Mon, December 9, 2024

by: MSN

From eye doctor to brutal dictator: The rise (and fall) of Syria's Bashar al-Assad

Bashar al-Assad never intended to go into politics. He became one of the world's most brutal dictators whose thuggish rule ended abruptly when rebels stormed into Damascus Saturday night, causing his army − and him − to flee.

by: MSN

Syrian premier says government still functioning but challenges loom

But there were already signs of the difficulties ahead for the rebel alliance now in control of much of the country, which is led by a former senior al-Qaida militant who severed ties with the extremist group years ago and has promised representative government and religious tolerance.

by: The Indian Express

Decode Politics: Who is 'Telangana Thalli', why there is a row over her statue

The Revanth Reddy government has received flak from the BRS and the BJP for tweaking the design of Telangana Thalli, or the mother of Telangana, with the move labelled an attack on the state's cultural identity.

by: The Mirror

Labour echoes Dominic Cummings' drive to recruit 'weirdos and misfits' into Whitehall

In a speech on shaking up Whitehall, Cabinet Office Minister Pat McFadden pointed to Dominic Cummings' callout for 'super-talented weirdos' to work for Boris Johnson back in 2020

by: The New York Times

New York Times - Top Stories

Rebels stormed the Syrian capital on Sunday without encountering any significant resistance from government forces. Assad's Whereabouts Are Unclear 1 min read Who Is the Leader of Syria's ...

by: Mediaite

'Wants to Protect His Child': Durbin Defends Biden as Tapper Grills Him On Hunter Pardon President 'Said Again and Again' He Wouldn't Do

Joe Biden's unconditional pardon of Hunter covers any crimes his son might have committed dating back to 2014, which Durbin said is just being a loving dad.

by: Associated Press

How some legislatures are undercutting their voters, plus Trump's negotiations with world leaders

This newsletter was originally sent out via email to our Ground Game subscribers on Dec. 9. You can subscribe at any time at apnews.com/newsletters.

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: 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: 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: 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.

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: 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: 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: 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.
Sun, December 8, 2024

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: 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: 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: 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: 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: 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: 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: 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: 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: 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: 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: 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: 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: 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: 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: Sydney Morning Herald

'Excessive' or 'strategic merit'? Eastern suburbs' tallest building given green light

A proposal to construct the tallest building in the eastern suburbs has overcome a significant planning hurdle three years after first being rejected, despite opposition from Woollahra Council.

by: Daily Express

Labour's 'dangerously misguided foreign policy' threatens special relationship with US

Mark Francois accused Sir Keir Starmer of undermining the "cornerstone of our defence policy" and attacked "Labour's persistent uncertainty on defence spending".

by: The Independent

Why Rayner's bricks and mortar is more important than Reeves's economic growth in building for victory

While Labour made economic growth its first mission, it is tackling the spiralling housing crisis that could make the difference between winning or losing the next election, writes David Maddox

by: The West Australian

Legal system cracking under weight of DV demand

Women are being put on trial by a broken legal system that is hard to access and lacking compassion despite a national focus on domestic violence, according to advocates too often forced to turn them away.

by: The Age

High Court battle looms for Allan over electoral funding laws

Correspondence between Jacinta Allan and independent candidates reveals why a dispute over Victoria's electoral laws is likely to head to the top court.

by: The Age

The Allan government is already spruiking its housing success. Here's what the data says

Over a year after its Housing Statement, Labor is falling short of its lofty targets - and that's if its estimate stacks up. If it doesn't, things are even worse.

by: Daily Express

Labour accused of 'ghosting' pensioners in fury over anti-OAP policies

A campaigner hit out at Labour for "refusing to engage at all with representatives of nearly 13 million older voters".

by: CNN

Trump attends Notre Dame Cathedral reopening in Paris

President-elect Donald Trump is visiting Paris Saturday to attend the reopening of Notre Dame Cathedral and meet with French President Emmanuel Macron. Follow here for the latest live news updates.

by: The Age

Protests to go on 'until liberation' say pro-Palestinian organisers

Melbourne saw its 61st consecutive protest as the state government mulls changes to the law, and the chamber of commerce says the ongoing rallies are harming the city.

by: MSN

9 states could halt Medicaid expansion if Trump cuts funding

Over 3 million Americans could lose health coverage under the Affordable Care Act's Medicaid expansion if President-elect Donald Trump pulls funding that would trigger automatic eliminations in several states.

by: MSN

Trump sends message to Kamala Harris supporters during 'Meet the Press' interview

Donald Trump told NBC News' Kristen Welker that he planned to focus on unity in his inaugural address in January.

by: MSN

Keir Starmer Warned Labour's Mandate For Change Is Based On A 'Time Bomb'

Keir Starmer's party may have won by a landslide in July, taking 411 seats while the Tories languish on just 121, but new findings from Labour-linked think tank Compass claims it still offers a weak mandate for change.

by: Yahoo

The fall of Bashar Assad after 13 years of war in Syria brings to an end a decades-long dynasty

The fall of Syrian President Bashar Assad's government Sunday brought to a dramatic close his nearly 14-year struggle to hold onto power as his country fragmented amid a brutal civil war that became a proxy battlefield for regional and international powers.

by: Jefferson Public Radio

Disappearing bills: More than 2,300 bills died without a vote in California's legislature in the last two years

Few bills fail in the Legislature because lawmakers publicly vote "no." Instead, most bills die when they are shelved, without lawmakers having to take tough votes.

by: MSN

Sonia Gandhi linked to organisation financed by George Soros Foundation: BJP

The BJP accused Sonia Gandhi of associating with a George Soros-funded organization that allegedly supports Kashmiri independence, linking this to foreign influence in India's affairs. They also alleged a connection between Rahul Gandhi,

by: legit

Former Nigerian Governor Declares Death Penalty for Killers of Security Officers

At a security event in Abuja, Mu'azu Babangida Aliyu proposed a death penalty measure for those who kill security personnel. He shared the benefit of such measure.

by: Reuters

Israel watching Syria closely after 'historic' fall of Assad

Israel has watched the rapid overthrow of the government of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad with a mixture of hope and concern as officials weigh the consequences of one of the most significant strategic shifts in the Middle East in years.

by: The Independent

Trump issues warning to Liz Cheney as he reveals plans to pardon Jan 6 rioters on 'day one': Live

Donald Trump has issued a warning to Liz Cheney and her fellow House committee members who were tasked with investigating the January 6 Capitol riot. At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.

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.

The article from The New York Times provides an overview of the Syrian Civil War, detailing its origins, key players, and the complex web of international involvement. It began in 2011 as part of the Arab Spring protests against President Bashar al-Assad's regime, escalating into a full-scale civil war due to the government's brutal crackdown on demonstrators. The conflict has drawn in various factions including the Free Syrian Army, Islamist groups like al-Nusra Front, and later, ISIS, which took advantage of the chaos to establish a caliphate. Foreign powers have also played significant roles: Russia and Iran support Assad, while the U.S., Turkey, and Gulf states have backed different opposition groups. The war has led to immense human suffering, with hundreds of thousands dead, millions displaced, and widespread destruction. The article also touches on the use of chemical weapons by the Assad regime, the refugee crisis, and the ongoing diplomatic efforts to resolve the conflict, which remains unresolved with intermittent ceasefires and peace talks.

Read the Full The New York Times Article at:
https://www.nytimes.com/article/syria-civil-war-rebels.html