Thu, December 12, 2024

by: THE WEEK

How Assad's dictatorial regime rose and fell in Syria

Syrian opposition forces have captured the capital city of Damascus and forced the country's president, Bashar al-Assad, to flee. This marks the first time in over half a century that a member of the Assad family will not rule Syria — and represents a seismic shift in the Middle East.

by: Arutz Sheva

A perverse alliance between Western Leftists and murderous Jihadis

by: The Jamaica Observer

What is the ground saying?

The ground is also saying that the safe seats will remain safe as party loyalists are not inclined to vote outside of their traditional seats unless there is a very attractive alternative. The marginal seats, as they stand, will remain where they are.

by: TwinCities.com

Mary Ellen Klas: DOGE's best idea yet is permanent daylight saving time

The good news is that there's already draft legislation, sponsored most recently by Florida Republican Senator Marco Rubio. It's called the "Sunshine Protection Act" and it would make daylight saving time permanent. It even has a catchy slogan: "Lock the clock." The Senate passed a similar bill in 2022 with bipartisan support. It died in the House.

by: CNN

Wray's departure will cement Trump's control over the institutions of US justice

FBI Director Christopher Wray's resignation announcement was the latest, and inevitable, step in the accumulation of massive and unusual power around President-elect Donald Trump.

by: St. Louis Post-Dispatch

Ex-St. Louis alderman starts lobbying after release from federal prison

Muhammad, who pleaded guilty in August 2022 to accepting bribes from a local businessman, registered as a lobbyist this week with the Missouri Ethics Commission, records show.

by: BBC

S Korea's President Yoon vows to 'fight to the end'

Embattled South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol has defended his shock decision to declare martial law last week, saying he did it to protect the country's democracy. In a surprise televised address on Thursday, he said the attempt was a legal decision to "prevent the collapse" of democracy.

by: Trinidad Express Newspapers

UNC stands in Tobago's way again

The two Tobago autonomy bills which were jointly conceived and created will now jointly meet their demise.Although the Tobago Island Government bill was passed, it was contingent on the passage

by: The Hindu

South Korean President Yoon defends martial law decree, denies rebellion charges

South Korea's president defends martial law decree, faces impeachment attempts, and investigations into rebellion charges.

by: MSN

NY taxpayers could get up to $500 'refund' checks under Hochul plan

Most New York taxpayers would get checks for up to $500 from Albany next year under a new proposal by Gov. Kathy Hochul that must be approved by state lawmakers. Hochul announced her "inflation refund" idea on Monday as the first preview of her annual State of the State speech,

by: CBS News

See the list of Trump Cabinet picks and more White House appointments so far

Here's a list of people President-elect Donald Trump has chosen for critical Cabinet posts and top White House jobs.

by: U.S. News & World Report

Germany's Scholz to Submit Parliament Request to Hold Confidence Vote

BERLIN (Reuters) - German Chancellor Olaf Scholz is set on Wednesday to submit a request to parliament to hold a vote of confidence, the necessary precursor to holding new federal elections after the collapse of his coalition last month.

by: Sydney Morning Herald

All hail the Tech Right: Why Trump's new bromances are even worse than the last

While Donald Trump's first inner circle may have tested democracy through its sheer chaos, the new guard presents a much greater threat that expands well beyond America.

by: The Independent

Angela Rayner forces councils to surrender green belt with immediate new housing targets

Labour prime minister Keir Starmer has promised to build 1.5 million new homes over five years to fix the housing crisis

by: Corvallis Gazette-Times

Philomath gets a new look (at least, its logo does)

It's the year of the rebrand for Benton County, and Philomath does not want to miss the train. This week, councilors were introduced to the city's new logo.
Wed, December 11, 2024

by: Yahoo

Kari Lake appointed by Trump to government media post

Kari Lake will serve as director of the Voice of America. That puts Lake, who lost bids for senator and governor in Arizona, in a familiar setting.

by: Hindustan Times

BJP playing petty politics: HPCC chief Pratibha

Pratibha Singh was reacting to the memorandum given to the governor by the state BJP leaders in protest against the two-year celebration of the state government

by: ABC12

Poll: Most Americans approve how Trump is handling transition

Most Americans expect President-elect Donald Trump to do a good job upon his return to the White House next month (54%) and a majority approves of how he's handling the

by: Missoulian

Missoula police approved for $515K Taser deal; evaluating AI report-writing software

Missoula Police Chief Mike Colyer said he's cautious about an artificial intelligence program that writes 80% of initial police reports, but he'll consider using it.

by: Sydney Morning Herald

TikTok caught in Australian tech charge as Labor unveils Meta fightback

Meta, Google and TikTok will within the scope of the charge, referred to as a News Media Bargaining Incentive, as they earn Australian revenue of more than $250 million.

by: Sacramento Bee

California economy faces 'many new unknowns' with second Donald Trump term, forecast says

California's most recent reported rate, in October, was 5.4%, the second highest state rate in the country. Nevada was first .The national rate was 4.1%. The UCLA Anderson forecast cited four areas where policy could dramatically shape the state's economy: Tariffs, immigration, taxes and regulations.

by: ProPublica

An Open Letter to Elon Musk

As Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy prepare for their roles as co-heads of the Department of Government Efficiency, they might look at the wasteful practices and spending by federal agencies ProPublica reporting has surfaced.

by: CBC.ca

Trump taunts Trudeau by calling him 'governor' of 'a great state'

President-elect Donald Trump took a jab at Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Tuesday, calling him a "governor" and referring to Canada as a "great state" — another suggestion by the incoming president that this country should be part of the United States.

by: World Socialist Web Site

Australian think tank urges social media campaigns to target youth for military propaganda

None of these conflicts have a popular mandate. There is significant concern in ruling circles that youth are increasingly hostile to war the associated attacks on democratic rights.

by: WESH

FBI Director Christopher Wray says he intends to resign at the end of President Biden's term

At a town hall meeting with the bureau workforce, Wray said he would be stepping down "after weeks of careful thought."

by: ACHR News

HVAC Legislation: 2024 Year in Review

HVACR political insiders talk about some of the year's most important developments, and about what might be ahead for the industry in Washington, D.C.

by: Raleigh News & Observer

NC elections board rejects GOP challenge of 60,000 ballots in Supreme Court race

The idea that someone could have been registered to vote, came to vote and then has their vote discarded is anathema to the democratic system and simply cannot be tolerated," Board Chair Alan Hirsch said.

by: The Hindu

India does not endorse Hasina's statements: Vikram Misri

Former Bangladesh PM's criticism of interim govt. a pinprick in bilateral ties, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri tells House panel; New Delhi's ties with Dhaka are not based on a 'single political party',

by: U.S. News & World Report

FBI Director Chris Wray Resigns Following Trump Nomination of Patel

Trump himself had appointed Wray, a fellow Republican, to his 10-year term in 2017, after firing his predecessor James Comey, who the then-president soured on over the FBI's investigations into alleged contacts between his 2016 campaign and Russia.

by: Channel NewsAsia Singapore

France's Macron expected to name new PM on Thursday

PARIS: French President Emmanuel Macron will likely name a new prime minister on Thursday, a government source told AFP on Wednesday (Dec 11), almost

by: Daily Mail

DAN HODGES: From Blairite centrist to social justice warrior, how David Lammy has changed his political persona over the years - and now has a budding bromance with Trump's VP

David Lammy is in the firing line again. On Monday the Foreign Secretary rose in the Commons to hail the fall of Bashar al-Assad. Or, as Lammy opted to describe him, 'the rat of Damascus'.

by: KWWL

CNN Poll: Most Americans approve how Trump is handling his return to the White House

Most Americans expect President-elect Donald Trump to do a good job upon his return to the White House next month (54%) and a majority approves of how he's

by: Trinidad Express Newspapers

Tobago a pivotal 'battleground' in election

Tobago can be a pivotal "battleground" in the 2025 general election and determine the next Government, according to political analysts.Whilst there are nine marginal constituencies in Trinidad, the ex

by: The State

SC lawmakers are reviving private school vouchers, hoping to overcome court challenge

SC's state Senators introduced a new version of the state's trust fund scholarship program that the Supreme Court struck down. The proposal is a top priority for Republican lawmakers.

by: Richmond

Del. McQuinn announces reelection bid, faces primary challenge

Henrico, announced her bid for reelection Tuesday evening standing alongside most of East End Henrico's elected officials. McQuinn faces a primary challenge from Henrico School Board Chair Alicia Atkins.

by: Buffalo News

Legislators want a policy on who can use Erie County suite in new Bills stadium

In light of past controversies related to the use of New York State's luxury box at Highmark Stadium, Legislature Chairwoman April Baskin wants there to be a clear policy on how the county's suite will be used two years from now.

by: pulse.com.gh

Check full list of Akufo-Addo and John Mahama's 2024 Transition Team

President Akufo-Addo and President-elect John Dramani Mahama have both announced their respective members of the 2024 transition team

by: WBAL-TV

Justice Department ignored some policies when seizing reporters' phone records, watchdog finds

A watchdog report reveals the Justice Department sidestepped rules in media leak investigations under the Trump administration, raising concerns about press freedom.

by: Le Monde.fr

Syria's new government makes first steps, searching for legitimacy

By appointing Mohammed al-Bashir as Syria's transitional prime minister on Tuesday, the Islamist group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham seems intent on cementing its control.

by: The Independent

Trump set to be named Time's 'Person of the Year' with 40 days to inauguration: Live

This will mark the second time Trump has been named Time's "Person of the Year," and to celebrate, he will reportedly ring the opening bell of the New York Stock Exchange on Thursday morning. The honor comes as Trump continues to fill out his administration before he takes office January 20.

by: Click2Houston

Secretary of State Blinken is returning to the Mideast in his latest diplomatic foray

Secretary of State Antony Blinken is returning to the Middle East this week on his 12th visit since the Israel-Hamas war erupted last year.

by: Politico Europe

Macron working to strip far right of influence on next French government

The French president is trying to limit the far-right National Rally's influence and find a way forward with the center left, but a path ahead remains elusive.

by: Ghanaweb.com

No official vehicle shall be acquired by appointees of the current administration - Government

The Office of the President has reiterated its directive prohibiting political appointees from acquiring official government vehicles as the current administration comes to an end.

by: Charlotte Observer

Why this Western NC lawmaker flipped his vote, helping Republicans pass power-shift bill

Rep. Mark Pless' problems with the bill had nothing to do with its restructuring of power in state government. How he was reassured after originally voting "no."

by: The Conversation

US secretary of education helps set national priorities in a system primarily funded and guided by local governments

If Republicans manage to achieve a long-standing goal by getting rid of the Department of Education, there wouldn't be a secretary of education anymore.

by: New York Sun

Trumpism Goes Global: America's Peaceful Citizen Uprising Inspires Political Rebellion Across the World

Entrenched political leaders and parties are being tumultuously evicted in Europe, South America, the Middle East, and Asia.

by: Associated Press

Macron seeks political deal to name a new prime minister and restore France's stability

A spokesperson for France's outgoing government says President Emmanuel Macron is seeking a political deal that would allow him to both name a new prime minister and "guarantee the stability of the country.

by: MSN

Republicans Introduce Bills to Cut Federal Workforce, Salaries as Musk, Ramaswamy Begin Government-Efficiency Work

Republican lawmakers are introducing a package of bills to improve government efficiency as businessmen Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy spearhead President-elect Donald Trump's advisory commission on curtailing government waste.

TikTok caught in Australian tech charge as Labor unveils Meta fightback

Meta, Google and TikTok will within the scope of the charge, referred to as a News Media Bargaining Incentive, as they earn Australian revenue of more than $250 million.

The article from The Sydney Morning Herald discusses the Australian Labor government's strategy to counter the dominance of tech giants like Meta (formerly known as Facebook) by introducing new regulations and possibly targeting platforms like TikTok. The government is considering a range of measures including a potential digital services tax, which would impose a levy on the revenue generated by tech companies from Australian users. This move is part of a broader push to ensure that tech companies contribute more fairly to the Australian economy, especially in light of their significant influence over digital advertising markets and data privacy concerns. Additionally, there's mention of a crackdown on misinformation and harmful content, with TikTok being highlighted due to its growing user base and the geopolitical tensions involving its parent company, ByteDance, which is based in China. The article also touches on the government's intention to strengthen the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) to better regulate these tech giants, aiming to protect local media and ensure a level playing field in the digital space.

Read the Full Sydney Morning Herald Article at:
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/tiktok-caught-in-australian-tech-charge-as-labor-unveils-meta-fightback-20241212-p5kxss.html