• Sun, January 12, 2025

by: PBS

What does the defense secretary do?

Leading the U.S. Department of Defense is a massive job, broadly affecting Americans' security at home and abroad and overseeing huge numbers of people and immense amounts of money.

by: RealClearPolitics

California Gov. Gavin Newsom: I Have The Same Questions You're Asking, "What Happened To The Water System?"

California Gov. Gavin Newsom blasted President-elect Donald Trump for "threatening" first responders and spreading "disinformation" about how the state manages its water supply in the wake of devastating fires north of Los Angeles during an interview Sunday morning on NBC's "Meet the Press.

by: NDTV

Delhi Assembly Polls: Delhi Chief Minister Atishi To File Nomination Today From Kalkaji Seat

Delhi Chief Minister and AAP candidate Atishi will file her nomination today from the Kalkaji Assembly Constituency for the Delhi Assembly polls, scheduled on February 5.

by: MSN

BJP's Smriti Irani accuses AAP MLAs of helping Bangladeshi infiltrators

BJP leader Smriti Irani on Sunday alleged that AAP MLAs Mohinder Goyal and Jai Bhagwan Upkar were involved in creating fake Aadhaar cards for Bangladeshi infiltrators.

by: MSN

Kakamega: Cleophas Malala regrets wooing residents to back Ruto, seeks forgiveness

Former UDA secretary-general Cleophas Malalah has regretted urging Kakamega residents to vote for President William Ruto in the 2022 general election.

by: MSN

Scholz Warns of Tension with Trump as Border Integrity and NATO Spending Loom Over Germany's Election

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, a member of the nation's Social Democratic Party, has raised concerns over President-elect Donald Trump's moves on border integrity. Scholz, who has been chancellor since 2021,

by: MSN

Vico Sotto: Most public servants want clean government

Pasig City Mayor Vico Sotto, one of the youngest local government executives in the Philippines, highlighted his administration's battle against corruption and the strides made toward institutional reform.

by: MSN

CM Atishi Seeks Public Support Through Crowdfunding For Upcoming Delhi Polls

Chief Minister and AAP candidate from Kalkaji Atishi on Sunday launched a crowdfunding campaign to contest the upcoming Delhi Assembly polls and said she hoped that people would support her party's politics of work and honesty.

by: MSN

Chinese artist cashes in on Buddha-like Trump statues

Donald Trump is not typically known for his calm or reserve, but in a craftsman's workshop in rural China the US president-elect sits in divine contemplation. "Every day there's interesting news when he's president.

by: MSN

How Trump's tariffs could impact border communities?

Chief political correspondent Rosemary Barton speaks with Mayor of Sarnia Mike Bradley on Trump's threats about Canada and how the border community is responding to the threat of tariffs.

by: MSN

CM Revanth Reddy calls for revival of ideological student politics, advocates unity for Telangana's development

HYDERABAD: Asserting that the lack of strong political ideology was the main reason behind defections, Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy said, "Leaders are switching parties for posts. Students who follow party ideologies will remain loyal to their organisations.

by: MSN

'Such arrogance is not good': Guv office hits back at Stalin

The comment came a day after Stalin alleged Ravi was unable to "digest" that the state was developing and his decision not to address the Assembly was "childish".

by: MSN

'C'mon. We aren't idiots': Onlookers blast GOP lawmaker over conditions on L.A. fire funds

Senator John Barrasso, a Donald Trump supporter, was buried in criticism Sunday after he suggested "strings" need to be attached to California fire relief funds. Barrasso said on Face the Nation that "there will be strings attached" to any disaster and recovery aid Congress will "ultimately" approve for the Los Angeles wildfires.

by: MSN

Retiring FBI chief: Critics claim to like "independence and objectivity" until it hurts them

Retiring FBI Director Christopher Wray said in a "60 Minutes" interview airing Sunday that he's retiring early because he didn't want to thrust the "deeper into the fray" after facing intense criticism from President-elect Trump.

by: MSN

Trump has threatened to end CBP One, making asylum appointments more coveted than ever

The clock could be ticking for thousands of asylum seekers who have been waiting months for an appointment to show up at a U.S. port of entry, as President-elect Donald Trump's inauguration approaches.

by: MSN

Dems' phony grace, Biden's no Jimmy Carter and other commentary

Dems' Phony Grace "Democrats on the Hill have been gushing . . . over their own performance regarding the certification of the outcome of the 2024 election," notes Mike Mulvaney at The Hill, with no Dem challenging the Republican victory for the first time since 1988.

by: MSN

Bets warned: Don't use INC rally to campaign

MANILA, Philippines — The Commission on Elections (Comelec) urged politicians running in the midterm polls to avoid being "epal" (attention seeker) and to refrain from using the Iglesia ni Cristo's (INC) "National Rally for Peace" on Monday as a platform for premature campaigning.

by: MSN

Lebanon Faces a New Phase: Will Hezbollah Surrender Its Weapons to the State?

By Josiane Hajj Moussa for bne Beirut bureau Lebanon stands on the brink of a new political phase following the election of President Joseph Aoun, who pledged in his inaugural speech to work towards building a state based on institutions,

by: MSN

Dozens of Congress members outperformed the stock market in 2024. Here's who gained the most - and why

Dozens of Congress members outperformed the stock market in 2024. Here's who gained the most - and why - A report into the stock performance of members of Congress comes as legislation aimed at bannin

by: MSN

Two Birds, One Stone: Congressman Reveals Simple Way to Cut Border Crossings and Welfare Spending

Kentucky Republican Rep. Thomas Massie has an incredibly simple proposal for reducing both welfare spending and illegal immigration. As the new Congress convened, the lawmaker took to social media and asked how anyone can argue against "work requirements for able-bodied individuals on welfare.

by: MSN

Border city mayor says Canada-U.S. relationship is 'deteriorating' under Trump's tariff threats

The mayor of a Canadian border city says the prime minister and premiers should speak to communities like his about frustration with the United States that is bubbling up over president-elect Donald Trump's proposed tariffs and comments about absorbing Canada.

by: MSN

Netanyahu and Biden discuss 'progress' in ceasefire talks on call

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has spoken to US President Joe Biden about the "progress" in negotiations for the ceasefire deal securing the release of hostages held by Hamas in Gaza and of Palestinians in Israeli prisons.

by: MSN

Trump's pick to lead EPA was paid tens of thousands to write op-eds criticizing climate policies and ESG

Former Rep. Lee Zeldin made nearly $200,000 from paid speeches and op-eds in recent years. Some of those op-eds were on climate-related topics.

by: MSN

Majority of public think Elon Musk has negative impact on UK politics, according to new poll

A new poll has found that a majority of the public believe that Elon Musk has had a negative impact on UK politics, as the billionaire continues his online attack on the government

by: MSN

Ukraine needs to lower mobilization age for frontline stabilization - Trump's advisor

According to the statement of Trump's future National Security Advisor Mike Waltz, US President-elect Donald Trump's team believes that to stabilize the frontline in Ukraine, the age of mobilization should be lowered.

by: MSN

'Lawless' Judge Cannon scorched for Saturday attempt to bail Trump out

During an appearance on MSNBC "The Weekend," legal analyst and former SDNY prosecutor Kristy Greenberg reported that District Court for the Southern District of Florida Judge Aileen Cannon once again tried to throw Donald Trump a lifeline late Saturday with another demand for the Department of Justice in an effort to keep a damaging Jack Smith

by: MSN

Trump's Cabinet picks are set for Senate hearings. Here's the schedule

After the initial crush of personnel announcements for President-elect Donald Trump's incoming administration, now the nominations process officially begins. Senate hearings are scheduled this coming week for several of Trump's picks for the Cabinet.

by: MSN

Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass 'not worried' about supposed 'animosity' between Trump and California

Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass, as well as other local officials, said they were confident that President-elect Trump would visit the region.

by: MSN

Croatia's President Milanovic on track to win re-election by wide margin

Croatian President Zoran Milanovic was on track for a landslide victory in the country's presidential runoff on Sunday that will secure him a second term in the largely ceremonial post, exit polls showed.

by: MSN

Terrorism Declines In J&K: 80% Of Terrorists In J&K Are Pakistani, Local Recruitment Plummets

Of the 140 terrorists currently in J&K, about 80 are north of the Pir Panjal range and the rest in the Jammu area. Heavy snow— and this year has been particularly severe— has reduced infiltration in north Kashmir to a trickle.

by: MSN

Voices: Are you worried about the private sector's role in the NHS? Join The Independent Debate

Are you worried about the private sector's role in the NHS? Join The Independent Debate - THE INDEPENDENT DEBATE: Jeremy Corbyn's criticism of Labour's NHS plans has reignited debate over the role of

by: MSN

People yearning for positive politics that addresses their issues: AAP's Shah

People of Delhi are yearning for "positive politics" which helps them in daily life, Aam Aadmi Party's Jasmine Shah has said

by: MSN

KLEIN: We need to break City Hall's culture of secrecy

The culture at City Hall is one of secrecy and control. As a city councillor, I fought relentlessly to bring transparency to a system deeply entrenched in politics and hidden agendas. I moved several motions to eliminate the Executive Policy Committee (EPC),

by: MSN

How Palm Beach Is Coping With the MAGA Migration

Roads are choked. Real estate prices are stratospheric. As Trump supplicants, Silicon Valley moguls and Hollywood heavyweights swarm to Mar-a-Lago, longtime residents are seeing their quiet paradise hellishly upended.

by: MSN

'Not in war, but not in peace' - Sweden gets ready to new dangerous times

On Sunday, the annual conference "People and Defense" began in Selena. Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson and Social Democratic Party leader Magdalena Andersson spoke at the conference, SVT reports.

by: MSN

Bangladesh foreign secy meets Indian envoy as Dhaka puts BSF on notice

Bangladesh's foreign secretary Sunday (Jan 12) held a meeting with Indian High Commissioner Pranay Verma in Dhaka and expressed his "deep concerns" over recent tensions along the border. State-run news agency BSS earlier reported that Verma had been "summoned" by Foreign Secretary Md.

by: MSN

Liberal officials say it's 'essential' their next party leader is bilingual

Current and former Liberal party officials, both French and English speakers, say the next Liberal leader replacing Prime Minister Justin Trudeau should be bilingual.

by: MSN

Australian pro-Israel counter-protesters told 'go back to Germany'

"Go Back to Poland! Go Back to Germany!" A woman shouted at pro-Israel activists at the Free Palestine rally in Melbourne's central business district.
  • Mon, January 13, 2025

by: briefly

Meet Dean Macpherson, Minister of Public Works and Infrastructure in SA

Dean Macpherson is a high-ranking South African politician with a background in public policy and public administration. Uncover facts about his life and career!

by: MSN

How is Greenland responding to Trump's threats of annexation?

Chief political correspondent Rosemary Barton speaks with Greenland MP Pele Broberg, who shares his response to Trump's threats of taking control his country, and why he says this could actually boost its independence movement.

by: MSN

Minister Dean Macpherson discusses Public-Private Partnerships for government building privatisation

Minister Dean Macpherson outlines the need for a state asset management company to enhance public-private partnerships for government building privatisation in Durban.

by: MSN

The 51st US state? How Canada might take on Donald Trump

US President-elect Donald Trump threatened Canada with 25% tariffs and even quipped about a merger of the nations. The North American neighbors have strong economic links, so a trade dispute would have a heavy impact.

by: MSN

Researchers identify 550 marine species from intertidal zones in coastal areas of Maha

A similar project was undertaken by Prakash Gole, wildlife researcher and founder of the Ecological Society, in 1997 wherein he studied the marine biodiversity of 92 beaches in the coastal areas of Ma

by: MSN

Billionaire Control: How Musk and other moguls are reshaping politics

The growing influence of ultra-wealthy individuals, particularly Elon Musk, in politics raises concerns about the concentration of power. Musk's potential involvement in funding political movements, such as a £100 million donation to the UK Reform Party,

by: MSN

Labor announces $3 billion equity injection into the NBN

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese announced a funding commitment of $3 billion to the National Broadband Network and has pledged to keep the network in "public hands".

by: MSN

India is empowered due to Sanatana: Singer Anuradha Paudwal on Maha Kumbh

While speaking on Maha Kumbh, Singer and BJP leader Anuradha Paudwal said that India is 'empowered due to Sanatana'. She further said, "India is empowered due to Sanatana... My greetings to everyone for the Maha Kumbh.

by: MSN

What if Donald Trump were to rule like Vladimir Putin?

Donald Trump has refused to rule out using force to acquire Greenland from Denmark or the Panama Canal from Panama. Don't rule out that he might just mean it. The mere thought that America would extort or go to war with a close NATO ally to illegally ...

by: MSN

Donald Trump 'ready to shake things again' says Joe Biden; Claims he was the 'steady hand the world needed'

President Joe Biden's tenure focused on repairing international alliances, tested by crises like the Afghanistan withdrawal, Russia-Ukraine war, and Middle Eastern conflicts. As he leaves office, Biden maintains the U.

What does the defense secretary do?

Leading the U.S. Department of Defense is a massive job, broadly affecting Americans' security at home and abroad and overseeing huge numbers of people and immense amounts of money.
The Defense Secretary, as outlined on PBS NewsHour, is a pivotal figure in the U.S. government, serving as the head of the Department of Defense. This role involves advising the President on military policy, managing the Department's budget, which exceeds $700 billion, and overseeing the operations of the military branches. The Secretary is responsible for ensuring the military's readiness, strategic planning, and the execution of national security policy. They also engage in international diplomacy, often meeting with foreign counterparts to strengthen alliances and address global security issues. The position requires Senate confirmation and typically involves navigating complex relationships with Congress, the military, and other governmental agencies to shape defense policy and strategy.

Read the Full PBS Article at:
https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/what-does-the-defense-secretary-do