Gail Collins: Bret, three weeks until the election. I know there are people who claim to be undecided when pollsters call, but I think they’re just being contrarian. Do you believe there are people who are still making up their minds?

Five years ago Russia became involved in the Syrian civil war, prompting an abrupt U-turn in the situation on the ground and ending the spread of Islamist terrorism in the country. Middle East expert Ghassan Kadi and Syrian journalist Basma Qaddour have taken a look at the Russo-Syrian strategic partnership's achievements and plans.

When will we get to the truth?

The news on tele, on the net, on radio and in the newspapers is a shocking collection of useless twaff, on the hour, daily, like badly pre-digested dog food wobbling out of tincans...

What the government has instead done is keep the LMITO for an extra year, meaning that middle-income earners get a $1,080 tax cut.

But they only get it for a year.

   Imagine the meetings of great minds… In “Einstein in Bohemia”, Michael D Gordin surveys the physicist’s time in Prague, where he possibly met Kafka in several encounters.

Billions of dollars in fast-tracked tax cuts and younger worker wage subsidies underline the Federal Government's budget recovery pitch, as Australia's recession sends debt and deficits to record levels.