Syria has established its first parliament since longtime ruler Bashar al-Assad was overthrown 10 months ago, ending a 12-year war. Many Syrians welcomed this as a step forward after more than five decades of dictatorship under the Assad family. But the process was also widely criticized as undemocratic because the public did not directly vote for the lawmakers. Local committees cast their ballots Sunday, while interim Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa will appoint at least a third of the 210-member assembly. There were also mounting concerns about the underrepresentation of women and minority groups; only 4% of members of the new transitional assembly are women.

In related news, the Syrian Army and the U.S.-backed Syrian Democratic Forces have reportedly reached a ceasefire deal in Aleppo. This comes after recent escalating tensions between the two groups and the killing of a member of the Syrian security forces in an SDF attack.