Latest news with #SeanParnell
CBS News
2 days ago
- Business
- CBS News
Pentagon ends "What did you do last week?" email requirement for civilians
The Pentagon is no longer requiring civilian employees to send emails listing out five things they accomplished each week, winding down an initiative driven partly by Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency. The five-bullet-point email requirement ended on Wednesday, according to the Defense Department, and employees were instructed to send a final email identifying one specific thing the Pentagon could cut to root out waste. "This initiative provided leaders and supervisors with additional insights into their employees' contributions, fostered accountability, and helped to identify opportunities for greater efficiency and effectiveness throughout the Department," chief Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell said in a statement announcing the end of the initiative. Earlier this year, employees across the government received emails with the subject line "What did you do last week?" Musk, the Trump administration cost-cutting czar who led DOGE, said any non-responses "will be taken as a resignation." The Defense Department back in February initially told employees to pause responding to the emails, but then reissued guidance directing civilian employees to respond. Non-civilian employees weren't required to participate. In a video telling civilian employees to respond, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said, "It's a simple task, as Elon [Musk] said, as the president said in our first cabinet meeting, just a pulse check, 'are you there?' out there to DoD civilians." The emails were part of the Trump administration's initiative to cut down the size of the federal civilian workforce. As part of those sweeping changes, Hegseth has directed the Pentagon to cut 5-8% of civilian employees. With over 900,000 civilians working for the Defense Department, that could mean over 50,000 employees eventually leave the agency. The Defense Department has offered employees the option to leave later this year as part of the Deferred Resignation Program and is working through how many employees will leave as a result, with the option to deny resignations of mission-critical staff.
South China Morning Post
4 days ago
- Politics
- South China Morning Post
Could US troop cuts in South Korea become reality? Seoul on edge before June 3 election
Talk of a possible US troop reduction in South Korea is fuelling anxiety in Seoul ahead of the June 3 snap presidential election , with analysts warning that Washington's shifting defence priorities could reshape the alliance amid rising regional tensions, posing an early test for the next administration. With just over a week until South Koreans head to the polls, concerns have been reignited over the long-debated issue of 'strategic flexibility' – the idea that US Forces Korea (USFK) might be redeployed to respond to regional conflicts beyond the Korean peninsula. Such a shift, some analysts warn, could erode South Korea's deterrence posture against North Korea and entangle it in wider US-China rivalries. The controversy was stirred by a media report last week suggesting Washington was mulling a plan to reassign some 4,500 of its 28,500 troops stationed in South Korea to other Indo-Pacific locations, including Guam . The Pentagon swiftly denied the claim. 'Reports that the Department of Defence will reduce US troops in the Republic of Korea are not true,' chief Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell told the Wall Street Journal, adding that the United States remained 'firmly committed' to South Korea's defence and to strengthening the 'ironclad alliance'. South Korean and US soldiers take part in a river crossing operation drill in Yeoju, South Korea, in 2022. Photo: Reuters Still, concerns persist in Seoul that changes could be coming – and not just under the guise of regional flexibility.
Sydney Morning Herald
4 days ago
- Business
- Sydney Morning Herald
Brisbane news live: SEQ electricity prices to rise by up to 3.7 per cent
Go to latest SEQ electricity prices to rise by up to 3.7 per cent By Households will be hit with higher power bills from July 1 after the market regulator handed down its latest round of annual price setting. Price caps will rise for customers by between 0.5 per cent and 3.7 per cent in south-east Queensland, under a determination from the Australian Energy Regulator. South-east Queensland provider Energex is in the middle of the pack when it comes to annual bills. Loading The price spikes have been driven by higher costs in the electricity grid over the past year, which in turn were due to breakdowns at coal-fired power plants, elevated fossil fuel prices and rising costs for network infrastructure. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese is doubling down on his ambitious renewable energy plans, declaring it the cheapest new source of power, while the federal Coalition brawls over emissions targets and its commitment to build nuclear energy instead of wind and solar farms. Queensland's LNP government has put renewable energy projects under closer scrutiny, recently approving two wind farms but blocking another. Latest posts 7.22am Queensland Heritage Council responds to LNP's Olympic override By Sean Parnell The Queensland Heritage Council has urged the Crisafulli government to tread carefully in its plans for the Brisbane 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games. Loading The government has moved to override heritage and other planning restrictions to deliver Games venues, including in Victoria Park where the environment department recently recommended a heritage listing be expanded. In a submission to a parliamentary committee inquiry into the planned override, Queensland Heritage Council chair Stuart Lummis urged the Games Independent Infrastructure and Coordination Authority engage experts. 'Delivering a world-class legacy from the Games does not have to occur through diminished heritage outcomes,' Lummis wrote. 'There are numerous examples in Queensland and elsewhere of large-scale development that has respectfully retained and integrated heritage places through design excellence and sensitive adaptation, while conserving their significance. 7.15am SEQ electricity prices to rise by up to 3.7 per cent By Mike Foley Households will be hit with higher power bills from July 1 after the market regulator handed down its latest round of annual price setting. Price caps will rise for customers by between 0.5 per cent and 3.7 per cent in south-east Queensland, under a determination from the Australian Energy Regulator. South-east Queensland provider Energex is in the middle of the pack when it comes to annual bills. Loading The price spikes have been driven by higher costs in the electricity grid over the past year, which in turn were due to breakdowns at coal-fired power plants, elevated fossil fuel prices and rising costs for network infrastructure. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese is doubling down on his ambitious renewable energy plans, declaring it the cheapest new source of power, while the federal Coalition brawls over emissions targets and its commitment to build nuclear energy instead of wind and solar farms. Queensland's LNP government has put renewable energy projects under closer scrutiny, recently approving two wind farms but blocking another. 7.07am The weather this week In what feels like unseasonal weather, the mercury is expected to reach almost 30 degrees in Brisbane today, on a cloudy Tuesday. From tomorrow, however, temperatures for the rest of the week will plunge back down into more typical late-Autumn territory. Here's a look at today's weather, and the seven days to come. 7.04am While you were sleeping Here's what's making news further afield this morning: Health Minister Mark Butler wants significant attention paid to discovering why the rate of informal votes has almost tripled in hospitals and aged care centres as it potentially affects the results of closely contested electorates. Australian oil and gas giant Woodside Energy has pointed to crippling blackouts that left millions without electricity across Europe last month as a 'forceful reminder' for the Albanese government to prioritise energy security alongside goals to switch to cleaner sources of power. Donald Trump has inflicted deep damage to three of the unique sources of American superpower, writes Peter Hartcher. 'And he's on the very brink of shattering a fourth.' A car has ploughed into a crowd of Liverpool fans during a parade celebrating their side's Premier League soccer title, and police arrested a 53-year-old British man. They were just play fighting. That was French President Emmanuel Macron's explanation for video images that showed his wife, Brigitte, pushing her husband away with both hands on his face before they disembarked from their plane. American surfer Griffin Colapinto has described a ride which included a spectacular aerial and earned a perfect 10 score at Margaret River as one of the 'most incredible moments of my life'. 6.31am The top stories this morning Good morning, and welcome to Brisbane Times' live news coverage for Tuesday, May 27. Today we can expect a partly cloudy day and a top temperature of 29 degrees. In this morning's local headlines: The Morningside School of Arts building has been brought back from the brink of ruin, but its trustees say it needs a large injection of funds if it's to survive past its 100th birthday in 2026. A Queensland-born businessman has been identified as the Australian accused of accepting a 1.7 kilogram haul of cocaine in Bali for a promised reward of just $4700.
The Age
4 days ago
- Business
- The Age
Brisbane news live: SEQ electricity prices to rise by up to 3.7 per cent
Go to latest SEQ electricity prices to rise by up to 3.7 per cent By Households will be hit with higher power bills from July 1 after the market regulator handed down its latest round of annual price setting. Price caps will rise for customers by between 0.5 per cent and 3.7 per cent in south-east Queensland, under a determination from the Australian Energy Regulator. South-east Queensland provider Energex is in the middle of the pack when it comes to annual bills. Loading The price spikes have been driven by higher costs in the electricity grid over the past year, which in turn were due to breakdowns at coal-fired power plants, elevated fossil fuel prices and rising costs for network infrastructure. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese is doubling down on his ambitious renewable energy plans, declaring it the cheapest new source of power, while the federal Coalition brawls over emissions targets and its commitment to build nuclear energy instead of wind and solar farms. Queensland's LNP government has put renewable energy projects under closer scrutiny, recently approving two wind farms but blocking another. Latest posts 7.22am Queensland Heritage Council responds to LNP's Olympic override By Sean Parnell The Queensland Heritage Council has urged the Crisafulli government to tread carefully in its plans for the Brisbane 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games. Loading The government has moved to override heritage and other planning restrictions to deliver Games venues, including in Victoria Park where the environment department recently recommended a heritage listing be expanded. In a submission to a parliamentary committee inquiry into the planned override, Queensland Heritage Council chair Stuart Lummis urged the Games Independent Infrastructure and Coordination Authority engage experts. 'Delivering a world-class legacy from the Games does not have to occur through diminished heritage outcomes,' Lummis wrote. 'There are numerous examples in Queensland and elsewhere of large-scale development that has respectfully retained and integrated heritage places through design excellence and sensitive adaptation, while conserving their significance. 7.15am SEQ electricity prices to rise by up to 3.7 per cent By Mike Foley Households will be hit with higher power bills from July 1 after the market regulator handed down its latest round of annual price setting. Price caps will rise for customers by between 0.5 per cent and 3.7 per cent in south-east Queensland, under a determination from the Australian Energy Regulator. South-east Queensland provider Energex is in the middle of the pack when it comes to annual bills. Loading The price spikes have been driven by higher costs in the electricity grid over the past year, which in turn were due to breakdowns at coal-fired power plants, elevated fossil fuel prices and rising costs for network infrastructure. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese is doubling down on his ambitious renewable energy plans, declaring it the cheapest new source of power, while the federal Coalition brawls over emissions targets and its commitment to build nuclear energy instead of wind and solar farms. Queensland's LNP government has put renewable energy projects under closer scrutiny, recently approving two wind farms but blocking another. 7.07am The weather this week In what feels like unseasonal weather, the mercury is expected to reach almost 30 degrees in Brisbane today, on a cloudy Tuesday. From tomorrow, however, temperatures for the rest of the week will plunge back down into more typical late-Autumn territory. Here's a look at today's weather, and the seven days to come. 7.04am While you were sleeping Here's what's making news further afield this morning: Health Minister Mark Butler wants significant attention paid to discovering why the rate of informal votes has almost tripled in hospitals and aged care centres as it potentially affects the results of closely contested electorates. Australian oil and gas giant Woodside Energy has pointed to crippling blackouts that left millions without electricity across Europe last month as a 'forceful reminder' for the Albanese government to prioritise energy security alongside goals to switch to cleaner sources of power. Donald Trump has inflicted deep damage to three of the unique sources of American superpower, writes Peter Hartcher. 'And he's on the very brink of shattering a fourth.' A car has ploughed into a crowd of Liverpool fans during a parade celebrating their side's Premier League soccer title, and police arrested a 53-year-old British man. They were just play fighting. That was French President Emmanuel Macron's explanation for video images that showed his wife, Brigitte, pushing her husband away with both hands on his face before they disembarked from their plane. American surfer Griffin Colapinto has described a ride which included a spectacular aerial and earned a perfect 10 score at Margaret River as one of the 'most incredible moments of my life'. 6.31am The top stories this morning Good morning, and welcome to Brisbane Times' live news coverage for Tuesday, May 27. Today we can expect a partly cloudy day and a top temperature of 29 degrees. In this morning's local headlines: The Morningside School of Arts building has been brought back from the brink of ruin, but its trustees say it needs a large injection of funds if it's to survive past its 100th birthday in 2026. A Queensland-born businessman has been identified as the Australian accused of accepting a 1.7 kilogram haul of cocaine in Bali for a promised reward of just $4700.
The Independent
6 days ago
- Politics
- The Independent
Pete Hegseth slammed for ‘direct attack' against military reporters: ‘Never seen anything like this'
Donald Trump 's Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth is facing intense criticism from military reporters after his office announced extra restrictions to media access at the Pentagon. The Pentagon Press Association — which represents reporters covering the Department of Defense — said in a statement that the move was 'a direct attack on the freedom of the press and America's right to know what its military is doing.' Hegseth — a former Fox News host — announced additional credentialing procedures would soon be implemented for the press at the Pentagon 'in the interest of national security.' Those new measures include making key parts of the Pentagon off-limits to journalists unless they have an official escort. The notice also said additional security measures and enhanced scrutiny of press members are incoming. Top Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell said on X that the changes were 'pragmatic' to protect operational security. But the press association pointed out that journalists have had access to 'non-secured, unclassified spaces in the Pentagon for decades' under both Republican and Democratic administrations, including in the aftermath of 9/11, when hijackers crashed a plane into the building, killing all 64 people onboard and 125 inside the Pentagon. The Washington Post 's military correspondent Dan Lamothe was among reporters shocked by Hegseth's announcement. ''The most transparent DoD in U.S. history,' as [Hegesth] and his team calls itself, cracks down on media access again,' he wrote. 'I've been on this beat 17 years through numerous administrations,' he said. 'Never seen anything like this. One briefing all year. None again this week.' Hegseth has not personally delivered a briefing in his first 100 days. Parnell has only given one. The secretary's memo also states that 'while the department remains committed to transparency, the department is equally obligated to protect [classified intelligence] and sensitive information, the unauthorized disclosure of which could put the lives of U.S. service members in danger.' Hegseth continues to face intense scrutiny after sharing operational details about military strikes in a group on the messaging app Signal, which inadvertently included a journalist. The new measures announced by Hegseth and his team follow ongoing efforts throughout the Trump administration to reduce access to adversarial reporters and promote 'new media' — including outlets more sympathetic to the president and his administration. Shortly after Hegseth assumed the role of Defense Secretary, several major outlets including NBC and The New York Times were evicted from their workspaces at the Pentagon as part of a so-called 'media rotation program.' The press association said it was 'puzzled' as to why the department was 'devoting such attention to restricting Pentagon media instead of engaging with it as senior leaders have long done.' 'Transparency isn't a threat. Independent reporting on national security isn't a luxury. It's democracy,' said National Press Club president Mike Balsamo. 'The Pentagon's new media policy undermines transparency and the public's right to know.'
