The earthquake that rocked Syria devastated millions already ravaged by war. Their dictator Bashar al-Assad saw an opportunity

News Snapshot:

Five days after north-west Syria was rocked by a deadly earthquake, two unlikely visitors glided into an Aleppo hospital with a press pack in tow. It was the man who had spent years dropping thousands of barrel bombs on parts of the city, accompanied by his glamorous wife. Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and his wife took part in a carefully choreographed tour of the region, which has, at times, been the focal point of the country's long and brutal civil war. Dressed in a luxe cream turtleneck and matching anorak, first lady Asma al-Assad hugged children and held the hands...