• Sun, December 1, 2024

by: Brian Stokes

Labour conference: Chris Hipkins says 'yes' to Dunedin Hospital and 'no' to Aukus

Labour members passed a proposal saying a Labour Government would not join Aukus and ... Thomas Coughlan is Deputy Political Editor and covers politics from Parliament. He has worked for the Herald since 2021 and has worked in the press gallery since ...

by: Brian Stokes

Trump names Massad Boulos, campaign liaison and family relative, as a senior adviser on Middle East

President-elect Donald Trump on Sunday named Massad Boulos, a Lebanese American businessman who is the father-in-law of Trump's daughter Tiffany, as a senior adviser on Arab and Middle Eastern affairs.

by: Brian Stokes

Sunday Snapshot: Trump's tariff toolkit

The White House won't switch ownership for weeks, but President-elect Trump is already dancing the tariff tango. His announcement of a 25% tariff on all imports from Canada and Mexico sent a shiver through markets last week.

by: Brian Stokes

"Elon Musk is right": Sanders agrees with DOGE head on cutting Pentagon spending

Elon Musk has been appointed as the head of the quasi-governmental Department of Government Efficiency for the upcoming term of President-elect Donald Trump. He's called for a massive drawdown in government spending as part of a wider GOP push to hobble the administrative state.

by: Brian Stokes

US sees surge in Indian immigrants at border with Canada

by: Brian Stokes

Meet Kash Patel, Trump's Nomination for FBI Director

Kash is a brilliant lawyer and 'America First' fighter who has spent his career exposing corruption," Trump said.

by: Brian Stokes

Convicted felons cannot travel to these countries: will President Trump be allowed in?

Use precise geolocation data and actively scan device characteristics for identification. This is done to store and access information on a device and to provide personalised ads and content, ad and content measurement, audience insights and product development. List of Partners (vendors)

by: Brian Stokes

How to Survive the Next Four Years: A Guide for Anti-Trumpists

by: Brian Stokes

Iowa And New Hampshire Senators Target Foreign Adversaries With DETERRENCE Act

U.S. Senators Joni Ernst (R-Iowa) and Maggie Hassan (D-N.H.) have introduced the DETERRENCE Act, a bipartisan effort aimed at countering violent crimes and assassination attempts against U.S. citizens carried out by individuals recruited by foreign adversaries,

by: Brian Stokes

Sen. Chris Murphy: "Donald Trump And The Billionaire Class Are Taking Over Government To Enrich Themselves And Screw Everybody Else"

Democratic Connecticut Sen. Chris Murphy discusses President-elect Donald Trump's proposed tariffs and Cabinet picks and the Democratic Party's losses in the 2024 election, during an interview Sunday on NBC's "Meet The Press.

by: Brian Stokes

'Thanks for dinner': Trudeau meets with Trump, cabinet nominees at Mar-a-Lago after tariffs threat

Since Trump's re-election, Trudeau and his cabinet ministers have sought to reassure Canadians and businesses they are prepared to handle a second Trump presidency, after Trump's first term forced the renegotiation of the North American Free Trade Agreement and tariffs slapped on Canadian steel and aluminum.

by: Brian Stokes

Dublin North West: Paul McAuliffe (FF)

Paul McAuliffe (47) was first elected to the Dáil in 2020 taking his seat following a battle with outgoing Fine Gael TD Noel Rock. It was a reversal of the 2016 campaign when McAuliffe lost out to Rock.

by: Brian Stokes

Trump says Kash Patel will restore ' Fidelity, Bravery, and Integrity' to the FBI

President-elect Trump named Kash Patel as his choice to lead the FBI, after Patel repeatedly slammed federal agencies such as the FBI as corrupted by the "deep state."

by: Brian Stokes

Green Party facing wipeout as count set for Monday

by: Brian Stokes

Who is Kash Patel? 5 things to know about Donald Trump's firebrand pick to lead the FBI

President-elect Donald Trump is planning to nominate Kashyap "Kash" Patel as director of the FBI, tapping the longtime loyalist to lead the the law enforcement agency he has often criticized.

by: Brian Stokes

The billionaires of Trump's proposed administration

President-elect Donald Trump has a net worth of $5.7 billion, as of Dec. 1, 2024, and he has chosen a slew of fellow billionaires to serve in his second administration.

by: Brian Stokes

'The first oligarch': Russian dissident warns of 'extremely dangerous' development in U.S.

America is close to having its first real oligarch, a Russian dissident — and former world chess champion — warned in an interview Sunday. Garry Kasparov, who now chairs the Renew Democracy Initiative,

by: Brian Stokes

Transcript: Historian H.W. Brands on "Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan," Dec. 1, 2024

The following is a transcript of an interview with H.W. Brands, Jack S. Blanton Sr. Chair in History at the University of Texas at Austin and author of "America First: Roosevelt vs. Lindbergh in the Shadow of War,

by: Brian Stokes

Trump picks Massad Boulos to serve as adviser on Arab, Middle Eastern affairs

U.S. President-elect Donald Trump on Sunday said Lebanese American businessman Massad Boulos would serve as senior adviser on Arab and Middle Eastern affairs. Trump made the announcement on Truth Social.

by: Brian Stokes

Bernie Sanders Agrees with Elon Musk on Slashing the Pentagon's Budget

Sen. Bernie Sanders said he agrees with billionaire Elon Musk that Defense Department spending is too high with little accountability.

by: Brian Stokes

Pa. counties fight for more freedom over how to spend opioid money with $247M more on the way

Somerset County and Philadelphia are fighting decisions made by a powerful state oversight board to reject their spending plans.

by: Brian Stokes

Donald Trump picks Massad Boulos, a businessman and Tiffany Trump's father-in-law, as advisor

His father and grandfather were both figures in Lebanese politics and his father-in-law was a key funder ... a large number of seats in Lebanon's parliament and ministers in the government. Boulos is a friend of Suleiman Frangieh, a Christian ally of ...

by: Brian Stokes

Lawmakers express doubt over Trump plan to replace FBI's Christopher Wray

by: Brian Stokes

Pursuing justice or revenge?

by: Brian Stokes

Trump says he'll nominate Kash Patel as FBI director to remake the agency. Here's what happens next

by: Brian Stokes

Nebraska election results to be certified on Monday

The Nebraska State Board of Canvassers will meet on Monday to certify the results of the 2024 statewide general election.

by: Brian Stokes

'Elon Musk is Right': Bernie Sanders Lauds DOGE Chief's Plan to Drastically Slash the Pentagon's Budget

Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) said Sunday that he agreed with Elon Musk about reining in some government spending, particularly regarding Defense Department spending. Musk and venture capitalist Vivek Ramaswamy have been tapped by President-elect Donald Trump to find and eliminate spending deemed unnecessary.

by: Brian Stokes

Trump Taps Another Daughter's Father-in-Law for Key Role

President-elect Donald Trump has opted to keep it in the family again with some of his latest administrative picks-- this time, with the senior adviser on Arab and Middle Eastern affairs. Trump has appointed Lebanon billionaire Massad Boulos to take on the role.

by: Brian Stokes

Labor has wasted its budgetary luck, and now it's running out

by: Brian Stokes

Claims of double-charging and excessive rent in NSW child protection system

Following stinging critiques of NSW's child protection system, a widespread review found out-of-home care was "not fit for purpose" and lacked accountability and oversight.

by: Brian Stokes

Emergency workers to get access to mortgage scheme

Police, firefighters and prison officers are to get access to a government mortgage scheme after previously being frozen out due to their retirement ages. The mortgage guarantee programme was

by: Brian Stokes

Taiwan's President Lai in Hawaii after declaring Taiwan a force for global peace

By Angie Teo, Ann Wang and David Brunnstrom (Reuters) -Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te began a two-day U.S. stopover in Hawaii on Saturday as part of a Pacific tour after declaring his democratically governed island a key force for promoting global peace and stability.

by: Brian Stokes

Trump's war on federal bureaucracy could trigger Supreme Court battle

by: Brian Stokes

GOP Sen. Hagerty on Kash Patel Leading FBI: 'I Look Forward to Him Taking It Apart'

Sen. Bill Hagerty enthusiastically supported Donald Trump's announcement he would nominate Kash Patel to lead the FBI.

by: Brian Stokes

Is Trump really planning to revive Keystone XL? And is there even life left in that pipeline plan?

There's talk in Washington that president-elect Donald Trump plans to revive the Keystone XL pipeline project that would transport oil from northern Alberta to the U.S. midwest. Even setting aside Trump's proposed 25 per cent tariff on Canadian goods,

by: Brian Stokes

Ireland dodges bullet as Dublin voters narrowly reject gangland boss

Gerry "The Monk" Hutch led through 10 nail-biting election rounds — but Ireland's EU heavyweight knocked him out at the final bell.

by: Brian Stokes

Republican Strategist Calls Donald Trump's Bluff on Tariffs

Susan Del Percio advised those wary of President-elect Donald Trump's tariff plan not to worry about it being enforced.

by: Brian Stokes

House: Government to drill down on drivers of emigration

The findings of confidential survey on emigration using a locally based market research firm are to guide government policy on retaining "as many Bermudians as we possibly can", MPs heard in the

by: Brian Stokes

Trump's Next Term Could See America's First True Oligarchs, Warns Democracy Activist Garry Kasparov

Elon Musk's DOGE plan could mix public and private interests in a way previously not seen in American politics, the former world chess champion said.

by: Brian Stokes

Iran throws its support behind Assad as rebels expand their shock offensive in Syria

Iran has thrown its support behind Syria's government after thousands of insurgents took control of the country's largest city of Aleppo.

by: Brian Stokes

Migori politician opines Ruto-Raila dalliance will impact 2027 voter turnout in Mt Kenya region

Politician Billy Mijungu claimed that President William Ruto and ODM leader Raila Odinga's relationship will affect voter turnout in Mt Kenya and Lake regions.

by: Brian Stokes

William Ruto calls for end of church-state feud as he pledges support to Kajiado chapel: "Tushirikaine"

President William Ruto urged the church and the state to end the recent tensions and focus on developing the country, as he pledged support to a Kajiado church.

by: Brian Stokes

Factbox-Trump's picks for his cabinet and other top posts

U.S. President-elect Donald Trump has picked his cabinet and a flurry of other high-ranking administration positions following his Nov. 5 election victory. Here are Trump's choices for some of the key posts overseeing defense,

by: Brian Stokes

Social democrats gain and incumbents are punished in Iceland's election

Voters in Iceland joined a global trend of punishing incumbents in a parliamentary election, with a center-left party winning the largest share of votes in the North Atlantic island nation. With all the votes tallied on Sunday,

by: Brian Stokes

This week in politics: Absentee ballot counting lawsuit could be reheard by appeals court

Two groups have asked the U.S. Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals to rehear a case on counting mail-in absentee ballots post-Election Day. Plus other updates.

by: Brian Stokes

Solutions: Harris promised 3 million new homes. States might actually make it happen

The federal government was never going to be the best hope to ramp up housing supply quickly, but many states are experimenting and ready to try.

by: Brian Stokes

Trump and his GOP friends focus on tax breaks and deportations in his first 100 days

Trump and his GOP friends focus on tax breaks and deportations in his first 100 days - In preparation for Trump's return, Republicans in Congress have been meeting privately for months and with the pr

by: Brian Stokes

2025 will start with a 3.5% pay raise for Pennsylvania's governor, lawmakers and judges

2025 will start with a 3.5% pay raise for Pennsylvania's governor, lawmakers and judges

Pennsylvania state lawmakers, judges and top executive branch officials will get a heftier salary increase in 2025 than the average Pennsylvanian saw during the past 12 months.
The article from WESA discusses a proposed 3.5% pay raise for Pennsylvania's state officials, including Governor Josh Shapiro, lawmakers, and judges, set to take effect in 2025. This increase, which would adjust the governor's salary to $247,126, is part of a cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) based on the Consumer Price Index for the previous year. The raise, which is automatic unless the legislature votes to reject it, has sparked debate among legislators. Some argue that the increase is necessary to keep salaries competitive and attract qualified candidates, while others believe it's inappropriate given the state's financial challenges and the economic pressures faced by many residents. The salary adjustments are part of a broader discussion on public sector compensation in Pennsylvania.

Read the Full WESA Article at:
https://www.wesa.fm/politics-government/2024-12-01/2025-3-5-percent-pay-raise-pennsylvanias-governor-lawmakers-judges