Fri, January 17, 2025

by: MSN

8th Pay Commission: Central Government Employees to Get Salary Hike in 2026, Check Expected Salary and Pay Matrix

The Union Government has approved the implementation of 8th Pay Commission for central government employees and pensioners just before the Union Budget 2025 announcements. Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnav has confirmed on January 16 that the 8th Pay Commission gets the approval of the cabinet for 1 crore central government employees and the exact date of implementation is yet to be announced.

by: MSN

Current Affairs One Liners 16 January 2025: 8th Pay Commission Approved By Government

Get the latest updates with Jagran Josh! Highlights include 8th Pay Commission, Exercise Devil Strike, New Supreme Court Justices, Cyber Security Grand Challenge, and other key developments—quick and concise!

by: MSN

Macron to address growing hostility from Algeria, says French foreign minister

French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot announced that President Macron and key government members would meet soon to determine how to respond to what Paris considers growing hostility from Algeria,

by: MSN

Mark Carney says it's 'no time for politics as usual' as he launches campaign to replace Trudeau

After months of speculation about his future, former Bank of Canada governor Mark Carney launched his campaign to replace Justin Trudeau as Liberal leader on Thursday with a promise to build the fastest-growing economy in the G7 if he's elected.

by: Firstpost

Who is Mark Carney, ex-governor of Bank of Canada, who wants to take over from Trudeau?

Mark Carney, former governor of the Bank of Canada and Bank of England, has launched his bid to lead the Liberal Party and become Canada's next prime minister. With a platform focused on economic stability,

by: MSN

Israel Officially Inks Gaza Truce-Hostage Release Deal With Hamas After Trump's Warning

Israel and Hamas have finally signed the hostage release-Gaza ceasefire deal after mediators U.S., Egypt and Qatar iron out final kinks. Israeli PM said he will convene a security cabinet meeting today,
Thu, January 16, 2025

by: CNN

Senators hold confirmation hearings for Trump Cabinet picks

More of President-elect Donald Trump's Cabinet picks are facing confirmation hearings Thursday, including Lee Zeldin to run the Environmental Protection Agency and Scott Bessent, the nominee to be treasury secretary.

by: Oregonian

Oregon's lawmakers get to work next week. Here are their stated priorities

Oregon's legislative leaders will kick off their 2025 session with a shared focus on improving affordability for Oregonians and making sure the government is held accountable for delivering quality services, they said during a preview Thursday.

by: Politico

Netanyahu keeps Washington waiting

"You waved the white flag before Netanyahu!" yelled blogger MAX BLUMENTHAL. Blumenthal is credentialed by the State Department and runs a site accused of downplaying human rights abuses by China, Russia and former Syrian dictator BASHAR ASSAD. "How does it feel to have your legacy be genocide!"

by: deseret

Remembering Becky Lockhart a decade after her death

Friday, January 17th is the 10-year anniversary of Becky Lockhart's death at 46 years old and yet it seems like it was just yesterday," Stan Lockhart, who was her husband, shared with me. "The only woman to be Utah Speaker of the House was just finishing up her 16 years in the Utah Legislature when she began having dizzy spells or vertigo.

by: WLRN

A new proposal on recreational marijuana emerges, planned for 2026 ballot

The revamped proposal from the Smart & Safe Florida committee seeks to address issues raised by Gov. Ron DeSantis, who led a drive to defeat last year's constitutional measure.

by: Oregonian

NW Natural lobbyists also working for Oregon governments combatting climate change, report says

Conflicts of interest between NW Natural and a number of government bodies and nonprofits were analyzed in a new report from the Pennsylvania-based nonprofit climate group F Minus and the Oregon-based nonprofit climate advocacy group Breach Collective.

by: CNN

People want to change the Constitution. What's next?

The right and the left don't agree on how they'd like to change the Constitution, but they do agree that changes need to be made.

by: Forbes

How Fortunes Will Be Made And Retirements Lost In The Next 4 Years

Trump 2.0 will create a "market barbell" of big winners and sad losers. Let's focus on the dividend payers that will be propelled higher—and step over the laggards.

by: CNN

Teacher layoffs, bigger classes: Potential federal education cuts could hit GOP's base hardest

It's the sort of place where President-elect Donald Trump's "America First" message resonated - but also where some of his proposed policies could hit hardest, especially his promise to eliminate the Department of Education and slash federal funds to public schools.

by: justthenews

Trump indicates he won't hire people who worked for opponents with 'TDS'

The TDS term has entered common parlance and refers to a process by which traditionally conservative Republican figures who oppose Trump gradually turn to the political left for support and become fixated on the president-elect and his supposed status as a harbinger of the nation's doom.

by: WLRN

Fact-check: Senate confirmation hearing for Pam Bondi, attorney general nominee

Pam Bondi's hearing came on the second day of high-profile confirmation hearings for Trump's second-term nominees. PolitiFact fact checked her statements.

by: ABC

Few US adults confident Justice Department and FBI will act fairly under Trump, AP-NORC poll finds

As President-elect Donald Trump's pick for attorney general, Pam Bondi, gets set for her Senate confirmation hearings, only about 2 in 10 U.S. adults are "extremely" or "very" confident the Justice Department will act in a fair and nonpartisan manner

by: Reuters

Germany says it has found no more foot-and-mouth cases

Germany has not found any further cases of foot-and-mouth disease, agriculture minister Cem Oezdemir said on Wednesday, adding that experts were working day and night to establish the source of the country's first outbreak in decades.

by: MSN

Bondi questioned about prosecuting journalists and DOJ prosecutors

Pam Bondi was questioned about comments she made about prosecuting Department of Justice prosecutors and her view about investigating journalists.

by: CNN

Senators quiz Rubio, Bondi and other Trump Cabinet picks at hearings

Sen. Marco Rubio and Pam Bondi face questions from senators in their respective confirmation hearings on Capitol Hill on Wednesday. Follow for live news updates.

by: Sky

Sir Keir Starmer says government will 'look at every conceivable way' to stop Gerry Adams payout

A thinktank backed by 16 peers has criticised the government's plan to lift a ban on compensation for unlawful detention during the Troubles.

by: MSN

UK politics live: Badenoch admits Tories made mistake on Brexit as Reeves under fire over weak economy growth

Badenoch admits Tories made mistake on Brexit as Reeves under fire over weak economy growth - 'Disappointing' new GDP figures 'unlikely to ease stagflation concerns', analysts say

by: CNN

Biden makes last big move to protect US networks from hackers from China and elsewhere

President Joe Biden on Thursday signed an executive order that is his final stab at shoring up America's cyber defenses after a damaging string of cyberattacks on federal networks that US officials have blamed on Chinese and Russian operatives.

by: Reuters

Biden warns oligarchy forming in US that threatens democracy

President Joe Biden capped a half-century political career with a final Oval Office speech as he hopes to seal a legacy overshadowed by Democrats' failure to stop Donald Trump from returning to the White House.

by: MSN

Bob Ferguson sworn in as Washington's 24th governor, outlining goals and challenges

The state's first new governor in 12 years, Bob Ferguson used his inaugural speech to highlight his priorities of making government more efficient, working with all lawmakers and making the state a better place to live.

by: MSN

President Joe Biden Farewell Address: Reflective Tone, Achievements Touted, and Threats to Democracy

In a final message from the Oval Office, President Joe Biden farewell address stroke a reflective, hopeful, and cautionary tone. Speaking directly to the American people, Biden recounted his administration's achievements while sounding alarms about the risks to democracy posed by the concentration of power and technological advances.

by: MSN

Israel and Hamas agree to ceasefire deal to pause Gaza war and release some hostages, mediators say

Israel and Hamas agreed to a ceasefire deal, mediators announced Wednesday, pausing a devastating 15-month war in the Gaza Strip and raising the possibility of winding down the the deadliest and most destructive fighting between the bitter enemies.

by: MSN

Schiff and Bondi reignite old grudges at confirmation hearing: 'You were censured'

by: WYSO

Trump attorney general pick Bondi faces Democrats' questions about her independence

by: MSN

The pomp, pageantry and circumstance of presidential inaugurations in the words of AP reporters

Presidential inaugurations are deeply rooted in American history. The customs and festivities, like the parade and galas, bring spectacle to the nation's capital. But the date and oath of office are prescribed in the Constitution.

by: MSN

Donald Trump's New Staffer Request Has Potential Issue

President-elect Donald Trump's demand for his incoming administration to be free of those with ties to a long list of Republican enemies and others with "Trump Derangement Syndrome" appears to ignore one of his own Cabinet picks.

by: Reuters

Exclusive: Chinese buyers interested in unwanted German Volkswagen factories, source says

Chinese officials and automakers are eyeing German factories slated for closure and are particularly interested in Volkswagen's sites , a person with knowledge of Chinese government thinking told Reuters.

by: MSN

Neighbour 'purposely farting' at resident among 10 wacky B.C. bylaw calls of 2024

The Local Government Compliance and Enforcement Association of BC (LGCEA) is sharing the top 10 unique calls officers across B.C. received in 20214.
Wed, January 15, 2025

by: Tennessean

Gov. Bill Lee calls special session to tackle vouchers, disaster relief and immigration

The special session would allow lawmakers to focus on the topics in a more dedicated way. The special session would begin Jan. 27.

by: PBS

Father of Israeli-American hostage reacts to deal, 'the brink of ending this madness'

We're looking at the Israel-Hamas ceasefire through the lens of the families whose loved ones have been held hostage by Hamas since Oct. 7, 2023. Jonathan Dekel-Chen is the father of Israeli-American Sagui Dekel-Chen.

by: MSN

Trump and Biden national and homeland security staff will meet Wednesday for threat exercises

Some of President-elect Donald Trump's Cabinet picks and top national security staff are expected to meet Wednesday with President Joe Biden's National Security Council in the White House to walk through how the US government responds to a range of homeland security threats and scenarios,

by: coloradopolitics

A tattoo, the N-word, a different crime: Colorado justices hear appeal of former death row inmate

Almost 20 years after the murders of a young couple in Aurora, the Colorado Supreme Court heard the appeal of the man convicted of orchestrating the killings and who now alleges numerous errors pervaded his trial.

by: MSN

Brian Bingman sworn into Oklahoma Corporation Commission

Brian Bingman joins the body responsible for regulating Oklahoma's oil and gas, utility and transportation industries.

by: MSN

Russell Vought grilled on Project 2025 and 'breaking the law' during Senate hearing

by: MSN

The history of presidential farewells and transitions

As President Biden delivers his farewell address, presidential historian Doris Kearns Goodwin, author of "The Leadership Journey" and "An Unfinished Love Story," joins to explore the significance of the transition period and the history of the farewell address.

by: Slate

There Are Still Ways the Israel-Hamas Ceasefire Could Fall Apart

Under the terms of the deal, Hamas will release 33 hostages over a period of 42 days, including women, children, the sick, and men over the age of 55. Three of these hostages will be released the first day, another four on the second day, then three at a time in each week, with the final 14 released on the final week.

by: Slate

The Supreme Court Changed Its Mind About Online Porn

The Supreme Court heard arguments in Free Speech Coalition v. Paxton on Wednesday, a major First Amendment case.

by: MSN

Israel and Hamas agree on broad contours of a deal to halt fighting, but issues remain

Israel said "there are still several unresolved clauses in the outline, and we hope that the details will be finalized tonight."

by: MSN

Exclusive-Trump team asks three US senior career diplomats to resign, sources say

Aides to President-elect Donald Trump have asked three senior career diplomats who oversee the U.S. State Department's workforce and internal coordination to step down from their roles, two U.S. officials familiar with the matter said,

by: MSN

Denmark and Trump discuss Greenland security and sovereignty

The Danish Prime Minister, Mette Frederiksen, had a phone conversation with President-elect Donald Trump on Wednesday to discuss strengthening the security of Greenland and the Arctic, as reported by the office of the Danish government leader.

by: MSN

Israel and Hamas reach deal on Gaza ceasefire and hostage release, Hamas and Qatari officials say

Israel and Hamas agreed to a ceasefire Wednesday, a deal that will end 15 months of fighting in Gaza, senior Hamas and Qatari officials said.

by: MSN

Starmer and Badenoch clash over economy at PMQs

Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch has challenged Sir Keir Starmer over the government's handling of the economy, saying the UK was now "spending more on debt than on schools and hospitals". Speaking at Prime Minister's Questions,

Fact-check: Senate confirmation hearing for Pam Bondi, attorney general nominee

Pam Bondi's hearing came on the second day of high-profile confirmation hearings for Trump's second-term nominees. PolitiFact fact checked her statements.

The article from WLRN discusses the Senate confirmation hearing of Pam Bondi for the position of U.S. Attorney General. During the hearing, several key points were addressed:

  • Qualifications and Experience: Bondi's background as Florida's Attorney General from 2011 to 2019 was highlighted, along with her work on consumer protection, fighting opioid abuse, and her involvement in high-profile cases like the prosecution of the "Pill Mill" doctors.

  • Controversies: Her tenure was not without controversy, including her decision not to join a multi-state lawsuit against Trump University, which raised questions about conflicts of interest due to her support for Donald Trump.

  • Political Affiliations: Bondi's close ties to Trump, including her endorsement and subsequent financial support from Trump's foundation, were scrutinized, with Democrats questioning her impartiality.

  • Policy Positions: Bondi defended her record on issues like immigration, criminal justice reform, and her stance on the Affordable Care Act, asserting her commitment to the rule of law and public safety.

  • Confirmation Prospects: Despite the controversies, her confirmation seemed likely due to the Republican majority in the Senate, although some moderate and Democratic senators expressed reservations about her past actions and potential biases.

    The hearing was marked by both support from Republicans who praised her law enforcement credentials and criticism from Democrats who focused on her political affiliations and potential conflicts of interest.

    Read the Full WLRN Article at:
    https://www.wlrn.org/government-politics/2025-01-16/fact-check-senate-confirmation-hearing-pam-bondi