• Wed, March 26, 2025

by: Governing

Medicaid Cuts Could Cost States Billions in Tax Revenue and a Million Jobs

Much has been said about the health consequences of severe Medicaid cuts. A new analysis from the Commonwealth Fund considers the jobs and revenue that states could lose.

by: Bizcommunity

Justice Malala to unpack South Africa's economic and political future at exclusive AATF breakfast event

South Africa's economic recovery and industrial growth depend on both policy reform and business innovation. Few commentators are better placed to explore these challenges than Justice Malala. The award-winning author,

by: SFGate

'Fear and anger': California town halls are not going well for Democrats, either

While Democrats host events, California Republicans have largely avoided facing their constituents. The town hall furor comes as Musk, an unelected campaign donor to Trump, moves to fire hundreds of thousands of public workers and cut funding to federal agencies like the National Park Service and the National Weather Service.

by: ANI

BRS MLC K Kavitha K Kavitha demands Sonia Gandhi fulfill Congress' gold and cash promise in Telangana

The Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) MLCs today staged a protest at the Telangana Legislative Council to highlight unfulfilled promises made by the Congress Government--like providing 10 grams of gold to eligible women for their marriage.

by: Zawya

Justice Malala to unpack South Africa's economic and political future

Beyond domestic policy, South Africa's global positioning and trade relationships remain vital to its industrial future

by: Washingtonian

Cora Masters Barry Dressed Down Ed Martin, a Tourist Brought Measles to DC, and House GOP Floats Idea of Changing the City's Name to "District of America"

Good morning. Even more wind, some sun, and a high around 56 today. A low around 34 tonight. Bar Charley, All Souls, and the Green Zone are among the first-date bars that moved to the second round of our bracket.

by: Alternet

'Buyer beware': What scammers and Trump have in common

During his first term, President Donald Trump was very skeptical of cryptocurrencies. But these days, Trump — like many of his tech bro allies — is an enthusiastic cheerleader for crypto technology. In an article published on March 26,

by: IOL

The contested legacy of Inkatha: Mangosuthu Buthelezi and the IFP's 50 year through SA's turbulent history

To understand the IFP's place in South African politics today, we must grapple with its dual legacy: as both a product of apartheid's ethnic engineering and as a movement that genuinely sought to advance African interests within the constraints of that system.

by: MSN

Florida's Mike Waltz and Marco Rubio on text chain that included journalist. What we know

The app also allows users to automatically blur faces of people in photos to protect identities. The app was intended to defend users against government and corporate surveillance. You have to sign up with a phone number to create an account, but can hide ...

by: Euronews

France and Indonesia agree to boost Pacific security as tensions with China persist

The Indonesian naval chief of staff, Admiral Muhammad Ali, said the project would address various maritime security challenges, including piracy, terrorism and other illegal activities. View on eurone

by: NDTV

NDTV Yuva Conclave: Raghav Chadha On Harvard, Politics, And Life With Parineeti Chopra

Rajya Sabha member Raghav Chadha, who recently attended a leadership programme at Harvard Kennedy School (HKS) in Cambridge, described the experience as a "once-in-a-lifetime opportunity" that rekindled his passion for learning.

by: eNCA

Government to lift ban on cannabis and hemp products

JOHANNESBURG - Government plans to withdraw its ban on the sale of cannabis and hemp products. President Cyril Ramaphosa announced this on Tuesday after consultation with Health Minister Aaron Motsoaledi.

by: Metro

'I'm LGBTQ+ and disabled - losing my benefits means I will lose my independence'

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: KPBS

When numbers play politics: How immigration data manipulation shapes public narratives

An immigration expert analyzes the statistical impact of Trump's immigration policies, ICE funding increases and immigration data manipulation shaping public narratives.

by: LAist

What immigration enforcement at Columbia and other universities means for SoCal campuses

A recent string of high-profile immigration enforcement actions at Columbia and other universities has sparked fear and caution among some students and faculty in Southern California — especially those who aren't U.

by: Cryptopolitan

Trump doubles down on efforts to control Greenland, citing economic and security importance

by: Reuters

'This is not the time to go it alone,' NATO's Rutte tells U.S. and Europe

NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte warned the United States and Europe on Wednesday against any temptation to "go it alone" on security, amid increased tensions over the future of the transatlantic alliance.

by: Deadline

GOP Lawmakers Warn PBS And NPR CEOs They Want To Defund Public Media - Update

NPR and PBS were in the spotlight at a House hearing this morning before the Delivering on Government Efficiency subcommittee, as Republican grilled the CEOs of the public broadcasting outlets over alleged biases.

by: Healthbeat

Federal government rescinds more than $100 million from NYC Health Department

The Department of Health and Human Services abruptly terminated grants for infectious disease prevention and surveillance work in New York City. The grant terminations come as the agency faces pressing public health threats,

by: Audacy

Missouri's revamped 'eHarmony for babies' bill criticized as government overreach

The revamp of widely-criticized legislation that sought to create a registry of pregnant girls and women "at risk" of abortion raised bipartisan concerns of government overreach during a House committee hearing Tuesday morning.

by: PoliticsHome

Welfare Cuts Will Push 250,000 People Into Poverty, Says Government Impact Assessment

Labour's welfare reforms will see an additional 250,000 people - including 50,000 children - pushed into relative poverty, government analysis has

by: WCAX

Schumer says job cuts and office closures will impact Social Security

New York Senator Chuck Schumer says New Yorker seniors will soon feel the impacts of cuts to the Social Security Administration by the Trump administration.

by: Axios

"Chaos and uncertainty": Canadian leaders blast U.S. auto tariffs

Canadian politicians and industrial leaders blasted President Trump's new auto tariffs on Wednesday and vowed a swift response. Why it matters: One of America's closest allies three months ago is now preparing for an all-out trade war,

by: CNN

Social Security Administration delays and curtails new anti-fraud policy

The Social Security Administration announced Wednesday that it is pushing back the rollout of a controversial anti-fraud measure by two weeks and reducing the number of applicants it will effect.

by: Politico

Gabbard says Signal comes 'pre-installed' on government devices

Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard testified to House Intelligence Committee members Wednesday that encrypted messaging app Signal comes "pre-installed" on government devices — a potentially major shift in official communications on the heels of a massive Chinese government-linked hack of U.

by: MSNBC

Republicans zero in on PBS and NPR at congressional hearing

The CEOs of National Public Radio and the Public Broadcasting Service denied accusations of liberal bias at a congressional hearing Wednesday, as Republican lawmakers sought to portray public media outlets as partisan organizations that are set on indoctrinating children.

by: KLCC

Waldport area fire district says it will need to lay off three firefighters and one administrator if levy fails May 20

Union firefighters at Central Oregon Coast Fire & Rescue were given notice last week that potential layoffs loom for the cash-strapped agency.

by: Slate

Congress Isn't Just Standing By As Trump Abuses His Power. It's Doing Something Far Worse.

As Donald Trump breaks the bounds of his legal authority and collapses the constitutional separation of powers between ostensibly co-equal branches of government, time after time it is the judges who've stepped in to impose limits.

by: MSNBC

Maddow Blog | HHS makes an unfortunate choice to oversee unnecessary study on vaccines and autism

The Trump administration could've chosen anyone to conduct its study on vaccines and autism. It settled on someone who's apparently already made up his mind.

by: Axios

What to know about the Espionage Act and Signalgate

Trump administration officials' use of a Signal chat that included the editor-in-chief of The Atlantic, Jeffrey Goldberg, rocked Washington this week, raising questions about possible violations of the Espionage Act.

by: Reuters

German parties press on with government formation despite differences on migration

Germany's conservatives and Social Democrats (SPD) agreed on Wednesday to go into the next round of negotiations on forming a coalition government despite deep differences remaining on areas from immigration to consumer protection and criminal justice.

by: HuffPost

DOGE's Pursuit Of Sensitive Unemployment Data Sparks Alarm

Experts fear the Trump administration will wield the information - including workers' addresses and Social Security numbers - in its immigration crackdown.

by: KPBS

DOGE says it needs to know the government's most sensitive data, but can't say why

by: Euronews

Tiktok, Meta, Google and X invited to Romanian election stress test

The November presidential vote has been annulled due to attempts to influence votes through social media. View on euronews

by: CNN

Loathing for Europe, love for emoji and other things we learned from the Signal snafu

The most important part of the Signal snafu remains the fact that the secretary of defense posted sensitive information about a forthcoming strike in a Signal chat organized by the national security adviser that inadvertently included The Atlantic's Jeffrey Goldberg.

by: Cryptopolitan

Trump demands that the Treasury Department 'modernize and centralize' its payment system

by: IOL

Western Cape Government applauds President Ramaphosa's reversal of cannabis edibles ban

Western Cape Government welcomes the lifting of the cannabis edibles ban, promoting public consultation and economic growth opportunities.

by: Audacy

Canadians Say Tariffs Cause 'Chaos and Confusion' on Both Sides of the Border

Canadians say tariffs cause chaos and confusion on both sides of the border. WBEN spoke to Fort Erie residents to get reaction to the trade war

by: Metro

What time is Rachel Reeves' spring statement and how can I watch it live?

Rachel Reeves is preparing to make her spring statement in the House of Commons later today. This is the second-most important economic announcement from the government of the year, behind only the budget in autumn.

by: Alternet

'I am going through hell': Job loss, mental health and the fate of federal workers

The National Institutes of Health employee said she knew things would be difficult for federal workers after Donald Trump was elected. But she never imagined it would be like this. Focused on Alzheimer's and other dementia research,

by: Politico

What the Bernie Sanders and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez mega-rallies are really about

The two progressives are bringing energy to a party that has been exhausted and furious in the second Trump era.

by: IOL

Home Affairs launches border management and immigration anti-corruption forum to tackle corruption

Minister Leon Schreiber outlines South Africa's commitment to eradicating corruption within immigration and border management, highlighting systemic reforms and technological advancements aimed at dismantling corrupt.

by: Axios

Schumer and Dems confront Trump over Signal scandal

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) on Wednesday led Democrats in demanding a federal investigation into the alleged use of a private messaging app by Trump officials to discuss highly sensitive defense information.

by: Reuters

Explainer-Russia gets US to agree to help lift curbs on food, fertiliser and shipping

By Guy Faulconbridge MOSCOW (Reuters) -Russia said on Tuesday the United States had agreed to help it lift a series of Western sanctions and restrictions on food, fertiliser and shipping companies as preconditions for a maritime security deal in the Black Sea.

by: KPBS

Federal workers ordered back to office find shortages of desks, Wi-Fi and toilet paper

by: Axios

Social Security: How it works, and why it's the "third rail" of U.S. politics

The Department of Governmental Efficiency (DOGE)'s incursion into the Social Security Administration is threatening to slow or even unravel the system that provided income to about 73 million Americans last month.

by: IOL

KZN Premier Ntuli calls for collaboration between municipalities and traditional leaders

Premier Thami Ntuli emphasises the importance of collaboration between municipalities and traditional leaders to foster community cohesion and self-reliance in KwaZulu-Natal.

by: IOL

South African government backtracks on banning cannabis edibles

South Africa's government has lifted the ban on cannabis and hemp-derived foodstuffs, opening new avenues for entrepreneurs while ensuring safety regulations are put in place.

Social Security: How it works, and why it's the "third rail" of U.S. politics

The Department of Governmental Efficiency (DOGE)'s incursion into the Social Security Administration is threatening to slow or even unravel the system that provided income to about 73 million Americans last month.
The article from MSN discusses Social Security, a pivotal U.S. government program established in 1935 to provide financial support to retirees, the disabled, and survivors of deceased workers. It explains how Social Security functions through payroll taxes, with workers contributing a portion of their earnings, matched by their employers, into the system. The funds are then redistributed as benefits based on an individual's earnings history and the age at which they retire. The article highlights why Social Security is often referred to as the "third rail" of American politics due to its immense popularity and the political risk associated with any attempts to reform or cut it. It notes that while the program faces future funding challenges due to demographic shifts like an aging population and lower birth rates, any changes to Social Security are politically sensitive, as evidenced by past political campaigns where candidates who proposed changes faced significant backlash. The piece also touches on the ongoing debate about the program's sustainability, with suggestions for solutions ranging from increasing the retirement age to adjusting benefits or payroll taxes.

Read the Full Axios Article at:
https://www.msn.com/en-us/politics/government/social-security-how-it-works-and-why-it-s-the-third-rail-of-u-s-politics/ar-AA1BDKEo