2024

Ocean County’s 2024 Tourism Guide Is Now Available

Phil Stilton0

TOMS RIVER, NJ—The 2024 Ocean County Travel Guide, an essential resource for visitors and locals, has been released, offering a wealth of information on the area’s attractions. Frank Sadeghi, Ocean County Commission liaison to the Ocean County Office of Business Development and Tourism, announced the availability of the guide in both print and digital formats. “I want to encourage our residents and visitors alike to visit our tourism website at OceanCountyTourism.com to access the Travel Guide online or request a complimentary paper copy by mail,” Sadeghi said. Residents and tourists are encouraged to visit the Ocean County tourism website to

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Toms River Announces No Tax Increase in 2024 Municipal Budget Amid Inflation, Rising Costs

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TOMS RIVER, NJ (UPDATE) – The Toms River Township Council has voted on the first reading to move the 2024 township municipal budget on first reading. That budget delivers a 0% tax increase for the community. There will be a second reading on adopting the budget at the next township council meeting. Facing across-the-board salary increases, double-digit increases in healthcare costs, global inflation, and the end of the American Rescue Plan’s federal funding, Toms River Mayor Dan Rodrick announced a 0% tax increase for 2024 last week, “It wasn’t easy,” the mayor said. This year, for the first time in

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Toms River Mayor Announces 2024 Budget with 0% Tax Increase Amid Rising Costs and Inflation

Phil Stilton0

TOMS RIVER, NJ – Facing across-the-board salary increases, double-digit increases in healthcare costs, global inflation, and the end of the American Rescue Plan’s federal funding, Toms River Mayor Dan Rodrick announced a 0% tax increase for 2024 last week, “It wasn’t easy,” the mayor said. Rodrick’s only choices when taking office were to cut spending or raise taxes.   Mayor Rodrick had to make some hard decisions at town hall.  When he took office, he faced a $3 million shortfall due to rising costs.  That was compounded by the loss of an additional $10.2 million in federal ARP funding from the

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‘Biggest Mistake Of My Life’: Biden 2020 Voters Explain Why They’re Backing Trump In 2024

The Daily Caller0

Some of President Joe Biden’s 2020 voters named inflation, foreign policy and illegal immigration as their main reasons for considering backing former President Donald Trump, instead, in November, The New York Times reported on Friday. The NYT/Siena College survey released on Monday across Arizona, Georgia, Nevada, Wisconsin, Michigan and Pennsylvania found that 14% of those who said they backed Biden in 2020 won’t do so this cycle. The outlet spoke with some of the Biden defectors included in the poll, with some planning to vote for Trump despite qualms with his personality. Frederick Westbrook, a retired hotel worker in Las

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Biden Admin Has Cemented $1 Trillion Worth Of Rules And Regs In 2024, Analysis Finds

The Daily Caller0

The Biden administration has saddled the U.S. economy with more than $1 trillion worth of final rules and regulations thus far in 2024, according to analysis conducted by the American Action Forum (AAF). The Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) final emissions regulations for light- and medium-duty vehicles, which some have characterized as an electric vehicle (EV) mandate, pushed the costs of the Biden administration’s regulatory agenda over the $1 trillion threshold for 2024, alone, according to AAF’s analysis. Across all agencies and regulatory actions last week, the federal government published regulations imposing $103 billion worth of total costs and 11.6 million

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Haiti gang violence deaths surge in 2024, UN report says

Reuters0

By Emma Farge GENEVA (Reuters) -Gang violence in Haiti has killed over 1,500 people so far this year, including many children, while dozens have been lynched, stoned or burned alive by so-called self-defence brigades, the U.N. human rights office said on Thursday. Haiti’s shattering gang wars have intensified in recent weeks with heavily-armed rivals unleashing fresh waves of attacks, including raids on police stations and the international airport. Prime Minister Ariel Henry announced his resignation on March 11. “All these practices are outrageous and must stop at once,” the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk said in

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Explainer-Olympics-How will Russian athletes be cleared to compete at Paris 2024?

Reuters0

(Reuters) – Russian and Belarusian athletes who have qualified for the Paris 2024 Olympics this summer will need to undergo a vetting process by the International Olympic Committee before being invited to compete at the Games. WHY WILL ATHLETES FROM RUSSIA AND BELARUS NEED TO VETTED? Following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022, the IOC, after initially recommending a ban from international competitions of athletes from Russia and ally Belarus, allowed them to qualify for the Paris Olympics. But they will be competing as individual neutral athletes (AINs) without their flags, anthems and emblems. They will also need to pass

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Could Dems Flip This Red State In 2024?

The Daily Caller0

Could Dems Flip This Red State In 2024? Mary Lou Masters on March 17, 2024 Democrats are hoping to flip North Carolina in 2024 after former President Donald Trump secured the red state in both 2016 and 2020. The narrow margin Trump won by in 2020, demographic changes in the state and the election of Republican gubernatorial nominee Mark Robinson might put North Carolina back on the map for President Joe Biden this cycle, political scientists and state operatives told the Daily Caller News Foundation. “We like our chances here, we think they have a real shot to win,” Morgan

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JAMES CARTER And JIM ELLIS: Is The Red Wave Finally Coming To The Senate In 2024?

The Daily Caller0

JAMES CARTER And JIM ELLIS: Is The Red Wave Finally Coming To The Senate In 2024? James Carter and Jim Ellis on February 18, 2024 The 2024 US Senate races are pivotal, particularly for Republicans. The Senate map forces Democrats to defend 23 in-cycle seats and Republicans only 11. Perhaps the biggest GOP advantage is having so few seats to defend. Within their subset of 11 in-cycle races, one can reasonably argue that only one, Texas Sen. Ted Cruz defending his seat, is even moderately competitive. Such an electoral matrix is a major plus for the Republicans, especially when the

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Does The Wave Of GOP Retirements Threaten Their Control Of The House In 2024?

The Daily Caller0

Does The Wave Of GOP Retirements Threaten Their Control Of The House In 2024? Mary Lou Masters on January 17, 2024 As more House Republicans decide to retire from Congress ahead of a contentious election, their open seats likely won’t pose a risk to the GOP’s control of the lower chamber in November. Republican Rep. Jeff Duncan of South Carolina announced that he would not seek another term on Wednesday, following the recent retirement decisions from Indiana’s Greg Pence and Larry Bucshon, Colorado’s Doug Lamborn and Missouri’s Blaine Luetkemeyer. These retirements and others likely won’t interfere with the party’s chances at

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Global investment flows set for ‘modest’ rise in 2024, UN trade body says

Reuters0

GENEVA (Reuters) – Global foreign direct investment flows could rise modestly in 2024 after a marginal increase last year due to higher investment in some European economies, the United Nations trade body said on Wednesday. Foreign direct investment flows can include investments made by companies or governments into other countries or companies or projects in those countries. “Looking ahead, a modest increase in FDI flows in 2024 appears possible, as projections for inflation and borrowing costs in major markets indicate a stabilisation of financing conditions for international investment deals,” the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development said. The U.N.

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China growth seen slowing to 4.6% in 2024, raising heat on policymakers – Reuters poll

Reuters0

By Kevin Yao BEIJING (Reuters) – China’s economic growth is likely to slow to 4.6% in 2024, and cool further to 4.5% in 2025, a Reuters poll showed, raising the heat on policymakers to roll out more stimulus measures amid deflationary pressures and a severe property slump. Gross domestic product (GDP) likely grew 5.2% in 2023 – meeting the government’s annual growth target, partly helped by the previous year’s low-base effect which was marked by COVID-19 lockdowns, according to the median forecasts of 58 economists polled by Reuters. But the world’s second-largest economy has struggled to mount a strong and

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UK housing market gains momentum at start of 2024: Rightmove

Reuters0

By Suban Abdulla LONDON (Reuters) – Average asking prices for British homes made the strongest start to the year since 2020, according to a Rightmove survey on Monday that added to signs that the slowdown in the sector could be easing as demand picked up in January. The average price of homes put on sale between Dec. 3 and Jan. 6 was 1.3% higher than the month before, the biggest December to January rise since 2020 and more than double the average increase for this time of year, Rightmove said. House prices in Britain typically pick up at the start

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Global unemployment seen rising modestly in 2024: UN labour body

Reuters0

GENEVA (Reuters) – The global unemployment rate is expected to inch up to 5.2% this year primarily because of a rise in joblessness in advanced economies, the International Labour Organization (ILO) said on Wednesday. ILO’s 2024 World Employment and Social Outlook report forecasts the number of unemployed people will rise by 2 million, lifting the global unemployment rate to 5.2% from 5.1% in 2023. “We are projecting a modest fall in performance on labour markets, in part because growth is decelerating around the world,” said Richard Samans, director of ILO’s research department. ILO, a United Nations agency, said that after

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Explainer-Why is Germany’s economy struggling in 2024?

Reuters0

By Maria Martinez BERLIN (Reuters) – Germany’s ailing economy is experiencing a bumpy start to the year with farmers launching nationwide protests against government plans to cut diesel subsidies and train drivers planning several days of strikes over wage disputes. The economy, Europe’s biggest, was the weakest among its large euro zone peers last year, as high energy costs, feeble global orders and record-high interest rates took their toll. The government then suffered a huge blow in November when Germany’s top court threw out its 2024 budget plans, forcing divisive political wrangling over how to fill a 17 billion euro

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Oil to remain volatile in 2024, says BofA

Reuters0

(Reuters) – U.S. oil companies and refiners are likely to face another challenging 12 months in 2024, Bank of America (BofA) analysts wrote in a note on Friday, who expect Brent crude to average $80 per barrel this year. Crude futures lost over 10% in 2023 in a tumultuous year of trading marked by geopolitical turmoil and concerns about the oil output levels of major producers around the world. “We expect oil to remain volatile, exacerbated by outsize paper market influence, informed by geopolitics and OPEC policy,” BofA wrote in the note. The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries and

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Take Five: A quiet start to 2024? No way

Reuters0

LONDON (Reuters) – There’s not much time to get over the New Year’s partying: the most closely watched U.S. economic release and key euro area inflation data are on the calendar this week, suggesting a busy start to 2024. With hopes high for big central banks to start cutting interest rates soon, euphoric financial markets could soon be tested, while the timing of a Bank of Japan rate increase remains in focus. Here’s your look ahead to the first trading week of the new year with Kevin Buckland in Tokyo, Yoruk Bahceli in Amsterdam, Ira Iosebashvili in New York and

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China’s yuan down on first trading day of 2024, policy easing eyed

Reuters0

SHANGHAI (Reuters) – China’s yuan eased against the dollar on the first trading day of the year on Tuesday, pressured by rising bets of monetary easing after factory activity reinforced the uneven nature of the recovery in the world’s second-biggest economy. Official data showed that China’s manufacturing activity shrank for a third straight month in December and weakened more than expected, while a separate private survey showed an expansion at a quicker pace. “Policy support should remain a tailwind over the coming months,” economists at Capital Economics said in a note. “The Central Economic Work Conference in early December suggest

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US economic data points to ‘real momentum’ for 2024, White House says

Reuters0

By Andrea Shalal (Reuters) – Higher consumer spending over the holiday season, real wage gains over the last nine months and a jump in consumer confidence point to a good start for 2024, said Jared Bernstein, chair of the White House Council of Economic Advisers on Sunday. Bernstein told “Fox News Sunday” that President Joe Biden would continue to focus on lowering costs for Americans if he won a second term in the November 2024 presidential election. “If you actually look at the trend in the economy … I think you see some real momentum getting us in a good

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Take Five: A quiet start to 2024? No way

Reuters0

LONDON (Reuters) – There’s not much time to get over the New Year’s partying: the most closely watched U.S. economic release and key euro area inflation data are on the calendar in the week ahead, suggesting a busy start to 2024. With hopes high for big central banks to start cutting interest rates soon, euphoric financial markets could soon be tested, while the timing of a Bank of Japan rate increase remains in focus. Here’s your look ahead to the first trading week of the new year with Kevin Buckland in Tokyo, Yoruk Bahceli in Amsterdam, Ira Iosebashvili in New

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Congress Unlikely To Pass All Appropriations Bills Before Next Government Funding Deadline In 2024, Experts Say

Op-ed Contributor0

Congress Unlikely To Pass All Appropriations Bills Before Next Government Funding Deadline In 2024, Experts Say Arjun Singh on December 25, 2023 The Senate and House of Representatives are unlikely to pass all 12 appropriations bills to fund the government for the current fiscal year before the next deadline for a shutdown, legislative experts told the Daily Caller News Foundation. House Republicans under Kevin McCarthy’s speakership initially vowed to pass 12 separate bills to fund the government, as opposed to year-end omnibus spending packages, which often run into thousands of pages, for greater accountability of public spending. However, the House

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Bank Indonesia likely done with hikes, first cut in Q3 2024: Reuters poll

Reuters0

By Anant Chandak BENGALURU (Reuters) – Bank Indonesia will maintain its key policy rate for a second month on Thursday as inflation is within its target range and the rupiah has stabilised, showed a Reuters poll of economists who forecast the first cut to be in the third quarter of 2024. Inflation has stayed within the central bank’s 2023 2% to 4% target range for sixth consecutive months despite an uptick in inflation last month. The rupiah has gained nearly 2% since a surprise rate hike in October, easing pressure on imported prices. Governor Perry Warjiyo recently said the policy

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Goldman Sachs sees S&P 500 hitting 5,100 in 2024, boosting forecast

Reuters0

By David Randall NEW YORK (Reuters) – Goldman Sachs raised its 2024 S&P 500 target by 8% to 5,100, forecasting a tailwind for U.S. stocks from falling inflation and declining interest rates. Unlike 2023, when the so-called Magnificent Seven group of mega-cap growth and technology stocks have powered the majority of the year’s advance in the S&P 500, the upcoming gains in the stock market will come from cyclical sectors and companies with smaller market capitalization, Goldman said in a note late on Friday. “Looking forward, the new regime of both improving growth and falling rates should support stocks with

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Where is democracy headed in 2024? Trump may have the final word

Reuters0

By Mark Bendeich (Reuters) – Russia’s Vladimir Putin looks set to remain in power until at least 2030; India’s Narendra Modi seems certain to extend his rule to 2029; and Donald Trump could return to the White House despite charges of subverting U.S. democracy. For those who worry that authoritarian rulers are firmly in the ascendant over more liberal democrats, there is likely to be much to fret about in 2024. In all, the governance of more than a quarter of the world’s population will be at stake in elections next year, including Taiwan next month, Russia in March, India

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CBO projects 1.5% U.S. GDP growth in 2024, 4.4% jobless rate

Reuters0

(Reuters) – The Congressional Budget Office projects U.S. economic growth to slow to 1.5% in 2024, with the unemployment rate seen rising to 4.4% next year from what it estimates will be a 3.9% average this quarter. The updated projections from the nonpartisan budget referee agency on Friday also included a substantial upward revision to expected GDP growth this year to 2.5%, from 0.9% seen in July. CBO said the growth slowdown expected for next year, and a reduction in its previous projection for 2025 growth to 2.2% from 2.4% seen in July, was due to slower-than-projected growth in consumer

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