An upscale New Jersey town violated anti-discrimination laws by insisting that a proposed mosque have more parking spaces than churches or synagogues because of its unique worship times and traditions, a federal judge has ruled. The ruling issued Saturday by U.S. District Judge Michael Shipp stated that Bernards Township violated the Religious Land Use and Institutional Persons Act by applying a different standard to Muslims.
Day: January 2, 2017
Trump to name Lighthizer as trade representative, tap Pence adviser for West Wing
President-elect Donald Trump is expected to nominate Robert E. Lighthizer as the U.S. trade representative, a transition official confirmed Monday night, recruiting to his Cabinet a veteran of the Reagan administration who has decades of experience in trade policy and litigation. Lighthizer, whose nomination is expected to be formally announced as early as Tuesday, will join a team of Trump lieutenants charged with fulfilling one the central promises of Trump’s populist candidacy: aggressively confronting China, Mexico and other nations the president-elect believes have been taking advantage of international trade agreements, to the detriment of U.S. workers.
House Republicans Move To Weaken Congressional Ethics Office
U.S. House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy laughs as he and House Speaker Paul Ryan, flanked by House Republican Whip Steve Scalise , introduce Representative Jason Smith and Representative Luke Messer as new members of the House Republican leadership team after their caucus held leadership elections on Capitol Hill in Washington, U.S. November 15, 2016. REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst In an abrupt move made without the backing of their leaders, Republicans in the House of Representatives plan to dramatically scale back an independent congressional ethics office created eight years ago.
Opinion: A ‘precap’ for 2017
Jan. 20 – Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts looks on as Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey administers a 140-character version of the oath of office to the nation’s 45th president. Mar. 22 – CNN expands its roster of paid Trump apologists to include David Buono, the head golf professional at Mar-a-Lago.
Ex-Chicago top cop blames Black Lives Matter for surge in murders
Chicago’s disgraced top cop thinks Black Lives Matter is to blame for his city’s sharp surge in violence. Garry McCarthy – who served as the superintendent of the Chicago Police Department for nearly four years before getting fired in 2015 – went on “The Cats Roundtable” radio show on New Year’s Day and accused police brutality protesters of creating a “political atmosphere of anti-police sentiment.”
Most Americans doubt Trump can handle presidential duties
Many in U.S. Skeptical Trump Can Handle Presidential Duties – PRINCETON, N.J. – As Donald Trump prepares to take the presidential oath on Jan. 20, less than half of Americans are confident in his ability to handle an international crisis (46%), to use military force wisely (47%)
House GOP Votes to Strip Ethics Office of Independent Status
House Republicans voted Monday night in favor of a proposal that would weaken Congress’ outside ethics watchdog and remove its independence. – Republican Virginia Rep. Bob Goodlatte’s proposal would place the independent Office of Congressional Ethics
Requiring more parking for N.J. mosque is unconstitutional, judge rules
An upscale New Jersey town violated anti-discrimination laws by insisting that a proposed mosque have more parking spaces than churches or synagogues because of its unique worship times and traditions, a federal judge has ruled. The ruling issued Saturday by U.S. District Judge Michael Shipp stated that Bernards Township violated the Religious Land Use and Institutional Persons Act by applying a different standard to Muslims.
Two Years Out, Elizabeth Warren Is Already Fundraising for Sherrod Brown
Democrat’s had high hopes of retaking the U.S. Senate in 2016. Sadly those hopes were dashed as Republicans held onto their slim majority.
What downtown Bossier City may look like in the future
This year is expected to be one of growth for the ArkLaTex, but that growth will bring with it some growing pains. Here are some of the big projects coming to the area: The long-awaited dog park in Shreveport is expected to open this year.
Youngstown CEO to host presidential party
A Valley businessman is invited to take part in President Elect Donald Trump’s inauguration festivities in Washington D.C. After Trump takes his oath on Jan. 20, Bruce Zoldan, CEO and president of Phantom Fireworks, will be ready to party with the president. Zoldan also mentioned tweets from both Trump and his wife Melania Trump about how excited they are about the party.
Donald Trump to ‘repeal’ lot of Obama’s actions on day one in office
Washington [USA], Jan. 2 : Incoming White House press secretary Sean Spicer has said that President-elect Donald Trump plans to repeal a raft of incumbent Barack Obama’s executive actions in his first day in office. Spicer said on ABC’s “This Week” that Trump will immediately “repeal a lot of the regulations and actions that have been taken by this administration over the last eight years that have hampered both economic growth and job creation,” reports the CNN.
SpaceX finds source of rocket explosion, plans new launch
SpaceX plans to resume flights as early as next week after finding the cause of an explosion that destroyed a rocket and satellite on a Florida launch pad in September. The Hawthorne, California-based company is aiming for a Sunday, Jan. 8, flight from Vandenberg Air Force Base, the Los Angeles Times reported Monday .
The fix was in for Jim Kim
Joe Asch at Dartblog has the story of how President Obama engineered the reappointment of Jim Kim ten months prior to the end of his term as president of the World Bank. Readers may recall that Kim served briefly as president of Dartmouth College.
Arnold Schwarzenegger reveals his New Celebrity Apprentice catchphrase
The post-Donald Trump era of NBC’s Celebrity Apprentice has arrived, and with it the debut of new host Arnold Schwarzenegger’s catchphrase for firing contestants in the climactic boardroom showdown segment. NBC’s The Apprentice franchise has taken on heightened significance in pop culture because it proved to be the vehicle that president-elect Trump used to establish himself as a household name, paving the way for his convention-busting political career.
The Latest: China calls Trump remarks on NKorea ‘pandering’
A state-run Chinese tabloid says Donald Trump is “pandering to ‘irresponsible’ attitudes” after the U.S. president-elect accused China of not stepping in to curtail the North Korean nuclear program. The Global Times newspaper says Pyongyang’s nuclear program “stokes the anxieties of some Americans” who blame China rather than looking inward.
Federal Hold Up For Gold Card Gun Permits Ina
Issues with the federal government are affecting a new gun permit that went into effect New Year’s Day. It’s called the gold card and it allows South Dakotans who carry it to buy a gun, without having to go through the federal National Instant Criminal Background Check System, or NICS.
The Birmingham channel: Chaos is a friend of mine
Sunday jazz brunch in December at Five in Lakeview, featuring Tom Jambor on harmonica, Glen Butts on guitar and Scott Housey on bass. From Tom Jambor.
US Sen. Warren seeks to pull pot shops out of banking limbo
As marijuana shops sprout in states that have legalized the drug, they face a critical stumbling block – lack of access to the kind of routine banking services other businesses take for granted. U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren, a Massachusetts Democrat, is leading an effort to make sure vendors working with legal marijuana businesses, from chemists who test marijuana for harmful substances to firms that provide security, don’t have their banking services taken away.
US states re-examine cybersecurity
Several states around the country on Saturday asked cybersecurity experts to re-examine state and utility networks after a Vermont utility’s laptop was found to contain malware U.S. officials say is linked to Russian hackers. The Burlington Electric Department, one of Vermont’s two largest electric utilities, confirmed Friday it had found on one of its laptops the malware code used in Grizzly Steppe, the name the U.S. government has given to malicious cyber activity by Russian civilian and military intelligence services.
Former budget director Perusse returning to post for Cooper
New North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper on Monday named four state government veterans to take key positions in his administration, including the former state budget director under the two most recent Democratic governors. Charlie Perusse – Cooper’s choice as budget director – served about two years as Gov. Beverly Perdue’s budget director until early 2011.
Christmas wish granted: Fresno homeless mana s dog, Baby, adopted
Baby, the beloved dog of Clifford Herbert, a Fresno homeless man with cancer, has found a new home with Stephanie Walker and her family in Squaw Valley. It was Herbert’s Christmas wish to find his dog a home before he died.
Letter writer argues politicians cause excessive pensions
There are some very good points in the Dec. 22 editorial, “CalPERS keeps loading taxpayers with pension debt,” but editorial writers missed why CalPERS cannot get the high income rates that they have used before. This is mostly because of our lagging economy in the last few years.
Zero Self-Awareness: Chuck Todd WhacksTrump s Concierge Media Friends
On NBCA s Meet the Press on Sunday, Chuck Todd devoted a whole hour to analyzing Trump vs. the Press, but he worked energetically to avoid the notion the media lost trust because itA s seen as part of the Democratic National Machine. There were no questions about whether they failed in being too soft on Hillary Clinton, because they never think theyA ve been too soft on Democrats.
Fish seek cooler waters, leaving some fishermen’s nets empty
Dean West, a deckhand aboard the boat Proud Mary, gets ready to trawl for sea bass and fluke off the coast of Point Judith, R.I., Aug. 9, 2016. The fishing industry faces antiquated regulations that have been overtaken by climate change, as warming seas are causing species to move out of their historical ranges to cooler and deeper waters.
Next 25 Articles
BrazilA s two biggest cities on Sunday inaugurated mayors who are political outsiders and whose victories underscored deep frustration with the political class and public corruption. Joao Doria, a millionaire businessman who once hosted “The Apprentice Brazil,” took the oath of office in the countryA s financial capital of Sao Paulo.
Alabama band to march at inauguration, igniting controversy
The marching band of Alabama’s oldest private, historically black liberal arts college has accepted an invitation to perform at President-elect Donald Trump’s inaugural parade, organizers said. Talladega College’s band will march at Trump’s inauguration as other historically black schools such as Howard University, which performed at President Barack Obama’s first inaugural parade, said they won’t be marching in the Jan. 20 event.
BRIEF-Australia And New Zealand Banking agrees to sell stake in Shanghai Rural Commercial Bank
NEW YORK, Jan 2 Twitter Inc executive Kathy Chen, who courted potential Chinese advertisers for the social media platform, announced her departure from the company in a tweet on Saturday.
ANZ bank sells 20pct stake in Shanghai Rural Commercial Bank for $1.3 bln
Jan 3 Australia and New Zealand Banking Group Ltd said on Tuesday it will sell its stake in Shanghai Rural Commercial Bank Co Ltd to China COSCO Shipping Corp and Shanghai Sino-Poland Enterprise Management Development Corp for A$1.8 billion . The sale price represents a price-to-book ratio of approximately 1.1 times Shanghai Rural’s net assets as of December 2015, ANZ said in a statement.
BRIEF-Emerchants signs agreement with McMillan Shakespeare Ltd
WASHINGTON, Jan 2 A new, Republican-controlled U.S. Congress convenes on Tuesday eager to repeal major portions of President Barack Obama’s healthcare law and roll back environmental and financial industry regulations, but could quickly become embroiled in fights over President-elect Donald Trump’s Cabinet choices.
continue reading
Senior House Democrats are extolling the benefits of President Barack Obama’s health care law in hopes of derailing Republican plans to gut the statute. Speaking to reporters Monday, House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi says the GOP will begin its “assault” on the law when the 115th Congress convenes Tuesday.
Footage shows woman flung to ground after being struck by LIGHTNING in Brazil
Weed belong together: Mariah Carey is pictured at a marijuana dispensary on Christmas Eve – as it’s revealed she DID do a soundcheck before ‘sabotaged’ New Year lip-sync disaster Tearful Colorado mother pleads for help finding her six-year-old boy after he ‘wandered away’ from their home on New Year’s Eve and vanished Elon Musk’s SpaceX blames a fault in helium canister for massive Falcon 9 rocket explosion that destroyed Facebook’s $200m internet satellite Will President Obama use the five-minute break between congressional sessions tomorrow to appoint Merrick Garland to the Supreme Court? The Donald blasts Rahm Emanuel for Chicago’s bloodiest year in almost two DECADES: Trump says the mayor must ask for federal help if he can’t fix the city after a record 762 homicides in 2016 Can sugar really give you CANCER? Diet author reveals how the smallest amount can trigger health problems such … (more)
Homeless Lucas Werner ‘banned from Starbucks’ lies about age on dating websites
Weed belong together: Mariah Carey is pictured at a marijuana dispensary on Christmas Eve – as it’s revealed she DID do a soundcheck before ‘sabotaged’ New Year lip-sync disaster Tearful Colorado mother pleads for help finding her six-year-old boy after he ‘wandered away’ from their home on New Year’s Eve and vanished Elon Musk’s SpaceX blames a fault in helium canister for massive Falcon 9 rocket explosion that destroyed Facebook’s $200m internet satellite Will President Obama use the five-minute break between congressional sessions tomorrow to appoint Merrick Garland to the Supreme Court? The Donald blasts Rahm Emanuel for Chicago’s bloodiest year in almost two DECADES: Trump says the mayor must ask for federal help if he can’t fix the city after a record 762 homicides in 2016 Can sugar really give you CANCER? Diet author reveals how the smallest amount can trigger health problems such … (more)
Rebuilding foreign policy consensus
Last week, President Obama expelled 35 Russian diplomats from the United States by citing the US intelligence assessment that Russia had used cyber attacks to intervene in the elections last November. Watching Barack Obama and Donald Trump battle it out on Russia and Israel over the year end, one is reminded of the increasingly contentious Indian discourse on external relations.
Bundy friends, family protest federal monument decision
Supporters of cattleman and anti-federal government figure Cliven Bundy are protesting a presidential decision to give national monument protection to public land where Bundy grazes cows near his southern Nevada ranch. With Bundy and four sons in federal custody awaiting trial on conspiracy and other charges, a small group of other family members and friends staged a peaceful weekend rally Saturday near the Bundy home and the Gold Butte area outside Bunkerville, a small town near Arizona.
Democrats target eight Cabinet nominees, threaten to drag out process
Senate Democrats are vowing to stall action on eight of Donald Trump’s Cabinet nominees tasked with carrying out his economic, law enforcement and regulatory agenda, a senior Democratic aide told CNN Monday. Those targeted include secretary of state nominee Rex Tillerson, attorney general pick Jeff Sessions and health and human services secretary hopeful Tom Price.
State of the Statehouse: Pence’s turnaround led Indiana political stories in 2016
Gov. Mike Pence started the year of 2016 as politically vulnerable, with sinking approval ratings and a looming rematch against a well-funded opponent who almost beat him four years ago. He is ending the year as vice president-elect, having helped Donald Trump surprisingly claim the presidency and power through a 20-point victory in Indiana, a margin far higher than any polls predicted.
Teva: Good Value, Questionable Management?
One of the few sectors that has the potential to offer returns, in our opinion, is the pharmaceutical sector. Political claims sent pharma stocks into tailspin.
Will a Republican Congress place REINS on a President Trump?
President-elect Donald Trump and House Speaker Paul D. Ryan in the speaker’s office on Capitol Hill in Washington on Nov. 10. Last July, the House of Representatives passed the Regulations from the Executive in Need of Scrutiny Act , a measure to limit the ability of executive-branch agencies to adopt major regulatory initiatives without congressional approval. Specifically, the REINS Act prevents new major rules from taking effect unless and until they are approved by a joint resolution in Congress, and creates an expedited procedure for the consideration of such rules.
The media’s hypocrisy and hyperventilating in the age of Trump
President-elect Donald Trump, with his wife, Melania Trump, talks to reporters during a New Year’s Eve party at Mar-a-Lago. Facts are stubborn things.