The Social Security Fairness Act of 2024 removes the Windfall Elimination Provision and Government Pension Offset rules, benefiting nearly 3 million retired public service employees with increased and fairer Social Security benefits, though raising concerns on financial implications and Social Security's insolvency.
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A sea mine was discovered floating off Turkey's Black Sea coast northeast of Istanbul, state news agency Anadolu reported, saying the explosive device would be destroyed on Monday. The device was found on Sunday off the coast of Agva, some 50 kilometres (30 miles) east of the point where the Bosphorus Strait enters the Black Sea.
The University of Houston defended its Hindu religion course, explaining that the use of terms like 'fundamentalism' is grounded in academic religious studies. The course aims to analyze how religions evolve over time, without making judgments or showing bias, despite student complaints.
A debate has erupted in Lithuania as the national opera house replaced Tchaikovsky's 'Nutcracker' amidst the government's 'mental quarantine' on Russian culture due to the Ukraine conflict. The newly appointed culture minister's preference for Russian music has sparked controversy over the separation of culture and politics during wartime.
SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket successfully landed its first stage booster at Cape Canaveral after launching the Crew-10 mission to the ISS. This mission is crucial for returning Nasa astronauts Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore, who were stranded for nine months, back to Earth. New crew members arrived to replace them.
Former US attorney Jessica D Aber, 43, was found dead at an Alexandria residence. Authorities believe her passing relates to a longstanding medical issue. Aber, who served the Eastern District of Virginia from 2021 to 2025, resigned upon President Trump's inauguration.
Kilmar Armando Abrego Garcia's case has ignited a legal and diplomatic battle involving immigration policies and gang affiliation claims. Despite a judge's order, Abrego Garcia was mistakenly deported to El Salvador and is now held in a maximum-security prison. The Trump administration's refusal to comply with a Supreme Court directive to bring him back has intensified the standoff.
Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers called the event “heartbreaking,†while President Joe Biden described the shooting as “shocking and unconscionable,†renewing calls for action against the country’s epidemic of school gun violence. With the school days away from its Christmas break, the tragedy has left a community shattered and grappling with unanswered questions.
France, Germany, Italy, and the UK support a $53 billion Arab-backed plan for Gaza's reconstruction. The plan, endorsed by Arab leaders, includes three phases over five years, emphasizing housing and infrastructure. The European countries advocate for the Palestinian Authority's role and the removal of Hamas from governance.
Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) has initiated 'Al-Khandaq Operations' to enforce Shariah law in Pakistan. Their strategy includes ambushes and guerrilla raids against military and security forces. The TTP, equipped with advanced weapons, has allied with the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) and the Islamic State, intensifying the threat to Pakistan.
China imposed tariffs on US coal, LNG, oil, and vehicles in response to Trump's tariffs on Chinese goods, escalating the trade war. Tensions with Canada and Mexico initially eased, but a political crisis erupted in Canada, forcing Prime Minister Trudeau's resignation and early elections. Trump's tariff strategy remains aggressive, with potential economic impacts.