Wed, December 18, 2024

by: Mother Jones

Trump's Billionaire Cabinet Is Unprecedented

The president-elect has tapped five reported billionaires for cabinet posts: North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum for interior secretary, hedge funder Scott Bessent for treasury secretary, Cantor Fitzgerald chief Howard Lutnick for commerce secretary,

by: PBS

Senate defense bill to raise troop pay and bar trans care for minors to receive final vote

Lawmakers said those were key to improving the quality of life of service members at a time when many military families rely on food banks and other government assistance programs to make ends meet. "It includes major quality of life improvements ...

by: Governing

Who Depends Most on Washington? Rural Counties That Voted Heavily for Trump

More than anything it's the simple result of Americans growing older, a fact of life we haven't come to grips with politically.

by: The Daily Telegraph

Scottish Labour leader attacks Starmer's 'deeply disappointing' Waspi women decision

Russell Findlay, the Scottish Tory leader, said: "Anas Sarwar thought he would stroll into Bute House in 2026, but Sir Keir Starmer is wrecking Scottish Labour's campaign by breaking every promise he made before the general election and betraying pensioners, farmers, businesses and workers."

by: USA Today

Larry Bucshon says he's figured out his post-Congress career

It's a well-worn and not necessarily surprising path 8th District Rep. Larry Bucshon will follow when he leaves Congress next month after 14 years.

by: ktvq

Congress would get pay raise if lawmakers pass government funding bill

If the funding bill passes, members of Congress could receive a raise of up to 3.8%, or about $6,600 annually. Congress has to pass the bill, which also includes $100 billion for disaster relief, before Saturday to avoid a partial government shutdown.

by: Sydney Morning Herald

Why my bosses are both out of a job. But spa builders are doing OK

What's in a job title? Everything, if your job just happened to disappear as part of a major revamp by the bureau of statistics of the nation's thousands of occupations.

by: The Hill

Congress strikes deal to avert government shutdown

Congressional leaders have struck a bipartisan deal to keep the government funded beyond a looming Dec. 20 shutdown deadline. Legislation rolled out by leadership on Tuesday would kick the Friday

by: Yahoo News UK

Why has Elon Musk met Nigel Farage and what could it mean for Reform UK?

The billionaire owner of X is reportedly keen to influence UK politics, but would the current rules allow him to?

by: WLRN

'Culture for Service and Service for Humanity': Phi Beta Sigma Way touches down in Miami Gardens

The City of Miami Gardens will rename a section of Northwest 191st Street "Phi Beta Sigma Way" on Dec. 19. The Rho Sigma Chapter, established in 1927, has played a pivotal role in South Florida, advocating for education and social justice.

by: The Daily Mirror

Map shows how many WASPI women missed out in your area and how much they would have got

Keir Starmer faces fury over Labour's decision to reject compensation for over 3.5million women in spite of a bombshell watchdog report calling for payouts of nearly £3,000

by: BBC

Badenoch attacks PM over 'cruel' Winter Fuel Payment cuts in final PMQs of year

by: KXXV News Channel 25

Texas school districts asked to return $16 million in federal funding for special education services

The request comes after an audit found Texas improperly billed the federal government for reimbursements related to Medicaid-eligible students.

by: WESA

Pa. casts 19 Electoral College votes for Donald Trump

Pennsylvania's 19 Republican electors submitted ballots in support of President-elect Donald Trump and Vice President-elect JD Vance on Tuesday at the state Capitol in Harrisburg. The largely ceremonial vote brings the country one step closer to a nationwide congressional certification in Washington, D.C., on Jan. 6.

by: The Scranton Times-Tribune

Musk and Trump are viewed roughly the same by Americans, new poll finds

Musk's attachment to Trump has created an alliance between America's most powerful politician and its richest businessman — and roughly the same percentages of Americans have favorable views of each, according to a new poll from the AP-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research.

by: syracuse.com

Congress unveils funding deal with more than $100 billion in disaster aid

Washington — Congressional leaders have unveiled a stopgap spending bill that will keep the federal government funded through March 14 and provide more than $100 billion in emergency aid to help states and local communities recover from Hurricanes Helene and Milton and other natural disasters.

by: Daily Express

Lee Anderson's scathing two-word attack on Keir Starmer after PM 'told lies to pensioners'

The outspoken Reform MP spoke out as details Labour backtracking on pledges to pensioners and WASPI women have emerged.

by: The Independent

Musk and Farage have handed Starmer a golden chance to clean up political murky money

It's in the Labour Party's interest to have a cap on individual donations, otherwise Musk's attempt to buy votes could put Reform in the running for the next election, writes Andrew Grice

by: PBS

Congress nears funding deal with more than $100 billion in disaster aid, avoiding government shutdown

Congressional leaders have unveiled legislation that will keep the federal government funded through March 14 and provide more than $100 billion in emergency aid to help states and local communities recover from Hurricanes Helene and Milton and other natural disasters.

by: ABC News

Democracies across the globe are at a crossroads, as authoritarians seek to chip away at freedoms

Still, there is a clear silver lining for democracy. The same Pew poll that found its appeal slipping also found that it remains by far the preferred system of government worldwide. And people turned out to demonstrate that, during elections and in protest ...

by: Florida Politics

Bill Posey looks back at accomplishments and sudden close to years of service

U.S. Rep. Bill Posey spent decades urging greater transparency and accountability in government. Heading into 2024, he felt optimistic he could serve one last term with President-elect Donald Trump back in the White House.

by: USA Today

Trump is promising deportations on 'day one.' Who is he targeting and what can he do?

Donald Trump wants to deport millions as soon as he takes office. But there are laws that could slow him down.

by: Sacramento Bee

Union membership continues slow decline as California hires more rank-and-file employees

At SEIU Local 1000, 456 fewer members paid dues in October 2024, compared to the previous year's payroll period. Meanwhile, the state hired nearly 3,000 more employees among the nine units represented by SEIU Local 1000, which resulted in a two point decrease in the union's due-paying membership.

by: KGOU

Mangione charged with murder as act of terrorism. And, path to unionizing reality TV

by: The New York Times

Who Is Friedrich Merz, a Leading Candidate to Be Germany's Next Chancellor?

If polls are correct, Olaf Scholz's successor could be Friedrich Merz, 69, leader of the Christian Democratic Union. He is offering to get the German economic engine humming again.

by: Florida Politics

Orange County government picks up the tab for Glen Gilzean's employees

In court and public meetings, the Orange County government is openly feuding with Gilzean over allegations of mismanagement and misspending. The Orange County Commission voted earlier this month to withhold Gilzean's December budget payment but agreed Tuesday to pay Gilzean's $250,000 payroll to payroll company ADP.

by: StamfordAdvocate

What Americans think of Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and his health stances

That's why Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s pledge to "Make America Healthy Again" as he campaigned alongside Donald Trump caught her attention. She liked the questions Kennedy raised about the role of processed foods in America's obesity epidemic.

by: American Banker

Politics, history, hubris: why agency consolidation isn't easy

Proposals to streamline U.S. banking regulators have resurfaced with the Trump administration's focus on efficiency, but experts and history suggest such changes are unlikely amid political and industry resistance.

by: The Daily Mirror

PMQs watch live - WASPI women fury as Keir Starmer and Kemi Badenoch go head-to-head

On Tuesday the government was accused of betraying the 3.5million women born in the 1950s who missed out pension payments. Chancellor Rachel Reeves, who previously supported the WASPI campaign in opposition, defended the decision not to pay out ...

by: News24

WATCH | Government extends spaza shop registration deadline

The government has extended the registration deadline for spaza shops and other food handling shops to 28 February 2025.

by: MSN

Abcarian: The latest evidence that putting RFK Jr. in charge of public health would be a disaster

An advisor to Donald Trump's pick for Health and Human Services, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., petitioned the government to withdraw approval of the polio vaccine.

by: MSN

SP MLA Ragini Sonkar's viral speech in UP assembly, questions Yogi government on privatization

During the question hour in the UP Assembly, SP MLA Ragini Sonkar raised the issue of electricity and asked many questions related to it to the Yogi government of the state.

by: CNN

How Trump's lawyer could steer the Supreme Court on abortion and trans rights

President-elect Donald Trump's choice to be the government's top lawyer before the Supreme Court burst on the national scene about a year ago and is best known for winning Trump immunity from prosecution for election subversion.

by: MSN

New fears Nuneaton and Bedworth Borough Council could be like 'Turkeys at Christmas' and scrapped

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: MSN

Kiren Rijiju defends Amit Shah's remarks; says 'clearly showed sense of our reverence for Ambedkar...'

Amid Opposition protest against Home Minister Amit Shah's remarks, Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju on Wednesday accused the Congress of insulting BR Ambedkar, not giving him Bharat Ratna and alleged they defeated him twice in polls as part of a conspiracy.

by: Politico Europe

Elon Musk is 'right behind us,' boasts Farage

Brexiteer says X owner was 'very generous with his time' in Mar-a-Lago meeting — and floats prospect of snaring some Musk cash.

by: MSN

Keir Starmer sees another pledge in tatters - and it's one he actually meant to keep

Sir Keir Starmer has become famous for his voluntary and prolific U-turns, but on this occasion it looks as though his hand has been forced.

by: The Independent

Trump claims Liz Cheney 'could be in a lot of trouble' over Jan 6 probe and makes ex-NFL star ambassador: Live

Meanwhile, Trump has announced two more nominees to his incoming administration, naming Florida philanthropist Nicole McGraw as the the next US ambassador to Croatia and, more surprisingly, ex-NFL star and failed Georgia Senate candidate Herschel Walker as ambassador to the Bahamas.

by: MSN

WASPI campaigners brand Government's ruling out of compensation 'bizarre and unjustified'

Work and Pensions Secretary Liz Kendall said the Government does not believe paying a flat rate to women at a cost of up to £10.5 billion would be a fair or proportionate use of taxpayers' money.

by: MSN

Israeli foreign minister has 'had enough' of Penny Wong

Sky News host James Macpherson says Israel's foreign minister has "had enough" of Penny Wong. The strained relationship between Israel and Australia has reached new heights following a fiery confrontation between Foreign Minister Penny Wong and her Israeli counterpart.

by: MSN

NSA Ajit Doval And Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi Discuss Restoring India-China Ties, Peace On Borders

Beijing: India, China Special Representatives for the border mechanism, National Security Advisor Ajit Doval and Foreign Minister Wang Yi met here on Wednesday to discuss a range of issues, including management of peace and tranquillity along LAC and restoration of bilateral ties frozen for over four years due to the military standoff in eastern Ladakh.

by: The Daily Telegraph

Musk considering Reform donation to avoid economic 'catastrophe' under Labour, suggests Tice

Party's deputy leader says Tesla and X boss recognises UK economy is 'in a terrible state' and 'wants Britain to do well'

by: Jewish Insider

How Australia went from 'goldene medina' to 'vitriol and vilification' of Jews

The number of antisemitic events in Australia spiked this month, and the response from the authorities, especially in Victoria, has been viewed as lackluster by much of the Jewish community, leaving t

by: MSN

Deal to Avert Government Shutdown Includes $110 Billion in Disaster, Farm Aid

Party leaders want to pair stopgap bill with disaster relief ahead of possible government shutdown this weekend.

by: MSN

Waspi women criticise 'bizarre and unjustified' as they are denied compensation

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: MSN

Salvini's migrant verdict to test balance between rights and security in Italy

Matteo Salvini, Italy's deputy prime minister, faces a possible six-year prison term if a court finds him guilty on Friday of kidnapping a boat full of migrants who were held offshore Italy for almost three weeks in 2019.

by: India Today

Binaca Geetmala and the Kishore Kumar-Indira Gandhi rift that led to his ban

Binaca Geetmala, the iconic radio show that defined Indian music for over 40 years, found itself mired in politics during the 1975 Emergency, when a Kishore Kumar-Indira Gandhi rift led to a radio ban on the voice of the King of Bollywood playback singing.

by: MSN

Assam: Unsafe water and poor roads, Bhittorpowai villagers plead for government intervention

Residents of Bhittorpowai Gaon Panchayat under Dirok Tea Estate in the 83 Number Margherita Constituency continue to face deprivation of fundamental necessities, despite being part of an established electoral region.

Democracies across the globe are at a crossroads, as authoritarians seek to chip away at freedoms

Still, there is a clear silver lining for democracy. The same Pew poll that found its appeal slipping also found that it remains by far the preferred system of government worldwide. And people turned out to demonstrate that, during elections and in protest ...

The article from ABC News discusses the global state of democracy, highlighting that democracies worldwide are at a critical juncture as authoritarian regimes attempt to undermine freedoms and democratic processes. It points out that while there is a pushback against authoritarianism in some regions, the overall trend shows a decline in democratic norms. Key issues include the manipulation of elections, suppression of free speech, and the erosion of judicial independence. The piece references the V-Dem Institute's report, which indicates that more than half of the world's population now lives in autocracies, with countries like India experiencing significant democratic backsliding. Additionally, it mentions efforts by some democratic leaders to strengthen international alliances to counter these trends, emphasizing the importance of supporting civil liberties, free media, and fair elections to preserve democracy.

Read the Full ABC News Article at:
https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/wireStory/democracies-globe-crossroads-authoritarians-seek-chip-freedoms-116900174