• Mon, December 9, 2024

by: Wall Street Journal

Biden Is Ceding Presidential Influence to Trump, and Some Democrats Are Furious

The president-elect doesn't take office until Jan. 20, but he's negotiating with foreign leaders and many are taking cues from his comments.

by: London Evening Standard

Government accused of 'tinkering' with housebuilding permissions

A Conservative shadow housing minister has suggested the Government is "tinkering" with planning decision-making, instead of "getting developers developing and builders building" new homes.

by: The Mirror

Downfall of 'rat of Damascus' Assad is a 'humiliation' for Russia and Iran, says David Lammy

Foreign Secretary David Lammy said Syrian tyrant Bashar al Assad had 'the blood of countless innocents on his hands' who had fled to Moscow 'with his tail between his legs'

by: WESA

Meet Pennsylvania's 2024 electors and learn about the Electoral College

Pennsylvania has 19 electoral votes. Like most states, Pennsylvania awards all of them to the winner of the popular vote. Trump won 3.5 million votes to Democrat Kamala Harris' 3.4 million, giving him all of Pennsylvania's electoral votes. In total, Trump won 312 electoral votes to Harris' 226.

by: The Independent

Trump's controversial nominees Patel, Gabbard and Hegseth on Capitol Hill in attempt to win over senators: Live

President-elect promises to free Capitol rioters and says representatives that investigated him 'should go to jail' in Meet the Presss interview with Kristen Welker

by: The Grio

Rep. Clyburn has a lot to get off his chest about Trump and the future of American democracy

by: Mother Jones

How Kash Patel Became a Useful Idiot for Vladimir Putin

With Donald Trump tapping Kash Patel, the MAGA provocateur, conspiracy theory monger, and grifter, to be FBI director, it's time to revisit the Trump-Russia scandal. I know many folks think this is old news.

by: Sydney Morning Herald

Voters back migration cuts as Dutton retreats on target

The Coalition is standing by its stated goal of reducing permanent migration after scrapping a separate pledge to cut the number of net arrivals to 160,000 a year as an exclusive survey shows strong majority support for a lower intake.

by: Journalist's Resource

If you report on US colleges and universities, get to know these 19 higher education databases

We spotlight free higher education databases that offer information on U.S. student demographics, campus safety, faculty pay and other topics.

by: BBC

Rachel Reeves signals wider reset of EU relations

Closer relations between the UK and the EU will boost economic growth, Rachel Reeves will tell European finance leaders on Monday. In the first address by a British chancellor to the Eurogroup since Brexit, Reeves will say resetting relations means "breaking down barriers to trade" as well as helping "businesses sell in each other's markets".

by: AOL

Ghana becomes record fifth African nation to see opposition victory this year

This year has been an "annus horribilis" for those governments in sub-Saharan Africa that have had to face voters at the ballot box. In almost every election held in the region this year under reasonably democratic conditions, the governing party either lost a significant number of seats or lost power completely.

by: Smithsonian Magazine

'Polarization' Is Merriam-Webster's Word of the Year for 2024

The winning word beat out finalists such as "demure," "pander," "totality," "fortnight," "allision" and "democracy"

by: Buffalo News

And then there were 3: Council Member Rasheed Wyatt enters Buffalo mayor's race

Wyatt becomes the third candidate to officially declare his candidacy after State Sen. Sean Ryan and former Buffalo Fire Commissioner Garnell Whitfield Jr., who both threw their hats in the ring last month.

by: St. Louis Post-Dispatch

International Institute of St. Louis' CEO is out

International Institute president and CEO Arrey Obenson's last day with the organization was Friday, according to an internal email obtained by the Post-Dispatch.

by: Detroit News

Trump has flip-flopped on abortion policy. His appointees may offer clues to what happens next

Trump's cabinet picks offer a preview of how his administration could handle abortion after he repeatedly flip-flopped on the issue on the campaign trail.

by: Yahoo

Syrian government services come to a 'complete halt' as state workers stay home after rebel takeover

Syria's prime minister said Monday that most cabinet ministers were still at work after rebels overthrew President Bashar Assad, but some state workers failed to return to their jobs, and a United Nations official said the country's public sector had come "to a complete and abrupt halt.

by: The New York Times

The Fall of Assad in Syria: How It Happened and What Comes Next

The main rebel group behind Assad's ouster is Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, whose name means Organization for the Liberation of the Levant. It began to come together at the beginning of Syria's civil war, when jihadists formed the Nusra Front to fight pro-Assad forces with hundreds of insurgent and suicide attacks.

by: Yahoo

Syrian PM says government still works, but UN official says public sector is at a 'complete halt'

Syria's prime minister said Monday that most cabinet ministers were still at work after rebels overthrew President Bashar Assad, but some state workers failed to return to their jobs, and a United Nations official said the country's public sector had come "to a complete and abrupt halt.

by: CNN

'Someone who sees enemies everywhere': How Kash Patel's years as a government lawyer fueled his disdain for Washington elites

Years before he was Donald Trump's pick to lead the FBI, Kash Patel was a midlevel Justice Department lawyer who once drew the ire of a Texas judge who described Patel as being precisely the kind of federal bureaucrat he has vowed to weed out in his crusade against the so-called deep state.

by: CNN

Who is the leader of Syria's rebels and what does he want?

The US State Department is advertising an up to 10-million-dollar reward for information leading to the capture of Abu Mohammad al-Jolani, who the agency first designated as a terrorist more than a decade ago,

by: The New York Times

Supreme Court Turns Down Cases on Admissions, Gender Identity and Guns

Conservative justices voiced objections and concerns about the court's failures to take up a series of cases on major social controversies.

by: MSN

Lawmakers join in roundtable events addressing sexual violence, stalking, and human trafficking for 2025 West Virginia Legislative Session

The Upper Ohio Valle Sexual Assault Help Center (SAHC) recently held two impactful legislative roundtable events, focusing on sexual violence, stalking, and human trafficking in the Northern Panhandle of West Virginia.

by: MSN

Does Syria's power shift raise hopes for stability and democracy?

As Syrians all over the world celebrate the fall of Bashar Assad's regime, political analysts are pondering how the geopolitical situation will be affected — and whether there could be less tension in the Middle East.

by: MSN

What is birthright citizenship, and can Trump end the right in the U.S.?

President-elect Donald Trump says he'll end birthright citizenship, after years of criticizing the constitutional right.

by: MSN

Mehmet Oz and the Medicare Advantage Dilemma

Incoming Trump administration is seen as pro-Medicare Advantage but many Republicans are concerned about the impact on insurance companies.

by: MSN

'One flag': Dutton's controversial election pledge

We are united as a country when we gather under one flag, which is what we should do on Australia Day." Mr Dutton's latest election promise came a day after Coalition Indigenous Australians spokeswoman Jacinta Nampijinpa Price said she wanted to windback Welcome to Country ceremonies because they were "commercialisation of culture".

by: MSN

COVID-19: Disturbing report released by the USA

A total of 520 pages dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic have just been published by a special sub-committee of the US Congress led by elected Republicans. Some Democrats are also said to have taken part in the drafting process.

by: MSN

Trump talks about his conversation with Zelenskyy and says he is "formulating concept" to end war

US President-elect Donald Trump has shared his conclusions from a conversation with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Paris. They both went to attend the opening ceremony of the Notre Dame cathedral,

by: MSN

Balance of power in Mideast is shifting because Israel ignored Biden: Morgan Ortagus

Former State Department spokesperson Morgan Ortagus responds to Biden's claim that Iran, Hezbollah, and Russia are all weaker than when he took office on 'Varney & Co.'

by: MSN

Syrian asylum seekers in limbo as countries stop applications

Austria, Germany, the United Kingdom, France, and Greece have all said they will suspend asylum decisions for now.

by: MSN

Poland says invasion of Ukraine was 'a mistake'

The war in Ukraine will end when Putin decides that the invasion was a mistake and that he won't achieve his goals at an "acceptable price", said Poland's Foreign Minister.

by: MSN

Everyone from Richard Branson to the Pope wants Biden to act on death row before Trump can

Everyone from Richard Branson to the Pope wants Biden to act on death row before Trump can - Pope Francis spoke about the situation on Sunday. His prayer was closely followed by the release of a series of open letters on Monday from leaders including Branson,

by: MSN

Manchin, Welch unveil bill placing term limits on Supreme Court

West Virginia Sen. Joe Manchin (I) and Vermont Sen. Peter Welch (D) have introduced a resolution to impose 18-year term limits on Supreme Court justices, which would require some turnover on the high court every two years.

by: MSN

Polish EU presidency to focus on energy, defence and economic security

With Trump's arrival in the US White House, a new EU Commission and the ongoing war in Ukraine, security in all its possible dimensions will be the main priority of the next rotating EU presidency, said Poland's Ambassador Agnieszka Bartol.

by: MSN

Business leaders and families of murder victims urge Biden to commute federal death row sentences

Business leaders and families of murder victims urge Biden to commute federal death row sentences - Advocates fear Trump will ramp up federal executions upon taking office

by: MSN

Germany and Austria freeze Syrian asylum claims

Germany and Austria have frozen Syrian asylum applications in the wake of the overthrow of Bashar al-Assad's regime. All asylum requests from Syrian citizens will be put on hold until there is more clarity on political developments in the country,

by: MSN

UK limits ties with Georgia after crackdown on anti-government protests

Lammy stated that the UK will immediately halt programmatic support for the Georgian government, restrict defense cooperation, and limit interactions with representatives of the ruling Georgian Dream party.

by: MSN

Trump says RFK Jr. may study discredited link between autism and childhood vaccines

Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Trump's pick to lead Health and Human Services, has spread false or misleading claims that autism is linked to vaccines.

by: MSN

Canadian government to present mini budget on Dec. 16

The Canadian government will present its fall economic statement on Dec. 16, the finance ministry said on Monday, announcing a date for the budget update that will show the government's revised deficit estimate.

by: MSN

'The View' co-hosts get into heated back-and-forth over whether they should panic over Trump's plans

"The View" co-hosts Whoopi Goldberg and Ana Navarro got into it on Monday over whether people should be panicked about Donald Trump's plans ahead of his inauguration in January.

by: MSN

Kelly says Secret Service being put under DHS 'took away their identity and their exclusivity'

The chair for the House task force assembled to review the assassination attempts on President-elect Trump's life said that the Secret Service being put under the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) "took away their identity and their exclusivity.

by: MSN

Sanjay Malhotra appointed as new RBI Governor: Here's all about Shaktikanta Das' successor

The central government on Monday appointed Revenue Secretary Sanjay Malhotra as the new Governor of the Reserve Bank of India for a three-year term. This appointment puts an end to weeks of speculation about who would lead monetary policy in the world's fastest-growing major economy.

by: MSN

'Historic moment and historic opportunity': John Kirby on the fall of Syrian regime

John Kirby, White House National Security Communications Advisor, joins Andrea Mitchell Reports to discuss the fall of Bashar al-Assad's regime in Syria, highlighting the profound implications for regional stability.

by: MSN

Pressure piles on Iowa GOP Sen. Joni Ernst over Pete Hegseth confirmation fight

Ernst, the first female combat veteran in the Senate, has been threatened with a primary challenge over her reticence - so far - to confirm Hegeseth.

by: MSN

Iran's nuclear countdown: Could Bashar al-Assad's downfall accelerate the timeline?

The overthrow of Syria's Bashar al-Assad after over 50 years of Assad family rule marks a significant shift in the Middle East. This change reshapes alliances involving Iran, Russia, and Turkey while raising questions about regional stability and nuclear proliferation.

by: MSN

Turkish President Erdogan Says He And Putin Are 'Only' Two Leaders Left In The World

The Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdogan just claimed he and Vladimir Putin are the "only" two leaders left in the world. Speaking after Syrian rebels ousted Bashar al-Assad, who had ruled Turkey's neighbour since 2000,

by: MSN

The controversial Aadhav Arjuna and VCK's political compulsions behind his suspension

The Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK) has suspended Arjuna, its deputy general secretary, for six months on grounds that he had been acting against the party's interests.

by: MSN

Iron body presses and bed clamps: horrors of Syria's 'slaughterhouse' prison emerges

Assad's most notorious prisons has revealed that the Syrian dictator used underground cells and body-crushing iron presses to detain and torture thousands of civilians. Syrian rescue teams were still trying desperately to reach prisoners trapped in the underground labyrinth of jails deep inside the

Iron body presses and bed clamps: horrors of Syria's 'slaughterhouse' prison emerges

Assad's most notorious prisons has revealed that the Syrian dictator used underground cells and body-crushing iron presses to detain and torture thousands of civilians. Syrian rescue teams were still trying desperately to reach prisoners trapped in the underground labyrinth of jails deep inside the
The article details the harrowing conditions inside Syria's Sednaya Prison, often referred to as the "slaughterhouse" due to the extreme torture and executions that take place there. According to Amnesty International's report, prisoners are subjected to brutal torture methods including the "iron body press," where individuals are squeezed between metal plates, and "bed clamps" where they are strapped to a bed and beaten. The prison, located near Damascus, has been a site of mass executions, with estimates suggesting that between 5,000 and 13,000 people were killed there between 2011 and 2015. Survivors and former guards have described a system designed to break the spirit and body of detainees, many of whom are held without charge or trial. The report also highlights the psychological torture, with prisoners often hearing the screams of others or witnessing executions, creating an environment of pervasive fear and dehumanization. The international community has been urged to investigate these atrocities, which are part of a broader pattern of human rights abuses by the Syrian regime.

Read the Full MSN Article at:
https://www.msn.com/en-us/politics/government/iron-body-presses-and-bed-clamps-horrors-of-syria-s-slaughterhouse-prison-emerges/ar-AA1vxJX2

Like: 👍