Wed, December 18, 2024

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: 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: 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: 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: 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: 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.

by: MSN

Major change to bin collections and recycling in England coming in just three months

Households around England will be given new bins for a huge change in waste management involving a new policy for recycling and waste collection in England

by: The Daily Telegraph

Timeline of hypocrisy: how Labour betrayed Waspi women

Labour has been accused of "betraying" millions of women who lost out over changes to the state pension, after refusing to pay a penny in compensation. Liz Kendall, secretary of state for work and pensions,

by: The Hill

Here's what made the cut in Congress' 1,500-page government funding deal

Congress on Tuesday rolled out its last major funding deal of the year and is expected to move quickly to try to pass it ahead of a Friday government shutdown deadline. The bill, which is more

by: MSN

Priyanka Gandhi's bag creates a stir in politics, listen to what the Congress MP says in answer to the questions | ABP News

Anchor: 'Priyanka Gandhi's politics and style, opponents are not able to ignore even if they want to. 'From Adani to Palestine', this is Priyanka's political claim which is making the BJP angry. Ever since the members of the Gandhi family are doing politics,

by: MSN

Waspi women slam Government's 'bizarre and unjustified' no compensation decision

Waspi women criticise 'bizarre and unjustified' ruling out of compensation - The Government said a blanket compensation scheme for Waspi women, which could cost taxpayers up to £10.5 billion, cannot be justified.

by: Yahoo

Musk in talks over Reform UK donation, says Farage

Reform UK leader Nigel Farage and the party's new treasurer Nick Candy have met US billionaire Elon Musk at Donald Trump's Florida retreat. The party said the pair had "learned a great deal from Musk about the Trump ground game" during an hour-long meeting at Mar-A-Lago on Monday.

by: MSN

German election: CDU manifesto proposes rightward shift on migration and strong support for Ukraine

Germany's largest opposition party is heavily favoured to form a government after snap elections slated for February 2025. View on euronews

by: The Globe and Mail

Ottawa's plan to secure border includes more dogs, drones and action to combat fentanyl trade

Newly appointed Finance Minister Dominic LeBlanc hesitant to say if the measures would be enough to lift Donald Trump's vow to impose 25-per-cent tariffs on imports from Canada

by: MSN

Albanese government has 'no spending restraint'

KPMG Chief Economist Brendan Rynne has criticised the Albanese government for having "no spending restraint". Treasurer Jim Chalmers and Finance Minister Katy Gallagher have handed down the government's Mid-Year Economic and Fiscal Outlook.

by: MSN

Brit's said for huge council tax rise - without a referendum - and it can't be stopped

Households are set to face a staggering council tax rise as part of Labour's new policing plan, with households facing increases of up to £14 per person next year

by: MSN

Musk and Trump are viewed roughly the same by Americans, an AP-NORC poll finds

Experts are split on whether that overlap in public opinion is a good or bad thing for Musk's businesses or for Trump's politics. But it could have ... and working at the job of having to fire government employees ... as a shareholder, I'm paying ...

by: MSN

Trump sues Des Moines Register and Iowa pollster, escalating attacks on media

Trump's lawsuit claims a poll by Ann Selzer for the Des Moines Register that incorrectly found he was behind in Iowa amounted to consumer fraud.

by: MSN

Gerakan, Pas, and Bersatu have differences but will stay united in PN - Dominic Lau

According to him, although Bersatu, Pas, and Gerakan had different missions, these differences would not lead to major conflicts that could result in Gerakan leaving PN. Dominic w

by: MSN

AIMIM to protest if scholarships and fee reimbursement dues of BC, SC, ST, and minority students are not cleared

The All India Majlis-E-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) has warned the ruling Congress government that the party will take to the streets if scholarship and fee reimbursement dues of Backward Classes, Scheduled Castes,
Tue, December 17, 2024

by: Florida Politics

Mike Caruso, John Snyder snag Chair positions for Palm Beach County

Republican Rep. Mike Caruso will serve as Chair for the Economic Infrastructure Subcommittee. Caruso will also serve as Vice Chair for the Higher Education Budget Subcommittee, making him the only Representative from Palm Beach and Broward counties to land two such posts.

by: Sydney Morning Herald

'Command and control': Labor's cuts to conservative think tank raises hackles

A think tank set to be one of the losers from the decision was several years ago named by Chinese officials in an infamous list of 14 grievances.

by: Politico Europe

Britain's Winston Churchill shortage

LONDON — In 1974, the Tory MP and noted diarist Alan Clark declared himself "sick of Plymouth" — the town on England's south coast he represented for 18 years — and its "introspective, minuscule horizons."

by: Sky News Australia

Victorian government to implement recommendations for construction crackdown after damning reports of CFMEU corruption

Contractors will be required to report criminal activity on Victorian government worksites in a new crackdown on construction industry corruption after damning reports arose about the Construction, Forestry,

by: MSN

Winners and losers from the 3-month CR

Negotiations over a short-term spending bill turned out to be more painful and prolonged than leaders in either party expected. Why it matters: Agreeing to a three-month bill should not be this hard.

by: MSN

Trump's EV subsidy rollback raises alarm for Hyundai and battery makers

U.S. President-elect Donald Trump is expected to repeal subsidies for electric vehicles (EVs) and scale back support for the EV industry. The incoming Trump administration will also likely impose tariffs on battery materials imported to the United States.

by: MSN

GOP senators voice reservations about RFK Jr.'s views on agriculture and abortion

by: MSN

Columbia County commissioners release statement on incorporation and consolidation

Columbia County Board of Commissioners Chairman Doug Duncan has released a statement regarding the incorporation and consolidation of the county.

by: MSN

Key Bridge federal government funding included in Continuing Resolution

The Baltimore BRIDGE Relief Act has been included in the Continuing Resolution, according to Maryland Senators Chris Van Hollen and Ben Cardin.

by: MSN

China Warns UK Over Spy Allegations and Political Manipulation

China has accused the United Kingdom of creating unnecessary trouble over a recent incident involving a spy and a national security case. The situation has sparked fresh tensions between the two nations,

by: Irish Examiner

Murphy endorsement meets criticism as FF and FG accused of using Ceann Comhairle role as a 'bargaining chip'

At their respective parliamentary party meetings, Micheál Martin and Simon Harris proposed members support Ms Murphy's candidacy

by: MSN

Potential scenarios for Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and the Liberals

The Liberal government was thrown into disarray this week when Chrystia Freeland stepped down from cabinet as finance minister, reviving calls for Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to step down or call an election.

by: Australian Broadcasting Corporation

Federal politics live: Treasurer Jim Chalmers unveils mid-year budget update, deficits $21.8bn billion deeper than expected

Treasurer Jim Chalmers will unveil the mid-year budget update today, which is expected to confirm the budget is headed back into years of deficits after two consecutive surpluses. Follow all the updates in our live blog.

by: MSN

Climate neutrality: OECD and EU countries best equipped to lead the way, says report

Under the Paris Climate Agreement, nations around the globe committed to achieving climate neutrality by 2050. But how determined are OECD and EU countries in pursuing this goal? A recent monitoring report by the Bertelsmann Stiftung reveals that Sweden,

by: MSN

Frank Bellotti, former Massachusetts attorney general and political heavyweight, dead at 101

Frank Bellotti, Massachusetts' former three-term attorney general and one-time lieutenant governor, died Tuesday at 101, his family said in a statement. Bellotti was unsuccessful in his three bids to take over the Governor's Office but still held an influential post in local politics.

by: MSNBC

Indiana congresswoman says she will spurn GOP caucus to help Elon Musk's DOGE group

I do not need to be involved in circuses," Rep. Victoria Spartz wrote on social media, suggesting she'll be prioritizing the so-called Department of Government Efficiency.

by: MSN

Canada pushes net-zero electricity target to 2050 as Alberta vows legal challenge

The federal government has pushed its target to achieve a net-zero electricity grid back 15 years to 2050 as part of new clean electricity regulations announced Tuesday — though officials maintain that target date was always the goal.

by: MSN

Democrats divided over Biden administration response to reported drone sightings

The Biden administration's response to mounting public concern over alleged drone sightings in the Northeast is dividing Democrats on Capitol Hill, where some lawmakers are defending the executive assurances that there's no threat to public safety and others are bashing the various agencies for not providing proof to back those claims.

by: National Post

Freeland defended by Liberal MPs, as Trudeau's feminist reputation is questioned

Trudeau has been largely out of public view grappling with the fallout from Freeland's bombshell decision to resign from his cabinet the same day she was set to present the Liberals' fall fiscal update on Monday, saying she was doing so after the prime minister told her last Friday that he no longer wanted her in the role.

Here's what made the cut in Congress' 1,500-page government funding deal

Congress on Tuesday rolled out its last major funding deal of the year and is expected to move quickly to try to pass it ahead of a Friday government shutdown deadline. The bill, which is more

The article from The Hill discusses the recent government funding deal that was passed to avert a government shutdown. This deal extends funding for various federal agencies until different dates in March 2024. Specifically, funding for departments like Agriculture, Energy, Veterans Affairs, and Transportation, along with Housing and Urban Development, is extended until March 1, 2024. Meanwhile, funding for the remaining agencies, including Defense, Homeland Security, and Health and Human Services, is set to last until March 8, 2024. The agreement also includes an additional $16 billion in emergency spending, split between $10 billion for disaster relief and $6 billion for defense support to Ukraine and other allies. This temporary measure was necessary as Congress failed to pass full-year appropriations bills, leading to a continuing resolution to keep government operations running. The deal was met with mixed reactions, with some lawmakers expressing frustration over the lack of long-term solutions and the recurring need for short-term funding extensions.

Read the Full The Hill Article at:
https://thehill.com/business/budget/5045613-government-funding-deal-whats-in/