welcome back to our viewers here in the united states and all around the world. you are watching cnn newsroom live from atlanta. i'm natalie apple. >> i'm jorm howell. first to syria. people there are holding out hope this latest cease-fire will hold. this is aleppo. more calm now than we've seen before. some of the worst violence of the civil war has taken place right where you see it. >> it was russia and turkey who orchestrated the new peace deal between the syrian regime and various rebel militias. but many groups were excluded from those talks. and notably, the u.s. had no part to play either. joining is colonel rick francona. happy new year to you. thank you for joining us. >> and to you. >> this isn't the first time as