House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) has appointed former Trump administration official Cliff Sims to serve on the U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission. The Commission is tasked with monitoring‚ investigating‚ and submitting an annual report — both classified and unclassified — to Congress on “the national security implications and impact of the bilateral trade and economic relationship between the United States and China.” The report includes recommendations to Congress for legislative and administrative action to strengthen the U.S.’ position against its top geopolitical threat and competitor‚ China. Sims‚ who previously served as President Trump’s Deputy Director of National Intelligence for Strategy and Communications‚ was backed by former top officials and current key U.S. lawmakers for the position. “Cliff played an integral role in our efforts to shift the Intelligence Community’s focus toward an adversarial China‚” said former Director of National Intelligence John Ratcliffe. “I commend Speaker Johnson for this appointment and for sending a clear message that President Trump’s approach to confronting China is the surest way to secure America’s future security and prosperity.” CLICK HERE TO GET THE DAILYWIRE+ APP Others who backed Sims for the position included former Trump national security adviser Robert O’Brien‚ Donald Trump Jr.‚ House Armed Services Committee Chairman Mike Rogers (R-AL)‚ House Ways &; Means Committee Chairman Jason Smith (R-MO)‚ and House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Michael McCaul (R-TX). “Cliff was instrumental in the aggressive China moves late in the Trump Administration and this appointment is a savvy move by the Speaker to keep Trump and his allies close‚” said a source close to House leadership.

New York Governor Kathy Hochul has approved a controversial proposal that will make it easier for illegal immigrants to hold jobs in the state government. The new proposal would require illegals to obtain legal work authorization from the federal government‚ however‚ other requirements would be eased for thousands of government jobs. The New York Department of Civil Service‚ for example‚ would relax English language proficiency requirements‚ as well as education verification and certification. The positions would start off as temporary‚ but the proposal suggests the goal is that these become permanent jobs. Agencies can appoint migrants to a permanent role if their work is satisfactory and other requirements are met. New York is the first state in the nation to make it easier for migrants to get these government jobs. Critics say the proposal will only incentivize more migrants to come to New York state‚ worsening the crisis. It will also likely feed into New Yorker’s concerns about migrants being prioritized over legal residents. Notably‚ since 2022‚ 170‚000 migrants have arrived in New York City‚ causing backlash in the liberal area. The proposal says the initiative is a “win-win” for the state‚ as it helps solve the “migrant crisis‚ and rebuild the state workforce.” The proposal comes months after Hochul announced a partnership with employers in the state to get migrants to work. At the time‚ she said there were 18‚000 jobs open for asylum seekers and migrants as part of her statewide “solution” to get them out of shelters. “Now we have all these people who want to be here; I have all these jobs that are open‚” the governor said at a press conference. “You marry the two together‚ and you’ve solved the problems.” There are an estimated 436‚000 unemployed New Yorkers currently‚ hovering at around 4.5% unemployment‚ which is one of the highest rates in the nation. New York also has the highest rate of homelessness in the country. Moreover‚ recent polling shows that a majority of New Yorkers view the influx of migrants as a “serious problem” and want to slow or stop the flow altogether. CLICK HERE TO GET THE DAILYWIRE+ APP In addition to this proposal‚ a migrant initiative at the behest of New York City Mayor Eric Adams is attracting critics. The city’s new pilot program‚ called the “Immediate Response Card” program‚ will hand out prepaid credit cards to illegals‚ costing taxpayers $53 million dollars. Illegal immigrant families will be instructed to only use the cards at grocery stores‚ convenience stores‚ and supermarkets‚ and they’ll have to sign an affidavit promising to spend the funds only on food and baby supplies. Every 28 days‚ their cards will be refilled‚ and depending on the size of the family‚ they could receive up to $1‚000 a month.

Somalia is preparing to launch its first-ever current affairs TV show led by women. The pioneering show‚ created by Bilan‚ the country’s only all-female media team‚ represents a dramatic shift in a male-dominated media sector. Pushing boundaries on Somali airwaves Bilan‚ founded in 2022 with United Nations Development Programme backing‚ has emerged as a beacon of change in a traditionally male-dominated media sector. Bilan‚ led by Nasrin Mohamed Ibrahim‚ one of the country’s few female senior news producers‚ has played a critical role in giving a platform for women to voice their stories authentically. The new show’s monthly concept‚ reminiscent of the UK’s BBC Question Time‚ will take the discussions to various sites across the country‚ enabling audience members to actively participate in conversations on important and often sensitive topics. It will make its debut on March 8‚ 2024‚ which is International Women’s Day. Changing the paradigm: a female-driven panel Bilan’s show stands out for its commitment to having a panel of at least 50 percent women. This move seeks to disrupt prevailing norms and promote a more open and representative debate about crucial issues confronting Somali society. Addressing taboos: periods and politics The show’s agenda includes a variety of difficult themes‚ such as the shortage of female teachers and the challenges that women confront when joining politics. Bilan’s show strives to spark discussions that are frequently ignored in mainstream media by confronting such issues head-on. A successful trial in December‚ in which the panel reviewed period teaching in schools‚ demonstrated the devastating effect of a lack of information on women’s health. The show’s host‚ Naima Said Salah‚ recalled a moving event in which a young woman in the audience expressed confusion and fear during her first menstrual period owing to a lack of information. Proudly debunking myths: navigating period education Salah was proud of putting the topic of periods into public conversation‚ saying‚ “People think this is taboo‚ but it is a fact; it exists‚ and we cannot ignore it.” The conversation drew light on the issues that girls experience‚ emphasizing the importance of community support and education at this critical time. Bilan‚ which has won EU funding for the next three years‚ plans to expand into federal states by 2024. The strategy includes hiring 20 new journalists and providing funds for investigative reports to an additional 10. This extension seeks to increase the effect of women-led journalism‚ offering a broader viewpoint on subjects that are frequently overlooked in the male-dominated media industry. In a media industry riddled with discrimination and harassment‚ Bilan exemplifies the transforming impact of creating a safe environment for women to express their experiences. As Nasrin Mohamed Ibrahim asserted‚ “Women will speak to us because we too are women. They will allow us into their homes‚ their prayer rooms‚ and their private spaces.”The post Somalia’s first-ever women-led current affairs TV program shakes things up for the better first appeared on The Optimist Daily: Making Solutions the News.

Here at The Optimist Daily‚ solutions news is our specialty. However‚ life can sometimes get in the way and we may find ourselves‚ no matter how optimistic we are‚ in a situation where we have to deliver bad news. This is an unpleasant and difficult undertaking that demands careful consideration of not only what you say‚ but also how you say it. We frequently use sentences that we believe will bring consolation‚ but in actuality‚ they may exacerbate the situation. Let’s look at the common phrases to avoid and explore some useful substitutes. “It could be worse.” Although intended to provide perspective‚ this phrase may come out as contemptuous. As licensed psychologist Ray W. Christner describes it‚ it “[dismisses] the experience and invalidates the person’s feelings.” Instead‚ show empathy by acknowledging their emotions. “Everything happens for a reason.” Giving the impression that negative news has a rationale could be disturbing. Aura De Los Santos‚ a professional psychologist‚ recommends being direct and clear about the problem. Avoid making it seem as if their misfortune serves a bigger purpose. “You’ll be over this in no time.” Even though this phrase is often well-intentioned‚ in actuality it shows a lack of empathy to minimize the situation’s importance and impact. De Los Santos recommends employing a straightforward and clear communication style. Allow the receiver to assimilate the information without decreasing its effect. “I know exactly how you feel.” Recognize the uniqueness of each individual’s experience. Instead of professing to understand‚ show your support by stating‚ “I’m sure that’s difficult‚ and I’m here for you in any way you need.” “At least…” This minimizing sentence is neither useful nor considerate. Avoid using it‚ even if you mean well‚ because it may offend rather than comfort. “You should be thankful that…” Using judgmental language only makes a bad situation worse. Hannah Yang‚ a licensed psychologist and founder of Balanced Awakening‚ advises not imposing your judgment and instead encouraging the receiver to process the bad news on their own terms. Tried and true techniques for delivering bad news 1. Pause:  Rushing through a conversation can be harmful. “It’s OK to pause and have a moment of silence to intentionally choose the words you want to use‚” Christner remarks. 2. Use compassionate language: Select terms that communicate empathy and openness. Hannah Yang suggests language that helps the receiver navigate their emotions with support. 3. Stick to the facts: Communicate the facts honestly and without downplaying the situation. Yang proposes waiting for the receiver’s answer before providing more information. Approaching these challenging conversations with care and avoiding clichéd language can make a major difference. Remember that the purpose is not only to give news but also to offer true support during difficult times.The post Don’t shoot the messenger! What not to say when delivering bad news first appeared on The Optimist Daily: Making Solutions the News.

Hot damn! These police officers don't play

Familiarity clearly serves to benefit Morris

'quite an influence'

'Misinformation tiplines'

'We are listening'

'United Front goes after everybody‚' Krishnamoorthi said