Australian cricketer George Bailey with Sport and Recreation minister Terry Waldron at the new Perth Stadium site. Picture: Dione Davidson/The West Australian

Sports Minister Terry Waldron is expected to announce today that he will retire and move to the backbench.

Mr Waldron, also the Racing and Gaming Minister, is holding a press conference this morning.

The 63-year-old is expected to move to the backbench but remain the member for Wagin.

Mr Waldron was elected to that role in 2001, the same year he was appointed deputy leader of the WA National Party.

Premier Colin Barnett recently told frontbenchers that they would have to take a back seat up to a year prior to the 2017 state election if they don't plan to run.

Deputy Premier and Health Minister Kim Hames has already announced he will retire from politics at the next election.

While there's speculation Police Minister Liza Harvey will become second-in-charge, Mr Barnett said on the weekend that Cabinet would discuss who would take on the position, and that he didn't have a preference for Dr Hames' replacement.

Mr Barnett plans to contest the 2017 election.

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Waldron expected to retire from WA Cabinet

Australian cricketer George Bailey with Sport and Recreation minister Terry Waldron at the new Perth Stadium site. Picture: Dione Davidson/The West Australian

Sports Minister Terry Waldron is expected to announce today that he will retire and move to the backbench.

Mr Waldron, also the Racing and Gaming Minister, is holding a press conference this morning.

The 63-year-old is expected to move to the backbench but remain the member for Wagin.

Mr Waldron was elected to that role in 2001, the same year he was appointed deputy leader of the WA National Party.

Premier Colin Barnett recently told frontbenchers that they would have to take a back seat up to a year prior to the 2017 state election if they don't plan to run.

Deputy Premier and Health Minister Kim Hames has already announced he will retire from politics at the next election.

While there's speculation Police Minister Liza Harvey will become second-in-charge, Mr Barnett said on the weekend that Cabinet would discuss who would take on the position, and that he didn't have a preference for Dr Hames' replacement.

Mr Barnett plans to contest the 2017 election.

View post:
Waldron tipped to retire from Cabinet

Outgoing US defence secretary Chuck Hagel: reported to have resigned under pressure from a White House eager to project more assertive responses. Photograph: Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images

Chuck Hagel, president Barack Obamas defence secretary, has stood down after less than two years in the job in a sign of increased unease at the White House on tackling growing international crises.

Mr Hagel was reported to have resigned under pressure from an administration eager to project more assertive responses. He is the first member of Mr Obamas cabinet team to stand aside since the heavy midterm election losses for the Democratic Party.

Announcing his resignation, Mr Obama described Mr Hagel, the only Republican in his cabinet, as an exemplary defence secretary who had overseen major changes in the American defence forces.

The display of mutual praise from Mr Obama and Mr Hagel at the public announcement of his unexpected resignation stands in contrast to the behind-the-scenes tensions and the presidents public differences with a defence secretary who was often criticised for being too indecisive.

The laid-back former Republican senator from Nebraska was seen as being ill-equipped to tackle the militant Muslim group Islamic State, given his opposition to the Iraq war and his stewardship of the withdrawal of US troops in Afghanistan and the sharp reduction in defence spending.

Mr Obama and Mr Hagel appeared divided on the threat posed by IS. Months after the president dismissed the radical fighters as jayvees or junior varsity players against US professionals, the defence secretary said that IS had grown into something more than just a terrorist group.

White House officials were said to have been angered by a recent letter that Mr Hagel sent national security adviser Susan Rice, in which he said that Mr Obama needed to articulate a clearer view on the administrations approach to dealing with Syrian president Bashar al-Assad.

While Mr Obama ruled out sending ground combat troops to fight IS in his September 2014 strategy to degrade and ultimately destroy the group, Mr Hagel said this month that combat troop deployments may have to be considered if recommended by US military chiefs.

Mr Hagel struggled to secure support in Congress for Mr Obamas policies, and the president was hurt by the message in the November 4th elections that he was failing to cope with immigrants at the Mexican border, the spread of Ebola and IS, and tensions with Russia.

Read the rest here:
Obamas defence secretary pushed out

CAPE GIRARDEAU, MO (KFVS) - ??

Here is a list of road projects around the Heartland scheduled for Monday, November 24.

Butler County, MO

Route 72 in Bollinger County will be reduced to one lane as Missouri Department of Transportation crews perform shoulders repairs. This section of roadway is located from Old Route 72 to Route B.

Existing lanes of Route 67 from CR 323 to Route 160/158 will be signed as Route C. The north end of Route C (existing Route 67) will remain closed for about two months as work is completed at the intersection of Route 67, Route C, and CR 323.

Cape Girardeau County, MO

Property owners adjacent to the bridge will have access to their properties. A marked detour is proposed here:

From the north: Route 61 south to Route KK, west on KK to I-55, south on I-55 to Route E, then east on Route E to Route 61. From the south: Route 61 north to Route E, east on Route E to I-55, north on I-55 to Route KK, then east on KK to Route 61. Maps are available at MoDOT's Sikeston Office on N. Main St. Property owners can request a hearing in writing if affected.

Pemiscot County, MO

Route J in Pemiscot County will be closed as Missouri Department of Transportation crews replace a pipe under the roadway.This section of roadway is located between Reed Street and Cleveland Street.Weather permitting, work will take place Monday, Nov. 25 from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m.

View post:
Heartland road projects for 11/24

Written by: Dr Anantha Krishnan M

Updated: Friday, November 21, 2014, 21:49 [IST]

Bengaluru, Nov. 13: All eyes are on India's new Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar, who is set to chair his first Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) meeting in New Delhi on November 22.

Among the crucial decisions to be taken by Parrikar, the 13,000-crore private sector only' Avro replacement project initiated by the UPA-2 regime would be the most-awaited one.

Aimed at encouraging the private sector to take major lead in India's aerospace and defence programmes, the project envisages the delivery of 56 medium transport aircraft to the Indian Air Force (IAF), under the Buy and Make' category.

First-time experiment runs into rough weather

The decision to keep PSUs like aviation major Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL) at bay from the tendering process has already ran into trouble. The tender was issued during A K Antony's regime in May 2013 and was strongly opposed by some of his Cabinet colleagues as well.

The tender had sought foreign OEMs (Original Equipment Manufacturers) to identify an Indian partner other than HAL, to supply 16 aircraft from their original facilities and provide ToT (Transfer of Technology) for manufacturing the remaining 40 aircraft by the Indian partner.

As per the tender, foreign OEM would remain as the main contractor and the Indian partner would only remain as a vendor. The contract, when finalised, will be signed between the OEM and the IAF. The tender has so far been extended several times with the foreign OEMs failing to identify a capable Indian partner.

Finally, the Tata-Airbus consortium (Airbus Defence & Space and Tata Advanced Systems) now remain as the single vendor, offering the Airbus C295 as a replacement to the Avros.

Go here to see the original:
Will Parrikar clear single-tender Avro replacement bid?

JOSEPH JOHNSON

FRONTING UP: Roger Sutton at the press conference announcing his resignation on Monday.

The Government has appointed an acting chief executive who will head up the Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Authority for more than two months before Roger Sutton officially leaves.

Sutton is currently on leave after announcing his resignation on Monday after aseven-week investigation into harassment allegations

An independent report did not recommend he be dismissed, but State Services Commissioner Iain Rennie said the case amounted to "serious misconduct".

Sutton was expected to continue in his role until January 31, receiving his salary, but today Rennie announced that John Ombler would become acting chief executive as of December 1.

"I have had discussions with Mr Sutton today and he was concerned that his departure might slow the momentum of Cera's work programme in Christchurch," Rennie said in a statement this afternoon.

"We agreed that Mr Ombler's early appointment would be in the best interests of Cera staff and the Christchurch rebuild, and would allow Mr Sutton and Mr Ombler to work together on an orderly transition " Rennie said.

Sutton remained employed but would not be based in Cera's offices during the "transitional phase".

Ombler would be the acting chief executive when Cera merges with the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet on 1 February 2015.

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Sutton replacement appointed early

WINNIPEG - Manitoba Premier Greg Selinger is fighting for his political life as he enters a new legislature session Thursday with an open revolt in his NDP caucus, near-record low polling numbers and untested cabinet ministers.

Even to get through the two-week fall sitting, Selinger will be relying on support in the chamber from five former cabinet ministers who recently resigned after questioning his leadership. They remain in caucus but are no longer allowed to attend caucus meetings or have any input.

There appears to have been very little communication between Selinger's team and the rebels, who will still be expected to sit in the chamber at their assigned times and vote with the NDP majority. They were moved out of the NDP's section on the second floor of the legislature this week and are now in offices in the southeast corner of the building.

"There has been contact, I think it was indicated last week by our caucus chair (Matt Wiebe)," government house leader Steve Ashton said earlier this week.

"The key person that has the direct contact on a daily basis with a (legislature member) is obviously the whip and we will have a new whip in place prior to the sitting on Thursday."

Until recently, the NDP whip was long-time backbencher Greg Dewar. But he was named finance minister earlier this month in a shuffle prompted by the rebels' resignations.

Selinger has been under fire for weeks, after the five said he should consider resigning in light of low opinion polls and continuing public anger over last year's increase in the provincial sales tax. The group included some of the government's top ministers Jennifer Howard in finance, Andrew Swan in justice and Erin Selby in health who have been replaced by less-experienced politicians.

Selinger has said he plans to stay on as premier and lead the party into the April 2016 election. He has also challenged his critics to run against him at the NDP's annual convention in March under a little-used clause in the party's constitution. The executive is trying to hammer out ground rules for the contest.

Selinger appears to be "in survival mode," said Paul Thomas, professor emeritus of political science at the University of Manitoba.

Link:
Greg Selinger's Manitoba's NDP Government Returns, Divided, To Chamber

JOSEPH JOHNSON

FRONTING UP: Roger Sutton at the press conference announcing his resignation on Monday.

The Government has appointed an acting chief executive who will head up the Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Authority for more than two months before Roger Sutton officially leaves.

Sutton is currently on leave after announcing his resignation on Monday after aseven-week investigation into harrassment allegations

An independent report did not recommend he be dismissed, but State Services Commissioner Iain Rennie said the case amounted to "serious misconduct".

Sutton was expected to continue in his role until January 31, receiving his salary, but today Rennie announced that John Ombler would become acting chief executive as of December 1.

"I have had discussions with Mr Sutton today and he was concerned that his departure might slow the momentum of Cera's work programme in Christchurch," Rennie said in a statement this afternoon.

"We agreed that Mr Ombler's early appointment would be in the best interests of Cera staff and the Christchurch rebuild, and would allow Mr Sutton and Mr Ombler to work together on an orderly transition " Rennie said.

Sutton remained employed but would not be based in Cera's offices during the "transitional phase".

Ombler would be the acting chief executive when Cera merges with the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet on 1 February 2015.

Continued here:
Sutton replacement comes early

CAPE GIRARDEAU, MO (KFVS) - ??Here is a list of road projects around the Heartland scheduled for Wednesday, Nov. 19.

Butler County, MO

Route 72 in Bollinger County will be reduced to one lane as Missouri Department of Transportation crews perform shoulders repairs. This section of roadway is located from Old Route 72 to Route B.

Existing lanes of Route 67 from CR 323 to Route 160/158 will be signed as Route C. The north end of Route C (existing Route 67) will remain closed for about two months as work is completed at the intersection of Route 67, Route C, and CR 323.

Cape Girardeau County, MO

Northbound Interstate 55 in Cape Girardeau County will be reduced with a width restriction of 16 feet as contractor crews perform pavement repairs.This section of roadway is located from MM 91 to MM 93.Weather permitting, work will take place Tuesday, Nov. 18 through Thursday, Nov. 20 from 7 p.m. to 8 a.m. daily.

Property owners adjacent to the bridge will have access to their properties. A marked detour is proposed here:

From the north: Route 61 south to Route KK, west on KK to I-55, south on I-55 to Route E, then east on Route E to Route 61. From the south: Route 61 north to Route E, east on Route E to I-55, north on I-55 to Route KK, then east on KK to Route 61. Maps are available at MoDOT's Sikeston Office on N. Main St. Property owners can request a hearing in writing if affected.

Reynolds County, MO

As a both a safety measure and to prepare for the winter snow season, the Missouri Department of Transportation will begin tree trimming will begin Monday, Dec. 15 through Friday, Feb. 13, 2015 on Route 106 in Reynolds and Shannon Counties. Once work begins, tree trimming will take place during the hours of 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Friday on Route 106 from Route 19 in Eminence to Route 21 in Ellington.

Read more here:
Heartland road projects for 11/19

A majority of Somalias 22-member federal cabinet has written to Prime Minister Abdiweli Sheikh Ahmed giving him an ultimatum to resign or President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud will appoint a replacement.

Mohamud has instructed his cabinet to ignore a cabinet reshuffle made by Ahmedafter the president said he was never consulted.

A parliamentary debate for a vote of no confidence in the prime minister was disrupted last week by Ahmeds supporters, who refused to take orders and insisted on singing the national anthem.

Abdullahi Godah Barre, Somalias Minister of the Interior and Federal Affairs said the majority of the cabinet does not want the stalemate to further drag down the Somali government already beset by difficulties in governing.

We, as his cabinet members, are trying to be realistic with our Prime Minister. If he lost the confidence of the president and also the parliament, then we dont see a hope in this government to stand and function. The best interest of the public is for our Prime Minister to resign and that a new government, which has the confidence of the parliament and the president, be established, he said.

Barre said the parliament tried to go the democratic route by trying to get a vote of no confidence, but a small number of the Prime Ministers supporters disrupted the process.

A small minority of about 20 is making noise and threatening people. Thats what the problem is. But, the government members, the ministers would like to see voting happen so that the parliament will give us confidence or no confidence, and then other people will have a chance, Barre said.

He said thatif Prime Minister Ahmed does not resign, Mohamud would have no other option but to appoint a new prime minister.

What would happen is the president will appoint another prime minister and that prime minister will face the parliament and ask for a vote of confidence and, once the prime minister has the vote of confidence, then the prime minister will appoint ministers, Barre said.

U.S. State Department spokesperson Jen Psaki said last week that a parliamentary vote of no confidence in the prime minister did not serve the interests of the Somali people.

See the rest here:
Majority of Somali Cabinet Urges Prime Minister to Resign