Donald Trump has chosen John Ratcliffe, a former representative from Texas who served as Director of National Intelligence in 2020, to lead the Central Intelligence Agency. Ratcliffe faced earlier controversy when Trump attempted to appoint him as DNI in 2019, but was deemed inexperienced by Congress. He has also advised Trump on national security during his presidential campaign and served as co-chair of a think tank focused on American security. If confirmed, Ratcliffe would be the first person to serve in both of the nation's highest intelligence positions.
Hindu-American entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy has been selected by President-elect Donald Trump to oversee federal government spending in the newly-formed “Department of Government Efficiency”. This marks a major career milestone for Ramaswamy, who has risen from being Trump's rival in the 2016 presidential race to becoming one of his influential supporters. A self-proclaimed 'apolitical' businessman, Ramaswamy recently made headlines for his criticisms of 'woke' culture and has now announced his presidential campaign for the Republican Party in 2023.
The constituency of Dumka, located in the Jharkhand Legislative Assembly, is set to hold its Assembly Elections on November 20th. With a total of 165,820 eligible voters, the main parties vying for the seat are the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM). In the previous elections, JMM's Hemant Soren came out victorious, defeating BJP's Lois Marandi. The result for Dumka will be declared on November 23rd along with the other 80 constituencies in Jharkhand. Both the BJP and JMM are yet to announce their candidates for the upcoming elections, making the political landscape in Dumka even more intriguing.
The 2024 Assembly Elections in Jamshedpur East, Jharkhand has become a closely watched battleground as Congress candidate Ajoy Kumar faces off against BJP candidate Purnima Das Sahu in a bid to retain his seat. With a significant reduction in the margin of votes in the last election, both parties have pulled out all the stops to secure victory. This election also marks the return of BJP's Raghubar Das, a constant winner from 1995 to 2014, as their candidate. The results will have a significant impact on the state's political landscape as the BJP aims to regain control from the Hemant Soren-led JMM.
President-Elect Donald Trump has announced that Tesla CEO Elon Musk and biotech entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy will be leading the newly established 'Department of Government Efficiency' (DOGE), which is tasked with reducing government size and regulations. The duo will offer advice and recommendations to the White House and its budget office, but it is unclear how the department will work and be funded. Trump has called this effort the "Manhattan Project" and expects it to be completed by the next midterm election.
In a shocking turn of events, Archbishop Justin Welby has announced his resignation following a recently released report exposing a cover-up of child abuse within the Church of England. The report reveals that Welby was aware of the allegations in 2013 but believed justice would be served. However, the abuser, John Smyth, was not brought to justice before his death in 2018. This resignation comes after one of Smyth's victims spoke out about the beatings he endured. Learn more about the scandal and the process for selecting the new leader of the Church of England in this comprehensive report by BBC's Matt Spivey.
The recent decision by the Andhra Pradesh High Court to restore the membership of MLC Indukuri Raghu Raju has cast doubt over the upcoming MLC election in Vizianagaram. The disqualification of Raju, who belongs to the YSR Congress Party, was due to allegations of anti-party activities. While the ruling party has named a new candidate for the election, the opposition TDP is yet to announce its candidate. With just weeks to go before the election, the district election machinery is in a state of confusion as to whether there will be an election at all.
As the Maharashtra Assembly Elections of 2024 near, campaigning is in full swing with parties vying for majority seats. However, police and a poll flying squad seized 2,700 ration kits containing campaign materials from an independent candidate in Nagpur, leading to a case being registered. This seizure shows the heightened competitiveness of the upcoming elections.
Imran Khan, Chairman of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, condemns the current Pakistani government for undermining democracy and suppressing dissent. He criticizes the government for using unconstitutional means to protect their power grab, including censoring the media and seizing control of the Supreme Court. Khan calls on his party and the Pakistani people to fight for their rights and freedoms, declaring his willingness to face consequences for resistance.
In a press conference on Monday, the head of Japan's Democratic Party for the People, Yuichiro Tamaki, admitted to having an extramarital affair as reported in a magazine. The scandal has caused a stir in the country, especially since the party had recently gained more seats in parliament. Tamaki plans to listen to his peers' opinions before deciding whether to step down as head of the party, but he has stated that he has no intention of resigning as a lawmaker.