starvation now killing Palestinians faster than at any point in the 21-month war. This video includes images some may find distressing.

Jerusalem

Medics say four Gaza children starve to death in hunger crisis

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Ukraine and Russia will hold a new round of peace talks on Wednesday. The announcement comes as Russian drones hit parts of Ukraine, officials said.

Ukraine Invasion

Zelenskyy says Russia, Ukraine to hold new round of peace talks

The Trump administration released thousands of records related to the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., despite objections from his family. CBS News' Weijia Jiang has the latest.

Trump admin releases Martin Luther King Jr. assassination records

Students gather to protest in Bangladesh outside the school where a military jet crashed Monday, killing at least 30 people, including dozens of children.

Dhaka

Protests break out as death toll passes 30 in Bangladesh jet crash

CBS News has learned that a new assessment of the U.S. strikes on Iranian nuclear sites in June finds that only one of three facilities was possibly destroyed. CBS News senior national security correspondent Charlie D'Agata has the details.

Tehran

U.S. strikes may have destroyed one Iranian nuclear facility

For the first time, Taiwan has combined two major civil defense exercises and staged them in conjunction with its largest-ever military simulation. CNN’s Will Ripley explains why the self-governing island is bolstering its preparations for a potential war with China.

Taipei

Taiwan holds unprecedented military drills

With questions continuing around the so-called Epstein files, U.S. President Donald Trump has made several controversial social media posts. Some political scientists say the posts are likely a way to distract the public from talking about Trump’s past ties sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

Trump posts fake AI video of Obama arrest amid Epstein furor

The next set of peace talks between Ukraine and Russia - the first meeting in seven weeks - is planned for Wednesday in Turkey, President Zelenskyy quoted the head of Ukraine's National Security and Defence Council as saying.

Zelenskyy says new peace talks planned for Wednesday

Israel’s latest offensive in Gaza is targeting humanitarian hub Deir al-Balah because officials believe Hamas is hiding hostages there. The move comes as 25 countries, including Canada, called for an immediate ceasefire and the resumption of aid.

Israeli offensive targets humanitarian hub of Deir al-Balah

A sweeping cyber espionage operation targeting Microsoft server software 'SharePoint' compromised about 100 different organizations as of the weekend, two of the organizations that helped uncover the campaign said on Monday (July 21).

Redmond

Microsoft server hack hit about 100 organizations, experts say

Protestors showed up at the federal courthouse in Boston on Monday amid Harvard's $2 billion legal battle with the Trump administration.

Breakdown