jollibet casino app Opposition fighters are closing in on Syria’s capital in a swiftly developing crisis that has taken much of the world by surprise. Syria’s army has abandoned key cities with little resistance. Nervous residents in Damascus describe security forces on the streets. The state news agency has been forced to deny rumors that President Bashar Assad has left the country. Who are these opposition fighters ? If they enter Damascus after taking some of Syria’s largest cities , what then? Here’s a look at the stunning reversal of fortune for Assad and his government in just the past 10 days, and what might lie ahead as Syria’s 13-year civil war reignites . The aim? Overthrow the government This is the first time that opposition forces have reached the outskirts of the Syrian capital since 2018, when the country’s troops recaptured the area following a yearslong siege. The approaching fighters are led by the most powerful insurgent group in Syria, Hayat Tahrir al-Sham , or HTS, along with an umbrella group of Turkish-backed Syrian militias called the Syrian National Army. Both have been entrenched in the northwest. They launched the shock offensive on Nov. 27 with gunmen capturing Aleppo, Syria’s largest city, and the central city of Hama, the fourth largest. The HTS has its origins in al-Qaida and is considered a terrorist organization by the U.S. and the United Nations. But the group said in recent years it cut ties with al-Qaida, and experts say HTS has sought to remake itself in recent years by focusing on promoting civilian government in their territory as well as military action. HTS leader Abu Mohammed al-Golani told CNN in an exclusive interview Thursday from Syria that the aim of the offensive is to overthrow Assad’s government. Possible rifts ahead The HTS and Syrian National Army have been allies at times and rivals at times, and their aims might diverge. The Turkish-backed militias also have an interest in creating a buffer zone near the Turkish border to keep away Kurdish militants at odds with Ankara. Turkey has been a main backer of the fighters seeking to overthrow Assad but more recently has urged reconciliation, and Turkish officials have strongly rejected claims of any involvement in the current offensive. Whether the HTS and the Syrian National Army will work together if they succeed in overthrowing Assad or turn on each other again is a major question. Others take advantage While the flash offensive against Syria’s government began in the north, armed opposition groups have also mobilized elsewhere. The southern areas of Sweida and Daraa have both been taken locally. Sweida is the heartland of Syria’s Druze religious minority and had been the site of regular anti-government protests even after Assad seemingly consolidated his control over the area. Daraa is a Sunni Muslim area that was widely seen as the cradle of the uprising against Assad’s rule that erupted in 2011. Daraa was recaptured by Syrian government troops in 2018, but rebels remained in some areas. In recent years, Daraa was in a state of uneasy quiet under a Russian-mediated ceasefire deal. And much of Syria’s east is controlled by the Syrian Democratic Forces, a Kurdish-led group backed by the United States that in the past has clashed with most other armed groups in the country. Syria’s government now has control of only three of 14 provincial capitals: Damascus, Latakia and Tartus. What’s next? Much depends on Assad’s next moves and his forces’ will to fight the rebels. A commander with the insurgents, Hassan Abdul-Ghani, posted on the Telegram messaging app that opposition forces have started carrying out the “final stage” of their offensive by encircling Damascus. And Syrian troops withdrew Saturday from much of the central city of Homs, Syria’s third largest, according to a pro-government outlet and the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. If that city is captured, the link would be cut between Damascus, Assad’s seat of power, and the coastal region where he enjoys wide support. “Homs to the coastal cities will be a very huge red line politically and socially. Politically, if this line is crossed, then we are talking about the end of the entire Syria, the one that we knew in the past,” said a Damascus resident, Anas Joudeh. Assad appears to be largely on his own as allies Russia and Iran are distracted by other conflicts and the Lebanon-based Hezbollah has been weakened by its war with Israel, now under a fragile ceasefire. The U.N. special envoy for Syria, Geir Pedersen, seeks urgent talks in Geneva to ensure an “orderly political transition,” saying the situation is changing by the minute. He met with foreign ministers and senior diplomats from eight key countries including Saudi Arabia, Russia, Egypt, Turkey and Iran on the sidelines of the Doha Summit. President-elect Donald Trump in his first extensive comments on the developments in Syria said the besieged Assad didn’t deserve U.S. support to stay in power. “THIS IS NOT OUR FIGHT,” Trump posted on social media. ___ Associated Press writer Abby Sewell in Beirut contributed.Biden issues veto threat on bill expanding federal judiciary as partisan split emerges

Vivek Ramaswamy — the billionaire who failed in his bid for the Republican presidential nomination and his gambit to be Donald Trump’s running mate, and had to settle for a powerless consulting job recommending cuts to the federal government — tried to run interference for Trump’s controversial cabinet nominees on Saturday. “President Trump won by a massive margin with a historic mandate [and] he deserves the Cabinet he desires to govern,” Ramaswamy tweeted . Actually ... Trump did not win by a “massive margin.” His popular vote victory of roughly 1.5% is one of the smallest margins in the past 100 years. In addition, in the House of Representatives, the GOP has the tiniest majority in American history. That’s not a “historic mandate.” Also, the Senate is given advise and consent powers by the Constitution to consult on and approve treaties signed and appointments made by the president to public positions, including Cabinet secretaries, federal judges, Officers of the Armed Forces and others. It’s not a rubber stamp. So far, Matt Gaetz, Trump’s nominee for Attorney General faced with allegations that he had sex with a minor, has gone down in flames before even reaching a hearing. And it appears Fox weekend host Pete Hegseth will meet a similar fate in his bid for Secretary of Defense because of character issues. Opposition also is mounting for vaccine-denier Robert Kennedy Jr ., nominated to run the Department of Health and Human Services, and Tulsi Gabbard , nominated to be the Director of National Security. Ramaswamy appears to be a student at the Tommy Tuberville School of Constitutional Law. The Alabama senator said it’s not the senate’s job to question Trump’s picks. “Who are we to say that we’re a better vetter and picker of people than Donald Trump?” Tuberville told CNN’s Manu Raju. When Raju noted that senators have an obligation to “advise and consent,” Tuberville replied: “Advise and consent, but that’s more the Democrats ... they should do all the background work.” Tuberville added: “Donald Trump did all the vetting they needed to do on Pete Hegseth. And I just can’t believe we even have people on our side, they’re saying, ‘Well, I’ve got to look at this, got to look at that.’” MORE POLITICAL COVERAGE Safety group praises N.J. teen driver law, but urges use of speed, red light cameras Friendly Fire: Biden’s pardon, Booker’s bump, and the felonious diplomat Setting the record straight on Holloway | Opinion Drunk driving ticket blitz launched in these 127 N.J. towns. See full list. Trump DNI nominee Tulsi Gabbard taunted by former GOP congressman Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to NJ.com .

Alexander and Boston University secure 80-74 OT win over Albany

Iowa moves on without injured quarterback Brendan Sullivan when the Hawkeyes visit Maryland for a Big Ten Conference contest on Saturday afternoon. Former starter Cade McNamara is not ready to return from a concussion, so Iowa (6-4, 4-3) turns to former walk-on and fourth-stringer Jackson Stratton to lead the offense in College Park, Md. "Confident that he'll do a great job," Iowa coach Kirk Ferentz said of Stratton on his weekly radio show. "He stepped in, did a really nice job in our last ballgame. And he's got a good ability to throw the football, and he's learning every day. ... We'll go with him and see what we can do." Iowa had been on an upswing with Sullivan, who had sparked the Hawkeyes to convincing wins over Northwestern and Wisconsin before suffering an ankle injury in a 20-17 loss at UCLA on Nov. 8. Stratton came on in relief against the Bruins and completed 3 of 6 passes for 28 yards. Another storyline for Saturday is that Ferentz will be opposing his son, Brian Ferentz, an assistant at Maryland. Brian Ferentz was Iowa's offensive coordinator from 2017-23. "We've all got business to take care of on Saturday," Kirk Ferentz said. "I think his experience has been good and everything I know about it. As a parent, I'm glad he's with good people." Maryland (4-6, 1-6) needs a win to keep its hopes alive for a fourth straight bowl appearance under Mike Locksley. The Terrapins have dropped five of their last six games, all by at least 14 points, including a 31-17 loss at home to Rutgers last weekend. "It's been a challenging last few weeks to say the least," Locksley said. The challenge this week will be to stop Iowa running back Kaleb Johnson, who leads the Big Ten in rushing yards (1,328) and touchdowns (20), averaging 7.1 yards per carry. "With running backs, it's not always about speed. It's about power, vision and the ability to make something out of nothing," Locksley said. "This guy is a load and runs behind his pads." Maryland answers with quarterback Billy Edwards Jr., who leads the Big Ten in passing yards per game (285.5) and completions (268). His top target is Tai Felton, who leads the conference in catches (86) and receiving yards (1,040). --Field Level Media

Australian cyclist Rohan Dennis faces jail time after pleading guilty to a charge related to the death of his wife, fellow Olympian Melissa Hoskins , last year. Dennis pleaded guilty to an aggravated charge of “creating likelihood of harm,” according to the BBC and The Guardian , among other outlets. The charge carries a maximum sentence of seven years in prison. The 34-year-old had initially been charged with dangerous driving causing death and driving without due care, for which he would have faced up to 15 years in jail if convicted. Dennis’ attorney, Jane Abbey, noted that the new charge was “on the basis of recklessness,” and that Dennis will not be held criminally responsible for Hoskins’ death as part of the plea deal. “So there was no intention of Mr. Dennis to harm his wife and this charge does not charge him with any responsibility for her death,” Abbey said, according to Sky News . After entering his guilty plea, Dennis was released on bail. He will be sentenced in January. Hoskins, 32, died in a hospital near the couple’s home in the Australian city of Adelaide on Dec. 30, 2023. Though details on the circumstances leading up to her death are scarce, police determined she fell from the hood of a Volkswagen Amarok Highline, a large SUV-style truck, that Dennis had been driving. Dennis’ guilty plea means that he admits he was driving a vehicle with his wife in close proximity and was therefore conscious of the fact that his behavior was likely to cause harm. Dennis and Hoskins, who share two children, had been married since 2018. As a track and road cyclist, Dennis competed for Australia in three Olympic Games and the Tour de France, among other competitions. He won a silver medal in the team pursuit at the 2012 London Olympics and a bronze at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics before retiring last year. Other news outlets have retreated behind paywalls. At HuffPost, we believe journalism should be free for everyone. Would you help us provide essential information to our readers during this critical time? We can't do it without you. Can't afford to contribute? Support HuffPost by creating a free account and log in while you read. You've supported HuffPost before, and we'll be honest — we could use your help again . We view our mission to provide free, fair news as critically important in this crucial moment, and we can't do it without you. Whether you give once or many more times, we appreciate your contribution to keeping our journalism free for all. You've supported HuffPost before, and we'll be honest — we could use your help again . We view our mission to provide free, fair news as critically important in this crucial moment, and we can't do it without you. Whether you give just one more time or sign up again to contribute regularly, we appreciate you playing a part in keeping our journalism free for all. Already contributed? Log in to hide these messages. Hoskins competed for Australia in track cycling at two Olympic Games and won a world title in the sport in 2015. She was buried in her home city of Perth following by a public memorial service in Adelaide in February. Related From Our PartnerT hough Canada is one of the top choices for Indian students who want to study abroad, the ongoing diplomatic tensions have sparked worries about possible restrictions. Recent reports indicate delays in visa processing times, stricter application reviews, and growing anxiety among students about their future in Canada. So let’s look at the other alternatives open to students. The U.K. A prime alternative for Indian students, the U.K. offers favourable post-study work policies. The Graduate Visa allows stay in the country for at least 2-3 years depending on the course (undergraduate, postgraduate, or other). Moreover, top British universities like Oxford, Imperial College of London, Cambridge and so on are globally recognised for academic excellence. Numerous scholarships such as the Chevening, GREAT, Commonwealth and others are available as are part-time work opportunities to help with expenses. Australia Known for its student-friendly environment and high-quality education, institutions such as the University of Melbourne, the University of Sydney, the Australian National University, Monash University, and others offer globally recognised programmes including three- and four-year Bachelor’s degrees, Master’s degrees ranging from one to two years, and doctoral programmes. The post-study work visa ranges from two to four years, depending on the qualification. The government and universities offer various scholarships, including the Australia Awards, Australia for ASEAN, and the Australian Government Research Training Programme and regional scholarships such as scholarships in Adelaide, Canberra, and Tasmania, to attract students to study in the smaller cities. Germany Slowly gaining popularity as a study-abroad destination among Indian students, many German public universities offer tuition fee waivers and demand minimal administrative charges per semester. Some of the popular institutions include Ludwig Maximilian, University of Munich, Technical University of Munich, Heidelberg University, and Freie University of Berlin. The affordability of fees combined with an emphasis on STEM fields makes Germany a great choice.The 18-month job-seeker visa allows graduates to explore employment opportunities in the country. Singapore Asia’s premier business hub is also a great higher education destination. Institutions like the Singapore University of Technology and Design, LASALLE College of Arts, the National University of Singapore, Singapore Management University, and others offer world-class education with many also having transfer programmes partnering with top universities in the U.S., the U.K. and Australia. Graduates can apply for a one-year pass for job-seeking. France Another attractive educational destination, institutions such as the University of Paris, Sorbonne University, University of Paris-Saclay, and University of Strasbourg have strong academic reputations. One of the best features of a French public university is that the tuition fees are generally lower than in other Western countries. Additionally, many universities have started offering English-taught programmes. The French government allows for a two-year post-study work permit to allow graduates to explore career opportunities within France. While Canada has long been a favoured destination for many Indian students, it is time to re-evaluate one’s options in the current circumstances. The writer is Head-Higher Education and Study Abroad at Internshala.com Published - November 30, 2024 04:30 pm IST Copy link Email Facebook Twitter Telegram LinkedIn WhatsApp Reddit The Hindu Education Plus / study abroad / university / universities and colleges / careers / students