作者： admin

In a dramatic escalation of the ongoing government shutdown, former President Donald Trump has signaled his intent to proceed with mass layoffs of federal workers, intensifying pressure on Democrats to concede to his demands. Trump announced on his Truth Social platform that he would meet with budget chief Russell Vought to identify agencies for potential cuts, labeling many as ‘political scams.’ The shutdown, now in its second day, has already forced 750,000 federal employees to stay home without pay, with threats of permanent layoffs looming.

KINGSTON, Jamaica — Marlon Morgan of the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) has criticized the People’s National Party (PNP) for what he describes as ‘selective championing of causes’ following the PNP’s condemnation of the suspension of Dr. Aujae Dixon. Dr. Dixon, who participated in the September 3 general elections, was suspended by the Southern Regional Health Authority (SRHA) for violating Public Service Staff Order 4.2.6(1), which bars public officers from engaging in partisan political activities. PNP Spokesperson on Justice, Zulieka Jess, labeled the suspension as an infringement on Dixon’s constitutional rights to freedom of expression and association, calling it an act that undermines civic participation. Morgan, however, dismissed Jess’s remarks as hypocritical, citing past instances where the PNP allegedly sought sanctions against JLP members under similar circumstances. He recalled the PNP’s actions in 2020 against Rhoda Crawford and in 2018 against Robert Morgan, both of whom faced public calls for resignation or sanctions for their political aspirations. Morgan also referenced the recent case of Councillor Dean Jones, whose status was revoked after the PNP argued he was a public sector worker at the time of his election. Morgan accused the PNP of applying ‘convenient principles’ and ‘barefaced hypocrisy’ to score political points, emphasizing that the PNP did not raise constitutional concerns when similar rules were applied to JLP members. He noted that the Ministry of Health had issued a public advisory a year before the 2025 general election, reminding public servants of the staff order requirements. Morgan urged the PNP to engage with the Constitutional Reform Committee to address the issue of public sector workers’ political participation, suggesting a dialogue to determine which categories of workers should be allowed to engage in political activities, similar to teachers.

In a significant escalation of U.S. efforts to combat drug trafficking, President Donald Trump has officially declared that the United States is in a state of ‘armed conflict’ with drug cartels. This declaration was formalized in a notice sent to Congress, which was obtained by AFP on Thursday. The notice serves as a legal justification for recent military strikes in international waters off Venezuela, which resulted in the deaths of at least 14 individuals. The Trump administration has deployed multiple military vessels to the Caribbean Sea, intensifying its campaign against drug smugglers and further straining relations with Venezuela’s leftist President Nicolas Maduro. The Pentagon’s notice labeled drug cartels as ‘non-state armed groups’ and designated them as terrorist organizations, asserting that their actions constitute an armed attack against the United States. Suspected smugglers were also described as ‘unlawful combatants.’ While the White House maintains that these actions are lawful and necessary to protect national security, legal experts have questioned the legality of the strikes. Tensions between the U.S. and Venezuela have heightened, with Venezuela’s Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino accusing the U.S. of provocations after detecting five U.S. fighter jets near its shores. Trump’s recent military deployment to the Caribbean, including 10 F-35 aircraft, eight warships, and a nuclear submarine, marks the largest such operation in the region in over three decades. Maduro has accused Trump of attempting to orchestrate a regime change in Venezuela.