• Sun, December 8, 2024

by: Newstalk ZB

Dr Leon Goldsmith: Bashar Al-Assad was 'vulnerable and exposed'

Rebel forces in Syria say they have ended Bashar Al-Assad's rule as the government's troops withdraw from Damascus. Otago University Professor for Middle Eastern and Comparative Politics Leon Goldsmith joins Early Edition.

by: Charlotte Observer

Biden to push for Austin Tice return as Assad flees Syria: 'We think we can get him back'

Assad's regime could present an opportunity to bring home the journalist more than 12 years after he traveled to Syria to cover its descent into war.

by: Cfr.org

After Fall of Assad Dynasty, Syria's Risky New Moment

The swift collapse of Syria's regime brings a humiliating end to Russia's and Iran's sway and opens the door for greater Turkish influence. But the Islamist movement that seized power has yet to

by: CNN

Trump previews immigration actions and January 6 pardons in first TV interview since election

President-elect Donald Trump previewed immigration actions he plans to take in his first days in office and outlined how he expects his Justice Department to handle investigations into his political opponents and the criminal cases against January 6 rioters in his first major television interview since winning November's presidential election.

by: Sky News Australia

Sydney Trains officials warn commuters of service reductions and cancellations on Monday after industrial action over pay

Train commuters are being urged to reconsider their travel plans on Monday due to major cancellations and reduced services following industrial action by rail unions.

by: The New York Times

What to Know: How Rebels Toppled the Syrian Government and Deposed Assad

Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, whose name means Organization for the Liberation of the Levant, began to form at the beginning of Syria's civil war, when jihadists formed the Al Nusra Front to fight pro-Assad forces with hundreds of insurgent and suicide attacks.

by: The West Australian

Newspoll: Voters rate Anthony Albanese as weakest leader in decades

Mr Albanese unveiled the opening of a major train line in Perth's north on Sunday, where the booming outer suburbs helped to fuel the red wave that had Labor pick up five seats and secure majority government in 2022. Mr Dutton, in the crucial swing seat ...

by: Reuters

Trump aims to deport all immigrants in the US illegally

U.S. President-elect Donald Trump aims to deport all immigrants in the U.S. illegally over his four-year term but wants a deal to protect so-called "Dreamer" immigrants, he said in an interview that aired on Sunday on NBC News' "Meet the Press with Kristen Welker.

by: Philadelphia Inquirer

Trump calls for immediate ceasefire in Ukraine and says a U.S. withdrawal from NATO is possible

Trump's call for an immediate ceasefire went beyond the public policy stands taken by the Biden administration and Ukraine and drew a cautious response from Zelenskyy. It also marks Trump wading unusually deeply into efforts before his Jan. 20 inauguration to resolve one of the major global crises facing the lame-duck Biden administration.

by: Sydney Morning Herald

ALP desperately needs Gen Z voters. Too bad Albanese just drove us further away

The PM will spend much of his time on the campaign trail arguing his government has served young Australians well - a statement that was largely true until last week.

by: Newsroom

Climate politics matures with Greens emissions plan

Analysis: The Green Party's alternative emissions reduction plan can serve as the platform for a substantive debate on climate, Marc Daalder writes.

by: ABC

Biden says fall of Assad regime a 'historic opportunity'

The current and next president responded to the fall of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's regime after he fled the country as rebels advanced into Damascus.

by: The Daily Star

Three pro-BNP bodies march towards Indian mission

Three pro-BNP organisations yesterday submitted a memorandum to the Indian High Commission in Dhaka, demanding the stop of misinformation about Bangladesh and ensuring the safety of Bangladeshi missions in India.

by: World Socialist Web Site

Fluoridation of community water and the politics of disinformation

Robert F Kennedy Jr., Trump's nominee to head the Department of Health and Human Services, has promised to end water fluoridation, a program which has been called one of the ten greatest achievements in public health.

by: MSN

Closer UK and EU ties will boost growth, says Reeves

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by: MSN

John Bolton Suggests Syria May Have 'Interesting' Files on Tulsi Gabbard

President-elect Donald Trump's former national security adviser John Bolton said on Saturday that it will be "very interesting to see" Syrian files on "a number of Americans" while speaking about former Representative Tulsi Gabbard,

by: Sydney Morning Herald

Dutton takes the lead, but is he defying gravity?

The opposition leader is now ahead in the opinion polls at a time of deep unrest over the cost of living when he has no significant public plan to fix the problem.

by: MSN

Maybe our institutions should behave more like France's

George Orwell mocked those people in Britain who would rather be caught stealing from a poor-box than standing up for 'God Save the King'. In those heady and dangerous days, they were only a minority of bourgeois intellectuals who,

by: MSN

Trump previews immigration actions and Jan. 6 pardons in first TV interview since election

President-elect Donald Trump previewed immigration actions he plans to take in his first days in office and outlined how he expects his Justice Department to handle investigations into his political opponents and the criminal cases against January 6 defendants in his first network television interview since winning November's presidential election.

by: MSN

Two-child benefit cap mitigation could start in early 2026, says Robison

Two-child benefit cap mitigation could start in early 2026, says Robison - Shona Robison insisted the scheme is going ahead, saying the Government could implement it before April 2026.

by: MSN

Trump plans to pardon Jan 6 rioters on 'day 1'; calls for 'immediate ceasefire' in Ukraine: Live

Trump plans to pardon Jan 6 rioters on 'day 1'; calls for 'immediate ceasefire' in Ukraine: Live - Trump insisted that he would not direct the Justice Department to go after his political rivals

by: MSN

Trump uses image of Jill Biden to sell his perfumes and colognes

President-elect Donald Trump shared an image of first lady Jill Biden when trying to sell his perfume Sunday. "Here are my new Trump Perfumes & Colognes! I call them Fight, Fight, Fight, because they represent us WINNING,

by: MSN

Who is Abu Mohammed al-Golani, the leader of the insurgency that toppled Syria's Assad?

Golani, the leader of the insurgency that toppled Syria's Assad? - Abu Mohammed al-Golani, the militant leader who led the stunning insurgency that toppled Syria's President Bashar Assad, has spent ye

by: MSN

Oppn meets Fadnavis, demands LoP and Dy speaker posts

Maharashtra's opposition MVA claims Leader of Opposition and deputy speaker posts despite failing to secure 10% of assembly seats after recent polls.

by: MSN

Who are Syrian opposition fighters overthrew Assad's regime and what comes next?

Here is a look at the stunning reversal of fortune for Assad and the government in just the past 10 days, and what might lie ahead as Syria's 13-year civil war reignites. View on euronews

by: MSN

Russia grants Assad asylum after Trump claims Putin 'not interested in protecting him': TASS

Russian state-owned news agency TASS, citing a source in the Kremlin, confirmed overthrown Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and his family are in Moscow "after being granted asylum in Russia," CNN's Jim Scuitto reports.

by: MSN

Bashar al-Assad And Family Are in Moscow: Russian News Agencies

Syria's ousted president Bashar al-Assad and his family are in Moscow, Russian news agencies announced Sunday evening citing a Kremlin source, hours after he fled the country as Islamist-led rebels entered Damascus.

by: MSN

Assad and his family in Moscow - Russian media

TASS, Russian state-owned news agency, has reported that ousted Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and his family are in Moscow and Russia has granted them asylum. Source: TASS, citing a Kremlin source Quote: "Assad,

by: MSN

Western Sydney Airport acquisitions cause pain for residents awaiting offer from NSW government

Residents sitting on a parcel of land that will host a transport corridor to the new Western Sydney Airport have slammed the government's acquisition offer for their property.

by: MSN

Team Trump discord over Kemi Badenoch's meeting with J. D. Vance

Team Trump discord over Kemi Badenoch's meeting with J. D. Vance - Newly elected Tory leader Kemi Badenoch hopes to have found a new political ally in vice president elect J. D. Vance after the two me

by: MSN

Mngxitama warns: no business as usual for Du Plessis

Mngxitama said it was a legal principle that when someone is under investigation it would not be business as usual.

by: MSN

Durbin on Hunter Biden pardon: 'If I have to have a bias in this area, it's a loving parent who wants to protect his child'

Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) on Sunday noted the past trauma in President Biden's family when talking about his recent pardon of his son Hunter Biden. "This is a man who loves his children and has gone through quite an ordeal,

by: MSN

Syrians stroll through Assad's palaces, take furniture and ornaments

Groups of Syrians strolled through the palaces of President Bashar al-Assad on Sunday following his ouster, wandering from room to room, posing for photographs, and with some taking items of furniture or ornaments.

by: MSN

Transcript: Reps. Mike Kelly and Jason Crow on "Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan," Dec. 8, 2024

The following is a transcript of an interview with Reps. Mike Kelly, Republican of Pennsylvania, and Jason Crow, Democrat of Colorado, on "Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan" that aired on Dec. 8,

by: MSN

Trump says he can't guarantee tariffs won't raise US prices and promises swift immigration action

Donald Trump said he can't guarantee that his promised tariffs on key U.S. foreign trade partners won't raise prices for American consumers and he suggested once more that some political rivals and federal officials who pursued legal cases against him should be imprisoned.

by: MSN

Ex-RNC Chair Says Republicans 'Don't Give a Damn' About Military Members

Michael Steele called out Republicans who support Pete Hegseth for defense secretary amid the scandals surrounding his character.

by: MSN

Starmer welcomes fall of Assad's 'barbaric regime' and aims to 'restore stability' in Syria and provide 'essential aid'

Sir Keir Starmer has welcomed the fall of Bashar Assad's "barbaric regime" in Syria, following a dramatic rebel takeover of Damascus. The development marks an unprecedented shift in Syria's political landscape,

by: MSN

Netanyahu says Assad regime fell because of Israeli strikes on Iran and Hezbollah

by: MSN

'Speedos, chandeliers and a jacuzzi': Inside Assad's abandoned presidential palaces

Assad's abandoned presidential palaces, looting the dictator's belongings and posing behind his desk. As rebel groups take control of the capital Damascus, videos emerging online show both fighters and civilians entering a sprawling complex and combing through its rooms and grounds.

by: MSN

Waltz says DOGE cutting trillions of government spending is 'practical' outlook

Rep. Mike Walz (R-FL) expressed his confidence in the Department of Government Efficiency to keep the U.S. from falling "off the financial cliff." In the weeks since President-elect Donald Trump won the Oval Office,
  • Mon, December 9, 2024

by: Government Executive

Politics vs. Policy: Building partnerships with new appointees

Among other things, they bring new political appointees to leadership positions in an agency or program, and they will supervise or oversee career civil servants. The latter are duty-bound to follow the lawful orders of the former.

by: Mises Institute

The Study Supporting California's $20 Minimum Wage is Just Politics as Usual

A new study from the Institute for Research on Labor and Employment at UC Berkeley claims that California's new $20 fast food minimum wage has had no adverse

by: CounterPunch

How Republics Succeed, Falter, and Fail

The U.S. enjoys many strengths that give it an edge over other republics, such as a decentralized and innovative economy that draws global talent and

by: Buffalo News

Movers and shakers: Report outlines Buffalo's power structure, offers guide for how to navigate it

Our City Action Buffalo last month released a set of reports aimed at helping seasoned organizers and people looking to become civically engaged alike − a guide for understanding and challenging the well-established power structures in Buffalo and Western New York.

by: The New York Times

A Century-Old Law's Aftershocks Are Still Felt at the Supreme Court

Congress let the justices choose the cases they would decide. That change "continues to prompt political contention and crisis," a scholar argues.

by: Sydney Morning Herald

'The fear is palpable': Australian women and children trapped in Syria afraid for their lives

Australia has had five years to repatriate dozens of women and children who went to Syria under Islamic State.

by: MSN

Civil Service needs 'innovators and disrupters', McFadden says

Civil Service needs 'innovators and disrupters', McFadden says - The Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster cited Airbnb, WhatsApp and Spotify as examples of start-ups the Civil Service could emulate.

by: MSN

Why is HTS banned in the UK and will this change now it has control in Syria?

Why is HTS banned in the UK and will this change now it has control in Syria? - The Home Secretary can decide to lift a ban on a proscribed organisation.

Dr Leon Goldsmith: Bashar Al-Assad was 'vulnerable and exposed'

Rebel forces in Syria say they have ended Bashar Al-Assad's rule as the government's troops withdraw from Damascus. Otago University Professor for Middle Eastern and Comparative Politics Leon Goldsmith joins Early Edition.
The audio segment from Newstalk ZB features Dr. Leon Goldsmith, an Otago University Professor specializing in Middle Eastern and Comparative Politics, discussing the capture of Bashar al-Assad. Dr. Goldsmith provides insights into the implications of Assad's capture, exploring the potential shifts in Syrian politics, the impact on the ongoing civil war, and the broader geopolitical ramifications. He discusses the various factions involved, the role of international powers, and what Assad's detention might mean for peace negotiations and the future governance of Syria. The conversation also touches on the historical context of Assad's rule and the complexities of the Syrian conflict.

Read the Full Newstalk ZB Article at:
https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/on-air/early-edition-with-ryan-bridge/audio/dr-leon-goldsmith-otago-university-professor-for-middle-eastern-and-comparative-politics-on-the-capture-of-bashar-al-assad/