• Mon, March 31, 2025

by: CounterPunch

War, Doublethink, and the Struggle for Survival: Geopolitics of the Gaza Genocide

In a genocidal war that has spiraled into a struggle for political survival, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's coalition and the global powers

by: briefly

What Ronald Lamola said about the Israel case and Donald Trump

The Minister of International Relations, Ronald Lamola, said the South African government will not compromise on its case against Israel at the Hague.

by: Yahoo

DOGE sees dead people, and they're getting Social Security. Are fraud claims real?

In a March press conference, acting Social Security Commissioner Lee Dudek said his agency loses $100 million a year to direct deposit fraud. That figure represents about 0.00625% of all Social Security payments, according to Axios. The Trump administration has struggled to find other evidence of waste or fraud in the massive agency.

by: Insider

5 takeaways from Elon Musk's 100-minute town hall about DOGE and America: 'It's costing me a lot to be in this job'

Musk said Wisconsin's state Supreme Court election could "affect the entire destiny of humanity" as he held a town hall with voters in Green Bay.

by: FOX40

Tesla protests against Trump and Musk in Northern California spark controversy

A series of protests at Tesla car dealerships throughout Northern California have triggered mixed emotions within the region. On Saturday, nearly 300 people gathered in Placer County for a "Tesla Takedown" protest against Elon Musk.

by: KMVT

LGBTQ+ allies and activists rallied for transgender rights

LGBTQ+ allies and activists from the Magic Valley gathered at Five Points to rally for transgender rights. the corner of five points held a large group of people holding signs fighting for transgender rights.

by: BBC

What is the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough mayoral election?

Cambridgeshire and Peterborough residents will head to the polls to elect a new mayor. It is a chance for the county's 646,318 registered voters to decide who will oversee decision-making on key issues such as transport and housing.

by: CNN

Elon Musk goes all in on Wisconsin Supreme Court race. Democrats hope it will mobilize their voters

Elon Musk has thrust himself into the center of a state Supreme Court race in Wisconsin. Democrats are trying to use it to their advantage.

by: IOL

Ronald Lamola: New SA ambassador to US will be 'fit and proper', regardless of race

ANC NEC member Ronald Lamola stressed that the new South African ambassador to the U. S. will be chosen based on capability, regardless of race, following the expulsion of Ebrahim Rasool.

by: MarketWatch

Trump lashes out at both Putin and Zelensky over Ukraine peace negotiations

President Donald Trump lashed out at both Vladimir Putin and Volodymyr Zelensky on Sunday, expressing frustration with the Russian and Ukrainian leaders as he struggles to forge a truce to end the war.

by: WalesOnline

Welsh Government refuses to release letter about impact of PIP and Universal credit changes

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: Moneycontrol

Annamalai softens stance on AIADMK alliance after Shah-EPS meet: 'Won't stand in the way'

While Palaniswami denied that the meeting in Delhi had anything to do with a renewed alliance between his party and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) — its former ally — Amit Shah's social media post after the meeting hinted otherwise.

by: Vox

Are China, Canada, and Mexico really to blame for fentanyl?

China has the world's largest chemical industry, accounting for nearly half of global production, the vast majority of it entirely legal. In the shadows of this industry are the facilities creating the ingredients for most of America's fentanyl.

by: eNCA

Zimbabwe politics | Mnangagwa promises to crush protest

HARARE - Heavily armed police and military have been deployed to the streets of Harare, Bulawayo, and other cities in Zimbabwe. This is ahead of Monday planned protest against President Emmerson Mnangagwa.

by: Euronews

US demands that EU companies comply with anti-diversity order

US president Donald Trump has repeatedly taken aim at Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) programmes in the US, especially in government offices, claiming that they were discriminatory. View on euro

by: Cryptopolitan

Trump considers 20% global tariff in push for 'big and simple' trade policy

by: Axios

Trump's next targets: Museums and libraries

The Trump administration is aiming to shut down a federal agency that distributes taxpayer money to museums and libraries — including in Texas. Why it matters: The cultural institutions rely on federal money to meet their mission.

by: Forbes

Florida's Special House Elections Tuesday: What To Watch In These Tests Of Trump's Second Term

Republicans are expected to win the two red districts, but political watchers will be eyeing turnout and margins as indicators of voter sentiment about Trump's second term and the GOP's future electoral prospects.

by: rnz

Politics live: Nicola Willis on the cost of Cook Strait ferries

The Finance Minister is insisting the overall cost of replacing the ferries will be cheaper than the previous government's plan.

by: Newsweek

Churches Would Get Protections From IRS Punishment Under New Bill

Rep. Mark Harris said the "Republican trifecta" in the federal government could change an amendment from 1954.

by: Politico

Trump forces Canada to rethink trade and energy flows

OTTAWA — The return of Donald Trump has forced a reckoning in Canada with the potential to reshape the Canadian economy — including the direction its energy flows.

by: Fortune

Trump promised no taxes on tips and Social Security. But you still need to pay them this year

President Donald Trump's pledges to end taxes on tips and Social Security payments have caught the attention of workers across the country. But even if those policies do eventually become law, financial planners are reminding taxpayers that any changes won't affect the returns they must file by April 15 of this year.

by: KGOU

The Wisconsin Supreme Court vote is getting national attention and millions from Musk

by: KPBS

DOGE staffer who shared Treasury data now has more access to government systems

by: Bloomberg

Trump Vents Anger With Putin Over Ukraine and Hints at Oil Curbs

President Donald Trump said he was "very angry" at Vladimir Putin and threatened "secondary tariffs" on buyers of his country's oil if the Russian leader refuses a ceasefire with Ukraine.

by: techUK

techUK submit written evidence on Women and Equalities Committee's inquiry on female entrepreneurship

Through this inquiry, MPs on the Women and Equalities Committee (WEC) are investigating the challenges women encounter in entrepreneurship, examining which sectors present the greatest barriers and why.

by: Reuters

France's Le Pen found guilty in graft trial, awaits decision on potential ban from politics

A French court found far-right leader Marine Le Pen guilty on Monday of misappropriating EU funds and the sentencing expected shortly could see her barred from the 2027 presidential race, upending politics in France.

by: Mint

Donald Trump warns Houthis and Iran of 'real pain' if attacks on US ships continue in Red Sea

President Donald Trump declared that US strikes against Yemen's Houthi rebels will continue until they cease attacks on shipping, warning of "real pain" for both the Houthis and their Iranian sponsors.

by: Mint

'Empowering and strengthening': Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore praise Elon Musk and Donald Trump for safe return

NASA astronauts Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore, back from a nine-month ISS mission, thanked Elon Musk and Donald Trump for their support. Wilmore called it "empowering," while Williams stressed the importance of leadership in space exploration.

by: Reuters

Marine Le Pen election ban worsens French chaos

The decision of a French court to ban far-right leader Marine Le Pen from running in the 2027 presidential election will deepen political chaos in a country that already contends with a hung parliament and an unpopular president.

by: Fortune

A 25-year-old DOGE staffer who resigned over racist posts is back in government with new access to sensitive systems

Marko Elez has been assigned to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services since March 5, per court filings.

by: Politico

Trump, Bad Bunny and Puerto Rico's Perennially Broken Power Grid

Puerto Rico has the least reliable energy system of any place in the U.S. Despite billions of federal dollars available for repairs, it's still in shambles.

by: Newsweek

Trump Recession Odds Have Doubled: Moody's Chief Economist

Both Moody's Analytics and Goldman Sachs have raised their expectations for the U.S. economy to slide into a recession this year.

by: Axios

RFK Jr.'s emerging vision for HHS: More centralized power

Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. says sweeping layoffs and restructuring in the department will bring order to a bureaucracy he claims is in "pandemonium." But experts say the overhaul also likely gives him far greater control over dozens of federal health agencies.

by: IOL

Budget 2025 | DA and ANC near deal to pass controversial budget with VAT hike, Expropriation Act untouched

Negotiations between the ANC and DA negotiating teams regarding the budget resumed on Sunday afternoon, following a stalemate on Friday that threatened the stability of the coalition government.

by: KPBS

Expert says Tesla's best way to rebuild its brand is to ditch Musk

by: CNN

Supreme Court to debate if states may tax Catholic Charities and religiously affiliated groups

The Supreme Court will hear arguments Monday over whether states may require religiously affiliated groups like Catholic Charities to pay unemployment taxes in a case critics say could put more than 1 million US workers at risk of losing benefits.

by: IOL

City of Tshwane's 'pivotal' fully-funded draft budget hailed

While South Africa's national budget faces uncertainty, the City of Tshwane has unveiled a fully-funded draft budget that reduces property rates by 4% and keeps utility tariffs below inflation. The coalition government is absorbing costs to shield residents,

by: Newsweek

USPS Changes Begin This Week: How Mail Could Be Affected

The U.S. Postal Service will start rolling out changes impacting First-Class Mail and package services, among others, on Tuesday.

by: Politico

5 things to watch during Tuesday's elections in Florida and Wisconsin

But Tuesday will be the biggest test yet. In a pair of Florida special elections for vacant congressional seats, Democrats Josh Weil and Gay Valimont have vastly outraised their Republican opponents, Randy Fine and Jimmy Patronis, despite the districts being viewed as safe by the GOP.

by: Reuters

Musk gives away two $1 million checks to Wisconsin voters in high profile judicial race

Elon Musk also promised smaller payments to others who help elect a conservative candidate to the state's top court in a closely watched election.

by: Newsweek

Map Shows Battle Against Property Tax Across US States

Homeowners' discontent over rising property taxes is leading the growth of a movement to abolish them across GOP-led states.

by: Reuters

Insight: How Trump family took over World Liberty Financial as it raised hundreds of millions

As World Liberty Financial raised more than half a billion dollars, President Donald Trump's family took control of the crypto venture and grabbed the lion's share of those funds, aided by governance terms that industry experts say favor insiders.

by: IOL

Budget negotiations and Trump tariffs spark rand's decline amidst political turmoil

The rand has fallen nearly 1% against the US dollar as Parliament faces a critical Budget deadline. With GNU parties divided over proposed VAT increases and economists warning of dire consequences if consensus isn't reached by Wednesday,
  • Fri, April 4, 2025

by: TechCrunch

Elon Musk took a chainsaw to the US government. Tesla is taking the hit.

Elon Musk has long been credited with turning Tesla into a beacon of innovation, the visionary who pushed the world into an era of electrification. But

by: Council

Will the Earthquake Affect Politics and War in Myanmar?

The massive earthquake in Myanmar has exacerbated the country's existing crises, and will likely worsen instability rather than lead to peace.

by: CNN

Trump's self-inflicted tariff crisis sparks confusion, chaos and questions of competence

There are reasons to question whether President Donald Trump fully grasps the consequences of the tariff barrage that he used to fire up a global trade war.
  • Thu, April 3, 2025

by: NewsNation

Lobbying hits record in New York state politics

Lobbying in New York broke new records in 2024, with $377.1 million spent on state and local efforts. Spending rose 4.57% from 2023 as groups ramped up efforts to sway government decisions. According to Sanford Berland,

Budget negotiations and Trump tariffs spark rand's decline amidst political turmoil

The rand has fallen nearly 1% against the US dollar as Parliament faces a critical Budget deadline. With GNU parties divided over proposed VAT increases and economists warning of dire consequences if consensus isn't reached by Wednesday,
The South African rand experienced a decline due to a combination of factors including ongoing budget negotiations, the potential reimposition of tariffs by former U.S. President Donald Trump, and political instability within South Africa. The uncertainty surrounding the budget, particularly the possibility of tax hikes or spending cuts, has contributed to investor caution. Additionally, Trump's comments about reintroducing tariffs on South African goods if he were to return to office have added to the economic pressures. Domestically, the political landscape is fraught with tension as the African National Congress (ANC) faces internal strife and public discontent over governance issues, further exacerbating the rand's volatility. This confluence of events has led to a weakened rand, reflecting broader economic and political challenges in South Africa.

Read the Full IOL Article at:
https://www.msn.com/en-za/politics/government/budget-negotiations-and-trump-tariffs-spark-rand-s-decline-amidst-political-turmoil/ar-AA1BY1tv

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