Author: Ethan Johnson
Mayor Stoney presents $2.9 billion budget proposal for fiscal year 2025 Mayor Levar Stoney greeted attendees on his way to the podium to present his budget to City Council on Wednesday. (screenshot) Last week, Mayor Levar Stoney announced a proposed budget of approximately $2.9 billion for fiscal year 2025. The spending plan would increase the General Fund budget to just over $1 billion while maintaining current tax rates, a 5.5% increase over the current General Fund and an expected 7% increase in annual revenue. This is the cause. The budget maintains the city's property tax rate at $1.20 per $100…
The stabbing death of an Iranian immigrant journalist near his home in Wimbledon, south-west London, has the hallmarks of an attack by the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC). The perpetrator has not been identified, but the victim, Poulia Zehrati, is a London-based host for an Iranian television news channel and critic of the Tehran regime.Police said they were remaining open about the motive for the attack on Mr Zelati, who was stabbed in the leg and is stable in hospital.However, counter-terrorism officials are leading the investigation, and there are indications that this may be politically motivated. The Met said there…
Traditionally, hardliners have made the absurd claim that all or most criticism of Israeli policy in the Middle East is anti-Semitic, a sneaky accusation aimed at shielding the Israeli government from any criticism. It is. But even democratic governments are morally and financially problematic because they spend other people's taxes and often have little regard for the lives of non-voters (and sometimes even the lives of their voters) abroad. They often have a motive for taking a certain action. In the Gaza war, the Israeli government is making costly decisions, both in terms of lives and money. Therefore, they take…
The U.S. State Department said on Friday that it welcomed the nominations of the Palestinian Authority's new ministers, a day after Palestinian Prime Minister Mohamed Mustafa announced the formation of a new cabinet that also includes the post of foreign minister.”The United States looks forward to working with the new Cabinet to promote peace, security, and prosperity, and we are committed to engaging with this new administration to deliver credible reforms,” said State Department spokesman Matthew Miller. I want to go,'' he said. “Palestine revitalization is essential to delivering results for the Palestinian people in both the West Bank…
WTOP's Mike Murillo got an update on recovery efforts from Sen. Chris Van Hollen over the weekend after the Francis Scott Key Bridge collapse. The collapse of Baltimore's Francis Scott Key Bridge paralyzed activity at one of the nation's busiest ports, but now the recovery process is just beginning. The tragedy also claimed the lives of six construction workers who were working on the bridge when it was hit by a container ship. WTOP's Mike Murillo got an update on recovery efforts from Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) over the weekend after the bridge collapse. WTOP's Mike Murillo discusses the…
The greatest of all drunken sailors. The average interest rate on Treasury debt has skyrocketed, but it is still only half what it was in 2001. Written by Wolf Richter of Wolf Street. The ratio of interest payments to tax revenue is the main measure of the burden of national debt on government finances, or in other words, the extent to which interest payments eat up national income. That means the nation's debt, currently at $34.6 trillion, is ballooning, and the interest rates on that debt are rising. Interest rates rose as inflation rose again after decades of stagnation. However,…
The passage of the Internal National Security Act freed officials and legislators to focus on the city's economic development. Chief Executive Officer John Lee Kaciu rightly vowed to give “the utmost attention” to developing “a vibrant economy and caring communities.”Infrastructure is the foundation of that goal. However, the same day, the transport authority abruptly withdrew its HK$7.16 billion major highways funding request to parliament, the night before the proposal was to be discussed in Legco's finance committee.The reasons include the cost, which has increased significantly from HK$1.1 billion in 2006, and the need to provide more information to MPs who…
He said his cabinet would “work to develop a vision for reintegrating the institutions, including assuming responsibility for Gaza.”Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas waves at a swearing-in ceremony for new ministers in Ramallah, the occupied West Bank, on Sunday. Photo: AFPAbbas, 88, has been urged by the United States to shake up his creaky authority so that he can reunite the occupied West Bank and devastated Gaza Strip under a single set of rules after the war.The Palestinian Authority has had little influence over the Gaza Strip since Hamas took over from Abbas' Fatah party in 2007.Secretary of State Antony…
Protesters claim the Jerusalem rally is the largest anti-government protest since Israel began its war in Gaza in October.Tens of thousands of people gathered outside the Israeli parliament building in Jerusalem in the largest anti-government protest since Israel began its assault on Gaza. Protesters on Sunday called on the government to secure a ceasefire agreement that also includes the release of Israeli prisoners held by Hamas in the Gaza Strip, and called for early elections. Demonstrators claimed the Jerusalem protests were the largest since Israel began its war in Gaza in October. Israeli officials say Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government…
Thousands of protesters took to the streets of Tel Aviv on Saturday night, the largest demonstration against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government since October, when Hamas-led attacks on Israel sparked war.Weekly demonstrations have been held in Tel Aviv demanding the government reach a cease-fire agreement to free the hostages held in Gaza since October. These protests have grown in scale as the war drags on and anger against Netanyahu's government grows.The sound of whistles, horns and drums filled the air Saturday night, as the crowd chanted, according to video from The Associated Press. Demonstrators waved flags and held up photos…