Government

Share to Twitter Share to Linkedin The current government shutdown emerged as follows: In 2016, Donald Trump was elected as U.S. president in 2016 in part on the basis of the fantasy that many of America’s problems are caused by hordes of illegal immigrants and could be solved by building “a big, beautiful, 2000-mile concrete wall along the Southern border,” paid for by Mexico. U.S. President Donald Trump and his border wall Photo Zach Gibson © 2019 Bloomberg Finance LP © 2019 Bloomberg Finance LP Nevertheless, throughout 2017 and 2018, after Mexico had declined to pay for the wall, Trump signed successive budgets—put forward by Republican-controlled House and Senate—with no significant funding for his promised border wall. By early December 2018, discussions on the government budget were taking their usual course: Republicans were seeking more money for border patrol agents and necessary fences while Democrats were arguing for better …

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Rifki Nurfajri (The Jakarta Post) PREMIUM Jakarta   ● Wed, September 29 2021 The government is preparing a scheme to provide free and paid booster shots for the public as the country braces for a potentially devastating third wave. “We will have a more detailed calculation for [this program], which is needed as a cushion if there is a third wave,” Coordinating Economic Affairs Minister Airlangga Hartarto, who leads the national COVID-19 task force, said in a virtual press conference on Monday. The Golkar Party leader, who is running for president, said free booster shots would be given to 87.4 million government-subsidized (PBI) participants and 30 million non-wage recipients scheme (PBPU) participants of the national health insurance (JKN) program, as well as 4.4 million children aged 11 and 12. The state budget, according to Airlangga, would pay for the needed 137.2 million doses of vaccines. Around 93 million people... to Read Full Story SUBSCRIBE NOW …

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Richard Cowan and David Morgan (Reuters) (The Jakarta Post) PREMIUM Washington, DC   ● Wed, September 29 2021 A sharply divided United States Senate failed on Monday to advance a measure to suspend the federal debt ceiling and avoid a partial government shutdown, as Republican lawmakers denied the bill the votes necessary to move forward. The legislation by President Joe Biden's Democrats was aimed at beating two fast-approaching deadlines that, if left unaddressed, threaten to destabilize the US economy as it struggles to emerge from the COVID-19 pandemic. The near party-line vote of 48 votes to advance against 50 opposed fell short of the 60 votes needed to push the bill ahead in the 100-seat Senate. Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer voted "no" to allow him to call another vote. Democrats who narrowly control both chambers of Congress now have just three days to find another way to keep the government operating beyond Thursda... to Read Full Story …

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Share to Twitter Share to Linkedin Recent White House negotiations have hit a wall. Getty The partial shutdown of the U.S. government is a cautionary tale of negotiations gone wrong. From a business standpoint, there are career-shaping lessons to be learned. As a leader, you need to bring your ideas forward, even when facing a wall of opposition, and create a win-win for all involved. There are four important takeaways regarding the actions (and reactions) of the recent failed negotiations at the White House. Chuck Schumer and Nancy Pelosi had barely sat down, when President Donald Trump stood up and left. What went wrong in the Oval office? Setting politics to the side (and I'll leave it to you to take sides): what needs to change to stop the stalemate? Against the backdrop of the partial U.S. government shutdown, here are four takeaways on what's missing—and how to communicate a win-win outcome : 1. Bring It : "Neither side came into …

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Share to Twitter Share to Linkedin Normally, all leaders, even authoritarians, try to make sure that the trains run on time , or at least that the trains keep running . If government doesn’t function, or workers aren’t paid for doing their jobs, then even the leaders’ most faithful followers risk awakening from their complacency and examining their leaders’ aberrant behavior with brutal scrutiny. President Trump is now testing the outer limits of that leadership playbook by shutting down a quarter of the government—already the longest shut-down in American history—and threatening to continue it “ for months, even a year ,” if he doesn’t get $5.7 billion funding his 2000-mile wall along the Southern border. U.S. President Donald Trump Photographer: Carlos Barria/© 2018 Bloomberg Finance LP © 2018 Bloomberg Finance LP The shutdown is disrupting the lives of millions of citizens, including the mortgage industry, (which had enough political …

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Key Takeaways Investment losses can help you reduce taxes by offsetting gains or income. Even if you don't currently have any gains, there are benefits to harvesting losses now, since they can be used to offset income or future gains. If you have more capital losses than gains, you may be able to use up to $3,000 a year to offset ordinary income on federal income taxes, and carry over the rest to future years. Sometimes an investment that has lost value can still do some good—or at least, not be quite so bad. The strategy that changes an investment that has lost money into a tax winner is called tax-loss harvesting. Tax-loss harvesting may be able to help you reduce taxes now and in the future. Tax-loss harvesting allows you to sell investments that are down, replace them with reasonably similar investments, and then offset realized investment gains with those losses. The end result is that less of your money goes to taxes and more may stay invested and working for …

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- A + A PUTRAJAYA (Sept 28): Internet access as a human right will be the main driver of the Ministry of Communications and Multimedia (KKMM) in ensuring that no community is left behind in efforts to make the 12th Malaysia Plan (12MP) a success, said its Minister Tan Sri Annuar Musa. He said the KKMM was committed under the 12MP to pay attention to improving digital connectivity and spurring digital economy, as well as giving added value and benefits to the Malaysian Family. Annuar, in a statement on Tuesday, said the KKMM would cooperate with all stakeholders from various industries to ensure no community was left behind in the digitalisation of the country under the 12MP. “I have met various stakeholders in the telecommunications industry, including from the private sector, to ensure the digitalisation initiative under the 12MP adopted the whole-of-nation approach,” he said. Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob, during the tabling of the 12MP at the …

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- A + A LONDON (Sept 28): Britain will begin talks on Tuesday with the 11 members of the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) to join the pact it regards as important part of its future post-Brexit trade plans. The CPTPP trade pact removes 95% of tariffs between its members: Japan, Canada, Australia, Vietnam, New Zealand, Singapore, Mexico, Peru, Brunei, Chile and Malaysia. Britain hopes to carve out a niche for itself in world trade as an exporter of premium consumer goods and professional services. Accession to the pact would supplement trade deals London is seeking, or has already agreed, with larger members. Other members of the pact have already met to discuss Britain's application, but Tuesday's virtual meeting will see British attendance at the CPTPP’s UK Accession Working Group, chaired by Japan, for the first time. "This is a big milestone on our path to joining CPTPP, which will allow us to forge stronger links …

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- A + A DETROIT (Sept 28): General Motors Co (GM) said on Tuesday its BrightDrop commercial electric vehicle (EV) business will add a second delivery van to its line-up in 2023 and has agreed to supply that vehicle to Verizon Communications Inc. GM said the medium-sized EV410, aimed at a segment that includes grocery, telecommunications, and other service providers that require smaller vehicles, will be built starting in the second half of 2023 at the company's CAMI assembly plant in Canada. The Ingersoll, Ontario plant will start building the larger EV600 van in November 2022. "We're seeing incredible demand for these things," BrightDrop chief executive Travis Katz said in an interview. "There's right now a supply shortage, frankly, in the market." Katz, who joined GM from venture capital firm Redpoint Ventures, said EVs now make more sense financially for commercial customers that are focused on the total cost of vehicle ownership. GM claims the EV600 will save …

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- A + A KUALA LUMPUR (Sept 28): Yang di-Pertuan Agong Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri’ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah has expressed satisfaction over his 10-day special visit to the United Kingdom which ended on Sunday (Sept 26). Comptroller of the Royal Household for Istana Negara Datuk Ahmad Fadil Shamsuddin in a statement on Tuesday said Al-Sultan Abdullah also expressed satisfaction and pleasure for having met with the Malaysian diaspora in the UK, saying that it was an important opportunity for him to learn about his subjects, their development and the status of their wellbeing, wherever they are. “The meeting with the Malaysian diaspora in the UK was divided into two sessions, with the first held at the Malaysian High Commission at Belgrave Square, London, on Sept 24, and the second at The Shire, London, on Sept 26, which was also attended by Malaysians residing in Liverpool, Manchester and Wales. “His Majesty also expresses pride in the capability and success of …

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