• Sun, December 1, 2024

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

by: Brian Stokes

Trump Will Overplay His Hand. Here's How to Be Ready.

Trump's return to power certainly poses challenges to U.S. democracy. But he will make mistakes and overplay his hand — at home and abroad. America will survive the next four years if Democrats pick themselves up and start learning from the successes of opponents of autocracy across the globe.

by: Brian Stokes

Behind the Curtain: Trump's shock and awe

by: Brian Stokes

'I had a baby in jail - here's the truth about Lauren's Coronation Street storyline'

A woman who gave birth in prison has said it has been 'emotional' seeing soap Coronation Street tell the storyline of character Lauren having a baby in jail on TV

by: Brian Stokes

Chandrababu Naidu Government Dissolves Waqf Board For 'Better' Governance

Amaravati: The Chandrababu Naidu-led NDA government in Andhra Pradesh has dissolved the AP State Waqf Board to promote good governance, safeguard Waqf properties, and ensure the board operates efficiently.

by: Brian Stokes

Starmer not a hypocrite for giving Haigh Cabinet role, minister says

Starmer's spokesman repeatedly told journalists on Friday that Haigh's resignation came after new information emerged

by: Brian Stokes

Navy putting first shipborne hypersonic weapon on vessel once seen as 'costly blunder'

The US is deploying a shipborn hypersonic missile battery to the USS Zumwalt, a destroyer once thought a major mistake.

by: Brian Stokes

Homelessness has increased in Forsyth County since COVID-19 swept through Triad, advocates say

As temperatures decrease and winter weather rolls into Winston-Salem, organizations who provide for the city's homeless are preparing to serve a population that has increased in the years after the

by: Brian Stokes

As his power grows, D.C. wonders: How do you lobby a man like Elon Musk?

Musk has flaunted his closeness with Trump, but his unconventional approach leaves few obvious ways to reach him.

by: Brian Stokes

Philly prepares for mass deportations | Morning Newsletter

Welcome to a new month. It's a chilly and partly sunny Sunday. President-elect Donald Trump has pledged to remove millions of people who lack the permission to be in the United States. Today's main read highlights the ramifications of this plan on Philadelphia and beyond.

by: Brian Stokes

How to Survive the Next 4 Years: A Guide for Anti-Trumpists

Trump's return to power certainly poses challenges to U.S. democracy. But he will make mistakes and overplay his hand — at home and abroad. America will survive the next four years if Democrats pick themselves up and start learning from the successes of opponents of autocracy across the globe.

by: Brian Stokes

Hasnat Abdullah thanks BNP for 'bold and loud stance' on India

by: Brian Stokes

Migration cap not an option despite record numbers, admits Government

Pat McFadden rejected the idea of a 'simple' target number, saying this had failed when tried by Conservative administrations in the past

by: Brian Stokes

Real World Economics: Fed is insulated from political interference

Seven weeks from inauguration, Donald Trump and his aides are issuing blizzards of announced nominations to key positions and of policy measures that will be taken quickly. Most are controversial.

by: Brian Stokes

'Vivek, Jay and now Kash': Former spiritual advisor to Donald Trump lauds Indian-origin nominations to US administration

Donald Trump plans to place Indian-Americans in key positions during his potential second term as president. Trump's former spiritual advisor Johnnie Moore highlighted several appointees of Indian descent on X (formerly Twitter).

by: Brian Stokes

Debate evoked my mother's end of life: Would we have had assisted dying conversation?

Friday evoked for me the end of life of my mother, my brother and my best friend, all of whom died of terminal cancer: would we have had that conversation about assisted dying, and what might that have meant?

by: Brian Stokes

How to take advantage of Medicare's expanded drug benefit in 2025

It will be easier to spread out Part D drug costs over the year, while the total annual cost of medicines will be capped at $2,000.

by: Brian Stokes

Trudeau promises border helicopters at 'very productive' Trump meeting: source

On Friday evening, Trudeau landed in Florida and travelled to Trump's Mar-a-Lago club for a hastily arranged dinner and discussion with president-elect.

by: Brian Stokes

Displaced Nepali-speaking Bhutanese fume over 'mindfulness city' plan

Displaced Nepali-speaking Bhutanese fume over 'mindfulness city' plan

Bhutan's plan for southern farmlands has sparked outrage among forced-out ethnic Nepalis, who say the megaproject would be on stolen land.
The article from the South China Morning Post discusses the controversy surrounding Bhutan's plan to develop a "mindfulness city" on land that was once home to Nepali-speaking Lhotshampas, who were expelled from Bhutan in the early 1990s. This project, named Gelephu Mindfulness City, aims to transform the region into a Special Administrative Region (SAR) with a focus on sustainability and economic growth, potentially attracting global investment. However, the initiative has sparked outrage among the displaced Lhotshampas, who see it as an exploitation of their ancestral lands. They argue that the land was taken from them under the pretext of national security, and now it is being repurposed for economic gain without addressing their rights or the injustices they faced. The project, backed by Bhutan's King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck, is intended to be a model of Gross National Happiness, but for the Lhotshampas, it represents a painful reminder of their displacement and the ongoing denial of their right to return.

Read the Full scmp.com Article at:
https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3288697/displaced-nepalis-fume-bhutans-mindfulness-city-plan-our-stolen-land