President Trump issued an executive order withdrawing the US from the OECD’s global minimum corporate tax agreement, threatening Ireland’s significant corporate tax revenue. This action targets countries imposing “extraterritorial” levies on US multinationals, potentially impacting Ireland’s reliance on taxes from US companies headquartered there. The Irish Department of Finance is reviewing the order, while the IDA Ireland emphasizes that taxation is only one factor attracting foreign direct investment. The EU expressed regret over the decision and stated its commitment to the tax reforms, though uncertainty remains regarding potential retaliatory measures and escalating trade disputes.
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President Trump’s executive order defining sex based solely on the reproductive cell produced at conception is biologically inaccurate. This definition, which recognizes only male and female, contradicts the understanding that all human embryos initially develop along a female pathway before potential differentiation. Representative McBride highlighted this flaw, pointing out the order inadvertently classifies all embryos as female. The order was part of a broader set of executive actions reversing policies on diversity, immigration, and pandemic response.
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The National Treasury Employees Union (NTEU) filed a lawsuit against President Trump’s “Schedule F” executive order, arguing it violates civil service law by enabling the dismissal of career employees without sufficient justification. The union contends the order circumvents congressional intent and constitutes an improper political loyalty test. This action follows other legal challenges to Trump’s efforts to reshape the federal workforce, including the Department of Government Efficiency initiative. The NTEU also alleges that Trump violated the Administrative Procedure Act by disregarding established procedures for altering regulations. This marks the second legal challenge from the NTEU regarding Schedule F.
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Following a federal ban, TikTok experienced a brief outage in the U.S. President-elect Trump intervened, issuing an executive order to temporarily suspend the ban and allow time for a sale to a U.S. entity. This action provided assurance to service providers, enabling TikTok to restore service. Despite the resumption of functionality, the app remained unavailable for download on app stores. The ban stemmed from national security concerns related to TikTok’s Chinese ownership, but Trump’s intervention aimed to find a solution before the law’s permanent prohibitions took effect.
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Reports indicate that President-elect Trump’s transition team is drafting an executive order to medically discharge approximately 15,000 transgender service members. This action, if implemented, would create significant logistical challenges for the military, potentially disrupting readiness and exacerbating existing recruiting difficulties. The proposed mass discharge contrasts sharply with current policy and could face legal hurdles, mirroring previous attempts to ban transgender service members. Experts warn of the severe consequences of such a drastic and disruptive measure, particularly given the experience level and contributions of transgender service members.
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John Q. Hosedrinker