Reporter’s Notebook: People are policy
It is that in politics, people are policy. So President-elect Trump’s “policies” descended on Capitol Hill this week. Thus begins the quadrennial tradition of various Cabinet nominees parading around the Senate. They’re here to meet with senators, answer questions, press the flesh, get a sense of what senators want to know about them in a confirmation hearing – and where the pitfalls lie. We got a sliver of this before Thanksgiving. That’s when former attorney general nominee and former Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., huddled with a handful of Republican senators. Then Gaetz bowed out, so it was on to Trump’s second pick for attorney general – Pam Bondi. Bondi arrived at the Capitol Monday to meet with incoming Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, but her first meeting was postponed because Grassley’s flight was delayed. They finally chatted later in the afternoon. “I look forward to working with you and leading your nomination through the United States Senate,” said Grassley once he finally made it to his office in the Hart Senate Office Building. REPORTER’S NOTEBOOK: THE HITCHHIKER’S GUIDE TO RECESS APPOINTMENTS “Should I earn the trust and the nomination from all of the senators, I will do my best every day to work tirelessly for the American people. And I will make you, the president and our country proud,” added Bondi. “Is this going to be easier than Mr. Gaetz?” asked yours truly. “No questions. No questions,” ordered Grassley. Bondi soon headed to the Russell Senate Office Building to caucus with the current top Republican on the Judiciary Committee, Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C. “She’s a great choice. Been a longtime friend. I think right person at right time,” said Graham. Bondi may have an easier path to Senate confirmation than the other nominee roaming the Senate corridors, Defense secretary pick Pete Hegseth. He met with Sens. Bill Hagerty, R-Tenn., Tommy Tuberville, R-Ala., and Dan Sullivan, R-Alaska. “We’re taking it meeting by meeting,” said Hegseth. Hegseth, a former Fox News host, faces a host of questions about whether he’s qualified to lead such a massive organization as the U.S. military. There’s been a blanket of allegations lodged against Hegseth. “Were you ever drunk while traveling on the job?” asked Nikole Killion of CBS. “I won’t dignify that with a response,” replied Hegseth. He then proceeded to a series of sessions with Sens. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, Cynthia Lummis, R-Wyo., Rick Scott, R-Fla., and Mike Lee, R-Utah. Hegseth appears to have earned the support of some of the most conservative members of the Senate. “We don’t need a general officer, admiral or a person of high command,” said Tuberville. “We need a drill sergeant in the military. We need somebody to straighten the military out. Get the woke, the DEI affiliation out and go from there.” Hegseth was back at it Tuesday morning, meeting with Sens. Deb Fischer, R-Neb., Shelley Moore Capito, R-W.V., Ted Budd, R-N.C., Jim Risch, R-Idaho, and Eric Schmitt, R-Mo. Wednesday meant meetings with Sen. Joni Ernst, R-Iowa, incoming Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., and the next chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, Sen. Roger Wicker, R-Miss. Hegseth has also expressed reservations about women serving in combat. Colleague Aishah Hasnie pressed Hegseth on this very point as he toggled between Senate offices. “We have amazing women who serve in our military. Amazing women,” said Hegseth. “Do you think they should be in combat?” asked Hasnie. “I think they’re already in combat,” replied Hegseth. Amid all the focus on Bondi and Hegseth, Rep. Elise Stefanik, R-N.Y., the nominee for United Nations ambassador, snuck in a meeting with Grassley. And Treasury secretary nominee Scott Bessent is also slated to meet with Thune and newly tapped Senate Majority Whip John Barrasso, R-Wyo. Out of the middle of nowhere, Education secretary nominee Linda McMahon materialized for a session with Sen. Markwayne Mullin, R-Okla., Tuesday. You think things are hitting a fevered pitch now? Wait until FBI pick Kash Patel and Health and Human Services secretary nominee Robert F. Kennedy Jr. begin making their office calls. And we haven’t even gotten to the prospective confirmation hearings of Hegseth, Kennedy and Patel in early January. Cable TV channels will likely carry those hearings wall-to-wall. And depending on the day, it may be a challenging programming decision on which hearing to take live – especially if two or three all come around the same time. A dynamic duo arrives at Capitol Hill later this week – who don’t require confirmation. And in fact, their visits may command more attention than any of the nominees for the next cabinet. President-elect Trump tapped former Republican presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy and Elon Musk to run the Department of Government Efficiency, or DOGE. They’re set to meet with House and Senate Republicans about their plans to pare back the government. They begin with meetings with Sen. Joni Ernst, R-Iowa, who is leading the Senate’s DOGE Caucus. “We have a lot of waste that exists in the federal government,” said Ernst. “We have over $1 trillion of savings already identified for the DOGE.” Even Rep. Jared Moskowitz, D-Fla., became the first Democrat to join the House DOGE Caucus. “I believe that streamlining government processes and reducing ineffective government spending should not be a partisan issue,” said Moskowitz. “The caucus should look at the bureaucracy that DHS has become and include recommendations to make Secret Service and FEMA independent federal agencies with a direct report to the White House.” When it comes to confirmations, Democrats insist that Republicans do things by the book. They want background checks on nominees, and they’re also imploring the GOP not to allow Trump to bypass the Senate if there are problems and install people temporarily via recess appointments. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin, D-Ill., took issue with the speedy meetings Republican senators had with nominees. Some of those sessions resulted in GOP senators then proclaiming they would vote to confirm. US CAPITOL POLICE ARREST HOUSE DEMOCRAT STAFF MEMBER AFTER FINDING AMMUNITION “You can’t do a speed dating
Biden appears to rest his eyes at African summit in Angola
President Biden appeared to rest his eyes during a summit with African leaders in Lobito, Angola, in a moment that was caught on video. Seated in the middle of a table with various officials from African countries, the 82-year-old president can be seen closing his eyes and resting his head while Tazania’s Vice President Philip Mpango spoke. Biden’s eyes remained closed for more than a minute. Otherwise, he was alert and gave remarks before and after the brief period. The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment. WHO ELSE MIGHT BIDEN PARDON AFTER HE SPARED HUNTER FROM SENTENCING? Several observers on social media said it looked like the president fell asleep. “Joe Biden fell asleep during a meeting with African leaders today,” Outkick founder Clay Travis posted on X. “He’s sharp as a tack though! Honestly, this feels intentional. Who puts an 82 year old on a plane for a THREE DAY trip to Africa?! Three days! So dumb.” BIDEN PLEDGES $1B IN AID TO AFRICA AS NORTH CAROLINA RESIDENTS CONTINUE TO STRUGGLE AFTER HELENE Jake Schneider, who was the rapid response director for President-elect Trump’s campaign, quipped, “Biden literally falls asleep during his own meeting in Africa. Who’s running the country?” And Denver-based radio host Ross Kaminsky, among others, called the episode “embarrassing” for the United States. BIDEN TRAVELS TO AFRICA WHERE POLICIES WERE ‘OVER-PROMISED AND UNDER-DELIVERED,’ AMID MASSIVE CHINA EXPANSION “It’s incredible that our enemies haven’t challenged us more while we’re basically without a president,” Kamisnky shared on X. Earlier on Tuesday, Biden announced $1 billion in humanitarian aid to support Africans displaced by historic droughts and food insecurity. “The United States continues to be the world’s largest provider of humanitarian aid and development assistance. That’s going to increase, you know, that’s the right thing for the wealthiest nation in the world to do,” Biden said while speaking in Angola. “Today I’m announcing over $1 billion in new humanitarian support for Africans displaced from homes by historic droughts and food insecurity. We know African leaders and citizens are seeking more than just aid. You seek investment. Biden’s visit to Angola this week marks the first time the president has stepped foot on African soil during his presidency, and it comes as people in North Carolina continue to face challenges after Hurricane Helene caused destruction and devastation in late September. Last month, the White House requested $98 billion in additional disaster relief funding to help efforts in Helene-ravished areas. Fox News Digital’s Greg Wehner contributed to this report.
Supreme Court appears divided over state bans on gender transition ‘treatments’ for minors
The Supreme Court appeared divided Wednesday over the constitutionality of state laws banning gender transition medical “treatments” for minors, a politically charged issue dealing with transgender rights. The justices heard nearly two-and-a-half hours of tense oral arguments over a challenge to a Tennessee law. At issue is whether the equal protection clause — which requires the government to treat similarly situated people the same — prohibits states from allowing medical providers to deliver puberty blockers and hormones to facilitate a minor’s transition to another sex. Hundreds of people on both sides of the issue rallied in front of the court. Some demonstrators held signs saying, “Kids’ Health Matters,” while others promoted “Freedom To Be: A Celebration of Transgender Youth & Families.” The court’s ruling could affect other current legal fights over transgender rights, including bathroom access and participation in scholastic sports. It could also serve as a legal template to future disputes involving the LGBTQ+ community, and whether sexual orientation is a “protected class” that deserves the same rights that involve a person’s race and national origin. The three justices appointed by former President Trump could be the key to deciding the socially divisive question. Justices Brett Kavanaugh and Amy Coney Barrett asked tough questions of both sides, and Justice Neil Gorsuch did not speak during the marathon public session. SUPREME COURT WEIGHS TRANSGENDER YOUTH TREATMENTS IN LANDMARK CASE Justice Samuel Alito cited “hotly disputed” medical studies on the supposed benefits of such medical treatments. Instead he referred to other research from Great Britain and Sweden that reported on the negative consequences from teens that underwent gender transition treatments. Those studies “found a complete lack of high-quality evidence showing that the benefits of the treatments in question here outweigh the risks,” he told the federal government’s attorney. “Do you dispute that?” But Justice Sonia Sotomayor countered with evidence from underage individuals that were denied treatment. “Some children suffer incredibly with gender dysphoria, don’t they? I think some attempt suicide?” she said. “The state has come in here and, in a sharp departure from how it normally addresses this issue, it has completely decided to override the views of the parents, the patients, the doctors who are grappling with these decisions and trying to make those trade-offs.” Justice Brett Kavanaugh summed up the competing interests facing the high court. “How do we as a Court choose which set of risks is more serious in deciding whether to constitutionalize this whole area?” Chief Justice John Roberts voted in the majority in a 2020 case favoring transgender employees who claim workplace discrimination. That opinion was authored by Gorsuch. But in Wednesday’s arguments, Roberts suggested state legislatures – rather than courts – were in a better position to decide such questions over regulating medical procedures. TED CRUZ, GOP LAWMAKERS URGE SCOTUS TO END ‘MEXICO’S ASSAULT ON OUR SECOND AMENDMENT’ “The Constitution leaves that question to the people’s representatives, rather than to nine people, none of whom is a doctor,” Roberts told ACLU lawyer Chase Strangio, who was representing transgender minors, parents and a doctor. Strangio is the first openly transgender attorney to argue a case before the Supreme Court. He appeared alongside the U.S. solicitor general, representing the Biden administration in opposing the law in Tennessee, one of about two dozen with similar bans. Prelogar said the state laws have the effect of “sex discrimination,” since the minor’s gender is key when determining specific medical treatments for those seeking to transition. She cited the benefits of such “medically necessary care” that can have the effect of preventing “escalating distress, anxiety, and suicidality.” The Justice Department mentioned the experience of Ryan, one of the plaintiffs, who told the courts such treatment “saved his life.” The American Medical Association, the American Academy of Pediatrics, and the American Psychiatric Association have all endorsed such medical treatments for youths. Tennessee Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti told reporters after the arguments, “The Constitution allows the states to protect kids from unproven, life-altering procedures based on uncertain science.” The state’s lawyer told the justices its law — known as SB1 — “draws a line between minors seeking drugs for gender transition and minors seeking drugs for other medical purposes,” like a congenital defect or precocious or early onset puberty. In arguments, much of the discussion was whether the laws were applied equally to boys and girls, and whether states had a greater interest in regulating treatment, since it involved underage individuals. “It’s really for minors,” said Justice Clarence Thomas. “So why isn’t this simply a case of age classification when it comes to these treatments as opposed to a [outright] ban?” for everyone. But the three more liberal justices were skeptical of the state’s positions. “It’s a dodge to say that this is not based on sex, it’s based on medical purpose, when the medical purpose is utterly and entirely about sex,” said Justice Elena Kagan. She added the state law seems to me sending a message that “there’s something fundamentally wrong, fundamentally bad, about youth who are trying to transition.” “One of the articulated purposes of this law is essentially to encourage gender conformity and to discourage anything other than gender conformity,” said Kagan. It “sounds to me like: we want boys to be boys and we want girls to be girls.” Trump, who takes office again next month as president, had promised in his re-election campaign to implement certain policy changes that would affect transgender individuals across various sectors. A ruling is expected by late June 2025. The case is U.S. v. Skrmetti (23-477).
Supreme Court appears divided over state bans on gender transition ‘treatments’ for minors
The Supreme Court appeared divided Wednesday over the constitutionality of state laws banning gender-affirming medical care for minors, a politically charged issue dealing with transgender rights. The justices heard nearly two-and-a-half hours of tense oral arguments over a challenge to a Tennessee law. At issue is whether the equal protection clause — which requires the government to treat similarly situated people the same — prohibits states from allowing medical providers to deliver puberty blockers and hormones to facilitate a minor’s transition to another sex. The three justices appointed by former President Trump could be the key to deciding the socially divisive question. Justices Brett Kavanaugh and Amy Coney Barrett asked tough questions of both sides, and Justice Neil Gorsuch did not speak during the marathon public session. Justice Samuel Alito cited “overwhelming evidence” from some medical studies that cited the negative consequences from teens that underwent gender-affirming care. But Justice Sonia Sotomayor countered with evidence from underage individuals that were denied treatment to address gender dysphoria. SUPREME COURT WEIGHS TRANSGENDER YOUTH TREATMENTS IN LANDMARK CASE Chief Justice John Roberts voted in the majority in a 2020 case favoring transgender employees who claim workplace discrimination. That opinion was authored by Gorsuch. But in Wednesday’s arguments, Roberts suggested state legislatures – rather than courts – were in a better position to decide such questions over regulating medical procedures. TED CRUZ, GOP LAWMAKERS URGE SCOTUS TO END ‘MEXICO’S ASSAULT ON OUR SECOND AMENDMENT’ “The Constitution leaves that question to the people’s representatives, rather than to nine people, none of whom is a doctor,” Roberts told ACLU lawyer Chase Strangio, who was representing transgender minors, parents and a doctor. Strangio is the first openly transgender attorney to argue a case before the Supreme Court. He appeared alongside the U.S. solicitor general, representing the Biden administration in opposing the law in Tennessee, one of about two dozen with similar bans. Trump, who takes office again next month as president, had promised in his re-election campaign to implement certain policy changes that would affect transgender individuals across various sectors. A ruling is expected by late June 2025. The case is U.S. v. Skrmetti (23-477).
Some migrants, anticipating Trump’s policies, are already turning back home: report
A growing number of migrants are deciding to return home rather than face the consequences of President-elect Trump’s planned border policies, according to a new report. Mexican officials say between 50 and 100 migrants are now requesting “voluntary return” to their own countries, with migrants either covering their own costs or relying on state funds. Some migrants credit their apprehension to Trump’s plans to eliminate a U.S. government app used to claim asylum with border agents. “I trust I will arrive before Mr. Trump takes office,” one migrant, Johana, told Reuters. “If it’s not by appointment, there’s always a way.” President Biden’s administration has used the application to allow hundreds of thousands of migrants to schedule border crossings and claim asylum in the U.S. Officials with the incoming Trump administration have said they will eliminate the program as well as re-institute the “remain in Mexico” policy. BORDER PATROL, ICE MORALE SURGING AFTER TRUMP ELECTION WIN: ‘THEY KNOW THEY CAN GET THE BAD GUYS NOW’ Migrants waiting to receive appointments in Mexico will be stranded there if they don’t get a date scheduled by the beginning of Trump’s term, leaving them to either attempt crossing illegally, remain in Mexico during their asylum process, or return home. DEM GOVERNOR THREATENS TO USE ‘EVERY TOOL’ TO FIGHT BACK AGAINST TRUMP-ERA DEPORTATIONS Thanks to the dangerous cartel environment in Mexico, many are saying they would rather return home. “I cry every day and ask God to take me back, I don’t want to be here anymore… this is horrible,” said Yuleidi Moreno, a migrant who has yet to receive an appointment. Nidia Montenegro, another migrant in the same position, said she would choose to return home if she could. “I am traumatized. If I don’t get the appointment, I will go back,” she told Reuters. MIGRANT ACCUSED OF VIOLENT CRIMES ARRESTED BY ICE AFTER MASSACHUSETTS COURT REFUSED TO HONOR DETAINER Officials in Trump’s first administration stressed that its policies were aimed at dissuading migrants from making the dangerous journey through Mexico to the U.S. border. Migrants are often kidnapped and faced with violence by cartels. Trump’s incoming border czar, Tom Homan, has said the new administration will both stem illegal immigration and take the cartels “off the face of the earth.” “They have killed more Americans than every terrorist organization in the world and Trump is committed to calling them terrorist organizations and using the full might of the United States Special Operations to take them out,” Homan said on Fox News last month. Reuters contributed to this report.
Police raid Georgia opposition parties’ offices as protests continue
The opposition Coalition for Change party says its leader Nika Gvaramia is detained by police. Police in Georgia have raided the offices of several opposition parties in what appears to be an attempt to halt a wave of protests against the governing Georgia Dream party’s decision to suspend talks on joining the European Union. Thousands of people have rallied in the capital, Tbilisi, for six consecutive nights with police firing tear gas and water cannon to disperse the crowds. Some protesters have thrown fireworks at police and constructed barricades in the city centre. On Wednesday, the opposition Coalition for Change party said its leader Nika Gvaramia had been detained by police. The party published a video on X showing Gvaramia being carried by the arms and legs by several men down some steps. Police also raided the offices of the Youth Organisation of the opposition United National Movement (UNM) party, one of the party leaders, Levan Khabeishvili, told journalists. UNM in a statement accused the Georgian government of launching “all-out terror and repressions against opponents”. Advertisement The Interpress news agency reported two members of another opposition party, Strong Georgia, had been detained by the police. Police beat and arrested the leader of the Akhali liberal opposition party and conducted a raid on the offices of the Droa party, images broadcast on local TV showed. The raids came after Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze promised to crack down on what he called “radical” political forces he accused of organising the protests. “It is clear to everyone that these violent actions are entirely coordinated by the radical opposition. … No one will escape accountability, including the politicians hiding in their offices,” he said. Demonstrators clash with police officers in the Georgian capital [Irakli Gedenidze/Reuters] Demonstrators to gather again Further protests were scheduled for Wednesday evening. Al Jazeera’s Dmitry Medvedenko speaking from Tbilisi says police were stationed at the parliament building to prevent protesters from getting closer. “Agitation here is mounting near the parliament,” he said. “It is the seventh night of protests here in Tbilisi. People that we’ve been talking to have been saying the arrest of the opposition leader [Gvaramia] is not going to deter them from coming here, night after night.” Beforehand, pro-EU President Salome Zurabishvili accused Georgian Dream of closing “shops selling protective gas masks, protective goggles and helmets, leaving peaceful protesters deprived of their elementary protection”. Early on Wednesday, police cleared demonstrators from Tbilisi’s main avenue outside the parliament building, using tear gas and water cannon, then chased fleeing people throughout the city and made arrests. Advertisement The Ministry of Labour, Health and Social Affairs said “11 protesters, three journalists and one police officer” were taken to hospitals with injuries. “On-site medical assistance was provided to dozens of individuals, including media representatives and law enforcement officers,” it added. More than 300 protesters have been detained since the demonstrations erupted on Thursday, and more than 100 people have been treated for injuries. Demonstrators accuse the government of betraying Georgia’s bid for EU membership, which is enshrined in its constitution and supported by about 80 percent of the population, according to polls. Georgia’s public ombudsman, a former opposition politician, accused the police on Tuesday of harshly mistreating people detained during the demonstrations, conduct that he said amounted to torture. Police officers in riot gear are deployed as supporters of Georgia’s opposition parties hold a rally in Tbilisi, Georgia [Irakli Gedenidze/Reuters] Adblock test (Why?)
World chess champ Ding and teen challenger Gukesh tied past halfway mark
Gukesh Dommaraju gives up strong position in middle game with inaccurate moves in eighth match of world championship in Singapore. Defending world chess champion Ding Liren and teenage challenger Gukesh Dommaraju played to a fifth consecutive draw with neither player taking the lead after eight games. Both players were deadlocked at four points each in the first World Championship encounter between two Asian players as the 14-match tournament went past the halfway mark on Wednesday in Singapore. For the second game in a row, Gukesh appeared to give up a strong position during the middle game by playing a series of inaccurate moves. However, the Indian teenager rejected Ding’s offer of a draw after 41 moves and played some attacks during the endgame in an attempt to get a result. But the Chinese grandmaster fended off the offensive, and the players eventually shook hands on another draw after 51 moves. Gukesh admitted that he was not aware of his perilous position when he rejected the draw and immediately put Ding under check. “I didn’t think I was in much danger,” said the 18-year-old, who played with the black pieces. Advertisement “I always thought that in my position, maybe I would have some chances, but it was just a misjudgement of the position.” Ding, for his part, rued his inability to press home his advantage. “Today during the game, I didn’t realise that I was winning at some point,” the 32-year-old said. “I think he missed some important details, which let me get back into the game, but before that, he was totally outplaying me again. “Actually, I didn’t feel too nervous during the game, but I felt uncomfortable out of the open.” Game nine of the series will take place at Resorts World Sentosa on Thursday. The first player to get 7.5 points will be declared the winner. Tiebreaks will take place if the players are tied on seven points after 14 games. Gukesh is the youngest player in history to compete in the World Championship and he is looking to surpass Garry Kasparov as the youngest undisputed world chess champion. Adblock test (Why?)
Syria gov’t forces battle opposition fighters near city of Hama
The Syrian government said its counteroffensive has pushed back opposition fighters attempting to advance to the strategic central city of Hama, while opposition forces say they captured more Syrian troops and Iran-backed fighters in fierce battles. Forces opposed to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad have staged their biggest advance in years over the past week, capturing large parts of the northern city of Aleppo, the country’s largest, as well as towns and villages in southern parts of the northwestern Idlib province. The offensive is being led by led by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), as well as Turkiye-backed opposition fighters known as the Syrian National Army (SNA). Both groups have in recent years entrenched themselves in northwest Idlib province and parts of northern Aleppo, with HTS considered the dominant force. A video circulating on social media confirmed by Al Jazeera’s Sanad verification agency showed HTS leader Abu Mohammed al-Golani on Wednesday surrounded by supporters as he walked in front of the Citadel of Aleppo, a large medieval fortified palace in the centre of the old city. Advertisement The war between Assad and his allies – including Russia and Iran – and the array of armed opposition forces seeking his overthrow has killed an estimated half-million people during the past 13 years. Fierce battles near Hama Syrian state media SANA on Wednesday said opposition fighters retreated some 20km (12 miles) from government-held Hama, Syria’s fourth-largest city, as government troops backed by Russian airpower entrenched themselves in the outskirts. Fierce fighting has raged for days as Damascus fears that the opposition will make their way into the city as they did over the weekend into Aleppo. The opposition through its Military Operations Department channel on the Telegram app said they captured five Iran-backed fighters, of whom two were from Afghanistan, as well as three Syrian troops from its 25th Special Mission Forces Division in eastern Hama. The claims could not be independently confirmed. Wassim, a 36-year-old delivery driver from Hama city, said the sounds were “really terrifying” and the continuous bombing was audible. “I’ll stay home because I have nowhere else to flee to,” he said. A Syrian photographer working for the German news agency dpa was killed in an air strike near the city of Hama, the agency said on Wednesday. Anas Alkharboutli, 32, has long documented Syria’s civil war, and worked for the agency from 2017. If the opposition seize Hama city and control the province, it could leave the coastal cities of Tartous and Lattakia isolated from the rest of the country. Lattakia is a key political stronghold for al-Assad and Syria’s Alawite community, as well as a strategic Russian naval base. Advertisement ‘Next target will be Damascus’ Sinem Koseoglu, reporting from northwestern Syria’s Menagh military air base, said opposition fighters are “very happy” that Aleppo has been captured. “Some of the commanders that I have spoken to were from Hama, from Aleppo … they say, they will enter Hama,” Koseoglu said. “Their next target will be Damascus.” Tens of thousands have been displaced by the fighting, which started last week, Geir Pedersen, the UN special envoy for Syria, said Tuesday. “If we do not see de-escalation and a rapid move to a serious political process, involving the Syrian parties and the key international players, then I fear we will see a deepening of the crisis,” Pedersen said in an address the UN Security Council. “Syria will be in grave danger of further division, deterioration, and destruction.” Turkiye, which backs Syria’s opposition, has called on al-Assad to reconcile with opposition forces and include them in any political solution to end the conflict. Ankara has been seeking to normalise ties with Syria to address perceived security threats from groups affiliated with Kurdish fighters along its southern border and to help ensure the safe return of more than 3 million Syrian refugees. Al-Assad has insisted that Turkiye’s withdrawal of its military forces from northern Syria be a condition for any normalisation between the two countries. Damascus refers to the opposition as “terrorists”, and al-Assad has promised to respond to the offensive with an iron fist. Advertisement Turkish and Iranian officials met earlier this week, in a bid to reach a solution and de-escalate the flareup. Arab countries bordering Syria, and who once backed groups that tried to overthrow al-Assad, have expressed their concern about the conflict’s regional effects, and have backed the president. “Many policymakers thought, well, al-Assad won, there is no war,” said Rim Turkmani, director of the Syria Conflict Research Programme at the London School of Economics. But “we’ve been worrying about this for years, that the fact that there is no intense violence doesn’t mean that the conflict is over,” she said. While the opposition fighters may have advanced swiftly, it does not mean they will have the capacity to hold the territory they have captured. HTS is “very well organised, very ideologically driven,” Turkmani said. “However, they spread very quickly and very thin. And I think very quickly they’re going to realise it’s beyond their capacity to maintain these areas and, most importantly, to govern them.” Adblock test (Why?)
Dem senator urges Biden to extend protections for illegal immigrants before Trump admin: ‘Nobody is safe’
A Democratic senator is calling on the Biden administration to extend deportation protections and work permits for illegal immigrants in the U.S., ahead of what is expected to be a historic mass deportation campaign by the incoming Trump administration. Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto, D-Nev., said in a post on X that “President Biden has the power to protect immigrant families, and I’m calling on him to use it.” She pointed to the use of Temporary Protected Status (TPS), which is a status administered by the Department of Homeland Security that allows nationals who are living in the U.S. already to obtain work permits and be shielded from deportation. TOP CONSERVATIVE GROUP REVEALS ROADMAP TO REBUILD NEW US IMMIGRATION SYSTEM ‘FROM THE ASHES’ TPS grants protection to nationals from countries considered unsafe to return them to. It has been used broadly by the Biden administration, including to protect hundreds of thousands of nationals from Haiti and Venezuela. Meanwhile, the Biden administration has sought to provide additional safeguards for those protected from deportation via the Obama-era Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program. That program benefited illegal immigrants who came to the U.S. as minors. FIVE THINGS TO WATCH FOR ON IMMIGRATION AND BORDER SECURITY IN 2025 “They are part of our communities, and what the president can do is just take legal action to extend their TPS statuses,” Cortez Masto said on MSNBC on Tuesday. “But it’s not just our TPS recipients. My hope is that the president, in the last two months, also quickly processes our DACA recipients applications. We need to make sure our dreamers also have the ability to stay here, continue to be a part of the country that they grew up in.” The first Trump administration sought unsuccessfully to end DACA, and reduced the use of TPS. In the next administration, it is expected to either terminate TPS for many nationalities or allow them to expire without renewal. CLICK HERE FOR MORE COVERAGE OF THE BORDER SECURITY CRISIS Cortez Masto highlighted the Trump campaign’s promise to launch a mass deportation campaign as a rationale for the extension of TPS and additional DACA protections. “They’re going to engage in mass deportation and nobody’s safe,” she said. “So that’s why I’m asking the administration to come in and take action that they can now to protect some of the immigrant community, TPS recipients and DACA recipients, make sure that at least we’re bringing certainty to them and keeping their families together.” The Biden administration moved on TPS as recently as October, when it both extended and redesignated TPS for Lebanese nationals – meaning that new nationals not initially covered could apply for protection. The Department of Homeland Security estimated that approximately 11,000 Lebanese nationals would be eligible under both TPS and Deferred Enforcement Departure – a similar use of executive authority administered by the president.
Outgoing GOP congressman seeks role as Trump’s drug czar after first nominee falls through
Outgoing GOP Rep. Anthony D’Esposito, R-N.Y., is gunning to be the next leader of President-elect Donald Trump’s Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA), after Trump’s first nominee withdrew his name from the running, a source familiar with the situation told Fox News Digital. D’Esposito has been working to consolidate support from regional law enforcement unions to support his bid, and he has been actively making calls to people in Trump’s orbit to get his name to the top, the source indicated, adding that D’Esposito has been “campaigning pretty hard for this.” SMALL TOWN POLICE ON FRONT LINES OF CARTELS’ DRUG WAR COSTING AMERICANS THEIR LIVES Trump nominated Florida Sheriff Chad Chronister for the role over the weekend, but Chronister withdrew his name from consideration on Tuesday. Chronister’s decision came amid criticism from Republicans over how he handled lockdowns during the COVID-19 pandemic. THOMAS MASSIE, CONSERVATIVE COMMENTATORS VOCALLY OPPOSE TRUMP’S DEA NOMINEE After first being elected in 2022 to represent a Long Island congressional district that voted for President Biden in 2020, D’Esposito lost his bid for re-election last month to Democrat Laura Gillen. On Wednesday, the Nassau County Detectives Association lobbied for Trump to nominate D’Esposito to be the next head of the DEA, which is an agency within the Department of Homeland Security. Trump’s next DEA chief would be his point man to help stem the massive flow of fentanyl making its way into the U.S. “As a respected member of Congress, D’Esposito has demonstrated leadership & commitment needed to help DJT in his goal of Making America Safe Again,” the group wrote on social media Wednesday. Fox News Digital reached out to Trump’s transition team to glean more details on where D’Esposito stands in terms of being named the next head of the DEA, but did not receive an on-the-record response by publication time.