Today, sexual assault in the Peace Corps. Donovan Slack:Earlier this year, we published our larger investigation about sexual assault in the Peace Corps. We found that the Peace Corps wasn't doing enough to protect volunteers from being sexually assaulted in the first place. We really did a deep dive on the data and analyzed five years worth of data that the Peace Corps had given to us. They said, they're really not happy with the way that the Peace Corps has responded.

During a hearing Monday to recommend Meadows be referred for contempt charges over his refusal to testify before the committee, Rep. Liz Cheney, R-Wyo., read text messages Meadows provided. Ex-Trump chief of staff facing House contempt vote as more details of his Jan. 6 actions emergeFox News hosts Laura Ingraham, Brian Kilmeade and Sean Hannity were among those who sent Meadows messages during the riot. Members of Congress and Donald Trump Jr. also urged the White House to act in messages to Meadows. In a screenshot of his messages to Meadows, Sherman said the Capitol was under siege. He has to lead now,” Donald Trump Jr. said in his message to Meadows.

Two Atlanta boutique operators slammed the ongoing crime crisis gripping U.S. cities Tuesday after being burglarized of more than $100,000 in merchandise from one of their shops. "Everything goes in your head like how is this merchandise going to be recovered? The community has been very supportive for us and we believe that we're going to fight back. We're going to fight back just by looking out for one another, being there for one another, and it's going to come to a stop. "And more importantly, get a pen, go into a location, ask for a job application, just fill it out.

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson records an address to the nation, to provide an update on the booster vaccine COVID-19 programme at Downing Street, London, Britain December 12, 2021. It's yet another blow to a prime minister already under pressure over reported parties in his Downing Street office last year when such gatherings were banned, a pricey refurbishment of his apartment and the chaotic withdrawal from Afghanistan. "Boris on a bad day is better than any of the other wannabes on a good day," said one veteran Conservative. Conservative former minister, David Johnson, described the move to introduce COVID passes as "quite wrong". "People should certainly be encouraged to have the vaccine ... but ultimately people have to take responsibility for their own health," he told Reuters.

On Monday, U.S. Rep. Paul Gosar of Arizona became the latest shameless Republican lawmaker to take credit for a federal Covid-19 relief package he vehemently opposed. He’s effectively declared war on progressive politics of any kind — except when he can use their benefits to earn kudos. Gosar is just a two-faced politician whose self-serving hypocrisy explains, in part, why his own siblings revile him. But Gosar voted against the relief plan — twice. It's clear Gosar is just a two-faced politician whose self-serving hypocrisy explains, in part, why his own siblings revile him.

Rep. Liz Cheney, R-Wyo., discussed texts from Fox News hosts, Donald Trump Jr., urging then-White House chief of staff Mark Meadows to press then-President Donald Trump to call off his mob of supporters clashing with police at the Capitol.Dec.

The Capitol Police tweet is not enough,” Trump Jr. wrote to Meadows. He has to lead now,” Trump Jr. continued. “It has gone too far and gotten out of hand.”MSNBC’s Lawrence O’Donnell asked Mary Trump why Trump Jr. texted Meadows and not his own father. “I wish that the answer you had given was the right one ? caller ID,” she cracked in response. But his inner circle has “become so small” there may not be anyone left for him to fire, she noted.

Taylor Bye's A-10 attack aircraft started falling apart on a training flight. The last thing any pilot wants to see is their plane falling apart while they are trying to fly it, but that was the nightmare scenario US Air Force A-10 attack aircraft pilot Capt. Bye commissioned into the Air Force in 2015 straight out of the United States Air Force Academy, where she first flew. Her first ever solo flight was in a DA20 in Colorado during Air Force pilot training, and the experience, she said, "was so much fun." 995, for the first time since the Air Force maintenance and repair teams finished putting it back together.

First, Trump’s endorsed candidate, Sean Parnell, was forced to drop out of the U.S. Senate race in Pennsylvania. Second, Trump’s endorsed U.S. Senate candidate in Alabama, Rep. Mo Brooks, is losing ground to a younger candidate named Katie Britt. And fourth, Trump’s endorsed candidate in a Texas special election, Susan Wright, was defeated in a race to replace her late husband. Trump’s lack of coattails isn’t new, and defeating a Trump-endorsed Republican isn’t the same thing as electing a “Never Trump” Republican. Remember, in 2020, Trump’s endorsed candidate was thumped by Madison Cawthorn in a North Carolina runoff.

Both Democratic and Republican aides said the Senate was expected to vote on passage later on Tuesday, following a months-long standoff. The chamber has allowed for up to 10 hours of debate, which could push the vote into the evening. Democrats, who narrowly control the Senate and the House, have yet to disclose the size of the increase. The debt ceiling fight and another self-created crisis, passing a bill to continue to fund the government through February, occupied much of Congress' time this month, and members in both chambers are now eager to begin lengthy holiday breaks. Votes to lift the country's debt ceiling have taken place on a regular basis since World War One.

The survivors of an errant U.S. drone strike that killed 10 members of their family in Kabul, Afghanistan, said Tuesday they were frustrated and saddened that troops involved in the strike will not face disciplinary action. The strike that killed him and nine others took place amid the chaotic last days of the U.S. troop withdrawal from Afghanistan following the Taliban takeover of the country in mid-August. AdvertisementIt also came just days after an Islamic State suicide bomber killed 13 U.S. troops and 169 Afghans at a Kabul airport gate. U.S. forces believed that the car they were monitoring was an imminent threat and decided to strike. But the generals made no recommendations for disciplining those involved in the strike on Zemerai Ahmadi, according to John Kirby, chief Pentagon spokesman.

But the administration’s response hasn’t satisfied many of the faculty members who signed the letter, or Mashayekh and her supporters. In addition to losing her paid mentoring position, she said, her name was recently removed from the Viterbi Graduate Student Assn. website, where her role as a diversity, equity and inclusion senator involves planning events such as dinners and movie nights. Mashayekh said she worries that she won’t be able to find a job in the future or pay off her loans. Faculty members, student groups, alumni, outside activists and others have entered the fray and taken sides in the tangle of controversies.

Gretchen Whitmer is calling for May 3 special elections to fill three vacant state House seats, her office announced Tuesday morning. The governor called for the special elections in a letter sent to Democratic Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson. "The Department of State stands ready to work with local and county election officials to implement the special elections this spring," Benson said. In November, Michigan House Speaker Jason Wentworth, R-Farwell, asked Whitmer to set special elections as soon as possible for four state House seats. Once that happens, Whitmer anticipates issuing a separate call for a special election with this same timeline as the three others to fill the vacancy, her office said.

The Air Force gave its forces until Nov. 2 to get the vaccine, and thousands have either refused or sought an exemption. Air Force spokeswoman Ann Stefanek said Monday that these are the first airmen to be administratively discharged for reasons involving the vaccine. Each of the services set its own deadlines and procedures for the mandate, and the Air Force set the earliest deadline. According to the latest Air Force data, more than 1,000 airmen have refused the shot and more than 4,700 are seeking a religious exemption. As of last week, a bit more than 97% of the active duty Air Force had gotten at least one shot.

Yuras KarmanauAssociated PressKyiv, Ukraine – A court in Belarus on Tuesday sentenced the husband of the country’s opposition leader to 18 years in prison, six months after the trial began behind closed doors. The charges against Siarhei Tsikhanouski included organizing mass unrest and inciting hatred and have been widely seen as politically motivated. Five other opposition activists were sentenced to lengthy prison terms of 14 to 16 years alongside Tsikhanouski. Tsikhanouski, 43, a popular video blogger and activist, planned to challenge authoritarian President Alexander Lukashenko in the August 2020 presidential election. Another popular blogger who also stood trial alongside Tsikhanouski, 29-year-old Ihar Losik, was handed a 15-year sentence.

PUBS, shops and restaurants could be forced to shut in January because so many workers will be off sick with Omicron. In a "bleak" update to Cabinet the PM and chief medical officer Chris Whitty warned the new variant is set to spark staff shortages. MPs and businesses are afraid that Plan B measures could escalate to a greater squeeze after Christmas if Omicron continues to rip. Tory MP Danny Kruger also revealed that the PM suggested there could be another lockdown if Plan B measures don't work. But Tories are worried that the Plan B measures would naturally lead to harsher curbs in the coming months.

More than 50 Nobel laureates have signed an open letter calling for all countries to cut their military spending by 2% a year for the next five years, and put half the saved money in a UN fund to combat pandemics, the climate crisis, and extreme poverty. “Individual governments are under pressure to increase military spending because others do so,” the signatories say in support of the newly launched Peace Dividend campaign. Total military spending amounted to $1,981bn (£1,496bn) last year, an increase of 2.6% according to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI). The five biggest spenders were the US ($778bn), China ($252bn), India ($72.9bn), Russia ($61.7bn) and the UK ($59.2bn) – all of whom increased their budgets in 2020. Such a fund, they claim, could amount to $1tn by 2030.

The sentencing of Belarusian opposition leader Sergei Tikhanovsky to 18 years in prison is "personal revenge" by the authorities, his wife, Svetlana Tikhanovskaya, has said. She told BBC World News's Lucy Hockings her husband was a leader for millions of Belarusians and the government of disputed leader Alexander Lukashenko feared him. Tikhanovsky had rallied mass protests against Mr Lukashenko and planned to challenge him in the 2020 presidential election but was detained before the vote. Ms Tikhanovskaya then stood against Mr Lukashenko, who claimed victory in the widely discredited poll. She claimed victory herself but the next day went into exile with her children, fearing for her safety.

Nicola Sturgeon has urged people across Scotland to limit their socialising to three households before and after Christmas to help combat the omicron coronavirus variant. In a statement at the Scottish Parliament, the Scottish First Minister warned that omicron cases were "increasing exponentially - faster than any variant that has gone before it". She stressed she was "not asking anyone to cancel Christmas", but advised people to limit their socialising either side of the holiday. She added: "My key request today is this: before and immediately after Christmas, please minimise your social mixing with other households as much as you can. "Getting fully vaccinated is the best thing any of us can do to protect ourselves, our loved ones, and the country.

The husband of a Belarusian opposition leader has been jailed for 18 years by a court in the country. Siarhei Tsikhanouski was charged with organising mass unrest and inciting hatred, among other offences, in a case widely seen as politically motivated. AdvertisementHis wife, Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, ran in his place, drawing tens of thousands of people to rally in her support during the campaign. Image: Belarusian opposition leader Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya demonstration in Copenhagen in 2020. Mr Lukashenko, who has led the former Soviet state since 1994, is a close ally of Russian president Vladimir Putin.

Serbia has moved a step closer to joining the European Union after opening talks on a series of environmental policies. But the EU has warned progress on its path to EU membership still depends on Serbia normalising relations with Kosovo. Serbia has now opened 22 negotiating policy areas since its membership talks began in 2014. “Serbia is taking another very important step forward in joining the European Union," said EU Enlargement Commissioner Olivér Várhelyi. But he added that relations with Kosovo -- Serbia's former territory -- and the rule of law "remain essential to the overall pace of accession talks".

Four organizers of the January 6 'Save America' rally are suing Verizon in an attempt to prevent the phone giant from handing over cell phone data to the House select committee on January 6. Politico reported Monday that organizers Justin Caporale, Tim Unes, Megan Powers and Maggie Mulvaney filed a lawsuit arguing the committee doesn't have the proper authority to obtain the data. Mulvaney is the niece of former President Donald Trump's acting Chief of Staff Mick Mulvaney. The lawsuit revealed that the plaintiffs sat for 'lengthy' interviews and provided 'thousands of documents to Congressional investigators.' Afterward, a crowd of his supporters rampaged the Capitol Building, holding up the certification process of President Joe Biden's win for several hours.

It said Russia's demands included stopping NATO from expanding east and the deployment of weapons in neighboring states, including Ukraine. Putin "reiterated the need to immediately launch negotiations with the United States and NATO in order to develop international legal guarantees for the security of our country," the Kremlin said in a readout of the call. Russian President Vladimir Putin told his Finnish counterpart Sauli Niinisto on Tuesday that he wants "immediate" talks with the United States and NATO over security guarantees, the Kremlin said, as tensions mount over Ukraine. Putin has denied the plans, blaming NATO for heightened tensions in the region and seeking promises from the West that the alliance won't expand eastwards. In a video call last week, U.S. President Joe Biden warned Putin of "sanctions like he's never seen" should Russian troops launch an attack.

Two in five Russians believe war is likely to break out with Ukraine and blame the United States for heightened tensions, according to a new independent survey published Tuesday. According to the Levada Center, 39% of Russian respondents believe that war with Ukraine is either highly likely or unavoidable. Another 38% said that Russian-Ukrainian war is unlikely. Only 15% rule out the possibility of a Russian-Ukrainian war. Younger Russians, however, were more likely to say that no one is to blame for the Russian-Ukrainian tensions or not answer the question than their older counterparts.

Multiple legal analysts noted how Rep Liz Cheney used incredibly particular legal language that might open the door to a criminal referral for former president Donald Trump for his actions during the Capitol riot on 6 January. “Did Donald Trump, through action or inaction, corruptly seek to obstruct or impede Congress’s proceedings,” Ms Cheney said. The select committee voted unanimously to approve a report saying Mr Meadows be held in contempt of Congress. This came after Mr Meadows defied a congressional subpoena from the committee after initially working with the committee. Ms Cheney revealed text exchanges Mr Meadows had between Mr Trump’s eldest son and Fox News hosts Brian Kilmeade, Laura Ingraham and Sean Hannity.

Former Democratic presidential candidate Andrew Yang is harshly criticizing America's two-party political system and closed-party primaries, arguing that they help fuel extremist views on both sides. "We can all just look around and see the duopoly is not working," Yang told CBSN "Red & Blue" anchor Elaine Quijano in an interview that aired Monday. "The political incentives are not around getting anything done, it's around blaming the other side, and just playing 'you lose, I lose' back and forth — while the people are losing." Yang also argued against closed-party primaries, in which a voter must be registered as a Democrat or Republican to cast a ballot in that party's respective primary. Yang said the shift to open primaries and ranked-choice voting would "realign" incentives to serve the majority instead of a partisan minority.

"Indeed, according to the records, multiple Fox News hosts knew the president needed to act immediately" on Jan. 6, Cheney said. Other committee members read from texts they said were sent to Meadows from lawmakers, who were not named Monday evening. The nine-member bipartisan committee voted unanimously Monday to advance a contempt referral for Meadows to the full House. A majority vote would result in the Justice Department's being asked to prosecute Meadows, a former House member. The Justice Department acted on a similar House recommendation for former Trump aide Steve Bannon, who faces two criminal charges.

Trump was still speaking at his rally on the Ellipse south of the White House when the first barricade was breached on the west front of the Capitol. Even as he was telling his audience that “when you catch somebody in a fraud, you’re allowed to go by very different rules” and that “we must stop this deal and then we must ensure that such outrageous election fraud never happens again, can never be allowed to happen again,” protesters were already approaching the building from within the perimeter that had already been established. Less than 10 minutes after he told the audience that “if you don’t fight like hell, you’re not going to have a country anymore,” Capitol Police were reporting injuries.

A member of Congress texted Mark Meadows apologizing for not overturning the election on January 6. In the Monday evening hearing, the panel unanimously voted to hold Meadows in contempt of Congress after Meadows stopped cooperating with the committee and failed to show up for a scheduled deposition. Schiff then read aloud the January 7 message from an unnamed member of Congress that said: "Yesterday was a terrible day. "The day after a failed attempt to stop the peaceful transfer of power through violence, an elected lawmaker tells the White House chief of staff 'I'm sorry nothing worked.' Even though Meadows stopped cooperating, the panel is already in possession of valuable records, including text messages and emails that Meadows and his attorney voluntarily turned over to the committee.

The Supreme Court previously rejected other challenges to vaccine mandates including one focusing upon Maine's lack of a religious exemption for healthcare workers. It said longstanding healthcare worker vaccine mandates for measles and rubella also have no religious exemptions. The group opposes vaccine mandates and advocates for various causes including what it called "medical freedom." In a video on the group's website, co-founder Brian Festa said, "We were fighting against vaccine mandates. According to government data, about 84% of U.S. adults have received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine and 72% are fully vaccinated.

AP: Voter fraud rare in states Trump disputedA review by The Associated Press in the six battleground states disputed by former President Donald Trump has found fewer than 475 cases of potential voter fraud, a number that would have made no difference in the 2020 presidential election.

MOSCOW — A court in Belarus on Tuesday convicted an opposition leader on charges of organizing mass unrest and inciting social hatred over his attempt to challenge the country’s authoritarian leader, Aleksandr G. Lukashenko, in a presidential election last year. It also sentenced him to 18 years in prison. The activist, Sergei Tikhanovsky, 43, ran a popular YouTube channel in Belarus before announcing his candidacy ahead of the 2020 vote. He was on trial along with five other defendants, including Nikolai Statkevich, 65, who ran against Mr. Lukashenko in the 2010 presidential election. The five other defendants were sentenced to prison terms ranging from 14 to 16 years.

Though they never knew each other, Heisler and Wright were both from Brooklyn Center and around the same age when they were killed by police. "I 100% believe she deserves murder charges," Heisler’s mother, Amity Dimock, told Fox News Digital. KIM POTTER TRIAL: BLM PROTESTER ACCUSED OF INTIMIDATING JUDGE HELD WITHOUT BOND AS DAUNTE WRIGHT CASE STARTSPotter, a 26-year veteran of the force, is charged with first and second-degree manslaughter for shooting Wright during an April 11 traffic stop. "I very rarely look at these murder videos," Dimock, who has since moved out of Brooklyn Center, said. "The four Brooklyn Center police officers who initially responded to the scene used de-escalation tactics and seemed to have calmed down Mr. Dimock-Heisler.

As Sean Hannity, Laura Ingraham and Brian Kilmeade were frantically texting Trump chief of staff Mark Meadows on the day of the Jan. 6 Capitol insurrection, CNN's John Berman shows how the Fox News anchors were reporting the event publicly.

NBC News reported overnight:The nine-member bipartisan committee voted unanimously Monday to advance a contempt referral for Meadows to the full House. A majority vote would result in the Justice Department's being asked to prosecute Meadows, a former House member. The Justice Department acted on a similar House recommendation for former Trump aide Steve Bannon, who faces two criminal charges. The White House knew what was happening during the attack: Cheney read specific messages, written by unidentified Republican members of Congress, who pleaded with Meadows to get Trump to intervene immediately. But during the attack, it was GOP lawmakers who not only recognized the seriousness of the assault on the Capitol, they also all but begged the White House to help save them.

President Joe Biden signed the Democrats' Covid relief package on March 11, but it was on March 10 when Republican Sen. Roger Wicker celebrated the American Rescue Plan's beneficial "targeted relief" for restaurants. Republican Rep. Paul Gosar of Arizona, one of Congress' most right-wing members, issued a press release yesterday, touting federal investment in a local airport thanks to the American Rescue Plan. What the press statement neglected to mention is the inconvenient detail: Gosar opposed the American Rescue Plan. Gosar said the relief package was a "Trojan horse for socialism." Or to borrow Gosar's competing assertions, either it's a "Trojan horse for socialism," or it's a relief package that's providing "critical" and "essential" funding to local communities.

About 200,000 military members owe more than $2.9 billion in student loan debt, the letter stated. Keep reading to learn more about student loan forgiveness for military service members and consider the alternative debt repayment options like refinancing. However, specific details regarding updates to military student loan forgiveness have been scant. If you don't meet the eligibility requirements for the student loan interest waiver or the PSLF program, consider alternative student loan repayment plans such as refinancing. BIDEN CANCELS $5.8B IN STUDENT LOAN DEBT FOR BORROWERS WITH A TOTAL AND PERMANENT DISABILITYHave a finance-related question, but don't know who to ask?

Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti will be questioned on Tuesday by lawmakers weighing his nomination to become the U.S. ambassador to India. Garcetti will appear with two other nominees for diplomatic posts at a morning hearing before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. Garcetti’s nomination has dragged on amid a broader effort by Republican senators that has slowed the confirmation process of dozens of would-be diplomats. California 5 things to know about Mayor Eric Garcetti’s confirmation hearing Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti will have a confirmation hearing for his nomination to be ambassador to India before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee on Tuesday. The mayor said last week that he was “honored to have been nominated by President Biden to serve as the next U.S.

Around this time last year, I offered y’all gentle readers a list of predictions I, well, predicted would come true and change California forever. Part of my job as a columnist is to touch not just on what’s happening now, but what’s up ahead. Everyone in California gets fully vaccinated against COVID-19 — I mean, fully vaccinated. Newsom and Elder spend the rest of 2022 investing in cryptocurrency — a far more stable bet than democracy nowadays. The Chargers continue to pick up more football fans, for a grand total of 37 in L.A. by the end of 2022.

In 1971, San Jose took pride in electing Norm Mineta as the first Asian-American mayor of a major U.S. city. Fifty years later, Asian Americans are the largest and fastest-growing ethnic group in San Jose, but they have no representation on the City Council. So you would think San Jose officials would prioritize ensuring fair representation for Asian Americans during the redistricting process. For starters, it’s appalling that no Asian Americans were named to the 11-member San Jose Redistricting Commission tasked with drawing maps for City Council consideration. Asian Americans make up roughly 380,000 of San Jose’s 1 million population.

Finally, a Republican leader in Wisconsin stood for democracy. Bernier, of Lake Hallie, eviscerated the partisan review of the 2020 election that Republican Assembly Speaker Robin Vos launched to appease former President Donald Trump. She called Michael Gableman's inquisition exactly what it is — "a charade." The investigation by Gableman, a former state Supreme Court justice, is damaging faith in democracy, she said. She knows far more than Gableman does about the subject — Bernier oversaw elections for 12 years as Chippewa County clerk.

The poll asked about eight specified household responsibilities and found that 35% of mothers report doing more than their partner for all eight, compared with just 3% of fathers who report the same. The poll found that 57% of mothers said they provide “all or most” emotional support to their children. Much has been said about the effects of the pandemic on women, including many women who left or stepped back from the labor force to take care of their children or aging parents. Women are more likely than men to say flexibility at work is important when thinking about whether or not to have a child, 74% versus 66%, according to the poll. According to the poll, 47% of women say having a child is an obstacle for job security at their current or most recent job, compared with 36% of men.

Healey, a two-term Democrat who political strategists view as a potential early front-runner for the governor’s office now that Gov. By tapping into her donor networks at the end of the year, Healey could strengthen her position in the developing Democratic field. Costello said the firm typically holds an end-of-year fundraiser for Healey, and would have this year even if she wasn’t a prospective candidate for governor. Healey reported having $3.3 million in the bank at the end of the November, which could be used for a run for governor or a third campaign for attorney general. Since reporting no money raised in August, Healey has collected $35,406 in September, $42,636 in October and $59,513 in November.

© Alex Brandon/AP President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu attend the Abraham Accords signing ceremony on the South Lawn of the White House, in Washington, Sept. 15, 2020. But Mike Evans, one of Trump’s early evangelical backers, said he was “horrified” by the sentiments and said they would offend significant numbers of evangelical voters. That was one of several times Evans paid to have posters hung around the city, all celebrating Trump’s support for policies favored by Netanyahu and his right-wing allies. Trump’s denunciation of Netanyahu came as a surprise in Israel, where the former prime minister had touted his relationship with Trump as one of his key political and diplomatic assets. The Golan announcement, for example, was made just before the April 2019 election when Netanyahu was trailing in the polls.

The request came amid new tensions between Washington and Jerusalem over how to deal with Iran’s nuclear program. In March, Israel ordered the new KC-46 tankers, which would be used to refuel its bombers in the air, allowing them to reach their targets in Iran and return. The debate over what kind of capability to give to Israel — and how quickly — is an old one in Washington. Iran’s nuclear program seemed under control — largely because it had shipped 97 percent of its nuclear fuel out of the country under the 2015 agreement that Mr. Netanyahu had vociferously opposed. The post Israel Finds Planes That Could Be Key to a Strike on Iran Badly Back-Ordered appeared first on New York Times.

Russia has vetoed a first-of-its-kind UN security council resolution casting the climate crisis as a threat to international peace and security – a vote that sank a years-long effort to make global heating more central to decision-making in the UN’s most powerful body. But Monday’s resolution would have been the first devoted to climate-related security danger as an issue of its own. Their envoys said the issue should remain with broader UN groups, such as the Framework Convention on Climate Change. Adding climate change to the security council’s purview would only deepen global divisions that were pointed up by last month’s climate talks in Glasgow, Scotland, the opponents said. “What the security council needs to do is not a political show,” Chinese ambassador Zhang Jun said.

The EU executive is under pressure to ratchet up green energy standards for buildings, as it prepares a further batch of legislation to tackle the climate emergency. EU energy efficiency classification runs from A to G, with G being the worst in class. More than 85% of EU buildings were constructed before 2001 and the vast majority are expected to be still standing in 2050. Frans Timmermans, the commission vice-president in charge of the EU green deal, has called for a “renovation wave” based on stronger regulations on the energy performance of buildings. Adeline Rochet, a senior policy adviser at the E3G thinktank in Brussels, said minimum energy performance standards were a cornerstone of the commission’s strategy.

Christmas has never been white in Rio Branco, a sweltering Amazon river town where December temperatures often soar close to 40C. But there was an immediate outcry that Santa’s shelter had been painted blue, the colour of Bocalom’s rightwing party, rather than the red more commonly associated with Father Christmas. “Our flag will never be red” is one of the favourite battle cries of Bolsonaro’s backers, of whom Rio Branco’s mayor is one. By Sunday, however, the riverside dwelling had again been painted blue, leaving the mayor scrambling to explain his administration’s flip-flopping over the politicised paint job. The mayor claimed that for years the leftist politicians who governed Rio Branco and the surrounding state of Acre had painted things red at Christmas.

High levels of previous exposure to three previous waves of coronavirus infection in South Africa may explain the relatively low levels of hospitalisation and severe disease in the current outbreak of the Omicron variant, rather than the variant itself being less virulent. That is well over three times the rate of previous infections detected by a similar survey during the Beta variant outbreak a year ago where seropositivity was some 20%. “That is important to keep at the back of our minds when we see what is unfolding in South Africa and what we might see in other settings, which might have a very different epidemiology. With global attention closely focused on how South Africa’s Omicron outbreak is unfolding, some media reports have suggested the first evidence that Omicron cases in South Africa might be flattening. The reports, based on daily rather than more reliable weekly figures, appeared to focus on fluctuations on reporting of cases in Gauteng rather than South Africa more widely, where cases are rising in other provinces.

Sports minister Nigel Huddleston believes the Covid Plan B measures set to come into force in England on Wednesday are “proportionate” but refused to rule out reducing capacities in future. Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced the Plan B measures last week, which include a requirement to provide proof of full vaccination or a recent negative test to enter sports venues holding more than 10,000 people. “The Prime Minister said yesterday that we will have to deal with this Covid situation as the facts tell us, so I can’t rule anything out. “So the key message is get boosted, get vaccinated because you’re helping yourself and helping others and reducing the risk of transmission. “But also many clubs have got experience already – many Premier League clubs voluntarily do Covid certification.”

On Monday, it was also revealed that at around the same time several leading hosts of the Fox News TV channel - which is widely seen as being sympathetic to Donald Trump and the Republican party - were also urging Mr Meadows to get the then-president to stop the rioting.

Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping will discuss tensions in Europe and 'aggressive' U.S. and NATO rhetoric during a video call on Wednesday, the Kremlin said. Putin has denied Russia plans to seize territory from Ukraine and has accused Britain and its allies of 'demonising' his country. US intelligence officials estimate that as many as 175,000 Russian troops could launch an attack early next year, with troops, tanks and artillery already massing on the Ukrainian border. Tensions between Moscow and the West are on the rise over Russian troops movements near ex-Soviet Ukraine. US President Joe Biden last week held a virtual summit with his Russian counterpart Putin to voice Western concerns.

French President Emmanuel Macron's former bodyguard Alexandre Benalla was placed under formal investigation Dec. 14, 2021 over an associate's contract with a Russian oligarch. Alexandre Benalla, French President Emmanuel Macron's disgraced ex-bodyguard, was placed under formal investigation on Tuesday over a security contract signed by an associate with a Russian oligarch, according to security sources. Benalla denied having anything to do with the contract when he was auditioned by a parliamentary committee in 2018. The 30-year-old former nightclub bouncer was once close to Macron, but has since become an embarrassment for the head of state. Benalla denied the charges at his trial, saying he had acted “by reflex” to help officers arrest unruly protesters.

Calgary Councillor floats idea of closing roads for supervised street racing Motion acknowledges that racers have no other way to experience their cars, leading to illegal races Photo by GettyArticle content A city-run racing area could be the solution to curbing dangerous driving in the city, proposes one Calgary city councillor. Advertisement Story continues below This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Try refreshing your browser, or Calgary Councillor floats idea of closing roads for supervised street racing Back to video The notice of motion says many Calgarians who have altered their vehicles do not have a legal outlet to test their cars, leading them to race illegally. Advertisement Story continues below This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Advertisement Story continues below This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.

The Air Force has discharged 27 service members for refusing to receive a COVID vaccine, marking the first service members to be involuntarily discharged for balking the rule. A spokesperson for the Air Force said the 27 active duty members discharged received counseling about the vaccines, and when they still refused, commanders made the decision to discharge them for refusing to comply with the Pentagon's vaccine rule, a lawful order. The Air Force has discharged 27 people for refusing to get the COVID-19 vaccine, making them what officials believe are the first service members to be removed for disobeying the mandate to get the shots. Alex Brandon / APThe Navy, Air Force, and the Army have outlined their process for discharge if service members continue to not comply with the mandate. The Army's deadline for its active duty force is December 15.

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis (R) urged voters in blue states across the country to punish Democrat officials at the ballot box next fall for implementing seemingly never-ending COVID-19 restrictions. “The fact of the matter is, I think we’ve learned, you give these people an inch, they will never let go, they are going to take a mile, they are going to restrict, they’re going to mandate, they’re going to lock you down. What’s your, what’s your reaction to the blue states reaction to this? RON DESANTIS, FLORIDA GOVERNOR: Well, what are we on, like day, 700 of the 15 days to slow the spread? Southern states have a different season, the northern states have, they’re going through their season.

The EU's top court has ruled that same-sex parents and their children must be recognised as a family in all member states. Bulgarian Kalina Ivanova and British Gibraltar-born Jane Jones are both registered as the mothers of Sara, who was born in Spain in 2019. But neither parents are of Spanish descent, meaning citizenship in that country is not allowed and under the British Nationality Act of 1981, Jones cannot transfer British citizenship to her daughter as she was born in Gibraltar. On this basis, Ivanova requested Bulgarian citizenship for her child, which was subsequently rejected since same-sex marriages and partnerships and not legally recognised in Bulgaria. It is important that the judgment is implemented imminently, not only for baby Sara and her family, but also for other families facing similar struggles across the EU."

The Air Force gave its forces until Nov. 2 to get the vaccine, and thousands have either refused or sought an exemption. Air Force spokeswoman Ann Stefanek said Monday that these are the first airmen to be administratively discharged for reasons involving the vaccine. The Pentagon earlier this year required the vaccine for all members of the military, including active duty, National Guard and the Reserves. As of last week, a bit more than 97% of the active duty Air Force had gotten at least one shot. But overall the percentage of troops — particularly active duty members — who quickly got the shots exceeds the nationwide numbers.

These people told Miroff that “the reception center model represents a possible breakthrough because it would reduce the number of illegal border-crossers issued a notice to appear in U.S. courts, the practice derided by Republicans as ‘catch and release.’ It also potentially offers Democrats a more palatable alternative to the Trump-era ‘Remain in Mexico’ program.”“Katie Tobin, Biden’s top immigration advisor on the National Security Council, said the administration’s goal is to move in a direction ‘where we are testing innovative ideas that are humane, that maintain the due process that’s required in an asylum adjudication, but that get us away from a system where people wait five years for a decision.’”

Trump, in interviews published this week by Axios reporter Barak Ravid, railed against his onetime ally for congratulating President Biden on his victory once it became clear that the Democrat had won the 2020 election. Trump said the call was a betrayal of their relationship and the several controversial changes in U.S. policy toward Israel that Trump had ordered during his one term, including moving the embassy to Jerusalem.

The White House reportedly cut the video feed of a Taiwanese minister during President Biden's Summit for Democracy when she showed China and Taiwan as separate colors on a map. Tang’s map was presented for about one minute on Friday during the summit before the feed was cut, the outlet reported. The State Department explained that Tang’s feed was cut due to "confusion" over virtual screen sharing, describing it as "an honest mistake." The U.S. reportedly complained to Taiwan over the map, but Taiwan pushed back with frustration that the video was cut. The White House did not immediately respond to Fox News’ request for comment.

Lawmakers in South Dakota will hear Tuesday from a former state employee at the center of questions over whether Gov. Kristi Noem used her influence to aid her daughter's application for a real estate appraiser license. Sherry Bren, the longtime director of the state’s Appraiser Certification Program, will testify before the Legislature’s Government Operations and Audit Committee. Hultman excused any appearance of impropriety by saying that details of the agreement with Peters were in place before that meeting. But Noem has implied that Bren was getting in the way of changes she wanted to make as the state saw a shortage of appraisers.

I think when you look at anti-Semitic and anti-Asian, that's over 50 percent of all of the hate crimes in New York City," Shea said Wednesday on WPIX 11. Hate crimes skyrocketed by 100% in the last year, according to new NYPD data. There were 503 hate crimes reported in the city as of Dec. 3, compared to 252 in 2020. Anti-Semitic hate crimes are up 51%, from 121 in 2020 to 183 in 2021. NEW YORK'S SUBWAY SHOVER WAS FREE ON ASSAULT CHARGES THANKS TO BAIL REFORM LAW"This series of reforms that were done.

State police investigating Statehouse vaccine-or-test enforcementGood Tuesday morning! Phil Murphy refused to even address questions about the State Police’s lack of action during the Assembly Republican Statehouse sit-in. The announcement is the first time the state has revealed how many state employees are fully vaccinated against the coronavirus. Phil Murphy the scare of his short political career on Nov. 2, some lawmakers are not eager to stir up controversy. Among those taking issue with the bill, NJ A5030 (20R), was Assemblymember Gordon Johnson, a top sponsor.

Attorney Richard Painter singled out attorney Sidney Powell, who raised at least $14 million for her Defending the Republic nonprofit group using baseless claims about election “fraud,” The Washington Post reported. Federal prosecutors have subpoenaed the financial records of Defending the Republic and other Powell groups in a criminal probe, according to the Post. “There is no First Amendment right to lie to people to get their money,” Painter wrote Sunday in an op-ed on the NBC News site. “Let’s be clear about something: Spreading fake news alone may be protected speech under the First Amendment. But spreading fake news to ask for money is commercial speech, and courts enforce laws criminalizing fraud,” Painter continued.

Tensions over Ukraine come as relations between Russia and NATO are at an all-time lowEnlarge this image toggle caption Roman Koksarov/AP file photo Roman Koksarov/AP file photoMOSCOW — A Russian military buildup near Ukraine has raised fears in Kyiv and the West that Moscow might invade its neighbor. The tensions over Ukraine come amid a new low in relations between Russia and NATO, which once were so warm that President Vladimir Putin even floated the prospect of his country joining the military alliance. Putin later said NATO was unwilling to embrace Russia because the West feared its power and independent stance. "NATO's relationship with Ukraine is going to be decided by the 30 NATO allies and Ukraine, no one else," NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said last week. Putin countered NATO's argument by saying that while Ukraine is free to decide its security arrangements, those shouldn't threaten Russia.

Lawyers for Michigan's Independent Citizens Redistricting Commission argued Monday that newspapers suing over its use of private legal memos and a closed session had overinflated the commission's responsibilities to transparency under the constitution. The constitutional amendment, the filing said, does not "abrogate" the commission's right to confidential legal memos or "confidential consultation." The commission argued Monday it had complied with the constitution's requirement to hold business in public by holding 136 public meetings over the past 15 months. The filing argued the confidential memos were not "data and supporting materials" used to develop the redistricting plans and thus subject to disclosure under the constitution. The filing also noted redistricting panels in Colorado, California, Hawaii, Alaska, Washington, Arizona and Idaho recognize attorney-client privilege.

KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — A court in Belarus on Tuesday sentenced the husband of the country's opposition leader to 18 years in prison, six months after the trial began behind closed doors. The charges against Siarhei Tsikhanouski included organizing mass unrest and inciting hatred and have been widely seen as politically motivated. Tsikhanouski, a popular video blogger and activist, planned to challenge authoritarian President Alexander Lukashenko in the August 2020 presidential election. His wife, Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, ran in his stead, drawing tens of thousands of people to rally in her support during the campaign. Official results of the vote handed Lukashenko a landslide victory and a sixth term in office, but were rejected by opposition and the West as a sham.

She was pressed to retire after Peters got her license in November 2020, filed an age discrimination lawsuit and accepted a $200,000 settlement that bars her from disparaging state officials. But her appearance on Tuesday was compelled by subpoena. The committee's inquiry has been going on for nearly two months. In October testimony, Noem's secretary of labor, Marcia Hultman, described the meeting as innocuous — mostly a policy discussion aimed at changes to the application process for appraiser licenses. Hultman excused any appearance of impropriety by saying that details of the agreement with Peters were in place before that meeting.

JOHANNESBURG (AP) — A two-dose Pfizer/BioNTech vaccination provides just 33% protection against infection by the omicron variant of the coronavirus, but 70% protection against hospitalization, according to a large-scale analysis in South Africa released Tuesday. The first large-scale analysis of vaccine effectiveness in the region where the new variant was discovered appears to support early indications that omicron is more easily transmissible and that the Pfizer shot isn't as effective in protecting against infection as it was against the delta variant. ***Jan. 6 panel votes for contempt charges against Mark MeadowsWASHINGTON (AP) — The House panel investigating the Jan. 6 Capitol insurrection has voted to recommend contempt charges against former White House chief of staff Mark Meadows as lawmakers revealed a series of frantic texts he received as the attack was underway. The texts, provided by Meadows before he ceased cooperating with the committee, revealed that members of Congress, Fox News anchors and even President Donald Trump’s own son were urging Meadows to push Trump to act quickly to stop the siege by his supporters.

As House investigators charge ahead with their probe into the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol, their focus has shifted to a contentious former colleague they increasingly see as a crucial witness: Mark Meadows Mark MeadowsJan. 6 panel votes to hold Meadows in contempt Meadows texts show Hannity, Don Jr. wanted Trump to stop Jan. 6 riot Meadows lawyer argues contempt referral would be contrary to law MORE. Yet Meadows, a former House lawmaker from North Carolina, has refused to appear before the panel to discuss those communications. The Jan. 6 panel said it would have asked Meadows about emails to Justice Department leaders from Dec. 29 to Jan. 1 encouraging probes of suspected voter fraud, claims that had been rejected by federal investigators and the courts. That presentation made its way to Meadows’s email box on Jan. 5, days after Waldron met with Meadows at the White House.

Syarhei Tsikhanouski, the husband of Belarus’s opposition leader, Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, has been sentenced to 18 years in jail for organising mass unrest and inciting social hatred, the official Belta news agency reported. Tsikhanouski, a video blogger, was jailed in May 2020 as he prepared to run against the Belarus leader, Alexander Lukashenko, in that August’s presidential election. A few hours before the verdict was pronounced, Tsikhanouskaya called it “illegal” and something that “should not be tolerated”. Photograph: ReutersAfter the election Tsikhanouskaya fled to neighbouring Lithuania to escape a sweeping crackdown. In September, Maria Kolesnikova, one of the leaders of last year’s mass street protests against Lukashenko, was sentenced to 11 years in prison.

Immediate action must be taken to prevent trafficking and exploitation of children in orphanages, according to a report published on Monday. They are then trafficked out of the same institutions into other forms of exploitation, including sex work and forced begging. In Ghana, trafficked children were subjected to some of the worst forms of abuse, with children sold by institutions to work on cocoa farms and in goldmines. In Cambodia, some orphanage owners were found to have bought vulnerable children from disadvantaged families and marketed them to donors for profit. Vulnerable children are being trapped in a complex web of institution-related trafficking and are being repeatedly exposed to multiple forms of harm.

On Sunday evening, Boris Johnson told the nation to “get boosted now”. Since his announcement, many vaccine centres have seen long queues form as people show they are willing to wait hours to get a dose of Pfizer in their arm at walk in centres, rather than book an appointment. There have also been problems with the NHS website, which people say has been repeatedly crashing as they tried to book their jabs. The system was overwhelmed on Monday as over-30s became eligible to book their booster. Here are 11 photos of queues at vaccine centres throughout the country from over the last couple of days.

Some Tory MPs are planning to oppose all of the measures, including work-from-home measures and the use of face coverings in most indoor venues. What time are the votes on working from home, vaccine passports and masks? Three separate votes are expected on Tuesday on working from home, vaccine passports and face masks. Full list: The Tory MPs intending to defy the Government on 'vaccine passports'Here is the most up-to-date list of MPs who have indicated they will refuse to support the Government on Covid certification measures. Not all of these MPs have said they will vote against the proposals, meaning that some could abstain.

(ANSA) - ROME, DEC 14 - Lower House Speaker Roberto Fico told reporters on Tuesday that he will send the letter summoning Italy's parliamentarians and representatives of the regions to elect a new president on January 4. Speaking to journalists to exchange Christmas greetings, Fico said the letter would state when voting would start. President Sergio Mattarella's seven-year term ends early in February. Under the Constitution, the head of State acts as a sort of referee of Italian politics and the role is especially important at times of political crisis. This was seen, for example, in how Mattarella paved the way for Premier Mario Draghi's broad government of national unity early in 2021 after ex-premier Giuseppe Conte's executive lost its majority in parliament.

The director, the company Dan-Bunkering and its parent company were found guilty of selling a total of around 172,000 tonnes of jet fuel to two Russian companies on 33 occasions between 2015 and 2017. The fuel, worth nearly 90 million euros, was then delivered to Syria, where it was used to power Russian fighter jets. The Danish company made the sales through its office in Kaliningrad, a Russian exclave surrounded by Germany. The Russian companies would then unload the cargo in the Syrian port of Banias, the court said. "The jet fuel came into Syria and were put into Russian fighters, and they bombed in favour of President Assad," Rechendorff said.

UK's Johnson faces angry MPs at vote on coronavirus curbsBoris Johnson on Tuesday faces potentially the largest rebellion from his own MPs since he became British premier as parliament votes on new coronavirus restrictions to combat the spread of Omicron. Tim Bale, professor of Politics at Queen Mary, University of London, tells us more.

Fox News personalities who now dismiss the violence at the US Capitol were begging the White House to do something. "We cannot be satisfied with incomplete answers or half truths," said Cheney, after reading from the text messages. Meadows had reversed course in recent weeks and stopped cooperating with the committee, but not before handing over the text messages and communications committee members used against him Monday. He has also published a memoir that describes being with Trump at the White House during the riot down the street at the Capitol. The committee will seek to create a definitive record of the insurrection, including the original reaction of some Republicans who have tried to move and the Fox News hosts unmasked by their text messages.

Members of Congress, the press and others wrote to Mark Meadows as the attack was underway. One text Mr. Meadows received said, quote, “We are under siege here at the Capitol.”Another, quote, “They have breached the Capitol.”In a third: “Mark, protesters are literally storming the Capitol. Is Trump going to say something?”A fourth: “There’s an armed standoff at the House Chamber door.”And another, from someone inside the Capitol: “We are all helpless.”Dozens of texts, including from Trump administration officials, urged immediate action by the president. Quote, “POTUS has to come out firmly and tell the protesters to dissipate. Someone is going to get killed.”In another: “Mark, he needs to stop this now.”A third, in all caps: “TELL THEM TO GO HOME.”A fourth: “POTUS needs to calm this ... down.”

During a hearing with the select committee investigating the January 6 insurrection, Rep. Liz Cheney (R-WY) read almost directly from the criminal code, suggesting the committee could refer former President Trump for criminal charges.

After months of investigation, House select committee members publicly laid out their case that Mark Meadows was an accessory to the insurrection. President Donald Trump didn't listen to his son or media enablers to stop the riot. CNN's Whitney Wild reports.

"Without swift progress, in light of Iran’s fast-forwarding of its nuclear program, the JCPOA will very soon become an empty shell," they warned. President Joe Biden says the United States is ready to rejoin the JCPOA provided Iran resumes observing the deal's conditions. There has been growing Western concerns over Iran's nuclear advances in its uranium enrichment program, which is a possible pathway to a nuclear bomb. Iranian officials have maintained the country’s nuclear program is for peaceful purposes. The United Nations' nuclear watchdog has repeatedly said it has no indication that Iran currently has a secret nuclear-weapons program.

Today, the so-called court in Belarus will deliver the sentence to Siarhei Tsikhanouski. I can imagine these numbers. But be it one year, or 20, or 100, – it is unacceptable. The only question I will ask myself is: what am I going to do with this? #StandWithBelarus pic.twitter.com/9BNLTLCquL

REUTERS/Thomas Peter/Pool/FilesSummary Minister says Russia has complete lack of trust in NATORedeployment could unwind 35 years of arms control'It will be a confrontation, this will be the next round'MOSCOW, Dec 13 (Reuters) - Russia said on Monday it may be forced to deploy intermediate-range nuclear missiles in Europe in response to what it sees as NATO's plans to do the same. "That is, it will be a confrontation, this will be the next round," he said, referring to the potential deployment of the missiles by Russia. He added: "If NATO sticks with the position not to negotiate about a deal, then we will certainly see Russia deploy the Screwdriver missile at its very western border." NATO says there will be no new U.S. missiles in Europe and it is ready to deter new Russian missiles with a "measured" response that would only involve conventional weapons. But Ryabkov said Russia had a "complete lack of trust" in the alliance.

CNN faces a potential onslaught of lawsuits if it is proved in court that the liberal network had prior knowledge of sexual misconduct allegations against its recently fired star anchor Chris Cuomo but looked the other way, attorneys told FOX Business. "They’re going to try to push the blame completely on Chris Cuomo, and say they had no knowledge," Eghbali said. The woman, who has chosen to remain anonymous, took her allegations against Chris Cuomo to CNN on Wednesday through her lawyer, Debra Katz, The New York Times reported. CHRIS CUOMO SUSPENSION CAN GO ONE OF TWO WAYS: CONCHAThe woman's complaint became known shortly after CNN fired the "Cuomo Prime Time" anchor Saturday night. Agnifilo said Cuomo, the former CNN anchor, will likely try to use the same defense his brother did when confronted with similar allegations.

Democratic mayors are raising eyebrows with their responses to the rising crime plaguing major cities like New York City, Chicago and Philadelphia. At least 12 major cities, including New York, have already set historical murder records in 2021. "Eight years I’ve been mayor, index crimes, major crimes in New York City down 11% over eight years. "The bottom line is that there is today in New York City, a much safer city than we were eight years ago." "We don’t have a crisis of lawlessness, we don’t have a crisis of crime, we don’t have a crisis of violence," the district attorney told reporters Monday.

Then someone close by came screaming and crying, saying, ‘My friends are being burned,’” said Ko Sithu, a teacher in the village, Don Taw. “We are appalled by the alarming escalation of grave human rights abuses in Myanmar,” said Rupert Colville, a spokesman for the United Nations Human Rights Office of the High Commissioner last week. for Political Prisoners, a Myanmar-based human rights group. A Human Rights Watch report released this month detailed how security forces armed with assault rifles encircled protesters in a neighborhood in Yangon, Myanmar’s largest city, and killed at least 65 demonstrators and bystanders. The country, also known as Burma, was defended at The Hague by civilian leader Aung San Suu Kyi, precipitating her fall from grace as a onetime symbol of human rights.

President Barack Obama joked Saturday about his plans for a radical second-term evolution from 'strapping young Muslim Socialist' to retiree golfer, all with a new hairstyle like first lady Michelle's. President Barack Obama joked Saturday about his plans for a radical second-term evolution from 'strapping young Muslim Socialist' to retiree golfer, all with a new hairstyle like first lady Michelle's.

Three counts of lewd acts upon a child who was 14 or 15 years old were dismissed as a part of the plea agreement, court records showed. Martin was sentenced on Thursday, Dec. 9, by Judge Richard V. Peel, San Bernardino County Superior Court records show. The remainder of his sentence will be served at a county jail, per court records. The Fontana Unified School District could not be immediately reached for comment on the matter. Authorities searched Martin’s electronic devices and found “child sexual abuse material,” police said.

The foundation is a main source for funding university research in this nation. President Joe Biden proposed a National Science Foundation budget for next year of more than $10 billion – not nearly enough, but up from the $8.5 billion of the year before. Today, Manchin is the ultimate swing vote in the U.S. Senate – and also a man with millions in coal stock. Yesterday we reached the second anniversary of the emergence of the worst and most lethal virus in known world history. The world has changed, and we can either protect ourselves accordingly, or act stupid and risk death.

A second lawsuit challenging Ohio's new congressional map was filed at the state supreme court Tuesday. The enacted plan, however, slices her old district into five districts," according to the complaint. This is the second lawsuit filed against Ohio's new congressional map. The National Redistricting Action Fund, a 501(c)(4) nonprofit backed by former U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder, also sued over Ohio's congressional map. More:Redistricting: Eric Holder-backed lawsuit challenges Ohio congressional mapThese legal challenges come after Democratic and good government groups filed lawsuits against state House and Senate maps that would ensure a veto-proof majority for Republicans.

The Ohio House voted 55-36 largely along party lines Thursday in favor of a congressional redistricting map that critics say will unfairly cement GOP control over Ohio's seats in Congress. Republicans said the districts are compact with most cities kept whole and only 12 counties being split among districts. More:Democrats won't support Republican-drawn Ohio congressional districts, limiting map to four yearsDemocrats in the House and Senate opposed the redistricting process, saying they were left out of negotiations and information sharing. Ohio voters in 2015 and 2018 approved new legislative and congressional redistricting processes that encouraged more minority party input. More:The threat of a 4-year map was supposed to inspire Ohio redistricting compromise.

Council members tried to put fears to rest by reminding residents it really doesn't matter which district you live in. That's because, as a member of council, "you live in that district, but you represent everyone" in the entire city, Council member Priscilla Tyson said. The new districts are not voting wards from which council members would be elected to represent the interests of just those residents. The districts can't be gerrymandered, because they don't determine who gets to vote for a member, as every council member will still be elected "at-large," officials reminded. "Glen Echo Neighborhood is sliced between (council) District D and District F," said another commenter.

Bob Dole lay in state at the U.S. Capitol, as the president and others gathered Thursday to pay tribute to an “American giant” who served the …

(Bloomberg) -- Prince Andrew said a New York law that gave victims of child sex abuse more time to sue is unconstitutional and can’t be used to allow the claims by an alleged former recruit of Jeffrey Epstein to take the British Royal to trial. Giuffre sued five days before New York’s Child Victims Act expired. While Giuffre claims she didn’t consent to sex with Andrew, the prince said that claim can’t be verified. “The only witnesses to the purported implied threats under which Giuffre allegedly engaged in unconsented sex acts with Prince Andrew are Epstein (deceased), Maxwell (incarcerated), Prince Andrew (the accused) and Giuffre herself,” Andrew’s lawyers said in the filing. Read More: Prince Andrew Accuser Says Claims Not Voided by Epstein Release©2021 Bloomberg L.P.

He said 109 Kentuckians were still unaccounted for and that the eventual number of confirmed deaths might not be known for weeks. Capitol attack panel recommends Mark Meadows for criminal prosecutionMark Meadows and Liz Cheney, who is vice-chair of the select committee investigating the attack on the Capitol on 6 January. Protesting voting rights activists arrested as Biden meets with ManchinProtesters during a Poor People’s Campaign march near the Capitol in Washington DC. The diverse group of activists came to Washington from around the country and were focused primarily on issues around voting rights and poverty. Meanwhile, voting rights watchdogs have warned of a powerful web of attorneys and groups who have spent millions promoting new and onerous voting laws that many key battleground states have enacted.

It was part of a campaign of repression for which his son, Saif al-Islam, has been provisionally charged by the International Criminal Court (ICC) for alleged crimes against humanity. Saif al-Islam has not spoken publicly about the ICC charges. STILL A FUGITIVEEducated at the London School of Economics, Saif al-Islam, now 49, was widely seen as Gaddafi’s heir apparent before the uprising. Days after his father was killed, Saif al-Islam was caught by fighters from Zintan, where he has remained ever since. Registering for the election last month, Saif al-Islam wore a traditional robe and turban similar to the garb Gaddafi was often seen in.

“The role of the anti-LGBT campaign could be mainly to give another strong reason to existing Fidesz supporters to vote for this government, cementing the core camp in its convictions,” said Andras Biro-Nagy, director of think tank Policy Solutions. The government’s publicity campaign has been splashed across print and online media, radio, television and billboards. RESONATES IN THECOUNTRYSIDEIn the town of Kecskemet east of Budapest, the anti-LGBT campaign and promised referendum have resonated with tradition-minded residents, while alarming the local LGBT community. They will also be asked whether media content that could affect sexual orientation should be shown to children without restrictions. Fidesz swept to re-election in 2014 with 45% of votes cast on party lists and scored a two-thirds majority again in 2018.

Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB) said it had made arrests in 37 of Russia’s more than 80 regions and that two of those held had planned attacks on educational institutions. An FSB statement identified the alleged group as the MKU, which state television said stood for the words “Maniacs. Washington has said it believes Russia may be planning to use alleged “provocations” by Ukraine to justify military aggression. Mutual recriminations between Russia and Ukraine have been rising for weeks. Ukraine last month accused Russia of being behind an alleged coup plot against President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, which the Kremlin denied.

LONDON/MOSCOW -Russian President Vladimir Putin told British Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Monday that members of the NATO military alliance were threatening Russia by expanding activity in Ukraine, the Kremlin said. U.S. intelligence assesses that Russia could be planning a multi-front offensive on neighbouring Ukraine as early as next year, involving up to 175,000 troops. Moscow says the expansion of NATO threatens Russia and has contravened assurances given to it as the Soviet Union collapsed in 1991. “Vladimir Putin gave a detailed outline of his principal evaluation of the current situation around Ukraine,” the Kremlin said of the call with Johnson. Johnson warned Putin that any destabilising action against Ukraine would be a strategic mistake with significant consequences, Downing Street said.

The sea flows into the Black Sea via the Kerch Strait that Russia now de facto controls. In 2018, Russia seized two small Ukrainian gunboats and one tugboat and their combined crew of 24 off Crimea. It accused them of illegally entering Russian waters as they headed from the Black Sea via the Kerch Strait. Ukrainian military analysts have said it could be used as a pretext for a Russian military offensive in southern Ukraine. Following the annexation of Crimea, Ukraine cut off fresh water supply along the canal that had supplied 85% of the peninsula’s needs.

By Francois MurphyVIENNA – Major powers and Iran have yet to get down to business at talks on rescuing the 2015 nuclear deal, which will very soon become “an empty shell” without progress, senior British, French and German diplomats said on Monday. “As of this moment, we still have not been able to get down to real negotiations,” the diplomats from the so-called E3 said in a statement about the Vienna nuclear negotiations in which they are shuttling between U.S. and Iranian officials. Without swift progress, in light of Iran’s fast-forwarding of its nuclear programme, the JCPOA will very soon become an empty shell,” they added, referring to the deal, whose full name is the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action. The statement offered a pessimistic assessment of efforts to revive the deal under which Iran had limited its nuclear program in return for relief from U.S., European Union and U.N. economic sanctions. “We are losing precious time dealing with new Iranian positions inconsistent with the JCPoA or that go beyond it,” the E3 diplomats said in their statement.

WASHINGTON – It is too soon to say whether Iran has returned to nuclear talks with a more constructive approach, the U.S. State Department said on Monday, after Iran’s top nuclear negotiator said progress had been made. State Department deputy spokeswoman Jalina Porter made the comment during a briefing call with reporters. Iran’s top nuclear negotiator, Ali Bagheri Kani, said over the weekend that good progress had been made in nuclear talks with world powers in Vienna that could quickly pave the way for serious negotiations.

The European Union slapped sanctions on a group of private Russian military contractors on Monday, after accusing the group of fomenting violence and committing human rights abuses in the Middle East, Africa, and Ukraine. Following a meeting of EU Foreign Ministers in Liverpool this weekend, where the US and major allies warned the Kremlin of "massive" consequences if it invades Ukraine, the 27 EU ministers met Monday in Brussels. They first agreed to slap asset freezes and travel bans on eight people involved with the Wagner Group, including founder Dmitry Utkin, and three energy companies linked to the group in Syria. Next, the EU ministers signalled their readiness to impose huge new measures targeting Russia's economy if a troop build-up near the Ukrainian border leads to direct military action. Belarus left the group after the EU accused Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko of rigging his re-election.

AdvertisementNicola Sturgeon is expected to unveil a new wave of Covid restrictions for Scotland today that could cost its economy more than a billion pounds in the run up to Christmas. 'This is devastating for businesses that need the income to keep going and to see them through the winter. There are also contingency plans to bring back furlough and support for businesses if tougher restrictions are needed. Scottish Labour's health and Covid recovery spokeswoman, Jackie Baillie, said: 'It's clear we are in the most fragile position we've been in for months. 'We need to take the action needed now to save lives, protect livelihoods, and keep restrictions to a minimum this Christmas.

It accused those targeted of "serious human rights abuses, including torture and extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions and killings, or in destabilising activities in some of the countries they operate in."

Share this Story: Vladimir Putin’s revelation that he once drove a taxi a calculated act of propaganda, expert saysVladimir Putin’s revelation that he once drove a taxi a calculated act of propaganda, expert says 'One can assume that Putin did not just make these remarks off the cuff', said one critic, who called the revelation a calculated act of propagandaArticle content Russian President Vladimir Putin’s revelation that he used to drive a taxi to make ends meet after the Soviet Union fell apart in 1991 is a “calculated” act of propaganda, according to a Canadian academic expert on Russia. Advertisement Story continues below This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Advertisement Story continues below This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Advertisement Story continues below This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Article content Putin’s story therefore makes a personal link through shared suffering that resonates with many Russians, Braun said.

Georgia’s Speaker of the House, David Ralston, has removed one of the members of the Georgia Medical Marijuana Commission. "Not really," said House Speaker David RalstonFOX 5 I-TEAM NOT ALLOWED TO ATTEND MEDICAL MARIJUANA PROTEST PRE-HEARINGSpeaker Ralston was taking quick action in the wake of an I-Team investigation. Ralston removed police chief Bob Starrett - whom he appointed - from the Georgia Medical Marijuana Commission just days after the I-Team reported that the GBI is investigating the chief. KEY GEORGIA LEGISLATOR WANTS TO REEXAMINE MEDICAL MARIJUANA BIDSA state oversight committee, led by Representative Alan Powell, is now looking into ways to jump-start the sale of medical marijuana for Georgians. Speaker Ralston said he does not believe the removal of Chief Starrett due to the GBI investigation should impact the recent awarding of medical marijuana licenses.

Washington (CNN) The 5th US Circuit Court of Appeals on Monday night ruled against the Biden administration's bid to terminate the Trump-era "remain in Mexico" policy, which requires non-Mexican migrants to stay in Mexico until their US immigration court dates. The Biden administration relaunched the policy last week after a district court order required its revival. The Supreme Court had previously denied a request from the administration that the program's revival remain on hold while the case was appealed. Since the program was reinstated, 86 migrants have been returned to Mexico, according to the International Organization for Migration. On Monday night, the 5th Circuit upheld a district judge's ruling blocking the administration's termination of the program.

The report said the 2020 strike targeted a villa outside Homs, which was previously the hub of Syria’s chemical weapons program. The Villa was being used to make tricalcium phosphate, or TCP, Western intelligence officials told The Post. The UN found that chemical weapons were used in the attack, though Syria denied this. Assad subsequently agreed to disassemble the chemical weapons program and ship its equipment out of the country. A strike on operational chemical weapons would risk unleashing them into the surrounding areas.

He said the United States, its allies and some South China Sea claimants would push back against any unlawful action. "Let me be clear: the goal of defending the rules-based order is not to keep any country down. Rather, it's to protect the right of all countries to choose their own path, free from coercion and intimidation." China claims almost the entire South China Sea as its own, despite some overlapping claims with other coastal states and a ruling by an international tribunal that its vast claim had no legal basis. In response to Blinken's remarks, China's foreign ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin told a daily briefing in the Chinese capital that the United States should promote cooperation in the region, instead of "drawing ideological lines".

COVID-19 is killing a high proportion of people in regions of the UK that voted for Brexit in the 2016 referendum, a new report has claimed. Wu of the University of Glasgow has claimed to have found a direct correlation between Brexit-voting districts of the UK and those that have the highest rate of fatalities from COVID-19. By contrast, the 20 boroughs with the lowest death rates all voted heavily for Remain. As for the correlation between areas that voted Brexit and fatalities, he suggested it could be for a different reason. “There has not been enough focus by social media companies on misinformation in other languages within the UK,” he said.

The jury in the seven-week trial heard that the infant, from Keighley, near Bradford, died from "utterly catastrophic injuries" and had been either punched, kicked or stamped on in the weeks and months before her death.

WASHINGTON – Former White House chief of staff Mark Meadows sent an email that said the National Guard would be present to “protect pro Trump people” on Jan. 6, when a mob attacked the Capitol. He also contacted Georgia officials and visited the state before the attack, to ask about alleged election fraud. And Meadows exchanged text messages with an organizer of a rally where former President Donald Trump spoke Jan. 6 before the attack.

Russian President Vladimir Putin plans to talk to his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping about tensions with the U.S. and NATO over Ukraine during a virtual summit on Wednesday that is expected to further cement their relationship. The Kremlin said the "aggressive" rhetoric from the U.S. and NATO will be one of the key topics discussed, Reuters reported. Both Russia and China have expressed frustration over what they see as Washington’s unwanted reach into their own regional issues. President Biden warned Putin during a call last week that Russia would face painful sanctions that will do resounding economic harm if it again invaded Ukraine. Last month, Biden Biden and Xi spoke of clear communication as the key to long-term diplomatic relations.

WASHINGTON — The House is expected to vote Tuesday on whether former White House chief of staff Mark Meadows should be referred to the Justice Department for a criminal contempt charge over his refusal to answer questions about the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol. The House Rules Committee is scheduled to meet Tuesday morning to consider the resolution, the last step before a floor vote. Meadows, a former House member from North Carolina, initially provided numerous documents to the Jan. 6 committee before he decided against further engagement, claiming executive privilege. Meadows' lawyer, George J. Terwilliger III, sent a letter Monday asking the committeenot to proceed with the contempt vote, saying it would be "contrary to law" because Meadows is making "a good-faith invocation of executive privilege and testimonial immunity." A contempt referral would not be the first one stemming from the Jan. 6 investigation.

While he performed slightly better than Hillary Clinton did with rural voters in 2016, Biden lost almost every rural county in the state. Millions in federal aid from Democrats' pandemic relief law have already reached small communities in southwest Wisconsin. As in Wisconsin, Brown’s state has pockets of small communities that once voted Democratic but have since turned deep red. Democrats' last hope for holding the district and their remaining footholds in rural America is a small sliver of rural voters whom they still might be able to persuade. “Republicans face a real challenge in rural Wisconsin explaining to people why they oppose delivering results that make a real difference in people’s lives,” said Tammy Baldwin, Wisconsin’s Democratic senator.

The exact origins of the 36-page PowerPoint document are unknown. The PowerPoint presentation and its allegations and assertions were promoted by ardent supporters of Trump who have repeatedly spread falsehoods about the election. Here's what we know — and what we don't know — about the presentation, its contributors and who may have seen it. In a letter to Meadows on Wednesday, Rep. Bennie Thompson, D-Miss., the chair of the Jan. 6 committee, referred to an email on Jan. 5 about a 38-page PowerPoint briefing titled "Election Fraud, Foreign Interference & Options for JAN 6." That PowerPoint document is two pages longer than the 36-page version circulating online.

President Joe Biden, a Democrat, scrapped his Republican predecessor's policy — often referred to as "Remain in Mexico" — soon after taking office in January this year. Biden decried the policy on the campaign trail and immigration advocates have said migrants stuck in dangerous border cities have faced kidnappings and other dangers. The Biden administration re-issued a memo terminating MPP in the hopes it would overcome the legal challenges. In compliance with the court's order, the administration began sending the first asylum seekers back to Mexico again last week. The number of migrants caught crossing the U.S.-Mexico border has soared to record highs this year, sparking criticism from Republicans.

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken speaks during a press conference in Jakarta, Indonesia on Tuesday, Dec. 14, 2021. (Olivier Douliery/Pool Photo via AP)U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken speaks during a press conference in Jakarta, Indonesia on Tuesday, Dec. 14, 2021. “Without swift progress, in light of Iran’s fast-forwarding of its nuclear program, the JCPOA will very soon become an empty shell.”The accord, sealed in Vienna in 2015, was meant to rein in Iran’s nuclear program in return for loosened economic sanctions. Following the U.S. decision to withdraw and reimpose sanctions on Iran, Tehran has ramped up its nuclear program again by enriching uranium beyond the thresholds allowed in the agreement. Speaking to reporters in Jakarta, Blinken pointed to the frustration expressed by the European powers.

She said that for years she felt powerless — but that changed when she joined Moms Demand Action, an arm of Everytown. 2021 has been an incredibly deadly year for gun violence, with more than 42,000 people killed in the United States so far, according to the nonprofit Gun Violence Archive. And like Livas Porter, some people whose lives have been changed by gun violence are taking the step of running for public office. Kina Collins, a longtime gun violence prevention activist, said policymakers don't talk enough about the conditions that lead to gun violence. Watts, the Moms Demand Action founder, said that survivors of gun violence bring something unique to their campaigns.

The order comes as the per capita rate of new coronavirus cases in California has jumped 47% in the past two weeks. But since then, county governments covering about half of the state’s population have imposed their own indoor mask mandates as case rates surged with new variants. The new mask mandate will cover everyone else, but state officials on Monday were unclear about how it would be enforced. “We know that there’s going to be people who don’t necessarily agree with this, who are tired, who aren’t going to mask,” Ghaly said. The state also is recommending travelers who visit or return to California to get tested within five days of their arrival.

First, Trump’s endorsed candidate, Sean Parnell, was forced to drop out of the U.S. Senate race in Pennsylvania. Second, Trump’s endorsed U.S. Senate candidate in Alabama, Rep. Mo Brooks, is losing ground to a younger candidate named Katie Britt. And fourth, Trump’s endorsed candidate in a Texas special election, Susan Wright, was defeated in a race to replace her late husband. Trump’s lack of coattails isn’t new, and defeating a Trump-endorsed Republican isn’t the same thing as electing a “Never Trump” Republican. Remember, in 2020, Trump’s endorsed candidate was thumped by Madison Cawthorn in a North Carolina runoff.

Follow us wherever you get your podcasts:Director Adam McKay takes us behind the scenes of “Don’t Look Up” to reveal the real-life events that inspired his new film. And then his latest film is “Don’t Look Up,” starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Jennifer Lawrence. McKay In fact, I bet you it’s in the works right now,[Archival clip from “Don’t Look Up”: Introducing Bash Liif. I mean, I guess it’s like the fact-based comedy drama and “Don’t Look Up” feels pitched a little more strongly to comedy. Like, when you were working on “Don’t Look Up,” are you second guessing yourself?

Air Force spokeswoman Ann Stefanek said Monday that these were the first Air Force personnel to be administratively discharged for reasons involving the vaccine. Each of the services set its own deadlines and procedures for the mandate; the Air Force set the earliest deadline. Stefanek said that, in the first three quarters of 2021, about 1,800 Air Force personnel were discharged for failure to follow orders. According to the latest Air Force data, more than 1,000 people have refused the shot and more than 4,700 are seeking a religious exemption. As of last week, slightly more than 97% of active-duty Air Force personnel had received at least one shot.

We thought we pretty much had it made here in Kentucky, a land where environmental natural catastrophe visited rarely. We need to know more about how they're affected by climate change. Some of us Kentuckians realized we were no longer as safe as we used to be. As usual, few if any local TV weather persons attributed cause-and-effect of the approaching line of extreme storms to global warming. More:Live updates: Kentucky tornado death toll now at 67, with 100+ unaccounted forWe Kentuckians now have been offered up another hard lesson of our own.

Dominic Raab has caused confusion by wrongly saying there were 250 people in hospital with omicron when the latest figure was just 10. His first figure to Sky News of 250 was alarming because that was up by 240 on the figure announced a day earlier by the UK Health Security Agency. After initially describing the number of people in hospital with omicron as being "significant", Mr Raab was pressed over the scale. I think we've got nine people who are in hospital with it." But two sources told the PA news agency the latest figure was actually 10, pending a further update.

Dominic Raab rattled after saying there are 250 people in hospital with omicron, then admitting it's just 10

She last month condemned Prince Andrew, 61, for launching a “baseless, defamatory” attack on her credibility, character and motives. The Duke’s response, filed overnight, adds: “These highly subjective determinations are the kind most likely to be hampered by the passage of time, as memories fade, false memories are created, and witnesses die or otherwise become unavailable. The Duke’s latest filing adds: “For someone who claims that the Release Agreement she signed in 2009 is entirely ‘irrelevant’ to this case, Giuffre devotes a significant portion of their Opposition trying to avoid the application of its plain terms. “Giuffre does not challenge the authenticity of the Release Agreement – nor can she reasonably do so, considering that her own counsel provided the document to Prince Andrew’s team with the permission of the Epstein Estate. “Contrary to Giuffre’s mischaracterisations, Prince Andrew does not ask the Court to analyze the parties’ intent when entering into the Release Agreement.

ZURICH – A Swiss court dismissed an appeal by a Kremlin-linked Russian businessman to block his extradition to the United States, rejecting his argument that he was a victim of a U.S. political campaign to snare him on trumped-up insider trading charges. Klyushin, whose Russian company offers media monitoring and cyber-security services to clients including the Russian presidency and government, was detained by Swiss police on March 21 on a U.S. arrest warrant. His lawyer attributed the real reason for his arrest and extradition request to his work and contacts within the Russian government that gave him access to security information. In June, the Swiss Federal Office of Justice (FOJ) approved Klyushin’s extradition to the United States. It rejected a Russian request in April to extradite Klyushin to face trial there.

The Federal Security Service (FSB) said the “Maniacs Cult of Murder” group had been set up by a Ukrainian under the patronage of Ukraine’s intelligence services. Ukraine’s SBU security service denied this, telling Reuters it had no role in the case and was focused on counter-intelligence inside Ukraine. Moscow has denied planning an attack and blamed Ukraine and NATO for stoking tensions, demanding assurances from the U.S.-led alliance that it will not grant membership to Kyiv. Washington has said it believes Russia may be planning to use alleged “provocations” by Ukraine to justify military aggression. Ukraine last month accused Russia of being behind an alleged coup plot against President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, which the Kremlin denied.

Macron said last week that Orban, whom he will meet later on Monday, was both a political opponent and a European partner with whom it was possible to find compromise. French officials said Macron would raise respect of LGBT rights and rule of law with Orban. The European Commission accuses Hungary of not upholding EU standards on the rule of law and democracy, a charge Organ denies. She was an advocate of liberal democracy and a strong critic of Orban, whom she accused of undermining democracy. Orban has in the past two months received French far-right leaders Marine Le Pen and Eric Zemmour, both of whom praised his opposition to immigration.

By Nikolaj SkydsgaardCOPENHAGEN – Former Danish immigration minister Inger Stojberg, known for her hardline stance in that role, was handed a 60-day prison sentence on Monday by an impeachment court for having illegally ordered the separation of under-age couples seeking asylum. Under Danish and human rights law, couples must be assessed individually, implying that the minister’s order to separate all underage couples was illegal. I think it is the Danish values ??that have lost,” Stojberg told reporters. The case started when a Syrian couple complained to the country’s ombudsman in 2016 after they were placed in separate asylum centres. A commission launched to investigate the case, also known as the “child bride case”, concluded that the order was “clearly illegal”.

French presidential candidates are exhorting President Emmanuel Macron to officialise his candidacy, accusing him of using his position to campaign while skirting rules. Valérie Pecresse, the candidate for the mainstream right-wing Les Republicains party, on Monday filed a complaint with the Conseil Supérieur de l'Audiovisuel (CSA) over an upcoming televised interview with Macron. The hour and a half interview with the president, titled "Where is France heading? Under CSA rules, the government is allotted a third of political speaking time with political parties, including the ruling party, sharing the remaining two-thirds. A spokesperson for Jean-Luc Melenchon, the leader of the left-wing populist La France Insourmise party, also urged Macron to put an end to an "open secret."

Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida indicated he could consider writing guidance for companies on share buybacks, triggering a dip in the nation’s stock market that’s been boosted by such repurchases in recent years. Kishida said introducing “guidelines” on buybacks would be appropriate, in response to a question in the Diet from opposition lawmaker Takayuki Ochiai. SoftBank Group Corp., which has long used stock repurchases and is currently in the process of a ¥1 trillion ($8.8 billion) buyback program, dropped as much as 1.6%. | REUTERSStock repurchases by Japanese companies are expected to rise 50% this fiscal year to more than ¥7 trillion, according to an analysis by Tokai Tokyo Research Institute Co. Opposition lawmaker Ochiai said in parliament that deregulation of stock repurchases had allowed companies to favor shareholders over employees.

COVID-19 is killing a high proportion of people in regions of the UK that voted for Brexit in the 2016 referendum, a new report has claimed. Wu of the University of Glasgow has claimed to have found a direct correlation between Brexit-voting districts of the UK and those that have the highest rate of fatalities from COVID-19. By contrast, the 20 boroughs with the lowest death rates all voted heavily for Remain. As for the correlation between areas that voted Brexit and fatalities, he suggested it could be for a different reason. “There has not been enough focus by social media companies on misinformation in other languages within the UK,” he said.

Russia's Supreme Court is hearing a request to shut down Memorial, the country's most prominent right groupMoscow (AFP) – Russia's Supreme Court reconvened on Tuesday to hear a request to shut down Memorial, the country's most prominent rights group and a pillar of its civil society. Advertising Read moreIn court for alleged violations of its designation as a "foreign agent", Memorial is facing its biggest threat since it was founded by Soviet dissidents, including Nobel Peace Prize laureate Andrei Sakharov, in 1989. Dozens of supporters gathered in sub-zero temperatures in front of the Supreme Court in central Moscow and police vans were parked nearby. On Tuesday, judge Alla Nazarova read numerous case materials as prosecutors argued that Memorial did not mark itself as a "foreign agent" properly. But Putin told his human rights council that Memorial had been advocating on behalf of "terrorist and extremist organisations".

Manila (AFP) – Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte on Tuesday withdrew his candidacy for the 2022 Senate race, the government elections monitor said, a month after he made a last-minute entry into the contest. "The President has filed his withdrawal from the Senatorial elections," James Jimenez, spokesman for the Commission on Elections office, said on Twitter. Marcos Jr was followed by incumbent vice president and Duterte critic Leni Robredo, celebrity mayor Francisco Domagoso and boxing great Manny Pacquiao. But recently Duterte has been publicly critical of Marcos Jr, describing him as a "weak leader... saddled with baggage". Duterte also accused an unnamed presidential candidate of using cocaine, prompting several candidates, including Marcos Jr, to announce they had tested negative for illegal drugs.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken warned that continued Republican opposition to the nomination of ambassadors risked undermining American foreign policyJakarta (AFP) – US Secretary of State Antony Blinken warned on Tuesday that continued Republican opposition to the nomination of ambassadors in the Senate risked undermining American foreign policy. Advertising Read moreA handful of Republicans have been blocking the nomination of many envoys in a US Senate heavily divided along partisan lines, particularly by using procedural tricks, leaving key overseas positions vacant. American ambassadors -- like secretaries and assistant secretaries -- are nominated by the president but can only take up their posts once the upper house of Congress backs the choice in a vote. "In Indonesia, we're very fortunate to have a confirmed ambassador on the job," said Blinken, during a visit to the capital Jakarta. Before arriving in Indonesia, Blinken participated in a G7 foreign ministers' meeting in Britain.

Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte speaks during a virtual plenary session of the ASEAN-China Special Summit in Davao City, Philippines, November 22, 2021. Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte on Tuesday withdrew his candidacy for the 2022 Senate race, the government elections monitor said, a month after he made a last-minute entry into the contest. His run for the Senate had been seen as an attempt to remain in politics while facing an international probe into his deadly drug war. His withdrawal does not necessarily mean he is planning to retire from politics after the elections in May. Duterte's daughter Sara is running for vice president while his son Sebastian is contesting the mayoral race in the family's southern stronghold of Davao City.

President Joe Biden on Monday declined to extend a program that suspended student loan payments during the pandemic. White House press secretary Jen Psaki told Forbes:We will engage directly with federal student loan borrowers to ensure they have the resources they need and are in the appropriate repayment plan. The suspension of payments benefitted about 41 million borrowers, the White House added. During Biden’s presidency, the administration has forgiven $12.5 billion of student loan debt for nearly 640,000 students. And as of January 31, 2022, “student loan borrowers will have received $110 billion of student loan cancellation from 22 months of temporary student loan forbearance,” Forbes reported.

NEW ORLEANS — Addressing reporters at a meeting of the Democratic Governors Association, Gov. Roy Cooper of North Carolina gave an emphatic answer when asked whether he expected President Biden to seek a second term — and whether he believed that was in the best interests of his party. “I do and I do,” Mr. Cooper said on Friday, adding, “I fully expect him to seek re-election and I will support him, and in fact we’re going to win North Carolina for him.”But just three minutes later, Mr. Cooper — the only Democratic governor to twice win a state that former President Donald J. Trump carried on the same ballot — was sketching out what could be the makings of a Cooper for President message to primary voters. He trumpeted his repeal of his state’s so-called bathroom bill targeting transgender people, an executive order granting paid parental leave to state employees and another order putting North Carolina on a path to carbon neutrality by 2050. “That’s why Democratic governors are so important,” he said, alluding to next year’s midterm elections.

Bill Urban, a spokesman for the military’s Central Command, which oversees operations in Syria, declined to comment. As bad strikes mounted, the four military officials said, Talon Anvil’s partners sounded the alarm. Pilots over Syria at times refused to drop bombs because Talon Anvil wanted to hit questionable targets in densely populated areas. Air Force teams doing intelligence work argued with Talon Anvil over a secure phone known as the red line. And even within Talon Anvil, some members at times refused to participate in strikes targeting people who did not seem to be in the fight.

Last month, the US government held the largest-ever auction of oil and gas drilling leases in the Gulf of Mexico’s history, offering up more than 80m acres of the gulf’s seabed for fossil fuel extraction. The president’s administration insisted it was obliged to hold the lease sale due to a court ruling in favor of a dozen states that sued to lift a blanket pause placed on new drilling permits by Biden. But a memo filed by the US Department of Justice before the lease sale acknowledges that this judgement does not force the government to auction off drilling rights to the gulf. “They didn’t have to hold this sale and they didn’t have to hold it on this timeline. “Interior had a lot of discretion over whether to hold this lease sale and they chose to do it anyway,” said Brettny Hardy, a senior attorney at Earthjustice.

Last week, the Supreme Court declined to strike down the Texas law banning all abortions that take place six weeks after pregnancy. SB8, as the law is called, is unique in that it allows private citizens to sue anyone who performs or facilitates an abortion. Over the weekend, California governor Gavin Newsom had something to say about this. “SCOTUS is letting private citizens in Texas sue to stop abortion? “If that’s the precedent then we’ll let Californians sue those who put ghost guns and assault weapons on our streets.

A file photo of president of Philippines Rodrigo Duterte, during his meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin (not pictured) at the APEC Leaders Summit on November 10, 2017 in Da Nang, Vietnam. Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte on Tuesday withdrew his candidacy for a senate seat, the election commission's spokesperson said. Duterte's six-year term will end in June, 2022, and he is banned by the constitution from seeking another term as president. It was not immediately clear why Duterte was dropping out of the senatorial race, but he had said in October he was retiring from politics. In a late night address on Monday, Duterte said his administration will "ensure an honest, peaceful, credible, and free elections" in 2022.

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis appeared on "The Ingraham Angle" on Monday to discuss his office's report that more than 70 night-time flights moving migrants from the border landed in Jacksonville since the summer. FLORIDA GOVERNOR: BIDEN ADMIN LANDED DOZENS OF SECRET FLIGHTS IN FLORIDAGOV. They’ve done over 70 flights in the last six months, dump people here. And we had—a few weeks ago—one of those people that Biden dumped, ended up committing a murder in northeast Florida.

It’s unclear if the provision will be included in the Senate’s version of the Build Back Better Act. Biden and other proponents of health care provisions included in the Build Back Better Act argue it will expand medical coverage for the uninsured. The White House touts its plan as "the biggest expansion of affordable health care in a decade." The Senate version of the Build Back Better Act is expected to include notable changes from the House’s version. The White House said the president will travel to Ft. Campbell, Ky. for a storm briefing Wednesday, and to Mayfield and Dawson Springs, Ky. to survey storm damage.

His government experience comprises a couple of years working at the Federal Trade Commission in the late 1990s straight out of law school. Exactly where Kanter stands on these big questions is directionally apparent, but he has so far managed to avoid getting into some crucial specifics. These are not questions that will be as easy to dodge in court filings and courtrooms as they are in roundtables and law journals. Depending on how long this period lasts, an antitrust enforcement program that tries to upend the consumer welfare standard and its focus on lowering costs could prove even harder than it would otherwise already be. Kanter’s ascendance at the DOJ represents the culmination of a long career and the prospect of serious changes.

In fact, recent national surveys of Hispanics/Latinos show that the term Latinx is highly unpopular. A whopping 40 percent found the word Latinx offensive. Democrats, including President Joe Biden, have been deploying the word Latinx, apparently believing that a gender-neutral word that was born among liberal academics and progressive activists would appeal to Latinos. It’s important for companies not to offend their consumers — though of course some of them will prefer Latinx for that reason as well. A couple decades later, that term Hispanic began to lose ground as activists and intellectuals objected to the word’s reference to colonialist Spain.

Air Force discharges 27 for refusing to get COVID vaccineEnlarge this image toggle caption Alex Brandon/AP file photo Alex Brandon/AP file photoWASHINGTON — The Air Force has discharged 27 people for refusing to get the COVID-19 vaccine, making them what officials believe are the first service members to be removed for disobeying the mandate to get the shots. The Air Force gave its forces until Nov. 2 to get the vaccine, and thousands have either refused or sought an exemption. Air Force spokeswoman Ann Stefanek said Monday that these are the first airmen to be administratively discharged for reasons involving the vaccine. Each of the services set its own deadlines and procedures for the mandate, and the Air Force set the earliest deadline. As of last week, a bit more than 97% of the active duty Air Force had gotten at least one shot.

The Japanese premier added that caution would be needed in implementing any strict regulations. SoftBank Group Corp., which has long used stock repurchases and is currently in the process of a 1 trillion yen ($8.8 billion) buyback program, dropped as much as 1.6%, and finished 0.9% lower. Ochiai had suggested Japan should review its share buyback rules or ban repurchases altogether. Stock repurchases by Japanese companies are expected to rise 50% this fiscal year to more than 7 trillion yen, according to an analysis by Tokai Tokyo Research Institute Co. Opposition lawmaker Ochiai said in parliament that deregulation of stock repurchases had allowed companies to favor shareholders over employees.

(Bloomberg) -- The U.S. made an offer to Japan aimed at resolving disputes over tariffs imposed on Japanese steel and aluminum under former President Donald Trump in 2018, people familiar with the situation said. The metals dispute started in 2018, when Trump imposed duties on steel and aluminum from the European Union, Asia and elsewhere, citing risks to national security. In 2020, inbound steel shipments to the U.S. from Japan totaled 732,158 tons, Census said in a separate report. The steel and aluminum tariffs remain in place on imports from the U.K. Last week, Raimondo and U.K. Secretary of State for International Trade Anne-Marie Trevelyan discussed finding a solution early next year. (Updates with comments from Japanese official in third and ninth paragraphs.)

This week the two countries will diverge even further as Barbados removes the Queen as its head of state, setting a new course as a republic and cutting ties with the British crown after hundreds of years. The move, announced last year, will be confirmed at a ceremony on Monday evening – attended by the Prince of Wales – after which Barbados will install its own head of state. Dame Sandra Mason, who currently represents the Queen as Barbados’s governor-general, will be sworn in to serve a four-year term as president. But beyond the festivities, there remain questions about what the decision of Barbados to remove the Queen as head of state – the first country to do so since Mauritius in 1992 – means for the island’s future. Racism and reparationsConversations around British involvement in Barbados remain linked to reparations for the UK’s role in the slave trade.

Mr Meadows has refused to testify about the 6 January insurrection, and is therefore obstructing the investigation, the select committee said in its contempt report. Bennie Thompson, the chair of the select committee, said in an opening statement: “It comes down to this. Mr Meadows started by doing the right thing: cooperating. He didn’t even show up.”On Monday, the committee voted to advance referring Mr Meadows to the Department of Justice on criminal contempt of Congress charges. The members of the committee also revealed texts between Mr Meadows and Donald Trump’s son, Fox News personalities and lawmaker on 6 January, urging him to get the then-President to stop the riots in real-time.

LONDON – British Prime Minister Boris Johnson faces a large rebellion among his Conservative lawmakers on Tuesday in a parliamentary vote over new restrictions to try to curb the spread of the new Omicron coronavirus variant. The measures, including ordering people to work from home, to wear masks in public places and use COVID-19 passes to enter some venues, are expected to be approved by parliament but with Johnson relying on the opposition Labour Party for votes. “People should certainly be encouraged to have the vaccine … but ultimately people have to take responsibility for their own health. Lawmakers are due to start consecutive votes on the measures in turn from 1830 GMT. One person has died after contracting the variant and 10 people have been hospitalised with Omicron across England.

According to an authoritative survey of presidential candidates by Social Weather Stations, Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. is attracting close to half of total votes among prospective voters. In the Philippines’ strangely frugal electoral system, all Marcos Jr. needs to do to become the next president is to secure the largest share of votes. Not to mention, Marcos Jr. faces multiple disqualification complaints based on a prior tax evasion conviction, and so the fate of his candidacy is far from assured. Although both Marcos Jr. and his mother, former First Lady Imelda Marcos, have been convicted on various charges, neither of them have served any time in prison. Much can still change between now and next year’s election, especially as rival candidates openly question the suspect credentials and tenuous claims of Marcos Jr., with particular attention paid to his education qualifications.

The Pentagon said Monday that no U.S. troops or officials would face disciplinary action for a drone strike in Kabul in August that killed 10 Afghan civilians, including seven children. Spokesman John Kirby said Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin had received a high-level review of the strike that made no recommendation of accountability. The Aug. 29 drone strike took place in the final days of the U.S.-led evacuation of Kabul after the Taliban seized control of the country. | AFP-JIJICompensation paymentsThe strike killed Zemari Ahmadi, an employee of U.S.-based Nutrition and Education International, and nine members of his family. “We are working very hard with him and his organization to effect the relocation of the family members,” Kirby said.

Website crashes in stampede for jabs The NHS website crashed yesterday as record numbers rushed to book a booster in the hope of saving their Christmas. The weekend saw a record number of booster bookings on the NHS website, with 749,000 slots snapped up. Yesterday there were long queues for jabs and the NHS booking system creaked under surging demand. Mr Javid told the Commons: 'Until now the highest number of jabs that we've delivered in a single day in the UK was over 840,000. Asked who was in charge, Mr Javid told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: 'Maggie Throup is the Vaccines Minister.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken made the remarks during a trip to IndonesiaJakarta (AFP) – The United States is preparing "alternatives" in case efforts to revive a deal to curb Iran's nuclear ambitions collapse, Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Tuesday, as expectations grow that talks will fail. Negotiations restarted on Thursday last week to try to revive the 2015 deal between Iran and world powers, which the United States withdrew from under Donald Trump in 2018. Blinken's remarks came after Biden recently said the United States was preparing "additional measures" against Iran. "Unless there's swift progress... the Iran nuclear agreement will become an empty shell," Blinken said, referring to the statement. The deal ensured sanctions relief for Iran in return for tight curbs on its nuclear programme, which was put under extensive UN monitoring.

Are Boris Johnson's days numbered as British prime minister? AdvertisingThis week there will be a by-election: a vote on a new MP in what's been a safe Conservative seat since 1997. It's now been two years since Johnson won the general election for the Conservative Party with a landslide 80-seat majority. Would he be able to secure anything like that today? Daily newsletterReceive essential international news every morning Subscribe

The Plan B measures are not in danger of failing because Sir Keir Starmer has ordered Labour MPs to support them. Boris Johnson is facing a 70-strong Tory revolt over his 'Nazi-style' in crunch votes today as furious MPs branded them a 'softening up exercise' for harsher lockdownStephen McPartland said on Twitter today that he will be voting against the Plan B curbsDominic Raab (left) risked inflaming the Tory tensions in interviews this morning as he dismissed 'overstated' criticism of Plan B measures. 'We know Plan B measures don't make any sense & are just softening us us up for more restrictions in next few weeks,' he tweeted. Another said 'scare stories' about further curbs beyond Plan B had 'actually had the opposite effect' and emboldened the rebels. He also said MPs thinking of rebelling against Plan B measures needed to recognise there was 'no room for complacency' in dealing with Omicron.

The aftermath of the US drone strike in Kabul on August 29Kabul (AFP) – An Afghan whose daughter was among 10 relatives killed by a wrongly directed US drone strike expressed anger Tuesday at Washington's announcement that nobody would be punished for the deadly mishit. Asked by AFP if he felt angry, Ahmadi said: "Definitely... What if the US had lost a child? Ahmadi's brother Zemari, who also died in the drone strike, had been an employee of US aid group Nutrition and Education International (NEI) at the time. Last month, NEI founder and president Steve Kwon called the Pentagon's investigation into the incident "deeply disappointing and inadequate". Relatives of the family have previously said they want a face-to-face apology from US officials.

A sweeping bill forcing councils to allow townhouses to be built has passed into law with the support of Labour and National. Some changes were made to the bill after a select committee process in which many town-planners and councils said they needed to retain more control. Housing Minister Megan Woods said the bill would allow for more houses and the support of so many parties meant developers would have scrutiny. “Passing this legislation with support from the National Party, the Green Party and the M?ori Party delivers stable, enduring policy on urban density. The Infrastructure Commission disagreed with this view, telling the select committee the bill would not change the total number of people living in cities, so would not change infrastructure costs.

(CNN) Sen. Joe Manchin, the most pivotal swing vote in the Senate, indicated on Monday that a significant amount of work remains to be done to earn his support for President Joe Biden's sweeping social safety net expansion, potentially delivering a fatal blow to Democratic leaders' hopes of getting the bill passed in the Senate before Christmas. In a critical moment for the party's agenda, Manchin spoke with Biden on Monday afternoon as the President tries to secure his support for the plan. A spokesperson for the senator said in a statement Monday evening that Manchin and the President "had a productive conversation," and "will continue to talk over the coming days." The concerns that Manchin is raising, however, suggest that he needs to see wholesale changes to the bill, a process that could take weeks or even potentially months if he holds firm. When asked if he thinks the bill can get done this year, he said: "anything is possible" and he's still "engaged" in discussions.

We are in the midst of just one of those news cycles, with The New York Times publishing a big takeout on the potential Biden replacements within the Democratic Party over the weekend. The White House, aware of the whispers, made clear Biden is planning to go for a second term. "The President has every intention of running for reelection," White House press secretary Jen Psaki said on Monday. Below, a look at the most commonly mentioned names for 2024 contenders and a single line on their viability. * Kamala Harris: She's undoubtedly struggled as vice president but she's still the most likely Democrat not named Biden to wind up as the Democratic nominee in 2024.

Image Robert Daniel, rightAt least 74 people were confirmed dead in Kentucky alone, the youngest 5 months old, the oldest 86 years. So severe were the injuries and so remote some of the areas damaged that officials in Kentucky have not been able to identify 18 of those who died. The swath of destruction wrought by four separate tornadoes in Kentucky — one of them a monster that cut a 223-mile path through the state — led to deaths tallied in eight counties. With more than 8,000 power poles down, about 25,000 customers were still without power on Monday evening. It may be weeks before we have final counts on both deaths and levels of destruction,” Gov.

A contempt of Congress charge carries a penalty of up to a year in jail. Mr. Meadows encouraged members of Congress to object to Joseph R. Biden Jr.’s victory, and he pursued baseless allegations of voter fraud in several states, according to the panel. At one point, an organizer of the rally turned to Mr. Meadows for help, telling him that things “have gotten crazy and I desperately need some direction. The exchanges suggest that Mr. Meadows — who at times expressed personal skepticism about the claims of election fraud and theft pushed by Mr. Trump and his allies — catered to Mr. Trump by seeking evidence to support the president’s allegations. Mr. Meadows was in contact with a broad collection of obscure characters whose sometimes zany plans and theories made their way into the White House at a critical time.

During a briefing where the recommendation was announced, Rep. Liz Cheney of Wyoming read aloud a text conversation in which Donald Trump Jr. begged Meadows to encourage Trump to take stronger action against the rioters. The Capitol Police tweet is not enough," a text sent by Trump Jr. to Meadows read, according to Cheney. (Trump Jr. is likely referring to a tweet from Trump on the afternoon of the insurrection that asked rioters to"remain peaceful" and "please support our Capitol Police and Law Enforcement.") Meadows responded to Trump Jr., writing: "I'm pushing it hard. In a series of follow-up texts, Trump Jr. continued: "We need an Oval Office address.

Added: 13.12.2021 22:26 | 33 views | 0 commentsA ransomware attack has hit the Virginia state Legislature's IT branch and state agencies are helping with the recovery, a spokesperson for Gov. Ralph Northam said Monday.

Alaska Senate candidate challenging Murkowski says she will not support McConnell as GOP leaderAdded: 13.12.2021 21:46 | 39 views | 0 commentsKelly Tshibaka became the latest GOP Senate hopeful to align herself further with former president Donald Trump by publicly attacking McConnell.

House Jan. 6 committee votes to hold Meadows in contempt, details texts from Trump allies who wanted him to call off riotersAdded: 14.12.2021 2:17 | 36 views | 0 commentsThe panel released texts from former president Donald Trump’s allies asking former White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows to push the president to call off the rioters, including one from his son, Donald Trump Jr.

FLOTUS shuts down 'ridiculous' health attacks on Joe Biden as she dismisses poll dropAdded: 14.12.2021 2:16 | 24 views | 0 commentsFLOTUS Jill Biden slammed "ridiculous" attacks concerning the health of Joe Biden amid falling poll numbers for the US President.

Bitterly Clinging to RussiagateAdded: 14.12.2021 3:17 | 16 views | 0 commentsSource: www.foreignaffairs.comIn November, U.S. attorney John Durham indicted the primary source for the so-called Steele dossier-a document that supposedly offered proof of a conspiracy More in www.realclearpolitics.com » Tags: Russia

But in the midst of the Capitol riot, the effort to contact Trump was even more direct than usual. According to text messages read aloud by Republican Liz Cheney during a Monday night hearing of the House committee investigating the insurrection, several Fox News hosts texted White House chief of staff Mark Meadows to get Donald Trump to act to stop the rioters. “Mark, the president needs to tell people in the Capitol to go home,” Laura Ingraham texted Meadows. “Please get him on TV.” Another unofficial network star texted Meadows as well: According to the records obtained by the committee before the former chief of staff stopped cooperating, Donald Trump Jr. also texted Meadows to ask the president to “condemn this shit ASAP.” (Perhaps his father wasn’t responding to direct messages.) Other messages to Meadows revealed on Monday detail the extent to which the White House was aware of the events at the Capitol on January 6.

While Trump supporters occupied the Capitol on Jan. 6, Fox News’ most prominent hosts frantically texted Mark Meadows, begging him to compel the president to tell the crowd to leave. ), the ranking Republican on the Jan. 6 committee, read several of the texts aloud on Monday night prior to the committee voting unanimously to advance criminal contempt proceedings against Trump’s former chief of staff. Ask people to leave the Capitol,” Sean Hannity texted Meadows, according to Cheney. He is destroying his legacy.”Liz Cheney outs Fox News hosts as texting Mark Meadows and telling Trump to stop the violence. Even Trump’s son, Donald Trump Jr., texted Meadows “again and again, urging action by the president,” Cheney said.

Max Linn, who ran for one of Maine’s U.S. senate seats in 2020, died on Saturday of an apparent heart attack while in a hot tub, Bangor Daily News reports. Undeterred, Linn entered the 2020 Maine senate race as an Independent, despite being a vocal supporter of Donald Trump. After losing, he continued to support Trump; Linn was among the crowd in Washington D.C. on Jan. 6. Yet, during his senate run the following year he called Dr. Nirav Shah, director of Maine Center of Disease Control and Prevention, “the very doctor of death” and then Gov. Janet Mills a “psychopath” for their policies intended to control the spread of Covid-19, which Linn viewed as impeding freedoms.

But with inflation surging to a 39-year high, those days of nearly free money likely are nearing an end. House Rules Committee to set rules for debate on Meadows contempt citationThe House Rules Committee will meet Tuesday to set rules for floor debate on the contempt citation for former White House chief of staff Mark Meadows. Parents of Oxford school shooting suspect to appear in courtThe parents of the Oxford school shooting suspect, Jennifer and James Crumbley, are scheduled to appear in court Tuesday, charged with four counts of involuntary manslaughter each. The comet won't be the most spectacular one ever but will be "the brightest comet this year," Robert Lunsford, of the American Meteor Society, told USA TODAY. Astrophysicist and founder of The Virtual Telescope Project, Gianluca Masi, said Leonard is a long-period comet, meaning it doesn't come around often.

The online grocer and retail-technology specialist said three of the four Autostore patents were found invalid by a chief administrative law judge, and the fourth wasn't infringed. The company said all 33 claims across five patents were rejected by the judge or abandoned by Autostore. Autostore said the initial determination that found its patents invalid were based on a narrow legal issue. Ocado said it is separately pursuing claims against Autostore for infringement of Ocado's patents in the U.S. and Europe. "Autostore also continues to believe that each of the claims and counterclaims raised by Ocado is without merit and intends to vigorously defend against those claims," the company said.

BERLIN - (AP) -- Austria's leader says no high-ranking politicians from his country will attend the Beijing Winter Olympics, but he says that is entirely because of coronavirus restrictions in China and is not a diplomatic protest. “We are against a politicization of the games and are coordinating in the EU,” Nehammer was quoted as saying. “No high-ranking politicians from Austria will visit the Olympic Games in China,” he said. Beijing has dismissed the decision by Canada and the United Kingdom to join Washington's diplomatic boycott as a “farce.”Rights groups have called for a total boycott of the Beijing Winter Games, citing Chinese human rights abuses against its Uyghur minority in the northwest Xinjiang region, which some have called genocide. They also point to Beijing's suppression of democratic protests in Hong Kong and a sweeping crackdown on dissent in the semi-autonomous territory.

The moves have prompted election and voting rights watchdogs in America to warn about the suppression of non-white voters aimed at providing Republicans an edge in coming elections. The lawyers and groups spearheading self-professed election integrity measures include some figures who pushed Trump’s baseless claims of fraud after the 2020 election. Among the election lawyers and groups advocating tougher voting laws, Mitchell, a veteran conservative lawyer , boasts the highest profile and has sparked the most scrutiny. Voting rights activists protest against Texas legislators who are advancing new voting restrictions in May. Such complaints have not deterred the legislative blitz by Mitchell with allied lawyers and groups nationwide to change voting laws.

Hospitals in South Africa are continuing to report “far milder” symptoms from omicron compared to previous variants. All Covid contacts now have to take daily lateral flow tests, not just those who come into contact with omicron. It found that the risk of reinfection from the omicron variant is three times higher than for the delta and beta strains of the virus. The authors concluded: “Evidence suggests that the omicron variant is associated with substantial ability to evade immunity from prior infection.”Why is it called omicron? Prime Minister Boris Johnson previously warned that it is not yet known if vaccines will help fight against the omicron variant.

Vaccine passports are “not particularly intrusive”, Dominic Raab has claimed as the Government braces for a backbench revolt on Plan B measures later today. There will also be votes on the expanded mask mandates and the return of working from home. “I don’t think that is a particularly intrusive thing to do. I don't think this is a big step or a slippery slope, but we should have a proper debate." Officials told Sky News that the current number of hospital patients with omicron is in fact ten.

The report went on to say that the FAA had failed to provide enough safety engineers to oversee the much-criticised "Organization Designation Authorization" programme, under which Boeing itself was responsible for carrying out a significant amount of safety certification work on its own products, on behalf of the regulator.

Mark Rutte looks set to serve as Dutch prime minister for a fourth term after four parties agreed to form a coalition government on Monday evening ending nine months of negotiations. "It's a good agreement," Rutte told reporters after the talks, yet declining to give further details. He was not disowned by voters in the March parliamentary elections, which his VVD party won handily, and then narrowly survived a no-confidence just two weeks later. With this fourth term, Mark Rutte will become one of Europe's longest-serving leaders, after Hungary's Viktor Orban who took office in May 2010, but still be a long way from Angela Merkel's 16 years at the head of Germany. The parties in the new coalition will present the agreement to their parliamentary groups on Tuesday and open it up to parliamentary debate on Wednesday.

The project, nuclear experts say, could potentially allow South Korea to fulfill a long-held dream of developing a nuclear-powered submarine. On Monday, Australia announced a military deal with South Korea that was called the largest ever between Australia and an Asian nation. But South Korea has never abandoned its hopes, with the hurdles long being diplomatic, not technological. But Washington never followed up on this, nor did it help South Korea secure nuclear fuel for submarines, because of proliferation concerns. “If North Korea builds nuclear submarines, it will be a game-changer,” said Yoon Suk-joon, a researcher at the Korea Institute for Military Affairs.

“Some local governments want to make use of the coupon system, and the national government will consider how to respect those wishes,” Kishida told a Lower House budget committee meeting Tuesday. But some local governments, including the city of Osaka and Kanagawa Prefecture, opposed the plan, citing increased local cost and administrative burdens if forced to adopt a coupon distribution system. Kishida has agreed to all-cash payouts if local governments wish to have them, and the government is aiming to have the handout distributed by the end of this year. All nuclear weapons states, including the United States and China, have refused to join. As the only nation to suffer the atomic bomb, we will also have the opportunity to explain what kind of damage nuclear weapons can cause,” Okada said.

Captain Theresa Grillo who is married and openly gay, was the highest-ranking woman in the Lodi Police Department in Bergen County, northern New Jersey. New Jersey police Captain Theresa Grillo could be demoted by three ranks after being charged with leaving her post at an off-duty roadside construction siteGrillo complained she was being tracked and discriminated against by her 'old boys club' coworkers. 'This male-dominated police force did not want my client to ever serve as deputy chief or chief. After clashing with the chief, Grillo claims she is being discriminated againstThe refusal to switch cars, she claims, saw fellow police officers start tracking her movements via GPS in another car she was using. Grillo was supposed to be working off-duty at a construction site and Lodi Chief, Donald Scorzetti says Grillo was supposed to call for backup before leaving her posting.

South Korean National Assembly Speaker Park Byeong-seug on Tuesday called on countries in the Asia-Pacific region to strengthen solidarity and cooperation to tackle various global challenges, including the COVID-19 pandemic and climate crisis.His remarks came during the inaugural ceremony of the 29th annual meeting of the Asia-Pacific Parliamentary Forum that kicked off for a three-day run from Monday to Wednesday. Under the theme of “The Role of Parliaments in Strengthening Resilience in the Post-COVID-19 Era,” the forum invited 27 member states, including South Korea, China, Japan, Russia, Vietnam and the US, among others.“No country is safe until every country is safe,” said Park in his opening remarks. “These values hold the key to addressing not only the climate crisis but also instability in regional security and economy caused by confrontations and conflicts. Park also expressed his willingness to meet his North Korean counterpart “anytime, anywhere and without any conditions.”“Dialogue is the starting line on the journey toward peace. Wishing to contribute to stability on the Korean Peninsula and Asia and the Pacific, I made public my intention to meet with the leader of the Supreme People’s Assembly of North Korea anytime, anywhere, and without any conditions,” he said.By Ahn Sung-mi ( sahn@heraldcorp.com

NATIONALSouth Korean National Assembly Speaker Park Byeong-seug delivers an opening speech at the 29th annual meeting of the Asia-Pacific Parliamentary Forum (APPF) at a Seoul hotel on Tuesday. (Yonhap)South Korean National Assembly Speaker Park Byeong-seug on Tuesday called on countries in the Asia-Pacific region to strengthen solidarity and cooperation to tackle various global challenges, including the COVID-19 pandemic and climate crisis.His remarks came during the inaugural ceremony of the 29th annual meeting of the Asia-Pacific Parliamentary Forum that kicked off for a three-day run from Monday to Wednesday. “These values hold the key to addressing not only the climate crisis but also instability in regional security and economy caused by confrontations and conflicts. Park also expressed his willingness to meet his North Korean counterpart “anytime, anywhere and without any conditions.”“Dialogue is the starting line on the journey toward peace. Wishing to contribute to stability on the Korean Peninsula and Asia and the Pacific, I made public my intention to meet with the leader of the Supreme People’s Assembly of North Korea anytime, anywhere, and without any conditions,” he said.By Ahn Sung-mi ( sahn@heraldcorp.com

REUTERS/Lisi NiesnerVIENNA, Dec 14 (Reuters) - Iran on Tuesday accused Western parties to its 2015 nuclear deal of "persisting in their blame game", a day after European diplomats warned the pact would soon be an empty shell if not revived. If there's real will to remedy the culprit's wrongdoing, the way for a quick, good deal will be paved." Failure in the negotiations would carry the risk of a new regional war, with Israel pushing for a tough policy if diplomacy fails to rein in Iran’s nuclear work. The United States has said it would remove curbs “inconsistent" with the nuclear pact if Iran resumed compliance with the deal, implying it would leave in place others such as those imposed under terrorism or human rights measures. But Biden cannot promise this because the nuclear deal is a non-binding political understanding, not a legally binding treaty.

Rachel Maddow looks at questions the January 6th Committee says it would have asked Mark Meadows before he stopped cooperating with the investigation, including some that suggest members of Congress working with the Trump White House to connect with state legislators to pressure them into overturning Trump's 2020 defeat.Dec.

REUTERS/Carlos Barria/File PhotoWASHINGTON, Dec 13 (Reuters) - The Pentagon said on Monday that no U.S. military personnel would be held accountable for an August drone strike in Kabul that killed 10 civilians, including seven children. Register now for FREE unlimited access to reuters.com RegisterAustin accepted the recommendations, Kirby said. Kirby noted the high level of the threat facing U.S. forces following a deadly bombing outside the Kabul airport that killed 13 troops, context that he said was important. "In this case, in the context of this particular strike ... there was not a strong enough case to be made for personal accountability." Register now for FREE unlimited access to reuters.com RegisterReporting by Idrees Ali and Phil Stewart; Editing by Peter CooneyOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

This weekend marked five months since Lashkarava’s death. Gejadze told OC Media that no one from the Samkharauli Forensics Bureau had contacted him about the autopsy for five months. The Government has responded to the criticism by suggesting that Lashkarava’s death was due to a drug overdose, rather than a result of the injuries he sustained. ‘The question is, what was the purpose of the so-called “interim report” published so hastily if not to influence public opinion?’, Gogia told OC Media. ‘It is important that the authorities effectively investigate the exact causes of [Lashkarava’s] death and bring all perpetrators to justice’, he added.

An appeals court on Monday night rejected another attempt by the Biden administration to end the Trump-era policy that requires migrants seeking asylum in the US to await their cases in Mexico. The 5th US Circuit Court of Appeals made the ruling on the so-called “Remain in Mexico” policy that President Biden decried on the campaign trail and suspended just hours after taking office in January. Texas and Missouri sued over the revocation and a federal judge later ruled the policy, formally known as the Migrant Protection Protocols, had to be reinstated. Migrants under the Migrant Protection Protocols (MPP) program walk to Mexico across the Lerdo-Stanton International Bridge after being returned from the U.S. to Mexico to continue their asylum application. Last week, in compliance with the federal judge’s ruling to restore the policy, the Biden administration began sending the first asylum seekers back to Mexico.

An online threat has forced the cancellation of Tuesday classes at the same Michigan school district where sophomore Ethan Crumbley allegedly shot dead four students last month, a report said. Oxford School District announced the move after the discovery of a “specific threat” included in an image posted to social media that was directed at the district’s middle school, Fox 2 reported. Crumbley, 15, is accused of carrying out the deadly attack at Oxford High School on Nov. 30. The accused shooter’s parents, Jennifer and James, are facing their own charges of involuntary manslaughter for not doing enough to sufficiently stop the teen from allegedly carrying out the attack. Crumbley is being held without bail and his parents are both being held on $500,000 bail.

Biden approves Tennessee, Illinois emergency declarations after major stormsPresident Joe Biden on Monday declared that an emergency exists in Tennessee and Illinois after the region was battered by a deadly storm system on Saturday. Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee requested federal emergency assistance for nine counties, seeking help with debris removal and emergency protective measures after touring storm damage. Emergency protective measures, including direct federal assistance, will be provided at 75% Federal funding, the statement read. -The Associated Press contributed to this report

The Pfizer vaccine received full FDA approval on Aug. 23, 2021. Johns Hopkins University said the full approval is granted when the agency amasses "even more scientific evidence to support" their use. The report said that the FDA’s proposed schedule to release the documents might not be completely seen by the public until 2097. Earlier this month, Rep. Ralph Norman, R-S.C., introduced legislation that could force the FDA to release all documents relating to the vaccine within the next 100 days. GET THE FOX NEWS APP"How does a vaccine that receives approval in 108 days now require 55 years just to release information?"

The Capitol Police tweet is not enough,” Trump Jr. wrote to Meadows. “I’m pushing it hard,” Meadows replied. He has to lead now,” Trump Jr. countered. “It has gone too far and gotten out of hand.”MSNBC’s Lawrence O’Donnell asked Mary Trump why Trump Jr. had texted Meadows and not his own father. Advertisement“I wish that the answer you had given was the right one, caller ID,” she cracked in response.

FILE - U.S. President Bill Clinton raises his glass to toast with Russian President Boris Yeltsin at a dinner reception in Moscow's Kremlin Hall of Facets, May 10, 1995. (AP Photo/Alexander Zemlianichenko, File)FILE - U.S. President Bill Clinton raises his glass to toast with Russian President Boris Yeltsin at a dinner reception in Moscow's Kremlin Hall of Facets, May 10, 1995. Putin later said NATO was unwilling to embrace Russia because the West feared its power and independent stance. While exploring possible NATO membership, Putin also moved to forge closer political and security ties with Washington and its allies. “NATO’s relationship with Ukraine is going to be decided by the 30 NATO allies and Ukraine, no one else,” NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said last week.

The Air Force gave its forces until Nov. 2 to get the vaccine, and thousands have either refused or sought an exemption. Air Force spokeswoman Ann Stefanek said Monday that these are the first airmen to be administratively discharged for reasons involving the vaccine. Each of the services set its own deadlines and procedures for the mandate, and the Air Force set the earliest deadline. As of last week, a bit more than 97% of the active duty Air Force had gotten at least one shot. But overall the percentage of troops — particularly active duty members — who quickly got the shots exceeds the nationwide numbers.

His approval rating from Florida voters is enough to place him No. 10 among all the state’s 50 governors. The top two spots are held by Govs. Charlie Baker of Massachusetts and Larry Hogan of Maryland, both of whom are moderate Republicans who’ve been critical of President Donald Trump. Each has approval of at least 70% of his state’s voters and disapproval in the mid-teens.

They have called their project the Nuclear Biscuit, after the small card bearing the president’s launch authorization codes. Having gone through the full, terrifying, 15 minutes, I can see what he means. His job is to hold on to the briefcase, the “nuclear football”, containing the launch plans and biscuit. Photograph: Courtesy The Nuclear Biscuit ProjectIn 1979, the world came within minutes of nuclear war because someone had left a training tape simulating a Russian attack in the early warning system monitors. The nuclear launch codes are displayed.

Hu is the editor of the Global Times, a chest-thumpingly nationalistic tabloid sometimes described as “China’s Fox News”. Two days after the bombing, the Global Times published a special issue, featuring a report by a Global Times journalist who had been speaking with the ambassador in the building just minutes before the explosion. The divergence between the English Global Times and the Chinese Global Times was striking. By 2011, as the government line on freedom of speech hardened, so did the editorial line of the Global Times. A decade ago, on social media, Hu had seemed to be the No 1 flag bearer for Chinese nationalism.

During a crucial week for Joe Biden’s agenda that will likely feature a political showdown on his Build Back Better legislation in the Senate, voting rights activists are turning up the pressure in Washington. The diverse group of activists came to Washington from around the country and were focused primarily on issues around voting rights and poverty. Barber and several other voting rights activists have been frustrated by what they view as a lack of focus and from the Biden administration regarding voting rights. Arnwine was referring to the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act. The bill would restore provisions in the Voting Rights Act of 1965 that were removed by the supreme court’s Shelby v Holder decision in 2013.

The Tunisian president, Kais Saied, has announced a constitutional referendum to be held next July, a year to the day after he seized broad powers in moves his opponents call a coup. Laying out the timeline for his proposed political changes in a televised speech, Saied said the referendum would take place on 25 July, following an online public consultation starting in January. The referendum date is Tunisia’s republic day and the anniversary of his sudden intervention, which has cast doubt on the north African country’s democratic gains since the 2011 revolution that triggered the “Arab spring” revolts. Saied said he would appoint a committee of experts to draft a new constitution, to be ready by June ahead of the referendum. Mohammed Abou, a former minister, said in a televised interview that Saied’s “violation of the constitution” amounted to a coup.

That was not enough to prevent a narrow 52-48% majority for Leave resulting in a “hard Brexit” that took Britain out of the customs union and single market. Then there is the fracturing of the Remain front itself, a fragile construct plagued by factionalism. The main opposition Labour Party – which Remainers always accused of offering lukewarm support – now says Brexit must be made to work. While Bray said he was “totally miffed by anyone saying make Brexit work” others simply shrug and say they too have moved on. “It has left a very volatile electorate that we don’t quite understand at the moment.”

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson could face the wrath of his party's MPs on Tuesday with dozens set to rebel against a vote to introduce new COVID-19 measures. Fellow Conservative MP Mark Harper also signalled he will rebel during Tuesday's vote, writing on Twitter: "The initial evidence on Omicron does not support the measures announced." It became the first country in the world on Monday to report a death from the new Omicron variant with Johnson warning over the weekend of a "tidal wave" in infections. Data suggest the level of protection against Omicron rises to 70-75% days after a third dose of the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine. The Prime Minister was called to order on Thursday over the costly renovation of his Downing Street home.

Against a backdrop of colorful banners and fluttering flags, local Hong Kong politician Allan Wong is trying to get morning commuters excited about the city’s upcoming “patriots only” legislature polls. A campaign poster on display over a vegetable stall at a market in Hong Kong ahead of the city’s legislative “patriots only” elections on Dec. 19. Hong Kong political scientist Kenneth Chan said Xia’s remarks came from a “parallel universe” that is disconnected from many Hong Kongers. For previous legislature elections between 2004 and 2016, that figure consistently hovered above 80%. Chan described the upcoming race as “heavily manipulated from start to finish.”“We are in a very different game, a game that Hong Kong people are not comfortable with.”

But Hochul said she was not concerned by the five counties' flagrant disobeying of her rule. 'I'm going to monitor what's going on in the various counties,' Hochul said. 'I have a close relationship with the [New York State] Association of Counties. 'How the state intends to enforce this mandate is not clear but our local health departments certainly do not have the capability to do so. 'To even think of adding the enforcement of another state mandate to this dedicated but exhausted staff is reprehensible.'

Oxford Community Schools are set to be closed on Tuesday after a threat aimed at the middle school was posted on social media. It has been exactly two weeks since four students were shot and killed in a shooting at Oxford High School. Oxford Community Schools has announced all buildings will be closed Tuesday after a threat against the middle school was received on social media. Ethan Crumbley appeared via Zoom in court on Monday from the Oakland County Jail in Michigan. Keast assured her he would contact jail officials to 'make sure the defendant is not within sight or sound of adults at the Oakland County Jail.'

Russia on Monday vetoed a Security Council resolution formally linking climate change and global security that was supported by a majority of UN member states. China abstained, while India voted against, arguing that global warming was chiefly an issue related to economic development, rather than international security. "We need to better understand this link" between security and climate change, she said. Russia's ambassador to the UN, Vassily Nebenzia, said a resolution would "create confusion and duplication" with other UN forums tackling climate change. "For us, the direct link between terrorism and climate change is far from obvious," he said.

"There can be a degree of possibilities of criticism if a presidential candidate as a public official fails to stop his wife's misdeeds after their marriage, but it would be too excessive to blame the candidate for things that happened before his marriage," he noted.

(CNN) Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin has decided that no US military personnel will be punished over the August drone strike in Kabul that killed 10 civilians, including seven children. Following a review of the strike, Austin instructed the heads of Central Command and Special Operations Command to make recommendations to improve Defense Department policies and procedures. But their recommendations did not include holding anyone accountable or punishing anyone involved in the strike, Pentagon press secretary John Kirby said Monday. Some of them are understandably classified, but he approved their recommendations," Kirby said. Two weeks after the strike, and only after CNN and other media outlets raised serious questions about the military's official account, the Pentagon acknowledged the operation was a mistake.

Court Records Show That Emails and Phone Data Were Searched in Child Porn Probe of Billionaire Denny Sanford ProPublica won access to search warrants showing a child pornography investigation of South Dakota’s richest man, confirming our reporting from last year. Authorities seized phone, email and internet data in a child pornography investigation of South Dakota’s richest person, T. Denny Sanford, according to court records obtained by ProPublica. South Dakota’s Division of Criminal Investigation obtained five search warrants for emails, internet logs and phone data. Acting on a tip, ProPublica originally called the county courthouse in Sioux Falls to obtain the search warrants in July 2020. “The question we confront here is not a close one,” the court wrote, ruling that the state law clearly says search warrants are public records.

Text messages from the hosts, unnamed Republican lawmakers, and even the former president's son Donald Trump Jr., were read out loud on Monday during a hearing of the congressional panel tasked with investigating the insurrection. The Capitol Police tweet is not enough," Donald Trump Jr.'s text said, according to excerpts read by Rep. Liz Cheney, vice chair of the panel. Cheney read some of the text messages that were turned over to the committee by Meadows as part of their investigation into the attack. The text messages showed the extent to which several Fox News personalities privately sought action from Trump, who was silent for hours during the insurrection. In spite of their desperate communications on Jan. 6, some of them would go on to downplay the violence at the Capitol.

People in England are advised to work from home, and masks and Covid passes will be mandatory in more places. The rules, as ever under Mr. Johnson, feel arbitrary and ill thought out. The problem is: Will people follow them when it is likely that Mr. Johnson — if the past is any indication — will not? That parties should come back to haunt Mr. Johnson is ironic, since we liked him for his levity. Ms. Stratton was hired to be the voice of his government and to give a daily briefing in the American style.

She said Nancy Pelosi is "increasingly cantankerous" yet is slated to run for an 18th term in Congress. She has real power – whether or not she’s in the majority," Ingraham said. And at age 81, he’s in no mood to give up power," Ingraham said. After listing many of the long-standing politicians in the Democratic Party, Ingraham said, "This is the party of the future? According to Ingraham, the Democrats have made the choice to abandon their principles after a progressive wing entered Congress.

“Can he make a statement? Ask people to leave the Capitol?” Hannity had texted Meadows during the riot. “Mark, the president needs to tell people in the Capitol to go home,” Fox News host Laura Ingraham wrote. “Please get him on TV,” the network’s Brian Kilmeade messaged. “Destroying everything you have accomplished.”As the Daily Beast first reported, the subject did not come up once during Meadows’ appearance Monday on “Hannity.”

Duggar is among four Republicans seeking their party's nomination for a state Senate seat Tuesday, Dec.14, 2021 in a special primary election. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin, File)FILE - Jim Bob Duggar and his family listen as former Arkansas Gov. Duggar is among four Republicans seeking their party's nomination for a state Senate seat Tuesday, Dec.14, 2021 in a special primary election. (AP) — Voters in northwest Arkansas are deciding who to nominate for a vacant state Senate seat Tuesday in a special primary election where the candidates include “19 Kids and Counting” father Jim Bob Duggar. If needed, a runoff election will be held Jan. 11 with the special election set for Feb. 8.

Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., leaves his office moments after speaking with President Joe Biden about his long-stalled domestic agenda, at the Capitol in Washington, Monday, Dec. 13, 2021. Manchin is a pivotal Democratic vote on passage of the president's top legislative priority. Scott Applewhite)Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., leaves his office moments after speaking with President Joe Biden about his long-stalled domestic agenda, at the Capitol in Washington, Monday, Dec. 13, 2021. Manchin is a pivotal Democratic vote on passage of the president's top legislative priority. But his stance underscored that the White House and Senate leaders still must make concessions to nail down Manchin’s support.

FILE- South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem speaks during the Family Leadership Summit, Friday, July 16, 2021, in Des Moines, Iowa. Kristi Noem instigated the legal fight to strike down the amendment passed by voters in November. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall)FILE- South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem speaks during the Family Leadership Summit, Friday, July 16, 2021, in Des Moines, Iowa.

FILE - Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., speaks to reporters, at the Capitol in Washington, Tuesday, Sept. 14, 2021. A line from a speech given from the U.S. Senate floor by McConnell before rioters broke into the Capitol on Jan. 6 tops a Yale Law School librarian's list of the most notable quotes of 2021. Scott Applewhite, File)FILE - Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., speaks to reporters, at the Capitol in Washington, Tuesday, Sept. 14, 2021. A line from a speech given from the U.S. Senate floor by McConnell before rioters broke into the Capitol on Jan. 6 tops a Yale Law School librarian's list of the most notable quotes of 2021. “The voters, the courts, and the states have all spoken.” — U.S. Sen. Mitch McConnell, remarks on Senate floor, Jan. 6.

The Air Force gave its forces until Nov. 2 to get the vaccine, and thousands have either refused or sought an exemption. Air Force spokeswoman Ann Stefanek said Monday that these are the first airmen to be administratively discharged for reasons involving the vaccine. Each of the services set its own deadlines and procedures for the mandate, and the Air Force set the earliest deadline. According to the latest Air Force data, more than 1,000 airmen have refused the shot and more than 4,700 are seeking a religious exemption. As of last week, a bit more than 97% of the active duty Air Force had gotten at least one shot.

An accused Capitol rioter told KLAS-TV he believes Donald Trump's words played a role in the attack. "He's one of the most powerful persons in the world," Ronald Sandlin told the outlet of Trump. Sandlin is accused of carrying a knife during the riot and smoking weed inside the Capitol. "I've worn the MAGA cap outside and have had people spit on me," Sandlin told the outlet. "He's one of the most powerful persons in the world," Sandlin told KLAS-TV.

A judge on Monday denied the Los Angeles police union’s request to temporarily halt the implementation of the city’s COVID-19 vaccination mandate. Mike Feuer praised the judge’s decision, which marked the second time this month the court sided with the city on the vaccination mandate issue. On Dec. 3, a different judge rejected a similar request for a preliminary injunction filed by the union representing Los Angeles firefighters, Feuer said. Monday’s ruling comes after a judge struck down a similar request for a preliminary injunction filed by the United Firefighters of Los Angeles City Local 112. The firefighters union filed suit in November and asked that the vaccination mandate, which is scheduled to take effect Saturday, be delayed to allow for proper bargaining procedures.

Stearns said the game, which was scheduled for Friday night in New Orleans, was canceled because the schools could not secure lodging for the Patriots due to the damage from Hurricane Ida.

Freedom of speech is to be enshrined in a new British bill of rights to protect against wokery, political correctness and the advance of European-style privacy laws. However, this will be balanced by restrictions on criminals’ ability to use human rights laws to evade deportation or secure their release from jail. Mr Raab is proposing a new “filter” to weed out “spurious” human rights cases before they get to court. Mr Raab proposes ending the duty of courts to take into account Strasbourg case law, freeing them to base decisions on UK tradition and law. Reform of our laws is vital to protect human rights and respect the will of ParliamentBy Suella Braverman, Attorney General

The objections from pilots came as a cell that initiated attacks in Syria reportedly ignored protocols designed to protect civilians. A clandestine team called "Talon Anvil" launched tens of thousands of bombs and missiles in Syria between 2014 and 2019, the New York Times reported. Talon Anvil reportedly consisted of only a few dozen people and was highly classified. It initially operated from Erbil, Iraq and then out of a former cement factory and housing complex in northern Syria. The cell worked around the clock in three shifts gathering intelligence from drone footage, electronic surveillance, and allies on the ground.

Another said 'scare stories' about further curbs beyond Plan B had 'actually had the opposite effect' and emboldened the rebels. Tory whips launched a desperate 11th hour operation on Monday to curb the revolt, telling junior members of the Government that they would have to quit if they voted against Covid vaccine passports. Even at the height of the NHS's vaccine drive in March, the health service never managed more than 850,000 jabs a day. Younger people were also turned away in the confusion as they tried to get booster jabs. Even at the height of the NHS's vaccine drive in March, the health service never managed more than 850,000 jabs a day.

NATIONALYoon Suk-yeol (right), presidential nominee of the main opposition People Power Party, poses for a photo Sunday with former Democratic Party leader Kim Han-gil in celebrating the opening of the Sasidae Preparatory Committee. (Joint Press Corps)The main opposition People Power Party is looking beyond its own ranks as it builds a support team for Yoon Suk-yeol’s presidential campaign.In most campaigns, parties have let political allegiances govern directions and appointments, but the main opposition bloc is emphasizing unity and inclusivity in its battle against the ruling Democratic Party of Korea. He represents a constituency in North Jeolla Province, a traditional stronghold for the liberal faction.The party had recruited veteran election campaigner Kim Chong-in to serve as the chief of Yoon’s election campaign committee. Kim Chong-in served as head of the People Power Party and the Democratic Party at different times in the past, showing no particular party allegiance in his political career.Yet the party's recruitment plan also received criticism of that it included figures with unresolved allegations against them. While the gap between the two candidates has narrowed, Yoon has kept his lead in polls recent weeks.By Ko Jun-tae ( ko.juntae@heraldcorp.com

"I don’t know how this could be problematic, as I didn’t even write down these accomplishments to advance to schools or anything," she said during the YTN interview. "I wasn’t a public servant or a public official nor I was married to candidate Yoon Suk-yeol then, so I don’t understand why I have to undergo such verification (of my past moves). She is also alleged to have committed plagiarism in her past academic works.Her mother was jailed for establishing a medical foundation and a geriatric hospital in 2013 without the necessary medical qualifications. "And if Kim Keon-hee forged her life for decoration, that should be checked more precisely. "By Ko Jun-tae ( ko.juntae@heraldcorp.com

NATIONALPresident Moon Jae-in and Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison.hold a press conference for the leaders of South Korea-Australia held at the Supreme Council room in Canberra’s National Assembly building on Monday. (Yonhap)In the wake of Monday’s summit between South Korea and Australia, President Moon Jae-in and Prime Minister Scott Morrison adopted a joint statement touching on the tricky situation in the South China Sea.“As major maritime trading nations, Australia and South Korea recognize that the stability of the Indo-Pacific depends on adherence to international law in the maritime domain, including in the South China Sea,” said the joint statement signed by the two leaders.The South China Sea is a marginal sea of the Western Pacific Ocean. China claims most of the sea as its territory and strongly opposes outside intervention.Tensions between China and the US have recently escalated as the US and the European Union are concerned about China’s violation of international law in the sea through high-level consultations. The US also warned that it could trigger a mutual defense treaty after China used water cannons on two Philippine supply boats heading to the sea.The joint statement said the two leaders underscored that disputes must be resolved peacefully and in accordance with international law, including the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea.“They also reaffirmed the importance of upholding freedom of navigation and overflight, and agreed to strengthen coordination to uphold these principles, which must not be undermined in the context of increasing risks of instability in the maritime domain.”President Moon, who distanced himself from the diplomatic boycott of the Beijing Winter Olympics on Monday, appears to be on the side of Australia when it comes to the issue of the South China Sea.Australia is the top US ally, participating in the AUKUS, Quad and Five Eyes, which the US leads to check China. They also agreed to be close partners

"I don’t know how this could be problematic, as I didn’t even write down these accomplishments to advance to schools or anything," she said during the YTN interview. "I wasn’t a public servant or a public official nor I was married to candidate Yoon Suk-yeol then, so I don’t understand why I have to undergo such verification (of my past moves). She is also alleged to have committed plagiarism in her past academic works.Her mother was jailed for establishing a medical foundation and a geriatric hospital in 2013 without the necessary medical qualifications. "And if Kim Keon-hee forged her life for decoration, that should be checked more precisely. "By Ko Jun-tae ( ko.juntae@heraldcorp.com

The main opposition People Power Party is looking beyond its own ranks as it builds a support team for Yoon Suk-yeol’s presidential campaign.In most campaigns, parties have let political allegiances govern directions and appointments, but the main opposition bloc is emphasizing unity and inclusivity in its battle against the ruling Democratic Party of Korea. It ultimately seeks to increase its base among politically neutral voters and later use the recently established sub-committees to merge forces with minor presidential candidates.The Saesidae Preparatory Committee's makeup could be helpful in helping Yoon's campaign team merge forces with Ahn Cheol-soo, presidential candidate and head of the minor opposition People's Party. He represents a constituency in North Jeolla Province, a traditional stronghold for the liberal faction.The party had recruited veteran election campaigner Kim Chong-in to serve as the chief of Yoon’s election campaign committee. Kim Chong-in served as head of the People Power Party and the Democratic Party at different times in the past, showing no particular party allegiance in his political career.Yet the party's recruitment plan also received criticism of that it included figures with unresolved allegations against them. While the gap between the two candidates has narrowed, Yoon has kept his lead in polls recent weeks.By Ko Jun-tae ( ko.juntae@heraldcorp.com

Paul Gosar has repeatedly denounced the American Rescue Plan, a bill passed by Congress earlier this year to help Americans and businesses during the pandemic. Rep. Paul Gosar celebrates a federal grant to an Arizona city to fight Covid under the American Rescue Plan. UNMENTIONED: Gosar voted against the legislation. pic.twitter.com/DzyMgCVwFF — Sahil Kapur (@sahilkapur) December 13, 2021Gosar and Miles’ offices did not immediately respond to a requests for comment from Rolling Stone. As of Monday, Gosar seems pretty proud of that supposedly “meager relief.”

The seven Democratic and two Republican members of the House of Representatives Select Committee approved a report recommending the criminal charge against Meadows by a 9-0 vote. Meadows has been called repeatedly to appear for depositions before the Democratic-led committee and has declined to do so despite being subpoenaed. Asked about the committee decision in a Fox News Channel interview, Meadows said: "Obviously it's disappointing but not surprising." 1/5 White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows speaks to reporters following a television interview, outside the White House in Washington, U.S. October 21, 2020. Meadows could become the third associate of the former Republican president to face a criminal contempt of Congress charge.

In its report, the committee said it seeks more information from Meadows on text messages he exchanged with the organizer of the Jan. 6 rally on the Ellipse that preceded the attack on the Capitol. The organizer texted Meadows that things “have gotten crazy and I desperately need some direction. Please.” The committee also wants to know more about messages Meadows received regarding “apparent efforts” to encourage Republican lawmakers in certain states to send alternate slates of electors to Congress in an attempt to undo Biden’s win. In texts, a member of Congress told Meadows that the plan was “highly controversial,” and Meadows texted back, “I love it.”

The Tokyo Bar Association will start looking into the circumstances under which foreign people have been stopped and questioned by Japanese police following allegations of racial profiling, a lawyer belonging to the group said Monday. "We have good reasons to believe that police officers frequently racially profile people of foreign origin," Junko Hayashi said at the Foreign Correspondents' Club of Japan. Earlier this month, the U.S. Embassy in Tokyo said on its official Twitter account that it had received reports of "suspected racial profiling incidents" with several foreigners "detained, questioned, and searched" by the police. The message advised U.S. citizens to carry proof of immigration status and request consular notification if detained. Hayashi said the association decided to take action since "the chief cabinet secretary does not seem willing to investigate."

Russia on Monday said that it could be forced to deploy nuclear missiles in Europe as a reaction to what it perceives as NATO’s intentions to make similar moves. Intermediate-range ballistic and cruise missiles were banned in Europe as part of a 1987 treaty aimed at addressing Cold War tensions. After years of Russia allegedly violating the pact, the U.S. exited the agreement in 2019, according to Reuters. NATO has said that there would be no new U.S. missiles in Europe and that it would address threats from new Russian missiles with conventional weapons. However, Ryabkov said Russia had a "complete lack of trust" in the military alliance, the news service noted.

Aimal (R), brother of Ezmarai Ahmadi, stands next to the wreckage of a vehicle that was damaged in a US drone strike in the Kwaja Burga neighbourhood of Kabul on September 18, 2021. The U.S. military will not punish any personnel for the drone strike this summer in the capital of Afghanistan that killed 10 civilians, including as many as seven children, NBC reported Monday. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, who previously called the civilian deaths a "horrible mistake," concurred in the decision not to reprimand any personnel for the strike. In a statement, NEI founder and president Dr. Steven Kwon called the decision not to punish anyone for the drone strike "shocking." The strike came during the chaotic withdrawal of U.S. troops from Afghanistan, which President Joe Biden had ordered in April.

Congressional leaders will hold a moment of silence Tuesday to mark the more than 800,000 Americans who have died from COVID-19. More than 450,000 Americans died from COVID-19 in 2021, according to Reuters, which also noted that the deaths this year account for 57% of all COVID-19 deaths in the U.S. since the start of the pandemic. The number of deaths related to COVID-19 in 2020, by comparison, was 385,343, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). US COVID-19 DEATHS IN 2021 SURPASS 2020'S TOLLThe report from Reuters also ranked the U.S. as worst in terms of per capita deaths from COVID-19 among the Group of Seven countries in the period between Jan. 1 and Nov. 30. In June, members of Congress held a similar moment of silence when the COVID-19 death toll in the U.S. hit 600,000 people.

New York (CNN Business) A version of this article first appeared in the "Reliable Sources" newsletter. Fox News did not bother to air Monday night's meeting of the House committee investigating the 1/6 attack. "Mark, the president needs to tell people in the Capitol to go home," Laura Ingraham texted Meadows. On Monday, Cheney read two other texts from Fox stars to Meadows from 1/6. The other was from Sean Hannity: "Can he make a statement, ask people to leave the Capitol?"

A former sheriff’s deputy was accused Monday of pouring scalding water on a mentally ill inmate at a Southern California jail this year, causing first- and second-degree burns that weren't treated for more than six hours, authorities said. District Attorney Todd Spitzer blamed Ortiz in a statement for “inflicting unnecessary harm on a mentally ill inmate out of frustration.”The inmate was not identified. When the inmate again refused, Ortiz filled a cup from a hot water dispenser and poured it on the inmate's hands, the DA’s office said. The sheriff's department said in a statement that it investigated the incident and asked the DA's office to consider charges. The union representing sheriff's deputies in Orange County did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

FILE - White House chief of staff Mark Meadows speaks with reporters outside the White House, Oct. 26, 2020, in Washington. The House panel investigating the Jan. 6 Capitol insurrection says it has “no choice” but to move forward with contempt charges against former Trump White House chief of staff Mark Meadows. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky, File)FILE - White House chief of staff Mark Meadows speaks with reporters outside the White House, Oct. 26, 2020, in Washington. The House panel investigating the Jan. 6 Capitol insurrection says it has “no choice” but to move forward with contempt charges against former Trump White House chief of staff Mark Meadows. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky, File)WASHINGTON (AP) — The House panel investigating the Jan. 6 Capitol insurrection has voted to recommend contempt charges against former White House chief of staff Mark Meadows as lawmakers revealed a series of frantic texts he received as the attack was underway.

President Joe Biden (AP Photo/Susan Walsh)The most famous quotes Bill Clinton ever uttered as president were whoppers. That’s an additional $3 trillion added to the deficit over 10 years. Democrats purposely included bogus sunsets in the bill for new entitlements involving child care and universal preschool in order to lowball the measure’s true costs. Yet they have publicly proclaimed that they have no intention of ever letting any of these programs expire. Indeed, $5 trillion is a far more accurate spending estimate than the phony, gimmick-laden accounting flimflam that the White House prefers.

China's treatment of its Uyghur minority could come before the courts in Argentina at about the same time that the Winter Olympics open on Feb. 4 in Beijing. “For the Uyghurs to swear their evidence in an Argentinian court is a huge moment,” Polak said. Polak said he expects China to use political leverage and financial pressure in Argentina to stop the court case. “We think because of the strong evidence in our case, the Buenos Aires court should accept it and should investigate," Polak said. “Everywhere we've taken the Uyghur case around the world, China tries to step in and stop it from happening," Polak added.

Biden is falling short, but gets it that Ukraine is now an advancing democracy and wants to go its own way despite once being the most important part of Russia. Ukraine is already combatting Russia-supported rebels and Biden understands that Hungary, Poland and the Baltic states could be next in line for takeovers. A spokesman said major European nations are on board with Biden about economic sanctions as well as his supplying Ukraine with defensive weaponry. Biden agreed with Putin on no offensive weaponry. Putin wasn’t deterred from much by President Barack Obama’s sanctions after Russia facilitated Crimea’s separation from Ukraine, and Russia can, to some extent, rely more on China and other parts of Asia if Europe gets tough.

The new congressional map must account for the loss of one seat, dropping the state's D.C. delegation from 18 to 17 starting with the 2022 races. The legislative maps cover the 203-person state House and 50-member state Senate. The primary election is currently scheduled for May 17, and it's unclear if it will have to be delayed. “Any decision to move the primary would have to originate in the Legislature,” said Beth Rementer, press secretary for Democratic Gov. Carol Kuniholm, who chairs the advocacy group Fair Districts PA, said it may already be too late to keep the primary date intact.

FARMINGTON – Roughly 7,500 checks have not been claimed in the Navajo Nation CARES Fund Hardship Assistance Program, the Office of the President and Vice President said in a news release on Monday. The program was created to help enrolled tribal members impacted financially by the coronavirus pandemic. “Unclaimed checks may be due to a change or error with a mailing address, an incomplete application or other issues. Navajo Nation officials authorized two application periods for the hardship assistance program. Some 312,000 enrolled members have received assistance, according to the president’s office news release.

(AP) — Voters in northwest Arkansas are deciding who to nominate for a vacant state Senate seat Tuesday in a special primary election where the candidates include “19 Kids and Counting” father Jim Bob Duggar. Duggar is among four Republicans seeking their party's nomination for the state Senate seat, which opened up following the resignation of Republican Sen. Lance Eads. The election comes days after Duggar's son, Josh Duggar, was convicted in federal court of receiving and possessing child pornography. Jim Bob Duggar previously served in the Arkansas House. His large Arkansas family was featured on TLC's “19 Kids and Counting” reality TV show.

Navy prosecutors have alleged that a sailor charged with setting the fire that destroyed the USS Bonhomme Richard last year was “disgruntled” after dropping out of Navy Seal training. Mays has denied igniting the amphibious assault ship that burned for nearly five days and injured dozens aboard. 00:50 USS Bonhomme Richard fire: US warship rocked by explosion in San Diego – videoDefence attorneys said fellow sailors considered Mays “arrogant” because he had come from Seal training. The junior sailor was charged with aggravated arson and the wilful hazarding of a vessel over the fire that was the US’s worst non-combat warship blaze in recent memory. Defence lawyers objected to the hearing, saying they were not given enough time to review the evidence against Mays.

Welcome to your early morning news briefing from The Telegraph - a round-up of the top stories we are covering on Tuesday. To receive twice-daily briefings by email, sign up to our Front Page newsletter for free. NHS overwhelmed after millions answer call for Covid booster jabsThe NHS was scrambling to deliver government pledges on booster jabs as millions of people answered calls to get the vaccines. Omicron wave driven by 'young, healthy, vaccinated' populationThe omicron epidemic is being driven by young, vaccinated people, according to mounting data from countries as diverse as the UK, Denmark and South Africa. Stay up-to-date with breaking news and the latest politics from The Telegraph throughout the day.

Low voter turnout at New Caledonia’s independence referendum “weighs heavily” on the French territory’s self-determination process, election observers from the Pacific Islands Forum have said. In Sunday’s referendum, more than 96% of voters were opposed to independence from France, compared with 57% in 2018 and 53% in 2020. However, there was only a 43.9% turnout of eligible voters after a boycott was called by Kanak leaders. They had called, unsuccessfully, for France to delay polling until 2022 to allow for a traditional mourning period for Covid-19 deaths. The nickel-rich territory is 20,000km from France, with a population including 41% Melanesian (mostly Kanak) and 24% of European origin (mostly French).

US secretary of state Antony Blinken has used a visit to Indo-Pacific to urge China to cease “aggressive actions” in the region, as Washington seeks to bolster alliances against Beijing. “That’s why there is so much concern – from north-east Asia to south-east Asia and from the Mekong River to the Pacific Islands – about Beijing’s aggressive actions. China claims almost all of the resource-rich South China Sea, with competing claims from four south-east Asian states as well as Taiwan. US-China tensions have soared over self-ruled, democratic Taiwan, which China claims as its territory and has vowed to retake one day, by force if necessary. After Indonesia, Blinken heads to Malaysia and Thailand.

The seven Democratic and two Republican members of the House of Representatives Select Committee approved a report recommending the criminal charge against Meadows by a 9-0 vote. The full, Democratic-led House could vote as soon as Tuesday to approve the resolution. Meadows has been called repeatedly to appear for depositions before the Democratic-led committee and has declined to do so despite being subpoenaed. Committee members also said they wanted to ask Meadows about his text messages from members of Congress - who were not named - discussing ways to avoiding certifying the election result. Meadows could become the third associate of the former Republican president to face a criminal contempt of Congress charge.

Russia on Monday vetoed a first-of-its-kind U.N. Security Council resolution casting climate change as a threat to international peace and security, a vote that sank a years-long effort to make global warming a more central consideration for the U.N.'s most powerful body. The council has occasionally discussed the security implications of climate change since 2007, and the wider General Assembly pronounced itself “deeply concerned” about the issue in 2009. Their envoys said the issue should remain with broader U.N. groups, such as the Framework Convention on Climate Change. Adding climate change to the Security Council's purview would only deepen global divisions that were pointed up by last month's climate talks in Glasgow, Scotland, the opponents said. “What the Security Council needs to do is not a political show,” Chinese Ambassador Zhang Jun said.

Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews has been summoned to appear before a criminal court on a charge of concealing treason was successfully filed with a court. The Myrtleford Magistrates' Court accepted a private prosecution against Premier Daniel AndrewsMr Rech told the mob the Victorian premier faced the 'death penalty' if convicted of treason. While many private prosecutions are described by legal professionals as 'wacky', they have a long history in Victoria. Today, private prosecutions are mostly used by municipal councils, building authorities and animal welfare groups. The Victorian Director of Public Prosecutions will also be on hand, although the matter is out of its hands due to acts of treason falling under the Commonwealth's umbrella.

South Korean President Moon Jae-in (R) poses with Anthony Albanese, head of the opposition Australian Labor Party (ALP), during their meeting at a Sydney hotel on Tuesday, the third day of Moon's four-day state visit to Australia. (Yonhap)Moon Jae-in met with Australia's opposition leader on Tuesday and asked for his support for the Korean community in the country. Moon and Anthony Albanese of the Australian Labor Party met in Sydney during the president's ongoing four-day state visit to the country. He also asked that the Labor Party take an interest in and support the Korean community's settlement and growth in Australia. Moon is scheduled to meet with local businesspeople later Tuesday to discuss ways to secure stable supply chains of raw materials and critical minerals.

Share this Story: Russia warns it will deploy once banned nuclear missiles in Europe if Ukraine joins NATORussia warns it will deploy once banned nuclear missiles in Europe if Ukraine joins NATO Russia's deputy foreign minister said Moscow would turn to the missiles, which could hit European capitals, if NATO did not pledge never to use its nuclear weapons Photo by Brendan Hoffman/Getty ImagesArticle content Russia on Monday threatened to deploy intermediate-range nuclear missiles in Europe, escalating its stand-off with the West over Ukraine. Advertisement Story continues below This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Try refreshing your browser, or Russia warns it will deploy once banned nuclear missiles in Europe if Ukraine joins NATO Back to video Intermediate-range nuclear forces (INF) were banned in 1987 under a treaty signed between Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev and U.S. president Ronald Reagan. Advertisement Story continues below This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Advertisement Story continues below This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.

David Becker, executive director and founder of the Center for Election Innovation & Research, is seen during a media briefing on growing threats to election professionals in Wisconsin, held at the Wisconsin State Capitol on Dec. 13, 2021. “You’ve seen all three of these things happen in Wisconsin, directed at state officials and local officials and others,” he said. Not the Wisconsin Election Commission and not Meagan Wolfe. Wisconsin Elections Commission Administrator Meagan Wolfe, left, is seen during a September 2018 meeting of the Elections Commission with Commissioner Dean Knudson. Emily Hamer / Wisconsin WatchBecker is among those who have applauded state and local election officials’ efforts to navigate the pandemic amid unprecedented voter turnout in 2020.

They're shying away from the topic of former President Donald Trump, after years relying on him to motivate Democratic voters to get to the polls. In Massachusetts, Trump is backing former Republican state representative Geoff Diehl against popular Republican Governor Charlie Baker, before he announced he wouldn't seek a third term. Democrats now see the heavily Democratic state as their most likely pickup. "If one of Trump's candidates is nominated or beats an incumbent Republican governor, I think that's news. After McAuliffe's loss in Virginia, Democrats are also adjusting their approach to education.

A doctor prepares to administer a vaccine injection to Claudia Scott-Mighty, a patient care director at NewYork-Presbyterian Lawrence Hospital on Friday, Jan. 8, 2021, in Bronxville, N.Y. | Kevin Hagen/AP Photo Supreme Court rejects move to block New York vaccine mandateThe U.S. Supreme Court has denied a request to block New York’s vaccination mandate for health care workers because it doesn't have a religious exemption. They asked the court last month to block the state from requiring those who were previously granted religious exemptions to get vaccinated or show proof of a medical exemption. A federal appeals court previously ruled that the mandate could move forward even though it did not allow for a religious exemption. Gorsuch also noted New York made changes to its mandate for health workers. Today, the Court repeats the mistake by turning away New York’s doctors and nurses,” he wrote.

White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows speaks to reporters following a television interview, outside the White House in Washington, U.S. October 21, 2020. The seven Democratic and two Republican members of the House of Representatives Select Committee approved a report recommending the criminal charge against Meadows by a 9-0 vote. Meadows has been called repeatedly to appear for depositions before the Democratic-led committee and has declined to do so despite being subpoenaed. Asked about the committee decision in a Fox News Channel interview, Meadows said: "Obviously it's disappointing but not surprising." Meadows could become the third associate of the former Republican president to face a criminal contempt of Congress charge.

The identities of Republican lawmakers and aides linked to the Capitol riot by documents provided by former White House chief of staff Mark Meadows will soon be revealed by House investigators, a key congressman said Monday. “Information we have received has been quite revealing about members of Congress involved in the activities of Jan. 6 as well as staff,” he said. Meadows turned over thousands of pages of emails and texts regarding the events surrounding the Jan. 6 insurrection before he stopped cooperating, claiming he was protected by executive privilege. AdvertisementInformation included messages involving lawmakers and a PowerPoint “coup scheme” to overthrow the presidential election. The scheme involved Trump declaring a national security emergency to delay the certification of the 2020 Electoral College results because of baseless claims of foreign “control,” then manhandling the vote to keep Trump in the White House.

Indonesia's President Joko Widodo gestures while speaking with the U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken as U.S. He said United States, its allies and some South China Sea claimants would push back against any unlawful action. Rather, it's to protect the right of all countries to choose their own path, free from coercion and intimidation." China claims almost the entire South China Sea as its own, despite some overlapping claims with other coastal states and an international tribunal that ruled that China's vast claim has no legal basis. Blinken, who will also visit Malaysia and Thailand this week, said the United States would work to strengthen supply chains and close the region's infrastructure gaps, from ports and roads to power grids and the internet.

The Justice Department is reviewing its decision not to prosecute the F.B.I. agents who failed to pursue allegations of sexual abuse made in 2015 against Lawrence G. Nassar, the former physician for U.S.A. The unusual review comes months after the Justice Department’s watchdog issued a scathing report that sharply criticized how the F.B.I. Gymnastics reported sexual abuse allegations to the bureau’s Indianapolis field office in July 2015. But the Justice Department ultimately chose not to prosecute Mr. Abbott, who retired in January 2018.

Rep. Devin Nunes, a controversial San Joaquin Valley Republican and ardent supporter of Donald Trump, is leaving Congress by the end of the month to head a social media company created by the former president. Shortly after he sent the note, the Trump Media & Technology Group announced that Nunes, 48, would be its chief executive officer beginning in January. Nunes said he was “humbled” that Trump asked him to lead his new company, which is planning on launching a social media platform called TRUTH Social. Politics Twitter fights Justice Department subpoena over Rep. Nunes parody account Twitter is fighting a DOJ subpoena related to the user of an account that parodies Rep. Devin Nunes (R-Calif.), who has unsuccessfully sought to unmask such users. Such efforts, along with Nunes’ unyielding loyalty to Trump, led to Nunes becoming a top target for liberal scorn across the nation.

State Sen. Dan Laughlin of Erie has decided to forego a run for governor in 2022 and instead endorse a fellow Republican for the job. “I believe we need to come together and focus on the future of the Commonwealth,” Laughlin says in the statement. White told the (Wilkes-Barre) Times Leader last month that he's invested $2 million of his own money into his campaign. A few months ago I met Dave White and he's got kind of a similar background to me," Laughlin said. After winning 60% of the vote in his 2020 reelection campaign, Laughlin began discussing a potential run for governor in 2022 to fill the open seat now held by Gov.

By TODD STACY, Alabama Daily NewsMONTGOMERY, Ala. – A new Alabama Daily News poll of Republican voters shows Gov. Kay Ivey with a high approval rating and a big lead over potential opponents in her bid for reelection in 2022. More than 60% of Republican primary voters say they approve of the way Ivey is handling her job as governor, while 28.3% say they disapprove. In a ballot test of the race for governor with potential candidates included, Ivey carried 41.5% while no other candidate was in double digits. The survey, commissioned by Alabama Daily News and conducted by Cygnal, took place August 17-18 among 600 likely Republican primary voters and has a margin of error of +/- 4.0%.

For Immediate ReleaseDecember 7, 2021EMILY’s List Endorses Jessica Cisneros for CongressWASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, EMILY’s List, the nation’s largest resource for women in politics, endorsed Jessica Cisneros in the race to represent Texas’ 28th District in the U.S. House of Representatives. Laphonza Butler, president of EMILY’s List, released the following statement:“Jessica Cisneros has worked on behalf of Texans for her entire career, and EMILY’s List is proud to stand with her as she runs to represent her hometown in Congress. We know that her work on behalf of Texas’ families will only continue when Cisneros is in Washington. EMILY’s List, the nation’s largest resource for women in politics, has raised over $700 million to elect Democratic pro-choice women candidates. More than 40% of the candidates EMILY’s List has helped elect to Congress have been women of color.

Trump ally aims for Rep. Bill Foster's seat Presented by AARPHappy Tuesday, Illinois. TOP TALKERRepublican Catalina Lauf is pivoting her congressional campaign to run in IL-11 in the seat now held by Rep. Bill Foster. We are stronger together in that regard,” Jacob Kaplan, executive director of Cook County Dems, said in an interview. The pledge is only for Cook County candidates, so folks running statewide don’t need to sign the pledge. “I’m a dad and local volunteer who is ready to serve my neighbors on the Cook County Board,” he said in a statement.

HUNTERSVILLE, N.C. (WBTV/AP) – Huntersville’s former mayor appears to have his eyes set on North Carolina’s new congressional district. A Facebook post on John Aneralla’s Facebook page from over the weekend states “HUGE Campaign Announcement coming this Monday! HUGE Campaign Announcement coming this Monday! Aneralla recently served three terms as mayor of Huntersville, from 2015 to 2021, according to his website. Previously, Rep. Madison Cawthorn announced that he would be running for Congress in the state’s 13th District.

Still, voters support BBB passage 52-28 percent. “A strong majority of Democrats say Hochul possesses each of these attributes, as do a plurality of independents. “Republicans, Democrats, independents, upstaters and downstaters all agree that creating economic opportunity and fighting crime are the top two issues they want Albany to address in the upcoming session. Managing the pandemic came in as third most important issue, more so for Democrats, downstate suburbanites and Black voters,” Greenberg said. The Siena College Research Institute, directed by Donald Levy, Ph.D., conducts political, economic, social, and cultural research primarily in NYS.

Republicans across the nation routinely demonize transgender people and the idea of critical race theory, but James’ attack on yoga is much more unusual. Jackson, the 2013 nominee for lieutenant governor of Virginia who once suggested it leads to Satan, but James isn’t the only Alabama conservative up in arms about it. The Eagle Forum of Alabama alleged that yoga wasn’t an exercise but was instead done as “an offering of worship” to Hindu deities. Ivey already faces a potential primary challenge from state Auditor Jim Ziegler, who formed an exploratory committee in June. Alabama requires primary candidates to win a majority of the vote in order to avoid a runoff.

“They’re like a cancer, metastasizing over time infecting the minds of children,” James said. “They are symptoms of a cultural tsunami that has reached critical mass in America and if left unchecked is toxic to Alabama children,” James said. “And if we lose this cultural war, it’s gone.”School officials say critical race theory is not taught in K-12 schools in Alabama. “It is the responsibility of the leaders of this state to do everything in their power to protect children in schools,” James said. James finished third in the 2010 Republican primary, trailing second-place Bentley by just a few hundred votes after a recount.

After all, Perdue very nearly won in Georgia last year—and so did Trump. ? NH-Gov: Democratic state Sen. Tom Sherman says he's considering a bid against Republican Gov. ? OH-Gov: Republican Rep. Warren Davidson, who first floated the possibility of running against Gov. Obituaries? Bob Dole, the longtime Republican Senate leader and unsuccessful GOP nominee for president in 1996, has died at the age of 98. While the move might have helped keep Reagan at bay, the Ford-Dole ticket lost a close race to Georgia Gov.

And he has been receptive to the prospect of Alabama Senate GOP candidate Lynda Blanchard challenging Alabama Gov. Trump has been "pulling strings behind the scenes and guiding candidates in the right direction," this person said. Pat McCrory, another GOP Senate candidate, and Budd's supporters think that he could gain on McCrory if he doesn't have to split votes with Walker. "It was my honor to be appointed by President Trump to serve as his Ambassador and I will continue to support the President and his America First Agenda," Blanchard said. The National Republican Senatorial Committee and the National Republican Congressional Committee do not support Republican candidates in open primaries, and the Republican Governors Association supports incumbents like Kemp.

Tim James will seek the Republican nomination for governor next year, adding a significant challenger to Gov. “I hate that we find ourselves in this situation because the governor and my family have been friends for more than 40 years,” James said. In 2010, James finished third in the Republican primary, just getting beaten out of a runoff by then-Rep. Robert Bentley of Tuscaloosa, the eventual winner of the race. He had strongly suggested he would enter the race at an appearance at the State Capitol in September. Besides Ivey and James, the Republican field includes Alabama State Auditor Jim Zeigler; correctional officer Stacey George, and Dean Odle, a minister in Opelika.

Kay Ivey’s reelection campaign on Friday announced that it would launch its first TV ad during Saturday’s SEC Championship Game. Viewers tuned in to watch the University of Alabama contend for its second straight SEC title will see Ivey tout the Yellowhammer State’s accomplishments under her administration. The ad begins with a shot of Ivey and a graphic displayed under her name which reads, “Alabama’s Most Conservative Governor.”“Sometimes it’s like the world’s gone crazy. “Governor Ivey has a common sense approach that the people of Alabama are grateful for, so, it’s no wonder she is one of the most popular governors in the country,” said Califf. “Governor Ivey is a conservative fighter who has always stood up for Alabama values.

“President Trump could jump out on Monday and do it, but he is also interested in waiting to make a big splash later on,” said one of the people familiar with Trump’s thinking. A person close to Blanchard dismissed suggestions that the former ambassador or her team had ever inflated her relationship with Trump. Prospective Republican candidates and incumbent GOP lawmakers are engaged in a mad dash to nab his endorsement. And some candidates have simply attempted to flatter their way to a meeting with Trump at his South Florida abode. But that success rate is because — at least so far — Trump has provided endorsements to mainly shoo-in candidates or former aides.

Class III U.S. Senate election in Alabama2022 United States Senate election in Alabama ? 2016 November 8, 2022 2028 ? Party Republican Democratic Incumbent U.S. senatorRichard ShelbyRepublicanThe 2022 United States Senate election in Alabama will be held on November 8, 2022, to elect a member of the United States Senate to represent the State of Alabama. Incumbent Richard Shelby was first elected in 1986 and re-elected in 1992 as a Democrat before switching to the Republican Party in 1994. [1] In his most recent election in 2016, he was re-elected with 64% of the vote over Democrat Ron Crumpton. [40][41]General election [ edit ]Predictions [ edit ]See also [ edit ]Notes [ edit ]^ The images in this gallery are in the public domain or are otherwise free to use . a b Key:A – all adultsRV – registered votersLV – likely votersV – unclearPartisan clients^ Poll sponsored by Britt's campaign a b c d Poll sponsored by Alabama Conservatives Fund, which supports Britt ^ Poll sponsored by the Alabama House Republican Caucus a b Poll sponsored by Club for Growth Action which endorsed Brooks prior to the sampling periodReferences [ edit ]

WETUMPKA — Lindy Blanchard, a nonprofit director, former ambassador and major financial supporter of former President Donald Trump, entered the gubernatorial race on Tuesday, hitting traditional Alabama Republican issues while sprinkling in the former president's name. Blanchard, who Trump has reportedly encouraged to get into the race, is the second Republican to challenge Gov. James and Blanchard have both hit on themes of being conservative outsiders opposed to the federal government. REDISTRICTING:Montgomery state legislators hope county doesn't lose seats in Alabama redistrictingTim James, a businessman and the son of former Gov. Other Republican candidates for the office include Alabama State Auditor Jim Zeigler; correctional officer Stacy George and Dean Odle, a minister from Wetumpka.

James, said he is entering the race because he believes many conservative voters are “anxious” about the state’s recent political decisions. “This is not who the people of this state are,” James said in a telephone interview Monday. Ivey, while personally encouraging people to get vaccinated, has called the federal vaccine mandates ‘un-American, outrageous overreach.’James said he thought the state should do more, including an outright ban on mandates. Republican Lynda Blanchard, who was former President Donald Trump’s ambassador to Slovenia, has scheduled a Tuesday campaign event in Wetumpka. Blanchard filed to run for U.S. Senate but there has been speculation she could switch to the gubernatorial race.

Advertisement Republican Binnie confirms he’s seriously considering US Senate run in 2022 Media, real estate, investment magnate plans to announce his intention in early January Share Copy Link CopyReal estate, investment and media executive Bill Binnie has been in the discussion of potential Republican candidates to challenge Democratic Sen. Maggie Hassan since Gov. Sununu took himself out of contention a month ago.GOP sources have said he is interested – and now he has confirmed that, in fact, he is.“I am actively considering running for the U.S. Senate and will make a decision in the next week or two. I think my life experiences would allow me to add to the discussions in Washington that would be helpful to the citizens of New Hampshire." Gen. Don Bolduc. That is expected to change soon.

On Monday, Nunes, R-Tulare, announced he is leaving the 22nd Congressional District seat at the end of the month. pic.twitter.com/piVm0U6pM3 — Melissa Hurtado (@MHurtadoCA) December 6, 2021Eric Garcia, current 22nd Congressional District candidate, D-Clovis“If there is (a special election), yes,” Garcia said. Gavin Newsom is mandated to call for a special election to fill the remainder of Nunes’ term — through Jan. 3, 2023. Special Election Running Concurrently with Regular ElectionIf a candidate in the special primary election wins a majority — an unlikely scenario with the volume of candidates interested — there would be no special general election in June. Conversely, voters could only be voting on the regular election without potentially voting for the same candidates in the special election.

The moves highlight what is already a bitter contest between Fried and incumbent Republican Ron DeSantis. "We each hold positions of public trust," he wrote. "In keeping with that public trust, Florida’s Constitution requires public officers to make full and accurate disclosures of their financial interests and Florida law requires lobbying compensation reports to be true, complete, and accurate. Records show she's amended her financial disclosures before, in early 2020, after realizing she had miscalculated income. "We need to keep fighting the unethical democrats who will stop at nothing to defeat Governor DeSantis and our Republican team," Power said.

A Florida ethics panel on Wednesday announced it has found probable cause that Democratic candidate for governor Nikki Fried violated state law for failing to properly disclose her income on financial forms. The Florida Commission on Ethics found probable cause that Fried, who is also the state agriculture commissioner, did not correctly disclose lobbying income on financial forms from 2017 and 2018. A Republican Party official filed a complaint with the ethics board in June after Fried amended her filings to reflect the previously unreported income. Download our local news and weather app for iOS or Android — and choose the alerts you want. He said Fried will request that an administrative law judge dismiss the complaint.

Commissioner of Agriculture Nikki Fried speaks during a meeting of the Florida cabinet in Tallahassee, Fla. on June 4, 2019. | Steve Cannon/AP Photo Nikki Fried amended past financial disclosures before jumping into Florida governor's raceTALLAHASSEE — Shortly before jumping into the race for Florida governor this week, Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried amended two separate financial disclosure forms, including one showing previously unreported earnings of $351,480. In July 2019, Fried reported that her only salary for the previous year was the money she earned as agriculture commissioner. Several months later — in January 2020 — Fried amended her disclosure to show that she had earned $72,000 from Igniting Florida. Once Scott left office, state legislators repealed the law, arguing it allowed wealthy people to hide their financial holdings.

"I have seen the video posted on several blogs," Etheridge said in a statement. No matter how intrusive and partisan our politics can become, this does not justify a poor response. In the video, Etheridge is approached by two camera-wielding men who ask if he "fully supports the Obama agenda." In the edited video, as Hotsheet reported earlier today, Etheridge is then shown holding the wrist of one of the questioners and repeatedly asking him to identify himself. "(video at left)"No matter how partisan and no matter how difficult things get sometimes, that's no excuse for my response," he said.

Howey also says that state Rep. Mike Braun is "reportedly making calls" about a possible bid, though he also hasn't said anything publicly. ? GA-Gov: On Thursday, state Rep. Stacey Evans became the first noteworthy Democrat to announce that she would run to succeed termed-out GOP Gov. ? ID-Gov: Wealthy developer Tommy Ahlquist, a former doctor, started airing ads in March even though the GOP primary is about a year away, and he's up with another spot. ? RI-Gov: Back in December, attorney Clay Pell, who lost the 2014 Democratic primary to eventual winner Gina Raimondo, didn't rule out a rematch. ? NH-02: Last year, New Hampshire Democratic Rep. Annie Kuster defeated an underfunded Republican foe by a modest 50-45 as her seat went from 54-45 Obama to 49-46 Clinton.

Walker, who was rumored for weeks to be considering a House run, has not formally announced his plans to drop out of the Senate race. The new 7th District congressional seat that Walker would run for resembles the district Walker represented from 2015 through 2020. Both Budd and Walker are campaigning as Trump loyalists, in contrast with McCrory, a Republican with more appeal to moderates. Trump’s maneuvering moves him out of that race and into the 4th District contest, thus clearing room for Walker to run in the 7th. McCrory.”A McCrory internal polling memo from October showed McCrory ahead by 15 percentage points in the three-way race.

However, state Rep. Paul Hollis also says he's considering a bid. McGinty faces ex-Rep. Joe Sestak and Braddock Mayor John Fetterman for the right to take on GOP Sen. Pat Toomey. The more notable Republican candidates to date include conservative radio host Jason Lewis, former state Rep. Pam Myrha, and former state Sen. John Howe. This time, Guinta is already facing a challenge from former business school dean Dan Innis, whom he beat in the 2014 primary, and state Rep. Pam Tucker could also get in. ? PA-16: Businessman Chet Beiler has announced that he'll seek this open Lancaster County seat, where he'll join state Sen. Lloyd Smucker in the GOP primary.

Rep. Marty Wilde, D-Eugene, told the Capital Chronicle via text that he was considering getting into the race, but hadn’t decided. On the Republican side, Lane County Republican Committee Chair John Large said Alek Skarlatos was the front runner. “The spirit of the corps, the esprit de corps, for Lane County and Lane County Republicans – I’ve never seen it this high,” he said. Lane County Democratic Chair Chris Wig expects the seat will stay with a Democrat. RELATED STORY: After more than three decades, U.S. Rep. Peter DeFazio is done with CongressThis article has been updated to reflect comments from state Rep. Julie Fahey

On Wednesday afternoon, Ohio House Minority Leader Emilia Strong Sykes (D-Akron) announced that she will be stepping down as the Ohio Minority Leader. But we know there’s more work to do, more challenges to meet, and more injustices to address.”In 2019, Rep. Sykes was elected as the minority leader. “Though I am stepping down as Minority Leader, I am not stepping away from service—far from it. I love Akron, I love Summit County and I love Ohio, endlessly. During Leader Syke’s three-year job, she faced unprecedented challenges, including the Dayton shooting, COVID-19 pandemic, economic uncertainty and protests with systematic racism.

House Republicans released a first draft of Pennsylvania’s 17 congressional districts Wednesday afternoon, using a map with just a handful of municipal splits drawn by a redistricting advocate as their preliminary proposal. The map has to pass both chambers, controlled by Republicans, and be signed by Wolf, a Democrat, to become law. A hearing on the map is planned for Thursday night; a committee vote on map is planned for Monday morning. NEW: Sources tell me this map is making rounds as a draft of the Pennsylvania state Senate compromise map. pic.twitter.com/syyETIjfH9 — Stephen Caruso (@StephenJ_Caruso) December 9, 2021The two, who head the Senate State Government Committee, would then “allow time for public comment” and anticipate a committee vote in January.

The 29-year-old Upper Macungie Township woman's work was pivotal to the state Supreme Court's rejection of the map the official state redistricting panel proposed for the next election. AdvertisementOn Friday, the court said Holt's map proved the Legislative Redistricting Commission failed to meet the state constitution's mandate that redistricting should avoid splitting municipalities and wards "unless absolutely necessary." Holt said she isn't particularly attracted to numbers or statistics, but she is intrigued by the relationship of political map lines to genuine representation. AdvertisementShe showed her map to the Redistricting Commission at its Sept. 7, 2011, hearing in Allentown. If defeating the majority-Republican Redistricting Commission ruffled the feathers of her fellow Republicans locally, Holt said she hasn't heard about it.

The remainder of Albuquerque would share the 1st Congressional District with Rio Rancho and Placitas, stretch through the East Mountains and then take in Ruidoso. Democrats would have:• An 8 percentage point edge in the 1st Congressional District, or 54% to 46% over Republicans. • A 6-point edge for Democrats in the 2nd Congressional District, now represented by Herrell, the lone Republican in the delegation. • An 11-point edge for Democrats in the 3rd Congressional District now held by Democrat Teresa Leger Fernandez of Santa Fe. The Princeton Gerrymandering Project, by contrast, rated none of the proposed districts as competitive, describing them all as Democratic seats.

The Republican Commissioners, particularly the Republican Legislative Commissioners, did not make this constitutionally required attempt. The final offers from commission Republicans and Democrats were five House seats and three Senate seats apart. The plaintiffs and state officials on the Ohio Redistricting Commission now all have filed documents with the Ohio Supreme Court laying out their legal arguments. The Republicans and Democrats on the Ohio Redistricting Commission are responding separately with their own legal arguments, with the Republicans splitting into two groups, each with their own arguments. The final defendant in the redistricting lawsuits, the redistricting commission as a legal entity, made its own filing on Friday.

WASHINGTON, D. C. -- Broadview Heights Republican Shay Hawkins on Wednesday announced that he’s seeking a newly reconfigured congressional seat that includes Cleveland’s western suburbs, Akron and Medina County. “I am running this race because I am the best person to win the district for Republicans,” declared Hawkins, whose primary opponents will include former White House aide Max Miller of Rocky River. After Miller entered the race, Gonzalez decided against seeking re-election, and the predominantly Republican district was redrawn to lean slightly towards Democrats. Hawkins argues he’s better equipped to win the district and represent it in Congress than any other candidate. He’s an attorney with a Master of Business Administration degree who heads a trade association for funds that invest in Opportunity Zone projects to spur economic growth in low-income communities.

The map would place Democratic Rep. Marcy Kaptur, the longest-serving woman in House history, at serious risk. ? NY-Gov: Data for Progress' new Democratic primary survey for consultant Neal Kwatra, who Politico says is working for an unidentified donor, finds Gov. Dan McKee edging her out just 26-24 in the Democratic primary, with Treasurer Seth Magaziner at 16% and no one else hitting double digits. ? TX-Gov: UT Tyler's newest survey of the March Republican primary for The Dallas Morning News shows Gov. The main event in this constituency is the June Democratic primary between Reps. Sean Casten and Marie Newman.

(About 22% of Gwinnett County, including its more Democratic areas, was assigned to the safely blue 4th District, while the balance went to the dark red 10th District.) Trump outright lost Gwinnett County 50-44, and while he did win the 7th District, his 51-45 showing in 2016 was a big drop from what the GOP was accustomed to. Bourdeaux, a Georgia State University public policy professor, won the Democratic nomination after a crowded primary, and she proved to be a strong fundraiser. Finally, on the Friday before Election Day, Woodall finally went up with his first TV spot. Ultimately, while House Democrats didn’t make the gains in the suburbs they were hoping for, Bourdeaux pulled off a victory.

“In a time where our families are struggling to recover from the pandemic, and we have attacks on people of color, women’s rights and our voting rights, we need someone who is not afraid to take on these difficult fights on behalf of our communities,” she said. “I am confident that I am the candidate uniquely qualified to do this because I have spent my entire career fighting these fights.”

Add former U.S. Attorney Andrew Lelling to the list of might-be candidates in the upcoming governor’s race — with sources close to the moderate Republican saying he’s “seriously” considering a run. “With Baker and Polito both out, he’s tempted,” a source close to the Trump-appointed former U.S. attorney told the Herald. All eyes are on Democratic Attorney General Maura Healey, who has been mulling a run since the beginning of the year. Sources close to the AG say it’s a decision she’s unlikely to make in the next few days. Pundits say playing the waiting game is unlikely to damage a candidate of Healey’s caliber.

TYLER, Texas (KETK) — East Texas business owner Joe McDaniel has officially announced his candidacy for Rep. Louie Gohmert’s 1st congressional seat. We need someone who knows East Texas and has an East Texas mindset. I am from East Texas, and I am ‘All About East Texas.’ Let’s take some East Texas common sense back to Washington D.C.” Joe McdanielMcDaniel is currently the fourth Republican to enter the race for the congressional seat for Texas’ 1st district. McDaniel was born and raised in East Texas and currently resides in Kilgore with his family. He attended Baylor University and Columbia Seminary for his higher education before he returned to settle back down in East Texas.

Justin Fairfax ran for governor) is of particular importance in Virginia because the lieutenant governor can break ties in the state Senate, where Democrats have just a narrow 21-19 advantage (the full state Senate isn't up for election again until 2023). ? PA-Sen, PA-06: Democratic Rep. Chrissy Houlahan announced Tuesday that she would seek re-election rather than enter the primary for Pennsylvania's open Senate seat. Laura Kelly, he took his name out of contention this week by endorsing Attorney General Derek Schmidt in the Republican primary. The field includes Broun, state Rep. Timothy Barr, former Georgia Revenue Commissioner David Curry, and wealthy businessman Matt Richards. ? OH-11: Cuyahoga County Councilwoman Shontel Brown is out with a positive ad ahead of the Aug. 3 Democratic primary.

Iowa State Auditor Rob Sand is running for reelection, he said Tuesday, closing off the possibility of running for governor next year. Sand, a Democrat, will seek a second term in the office he won in 2018, when he flipped the office from Republican control. But Republican Party of Iowa Chair Jeff Kaufmann criticized Sand in a statement Tuesday, saying Sand has used his office to go after his political enemies. Sand was not the only statewide elected official in Iowa to announce a campaign for reelection on Tuesday. Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig said in a Twitter post he would seek a second term.

? CO-05: If Republican Rep. Doug Lamborn can't win renomination on June 28, he has no one to blame but himself. ? NY-19: The June 28 GOP primary for this 52-46 Obama seat is not looking good for businessman Andrew Heaney. ? NY-22: Businessman Steve Wells may have entered the GOP primary with little name-recognition, but he's been spending big to change that. Myers only had $200,000 on-hand on June 8, which is pretty modest considering that she's had months to raise money without needing to worry about the Democratic primary. This ancestrally Democratic seat is safely red these days.

The Evers-Barnes ticket ousted Walker and Kleefisch 50-48, and chatter quickly began that the now-former lieutenant governor would run in her own right. ? IA-Gov: Democratic state Sen. Pam Jochum says she's considering a bid against Republican Gov. ? IL-Gov: Venture capitalist Jesse Sullivan kicked off a bid for the Republican nomination to take on Democratic Gov. He joins a primary field that includes state Rep. Darren Bailey, businessman Gary Rabine, and former state Sen. Paul Schimpf. House? IL-17: Democratic state Rep. Mike Halpin, who'd been considering a bid for Illinois' open 17th Congressional District, announced this week that he'd instead run for state Senate.

He has been a lawmaker since 2012, and he launched his campaign for Yarmuth's seat less than 10 minutes after the longtime congressman publicly revealed he had decided to retire. Kentucky redistricting:Could Democratic Rep. John Yarmuth's seat be in GOP's crosshairs? The day his father said he wouldn't seek reelection, Aaron Yarmuth told The Courier Journal he was considering a campaign. The day his father said he wouldn't seek reelection, Aaron Yarmuth told The Courier Journal he was considering a campaign. , D-Louisville, told The Courier Journal in October she was considering a potential bid for Yarmuth's seat, but ruled out a run in December.

The poll shows a Trump endorsement of former U.S. Senator David Perdue has made the race between Perdue and incumbent Governor Brian Kemp a dead heat. The survey took place on the evening of Monday, December 6th, a short time before the Trump endorsement of Perdue became official. WHO IS RUNNING IN THE GEORGIA GOVERNOR RACE IN 2022? SENATOR DAVID PERDUE FORMALLY ANNOUNCES RUN FOR GEORGIA GOVERNORIn his endorsement, former President Trump wrote, "Glad to see that David Perdue is running for Governor of Georgia.

But the reality here is that Hochul, who only became governor in August after Cuomo resigned, crushed James in the so-called invisible primary. Hochul led James comfortably in every publicly available poll and banked more than $11 million for her run next year. Though I campaigned, in every way, as an anti-establishment progressive, I made aggressive attempts to win the backing of labor unions, elected officials, and political clubs. For James to overcome Hochul, she would need show voters, very clearly, that she had an exciting, far-reaching vision for New York State. It’s possible we will remember December 9th, 2021 as the day Kathy Hochul effectively locked up another four years in office.

Larry Hogan Thursday vetoed congressional redistricting legislation favored by Democrats. Hogan noted that the Biden administration is suing Texas over its new congressional and legislative redistricting maps and said he will ask DOJ to also challenge Maryland over its new redistricting map. Hogan said he fully anticipates that lawmakers will vote to override his veto sometime before this week’s special legislative session concludes. Hogan said he felt the veto needed to be issued quickly so that legal challenges to the new law could also begin quickly. Wednesday saw Senate Republicans try to get enough signatures to approve a discharge petition to bring the crime legislation to the floor.

Whether or not that process harms the community is not something we’ve adequately considered.”Democrats control redistricting in Maryland. Behind the scenes, several people close to the process say Hoyer will have a big say in how his and other congressional districts are redrawn. Many of Maryland’s legislative lines involving black communities were decided by judges after legal challenges to the state’s redistricting 10 years ago. At a minimum, the heightened tension over the racial makeup of Maryland’s congressional districts promises to have a ripple effect. Aisha N. Braveboy (D-Prince George’s), co-chairwoman of the Maryland Legislative Black Caucus’s redistricting committee, said that with its Democratic ideals, Maryland should hold itself to the highest standard.

Pennsylvania Democrats were bracing themselves to fight any Republican efforts to redraw the state’s congressional districts in a GOP-friendly way. Under the map the court imposed instead, Democrats and Republicans each currently hold nine seats. » READ MORE: What to watch as Pennsylvania loses a congressional seat: ‘The stakes are really high’News of the map came hours after state House Republicans released their own redistricting proposal. Pennsylvania is losing a congressional seat because of population changes in the 2020 Census and will have 17 U.S. House members starting in 2023. The draft map would break Philadelphia into four congressional districts, instead of the current three.

Letitia James, the attorney general of New York, announced on Thursday that she was ending her campaign for governor and running instead for re-election, a surprising move that upended the high-profile governor’s race and further solidified Gov. Ms. James had just entered the race in late October, on the heels of her office’s devastating report on sexual harassment claims against former Gov. She was immediately treated as a top contender, buoyed by her record and her historic bid to become the first Black female governor in the country. But recent opinion polls had shown Ms. James trailing Ms. Hochul, the state’s first female governor, by double digits among Democratic primary voters. “I have come to the conclusion that I must continue my work as attorney general,” Ms. James, a Democrat, wrote in a statement, barely six weeks after entering the race.

The Times also rattles off a long list of Republicans who could potentially run, including state Sens. Meanwhile, the state AFL-CIO has endorsed former state Supreme Court Chief Justice Cheri Beasley's campaign for the Democratic nod. However, state Rep. Bobby DuBose, who finished a distant fifth, won't try a second time. ? IL-13: The Illinois Federation of Teachers, which represents 103,000 member statewide, has endorsed former Obama official Nikki Budzinski in the Democratic primary for the state's open 13th Congressional District. ? TX-01: Republican state Rep. Matt Schaefer, who'd reportedly been considering a bid for Texas' open 1st Congressional District, has instead announced that he'll seek re-election.

Both Hochul and James attended the annual SOMOS convention in Puerto Rico in early November, hobnobbing with fellow New York Democrats. James’ campaign shared a list of more than 50 such events since late October. It has long been the norm for New York‘s non-incumbent gubernatorial candidates to unveil policy platforms immediately after declaring their candidacy. Like Hochul, James can mobilize the powers of her current office to get press. In January, coverage of state politics will focus on Hochul’s State of the State address and budget proposal.

New York Attorney General Letitia James speaks on August 3, 2021 in New York City. | David Dee Delgado/Getty Images Tish James drops out of New York governor's raceALBANY, N.Y. — State Attorney General Tish James has suspended her campaign for governor less than two months after a highly anticipated launch, saying that she will instead focus on reelection to her current job in 2022. “I have come to the conclusion that I must continue my work as attorney general,” James said in a statement Thursday. Just before she announced her withdrawal from the governor's race, several news outlets reported that she is continuing to pursue her office’s high-profile probes into former president Donald Trump. James' exit from the governor's race will also complicate what was shaping up to be a volatile campaign to succeed her as attorney general.

Just six weeks after jumping in the race, James reversed course and said she wants to continue in her current office. "I have come to the conclusion that I must continue my work as attorney general," James said. What to know New York State Attorney General Letitia James announced Thursday she was ending her Democratic primary challenge to Gov. Just six weeks after entering the race, James reversed course and said she wanted to remain in her current job. Rep. Tom Suozzi (D-Glen Cove) and New York Public Advocate Jumaane Williams remained in the Democratic primary race.

Under the proposal, the 1st, which Republican Rep. Nancy Mace flipped last year, would have voted 54-45 for Donald Trump, compared to 52-46 under the present map. Governors? AK-Gov: Freshman state Rep. Christopher Kurka announced Monday that he would challenge his fellow Republican, Gov. Moran has been considering a bid to succeed his fellow Republican, Rep. Louie Gohmert, in this safely red East Texas seat. ? TX-30: Democratic state Rep. Jasmine Crockett on Wednesday launched her bid for this safely blue Dallas seat with an endorsement from her would-be predecessor, retiring Rep. Eddie Bernice Johnson. As a result, Republicans will soon see their majority slip to 5-3 after another Republican seat becomes vacant in January.

In an unexpected development, state Attorney General Letitia James is suspending her campaign for governor. “I have come to the conclusion that I must continue my work as attorney general,” James tweeted. Although she has been a mainstay at various political insider events, James’ campaign has been notably quiet in the public. Early polling had the attorney general consistently placing second among the declared candidates, but she still trailed significantly behind Hochul. Kathy Hochul said on Thursday that James called her that morning to inform her that she would be suspending her campaign.

During a primary campaign that centered on his turbulent 17-year tenure, Orleans Parish Sheriff Marlin Gusman largely avoided attacking Susan Hutson, the city’s former independent police monitor. Whether Gusman succeeds - or Hutson executes the playbook of fellow progressive Jason Williams for a come-from-behind runoff win - could hinge on a torrent of campaign cash. Like Williams, Hutson says she aims to remake the criminal justice system. Cleveland-based Ozanne Construction and its CEO have sent the sheriff’s campaign at least $36,000. The Ehrhardt Group, a New Orleans-based public relations firm, has donated $9,900 to the sheriff’s campaign committee.

When U.S. Rep Peter DeFazio, the longest-serving congressman in state history, announced his retirement from Oregon’s 4th Congressional District last week, Labor Commissioner Val Hoyle immediately announced her candidacy. Sara Gelser Blouin (D-Corvallis) and James Manning (D-Eugene), both of whom are up for reelection and would have to surrender their seats to run. Gelser Blouin says she’s weighing a number of factors, including family considerations and where she could have the greatest impact. Manning says numerous supporters have encouraged him to seek DeFazio’s seat, which interests him, but he’s also got unfinished business in Salem. Kalloch, who relocated from Portland to Eugene last year, says he’ll make his decision over the holidays.

The donation is the fifth-largest single contribution to a PAC in a Louisiana election this year. NEW ORLEANS — An organization backed by Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg has reportedly donated $200,000 to a political action committee aiming to unseat Orleans Parish Sheriff Marlin Gusman. According to the Times-Picayune | New Orleans Advocate, the group FWD.us, made the donation to the Pac for Justice, who has flooded airwaves with last-minute attack ads against the long-time sheriff. The newspaper says the donation is the fifth-largest single contribution to a PAC in a Louisiana election this year, and the donation represents more money than Gusman's challenger, Susan Hutson, has raised from donors for her entire campaign. FWD.us vice president Zoë Towns said the group is proud to support the PAC "in their work to ensure that the next New Orleans sheriff is committed to advancing ongoing reforms that deliver safety and justice to more New Orleanians."

Glasgow native and former US ambassador to the United Nations visited her hometown and spoke about current issuesShare This StoryemailPrintLinkedinRedditGLASGOW, Ky. – Glasgow native Kelly Craft, the former US ambassador to the United Nations, was visiting her hometown Wednesday and toured the Boys and Girls Club of Glasgow Barren County. Kelly Craft was appointed by Donald Trump as the United States ambassador to the United Nations from 2019 until early this year. Craft is a graduate of Glasgow High School and a Barren County native. The former ambassador made a contribution to the Boys and Girls Club of Glasgow Barren County earlier today saying she believes the organization helps bring the best out in children. So, all of our NATO countries that had their troops, they were panicked,” said Craft.

A mysterious, misogynistic mailer purporting to be from Orleans Parish Sheriff Marlin Gusman’s reelection campaign drew denunciation from the sheriff and his opponent Susan Hutson over the weekend. Gusman said the mailer didn't come from his campaign — and might even be the work of political operatives trying to undermine him. +8 Marlin Gusman, Susan Hutson face fierce runoff supercharged by campaign cash During a primary campaign that centered on his turbulent 17-year tenure, Orleans Parish Sheriff Marlin Gusman largely avoided attacking Susan …The document states up top that there is “NO comparison” between Gusman and Hutson. Probably put out by some who want to sabotage our campaign," Gusman said. “Let me tell you something else: Who is Susan Hutson?

The Supreme Court of Virginia took control of the state’s redistricting process after the new Virginia Redistricting Commission bogged down on partisan lines and failed to draw maps for either of the legislative chambers or the state’s congressional seats. The commission, made up by party-nominated citizens and legislators, ultimately could not come close to compromise. By contrast, the experts tasked by the courts to draw the maps described a friendlier process. The court will hear public comment on the maps on Dec. 15 and Dec. 17 from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.Below is an initial glimpse at the proposed maps. Congressional seatsMore often than not, Democrats would have a slight edge in Virginia’s U.S. House delegation, but the proposed map doesn’t cement their current 7-4 advantage, according to an analysis by the special masters.

Leahy had no trouble winning the Democratic primary, but he faced a very difficult race that fall against Republican Rep. Richard Mallary. Joe Biden would have won a 25-10 majority of seats in the state Senate and a 46-19 majority in the state House. PPP finds Mastriano edging out 2018 Senate nominee Lou Barletta 18-14, with state Senate President Pro Tempore Jake Corman in third with 4%. One person who did take his own name out of contention on Sunday, though, is former state Rep. Caleb Jones. ? NE-01: Democratic state Rep. Patty Pansing Brooks said Monday that she would challenge Rep. Jeff Fortenberry, who was indicted last month for lying to federal investigators.

The tax-exempt group, FWD.us, made the donation to the PAC for Justice on Dec. 1. The PAC for Justice has flooded local airwaves and social media with last-minute attack ads accusing Gusman of self-dealing and mismanagement. The single money drop from Zuckerberg’s group represents more money than Hutson has raised from donors her entire campaign, at $131,000. e-mail address * Sign UpGusman has seized on donations to the PAC for Justice as a campaign issue. Over the weekend, a misogynistic, anti-Hutson mailer attributed to Gusman’s campaign drew condemnation from Gusman and Hutson alike.

Almost every congressional district retains its current presidential performance, according to Dave's Redistricting App, including the two most competitive seats, Democratic Rep. Kim Schrier's 8th and Republican Rep. Jaime Herrera Beutler's 3rd. Redistricting? MN Redistricting: Minnesota Republicans, who control the state Senate, have released congressional and legislative proposals; Democrats, who run the House, previously shared maps of their own last month. ? RI Redistricting: Rhode Island's Democratic-run legislature has put out new legislative maps, though lawmakers have not yet released a congressional plan. ? NC-07: Republican state Rep. Jon Hardister, who'd been considering a bid for North Carolina's open 7th District, has announced that he will instead seek re-election. Legislatures? VA State House: A recount in Virginia's 85th State House District certified Republican Karen Greenhalgh as the winner over Democratic Del.

House? GA-14: State Rep. Kevin Cooke is the latest Republican to jump into the quickly growing primary for this safely red open seat in northwestern Georgia. ECU has a reputation for spending real money on behalf of its endorsees, so the move suggests Gnibus is the frontrunner for the nod to take on GOP Rep. Mike Kelly. ? TX-17: Former Republican Rep. Pete Sessions has launched his first TV ad ahead of the March 3 primary, backed by only a mere $35,000. ? UT-04: Republican Thom Carter, who is the executive director of the Utah Clean Air Partnership, has announced that he won't mount a campaign against freshman Democratic Rep. Ben McAdams. ? WI-07: With Honor Fund, which supported veterans for office from both parties last cycle, has laid down a $117,000 ad buy for Army veteran Jason Church ahead of the Feb. 18 Republican primary.

The race to represent Oregon's newest congressional district came into further clarity Wednesday as Republican state Rep. Ron Noble of McMinnville officially declared his candidacy. And, like Congressional District 6, House District 24 was an open seat when he ran for it in 2016. Before serving in the Oregon Legislature, Noble was a career police officer, including serving as McMinnville chief of police from 2006 until 2014. Four other Republican candidates were already vying for Congressional District 6 before Noble jumped into the race Wednesday. Reporter Connor Radnovich covers the Oregon Legislature and state government.

The outcome, which a panel of three circuit court judges affirmed Wednesday, gives Republicans a 52-48 majority in the House of Delegates just two years after they lost control of the chamber they’d held for a generation. In 2019, Democrats won a 10-seat majority amid a suburban backlash against then-President Donald Trump, but their reign was short-lived. The GOP roared back to power Nov. 2 with a ticket led by Gov.-elect Glenn Youngkin and his running mates, Lt. Gov.-elect Winsome Sears and Attorney General-elect Jason S. Miyares.

? IN-01: Democratic state Rep. Mara Candelaria Reardon announced on Thursday that she's entering the race for Indiana's 1st Congressional District, which recently became open thanks to Rep. Pete Visclosky's retirement. Casha currently represents Morris County on the New Jersey Republican State Committee. He joins Islip Councilwoman Trish Bergin Weichbrodt in the June GOP primary. The narrator continues, "You don't need to be a rocket scientist to be in Congress, but George is a rocket scientist." It doesn't take a rocket scientist to vote for a rocket scientist."

Republican gubernatorial candidate Phil Rizzo spent heavily on consultants and media buys through May 7, but his unsuccessful bid for public financing carried a costly toll, filings submitted to the New Jersey Election Law Enforcement Commission show. He spent $20,000 with Arsenal LLC, a Muncie, Indiana, consulting firm, for unspecified media expenses. Election law attorney John Carbone was the single largest recipient of Rizzo campaign funds reported in the filing released Tuesday. Over four payments, three of which coincide with filings for New Jersey’s public fund match program submitted by Rizzo’s campaign, Carbone received $42,500, about a fifth of the campaign’s total spending. The Spadea Consulting Group, a firm run by vaccine-denying radio host Bill Spadea, received $1,750 for a March 25 fundraiser.

Some Republicans believe the former president might endorse Rizzo, especially if anyone from his inner circle wind up working for him. That’s a game changer in a GOP primary. A Project Ready poll last December showed that 77% of New Jersey Republicans believed Trump won the 2020 presidential election. Qualifying for matching funds and real support from Trump Republicans will change the race fast. Rizzo, some Republicans say privately, could knock Ciattarelli off what had largely been viewed as an open runway toward November after Doug Steinhardt exited the race.

Nathan Deal ahead of next year's Republican primary. If DeJear decides to enter the race, she would join state Rep. Ras Smith as the second prominent candidate to get in the contest. Brown, who left office following his aborted 2006 run for the Senate, re-emerged on the political stage in 2018 when he launched a primary campaign against then-Gov. Makki finished second in the 2020 Republican primary for this Pinellas County-based district, losing to Anna Paulina Luna 36-28. Attorney Virginia Applebaum is the Democratic candidate taking on former GOP state Rep. April Weaver.

Phil Rizzo, a businessman and pastor who finished second in the Republican gubernatorial primary last June, will take on two-term Rep. Mikie Sherrill (D-Montclair) in New Jersey’s 11th district. That has some Republicans viewing the 11th as potentially competitive in next year’s mid-term elections, depending on how Sherrill fares in redistricting. As a candidate for governor, Rizzo raised just enough to qualify for matching funds but missed the deadline by one day. Sherrill demonstrated early fundraising prowess as a congressional candidate, amassing more than $1.2 million by the end of 2017. In total, Sherrill has raised over $17.3 million since becoming a candidate for Congress in May 2017.

Representatives David Price and G. K. Butterfield Endorse Cheri Beasley for U.S. Senate RALEIGH: Today, North Carolina U.S. Representatives David Price (NC-04) and G. K. Butterfield (NC-01) announced their endorsement of Cheri Beasley for U.S. Senate. “North Carolinians need a champion in the Senate, fighting for them every day, and Cheri Beasley is the best candidate for the job,” said Congressman David Price, (NC-04). She possesses the character and temperament to fight for North Carolina and its values in the United States Senate," said Congressman G. K. Butterfield, (NC-01). Cheri has outraised every candidate for U.S. Senate in North Carolina since entering the race.

Casha presented his history lesson to about 100 or so people Tuesday night in a local restaurant as he kicked off his campaign for Congress in the 11th District. Casha, who over the years has been an activist, a fundraiser and a candidate, now represents Morris on the state Republican Committee. Casha’s kickoff was attended by Bill Palatucci, a New Jersey representative on the National Republican Committee. Casha made general comments about the state of today’s national politics. “It doesn’t end tonight, tonight it starts,” Casha said.

Below is our chart of presidential election results for the 2020, 2016, and 2012 according to the congressional district lines that were used in the 2020 elections. For the 2008, 2012, and 2016 presidential results according to the district lines used in 2018, click here. For the 2008, 2012, and 2016 presidential results according to the district lines used in 2016, click here. For the 2008 and 2012 presidential results according to the district lines used in 2012 and 2014, click here. For the 2000, 2004, and 2008 presidential results according to the district lines used from 2006-10, click here.

Bruce SchreinerAssociated PressFRANKFORT, Ky. (AP) — Republican state Sen. Max Wise, who has played a key role in shaping Kentucky education policy as a committee chairman, said Wednesday he’s strongly considering a bid for governor in 2023. “People right now feel like their values are being trampled upon,” Wise told The Associated Press in a phone interview. The state school board followed up with an emergency regulation requiring masks in public schools. More politics:Five takeaways from Kentucky's GOP-only 2021 Fancy Farm political picnicThough the election is two years away, considerable jockeying is under way among Republicans eyeing the governor’s race. Craft, whose personal family wealth would give her a built-in ability to mount a campaign, has said she’s “seriously considering” entering the governor’s race.

In his veto letter, Hogan offered comparisons of the racial makeup of the districts drawn by his citizens commission versus those drawn by legislators. He said that the citizen plan has four districts in which minorities constitute more than 50 percent of the voting-age population but that the map approved by the legislature has three districts that have the same racial makeup. He said “true representation of Maryland” would allow minority voters to elect a candidate of their choice in at least 50 percent of the districts.

Lawrence J. Hogan Jr. announced Wednesday that it will seek to overturn the congressional redistricting plan approved by the Democratic supermajority in the General Assembly. Under that map, crafted by Legislative Redistricting Advisory Committee (LRAC), Democrats would maintain electoral advantages in seven of the state’s eight congressional districts. The biggest changes from the state’s current congressional map involve the Eastern Shore-based 1st District, represented by Rep. Andrew P. Harris (R), a Trump-aligned conservative. In announcing its plan to sue, Fair Maps Maryland spokesman Doug Mayer said, “this level of gerrymandering is voter suppression.”According to Maryland State Board of Elections voter registration statistics, about 55% of Maryland voters are Democrats and 24% are Republicans. “It’s a sad day in Maryland,” said Mayer, a Hogan strategist and former communications director, in a statement.

A Politico report from earlier Wednesday stated that Congressional Trump allies tried "to scrub references to the insurrection" from the resolution. "Instead of simply being about honoring the Capitol Police who bravely protected the Capitol on January 6th, Speaker Pelosi included damaging language that unnecessarily weighs down the bill. Republican U.S. Reps. Jodey Arrington of Lubbock and Kevin Brady of the Woodlands did not vote, but 30 other House members from Texas, including Democrats and Republicans, backed the resolution. Several Texas members braced themselves that day for hand-to-hand street combat but were able to escape to safety thanks to the police and successful barricades. The Texas Tribune is a nonpartisan, nonprofit media organization that informs Texans — and engages with them – about public policy, politics, government and statewide issues.

The Fresno County district attorney charged California Assemblyman Joaquin Arambula (D-Fresno) on Tuesday with one misdemeanor count of cruelty to a child, three months after the state legislator was arrested on suspicion of injuring one of his daughters. Arambula said he will take a voluntary leave of absence from the Assembly, according to a statement released by his attorney. AdvertisementThe child said Arambula was responsible for the injury and police called the assemblyman and his wife to the school, where he was taken into custody, Dyer said. “For those of us who know and respect Assembly Member Arambula, we know this has been a difficult experience for him and his family,” Rendon said. His father, Juan Arambula, served in the Assembly and on the Fresno County Board of Supervisors.

? FL-18: Wealthy physician Mark Freeman is running his first TV ad, well ahead of the August GOP primary for this competitive open seat. ? NJ-07: Rep. Leonard Lance only beat perennial candidate David Larsen by a 54-46 margin in the 2014 GOP primary, and Larsen is back for another round. Babinec unsuccessfully auditioned for a county Republican Party endorsement in February, but it's far from clear which side he'll end up taking more votes from. Scott Walker, while Kloppenburg, who narrowly lost an infamous Supreme Court race five years ago, had the support of state Democrats. The Daily Kos Elections Morning Digest is compiled by David Nir and Jeff Singer, with additional contributions from David Jarman, Steve Singiser, Daniel Donner, and Stephen Wolf.

To help pass a new family leave law. The clock ticked as green lights slowly appeared on an electronic board, indicating yes votes next to lawmakers’ names. The Fresno Democrat had tried, as leader of the caucus of moderate Democrats, to water down or block the family leave bill, saying it was too onerous on small businesses. Most moderate Democrats did not vote for family leave job protection, including several who are mothers. Asked if it was because moderate Democrats were rebelling over his support for family leave, Arambula declined to answer.

Whaley didn't indicate which office she'd prefer but seemed especially motivated to stop Jordan from representing Ohio in the Senate, saying, "If Jim Jordan decides to run [for Senate], it is highly likely he will win that primary. Senate? AZ-Sen: Republican Attorney General Mark Brnovich was reportedly likely to run for Arizona's governorship, but with Gov. But Yee hasn't committed to a gubernatorial bid, and in fact she's now also surfaced as a possible Senate candidate. Jones made a bid for Senate once before when he was still a Democrat, losing the 2008 primary in a runoff to former state Rep. Jim Martin. Meanwhile, Republican state Sen. Jim Hendren, a nephew of term-limited Gov.

Last month, Howey Politics also great mentioned Coat's Chief of Staff Eric Holcomb and Indianapolis Mayor Greg Ballard, as well as the other four GOP House members. Should Pence surprise us and depart for New Hampshire, state Sen. Jim Merritt is a potential candidate, and Lt. Gov. Should Pence get chosen as the vice presidential nominee, the Indiana Republican State Committee would need to replace him on the gubernatorial ballot, and Bosma and Ellspermann would definitely get some attention. Peck also gives us some new Democratic names for just MD-06, telling us that state Sen. Brian Feldman, Del. Four years ago, state Sen. Larry Bliss made headlines when he quit his post because he was unemployed and could not find work in his home state.

HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — George Bochetto, a prominent Philadelphia lawyer and Republican whose cases have often landed in the public spotlight, said Thursday that he is seriously considering running for Pennsylvania's open U.S. Senate seat. In a brief interview, Bochetto, 69, said he is “looking at it very, very seriously and it’s very likely” that he will decide to run. Bochetto has considered running for mayor many times in the heavily Democratic city of Philadelphia, and ran briefly in 1999 before ending his candidacy. Bochetto also helped write the defense brief in former President Donald Trump's second impeachment trial earlier this year, he said. The Republican primary field for U.S. Senate is in flux, with Mehmet Oz — best known as the host of TV’s “Dr.

Like a lot of Georgia Republicans, Karynn Walker reacted with a resigned sigh to the latest turn of her state’s seemingly never-ending GOP civil war. “I’m going to have a whole lot of aspirin beside me, because I really do like both of them.”But Georgia Republicans will have to choose. Trump has never forgiven Kemp for refusing to overturn Joe Biden’s 2020 victory in Georgia. There is little pretense, from any corner of the party, that the primary ahead is about anything other than Trump. “I guess we’ll give Donald Trump what he wants,” Shepherd said, invoking an offhand remark from Trump at a rally months ago.

Against this backdrop, Democratic Rep. Sharice Davids was able to wrest this seat from Republicans in the 2018 blue wave; they did little to try to win it back last year. If you haven't done so yet, you'll want to bookmark our complete data set with presidential results by congressional district for all 50 states, which we're updating continuously. In response to Fetterman's new comments, former Republican Rep. Ryan Costello engaged in some Twitter trash-talk, declaring, "If I ran I would smoke Fetterman in the suburbs." We also double-checked and can confirm that Costello is the last person who should be talking smack, because in 2018, he huffily abandoned his bid for re-election after the Pennsylvania Supreme Court undid the GOP's gerrymander and made his 6th Congressional District bluer. Aruna Miller has filed FEC paperwork for a bid in Maryland's 6th Congressional District, but she's not planning to challenge Rep. David Trone, a fellow Democrat.

FREDON — Fredon Mayor John P. Flora on Thursday announced his entry into the Republican primary in the 5th Congressional District. Flora, a former township school board member, joins Frank Pallotta as announced candidates for the June primary. A state redistricting commission is currently looking at lines for both congressional and state legislative districts. Previously, Flora served for 10 years on the Fredon Board of Education, including nine as board president. Joining the growing national voice of Republican and conservative office-holders and candidates, he said public school students "are not getting an education; they are getting an indoctrination.

Bottoms was facing a competitive re-election fight in this November's nonpartisan primary, though she insisted it didn't play a role in her decision not to run. Instead, the AJC writes, "Some City Hall insiders say they believe the looming Reed revival certainly factored into" Bottoms' departure. ? MD-Gov, MD-06: Democratic Rep. David Trone had been considering a bid for Maryland's open governorship next year, but he announced on Friday that he'd seek re-election for a third term instead. Just hours before Jackson announced his departure, the field to succeed him grew when City Councilman Basheer Jones launched a mayoral bid. ? New York, NY Mayor: The June 22 instant-runoff Democratic primary in New York City is fast approaching, and three more candidates for mayor have launched their first TV ads.

FILE - In this Saturday, Sept. 25, 2021, photo, Republican U.S. Senate candidate Mark Walker poses for a photo in Mount Airy, N.C. Walker said in an interview, Thursday, Dec. 9, he plans to remain in the U.S. Senate race through the end of the year. (AP Photo/Bryan Anderson)FILE - In this Saturday, Sept. 25, 2021, photo, Republican U.S. Senate candidate Mark Walker poses for a photo in Mount Airy, N.C. Walker said in an interview, Thursday, Dec. 9, he plans to remain in the U.S. Senate race through the end of the year. Trump in June endorsed U.S. Rep. Ted Budd in the closely watched GOP Senate primary that both Walker and former Gov. Budd and Walker are Trump loyalists competing for his base of supporters, while McCrory generally appeals to more moderate Republicans. Walker pushed back against reports that he had decided after his meeting with Trump to end his Senate bid.

For Immediate ReleaseDecember 10, 2021EMILY’s List Endorses Tina Kotek for Governor of OregonWASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, EMILY’s List, the nation’s largest resource for women in politics, endorsed Tina Kotek for governor of Oregon. Laphonza Butler, president of EMILY’s List, released the following statement:"Tina Kotek is a proven fighter for opportunity and justice, and EMILY’s List is thrilled to stand with her as she runs for governor of Oregon. When she returned to Oregon, Kotek worked as a policy advocate for the Oregon Food Bank, the policy director for Children First for Oregon, and then was elected to the Oregon state House in 2006. EMILY’s List, the nation’s largest resource for women in politics, has raised over $700 million to elect Democratic pro-choice women candidates. More than 40% of the candidates EMILY’s List has helped elect to Congress have been women of color.

‘The most contested’ remap in decades Presented by AARPTGIF, Illinois. It’s probably the most contested and conflicted process in decades,” said Vargas, referring to our recent report that a draft map showed Ald. “We have no reason to be buying flags of our own state that are made in other countries," state Sen. Steve Stadelmen (D-Rockford), said in a statement. Gilbert Villegas (36th) said the club could not reach terms with Chicago Public Schools, the property owner,” by Sun-Times’ David Roeder. Email to [email protected]HAPPY BIRTHDAYToday: former Congressman Luis Gutiérrez, state Sen. Jacqueline “Jacqui” Collins, Ald.

Aruna Miller’s husband bought her Wes Moore’s book, “The Other Wes Moore,” for her birthday this year. “I completely OD’d on Wes Moore,” Miller recalled in an interview Wednesday. Moore said Miller meets all his criteria for an ideal candidate for lieutenant governor. “I certainly never planned to be a lieutenant governor,” Miller said. Everybody told me, ‘You’ve got to meet Wes Moore,’ and I was like, ‘oh, OK, I’ll meet Wes Moore.’ Not only did he have me at hello, but by the end of our first conversation, I said to myself, ‘This guy is the future of Maryland.

State Supreme Court Elections? NC Supreme Court: North Carolina Supreme Court Justice Robin Hudson announced this week that she would not run for re-election, though even if she'd sought and won another eight-year term, she'd have only been able to serve another year because she'd soon hit the state's mandatory retirement age of 72. J.B. Pritzker signed Illinois' new congressional map on Tuesday, which the state's Democratic-run legislature passed last month. Kevin Stitt signed Oklahoma's new congressional and legislative maps on Monday, following their recent passage along party lines in the state's Republican-run legislature. The legislative maps, meanwhile, replace maps passed earlier this year, prior to the release of 2020 census data, that relied on population estimates. The majority was also unclear as to whether its decision applies only to Wisconsin's legislative maps, or also to its congressional districts.

Hours before Spectrum News' Reuben Jones broke the news of the congressman's departure, Democratic state Sen. Don Davis told The Insider he would be interested in running for an open seat. ? OH Redistricting: Both chambers in Ohio's Republican-run legislature passed the GOP's new congressional map on Thursday, sending it to Republican Gov. Neil Parrott has announced that he'll seek a rematch against Democratic Rep. David Trone "no matter what the map looks like." ? MT-01: Democratic state Rep. Laurie Bishop announced Wednesday that she was ending her congressional campaign in order to run for re-election. Little edged out Labrador 37-33, but the defeated congressman soon rebounded by narrowly winning a 2019 race for state GOP chair.

This includes splitting Democratic Rep. Kathy Manning's home county of Guilford between three districts, stranding her in a dark-red 11th District with GOP Rep. Virginia Foxx. Redistricting? AL Redistricting: Republican Gov. ? DE Redistricting: Democratic Gov. The end-goal is to oust sophomore Democratic Rep. Chris Pappas—either at the ballot box, or by convincing him not to seek re-election. ? TX-37: Democratic state Rep. Gina Hinojosa, who hadn't ruled out a bid for Texas' new 37th District, says she'll run for re-election to the legislature instead.

North Carolina's filing period was set to begin on Monday at 12 PM ET, but a three-judge panel on the state Court of Appeals indefinitely delayed filing for legislative and congressional candidates that morning. Redistricting? Alaska: Officials in Matanuska-Susitna Borough, a fast-growing community of 100,000 residents located north of Anchorage (and often known as "Mat-Su"), have filed a lawsuit in state court challenging the state's new legislative maps. Under state law, the panel was required to produce a new map by Nov. 30 but was unable to do so. Henry McMaster has quickly signed the new state legislative maps passed by the Republican-run legislature with a number of Democratic votes earlier this week. ? Vermont: Vermont's Apportionment Board has advanced proposed legislative maps to state lawmakers, though because the panel is advisory in nature, legislators are not obligated to consider its plans.

Maryland Democrats repeatedly stressed this week that the new map was drawn to keep as many people in the same congressional districts as possible and to keep the core of the districts the same. In turn, this commitment to minimally disrupting the map also kept incumbents in their districts — in some cases just barely, such as in Districts 2 and 3, where incumbents’ residences in Cockeysville and Towson, respectively, are very close to the boundary lines.

Maryland Democrats “should not content themselves with some sort of good-government, everybody-high-five, we-kept-ourselves-pure” attitude, one national Democratic strategist told me. Those Maryland Democrats who staved off an 8–0 Democratic map “should not content themselves with some sort of good-government, everybody-high-five, we-kept-ourselves-pure” attitude, as one national Democratic strategist told me. In the last round of redistricting following the 2010 census, Maryland Democrats went from a 6–2 Democratic map to a 7–1 map. By going for an 8–0 Democratic map, then, Maryland Democrats wouldn’t just be helping the national party offset Republicans’ national redistricting advantage. Had the congressional delegation achieved consensus in favor of an 8–0 map, Democrats might have been able to roll through his opposition.

But a debate over the size of the jail facility began more than a decade ago, when the jail was still holding over three thousand people and was seen as a proxy for competing visions of the criminal legal system as a whole. Shortly after, at a forum, Gusman said he thought the jail would need to be at least twice that size. Landrieu’s jail working group also continued to meet in order to come to a final determination on the correct size of the jail. Local detainees have since been returned to the New Orleans jail. “But, instead of that wasteful spending, we have a jail facility that will house the current population.

Their intent here is to target Republican Rep. Yvette Herrell, who first won office last year by ousting Democratic Rep. Xochitl Torres-Small 54-46 in a rematch. He ran in 2002 for what was then the 21st District and lost the GOP primary to none other than Nunes 37-33. State Rep. Julie Fahey, though, quickly took her name out of contention. ? TX-01: Businessman Joe McDaniel has joined the Republican primary for this safely red open seat in East Texas. The office will be on the ballot next year for a full four-year term, and the winner of the September Democratic primary should have no trouble in the general election.

The New Mexico House of Representatives passed a bill Friday night adopting a redistricting map based on a consensus from Native American communities including Navajo Nation and the Pueblos. House Bill 8, which passed the chamber on a 43-23 vote, draws new lines for House districts and aims to correct past injustices, sponsor Rep. Daymon Ely, D-Corrales, said. Supporters say Native American communities are traditionally undercounted in the U.S. Census and therefore underrepresented in the House of Representatives. The population is based on U.S. Census data, but there can be districts that are undercounted, especially in minority areas. Related: State House map backed by tribal governments heads to House floorRep. Miguel Garcia, D-Albuquerque, who voted against the bill, argued that HB8 would reduce the Hispanic voice in the state Legislature.

The original proposal, SB 2, adopted a Native American consensus plan that was recommended to the Legislature by the state’s Citizen Redistricting Committee to create stronger Native American voting districts. “And so I was approached by the minority party with ideas.”Earlier this year, a statewide Native American coalition presented a consensus map to the newly formed Citizen Redistricting Committee. “I stand in strong support of Senate Bill 2, without the amendment,” Pope said. “I agree that it is really important to honor and respect the incredible work that the Native American coalition has been putting in over the last eight months,” Duhigg said. On Friday, the House approved a proposal to redraw its member’s districts, keeping the tribal consensus map intact.

The plan, which House State Government Committee Chairperson Rep. Seth Grove, R-York, announced last week, was scheduled for a committee vote Monday but did not come up. Even that Senate draft made use of Holt’s equal population map, which she said no one specifically reached out and requested. She pointed to an Oct. 28 House hearing on redistricting that emphasized the importance of equal population districts in congressional districts. Therefore, drawing equal population districts is “the safest bet, because there is going to be litigation anyway. Citing this hearing, Grove argued a no deviation map was necessary, and defended the Holt map as a non-partisan citizen submission that met that requirement.

Former state Rep. Tim Kelly raised very little, and Kildee handily beat him 54-42. Veteran Republican Rep. Fred Upton, however, again ran well ahead of the ticket and won his 18th term 56-40. The following year, Ward was selected to run the state Republican Party and quickly brought the organization into disrepute. J.B. Pritzker, Republican Rep. Adam Kinzinger tells Politico, "I never rule anything out." House? CA-08: Republican Rep. Paul Cook resigned Monday to take his spot on the San Bernardino County Board of Supervisors.

With his tenure dogged by questions about conditions inside the jail and Saturday's ballot packed with four challengers, Orleans Parish Sheriff Marlin Gusman is headed for a runoff election. Between 2015 and 2019, 14 people died in Sheriff’s Office custody. +3 Are high New Orleans jail phone call rates necessary? Sheriff Marlin Gusman and challengers at odds When people locked up in the New Orleans jail call their loved ones, the costs add up fast. e-mail address * Sign UpGusman’s critics jeered at a City Council meeting earlier this week when he skipped a planned hearing on his 2022 budget.

Copyright © 2021 Albuquerque JournalSANTA FE – A congressional map that splits Albuquerque and reshapes the political landscape in New Mexico won final approval Saturday from state lawmakers. The 1st Congressional District would continue to cover most of Albuquerque and the East Mountains. The election forecasting website FiveThirtyEight.com – owned by ABC News – rates the proposed district as Democratic-leaning, based on its own analysis. ? The 2nd Congressional District now held by Republican Yvette Herrell of Alamogordo would have a 6 percentage point Democratic lean, according to the Research & Polling analysis of past elections. ? The 3rd Congressional District now held by Democrat Teresa Leger Fernandez of Santa Fe would have a 12 point Democratic lean, according to the Research & Polling analysis.

AMMON, Idaho (AP) — Idaho Lt. Gov. The Idaho Press Club sued McGeachin in July after several journalists said she wrongly denied public record requests for materials relating to her new Education Task Force. He also ordered her to pay the Idaho Press Club's legal fees. The Associated Press accurately reported that the Idaho Press Club requested that the lieutenant governor be held in contempt of court. McGeachin and Macomber also took aim at the Idaho Attorney General's office, saying its bad legal advice led to the public records dust-up.

First-time candidate Susan Hutson toppled 17-year incumbent Marlin Gusman in the Orleans Parish sheriff’s race on Saturday, a stunning rebuke for a seasoned New Orleans politician and a sign that the local progressive movement to reform the criminal justice system is here to stay. Like Williams, Hutson trailed by a sizable margin in the primary. e-mail address * Sign UpAn incumbent with baggageIn contrast to Hutson, Gusman is a blue chip New Orleans politician with local roots. Now back in charge of the jail, Gusman argued he was within reach of finally fulfilling the consent decree — as long as the city builds the special needs jail for people with health problems. She backs Mayor LaToya Cantrell’s plan to renovate part of the main Orleans Justice Center instead.

Associated PressMONTPELIER — The first woman and first openly gay person to serve as the president of the Vermont State Senate said Monday that she's running to occupy the state's lone U.S. House seat. Becca Balint, of Brattleboro, is seeking the Democratic Party nomination for the position. "I'm running because I believe that, even with the challenges of today, we cannot back away from fighting for each other," Balint said in a statement. Molly Gray has already announced she will seek the nomination for the House seat. Election 2022:'Vermont families are struggling': Democratic U.S. Rep. Peter Welch to seek Senate seat'Uniquely positive figure':Senator Patrick Leahy's legacy of human rights, war reparations

A large Democratic field developed, and Suffolk County Deputy County Executive Jon Kaiman was one of five candidates to jump in, finishing third to Tom Suozzi, the former two-term Nassau County executive. Now, Kaiman says he’s seriously considering another run for the seat. Speaking to The Point Wednesday, Kaiman said, "I’m looking at my options for putting a run together over the next few weeks. But Kaiman said he’s spoken to Suozzi at length, and thinks he is committed to his Albany run. Josh Lafazan told The Point Thursday he is "seriously considering a run," and will make a final decision soon.

San Antonio – It’s official. Former San Antonio Councilwoman Rebecca Viagrán confirmed she will run for Congress. Viagrán kicked off her campaign for the 35th Congressional District seat during a public event on Saturday. The campaign kickoff began at 10 a.m. at VFW Post #76, located on 10th Street in downtown San Antonio. “I have been a faithful servant, a public servant to San Antonio, to my community, and to the region for these eight years and beyond.

The poll, conducted by Public Policy Polling (PPP), a liberal-leaning firm based in Raleigh, N.C., had Ivey the choice of 31% of likely Democratic primary voters, compared to 8% who said they were supported former state Del. The automated survey of 403 likely voters, taken Dec. 8 and 9, had a 4.9-point margin of error. He spent two terms as state’s attorney, from 2002 to 2010, and ran unsuccessfully for the 4th District House seat in 2016. The poll did not test the support of former U.S. Rep. Donna F. Edwards (D), who reportedly is mulling the race. Meanwhile, Lewis’ campaign announced last week that he had raised more than $100,000 in just over a month of fundraising.

In 2008, as the global financial crisis came to a head, the payday loan industry gave Scott more than $17,000, as shown in the table below. CFPB was a creation of Dodd-Frank Act, set up to ensure that credit agencies are lending responsibly to consumers. According to the Federal Trade Commission, payday lenders charge as much as 390 percent annual interest on short-term loans. These loans often go to Americans who wouldn’t be approved for traditional credit through banks, credit unions or credit cards, the Pew Research Center found in 2012. Many of the House members at the hearing last week have received campaign contributions from payday lenders.

A well-known Western Slope Republican may launch a primary challenge to U.S. Rep. Lauren Boebert next year. Boebert’s 3rd District, which spans across western Colorado into Pueblo, leans heavily in Republicans’ favor, meaning it would be difficult for a Democrat to dislodge the controversial first-term congresswoman. U.S. Rep. Lauren Boebert, R-Garfield County, takes the stage at the Western Conservative Summit on June 19, 2021 at the Hyatt Regency in Denver. (Olivia Sun, The Colorado Sun)There’s already a Republican running to unseat Boebert next year: Marina Zimmerman, who lives near Durango. Both would be critical in a bid to unseat Boebert.

Redistricting? IA Redistricting: Republican Gov. ? MA Redistricting: Republican Gov. Governors? CO-Gov: A new poll from Democratic pollster Global Strategy Group on behalf of the liberal group ProgressNow Colorado finds Democratic Gov. ? TX-Gov: A new poll from the University of Texas at Austin for the Texas Tribune finds Republican Gov. House? CA-21: Democrat Angel Lara, a former aide to Sen. Dianne Feinstein, has abandoned his bid for California's 21st Congressional District.

? OK Redistricting: Oklahoma’s Republican-run legislature passed new congressional and legislative maps on Friday, sending them to Republican Gov. Josh Green’s allies at 314 Action Fund have released a Public Policy Polling survey that shows him dominating next August’s Democratic primary. ? MA-Gov: YouGov’s poll for UMass Amherst and WCVB again finds Republican Gov. Democratic Gov. : President Joe Biden has appointed Theresa Greenfield, the 2020 Democratic Senate nominee in Iowa, to a U.S. Department of Agriculture post as the state’s director of rural development.

Georgia Rep. David ScottGeorgia Rep. David Scott has long been one of the lousiest Democrats in the House, and he may be in for a primary challenge in his safely blue suburban Atlanta seat. Owens opposed Scott once before, in 2014, but he raised very little money and ultimately lost by a lopsided 82-18 margin. Owens took over as chair of the Cobb County Democrats in November of 2016 ahead of a very successful cycle for Team Blue in this ancestrally red county, so if he runs again, he may earn more notice. In 2016, he endorsed Republican Sen. Johnny Isakson’s bid for re-election, declaring of his home-state senator, “He's my friend. It’s not just Scott’s damaging displays of "bipartisanship" that makes him so awful: He’s often a bad vote, too.

But while there's no escaping that this map is a Democratic gerrymander, it's a half-hearted one at best. The plan would shred the swingy, GOP-held 10th District and make it all but impossible for Democrats to hold the open the 17th District while pushing Democratic Rep. Brendan Boyle into Republican Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick's 1st District. Boyle reacted indignantly to the proposal, with a spokesperson accusing Street, the son of former Philly Mayor John Street, of "conspiring with Republicans to push a gerrymandered Republican map for personal political gain." ? NY-Gov, NY-AG: Attorney General Tish James on Thursday abruptly ended her six-week old Democratic primary campaign against Gov. Hutson's most prominent supporter is District Attorney Jason Williams, whose own victory last year represented a big win for criminal justice reformers.

“One of the big things facing all of the candidates is name recognition, and … there are a handful of national figures that an average primary voter could identify, and having such a high-profile endorsement like that certainly does help to generate attention on the race,” said Mileah Kromer, an associate political science professor and director of the Sarah T. Hughes Center for Politics at Goucher College. “What will be most significant is not just the endorsement itself: It’s whether the endorsement comes with additional resources, if she helps drive up his fundraising efforts, if she appears alongside him here in the state.”

SPIRIT LAKE, Iowa -- The race to replace one-term state Sen. Zach Whiting, R-Spirit Lake, is coming into sharper focus. The Osceola County Daily News reported on Nov. 2 that Spirit Lake businesswoman and Dickinson County resident Barb Clayton said that she wanted to run. Kim Reynolds set Dec. 14 as the date for the special election. Under state law, the governor "shall order, not later than five days from the date the vacancy exists, a special election, giving not less than forty days’ notice of such election." So far, Democrats have not nominated a candidate for the special election in the district, where registered Republicans account for the majority of voters.

Redistricting? AK Redistricting: Alaska's redistricting commission agreed on a new state Senate map on Tuesday, with the board's three Republican appointees voting in favor and its two independent members against. Republican Rep. Scott Franklin, who represents the current 15th, would instead find himself in the redder 28th District. ? NH-Sen: WMUR reports that wealthy businessman Bill Binnie, who took a distant third in the 2010 Senate Republican primary, is interested in another try, but there's no word from Binnie himself. Governors? AR-Gov: Former White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders lost her last notable Republican primary foe on Tuesday night when Attorney General Leslie Rutledge announced that she was switching to the race for lieutenant governor. ? IL-17: Two new Democrats announced campaigns for Illinois' revamped 17th Congressional District on Wednesday, former state Rep. Litesa Wallace and former TV meteorologist Eric Sorensen.

Read moreHARRISBURG — A Republican state senator from southcentral Pennsylvania said Saturday that he will run for governor, adding to the GOP’s double-digits-deep primary field aiming to take on the presumed Democratic nominee, state Attorney General Josh Shapiro, in next year’s election. Sen. Scott Martin, of Lancaster County, announced it in a video on his campaign website and Facebook page. He becomes the second Republican state senator in a field that is roughly a dozen deep and likely to grow. Martin, 49, a former county commissioner, was first elected in 2016, and is the Senate’s Education Committee chair. However, he has the advantage of being from a growing county that has the fourth-most registered Republicans in the state.

A week ago, the Democratic field in the primary for state attorney general was expected to only grow. "After I launched my campaign, Letitia James announced that she is seeking re-election as Attorney General. Tish has been a tireless leader for New York as our Attorney General, including in the fight for reproductive rights," Vullo said in a statement released by her campaign. "I greatly admire the work Tish has done as Attorney General and she has my full and unwavering support for her re-election. State Sen. Michael Gianaris and Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez are not expected to run.

Ronald "Ronnie" Sandlin Smokin' Weed In the U.S. Capitol Building on Jan 6th. Sandlin’s lawyer argued that the certification of the Electoral College results is NOT an official act of Congress;therefore, how can Sandlin be charged with obstruction? If found guilty and convicted of obstruction, DeGrave and Sandlin could face up to 20 years in prison. Sandlin, DeGrave and a third man, Josiah Colt, met in Washington to attend the president’s “Stop the Steal” rally on Jan. 6. In the video, Sandlin, DeGrave and the third man are eating at a restaurant and talking about their plan.

— Kyle Griffin (@kylegriffin1) December 13, 2021x Today, President Biden will sign an executive order to bring government services into the digital era for things like renewing passports, applying for Social Security benefits, and getting aid after natural disasters. — Kyle Griffin (@kylegriffin1) December 13, 2021KAMALA HARRISx Vice President Harris: "Women will die" if Roe is overturned or curtailed. — Kyle Griffin (@kylegriffin1) December 13, 2021CDCx 60.8%: The share of all Americans who are fully vaccinated, according to the CDC. https://t.co/K1tCkwDEiv — Kyle Griffin (@kylegriffin1) December 13, 2021TRUMPx Trump in Sept. 2016: "The mob takes the Fifth. — Kyle Griffin (@kylegriffin1) December 13, 2021

WASHINGTON — The House committee investigating the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol released a report on Sunday that laid out its case for a contempt of Congress charge against Mark Meadows, the chief of staff to former President Donald J. Trump, presenting evidence of Mr. Meadows’s deep involvement in the effort to overturn the 2020 presidential election. In the 51-page document, the committee said it wanted to question Mr. Meadows about an email he had sent a day before the attack advising that the National Guard would be used to defend Trump supporters . The panel said it also wanted to ask him about an exchange with an unnamed senator about rejecting electors for Joseph R. Biden Jr.[...]The report comes as the committee is scrutinizing a 38-page PowerPoint document containing plans to overturn Mr. Biden’s victory. That document, which Mr. Meadows provided to the committee, urged Mr. Trump to declare a national emergency to cling to power and included an unsupported claim that China and Venezuela had obtained control over the voting infrastructure in a majority of states. Mr. Giuliani has identified Mr. Waldron as a source of information for his legal campaign.

One of those, however, is dystopia (weird for a fantasy reader to dislike dystopia, but here we are.) To say I dislike dystopia would be an understatement — I abhor dystopia. A case in point: Jordy Rosenberg’s amazing Confessions of the Fox. Now, give me an unpublished manuscript that plays a pivotal role in a novel, and I’m all in—it’s catnip. It’s also probably the only dystopia you’ll ever read that comes with its own academic bibliography.

If enacted the bill will make New York City the largest jurisdiction in the country to allow noncitizen voting, NPR reported. Supporters of the bill argue that giving noncitizens the ability to vote in local elections allows for more accountability and an accurate representation of what the city’s population wants. According to CNN, the RNC already has filed lawsuits against Winooski and Montpelier, Vermont, over letting noncitizens vote. “I'm finally being heard as part of the political process.”This isn’t the first time the New York City Council made headlines positively for immigrants this year. In November Daily Kos reported that five Asian Americans were elected to the New York City Council.

Groups Never Admit Failure[Naval, via Naked Capitalism 12-9-2021]You get a schism instead. The pandemicHow well masks protect[Max-Planck-Gesellschaft, via Naked Capitalism 12-5-2021]Three metres are not enough to ensure protection. “The Quiet Scandal of College Teaching”Jonathan Zimmerman [Liberties, via Naked Capitalism Water Cooler 12-10-2021]“A majority of college teachers are now adjunct or contract faculty. Recently uncovered software flaw ‘most critical vulnerability of the last decade’[Guardian, via Naked Capitalism 12-11-2021]“Explainer: What caused Amazon’s outage? [Bloomberg, via Naked Capitalism 12-7-2021]Trump’s Next Coup Has Already BegunBarton Gellman, December 6, 2021 [The Atlantic]January 6 was practice.

On Friday, District Judge Dabney Friedrich ruled against the effort by two defendants to have their “obstruction of an official proceeding” charges dismissed. And Judge Friedrich—a Donald Trump appointee—had little trouble discerning that the Joint Session of Congress that was interrupted by the attack was, indeed, an “official proceeding” under the law. It’s not clear whether these other judges will follow Friedrich’s ruling or logic, but as Marcy Wheeler observes, the trend in the courts is not going their way. As Wheeler observes, it’s possible he shared information that was central to the expectations of and plans by the militia that organized the assault. Not a lot of people are spending a lot of time in jail," an anonymous Justice Department prosecutor told CNN.

The task force examined hate crimes across all five boroughs. According to the NYPD report, anti-Asian incidents jumped 361%, from 28 this time last year to 129 this year. "On the flip side of that, which shows the great work our hate crimes task force is doing, our arrests are up 106%. x Watch as NYPD executives provide updates on the NYPD Hate Crime Review Panel and recent Hate Crime investigations. https://t.co/JjphwfLyyj — NYPD NEWS (@NYPDnews) December 7, 2021Police officials noted that the increase in hate crimes has been driven by bias against the Asian community.

Johnny Teague is a challenger to Democratic Congressman Al Green in TX-7 in 2022... and while doing so in 2020, was touting the Qanon Conspiracy Theory. Welcome to what is the 1053rd original profile here at “Fanatical Republican Extremist of the Day”, where we’ll be discusisng Johnny Teague a candidate for U.S. House of Representatives in Texas’ 9th Congressional District in 2020, who was looking to knock off Democratic Congressman Al Green. Oh, and that he tried running for office as a Democrat but failed to get a following because he couldn’t be open to same sex marriage. Johnny Teague only managed 21.6% of the vote in the 2020 elections against Al Green, and already has registered as a candidate to run against him again in the new TX-7 district in 2022. One Year Ago, December 13th, 2020: Kristen Alamo Rowin (TX)Two Years Ago, December 13th, 2019: Lisa Luby Ryan (TX)Three Years Ago, December 13th, 2018: Matt Rinaldi (TX)Four Years Ago, December 13th, 2017: Lamar Smith (TX)… 2017 UpdateFive Years Ago, December 13th, 2016: Lamar Smith (TX)… 2016 UpdateSix Years Ago, December 13th, 2015: Lamar Smith (TX)… 2015 UpdateSeven Years Ago, December 13th, 2014: Lamar Smith (TX)… Original Profile

For me, as after the second shot, not so good (though much better than actual COVID!) Then, also breaking over the weekend, the release of a PowerPoint document called "Election Fraud, Foreign Interference & Options for JAN 6". It was obtained by the U.S. House Select Committee investigating January 6, from Donald Trump's former Chief of Staff Mike Meadows. But the main point is this: Donald Trump and his minions employed a coordinated attempt to steal the 2020 Presidential election. Donald Trump tried to STEAL the 2020 election and this was the "Rosetta Stone" road map for it.

The Jan 6th Committee is meeting as we speak (started at 7:00 p.m. ET) to vote on contempt of Congress charges against Mark Meadows. pic.twitter.com/dZdTJmgc7d — January 6th Committee (@January6thCmte) December 13, 2021Follow the link below to watch the proceedings —x . x NEW: US House Select Jan 6 Cmte releases its Contempt of Congress report against Mark Meadows. -@RepPeteAguilar — January 6th Committee (@January6thCmte) December 14, 2021The final vote at 7:45 p.m.

With the three visiting judges out and Shahan’s reported pals in, these men can expect continued state detention. One of these groups, Patriots for America, “has claimed it is coordinating with law enforcement,” Human Rights Watch said. While the Texas Department of Public Safety has pushed back on associations with these extremist groups, both Abbott and Lt. Gov. “Abbott said Wednesday that ‘homes are being invaded,’” The Texas Tribune reported in June. The local shelter wouldn’t take people in because they could not help them get out,” Texas Fair Defense Project initially tweeted about Abbott’s order.

In the wee hours of the morning last week, a man climbed up and set the Fox News headquarters ’ Christmas Tree ablaze. Fox News spent about 36-straight hours lamenting this terrible blow to Hannukah and freedom and Christianity and America in the War on Christmas. Well, according to reports the fire “caused an estimated $500,000 in property damage.” Maybe Steve Doocy parked his son’s Christmas present under the tree? x Doocy: “We’ve seen an arsonist burn down a half a million dollar Christmas tree … back out on the streets. Psaki reminded Doocy that Graham’s CBO score is about as worthwhile as the notepad Peter Doocy pretends to write notes on.

Every day there is more evidence of the complicity of Donald Trump and his Confederacy of Traitors who tried to undermine democracy and overturn an election with violence. "As the violence continued, one of the president's sons texted Mr. Meadows, quote, 'He’s got to condemn this shit ASAP. Donald Trump Jr texted. "Still, president Trump did not immediately act. Donald Trump Jr texted again, again, and again.

Gosar’s release even included a statement from Kingman Mayor Jen Miles saying how "grateful" the city was for his support. Yeah, let's revisit that spring vote for a second: 219 - 210 in the House, with zero Republicans; and 50-49 in the Senate, with zero Republicans. Gosar was just the latest in a recent rash of Republicans stealing credit for lavishing relief on their constituents. In his statement, Rural Organizing's Hildreth stressed that Democrats need to be clear about who's actually delivering for Americans. Indeed, taking credit is critical for Democrats, who are already facing rough political headwinds heading into next year.

By Joel D. JosephMexico is 83% Catholic, yet the Mexican Supreme Court ruled that women have a constitutional right to an abortion. Only about 20% of Americans are opposed to all abortions, yet in Texas, the Texas legislature recently banned all abortions after six weeks. The Palestine Herald Press in Palestine, Texas, reports that Texas leads the nation in child poverty, with 1.5 million kids below the poverty line. A clear majority of Americans, including most Republicans, opposes key provisions of the controversial new Texas abortion law, the latest NPR/PBS NewsHour/Marist poll found. The U.S. Courts Keep Texas Law for the Time BeingThe U.S. Supreme Court late Wednesday night refused to block the Texas law that amounts to a ban on abortions after six weeks of pregnancy.

The version of justice put forth by Karl Marx strikes a practical balance when it comes to the questions of capitalism and the state. It acknowledges the role that the state has in ensuring justice under the present conditions, while not viewing the state as something that will always be needed. This is true for the capitalist state, but not the case for the socialist state. He would argue that the state's extinction is incompatible with justice, because according to him the state is crucial for preventing individual misdeeds. Goldman and the anarchists recognize this flaw in the Hobbesian position that the state is and always will be indispensable for justice.

Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini(Image by Bing) Details DMCAI wrote my last article about the Neuropsychology of the Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini a decade has gone by. However, during last decade we have had access to additional documents about Ayatollah Khomeini and the events surrounding the Iranian Revolution. The purpose of this paper is not to provide an analysis of the historical events surrounding the reign of Ayatollah Khomeini. Ayatollah Khomeini is the youngest of these six children. His oldest brother Ayatollah Pasandideh was about ten years old at that time and was present during the decapitation.

This is not hard to conclude after the High Court decision announced early Friday to bow to the US and extradite Julian Assange. All According to (Updated) PlanAssange's lawyers have said they intend to appeal the High Court decision. Glenn also noted that post-Obama Democrats and their security state allies have a particularly potent reason to exact vengeance on Assange, who published those DNC emails showing that Bernie Sanders was cheated out of the nomination in 2016. The security state had a witches' brew. Here's Javert - I mean Burton:"Move him [Assange] from country to country to face charges for the next 25 years.

The Turning on Russia SeriesBoris Yeltsin gets the last laugh when he picked Vladimir Putin to become president. If Stanley Fischer, a man who helped bring about a de facto criminal-privatization-fraud to post-empire Russia says the U.S. is on a dangerous course, the time has arrived for post-empire Americans to ask what role Stanley Fischer played in putting the U.S. on that dangerous course. Unknown to Americans is the blunt force trauma Stanley Fischer and the "prestigious" Harvard Project delivered to Russia under the leadership of Boris Yeltsin during the 1990s. It might be unfair to say that hating Russia was his only obsession. Garthoff continues, "The United States had used the alert to convert an Arab-Israeli conflict, into which the United States had plunged, into a matter of East-West confrontation.

The Supreme Court appears poised to curtail abortion rights, and federal legislation codifying access is unlikely to make it anywhere. But, with 50 years of abortion rights in the balance, many would like Biden to use the bully pulpit to champion the abortion rights valued by the people who worked to elect him and go on the offensive to protect them. Abortion rights activists demonstrate in front of the U.S. Supreme Court as the justices hear arguments in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health. Activists like Bracey Sherman worry that Biden’s reticence on abortion rights undermines efforts to reduce the stigma for people who have had abortions. Biden mentioned “protecting women’s health” in his first joint address to Congress in April but not abortion rights specifically.

Stanley Fischer, the 73-year-old vice chair of the U.S. Federal Reserve, is familiar with the decline of the world’s rich. If anyone knows about the decline and fall of empires it is the “globalist” and former Bank of Israel president, Stanley Fischer. Unknown to Americans is the blunt force trauma Stanley Fischer and the “prestigious” Harvard Project delivered to Russia under the leadership of Boris Yeltsin during the 1990s. After emerging from their Marxist/Leninist cocoon after World War II their movement helped to establish the Cold War. Garthoff continues, “The United States had used the alert to convert an Arab-Israeli conflict, into which the United States had plunged, into a matter of East-West confrontation.

Lawmakers and abortion providers in California are seeking to make the state a “sanctuary” for all Americans seeking abortion services, amid the disturbing possibility that abortion rights could be completely dismantled next year. Earlier this month, the Supreme Court heard a direct challenge to Roe v. Wade from state prosecutors in Mississippi. Gavin Newsom (D) created the California Future of Abortion Council (FAB Council), a group of organizations and abortion service providers in the state. California already pays for abortion services for individuals in the state who qualify for Medicaid, and requires private insurance companies to provide abortion services. The FAB council made a number of additional recommendations for making abortion more accessible in California.

The word “transgender” didn’t appear in any of them. More anti-trans bills were introduced in state legislatures in 2021 than in any previous year on record. In Iowa (10 bills) and Montana (seven bills), the word transgender is not mentioned. That definition, at odds with the American Medical Association, has been seen in anti-trans bills across the country. The ADF in part helped kick off the trend of anti-trans legislation.

The Supreme Court appears poised to curtail abortion rights, and federal legislation codifying access is unlikely to make it anywhere. But, with 50 years of abortion rights in the balance, many would like Biden to use the bully pulpit to champion the abortion rights valued by the people who worked to elect him and go on the offensive to protect them. Activists like Bracey Sherman worry that Biden’s reticence on abortion rights undermines efforts to reduce the stigma for people who have had abortions. Biden mentioned “protecting women’s health” in his first joint address to Congress in April but not abortion rights specifically. What is the vision for ensuring that abortion access is guaranteed?

A 78-year-old woman has filed a discrimination complaint in Maine alleging that Sunrise Assisted Living denied her admission because she is transgender. Most residents of Sunrise Assisted Living have semi-private rooms, sharing them with a roommate of the same gender. “We haven’t decided whether we want to do that yet,” Klein told The 19th. “In Maine, people have the tools to fight discrimination [against transgender people], but it’s not currently illegal in many other states. If we were to pass the Equality Act, this type of discrimination would be illegal everywhere in the United States,” Tax told The 19th.

in New Orleans, have decided to observe “Transgender Day of Resilience” instead of “Transgender Day of Remembrance,” to honor the people who survive against the odds instead of the norm: acknowledging their struggles only when they’re gone. Jemma DeCristo: I think representation has brought, to answer your question, a mass delusion in a certain kind of way. And yeah, so I think that’s where we’re at. And then someone who’s still with us is Tracy Africa, formerly Tracy Norman, who was the first Black, trans model. You know, that’s kind of the one cultural reference people tend to have.

The word “transgender” didn’t appear in any of them. More anti-trans bills were introduced in state legislatures in 2021 than in any previous year on record. While Texas introduced the most anti-trans legislation in 2021, six other states considered at least seven bills. In Iowa (10 bills) and Montana (seven bills), the word transgender is not mentioned. That definition, at odds with the American Medical Association, has been seen in anti-trans bills across the country.

Originally published by The 19thA 78-year-old woman has filed a discrimination complaint in Maine alleging that Sunrise Assisted Living denied her admission because she is transgender. Most residents of Sunrise Assisted Living have semi-private rooms, sharing them with a roommate of the same gender. “We haven’t decided whether we want to do that yet,” Klein told The 19th. “In Maine, people have the tools to fight discrimination [against transgender people], but it’s not currently illegal in many other states. If we were to pass the Equality Act, this type of discrimination would be illegal everywhere in the United States,” Tax told The 19th.

The House select committee investigating the January 6 Capitol attack has issued a scathing report on Trump’s former Chief of Staff Mark Meadows, asserting that his refusal to testify before the commission requires contempt of Congress charges. Meadows claimed that he couldn’t appear at the deposition because of executive privilege claims made by Trump. Early on, Meadows was one of the few former Trump staffers who was willing to work with investigators after being subpoenaed. But later on, Meadows was threatened with contempt charges for refusing to comply with the commission’s terms for his depositions. The January 6 commission will vote to forward contempt charges to the House of Representatives on Monday; the House is expected to vote on those charges later this week.

A government crisis in Sweden that began earlier this year with the temporary resignation of then Prime Minister Stefan Löfven has gained intensity over recent weeks. The four right-wing parties’ votes amounted to 174, one seat shy of the majority necessary to block Andersson’s election. Later that day, parliament debated two budget proposals for 2022, one drafted by the Social Democrats and another by the right-wing Moderates and Christian Democrats, and far-right Sweden Democrats. This marked the first time ever that a budget put together with the involvement of the Sweden Democrats was adopted. She vowed to impose the 2022 budget drafted by the Moderates, Christian Democrats, and Sweden Democrats.

According to the Insider report, members of both major parties have violated the STOCK Act, with violations between Democrats and Republicans about even. Most of the violations from Capitol Hill staffers and Congress members are due to late reporting, with some disclosures coming as late as four years. This year, Rep. Pat Fallon (R-Texas) made dozens of stock trades that he disclosed months late, worth around $17.5 million total. Several of the nearly 200 Capitol Hill staffers who violated the STOCK Act gave questionable excuses for not obeying the law. Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Massachusetts) has introduced legislation that would ban stock trading for Members of Congress, Cabinet members, top staffers, federal judges and White House officials.

On December 7, the Philippine Supreme Court ruled that the majority of President Rodrigo Duterte’s Anti-Terrorism Act of 2020 was constitutional, rejecting 37 petitions against it. President Duterte with Philippine Army troops [Credit: Presidential Communications Operations Office]The Anti-Terrorism Law grants sweeping powers of surveillance and arrest to the unelected Anti-Terrorism Council, a government body, composed of military, police and administration personnel, which was created by the law. The Anti-Terrorism law replaced the Human Security Act of 2007 of then President Gloria Arroyo. Twelve out of the 15 sitting judges in last week’s ruling were appointed to the Supreme Court by Duterte. The Supreme Court Justices delayed the court proceedings for months and, during oral arguments displayed open contempt for the concerns that the constitution was being blatantly violated.

In 1636, British officials in Barbados passed legislation declaring all slaves, later extended to include their children, to be enslaved for life. The highly profitable sugar trade soon made Barbados Britain’s most populated colony and possibly one of the most densely populated places on earth. Equiano also publicized the infamous Zong massacre of November 1781, when the crew of the British slave ship threw more than 130 enslaved Africans overboard after running low on drinking water. As one of its first acts, it passed legislation in 1833 abolishing slavery in all the territories of British rule. These terrible conditions provide the context for the Barbados government’s decision to become a republic after 396 years of allegiance to the British Crown.

A new report recommending former White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows be held in criminal contempt of Congress for his refusal to comply with a subpoena provides new evidence that the White House was directing the stand-down of the military during the January 6 attack on the Capitol. The stunning revelation that Trump’s chief of staff was intimately involved in directing the response of the National Guard prior to the attack on the Capitol was one of many important details Thompson enumerated. Acting Secretary of Defense Christopher Miller played a key role in delaying the deployment of the D.C. National Guard to the Capitol. Another significant detail revealed in Thompson’s report is that Mark Meadows was in “nonstop” communication with Kashyap “Kash” Patel, Miller’s chief of staff on January 6. This is hurting all of us, he is destroying his legacy,” Fox host Laura Ingraham, texted Meadows, according to Cheney.

Britain has announced the first publicly confirmed death globally from the Omicron variant of COVID-19. On Sunday evening, Johnson confirmed in a televised address that there were hospitalisations due to Omicron in Britain. With another 1,576 Omicron cases reported Monday, there were 4,713 confirmed cases of the variant in Britain. South Africa first reported the Omicron variant (B.1.1.529) to the World Health Organisation on November 24, 2021. Javid replied, “I think [Bradshaw] makes a very good point, given that we already know that the Omicron variant is fast becoming the dominant variant in our capital city, spreading rapidly throughout the country, the justification for having those rules is minimised.

Eight of the deaths were among those killed at the Mayfield Consumer Products candle factory in Mayfield, Kentucky. Workers were told to shelter in place just minutes before the tornado decimated the factory. Governor Beshear has mobilized 300 Kentucky National Guard troops across nine counties to assist in the recovery efforts. The deadliest tornado since 1947, rated an EF5, ripped through Joplin, Missouri in 2011, killing 158 people. However, scientists have so far been unable to determine a direct link between tornado activity and climate change.

State Attorney General Letitia James’ reelection bid to remain the state’s top lawyer has cleared the once-crowded Democratic primary field, as several candidates announced Monday they’re calling it quits. New York Attorney General Letitia James’ decision to drop out of the gubernatorial race has caused AG candidates to suspend their campaigns. REUTERS/Joy MaloneZephyr Teachout decided to end her campaign for AG shortly after James ended her gubernatorial hopes. State Assemblyman Clyde Vanel ended his AG campaign and has backed James. Photo by Saul Loeb – Pool/Getty ImagesState Sen. Shelley Mayer will no longer be running for state AG.

Hochul’s sudden mask-at-your-desk mandate sparked outrage in New York City as it went into effect Monday despite the Big Apple having some of the lowest rates of COVID-19 and highest rates of vaccination in the nation. New York City’s COVID-19 positivity rate has remained at less than 3 percent since November. “It just doesn’t make sense to get the vaccine if I still have to wear a mask. Kathy Wylde, executive director of the pro-business Partnership for New York City, noted that the city hadn’t yet announced enforcement guidelines for Hochul’s order, which carries fines of $1,000 per violation. Kathy Hochul’s mask mandate.

The U.S. Air Force announced Monday that 27 active-duty airmen were administratively discharged for refusing to roll up their sleeves for a COVID-19 jab and vowed to continue to refuse the jab. The airmen were all young and served for fewer than six years, Ann Stefanek, an Air Force spokeswoman said. The paper reported that 97% of active-duty members have complied with the orders handed down by Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin in August. The Air Force did not immediately respond to an after-hours email from Fox News. About 40,000 active-duty military personnel have refused to take the vaccine, the Washington Post reported.

Sean Hannity slammed Vice President Kamala Harris for failing to live up to her responsibilities in the White House on "Hannity" Monday. "In fact, no vice president in U.S. history has a lower approval rating than Kamala Harris," Hannity said. "Maybe that's because the vice president is terrible at her job … Ever since she was appointed border czar nine months ago, Harris has done nothing to resolve the crisis." Allegedly, Kamala Harris is such a menace that some are openly referring to her as a soul-destroying bully. The relationships between the Biden-Harris offices are reportedly strained, despite the cordial relationship between the vice president and President Biden .

Former White House chief of staff Mark Meadows responded late Monday to the House Select Committee's vote to recommend prosecution for criminal contempt of Congress after he refused to testify before the panel. Meadows is the latest Trump adviser to face the legal ire of the Jan. 6 committee. In November, a federal grand jury charged former senior Trump adviser Steve Bannon with two counts of contempt of Congress. The committee also referred former Trump DOJ official Jeffrey Clark to the Justice Department for contempt of Congress. Asked how he intends to respond to the House vote, Meadows said, "hopefully the court’s will weigh in."

Johnson’s Conservative MPs are preparing to rebel en masse over new public health restrictions which include vaccine certification for some hospitality venues. Nonetheless, with polls slipping and scandals mounting, this could yet look like the week the shine came off the Johnson circus. “It’s about trust, and it’s broken at the moment,” said one former aide to Johnson. ‘Emperor’s new clothes’MPs on all sides of the Conservative Party confirmed discussions over Johnson’s position are now taking place. If Johnson can’t pull off yet another big comeback, his time really could be limited.

His report “Murky Waters – the Black Sea and European Security” will be published on January 26. Europe cannot afford to sit out the growing crisis between Russia and Ukraine and leave it to United States President Joe Biden alone to try to prevent a war on its own doorstep. Europeans can also do more to offer security and economic support to Kyiv, while pressing both sides to implement the Minsk peace accords on eastern Ukraine. EU experience in fostering cross-border cooperation and people-to-people contact in the Baltic Sea region should be used to strengthen economic and human connection in the Black Sea. Only by taking collective action can the EU facilitate a sustainable peace in the Black Sea region.

Gavin Newsom suggested he’ll create a gun law modeled after Texas’s severe abortion restrictions, in which enforcement is left up to private citizens. Molly Jong-Fast joins to discuss why this national fight over the future of America could challenge the Constitution.Dec.

More recently, Macron's rural policies have increasingly tallied with the demands of the very lobbies Hulot called out, first and foremost in Brussels. With his farming-friendly policies, Macron is courting more than the farmers' vote. At home too, Macron has morphed into a staunch defender of the terroir who lends an empathetic ear to farmers and hunters. When bird hunters took to the streets of French cities in September, Macron rolled back some restrictions, to their delight. Macron's agriculture minister, Julien Denormandie, also allowed sugar beet farmers more exemptions to use bee-killing insecticides that are banned at the EU level.

Author and niece to Donald Trump, Mary Trump, joins Lawrence to discuss the news revealed by the Jan. 6 Select Cmte. that Trump Jr. was texting Trump Chief of Staff Mark Meadows -- instead of his own father -- during the attack on the Capitol.Dec.

WASHINGTON — The House panel investigating the Jan. 6 Capitol insurrection voted Monday to recommend contempt charges against former White House chief of staff Mark Meadows as lawmakers revealed a series of frantic texts he received as the attack was underway. The panel voted 9-0 to recommend the contempt charges. In response to one text from Trump Jr., Meadows texted: “I’m pushing it hard. “There’s an armed standoff at the House Chamber door,” the text read, according to the panel. In a text exchange with an unidentified senator, the committee said, Meadows said Trump believed Vice President Mike Pence had power to reject electors in his role presiding over the Jan. 6 certification.

Logan and his company kept a low profile until the 2020 election, when he made clear he viewed the results as fraudulent. He has defended the findings of the ballot review and called for an overhaul to Arizona's voting systems. He dispatched Giuliani and others to help convince Republicans to take action after the 2020 election. THE ENABLERSChristina Bobb: She is the One America News correspondent who is also a lawyer and advocated for fundraising to sustain the ballot review. THE POLITICIANSPaul Boyer: The Glendale Republican state senator prevented the chamber from holding the county supervisors in contempt.

Anne Sacoolas, the woman accused of killing 19-year-old British motorcyclist Harry Dunn, will face court proceedings in January, the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) has said. The teenager died after he was struck by a car Ms Sacoolas was driving outside RAF Croughton in Northamptonshire in August 2019. It is thought that Ms Sacoolas will appear by video-link from the US in a case to be heard in Westminster Magistrates’ Court on 18 January. “It is all that we asked for following Harry’s death.”Responding to the news, the recently-appointed foreign secretary Liz Truss tweeted: “Welcome news that Anne Sacoolas will face a UK court. Earlier this year, the Biden administration confirmed that its refusal to extradite Ms Sacoolas to the UK was “final”.

Among them were messages Laura Ingraham and Sean Hannity, both of whom have publicly defended Mr Trump’s actions on that day. Sean Hannity, one of Mr Trump’s favourite Fox hosts, wrote in a message to Mr Meadows: “Can he make a statement? Ms Ingraham has mocked testimony from Capitol police officers speaking to the January 6 committee on her show, The Ingraham Angle. Despite Mr Hannity’s plea for Mr Trump to call off the attackers, the Fox host later defended the former president on his show during an interview with Mr Meadows. "This is the same Donald Trump that said, ‘Many of you will peacefully and patriotically march to the Capitol so your voices may be heard,’’ Mr Hannity said .

Mr Trump has launched a speaking tour, with five separate stops, appearing alongside disgraced ex-Fox News anchor Bill O'Reilly, who left the broadcaster in 2017. Historically, Mr Trump didn't charge for admission to his political rallies, but on this occasion, fans had to fork out $100 for a ticket, right before the Christmas holidays. Sunday’s event was just the second leg of a tour featuring the former president and Mr O'Reilly, who was one of Fox News’ biggest TV stars only a decade ago. After the opening tour stop, Mr Trump said in a statement that the gathering yielded a “great time,” adding that he hoped to return to the Sunshine State in the “not too distant future”. Mr O'Reilly meanwhile, has generally shied away from public appearances in recent years, after being unceremoniously ousted by Fox News due to allegations of misconduct.

Oxford Community Schools are set to be closed on Tuesday after a threat aimed at the middle school was posted on social media. It has been exactly two weeks since four students were shot and killed in a shooting at Oxford High School. Oxford Community Schools has announced all buildings will be closed Tuesday after a threat against the middle school was received on social media. The threat was aimed at the middle schoolThe school district said the threat was directed at Oxford Middle School, but school will be canceled in all Oxford Community SchoolsThe suspected shooter, Michigan teenager, Ethan Crumbley, 15, appeared in court on Monday. Keast assured her he would contact jail officials to 'make sure the defendant is not within sight or sound of adults at the Oakland County Jail.'

Tory MP Steve Baker, from the Covid Recovery Group, accused Johnson of creating a "miserable dystopia" by introducing "disproportionate" curbs based on incomplete evidence. At least 60 Tory MPs -- possibly more -- are reported to be set to rebel over the new restrictions, although the government with its 80-seat majority is expected to win with opposition party support. Over the last week, he has seen support plummet in opinion polls and faced open calls to quit because of reports that he and staff broke coronavirus rules last Christmas. Johnson caused outrage for trying to change parliament's disciplinary rules after a Tory MP illegally lobbied ministers for two companies that had him on their payrolls. Political commentator Robin Pettitt said Johnson -- a former journalist and London mayor known for his unconventional style -- could ride out one or two scandals.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has urged China to stop 'aggressive actions' in the Indo-Pacific regionJakarta (AFP) – US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Tuesday urged China to cease "aggressive actions" in the Indo-Pacific, speaking during a visit to the region, as Washington seeks to bolster alliances against Beijing. Blinken's comments came in Indonesia, the first leg of a Southeast Asian tour, the latest visit to the region by a senior US official in recent months. In a speech outlining the US approach to the Indo-Pacific, Blinken said Washington would work with allies and partners to "defend the rules-based order" and countries should have the right to "choose their own path". Expansive claimsChina claims almost all of the resource-rich South China Sea, with competing claims from four Southeast Asian states as well as Taiwan. US-China tensions have soared over self-ruled, democratic Taiwan, which China claims as its territory and has vowed to retake one day, by force if necessary.

Don’t let lawsuits or op-eds about executive privilege by Mr. Meadows or his representatives confuse you. The same book that goes into detail about matters the Select Committee is reviewing. It also details conversations he had with President Trump and others—conversations we want to hear more about. “And if you’re listening at home, Mr. Meadows, Mr. Bannon, Mr. Clark, I want you to know this: history will be written about these times, about the work this Committee has undertaken. “I’ll now yield to a distinguished leader on the Select Committee, Ms. Cheney of Wyoming, for any opening remarks she’d care to make.”* * *Vice Chair Cheney: “Thank you very much, Mr. Chairman.

Even before the withdrawal, Biden had pledged to leave no U.S. citizen behind. "If there's American citizens left, we're going to stay to get them all out," Biden told ABC News' George Stephanopoulos on Aug. 16. The State Department said it is "in touch" with the remaining U.S. citizens who want to leave Afghanistan, are prepared to depart, and have the necessary travel documents. The State Department said it is continuing to relocate more than 2,200 Afghan allies who worked with the U.S. as well as their families. The State Department said those being relocated from Afghanistan go through a "rigorous and multilayered screening and vetting process" before arriving in the U.S.

Two key organizers of the main Jan. 6 rally in Washington, D.C. are coming in from the cold. They include Instagram messages Lawrence exchanged with Rep. Madison Cawthorn (R-N.C.) as she tried to get him to speak at the Ellipse rally. The trio were photographed beaming together at the Ellipse rally on Jan. 6. Alexander denied any responsibility for the Jan. 6 violence and accused Stockton and Lawrence of lying to the press. Once he woke up on Jan. 6, Stockton says he wanted the Ellipse rally organizers to denounce the attack as forcefully as possible.

Why it matters: The committee's focus on the former White House chief of staff brings them one step closer to the former president. Texts read aloud during the briefing hearing showed Donald Trump Jr. pleading with Meadows to have his father urge an end to the Capitol assault. ), the vice chairwoman on the committee, read a series of texts from GOP lawmakers, Fox News personalities and Trump Jr., all pleading with Meadows to have the president urge an end to the Capitol assault. “He’s got to condemn this shit ASAP,” Cheney read aloud from a text sent by Trump Jr. to Meadows. His attorney announced last week that Meadows believed he was protected by executive privilege and would no longer cooperate with the investigation.

Washington (CNN) Donald Trump Jr. said in a series of text messages to then-White House chief of staff Mark Meadows that his father needed to "condemn" the US Capitol insurrection as it unfolded. The messages from Trump Jr. -- which the House select committee investigating the January 6 riot revealed before voting to hold Meadows in contempt of Congress -- provide a window into the kind of urgent messages that top Trump surrogates and officials traded as the riot unfolded. "'He's got to condemn this sh*t ASAP. The Capitol Police tweet is not enough,'" Trump Jr. wrote in one message to Meadows, according to the committee's vice chairwoman, Republican Rep. Liz Cheney of Wyoming. Cheney detailed that when Meadows had texted back that he agreed, Trump Jr. said: "We need an Oval office address.

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit will have its first judge appointed by President Joe Biden after the Senate confirmed Lucy Koh on Monday. Koh, a U.S. District Judge in the Northern District of California, will be the first Korean-American woman to serve as a U.S. federal appeals court judge. Koh said she followed Ninth Circuit precedent in making her decision and the evidence before her was not controversial. Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.) pointed out that Republican appointees on the Ninth Circuit panel upheld Koh’s decision, and that Chief Justice John Roberts wouldn’t have enjoined the restrictions. Koh’s confirmation leaves three Ninth Circuit nominations pending.

Indonesia's President Joko Widodo gestures while speaking with the U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken as U.S. Ambassador to Indonesia Sung Y. Kim, Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi and Indonesian State Secretary Pratikno stand behind during their meeting at the Merdeka Palace in Jakarta, Indonesia, December 13, 2021. Courtesy of Lukas/Indonesia's Presidential Palace/Handout via REUTERSJAKARTA, Dec 14 (Reuters) - U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on Tuesday the United States would advance a free and open Indo-Pacific and deepen treaty alliances and defence and intelligence capabilities with partners in the region. Blinken said the United States was committed to a new regional economic framework, which would include more foreign direct investment and U.S. companies identifying opportunities. The United States and allies would press Myanmar's junta to end violence, free detainees and return to democracy, he added.

CHICAGO (WLS) -- Mistakes and misconduct by city workers result in a staggering payout by Chicago taxpayers every month.According to the latest available figures, so far this year the City of Chicago has authorized nearly $67 million in settlement payments because of police misconduct. Some high-profile cases resulted in huge payments to victims and survivors.The I-Team has examined city data that shows Chicago taxpayers on the hook for more than just a few well-known "heater cases. "The city's law department that handles all these suits and settlements requires a sizable staff and budget of its own. With almost 300 attorneys, 100 support employees and a budget of $34 million, it amounts to a good-sized law firm of its own. The one major difference is: the money coming in is from taxpayers -- and so is the money going out.

Three prominent Fox News anchors sent concerned text messages on Jan. 6 to Mark Meadows, the last chief of staff for President Donald J. Trump, urging him to persuade the president to take the riot seriously and to make an effort to stop it. The texts were made public on Monday, shortly before the House committee scrutinizing the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol voted 9-0 in favor of recommending that Mr. Meadows be charged with contempt of Congress. Representative Liz Cheney, Republican of Wyoming, read the text messages aloud. “This is hurting all of us. He is destroying his legacy.”

WASHINGTON — Israel asked the Biden administration last week to speed up the delivery of refueling tankers that could prove critical to striking Iran’s nuclear facilities, but it was told that the aircraft were back-ordered and it was unlikely that its first one would be ready until late 2024, according to U.S. and Israeli officials. The Israeli defense minister, Benny Gantz, made the request last week when he met with Defense Secretary Lloyd J. Austin III and other senior officials in Washington. Details were reported earlier by Yedioth Ahronoth, an Israeli newspaper. The request came amid new tensions between Washington and Jerusalem over how to deal with Iran’s nuclear program. Since mid-2018, when President Donald J. Trump pulled out of a deal aimed at limiting Iran’s nuclear activities, Tehran has made significant gains in its nuclear fuel production, despite repeated operations by Israeli intelligence services to sabotage uranium-enrichment sites and a factory that produced nuclear centrifuges.

The US Navy sailor charged with setting the fire that destroyed the amphibious assault ship USS Bonhomme Richard last year was “disgruntled” after dropping out of SEAL training, prosecutors said Monday. Seaman Ryan Mays was angry about his reassignment to the Bonhomme Richard and lied to his family about his SEAL training, Navy prosecutor Cmdr. The Bonhomme Richard had been undergoing a two-year, $250 million upgrade while docked at Naval Base San Diego at the time of the blaze. Mays was charged by the military with aggravated arson and the willful hazarding of a vessel over the fire. Photo by US NAVY/CHRISTINA ROSS HANDOUT/EPA-EFE/ShutterstockBut the ship was decommissioned and scrapped due to extensive damage caused by the fire.

Marine Gen. Frank McKenzie, head of U.S. Central Command, said in an interview with The Associated Press that the departure of U.S. military and intelligence assets from Afghanistan has made it much harder to track al-Qaeda and other extremist groups inside Afghanistan. Speaking at the Pentagon, McKenzie said it's clear that al-Qaeda is attempting to rebuild its presence inside Afghanistan, which was the base from which it planned the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks against the United States. McKenzie said no such strikes have been conducted since the U.S. completed its withdrawal from Afghanistan on Aug. 30. Al-Qaeda is among numerous extremist groups inside Afghanistan. McKenzie declined to provide an estimate of the number of al-Qaeda operatives inside Afghanistan.

Fox News host Will Cain discussed the implications of Minneapolis, Minnesota, the "epicenter" of the defund the police movement, restoring millions of funds to law enforcement" on "Fox News Primetime" Monday. "We have some good news in the liberal war against law enforcement," he said. "Minneapolis, the epicenter of the defund police movement, has done a complete 180. JOURNALIST RECORDS BRAZEN CAR THEFT, SAYS MINNEAPOLIS POLICE NEVER SHOWED UP: 'OFFICERS ARE DEMORALIZED'"These children were the cost of the Minneapolis City Council, chasing a trend a perverted fad to buy off votes in popularity," he said. Cain added that any reasonable or "sentient" person could have predicted that reducing resources for law enforcement would not stop criminals but in fact would embolden them.

President Biden's senior adviser for migration Tyler Moran is leaving the White House at the end of January, despite having only taken over the role in July. The White House said that Moran never intended to stay on for more than the first year, noting that she had been commuting by plane since taking up her post. But the White House made similar statements about the previous person to serve in the role, Amy Pope, after Moran replaced Pope in July. "Amy had always intended to join the Biden Administration for a short time with an expected departure in the mid-summer," the White House said at the time. The White House has yet to name a replacement for Moran, though it expressed confidence six weeks would be sufficient time to find someone to fill the role.

No Republican governor has ever lost reelection since Georgia began allowing governors to run for consecutive terms. Trump is doing a huge favor for Stacey Abrams, the Democrat who Kemp beat by a razor-thin margin in 2018. Ossoff beat Perdue partly because Trump went on a rampage in Georgia after losing in November. Another loss in 2022 would make it clear just how much damage Trump is doing to the party at the polls. That, like so much else about what lies ahead for Trump, the Republican Party and American democracy, remains an open question.

The harmony around Draghi, Italy’s respected banker-turned emergency prime minister, was initially a salve for a pandemic-bruised country. But Draghi as prime minister may also deliver Italy from the pandemic and set it on a more equal economic footing. But Draghi as prime minister may also wear out his welcome, as has happened to others before him. Italy’s president is chosen by just over 1,000 parliamentarians and regional representatives, known as grand electors. Urging Draghi to stayAs the prospect of Draghi departing circulates, Italy’s political parties on the surface seem reluctant to reassume responsibility for running the country.

The report issued about former White House chief of staff Mark Meadows last week by the House select committee investigating the Jan. 6 riot at the U.S. Capitol reads like a “blueprint for a coup,” wrote Washington Post columnist Greg Sargent. The report provides a chilling look at a plot to “thwart a legitimately elected government from taking power,” initially through “corrupt pressure” on government actors and “then through mob violence,” Sargent said. He also sent emails urging the Justice Department to investigate unsupported claims of voter fraud, according to the House committee report. “The whole coup blueprint is right there in black and white,” Sargent warned. “So is the scope and reach of what Meadows and others stonewalling the Jan. 6 committee are so eager to cover up.

"Indeed, according to the records, multiple Fox News hosts knew the president needed to act immediately" on Jan. 6, Cheney said. "But hours passed without necessary action by the president," Cheney said on Monday. And gotten out of hand,” Trump Jr. said in one of the texts read aloud. A majority vote would result in asking the Justice Department to prosecute Meadows, a former House member. The Justice Department acted on a similar House recommendation regarding former Trump aide Steve Bannon, who faces two criminal charges.

They texted Mr. Meadows. As the violence continued, one of the president's sons texted Mr. Meadows quote, "he's got to condemn this shit ASAP. Donald Trump Jr. Texted. Donald Trump Jr texted again and again urging action by the president quote, "we need an Oval Office address. Did Donald Trump through action or inaction corruptly seek to obstruct or impede Congress's official proceedings to count electoral votes?

Organizers of the Jan. 6 rally outside the White House are suing Verizon in an attempt to prevent the company from sharing cellphone data with the Select Committee on the January 6 Attack. The lawsuit, filed in the U.S. District Court in New Jersey Monday, argues that the committee's subpoena of the phone records is "unconstitutional" and instead is asking for them to be destroyed. The committee's subpoena asks Verizon for call, text and location information from the cellphones for their alleged involvement in the "Stop the Steal" rally outside the White House. The select committee was formed on a mostly party-line vote in July, with many Republicans calling the probe politically motivated. and Adam Kinzinger, R-Ill., both fierce Trump critics, represent the GOP on the committee.

President Biden and Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., pledged to continue negotiations following what both sides described as a productive phone call regarding the sweeping Democrat-backed social spending bill, according to statements from Manchin and the White House Monday. "Senator Manchin and President Biden had a productive conversation this afternoon. The White House said Biden and Manchin agreed to speak again soon. Manchin and fellow moderate Democratic Sen. Kyrsten Sinema of Arizona are considered key holdouts on Biden’s social spending bill. The Senate version is expected to contain changes, given opposition from Manchin and Sinema.

In the wake of last year’s election, the Trump White House wanted to talk to Arizona Attorney General Mark Brnovich about election fraud, text messages from former Trump chief of staff Mark Meadows reveal. The texts showed efforts to rally support for pro-Trump forces both in public protests as well as in statehouses around the country after Trump’s defeat in the 2020 election, according to Politico. Brnovich, a Republican, is in his final term as attorney general and is running for the GOP nomination for U.S. Senate. As attorney general, he was involved in the certification of the results of the 2020 election, drawing Trump’s condemnation. Brnovich’s office is currently doing a criminal investigation of the 2020 election, in the wake of a ballot review commissioned by the Arizona Senate.

Eight Denver City Council members voted to overturn Mayor Michael Hancock’s veto of a ban on flavored tobacco and smoking products, an ordinance that the same council approved just last week. City Council president Stacie Gilmore, who voted against the ban last week, was absent. Hancock and councilmembers who opposed the ban argued that Denver acting unilaterally was meaningless because the city is surrounded by municipalities that allow the sale of flavored products. Councilman Paul Kashmann also reversed his vote Monday night, going from opposing the ban to supporting overriding the veto. Hancock has contacted members of the legislature about crafting a statewide ban on flavored products, he said Friday.

Here is a non-exhaustive list of Republicans who have considered running against him or announced their campaigns. Rebecca KleefischThe former lieutenant governor to Gov. Nicholson is likely to either run for governor or U.S. Senate if Republican Sen. Ron Johnson doesn't seek a third term. More:Bill McCoshen, a likely candidate for governor, was once cited for urinating in a tavernJohn MaccoThe fourth-term Assembly member from Ledgeview filed paperwork in August to run for governor but said at the time he had not made a final decision on a run. In November, he announced he would not run for governor and would back Kleefisch.

The Air Force gave its forces until Nov. 2 to get the vaccine, and thousands have either refused or sought an exemption. Air Force spokeswoman Ann Stefanek said Monday that these are the first airmen to be administratively discharged for reasons involving the vaccine. Each of the services set its own deadlines and procedures for the mandate, and the Air Force set the earliest deadline. According to the latest Air Force data, more than 1,000 airmen have refused the shot and more than 4,700 are seeking a religious exemption. As of last week, a bit more than 97% of the active duty Air Force had gotten at least one shot.

Fox19HAMILTON COUNTY, Ohio (WXIX) - Police arrested a 41-year-old man Monday night in connection with a shooting on Colerain Avenue. The shooting happened Friday night at the Airy Pony Keg, a liquor store in the 7500 block of Colerain Avenue. Kincaid fired three shots “indiscriminately” into the side of a party bus parked in the lot, according to police. The shots hit three victims, none of which were involved in the original fight, police say. He was booked into the Hamilton County Justice Center Monday night hours after a warrant was issued for his arrest.

Incoming Cincinnati Mayor Aftab Pureval knows who he wants to succeed state Rep. Brigid Kelly in the state House. Pureval has endorsed Dani Isaacsohn, a 33-year-old community organizer from Evanston. Isaacsohn announced the endorsement to The Enquirer and will launch his campaign for the 26th House District on Wednesday. This could set up a contentious Democratic primary in 2022 for the district that represents Hyde Park, Mount Lookout, St. Bernard, Oakley, Avondale and Madisonville. In addition to Pureval, Isaacsohn released a long list of local Democrats backing his bid, including former Cincinnati mayor Mark Mallory, incoming Cincinnati City Council members Reggie Harris and Meeka Owens, and Cincinnati School Board member Mike Moroski.

The map, conservatively, creates 10 safe congressional districts for Republicans, two safe districts for Democrats and three "arguably competitive districts that will favor Republicans," one lawsuit alleges. His House GOP counterpart, Blake Springhetti, also worked in that room. Had mapmakers used statewide election results as well, that number of competitive districts would have dropped by a couple. He pointed out the competitiveness of the Senate GOP map and that it combined the fewest number of incumbents. Late Nov. 15, GOP mapmakers shared the second, and ultimately, the final draft of congressional maps with state lawmakers and the media.

Those who knew him said his struggles with addiction and his mental health appeared to worsen after he became homeless. He ranted about an imaginary tunnel that led from the Armsteads’ house into the backyard of his old house. Police responded to the Armsteads’ house and the neighboring house 20 times between November 2019 and May 2020. Could the tragedy have been prevented if Jamal received appropriate mental health and addiction care? Melina never saw mental health workers respond after she called the police, and Jamal’s mother isn’t aware of him receiving mental health or addiction treatment.

The opposition party is performing well in the polls, but still doesn’t have an easy pathway to power, says Observer leader writer Sonia SodhaIt’s starting to look like the start of another difficult pandemic winter. Labour is polling at new highs, with their biggest lead over the Tories in six years. Almost two thirds of voters believe Johnson should quit, and a record number say they’d prefer Keir Starmer as prime minister. But addressing the nation on Monday night, Starmer emphasised that this wasn’t a time for politics as usual. Observer leader writer Sonia Sodha tells Nosheen Iqbal that if the Labour party wants to win again, it must play a long game.

The US air force has discharged 27 people for refusing to get the Covid-19 vaccine, making them what officials believe are the first service members to be removed for disobeying the mandate. The air force gave its forces until 2 November to get the vaccine and thousands have either refused or sought an exemption. According to the latest air force data, more than 1,000 airmen have refused the shot and more than 4,700 are seeking a religious exemption. As of last week, a bit more than 97% of the active duty air force had received at least one shot. But overall the percentage of troops – particularly active duty members – who quickly got the shots exceeds the nationwide numbers.

Russia on Monday blocked a United Nations Security Council draft resolution, under negotiation for many months, that for the first time would have defined climate change as a threat to peace. Russia’s derailment of the measure underscored the challenges faced by the United Nations in uniting the global community to combat climate change, which Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and others have called an existential threat. The possible role of climate change in armed conflicts has long been a subject of discussion at the United Nations and elsewhere. The Ireland-Niger draft would have obliged the 15-member body to include climate change as a factor regarding “any root causes of conflict or risk multipliers.” It also would have asked the secretary-general to make regular reports on how to address the risks from climate change in preventing conflicts. Tirumurti, said any climate issues were best left to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, the body responsible for dealing with the global threat posed by warming temperatures.

Kristi Noem has written a bill that would require public school districts to provide a daily moment of silence for 'voluntary prayer, reflection, meditation, or other quiet, respectful activity.' It would provide for a moment of silence 'lasting up to one minute' every morning, according to a copy obtained by the Grand Forks Herald. Noem, 50, told a crowd in Iowa over the summer that she's 'putting prayer back in our schools.' Speaking to a conservative crowd in Iowa over the summer, Noem, 50, said she is 'putting prayer back in our schools.' We prayed in schools – which by the way, in South Dakota, I'm putting prayer back in our schools.'

Former White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows speaking to reporters at the US Capitol in July 2020. Lawmakers investigating the assault on the US Capitol voted unanimously Monday to pursue criminal contempt charges against Donald Trump’s former chief of staff for refusing to testify. Meadows was Trump’s most senior aide at the time of the assault and was reportedly with the then-president in the White House as the rioters breached the Capitol. The committee will green-light the contempt citation Monday evening and the Democratic-controlled House of Representatives is expected to vote Tuesday to refer Meadows to the Justice Department. If convicted, Meadows could face a six-month prison term for each contempt charge, but more likely would be fined.

Hong Kong (AFP) – Against a backdrop of colourful banners and fluttering flags, local Hong Kong politician Allan Wong is trying to get morning commuters excited about the city's upcoming "patriots only" legislature polls. But until recently, a vocal minority of Beijing critics was tolerated, something that made previous local elections periods of colourful and at times rambunctious debate. Hong Kong political scientist Kenneth Chan said Xia's remarks came from a "parallel universe" that is disconnected from many Hong Kongers. For previous legislature elections between 2004 and 2016, that figure consistently hovered above 80 percent. "We are in a very different game, a game that Hong Kong people are not comfortable with."

NDP, Bloc back Liberal minority government in first confidence vote of new sessionHad the Conservative amendment to the throne speech passed, it would have been considered a defeat of the government and could have triggered another electionOTTAWA — Justin Trudeau’s minority Liberal government has easily survived its first confidence test of the new parliamentary session with the help of the Bloc Quebecois and the NDP. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Article contentA Conservative amendment to last month’s throne speech was defeated by a vote of 215-117. We apologize, but this video has failed to load. Try refreshing your browser, or NDP, Bloc back Liberal minority government in first confidence vote of new session Back to videoHad the amendment passed, it would have been considered a defeat of the government and could have triggered another election, less than three months after the last election handed Trudeau a second consecutive minority.

The House Jan. 6 committee had subpoenaed the records as part of its probe. Several organizers of the Jan. 6 rally near the White House filed a lawsuit Monday against Verizon to prevent the telecommunications giant from sharing cell phone data with the congressional committee investigating the deadly riot at the U.S. Capitol. All the plaintiffs are longtime Republican political operatives, and most worked for Trump since his first presidential campaign in 2015. Earlier this month, each of the plaintiffs received a letter from Verizon informing them that the company had also been subpoenaed by the committee for their respective records. "These witnesses have their eye on the 2022 elections and think they can run out the clock," Comstock said.

The House committee investigating the Jan. 6 Capitol attack voted Monday to hold former White House chief of staff Mark Meadows Mark MeadowsJan. It was a step Trump would not take for more than three hours, and leaders of the select committee seem to be homing in on that detail. 6 panel details case for holding Meadows in contempt ahead of House vote Jan. 6 commission postpones Jason Miller deposition after he engages with committee Appeals court rejects Trump effort to deny records to Jan. 6 panel MORE (D-Miss. ), chairman of the select committee. In a 51-page report released Sunday by the select committee, investigators detailed the types of questions they would have asked Meadows had he appeared before them.

Author Douglas Murray accused President Biden on Monday of politicizing the deadly tornadoes to advance his far-left climate agenda as Democrats rushed to cast blame for the devastating storm. "Natural disasters now are used by Democrats and people on the climate left in particular as just another opportunity to push a particular political ideology," Murray told "Fox News Primetime" host Will Cain. BIDEN USES TORNADO TRAGEDY TO PUSH CLIMATE AGENDAWhile speaking to reporters and virtually assessing the tornado damage from Wilmington, Delaware on Saturday, Biden was asked whether he "could conclude that these storms and the intensity have to do with climate change." "All I know is that the intensity of the weather across the board has some impacts as a consequence of the warming of the planet and climate change," Biden said. "The Democrats never want to dwell on this because they have forgotten that there have always been throughout human history been what we used to call natural disasters," Murray said.

After the unanimous committee vote, the full House could hold Meadows in contempt as early as Tuesday. Cheney said the messages left "no doubt" the White House "knew exactly what was happening" at the Capitol during the riot. Rep. Adam Schiff, D-Calif., read aloud from text messages Meadows received from unnamed GOP lawmakers before and after the riot. "A day after a failed attempt to stop the peaceful transfer of power, an elected lawmaker tells the White House chief of staff, 'I'm sorry nothing worked.' Should the House vote go through, Meadows would become the first former lawmaker to be held in criminal contempt by his former chamber.

Rep. Liz Cheney reads aloud texts sent to former White House chief of staff Mark Meadows during the January 6 riot on the Capitol. The House select committee investigating the Jan. 6 riot is moving forward with criminal contempt proceedings against Meadows after he halted cooperation with the panel.

Provisions of a state law passed earlier this year prohibiting the possession and sale of unregistered ‘ghost guns’ were struck down by a state district court judge last week. The court’s ruling also noted that Jauregui pointed to Polymer80 as “one of the nation’s largest manufacturers of ghost guns” during a hearing earlier this year. Attorneys for the state appealed the decision to the Nevada Supreme Court in a case that is still pending. In 2019, the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms estimated that law enforcement nationally collected roughly 10,000 home-assembled, nonserialized firearms. AB286 District Court rules ... by Sean Golonka

Norway will ban the serving of alcohol in bars and restaurants, impose stricter rules in schools and speed up vaccinations as part of new efforts to limit an expected surge of the Omicron variant of the coronavirus. Presenting the country's fourth round of measures in two weeks, Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Stoere said there was "no doubt the new variant changes the rules". "For many, this will feel like a lockdown, if not of society then of their lives and of their livelihoods." "A lack of action now could lead to large negative consequences for society, not just for health services and municipalities," the Norwegian Institute of Public Health (FHI) said. Norway's new restrictions could cast doubt on the central bank's plan to raise interest rates later this week, DNB Markets said.

(CNN) The Air Force has discharged 27 service members for refusing to get the Covid-19 vaccine, spokeswoman Ann Stefanek told CNN on Monday, making these likely the first troops to be removed from the military for failure to obey the vaccine mandate. They were involuntarily separated for failing to follow the lawful order to receive the Covid-19 vaccine , Stefanek said. The Air Force had the earliest deadline for vaccination, requiring its service members to be fully vaccinated by November 2. Members of the Air Force Reserve and Air National Guard had until December 2. The Air Force had already removed 37 people who refused to get the Covid-19 vaccine during basic training, Stefanek said, making those entry-level separations.

California governor wants gun law modeled after Texas abortion law "The View" co-hosts and Amanda Carpenter react after Gov. Gavin Newsom said he wants a Texas-like law to empower private citizens to enforce a ban on the manufacture and sale of assault weapons.

Mark Meadows held in contempt by House Jan. 6 committeeIf federal prosecutors act, Meadows would be the second Trump administration official prosecuted for contempt, after former Trump adviser Steve Bannon.

WASHINGTON — Mark Meadows, the last White House chief of staff for President Donald J. Trump, played a far more substantial role in plans to try to overturn the 2020 election than was previously known, and he was involved in failed efforts to get Mr. Trump to order the mob invading the Capitol on Jan. 6 to stand down, investigators for the House committee scrutinizing the attack have learned. From a trove of about 9,000 documents that Mr. Meadows turned over before halting his cooperation with the inquiry, a clearer picture has emerged about the extent of his involvement in Mr. Trump’s attempts to use the government to invalidate the election results. The documents also shed light on Mr. Meadows’s knowledge and guidance of a plan by right-wing lawmakers to try to use Congress to overturn the election, and on how he coordinated with organizers of the rally in Washington that culminated in the deadly riot at the Capitol. Then, according to text messages that members of the panel read aloud on Monday, Mr. Meadows fielded dozens of requests from terrified lawmakers, administration officials and even members of Mr. Trump’s family on Jan. 6 begging for the president to call off the throngs of his supporters storming the Capitol. Mr. Meadows told people that day that he was trying to persuade Mr. Trump to do so.

Tedros succeeded China’s Margaret Chan, who as director-general spent considerable time placing Chinese and China-sympathetic personnel into key positions. World Health Organization Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus won his seat in 2017 as Beijing backed him. Chinese President Xi Jinping is using the United Nations to stomp on nearby adversaries such as Hong Kong and Taiwan. This was anathema to China, which was determined to snuff out any Taiwanese efforts at their first appearance. John Bolton was national security adviser to President Trump from 2018 to 2019 and US ambassador to the United Nations from 2005 to 2006.

The majority of US voters feel the country is headed “off on the wrong track” — citing economic conditions, the COVID-19 pandemic and the increase in crime, according to a new poll. Some 56 percent of respondents in a poll commissioned by NewsNation said the country is headed “off on the wrong track” compared to 34 percent who feel the US is going in the “right direction.”The new poll largely gauged Americans’ thoughts on crime amid the holiday season. Current laws and sentencing guidelines in America are too soft, according to 63 percent of voters, and 86 percent of respondents believe crime is a problem nationally, the poll says. The COVID-19 pandemic was also cited as a reason many participants believe the country is on the wrong track. Younger respondents, those aged 18 to 35, were more approving of their lawmakers than their older counterparts, according to the poll.

The House version of the bill includes a provision that would cut Disproportionate Share Hospital payments across 12 states that haven’t expanded Medicaid coverage. It’s unclear if the provision will be included in the Senate’s version of the Build Back Better Act. Biden and other proponents of health care provisions included in the Build Back Better Act argue it will expand medical coverage for the uninsured. The Senate version of the Build Back Better Act is expected to include notable changes from the House’s version. Updated bill text released by the Senate Finance Committee did not include cuts to Disproportionate Share Hospital payments included in the House version.

Vice President Kamala Harris hosted a roundtable Monday to announce that international businesses have committed $1.2 billion to investing in Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador. "Today we mark an important milestone," Harris said. "Six months ago, we launched a call to action for businesses to invest in Central America. Six months ago, 12 people were around this table. "Six months ago, we had a commitment of $750 million.

Politico is rushing to the aid of Vice President Harris amid her record-setting unpopularity among American voters and staffing drama that continue to make headlines. A piece published by Political Magazine on Sunday described Harris as a "onetime political rock star" as well as "a pioneer, a political celebrity and — as a media-savvy Gen Xer star" who is "having a brutal season in the polls." "She’s also taken heat from the media in ways that her defenders say is unique to the country’s first female, Black and South Asian vice president." Politico reached out to "seasoned political strategists" and asked them, "What can the vice president do to get her star back?" "Kamala Harris needs one transformational project," former Clinton adviser Doug Schoen told Politico.

Former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert called Donald Trump “pathetic” and “crazy” for profanely attacking Benjamin Netanyahu because he recognized Joe Biden’s presidential victory in November. Netanyahu, who was the Israeli prime minister throughout the Trump administration, did what most world leaders do: He recognized and congratulated the duly elected president of the United States, Olmert suggested in the opening session Monday of the Annual Leadership Dialogue on Israel-UK-Australia Relations. AdvertisementYet Trump reportedly was furious that Netanyahu congratulated Biden after he won the election. He emphasized that he doesn’t like, trust or “believe in [Netanyahu’s] integrity.”AdvertisementNetanyahu was Israel’s prime minister for 15 years, relinquishing the role last June to Naftali Bennett. He served as Israeli prime minister from 2006 to 2009.

“The Plaintiffs are four private citizens who were not involved in any federal government activities or programs. Investigators are examining connections between the rally organizers and former President Donald Trump, who highlighted the event on social media. “Big protest in D.C. on January 6th,” Trump tweeted on Dec. 19, one of his many tweets calling for people to attend. “The Plaintiffs answered every single question about what happened at the event, who spoke, who the Plaintiffs spoke with, and when. The bipartisan panel investigating Jan. 6 has issued dozens of subpoenas to Trump allies and former White House officials, including former Chief of Staff Mark Meadows.

The Jan. 6 House panel has recommended that Donald Trump's former White House chief of staff, Mark Meadows, face a contempt of Congress charge. The referral now moves to the full House where it is expected to come up for a vote as soon as Tuesday. Joy Reid and her panel discuss the proceedings, and what might come next. Jan. 6 select committee Chairman Rep. Bennie Thompson also gives us his perspective from the halls of Congress.Dec.

Before voting to hold Mark Meadows in contempt, the January 6th committee revealed text messages in which Fox News hosts Laura Ingraham, Sean Hannity, and Brian Kilmeade begged Mark Meadows to get Trump to call of the riot. Dec. 14, 2021

Rep. Liz Cheney read text messages she said Mark Meadows got during the Jan. 6 siegeEnlarge this image toggle caption Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images Anna Moneymaker/Getty ImagesPrior to a unanimous vote to refer Mark Meadows for contempt of Congress charges, Rep. Liz Cheney, R-Wyo., the ranking Republican on the House select committee investigating the Jan. 6 insurrection, read a series of text messages she said Meadows received during the Capitol attack. But this vote on contempt today relates principally to Mr. Meadows' refusal to testify about text messages and other communications that he admits are not privileged. Mr. Meadows received numerous text messages, which he has produced without any privilege claim – imploring that Mr. Trump take the specific action we all knew his duty required. Republican members of Congress and others wrote to Mark Meadows as the attack was underway:-"Hey, Mark, protestors are literally storming the Capitol. As Mr. Meadows non-privileged texts reveal, Meadows communicated multiple times with a member of Congress who was working with Clark.

“I’ve been wandering around in a cloud of confusion just wondering: What does it take for the state of Louisiana to recognize the murder of a man? Troopers initially blamed Greene’s death on a car crash on a rural roadside outside Monroe. ADVERTISEMENTYork and Clary remain in the crosshairs of both federal and state prosecutors, and their attorneys advised them against appearing Monday. Albert Paxton, the lead state police detective who pushed early on for state criminal charges to be brought in Greene’s death but was rebuffed by his chain of command. Fields, in a recent interview, said he “could not stomach” watching the footage of Greene’s death in its entirety.

EXPLAINER: How does an officer use a gun instead of a Taser? Potter’s body-camera video recorded the shooting, with Potter heard saying, “Taser, Taser, Taser” before she fired, followed by, “I grabbed the wrong (expletive) gun.”Many activists have refused to accept the former Brooklyn Center officer’s explanation. Reasons that have been cited include officer training, the way they carry their weapons and the pressure they feel during dangerous and chaotic situations. He said Potter had 26 years of gun training, but fewer years of training on her Taser, which is a newer weapon. The officer, Johannes Mehserle, testified at trial that, fearing Grant had a weapon, he reached for his stun gun but mistakenly pulled his .40-caliber handgun instead.

Meadows’s attorney said the former top White House aide believes his testimony is protected by executive privilege. Rep. Liz Cheney, R-Wyo., vice chair of the House select committee investigating the Jan. 6 Capitol riot. The report also referenced text messages Meadows sent to and received from an organizer of the rally where Trump spoke near the White House before the attack. In a separate interview with the Washington Post, however, Waldron said he visited the White House multiple times after the election and spoke with Meadows “maybe eight to 10 times.”Trump departs with White House chief of staff Mark Meadows in October 2020. Last week, a federal appeals court ruled against Trump’s effort to override Biden’s authority and block the Jan. 6 panel from accessing his White House records.

Associated PressThe House panel investigating the Jan. 6 Capitol insurrection voted Monday to recommend contempt charges against former White House chief of staff Mark Meadows as lawmakers revealed a series of frantic texts he received as the attack was underway. The texts, provided by Meadows before he ceased cooperating with the committee, revealed that members of Congress, Fox News anchors and even President Donald Trump’s own son were urging Meadows to push Trump to act quickly to stop the siege by his supporters. “We need an Oval address," Donald Trump Jr. texted Meadows as his father's supporters were breaking into the Capitol, sending lawmakers running for their lives and interrupting the certification of President Joe Biden's victory.

Photo by /John Minchillo/ APRep. Liz Cheney said the January 6 committee obtained text messages from Fox News personalities. The messages were handed over by Mark Meadows, former President Trump's chief of staff. The messages implore Trump to speak out against the violence. "Mark, the president needs to tell people in the Capitol to go home," Laura Ingraham texted Mark Meadows, former President Trump's chief of staff. Insider could not immediately reach Fox News about the text messages read by Cheney.

Tunisian President Kais Saied has prolonged the suspension of parliament and announced a national referendum, almost five months after dismissing his government and granting himself sweeping powers. The referendum will be held across Tunisia and will reflect “the will of the people,” said Saied. July 25 is both Tunisia’s Republic Day and when Saied froze parliament, dismissed his government and took on executive powers this summer. Critics have called Saied’s measures a “coup d’etat.”In Monday’s speech, Saied also extended the suspension of Tunisia’s parliament until the next legislative elections, planned for Dec. 17, 2022. The elections will be held in the framework of the referendum results.

The order comes as the per capita rate of new coronavirus cases in California has jumped 47% in the past two weeks. But since then, county governments covering about half of the state’s population have imposed their own indoor mask mandates as case rates surged with new variants. The new mask mandate will cover everyone else, but state officials on Monday were unclear about how it would be enforced. ‘A very tough time’“We know that there’s going to be people who don’t necessarily agree with this, who are tired, who aren’t going to mask,” Ghaly said. The state also is recommending travelers who visit or return to California to get tested within five days of their arrival.

Committee members said Meadows had no legitimate claim of executive privilege for questions covering the 9,000 documents he's already provided. The House committee scheduled a vote Monday evening to recommend the full House find Meadows in contempt for defying a subpoena for documents and testimony. Terwilliger also argued executive privilege protects the institution of the presidency, rather than a specific occupant such as Trump. The committee report alleged Meadows hasn’t provided any justification for a claim of executive privilege. Meadows has refused to provide the Select Committee with information and testimony that has no conceivable, associated privilege claims,” the committee report said.

A federal judge has refused to throw out a key charge against two men accused of storming the U.S. Capitol to obstruct the Electoral College vote certification proceedings. U.S. District Judge Dabney Friedrich ruled on Friday that an obstruction charge applies to the Justice Department’s case against Ronald Sandlin and Nathaniel DeGrave. Friedrich also concluded that the obstruction charge covers a broader set of acts than what the defense lawyers contended. The obstruction charge is a felony punishable by a maximum of 20 years imprisonment. Jacob Chansley and Paul Allard Hodgkins, two rioters who pleaded guilty to the same obstruction charge, were sentenced to 41 months and 8 months in prison, respectively.

WASHINGTON — The House panel investigating the Jan. 6 Capitol insurrection voted Monday to recommend contempt charges against former White House chief of staff Mark Meadows as lawmakers demand his testimony about then-President Donald Trump’s actions before and during the attack. The committee voted 9-0 to move forward with criminal charges against Meadows, who declined to appear for a deposition last week. The House voted to recommend charges against Bannon in October, and the Justice Department indicted him on two counts of contempt last month. Meadows himself sued the panel, asking a court to invalidate two subpoenas that he says are "overly broad and unduly burdensome." The panel said Meadows also provided text messages sent to and from members of Congress "before, during, and after the attack on the United States Capitol."

Mason, the largest city in Warren County, was the second city in Ohio to pass an ordinance criminalizing abortions. The newly elected council repealed the abortion ban by a vote of 6-1 at its first meeting on Monday. Councilmember Tony Bradburn, who previously voted to pass the abortion ban in October, voted in favor of repealing it on Monday. Vice Mayor Diana Nelson said she felt the ordinance violates federal law and the Mason City Charter and opened the city up to litigation. Mason is the second city to rescind an abortion ban, according to the list compiled by Sanctuary Cities for the Unborn.

State Sen. Sonia Chang-Diaz is defending a newly appointed staffer on her campaign for the governor’s seat who is pictured in his Twitter profile wearing a hat inscribed with the anti-police protest slogan “ACAB,” drawing criticism from police unions and state Republicans alike. Collins did not respond to questions on Monday night. She was the architect of the landmark police reform package passed early this year that creates a licensing system for police through a civilian-led commission. the nation’s first, which will review officer disciplinary records is responsible for certifying police. “Republicans and police unions are so afraid of my candidacy that they’re attacking one of my staffers in an attempt to misrepresent my positions — and it’s disgraceful,” she said.

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — Friday marks 10 years since Kim Jong Un, the third generation of his family to rule North Korea, took power after his father's sudden heart attack. Kim switched gears again and staged landmark nuclear disarmament summits with then-U.S. President Donald Trump, but their diplomacy collapsed because of disputes over U.S.-led sanctions. As Kim enters his second decade in power, here's a look at key moments in his rule. HEIR APPARENTJan. 8, 1984: Kim Jong Un is born, the third and youngest of Kim Jong Il’s sons. September 2010: State media say Kim Jong Un has been made a four-star general in the first public mention of his name.

The committee investigating January 6 has revealed that Donald Trump Jr. texted Mark Meadows during the Capitol riot, urging President Trump to take action. This comes as the House select committee unanimously supported a contempt of Congress charge for the former White House chief of staff, who ceased cooperation with the panel after turning over his texts. Begging his father to address the rioters, Mr Trump Jr. texted Mr Meadows, “He has to condemn this s***. He has to lead now. It has gone too far and gotten out of hand.”Sign up to our US evening newsletter here

Senate Majority Leader Peter Wirth, D-Santa Fe, met with tribal officials for seven hours at the Capitol to go over redistricting proposals for the 42-member state Senate. Senate President Pro Tem Mimi Stewart backed the bipartisan proposal, and Senate Majority Whip Linda Lopez supported the Native consensus plan. Wirth described the meeting as a “very productive, respectful discussion about the various options.”Legislation on holdThe pause in Senate work follows a much faster pace last week. The proposal, Senate Bill 1, was approved largely along party lines in both chambers, where Democrats hold large majorities. Attorneys for the Senate, she said, were evaluating the proposal, House Bill 11, to determine whether changes are necessary.

“We tried very had to maintain the majority of the Native consensus map but deal with issues of pairing and deal with issues of drastic changes to our seats,” Stewart told a Senate panel. Native American leaders emerged Monday from an hourslong meeting with several senators to say the tribes remain steadfast in their recommendations. “The easiest solution is to support the tribal consensus plan,” said Casey Douma, a Laguna Pueblo tribal member and co-leader of a redistricting alliance of 19 Indigenous pueblos and the Jicarilla Apache Tribe. Those conversations did not give weight to incumbent politicians and whether they are paired in future elections, noted Acoma Pueblo Gov. State Sen. Harold Pope of Albuquerque urged colleagues Sunday not to tamper with the Native American blueprint for redistricting.

An assembly committee of the city of Musashino in Tokyo approved on Monday a draft ordinance aimed at allowing foreign residents to vote in local referendums. The general affairs committee of the assembly passed the proposal, which was submitted by the city government, by a majority vote. The draft ordinance is expected to be approved at a plenary meeting of the assembly on Dec. 21, sources familiar with the situation said. In Monday’s voting, the draft ordinance was approved eventually by the decision of the committee chair after a tie vote among six committee members. In November, Musashino Mayor Reiko Matsushita said that there is no need to decide the eligibility to vote in referendums by nationality.

Guinea's junta leader Colonel Mamady Doumbouya has installed himself as transitional president after a coup that deposed Alpha CondeAbuja (AFP) – Leaders of the West African bloc ECOWAS have called on Guinea's military junta to provide a timetable for elections that would lead to a return to civilian rule. The bloc insisted on the need for the regime to hold elections within six months, as they have previously stated. ECOWAS has suspended Guinea from the bloc and imposed sanctions on individual junta members and their families in retaliation for the September 5 coup that deposed president Alpha Conde. Junta leader Mamady Doumbouya has installed himself as transitional president and set up a government with Mohamed Beavogui, a former UN under-secretary-general, as its transitional prime minister. Although 41-year-old Doumbouya, a former French legionnaire, has promised to return the country to civilian rule, he has refused to be pinned down on a timetable.

A transitional administration took office in March to lead the oil-rich North African country into the polls. Among the most controversial is Khalifa Haftar, a military chief who controls much of eastern and southern Libya. Libya Aude GENET AFPTo avoid a vacuum, Guterres appointed US diplomat Stephanie Williams, a former acting director of the UN's Libya mission, as "special adviser". Yet despite the danger of holding the polls, experts warn that postponing them also carries risks. Millett sees a risk "that Libya is heading for a train crash on December 25 whether elections happen on schedule or not."

“He's got to condemn this shit ASAP,” Donald Trump Jr. texted Meadows as the attack was underway. Meadows also received dozens of texts from GOP lawmakers, staffers and members of the press trapped inside the Capitol during the assault, Cheney said. “We are under siege here at the Capitol,” read one text. “They have breached the Capitol,” read another. These non privileged texts are further evidence of President Trump's supreme dereliction of duty during those 187 minutes.”—Updated at 8:51 p.m.

“It’s focused on what we collectively need, to get off of fossil fuels.”A Grid Alternatives crew installs rooftop solar panels at a home in L.A.'s Watts neighborhood in June. Rooftop solar also doesn’t require paving over undisturbed land, unlike sprawling desert solar farms that can tear up sensitive ecosystems. The Save California Solar campaign, which includes more than 600 organizations, says it delivered 120,000 public comments supportive of net metering to Newsom last week. “That path requires a sustained commitment to growing rooftop solar,” Deehan said in a written statement. Gavin Newsom, urging him to protect the rooftop solar incentive program known as net metering.

The House select committee investigating the Jan. 6 Capitol riot voted on Monday to recommend contempt charges for former White House chief of staff Mark Meadows. Before becoming former President Donald Trump's final chief of staff, Meadows was a lawmaker, representing North Carolina's 11th Congressional District. "Mr. Meadows started by doing the right thing — cooperating," committee Chair Rep. Bennie Thompson (D-Miss.) When the records raise questions — as these most certainly do — you have to come in and answer those questions. Now, the criminal contempt report will go to the House for a full vote, the final step before the referral is sent to the Department of Justice.

The select committee investigating the Capitol riot recommended Monday that the House hold former President Donald Trump's White House chief of staff Mark Meadows in contempt of Congress for defying a subpoena. "He's got to condemn this s--- ASAP," Donald Trump Jr. texted Meadows at one point, select committee vice chair Liz Cheney, R-Wyo., revealed. Meadows had refused to sit for a deposition to answer investigators' questions about the then-president's actions on Jan. 6. The bipartisan, nine-member panel voted unanimously in support of a 51-page report that includes a resolution recommending that the House find Meadows in contempt for defying a subpoena for documents and testimony. "When the records raise questions — as these most certainly do — you have to come in and answer those questions," select committee chairman Bennie Thompson, D-Miss., said before the vote in a public meeting Monday evening.

Enlarge this image toggle caption Jim Watson/AFP via Getty Images Jim Watson/AFP via Getty ImagesOmarova was born in the former Soviet Union in what is now Kazakhstan. When the Soviet Union disintegrated, Omarova decided to stay in the U.S., where she worked for a private law firm, and most recently, as an academic. Enlarge this image toggle caption Jim Watson/AFP via Getty Images Jim Watson/AFP via Getty ImagesYet Omarova said she was unable to express her views personally to many senators, as is usually the norm in confirmation hearings. Omarova: Banks had reason to be 'worried'Throughout her interview, Omarova defended her views on the banking sector, saying she has never advocated nationalizing private banks as she has been accused of. Doing otherwise could lead to a repeat of the 2008 Global Financial Crisis that required a bailout of key banks, Omarova argued.

Donald Trump Jr. texted Meadows multiple times to have Trump make a speech to call off the riot. Cheney said Trump Jr. texted Meadows multiple times asking him to get the former president to make a speech. "He's got to condemn this shit ASAP," Trump Jr. texted. It has gone too far and gotten out of hand," Trump Jr. responded. "Please get him on TV," Brian Kilmeade, a cohost of the morning show "Fox & Friends," texted Meadows.

"Regarding the diplomatic boycott of the Beijing Olympic Games, South Korea did not receive any request to join it, and the government is not considering it," Moon said during the press conference. "Today's state visit has nothing to do with China," Moon said. Since the U.S. announced its boycott of the Beijing Games last week, South Korea has been under indirect pressure to join the movement, alongside Australia, the U.K. and other U.S. allies. Also, Moon's hope to declare an official end to the Korean War with North Korea on the sidelines of the Games has been a factor preventing South Korea clearly stating its stance. "By managing these areas harmoniously, South Korea will cooperate with Australia for a free and open Indo-Pacific, regional peace and prosperity."

Soon, Shahdan - who came under the radar of security agencies after appearing in an Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS) propaganda video in 2017 - let on that he was in Syria. Each time Shahdan broached the topic of his friend joining him in Syria, Yan protested that he had a family to take care of. He floated the idea of his friend taking the bai'ah - oath of loyalty - to ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi. An ISD spokesman said investigations into Shahdan and his contacts showed the Singaporean fighter had attempted to radicalise his family and friends here to support ISIS. Singaporeans who joined ISISMegat Shahdan Abdul Samad is one of four radicalised Singaporeans known to have travelled to territories controlled by the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS) terror group.

Charles R. Morris, a former government official, banker and self-taught historian of economics who as a prolific, iconoclastic author challenged conventional political and economic pieties, died on Monday in Hampton, N.H. The cause was complications of dementia, his daughter, Kathleen Morris, said. Mr. Morris wrote his signature first book, “The Cost of Good Intentions: New York City and the Liberal Experiment” (1980), after serving as director of welfare programs under Mayor John V. Lindsay and as secretary of social and health services in Washington State. The book was a trenchant Emperor’s New Clothes analysis of how the Lindsay administration’s unfettered investment in social welfare programs to ward off civil unrest had delivered the city to the brink of bankruptcy, and it pigeonholed Mr. Morris as a neoconservative. But as a law school graduate with no formal training in economics, he defied facile labeling.

?The House select committee investigating the Jan. 6 Capitol riot recommended criminal contempt charges Monday for former Trump White House chief of staff Mark Meadows over his refusal to testify. Meadows was in contact with at least some of the private individuals who planned and organized a January 6 rally, one of whom reportedly may have expressed safety concerns to Mr. Meadows about January 6 events. Mr. Meadows used his personal cell phone to discuss the rally in the days leading up to January 6,” Thompson wrote in the report. The January 6 House Select Committee recommended criminal contempt charges for former Trump White House chief of staff Mark Meadows. “Without intervention by this Court, Mr. Meadows faces the harm of both being illegally coerced into violating the Constitution and having a third party involuntarily violate Mr. Meadows rights and the requirements of relevant laws governing records of electronic communications,” it added.

A Virginia legislative branch agency was struck by a ransomware attack, according to the office of Democratic Gov. The ransomware attack, which reportedly occurred late last Friday, comes during the state legislature's preparation for the next legislative session, which is slated to start in January. JUSTICE DEPARTMENT TO ELEVATE RANSOMWARE ATTACKS TO BE ON PAR WITH TERRORISMRansomware attacks against government agencies and corporations have surged during the past year. Allan Liska, an intelligence analyst at the cybersecurity firm Recorded Future, told the AP: "It continues to show that no organization is safe from these ransomware attacks. A top agency official emailed Virginia legislative leaders to tell them that hackers used "extremely sophisticated malware" and that the agency was working with law enforcement agencies, including the FBI, to get to the bottom of what happened.

Share Share Article via Facebook Share Article via Twitter Share Article via LinkedIn Share Article via EmailJan. 6th Committee to vote on criminal contempt referral for Mark MeadowsCNBC's Tyler Mathisen reports the committee investigating the January 6th insurrection is preparing to vote on a criminal contempt referral for Mark Meadows, Trump's former chief of staff. With NBC's Garrett Haake.

Sen. Tom Cotton, R-Ark., joined "Special Report" Monday calling out President Biden's "pathetic weakness" following reports the White House cut a video feed from a Taiwanese minister during the Summit for Democracy. I don't believe for a minute that it was merely a technical issue. I believe that this is an example of the president and the administration kowtowing to Beijing. What we need to do is stand alongside Taiwan, help secure its autonomy and maintain the status quo across the Strait. But Beijing is the one that is now threatening Taiwan, threatening to change that status quo by force, not by negotiation.

The House Jan. 6 Committee voted 9-0 on Monday to recommend former White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows for prosecution after he refused to testify before the committee. "Mr. Meadows was in contact with at least some of the private individuals who planned and organized a January 6 rally, one of whom reportedly may have expressed safety concerns to Mr. Meadows about January 6 events. Mr. Meadows used his personal cell phone to discuss the rally in the days leading up to January 6," Chairman Bennie Thompson, D-Miss., wrote in a 51-page report released late Sunday. JAN. 6 COMMITTEE VOWS CONTEMPT PROCEEDINGS IF MARK MEADOWS FAILS TO APPEARMeadows was previously cooperating with the committee's investigation into the events surrounding the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol by a mob of Trump supporters. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APPFox News' Tyler Olson contributed to this report.

Share Share Article via Facebook Share Article via Twitter Share Article via LinkedIn Share Article via EmailHouse January 6th committee votes to seek contempt charges against Mark MeadowsCNBC's Tyler Mathisen reports that the House committee investigating the January 6th insurrection has unanimously voted to see contempt charges against former Trump Chief of Staff Mark Meadows.

The select committee investigating the Jan. 6 Capitol riot recommended Monday that the House hold former President Donald Trump's White House chief of staff Mark Meadows in contempt of Congress for defying a subpoena. The bipartisan, nine-member panel voted unanimously in support of a report that includes a resolution recommending that the House find Meadows in contempt and refer him to the Department of Justice for criminal prosecution. The 51-page contempt report lays out Meadows' refusal to fully comply with the subpoena, which required him to produce a slew of records to the committee and sit for a deposition with the investigators. Bill Clark | CQ-Roll Call, Inc. | Getty ImagesMeadows had handed over thousands of records, the committee said, before reversing course and refusing to cooperate, citing Trump's assertion that Meadows' testimony is protected by executive privilege. "When the records raise questions — as these most certainly do — you have to come in and answer those questions," select committee chairman Bennie Thompson, D-Miss., said before the vote in a public meeting Monday evening.

Ask people to leave the Capitol?” Fox News’ Sean Hannity texted to Meadows during the riot, seeking action from Trump. “Mark, the president needs to tell people in the Capitol to go home,” Fox News host Laura Ingraham texted. “Destroying everything you have accomplished.”Cheney said there were “dozens” of texts encouraging Meadows to intervene to encourage “immediate action by the president.” The Wyoming congresswoman, one of two Republicans on the select committee, said Donald Trump Jr. repeatedly texted Meadows during the Capitol riot. The Capitol Police tweet is not enough,” Trump Jr., texted. He has to lead now,” Trump Jr. said.

The House select committee investigating the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol voted Monday in favor of a resolution recommending criminal charges be filed against former White House chief of staff Mark Meadows for his failure to comply with a congressional subpoena. History will not look at you as a victim,” select committee chair Rep. Bennie Thompson (D-Miss.) And history will also record in this critical moment that some people would not.”AdvertisementCommittee vice chair Liz Cheney (R-Wyo.) AdvertisementMeadows’ off-and-on cooperation with the panel came to an abrupt end Tuesday, when his lawyer sent the committee a letter. The committee suggested that Meadows could take his deposition on a question-by-question basis, deciding which he believed to be covered by various privileges as he went along, but Meadows declined.

___ADVERTISEMENTHEIR APPARENTJan. 8, 1984: Kim Jong Un is born, the third and youngest of Kim Jong Il’s sons. October 2010: Kim Jong Un makes his public debut at a military parade, standing next to his gaunt-looking father on a balcony. February 2017: Kim Jong Nam, the estranged half-brother of Kim Jong Un, is killed at a Malaysian airport after VX nerve agent is smeared on his face. January 2021: Kim Jong Un admits his economic development plans have failed during the North’s first Workers’ Party congress in five years. April 2021: Kim Jong Un says his country faces its “worst-ever situation” because of the pandemic, persistent sanctions and natural disasters.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The House panel investigating the Jan. 6 Capitol insurrection voted Monday to recommend contempt charges against former White House chief of staff Mark Meadows as lawmakers demand his testimony about then-President Donald Trump’s actions before and during the attack. “‘His former colleagues singling him out for criminal prosecution because he wouldn’t answer questions about what he knows about a brutal attack on our democracy. “His former colleagues singling him out for criminal prosecution because he wouldn’t answer questions about what he knows about a brutal attack on our democracy. That’s his legacy.”The committee voted 9-0 to move forward with criminal charges against Meadows, who declined to appear for a deposition last week. The House voted to recommend charges against Bannon in October, and the Justice Department indicted him on two counts of contempt last month.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The House panel investigating the Jan. 6 Capitol insurrection voted Monday to recommend contempt charges against former White House chief of staff Mark Meadows as lawmakers demand his testimony about then-President Donald Trump’s actions before and during the attack. That’s his legacy.”The committee voted 9-0 to move forward with criminal charges against Meadows, who declined to appear for a deposition last week. Rep. Liz Cheney, the committee’s vice chair, detailed on Monday a series of text messages Meadows received on Jan. 6 from a slew of people, including Fox News anchors and Donald Trump Jr. The House voted to recommend charges against Bannon in October, and the Justice Department indicted him on two counts of contempt last month. The panel said Meadows also provided text messages sent to and from members of Congress “before, during, and after the attack on the United States Capitol."

The conservative apparel and accessories company Bring Ammo says it is receiving round-the-clock orders of its "Let’s Go Brandon" Christmas wrapping paper. Owner Seth Weathers told Fox Business Monday that the company has sold more than 500,000 square feet of the "Let’s Go Brandon" wrapping paper. The phrase "Let’s Go Brandon!" Weathers said people are "having a blast" with the "Let’s Go Brandon" Christmas wrapping paper. "Everything’s having fun with it.

The House panel investigating the Jan. 6 Capitol insurrection voted Monday to recommend contempt charges against former White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows as lawmakers demand his testimony about then-President Trump’s actions before and during the attack. “Whatever legacy he thought he left in the House, this is his legacy now,” committee Chairman Bennie Thompson (D-Miss.) That’s his legacy.”The committee voted 9 to 0 to move forward with criminal charges against Meadows, who declined to appear for a deposition last week. ), the committee’s vice chair, detailed on Monday a series of text messages Meadows received on Jan. 6 from a slew of people, including Fox News anchors and Donald Trump Jr. The House voted to recommend charges against Bannon in October, and the Justice Department indicted him on two counts of contempt last month.

Fresh from delivering a stern new warning to Russia over Ukraine, U.S. Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken arrived in Indonesia on Monday to find a top aide to Russian President Vladimir Putin already in Jakarta for security talks. Shortly before Blinken landed, the Russian Embassy in Jakarta announced Patrushev’s visit, saying he would be in the Indonesian capital for the same two days as the top American diplomat. The timing means that Patrushev’s meetings will coincide with a major speech Blinken plans to give Tuesday on the Biden administration’s Indo-Pacific strategy. Nor was there any indication that either would acknowledge the other’s presence in Indonesia, which is the headquarters of the Assn. The Russian Embassy said Patrushev’s main interlocutor in Indonesia would be Law and Security Affairs Minister Mohammad Mahfud.

Members voted to formally advance the criminal contempt report against Meadows for a full floor House vote, which could take place as soon as later this week. Committee releases Meadows’ texts with lawmakers and Trump’s sonAlso at Monday night’s meeting, the committee publicly released graphics that include texts sent to Meadows during the days around the insurrection. “One text Mr. Meadows received said quote ‘We are under siege here at the Capitol. “As the violence continued, one of the President’s sons texts Mr. Meadows, ‘He’s got to condemn this ASAP. The committee has previously sought communications between Meadows and certain rally organizers as the panel remains focused on identifying any level of coordination with the Trump White House.

Committee members said Meadows had no legitimate claim of executive privilege for questions covering the 9,000 documents he's already provided. The House committee scheduled a vote Monday evening to recommend the full House find Meadows in contempt for defying a subpoena for documents and testimony. Terwilliger also argued executive privilege protects the institution of the presidency, rather than a specific occupant such as Trump. The committee report alleged Meadows hasn’t provided any justification for a claim of executive privilege. Meadows has refused to provide the Select Committee with information and testimony that has no conceivable, associated privilege claims,” the committee report said.

The contempt vote is coming after more than two months of negotiations with Meadows and his lawyer and as the panel has also struggled to obtain information from some of Trump’s other top aides, such as his longtime ally Steve Bannon. The House voted to recommend charges against Bannon in October, and the Justice Department indicted him on two counts of contempt last month.

By MARY CLARE JALONICK and FARNOUSH AMIRIWASHINGTON (AP) — The House panel investigating the Jan. 6 Capitol insurrection voted Monday to recommend contempt charges against former White House chief of staff Mark Meadows as lawmakers demand his testimony about then-President Donald Trump’s actions before and during the attack. That’s his legacy.”The committee voted 9-0 to move forward with criminal charges against Meadows, who declined to appear for a deposition last week. Lawmakers had planned to ask about Trump’s efforts to overturn the election in the weeks before the insurrection, including Meadows’ outreach to states and his communications with members of Congress. Rep. Liz Cheney, the committee’s vice chair, detailed on Monday a series of text messages Meadows received on Jan. 6 from a slew of people, including Fox News anchors and Donald Trump Jr. The House voted to recommend charges against Bannon in October, and the Justice Department indicted him on two counts of contempt last month.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The House panel investigating the Jan. 6 Capitol insurrection voted Monday to recommend contempt charges against former White House chief of staff Mark Meadows as lawmakers demand his testimony about then-President Donald Trump’s actions before and during the attack. That’s his legacy.”The committee voted 9-0 to move forward with criminal charges against Meadows, who declined to appear for a deposition last week. NEWS: The select committee is describing texts Meadows received on Jan. 6 from members of Congress“There’s an armed standoff at the House chamber door.”“We are all helpless.”“Is Trump going to say anything?" Rep. Liz Cheney, the committee’s vice chair, detailed on Monday a series of text messages Meadows received on Jan. 6 from a slew of people, including Fox News anchors and Donald Trump Jr. The House voted to recommend charges against Bannon in October, and the Justice Department indicted him on two counts of contempt last month.

Mary Clare Jalonick and Farnoush AmiriAssociated PressWashington – The House panel investigating the Jan. 6 Capitol insurrection voted Monday to recommend contempt charges against former White House chief of staff Mark Meadows as lawmakers demand his testimony about then-President Donald Trump’s actions before and during the attack. That’s his legacy.”The committee voted 9-0 to move forward with criminal charges against Meadows, who declined to appear for a deposition last week. Lawmakers had planned to ask about Trump’s efforts to overturn the election in the weeks before the insurrection, including Meadows’ outreach to states and his communications with members of Congress. Rep. Liz Cheney, the committee’s vice chair, detailed on Monday a series of text messages Meadows received on Jan. 6 from a slew of people, including Fox News anchors and Donald Trump Jr. The House voted to recommend charges against Bannon in October, and the Justice Department indicted him on two counts of contempt last month.

(AP) — An attorney for Nebraska Rep. Jeff Fortenberry argued in court Monday that the congressman's prosecution on charges of making false statement to federal authorities is politically motivated. Defense attorney John Littrell said Fortenberry will argue that he's facing a “political prosecution" for his statements to federal authorities who were investigating illegal campaign contributions from a foreign national. The nine-term GOP congressman faces one charge of scheming to falsify and conceal material facts and two counts of making false statements to federal investigators. Fortenberry’s attorney has said the congressman was misled and answered the FBI’s questions to the best of his knowledge. A judge heard arguments on several pending motions in a court hearing but did not issue any rulings.

(AP) — An attorney for Nebraska Rep. Jeff Fortenberry argued in court Monday that the congressman's prosecution on charges of making false statement to federal authorities is politically motivated. Defense attorney John Littrell said Fortenberry will argue that he's facing a “political prosecution" for his statements to federal authorities who were investigating illegal campaign contributions from a foreign national. The nine-term GOP congressman faces one charge of scheming to falsify and conceal material facts and two counts of making false statements to federal investigators. Fortenberry’s attorney has said the congressman was misled and answered the FBI’s questions to the best of his knowledge. A judge heard arguments on several pending motions in a court hearing but did not issue any rulings.

NEWBERG, Ore. (AP) — The architect of a ban on political symbols including those supporting gay pride and Black Lives Matter in Newberg schools appears to be facing an ultimatum: resign by Friday or hope that Newberg voters will side with him in a January recall election. Yamhill County Clerk Brian Van Bergen told The Oregonian/OregonLive that as of Monday, a campaign effort to recall Newberg school board vice chair Brian Shannon far exceeded the number of valid signatures required to put the recall on the ballot. The minimum required is 2,547 and the county has found no cause to invalidate more than 3,000 signatures, Van Bergen said. If the signatures are fully certified by the end of Monday, Shannon will have until Friday evening to resign, Van Bergen said. Shannon told newspaper he will not resign, which means by Monday he'll be required to submit a 200-word explanation for why he should not be recalled to the clerk’s office.

Committee staff said they would have interviewed Meadows about emails “to leadership at the Department of Justice on December 29th and 30th, 2020, and January 1st, 2021, encouraging investigations of suspected voter fraud,” even though election officials and courts across the country had rejected those claims. The panel said Meadows also provided text messages sent to and from members of Congress “before, during, and after the attack on the United States Capitol." One exchange with a lawmaker concerned efforts to contact legislators in states, too, about the election because Trump "wants to chat with them.”In a text exchange with an unidentified senator, the committee said, Meadows said Trump believed Vice President Mike Pence had power to reject electors in his role presiding over the Jan. 6 certification. Pence did not have that power under the law, as the vice president’s function is largely ceremonial. A Nov. 6, 2020, text exchange between Meadows and an unidentified member of Congress, the committee said, was about appointing alternate electors in certain states, a plan the member said would be “highly controversial.” The committee said that Meadows replied, "I love it.’”

Why it matters: The committee's focus on the former White House chief of staff brings them one step closer to the former president. Liz Cheney, the vice chairwoman on the committee, read a series of texts from GOP lawmakers, Fox News personalities and the president's son, Donald Trump Jr., all pleading with Meadows to have his father urge an end to the Capitol assault. “He’s got to condemn this shit ASAP,” Cheney read aloud from a text sent by Donald Trump Jr. to Meadows. His attorney announced last week that Meadows believed he was protected by executive privilege and would no longer cooperate with the investigation. What they're saying: "If you’re listening at home, Mr. Meadows, Mr. Bannon, Mr. Clark, I want you to know this: History will be written about these times, about the work this Committee has undertaken.

During a meeting of the House select committee investigating the Jan. 6 Capitol riot, Rep. Liz Cheney (R-WY) read aloud text messages Fox News hosts and Donald Trump, Jr. sent to Trump White House chief-ofstaff Mark Meadows as the violence unfolded. “Multiple Fox News hosts knew the president needed to act immediately,” said Cheney. “They texted Mr. Meadows and he has turned over those texts [to the committee].”“Mark, the President needs to tell people in the Capitol to go Home. “Destroying everything you have accomplished.”“Can he make a statement, ask people to leave the Capitol,” asked Sean Hannity. “He’s got to condemn this sh*t ASAP,” texted Trump Jr. “The Capitol Police tweet is not enough.”The criminal contempt resolution now heads to the full House for a vote.

No US troops or officials will face disciplinary action for a drone strike in Kabul in August that killed 10 Afghan civilians, including seven children, the Pentagon said on Monday. Spokesman John Kirby said Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin had received a high-level review of the strike which made no recommendation of accountability. “He approved their recommendations,” Kirby said. “The secretary is not … calling for additional accountability measures.”The 29 August drone strike took place in the final days of the US-led evacuation of Kabul after the Taliban seized control of the country. If Austin “believed … that accountability was warranted, he would certainly support those kinds of efforts”, Kirby added.

Committee members on Monday evening read aloud text messages they said Meadows received on and around Jan. 6 from lawmakers and allies. The Jan. 6 committee had planned on asking Meadows about the documents during a scheduled Dec. 8 deposition, but his lawyer told lawmakers the night beforehand that Meadows was refusing to participate. The committee over the weekend released a report recommending the House proceed with a contempt charge. Meadows was originally scheduled to appear before the committee on Nov. 12 but did not show up. If the House votes in favor of holding Meadows in contempt, a referral would be forwarded to the Department of Justice, which would decide whether to proceed.

The House select committee investigating the Capitol attack on Monday voted to recommend the criminal prosecution for former Trump White House chief of staff Mark Meadows, punishing Donald Trump’s most senior aide for refusing to testify about the 6 January insurrection. And over the course of a near-hour-long business meeting, the select committee outlined in chilling detail the materials Meadows had turned over to the panel – and how Meadows then promptly refused to testify about those very records. Meadows received more chilling texts, the select committee said, from an unnamed lawmaker, who messaged him the day after the Capitol attack: “Yesterday was a terrible day. “Mr Meadows has shown his willingness to talk about issues related to the select committee’s investigation across a variety of media platforms – anywhere, it seems, except to the select committee,” the panel said in the contempt report. The select committee showed Meadows wrote in his book: “When he got offstage, President Trump let me know that he had been speaking metaphorically about the walk to the Capitol.

Speaking just before the committee members voted, select committee chairman Bennie Thompson said the committee had spoken to more than 300 witnesses, received more than 30,000 records, and more than 250 “substantive tips” from its tip line since beginning the investigation. The Mississippi Democrat noted that Mr Meadows had recounted detailed conversations with former president Donald Trump in his book, as well as discussed them in television appearances. “Mr Meadows put himself in this situation and he must now accept the consequences,” he said. “One text Mr Meadows received said: ‘We are under siege here at the Capitol,’” she said. “Mark Meadows’ actions demonstrate his contempt for Congress for the select committee, for his former colleagues, and for the integrity of the democratic process.

Alex Jones has suggested that the devastating tornadoes that wreaked havoc across Kentucky and five other US states last week were actually caused by President Joe Biden wielding government "weather weapons". "So the question is," he asked, referring to Mr Biden’s administration, "did they use weather weapons to cause the tornadoes? Weather weapons that were developed in the Fifties. They’ve got carbon systems they are putting in – big, huge geo-engineering systems, terraforming systems, that are sucking carbon dioxide out of the air when it’s a trace gas that we need." "The technology’s potential to alter weather patterns and benefit certain regions of the world at the expense of other regions could trigger sharp opposition by some nations."

Former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said Monday that an attack on a U.S. military vessel in any contingency concerning Taiwan could become a situation allowing Japan to exercise the right of collective self-defense. With such a condition met, the Self-Defense Forces would be allowed to extend logistical support to the U.S. military. His earlier remarks on Taiwan drew criticism from China, which regards the self-ruled island as a renegade province to be unified with the mainland, by force if necessary. Communist-led China and Taiwan have been governed separately since they split in 1949 as the result of a civil war. Abe stepped down as prime minister in 2020 after nearly eight years in the post, but he still heads the largest faction within the ruling Liberal Democratic Party.

The House's select committee on the January 6 Capitol attack voted 9-0 to hold Mark Meadows in contempt of Congress. Meadows' book about his time at the White House came out earlier this monthRep. Liz Cheney, the select committee's vice chair, read a number of text messages Meadows gave the committee without claiming privilege. 'These text messages leave no doubt that the White House knew exactly what was happening here at the Capitol,' she said. Ingraham said, 'Mark, the president needs to tell people in the capitol to go home, this is hurting all of us. In a 51-page report released Sunday, the committee described a series of messages sent by Meadows to various people.

Pentagon spokesman John Kirby, right, taking questions during a briefing at the Pentagon in Washington, August 28, 2021. The Pentagon said Monday that no US troops or officials would face disciplinary action for a drone strike in Kabul in August that killed 10 Afghan civilians, including seven children. The August 29 drone strike took place in the final days of the US-led evacuation of Kabul after the Taliban seized control of the country. Compensation paymentsThe strike killed Zemari Ahmadi, an employee of US-based Nutrition and Education International, and nine members of his family. “We are working very hard with him and his organization to effect the relocation of the family members,” Kirby said.

Meadows was Trump's most senior aide at the time of the assault and was reportedly with the then-president in the White House as the rioters breached the Capitol. 'Panicked messages'The cache included "panicked messages" to Meadows from dozens of administration officials during the assault, panel member Adam Schiff said. If convicted, Meadows could face a six-month prison term for each contempt charge, but more likely would be fined. His lawyer George Terwilliger wrote to the panel on Monday to denounce the proposed prosecution as "manifestly unwise, unjust and unfair." Thousands of Trump supporters, many associated with ultra-nationalist and white supremacist groups, stormed the Capitol 11 months ago in an effort to overturn President Joe Biden's election victory.

NATIONALNorth Korea test-fires a new submarine-launched ballistic missile on October 19, 2021. (KCNA-Yonhap)WASHINGTON -- North Korea appears to be aiming to counter or cripple US missile defense programs deployed in the Northeast Asian region, the US Congressional Research Service (CRS) said in a report released Monday.The report follows a series of short and medium-range missile tests conducted by the North this year. "The recent advances in North Korea's ballistic missile test program appear to be directed at developing capabilities to defeat or degrade the effectiveness of missile defenses deployed in the region: Patriot, Aegis Ballistic Missile Defense (BMD), and Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD)," said the report. The North's missile tests this year included a self-claimed hypersonic glide vehicle.The report said the North's missile tests may have also been aimed at demonstrating its growing capabilities, which, in turn, may strengthen the credibility of its nuclear deterrence. "North Korea improved its ability to strike the entire continental United States with an ICBM through a series of tests in 2017," said the report.

(US Department of Defense website)WASHINGTON -- The United States has no hostile policy toward North Korea while it continues to wait for a positive response from the reclusive state to its outreach, a state department spokesperson said Monday.Jalina Porter, principal deputy spokesperson for the state department, also reiterated the US remains ready to meet with North Korea any time without any preconditions. And we're certainly prepared to meet without preconditions and we hope the DPRK will respond positively to our outreach," said Porter. "What I would say is that the South Korean president's decision on their participation in the Olympics is theirs to make. "Anything else beyond that, of course, we're treating these games as business as usual. "The US earlier said its diplomatic boycott only meant the country will not send an official, diplomatic delegation but still send an athletic delegation.

NATIONALPresident Moon Jae-in, who is on a state visit to Australia, answers questions at a press conference for the leaders of South Korea-Australia held at the Supreme Council room in Canberra’s National Assembly building on Monday. “For regional peace, Korea will work closely with Australia. And I think that speaks much to his passion for this goal, and we will continue to support those efforts wherever we can.”“Our objective remains the same. (It is) to ensure that there can be a process that ultimately can see these issues resolved,” he said. “But that resolution can’t come at the cost of unacceptable compromises.

North Korea test-fires a new submarine-launched ballistic missile on October 19, 2021. The report follows a series of short and medium-range missile tests conducted by the North this year. North Korea test launched what it claimed to be a new type of SLBM on Oct. 19 (Seoul time), marking its last and eighth known major missile test this year. The North's missile tests this year included a self-claimed hypersonic glide vehicle. "At the January 2021 North Korean Workers' Party Conference, North Korean leader Kim Jong-un hailed the "status of our state as a nuclear weapons state" and praised its "powerful and reliable strategic deterrent"," it said.

Members voted to formally advance the criminal contempt report against Meadows for a full floor House vote, which could take place as soon as later this week. The committee informed Meadows last week that it had "no choice" but to advance criminal contempt proceedings against him given that he had decided to no longer cooperate with its investigation. Committee releases Meadows' texts with lawmakers and Trump's sonAlso at Monday night's meeting, the committee publicly released graphics that include texts sent to Meadows during the days around the insurrection. Texts from unnamed lawmakers sent to Meadows said that former Vice President Mike Pence "should call out all electoral votes that he believes are unconstitutional as no electoral votes at all." Committee releases report SundayOn Sunday, the committee released its contempt report , which contained several new details about Meadows' actions before and during January 6, as well as his role in attempting to overturn the 2020 election.

The stunning messages, submitted to the panel by Mark Meadows Mark MeadowsJan. “He's got to condemn this shit ASAP,” Donald Trump Jr. texted Meadows as the attack was underway. Around the same time, a trio of Fox News hosts were also bombarding Meadows with text messages, trying to get Trump to call off the attack. Meadows also received dozens of texts from GOP lawmakers, staffers and members of the press trapped inside the Capitol during the assault, Cheney said. These non privileged texts are further evidence of President Trump's supreme dereliction of duty during those 187 minutes.”Updated 8:19 p.m.

At one point, an organizer of the rally that fired up the mob turned to Mr. Meadows for help, telling him that things “have gotten crazy and I desperately need some direction. The exchanges suggest that Mr. Meadows — who at times expressed personal skepticism about the claims of election fraud and theft pushed by Mr. Trump and his allies — catered to Mr. Trump by seeking evidence to support the president’s allegations. Mr. Meadows corresponded with a broad collection of obscure characters whose sometimes zany plans and theories made their way into the White House at a critical time. The committee has heard testimony from more than 300 witnesses, and additional ones are scheduled to appear this week. On three occasions, the panel has moved to hold allies of Mr. Trump in criminal contempt for refusing to comply with its subpoenas.

Former White House chief of staff Mark Meadows was inundated with texts from members of Congress, Fox News hosts, and even Donald Trump Jr as the Capitol riot unfolded urging the top aide to spur Donald Trump to action. The House select committee investigating the January 6 attack revealed text messages received by Mr Meadows during the riot on Monday as it unanimously moved to support a contempt of Congress charge for Mr Meadows, who ceased cooperation with the panel after turning over the texts. Congresswoman Liz Cheney, the committee’s vice chair, read aloud their texts, Mr Trump Jr’s , and others during her statement to the committee in support of a contempt referral. Sean Hannity, one of Mr Trump’s favourite Fox hosts, added: “Can he make a statement? Ask people to leave the Capitol?”At the hearing on Monday, lawmakers berated Mr Meadows repeatedly for ceasing his cooperation seemingly at random while discussing much of his experiences in a memoir, The Chief’s Chief, which published last week.

No U.S. military personnel will be reprimanded for the August drone strike in Kabul that killed 10 Afghan civilians, including seven children, two defense officials said Monday. The strike was launched three days after a deadly suicide bombing outside Kabul airport that killed 13 U.S. military members and scores of Afghan civilians. The review found that the incident did not violate any laws of war but left decisions on punishment up to the commanders. Multiple issues, including execution errors, confirmation bias and communication breakdowns, led to the mistaken drone strike, according to the review. The 10 dead Afghan civilians were all members of the same extended family, relatives told NBC News, and included the seven children, some as young as 2 and 3.

Chris Christie said this weekend that the events leading up to January 6 were "driven from the top." Christie pointed the finger at people he called "C-team players" around Donald Trump. Chris Christie of New Jersey gave his take on the events leading up to the January 6 Capitol riot, calling it a process "driven from the top" and "executed by C-team players." He added that the "C-team players" told President Donald Trump what he wanted to hear during Trump's last days in office. "There were plenty of people on the outside who were telling him this is over, and you need to concede," Christie said.

What does it say about the U.S. Congress that it is easier to pass a bill on UFOs than curbing sexual assault in the military? New York Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand was spitting mad this month after Congress watered down her changes aimed at prosecuting sexual assault in the military. Compare that with a smoother path for her proposal to establish a new federal office to study and report on “unidentified aerial phenomena” – acronym UAPs, a fancier name for UFOs. Her amendment, co-sponsored by Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., was adopted into the defense authorization bill for fiscal 2022. Gillibrand says UAPs must be taken seriously, calling them “a growing security threat.”U.S. Navy and Air Force pilots have long filed reports about spotting things in the sky that they can’t explain.

The NHS was put on a crisis footing tonight as hospitals in England were told to discharge as many patients as possible while estimated daily Omicron cases hit 200,000 and the variant claimed its first life in the UK. In a letter to hospitals, NHS England chiefs said patients who could be discharged to care homes, hospices, their own homes or hotels before Christmas to free up beds, should be. Hospitals and GPs have also been told to scale back normal services and limit care to those needing urgent attention so that NHS staff can be freed up to deliver boosters. No 10 insisted that the booster campaign was its immediate priority, with a senior government source describing the main strategy as “keep on jabbing”. He said around 20% of confirmed cases in England had been identified as the Omicron variant, and warned of “difficult weeks ahead”.

The three were among 35 witness names the defense provided to the government — but did not release publicly — on Friday evening, according to a government court filing on Sunday. Ms. Maxwell’s trial is moving much more quickly than expected. Before the trial began, the prosecution estimated in court papers that it would rest within four weeks, but that it could rest as early as the third week. The defense request for privacy for witnesses surfaced in court on Friday, when another of Ms. Maxwell’s lawyers, Christian R. Everdell, cited the need for anonymity because of the publicity surrounding Ms. Maxwell’s case. “We are already getting what I think are valid requests that these witnesses testify anonymously or under some sort of protection, name protection,” Mr. Everdell said.

Questions asked by the judges — Ketanji Brown Jackson, Judith W. Rogers and Sri Srinivasan — gave little indication that they were likely to quash the subpoena. In August, a federal trial judge, Amit P. Mehta of the Federal District Court for the District of Columbia, delivered a split decision in his own second look at the matter. He ruled that Congress could obtain certain records dating back to 2011 but other financial records only as far back as 2017, when Mr. Trump took office. All three judges on the appellate panel were randomly assigned to hear the case and were appointed by Democratic presidents, as was Judge Mehta. But the case appears destined to return to the Supreme Court, which is now controlled by a six-member conservative bloc of Republican appointees.

WASHINGTON — Senator Joe Manchin III of West Virginia, the most prominent Democratic holdout on President Biden’s $2.2 trillion social safety net, climate and tax bill, cast fresh doubt on Monday on his party’s plans to speed the measure through the Senate before Christmas, saying he still had grave concerns about how it would affect the economy. Mr. Manchin outlined his skepticism before speaking by telephone about the bill with Mr. Biden, a discussion that aides to both later characterized as positive. After the call, Mr. Manchin, who represents West Virginia, did not rule out the possibility of supporting the measure this month. He said that “anything is possible here” when asked about a vote before Christmas, and that he was still “engaged” in conversations with the White House. “People have been in a hurry for a long time to do something, but I think, basically, we’re seeing things unfold that allows us to prepare better,” Mr. Manchin told reporters outside his Capitol Hill office on Monday, before the conversation with Mr. Biden.

LONDON — When Prime Minister Boris Johnson of Britain warned his country in a televised address on Sunday night that a tidal wave was coming, he might well have been talking about his own political future. The cascade of bad news is so extreme that it has raised questions about whether Mr. Johnson will even hang on to power until the next election. It is an ominous turn for a leader who has long defied political gravity, surviving scandals and setbacks that would have sunk many other politicians. “It’s not the end for him, but I think it’s the beginning of the end,” said Jonathan Powell, who served as chief of staff to a Labour prime minister, Tony Blair. As soon as he ceases to be an asset and the party is facing an election, they’ll get rid of him.”

Andrew Cuomo’s plans to discredit sexual harassment accusers. Andrew Cuomo resigned as governor in August following the attorney general’s report. Meanwhile, Josh Vlasto and Rich Bamberger, two other Cuomo press staffers-turned-Kivvit employees, appear to have been more intimately involved in Cuomo’s defense than Moran. The company insisted that Bamberger and Vlasto had been acting entirely in their personal capacities when they helped Cuomo. Two other Kivvit staffers left the firm following news of their involvement in Cuomo’s defense.

Mayor de Blasio insists he didn’t knowingly break ethics rules against fundraising from people with city business — even though documents his administration fought to withhold show he was repeatedly warned about the practice. Mayor Bill de Blasio claims he “acted in good faith” while fundraising for his now-defunct Campaign for One New York. Mayor Bill de Blasio has previously clashed with the city’s Conflict of Interests Board on how he fundraised for his nonprofit Campaign for One New York. Mayor Bill de Blasio is currently mulling a run for New York state governor in 2022. “It was looked at and the cases were closed by COIB and other entities so it’s really been covered,” he said.

Listen To The Full Interview Below:Brit Hume, senior political analyst for Fox News Channel joined the Guy Benson Show to talk about the left’s reaction to WSJ columnist Peggy Noonan’s latest essay criticizing VP Kamala Harris. Hume also weighed in on speculation on whether President Biden will run for reelection and if former President Trump will jump into the 2024 race. Hume reacted to Noonan’s latest Column and the left’s reaction saying,“Well, I wrote, I had a very different reaction to it from the blue checks that you’re describing who, you know, attacked Peggy Noonan. But basically what she was saying was that Kamala Harris should now become the kind of person that Kamala Harris is not and never has been, which I think is is perhaps nice, but highly unrealistic advice. And Kamala Harris, as has sort of identified herself as being lighter than air.

Biden appeared on Jimmy Fallon's "The Tonight Show" Friday and attempted to field questions about his poll numbers. Biden said, facetiously, that he doesn't check his poll numbers anymore, especially after their recent dive into the forties. "Well, not anymore," Biden said. BIDEN TELLS JIMMY FALLON HE DOESN'T FOLLOW POLL NUMBERS 'ANYMORE' ON FIRST LATE-NIGHT APPEARANCE AS PRESIDENTHe went on to blame his low polling numbers on the American people being fed misinformation. They're scared because you scared them."

The draft bill is a proposed new piece of legislation that's designed to make the internet a safer place for people in the U.K. In a report published Tuesday, the U.K. Parliament's joint committee on the draft bill said more offences should be brought within the scope of the proposed law. "We need to call time on the Wild West online," said Damian Collins, a lawmaker and chair of the committee, in a statement. "For too long, Big Tech has gotten away with being the land of the lawless," he added. "A lack of regulation online has left too many people vulnerable to abuse, fraud, violence and in some cases even loss of life."

Advertisement“He proceeds to say to me, ‘I can’t possible do that because it would upset everybody at Fox. And I’ll come on your show after the primary.’”Smerconish said he might be “violating a Christmas party confidence” by discussing the meeting with his listeners but said he also told Oz, “Dr. “He said to me, ‘The mission right now is to win the primary,’” Smerconish said, adding, “This was surreal.”AdvertisementHuffPost reached out to the Oz campaign for comment, but no one immediately responded. Fox Television Stations said last week that Oz’s show had been pulled from stations in Philadelphia and New York City after his Senate campaign announcement, USA Today reported. Meanwhile, Oz was on Fox News on Monday, griping about a decision by the Philadelphia Inquirer to not refer to him as “doctor” for consistency among the candidates and to avoid giving him an unfair advantage“They want to silence me,” he told Fox News host Steve Doocy.

No U.S. troops behind a drone strike that killed Afghan civilians will be punishedEnlarge this image toggle caption Andrew Harnik/AP Andrew Harnik/APThe Pentagon said it would not punish the military team behind the errant drone strike that was intended to hit the masterminds of an attack on the Kabul airport but instead killed 10 civilians, including seven children. Those did not include disciplinary action for the military service members involved in what officials have called a "tragic mistake." "The secretary's not approving or calling for additional accountability measures," Kirby told reporters during a briefing. Military officials were looking for a white Toyota Corolla, and when such a vehicle showed up at a suspected Islamic State location, they believed it contained a bomb. The Pentagon initially claimed the counterterror strike had killed an Islamic extremist who was plotting an imminent attack.

"Well, maybe a contributing factor could be in if a person grew up in the former Soviet Union, and went to Moscow State University, and attended there on a Vladimir Lenin Academic Scholarship." Enlarge this image toggle caption Jim Watson/AFP via Getty Images Jim Watson/AFP via Getty ImagesOmarova was born in the former Soviet Union in what is now Kazakhstan. When the Soviet Union disintegrated, Omarova decided to stay in the U.S., where she worked for a private law firm, and most recently, as an academic. Enlarge this image toggle caption Jim Watson/AFP via Getty Images Jim Watson/AFP via Getty ImagesYet Omarova said she was unable to express her views personally to many senators, as is usually the norm in confirmation hearings. Doing otherwise could lead to a repeat of the 2008 Global Financial Crisis that required a bailout of key banks, Omarova argued.

“The biggest challenge for Biden is to convince the American people that the United States is on the right track,” said Ed Mills, Washington policy analyst at Raymond James. Worryingly for Biden and congressional Democrats, Americans see the GOP as better able to handle them, according to the survey. Now see: U.S. inflation rate swells to 39-year high of 6.8% as Americans pay higher prices for almost everythingBiden’s and Democrats’ response? Doubling down on their agenda, namely the still-under-debate Build Back Better social-policy and climate plan. Pivoting to the president’s Build Back Better plan, Psaki said the legislation would “start cutting costs early next year,” including for child care.

WASHINGTON — Rep. Bennie Thompson on Monday joined calls for the Department of Homeland Security to provide information about a secretive unit that was investigating journalists, elected officials and other Americans. House Homeland Security Committee Chairman Bennie Thompson. (Olivier Douliery/AFP via Getty Images)“If true, this abuse of government surveillance powers to target journalists, elected officials and their staff is deeply disturbing,” Thompson, the Democratic chairman of the House Homeland Security Committee, said in a statement. While the inspector general referred several employees for possible charges, none were prosecuted, and at least two have returned to work at the agency. “While the actions detailed in the inspector general’s report occurred under a previous administration, the practices were described as routine.”The inspector general report, completed in 2020, does not appear to have ever been turned over to Congress, despite previous requests.

Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti will appear Tuesday morning before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee for his hearing to become President Biden’s ambassador to India. The hearing, scheduled to start at 7 a.m. PST, will see the mayor give a statement to the committee and then take questions from senators. Booker campaigned for Garcetti in South Los Angeles when Garcetti ran for mayor in 2013. Garcetti attended Hunter Biden’s L.A. art show this fall, raising conflict-of-interest issues around whether people would seek out Hunter Biden’s work to align themselves with his father. Smith reported from Los Angeles, McCaskill from Washington.

Denver’s top public safety official, Murphy Robinson, on Monday announced he will be leaving his position next month. Robinson previously worked as executive director of the Department of General Services and chief operating officer for the mayor’s office. He succeeded Troy Riggs as head of public safety after Riggs left less than two years after taking the position. The Department of Public Safety lauded Robinson for helping implement the Pepsi Center COVID-19 testing center, hosting the MLB All-Star Game this summer and launching an inmate voting program in Denver’s jail, among other accomplishments. He also raised hackles in January when he removed representatives from the Department of Public Safety from a large, community-led task force working to reform public safety in Denver in the wake of the protests.

A North Las Vegas police officer was arrested last week on suspicion of DUI, officials said. North Las Vegas police (K.M. Cannon/Las Vegas Review-Journal)A North Las Vegas police officer was arrested last week on suspicion of DUI, officials said. Las Vegas police arrested Dwight Kuykendall on Saturday, North Las Vegas Police Department spokesman Alex Cuevas said. Kuykendall faces a felony count of child abuse or neglect and misdemeanor counts of DUI, failing to report an unattended vehicle or property accident, failure of duty upon damaging an unattended vehicle or other property, and failure to maintain travel lanes while driving, court records show.

The Taser and gun have different triggers, grips and safety mechanisms, McGinnis testified. McGinnis also testified that Potter didn’t perform a function test on her Taser at the start of her shift. Prosecutors asked to have the jurors handle a Taser, but Judge Regina Chu didn’t allow it after Potter’s attorneys objected. Any injuries from the crash were insignificant in terms of what caused Wright’s death, Jackson said. They want to ask officers about it so jurors can evaluate any potential bias toward Potter.

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — The Wisconsin Republican who leads the Senate Elections Committee said Monday that the GOP-ordered review of the 2020 election is riling up people who don’t understand elections and that it needs to end. Bernier and Ginsberg said attacks on the election will hurt Republicans in the long run because their voters will be less likely to cast ballots if they think elections are rigged. Said Ginsberg, “There is a need for an off ramp.”Gableman has claimed without evidence that the election was stolen. Gableman was hired by Republican Assembly Speaker Robin Vos and has a budget of nearly $680,000 in taxpayer money. “There’s a simple explanation for almost every single thing that people accuse election officials of doing.”

"There is no valid reason to suppress the statements or the text messages," Lawson wrote. The case has shed light on Musaibli's journey from his parents' perfume shop in Detroit to a Middle East war zone and presented the U.S. court system with a unique chance to prosecute an American accused of leaving the U.S. and fighting for the Islamic State group. Defense lawyers tried to suppress the messages, arguing the FBI task force officer used a code name and coercion while offering to rescue Musaibli, but only if he admitted being an Islamic State soldier. Musaibli waived his rights, the judge wrote Monday. Islamic State soldier set to help feds prosecute Dearborn man caught in Syria"None of the other relevant circumstances favor a finding that the waiver here was the product of any coercive overreach by the interrogating agents or that the defendant’s free will was overborne," Lawson wrote.

The Franklin County Sheriff's Office has released the identify of a man who was killed Dec. 8 in an exchange of gunfire with members of a federal fugitive task force at a home on Columbus' Southeast Side. The identity of the injured marshal is being withheld until he is released from the hospital, Mo Kocot, a sheriff's office spokeswoman, said Monday. Marshals Service said its task force members were there to arrest a man wanted by Columbus police for an aggravated robbery charge. SOFAST is a multi-jurisdictional law enforcement task force created by the U.S. The task force is made up of U.S.

Ben FoxAssociated PressWashington – The Associated Press sought answers Monday from the Department of Homeland Security on its use of sensitive government databases for tracking international terrorists to investigate as many as 20 American journalists, including an acclaimed AP reporter. “This is a flagrant example of a federal agency using its power to examine the contacts of journalists,” Pace wrote. This latest revelation prompted Sen. Ron Wyden to call on DHS to immediately turn over the inspector general report to Congress. The DHS inspector general report that revealed the most recent disclosure of investigations of journalists also stemmed from a Trump-era leak investigation. The inspector general opened its investigation after media reports exposed Rambo and his investigation of Watkins.

“He was just unable to get there himself in time.”A cousin, Mark Saxton Sr., said Daniel was a native of the Mayfield area that was devastated by the storm. He said Daniel had worked for several years as a deputy, mostly overseeing inmates assigned to a work release program. He’s the type of person you want to be associated with.”Brian Crick, a judge for two western Kentucky counties, was known for his sound judgment when it came to solving problems, a fellow judge said. Crick, 43, was a district judge for Muhlenberg and McLean counties who handled criminal misdemeanor cases, traffic court and juvenile cases, said Circuit Judge Brian W. Wiggins. Wiggins said he has known his fellow judge since 2005, when Crick was a public defender.

The gun holster has a snap, while the Taser holster has a lever. The handgun, which is black, is also twice as heavy as the yellow Taser, McGinnis said. The Taser and gun have different triggers, grips and safety mechanisms, McGinnis testified. The Taser also has a laser and LED lights that display before it is fired, which he demonstrated for the jury, while the handgun does not, he said. McGinnis also testified that Potter didn’t perform a function test on her Taser at the start of her shift.

A massive investigation of the financial disclosure history of every member of Congress found more than a dozen currently-serving members who have violated the STOCK Act, a piece of legislation that sets rules for lawmakers’ stock portfolios. The expansive project provides a look at just how frequently financial disclosure rules are violated by both members and people on their staffs. A few were responsible for hundreds of individual violations, including a staggering total of more than 720 violations committed by Rep Diana Harshbarger, a Tennessee Republican. Rep Ocasio-Cortez hammered the issue recently on Twitter, writing that it was “absolutely ludicrous that members of Congress can hold and trade individual stock while in office”. It shouldn’t be legal for us to trade individual stock with the info we have,” tweeted the New York congresswoman.

The Prime Minister has warned Vladimir Putin that there would be "significant consequences" if Russia invades Ukraine. His call was the latest intervention by western leaders, who are attempting to persuade the Kremlin to draw back amid growing concern at the build-up of Russian troops in the region. "The prime minister emphasised the UK's commitment to Ukraine's territorial integrity and sovereignty and warned that any destabilising action would be a strategic mistake that would have significant consequences." Last week, US President Joe Biden spoke to Mr Putin to warn him of "economic consequences like you've never seen" if he mounted a fresh incursion. The Russian president has in turn been pressing for assurances that NATO will not be expanded to include Ukraine and last week likened the Donbas warzone to "genocide".

Former U.S. Senate candidate Max Linn, 62, died in a hot tub of an apparent heart attack over the weekend. Former Maine U.S. Senate candidate Max Linn (pictured) died in a hot tub of an apparent heart attack over the weekend. 'I went to court because I believe my family could be in danger,' McDonald told the Bangor Daily News. One of Linn's attorneys, Jeff Silverstein of Bangor, told the Sun Journal that Linn died of a heart attack late Saturday, having long suffered from a heart condition. Juskewitch told the Bangor Daily News that Linn died in a hot tub.

The Pentagon said Monday that no action would be taken against military personnel involved in the botched drone strike that killed 10 civilians in Kabul as American forces withdrew in August. U.S. nerves were on edge three days after an ISIS-K suicide bomber killed 170 Afghans and 13 American service members at Hamid Karzai International Airport. At a briefing, Pentagon press secretary John Kirby said senior commanders had made recommendations to Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin - none of which included holding any officers accountable. 'The recommendations were more about procedure and process and the secretary reviewed them and has accepted them,' said Kirby. 'How can our military wrongly take the lives of 10 precious Afghan people, and hold no one accountable in any way?'

First Lady Jill Biden and Second Gentleman Doug Emhoff will travel to Waukesha, Wisconsin on Wednesday to meet victims of last month's Christmas parade tragedy. The first lady and second gentleman will meet with frontline health care workers at the hospital. First Lady Jill Biden (left) and Second Gentleman Doug Emhoff (right) will travel to Waukesha, Wisconsin on Wednesday to meet victims of last month's Christmas parade tragedyAn SUV plows into a crowd of people during a Christmas parade in Waukesha, Wisconsin on November 21They'll also visit with children who just received their COVID-19 vaccinations. Then, the group will travel to nearby Waukesha and meet with families of the victims and first responders at the Waukesha City Hall. The visit will mark the first from administration officials in the aftermath of the Christmas parade attack.

The White House was forced to defend Kamala Harris on Monday, insisting she was still in charge of addressing the 'root causes' of mass migration after the president of Guatemala said he had not heard from the White House since the vice president's visit in June. But during her regular daily briefing, Psaki was asked whether the vice president remained in the role. 'We had many conversations with your ambassador, but [between] my presidency and the White House, no,' he told Fox News. Then we had the visit of Vice President Harris. Despite all this, Harris brushes off criticism of her first year as vice president amid reports of a feud between herself and President Biden.

President Biden's Build Back Better bill contains provisions to make child care more affordable, but could have the opposite effect for middle class families, according to a new study. First, it requires child care providers to be paid 'living wages,' which would be 'equivalent to wages for elementary educators with similar credentials and experience.' Mulligan estimates that 'living wage' provisions would be responsible for 80% of the increase in child care costs. Elementary school teachers earn, on average, $63,930, while child care workers earn only $25,510, according to 2020 figures from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. If a family makes 100% of their state's median income, their child care costs are capped at 2% of income.

Jalina Porter, principal deputy spokesperson for the state department, also reiterated the US remains ready to meet with North Korea any time without any preconditions. "Our presence on the peninsula is robust, but it is of a defensive nature in keeping with our alliance commitments to South Korea," he added. The US has some 28,500 troops stationed in South Korea. North Korea has long demanded the withdrawal of US troops from South Korea, accusing joint ROK-US military exercises of being war rehearsals. "What I would say is that the South Korean president's decision on their participation in the Olympics is theirs to make.

The Hague (AFP) – Dutch political parties agreed on Monday to form a coalition government that will hand Prime Minister Mark Rutte a fourth term in office, a record 271 days after elections in March. "It's a good agreement," Rutte told reporters as he left the talks, while refusing to give further details. In late October the negotiations beat the Netherlands' previous record for coalition talks of 225 days as the parties wrangled still more. But the deal for a fourth coalition will confirm Rutte -- dubbed the "Teflon prime minister" for his ability to dodge scandals -- as Europe's second longest-serving leader after Hungarian premier Viktor Orban. The four parties are now due to present the deal to their lawmakers on Tuesday before it goes to parliament for a debate on Thursday.

INDIANAPOLIS — As bipartisan support grows at the Indiana Statehouse to legalize marijuana, Governor Eric Holcomb said he can’t support it until the federal government legalizes it first. “I mean, I took an oath,” Holcomb told 13News. This year, the Marijuana Policy Project reported states that had legalized marijuana had made almost $7.9 billion in tax revenue. “I suspect there are some medicinal uses,” Holcomb told 13News. But he said he wants to see the research and has asked both Indiana University and Purdue University to participate.

KYODO NEWS - 7 hours ago - 02:46 | All, JapanFormer Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said Monday that an attack on a U.S. military vessel in any contingency concerning Taiwan could become a situation allowing Japan to exercise the right of collective self-defense. Pointing out that Yonaguni Island -- Japan's westernmost territory -- is only 110 kilometers away from Taiwan, he said, "If something happens here, it will definitely become a crucial situation" affecting Japan's peace and security as stipulated in the country's security legislation. With such a condition met, Japan's Self-Defense Forces would be allowed to extend logistical support to the U.S. military. Communist-led China and Taiwan have been governed separately since they split in 1949 as the result of a civil war. Abe stepped down as prime minister in 2020 after nearly eight years in the post, but he still heads the largest faction within the ruling Liberal Democratic Party.

RICHMOND, Va. (AP) — A Virginia legislative branch agency has been hit by a ransomware attack. That’s according to a statement from Gov. Northam’s spokeswoman confirmed the attack on Virginia’s Division of Legislative Automated Systems. The timing of the attack is particularly problematic, as lawmakers and staff are deep into preparations for a legislative session set to begin in January. Copyright 2021 WDBJ.

Associated PressLAS VEGAS — Las Vegas' McCarran International Airport will officially be re-dubbed as Harry Reid International Airport this week. Steve Sisolak and several other officials will be on hand Tuesday for a ceremony formally re-branding the airport. In February, Clark County Commission unanimously approved renaming the airport after the state's longest serving senator. The airport was first named for Democratic Sen. Patrick McCarran, who served from 1933-1954. Reid served in the Senate from 1987-2017.

“People take for granted that Assembly members mail out newsletters,” said Mr. Nadler, who was elected to the Assembly in 1976. Mario M. Cuomo, who was upset because Mr. Gottfried had told an administration official that he believed Mr. Cuomo was at war with the Legislature. Andrew M. Cuomo, who resigned in August following sexual harassment allegations. Mr. Gottfried, who engaged in grueling negotiations with Mr. Cuomo over his medical marijuana bill, took a 20-second pause to choose his words. “I certainly had, as many people did, a lot more friction with Andrew Cuomo because that was often his style,” he said.

Nearly four months after the Taliban reconquered Afghanistan from the Western-backed government, the State Department said Monday that it knows of fewer than a dozen US citizens who wish to leave the war-torn country. The State Department statement did not say how many Afghan allies who wish to leave remain in the country. The State Department said it has funding to support resettlement of up to 95,000 people through the end of September 2022. The State Department insists Afghan refugees go through “a rigorous and multilayered screening” before resettling in the US. While some new arrivals had their applications in the pipeline, others never bothered to fill out the required paperwork, according to the State Department.

WASHINGTON — The Air Force has discharged 27 people for refusing to get the COVID-19 vaccine, making them what officials believe are the first service members to be removed for disobeying the mandate to get the shots. The Air Force gave its forces until Nov. 2 to get the vaccine, and thousands have either refused or sought an exemption. Air Force spokeswoman Ann Stefanek said Monday that these are the first airmen to be administratively discharged for reasons involving the vaccine. Several officials from the other services said they believe that so far only the Air Force has gotten this far along in the process and discharged people over the vaccine refusal. According to the latest Air Force data, more than 1,000 airmen have refused the shot and more than 4,700 are seeking a religious exemption.

We’ve seen an arsonist burn down a half-million-dollar Christmas tree in New York City back out on the streets,” Fox News White House correspondent Peter Doocy asked Psaki during her regular briefing. William C. Lopez Craig Tamanaha is accused of burning down a Christmas tree outside News Corp headquarters in Midtown, Manhattan. White House press secretary Jen Psaki claims President Joe Biden has “taken action” to a growing national trend of retail thefts. The New York Post cover on Dec. 9, 2021 highlighting Craig Tamanaha’s alleged arson on a Christmas tree outside News Corp headquarters. They’re just right back out on the streets.”White House press secretary Jen Psaki insists funding police departments will solve retail theft problems.

“Mitch McConnell is giving the Democrats victory on everything. What is wrong with this Broken Old Crow?” Trump said Sunday. “He’s hurting the Republican Senators and the Republican Party. He didn’t have the guts to play the Debt Ceiling card, which would have given the Republicans a complete victory on virtually everything. Watch, they will use the Debt Ceiling against us at their first opportunity, and they won’t fold.

Rep. Eric Swalwell, D-Calif., and a handful of other House Democrats have expressed their support for a federal COVID-19 vaccine requirement to be allowed to board airplanes. Swalwell pushed the idea of an air travel vaccine requirement on Twitter Sunday, writing a "prediction" that the country "can go from 60% Americans vaxxed to 80% if we require vaccines to fly." Talks on whether the Biden administration will implement a vaccine requirement for air travel have swirled amid the president’s ban on international travel from several African countries. The White House is set to extend its mask mandate to March 18, adding a doubling of fines if individuals are noncompliant with the requirement. The current mask mandate was slated to expire on Jan. 18 following an extension last August.

The numbers, disclosed in a press release from the State Department, are drastically higher than the estimates President Biden gave regarding the number of Americans left behind in Afghanistan after U.S. forces left the country. Even before the withdrawal, Biden had pledged to leave no U.S. citizen behind. "If there's American citizens left, we're going to stay to get them all out," Biden told ABC News' George Stephanopoulos on Aug. 16. "[W]e believe that about 100 to 200 Americans remain in Afghanistan with some intention to leave," President Biden said on Aug. 31. The State Department said it is continuing to relocate more than 2,200 Afghan allies who worked with the U.S. as well as their families.

A conservative group is partnering with Republican governors in an attempt to pressure Democratic senators to oppose President Biden's Build Back Better agenda. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., Kyrsten Sinema, D-Ariz., Mark Kelly, D-Ariz., and Jon Tester, D-Mont., to oppose the Build Back Better spending bill, which needs support from all 50 Democratic senators to pass. The tour begins Thursday in Tempe, Arizona, with an event that will bring local business leaders together with Gov. Doug Ducey, R-Ariz., who leads the Republican Governors Association. Short said his coalition recognizes there is still "a long way to go in this battle" and suggested it will extend into the new year.

Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., attempted multiple times to cut off testimony from a conservative group's witness during a hearing on violence in Chicago. During the Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on "Combating Gun Trafficking and Reducing Violence in Chicago" on Monday, Heritage Foundation legal fellow Amy Swearer was cut off by Durbin while attempting to cite data about selective prosecution in Chicago. "I believe in all fairness, since we did not invite the Cook County state’s attorney’s office to be represented here today, that you shouldn't really zero in on any particular individual." After the hearing, Swearer took to social media to vent her frustrations with the Illinois senator. "Perpetrators of gun violence in Chicago reasonably believe they can light up a neighborhood on Friday, and then be released on Monday without facing a single meaningful consequence," she continued, adding that Durbin "believes it's inappropriate to mention this at a hearing on Chicago gun violence."

The owner of a luxury car dealership in Chicago blasted city leaders during a Monday appearance on ‘The Story’ after smash-and-grab thieves struck his business in a brazen daytime robbery. SMASH-AND-GRAB SUSPECTS LOOT LUXURY CHICAGO CAR DEALERSHIPTwo men reportedly entered the dealership, known for its showroom of Lamborghinis and Bentleys, around noon on Saturday. SMASH-AND-GRAB THIEVES ATTACK STORES AROUND THE COUNTRY, CALIFORNIA SECURITY GUARD SHOT DEAD AS CRIME RAGES"We watch them do it. "They can only do this because they know that if they get caught, they get let out, there’s no retribution. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APPRoughly 10 customers, including children, were in the showroom at the time of the robbery.

The State of California is reimposing an indoor mask mandate that will apply to everyone, whether vaccinated or not. California Health and Human Services Secretary Dr. Mark Ghaly announced the updated policy Monday, citing an increase in COVID-19 cases in the state since the Thanksgiving holiday. NEW YORK ORDERS MASK MANDATE FOR INDOOR PUBLIC SPACES STATEWIDE"This is a critical time," Ghaly said Monday. The new mask mandate is set to take effect on Wednesday and will expire on Jan. 15. Washington D.C. also has such a mask mandate in place.

The Atlantic staff writer David Frum suggested hospitals and doctors should give low priority to unvaccinated citizens in a series of tweets on Saturday. "Unless the US moves to vastly stricter vaccine mandates - which I would favor, but which is plainly not going to happen - the US will stall at present vaccination levels," Frum began his Twitter thread. NEW YORK TIMES EDITORIAL: TOO MANY AMERICANS STILL ‘PARALYZED’ BY CORONAVIURS FEARSWithin the thread, he added that barring "seemingly basic mandates" such as vaccine requirements to board airplanes, the best advice to protect against unvaccinated citizens could be prioritizing vaccinated patients in hospitals. Frum faced backlash for suggesting hospitals treat unvaccinated patients last. "If, at this point, you are still unvaccinated, you are not a victim.

Fortenberry has denied lying to investigators and has said he was unaware of the true origins of the money. Allies of Fortenberry have said they believe the charges are an effort to drive the nine-term Republican out of Congress in next year’s election. Earlier in the session, the defense attorney also said the timing of the case was suspect. Prosecutors have argued that the case could fairly be brought in Los Angeles because the investigation Fortenberry impacted was being conducted there. However, the congressman’s defense said the focus should be on what he is accused of doing and where he did it.

Fox News White House reporter Peter Doocy and White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki. Fox NewsThe Fox News Christmas tree fire came up during Monday's White House press briefing. Fox News reporter Peter Doocy asked about the network's highly publicized Christmas tree fire during Monday's White House press briefing. The exchange between Doocy and White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki was part of a broader question about crime. "We've seen an arsonist burn down a half-million dollar Christmas tree in New York City, back out on the streets," he continued.

Fox News White House correspondent Peter Doocy asked press secretary Jen Psaki on Monday what President Joe Biden is doing to combat crime — like the burning-down of the Fox News Christmas tree. The tree, which sits outside of the network’s New York City headquarters, was burned down in the early hours of Wednesday morning. Fox News reported that when the suspect left the courthouse Wednesday, he told reporters gathered there that he “didn’t do it.” He faces additional charges, including criminal mischief, reckless endangerment and criminal trespass. Per the New York Post, which shares the News Corp building outside of which the blaze took place with Fox News, all of the charges, including arson, are misdemeanors. She expressed gratitude to the New York Police Department and New York Fire Department for responding to Wednesday’s fire “immediately.”

Related video: Kentucky candle factory survivor details being trapped during tornadoSupervisors and team leaders told employees that leaving would probably jeopardize their jobs, the employees said. “If you leave, you’re more than likely to be fired,” Emery said she overheard managers tell four workers standing near her who wanted to leave. Image: A rescue worker and a cadaver dog arrive at the Mayfield Consumer Products candle factory in Mayfield, Ky., on Dec. 11, 2021. “Some people asked if they could leave,” but managers told them they would be fired if they did, she said. The first tornado warning passed without any damage, but several hours later, another warning was issued.

The GuardianFlorida 2000, Ohio 2004, Pennsylvania 2020 – now Georgia, with its changing demographics and fight over voting rights, looks set to be the bellwether A Trump supporter in Perry, Georgia in September. The ex-president has inspired a slate of devotees to seek statewide office. Photograph: Elijah Nouvelage/EPA To understand the forces shaping American politics, one state will be impossible to overlook in 2022: Georgia. The Peach State will offer the biggest litmus test yet of former US president Do

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., said the Senate will vote on raising the debt ceiling Tuesday. The move comes after the House and Senate passed legislation allowing for the debt ceiling to be raised with a simple majority, bypassing the possibility of a Republican filibuster in the evenly split upper chamber. Schumer has been helped in his effort to fast-track raising the debt ceiling by Senate Minority leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., who has twice worked out deals with the Democratic leader in hopes of avoiding a U.S. default. But the issue has also caused deep divisions within the GOP, with former President Donald Trump releasing a statement admonishing McConnell for giving in on the debt ceiling. He didn’t have the guts to play the Debt Ceiling card, which would have given the Republicans a complete victory on virtually everything."

First, the 6.9% consumer price index showed inflation is not 'transitory' and we sure don't need any more government spending. It means permanent. So transformational permanent translates to $5 trillion in more spending and $3 trillion in a larger deficit. BIDEN’S TRILLION DOLLAR SPENDING BILL COULD DOUBLE YOUR CHILD CARE COSTSThat means there will be huge new government spending to push inflation higher, and it also means the bills not paid for. DEM BLASTS US BUDGET OFFICE, SAYS IT’S ‘OUTDATED’ AMID SPENDING BILL BACKLASHGuess you all did want permanent.

Almost six weeks after oral arguments on the case, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled Friday to let the new Texas abortion law, Senate Bill 8, remain in effect after it was challenged in federal court by the U.S. Department of Justice. The law, which was enacted Sept. 1, bans abortions after approximately six weeks of gestation. Since the new restrictions — considered the toughest in the nation — went into effect, abortions have been cut by 50% in the state, while many seeking abortions have fled to nearby states to obtain them. Before SB 8 went into effect, abortion providers asked justices in August to halt the law while legal challenges in lower courts proceeded, the high court declined. In October, the court fast tracked two cases, Whole Woman’s Health v. Jackson and U.S. v. Texas with oral arguments on Nov. 1.

That planning has been brought on by declining poll numbers for President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris. “Our country is coming out of a massive recession and working to end the pandemic.”The New York Times story went on to say talk of a Pritzker presidential run is “abundant” in private. One Democratic consultant brushed aside Pritzker’s appearance in the New York Times story. “I don’t think there’s any accidents when people make the New York Times political section,” the strategist said. Next year’s election cycle carries a chance of being “high risk and high reward” for Pritzker’s potential plans for the future, the strategist said.

WASHINGTON — Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo on Monday announced 60 finalists for $1 billion in economic development grants tied to the Biden administration's coronavirus relief package and aimed at improving job training and regional industry partnerships. Twelve of the finalists were from places tied to the coal industry. The finalists were predominantly coalitions made up of government, academic and economic partnerships. "This program will bring communities back in regions across America," Alejandra Castillo, assistant commerce secretary for economic development, said in an interview. Among the city-led finalists are: Indianapolis; Newark, New Jersey; Tucson, Arizona; Manchester, New Hampshire; Phoenix; and New Orleans.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Air Force has discharged 27 people for refusing to get the COVID-19 vaccine, making them what officials believe are the first service members to be removed for disobeying the mandate to get the shots. The Air Force gave its forces until Nov. 2 to get the vaccine, and thousands have either refused or sought an exemption. Air Force spokeswoman Ann Stefanek said Monday that these are the first airmen to be administratively discharged for reasons involving the vaccine. Each of the services set its own deadlines and procedures for the mandate, and the Air Force set the earliest deadline. As of last week, a bit more than 97% of the active duty Air Force had gotten at least one shot.

It’s one of several high-stakes clashes between Democrats and Trump, who is weighing a potential 2024 run for the White House. But Appeals Court Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson questioned whether the goal of lawmakers was simply to attack a political rival in the White House. “There were serious problems that could have gone to major national security concerns because of Mr. Trump’s financial interests with, for example Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Russia,” Letter said. The dual appeals will prolong a legal battle that began in 2019, when Democrats on the House Committee on Oversight and Reform issued a subpoena demanding eight years of Trump’s financial records. Trump fought the case all the way to the Supreme Court, which punted it back to the lower courts in Washington.

Virginia has picked up the pace of extending high-speed internet service to 13 rural localities in central Virginia, including Goochland and Powhatan counties in the greater Richmond area. A $79 million grant from the Virginia Telecommunications Initiative will be used as leverage for an additional $207 million in local government and private investment to expand fiber-optic networks for high-speed broadband services in wide swath of the Piedmont region from the outer Richmond suburbs to the Charlottesville and Lynchburg areas. In addition to Goochland and Powhatan, the grant, which Gov. Mark Warner and Tim Kaine and Rep. Abigail Spanberger, D-7th, announced on Monday, will accelerate expansion of high-speed internet service to the counties of Albemarle, Amherst, Appomattox, Buckingham, Campbell, Cumberland, Fluvanna, Greene, Louisa, Madison and Nelson. The grant was one of 35 by the state to expand broadband communications to nearly all residents of 71 localities by 2024.

Virginia has picked up the pace of extending high-speed internet service to 13 rural localities in central Virginia, including Goochland and Powhatan counties in the greater Richmond area. A $79 million grant from the Virginia Telecommunications Initiative will be used as leverage for an additional $207 million in local government and private investment to expand fiber-optic networks for high-speed broadband services in wide swath of the Piedmont region from the outer Richmond suburbs to the Charlottesville and Lynchburg areas. In additional to Goochland and Powhatan, the grant, which Gov. Mark Warner and Tim Kaine and Rep. Abigail Spanberger, D-7th, announced on Monday, will accelerate expansion of high-speed internet service to the counties of Albemarle, Amherst, Appomattox, Buckingham, Campbell, Cumberland, Fluvanna, Greene, Louisa, Madison and Nelson. The grant was one of 35 by the state to expand broadband communications to nearly all residents of 71 localities by 2024.

UK Research and Education Center was destroyed by a tornadoUniversity of Kentucky Research and Education Center was destroyed by a tornado

A new report from the House committee investigating the Capitol riot on 6 January detailed former White House chief of staff Mark Meadows’ messages leading up to and during the attempted insurrection. The committee released the 51-page report after he had refused to answer questions from the committee because it had also subpoenaed his communications records from his private phone. “In fact, as the violence at the Capitol unfolded, Mr Meadows received many messages encouraging him to have Mr Trump issue a statement that could end the violence, and one former White House employee reportedly contacted Mr Meadows several times and told him,” the report said. The report cited various communications he made. One text message the report cited noted how one of the organisers texted Mr Meadows “‘[t]hings have gotten crazy and I desperately need some direction.

A recurring motif from accusers in the Ghislaine Maxwell sex trafficking trial is the playful, intimate, almost adolescent nature of her relationship with Jeffrey Epstein. Ms Maxwell, 59, is charged with six counts of sex trafficking, enticement and abuse of a minor. Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell (U.S. Attorney’s Office/Reuters)A third accuser, who testified under her first name Carolyn, told the court she had seen photographs of a pregnant Ms Maxwell. Another former Epstein employee, Juan Alessi, described Ms Maxwell as “the girlfriend of Mr Epstein”. Prosecutors also called a JP Morgan executive who testified that Epstein had wired Ms Maxwell $30.7m between 1999 and 2007.

The result is not in doubt because Covid passports will be nodded through by the feckless Leader of the 'No Opposition' Keir Starmer. That's because evidence from across the globe suggests vaccine passports do NOT work. Likewise, the introduction of vaccine passports in France, Germany, Ireland and Italy did nothing to stop Covid cases from skyrocketing. So, given the lack of evidence, what are vaccine passports REALLY about? Perhaps if thousands of businesses across England take the same approach then the enforcement of vaccine passports will become futile.

This week on the podcast:— The leaders of Russia and Turkey meet in Moscow on Thursday in a bid to de-escalate fighting in Syria which has brought the two countries to the brink of direct military confrontation. Financial Times Bureau Chief Henry Foy joins us in the studio to discuss what is at stake for both countries. The episode was recorded and edited at CM Records Studio in central Moscow. Read More:Russia’s Syria gamble under pressure as Turkey attacks in IdlibHawks say Sanders will be weak on Russia. But Putin should fear a President Bernie

We fly to Lithuania, which has become a refuge for Russian opposition figures in exile because of repression in their own country. From there, they try to convince Russians and the world to take action against President Vladimir Putin’s government. In Siberia, other Kremlin critics see themselves as in a form of internal exile. As European leaders struggle over how to deal with Russia, mixing sanctions with dialogue, we ask: What does the future hold for Russia, and for its opposition? Archives: Vladimir Putin, Angela Merkel

(CNN) After a string of tornadoes decimated large swaths of Kentucky, Rand Paul leaped into action. "The Governor of the Commonwealth has requested federal assistance this morning, and certainly further requests will be coming as the situation is assessed. Disaster relief is a place where the federal government can make a real difference -- particularly in the early stages of the aftermath as residents (and even state government) may be struggling to get back on its feet. Well, Paul has made something of a career out of opposing disaster relief in places other than Kentucky. In 2013, he opposed a disaster relief measure for the Northeast following the devastation caused by Superstorm Sandy.

President Biden signed an executive order that directs federal agencies to streamline routine government services like renewing a passport or applying for college loans so they are simple tasks instead of time-consuming nightmares. The order includes a checklist of 36 ways to improve “customer experience” when Americans try to claim benefits, save on prescription drugs or file their taxes. Mr. Biden said the bureaucracy is too complicated for Americans who are entitled to federal services and paid for them with their tax dollars. “It’s really a very complicated web for the vast majority of people, whether they have PhDs or high school education,” Mr. Biden said at the signing in the Oval Office. Mr. Biden insisted the executive order was no small thing as he gathered leaders of the departments of Education and Homeland Security and Federal Emergency Management Agency, Small Business Administration and Transportation Security Administration around his desk.

As recently as 6:02 pm ET Monday evening, Hawley expressed his opposition to any defense bill that would include both sexes registering for the selective service. The Daily Wire’s Michael Knowles tweeted, “A nation that drafts its women to die in combat deserves defeat.”A nation that drafts its women to die in combat deserves defeat. — Michael Knowles (@michaeljknowles) November 29, 2021Politico added that other Republicans who also opposed the equal opportunity draft celebrated the proposal being dropped from the defense spending bill:Rep. Vicky Hartzler (R-Mo. ), a social conservative who opposes requiring women to register, celebrated its removal from the bill. They are doctors, lawyers, engineers and already valuable members of our all-volunteer force,” Hartzler said.

Meadows chose to break an agreement he had reached with House investigators just over a week prior and to instead sue the committee in an effort to block a subpoena for his phone records. Unfortunately for Meadows, before his about-face, he turned over roughly 6,000 pages of documents. And now comes a fun tidbit re: Meadows declaring he’d have the National Guard ready to defend Trump supporters on the day of the insurrection. The report is a key component for the committee to send a referral for charges of criminal contempt of Congress to the Justice Department. The panel informed Meadows last week that it had “no choice” but to advance criminal contempt proceedings against him given that he had decided to no longer cooperate with their investigation.

Vice President Kamala Harris said the private investments will help to address the root causes of immigration. Harris issued a call to action in May to assist El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras. PepsiCo said it plans to designate $190 million for investments in Central America, including improving manufacturing plants. Cargill, meanwhile, plans to invest $150 million in farming operations in El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras. Fiscal year 2021, which ended Sept. 30, notched 1.73 million encounters, quadruple the 458,088 from fiscal year 2020, according to Customs and Border Patrol.

Vladimir Putin has told Boris Johnson that he wants immediate talks to secure clear legal agreements that Nato will not expand eastwards. Russia has threatened to deploy intermediate-range nuclear missiles in Europe as a response to what it claims are Nato plans to do the same thing. The missiles were withdrawn after the US and the Soviet Union signed the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) treaty in 1987. Ryabkov told Russia’s RIA news agency that Moscow would deploy nuclear missiles if Nato refused to engage in talks. “And I would note that while US missiles will be conventional, Russia would probably deploy its missiles with nuclear warheads.

Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu speaks during a joint news conference with his Greek counterpart Nikos Dendias at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Athens, Greece, May 31, 2021. REUTERS/Costas BaltasANKARA, Dec 13 (Reuters) - A vote by Serb lawmakers to start pulling their autonomous Serb Republic out of Bosnia's armed forces, judiciary, and tax system is "wrong, dangerous" and could threaten regional stability, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said on Monday. "The decision taken by parliament of the Serb Republic entity of Bosnia and Herzegovina is wrong, dangerous, and against the constitution." President Tayyip Erdogan has often praised Bosnia's wartime leader, Alija Izetbegovic, while forming friendly relations with Bosnia's tripartite inter-ethnic presidency. Bosnia's opposition leaders warned the moves may lead the Serb Republic into a new war.

The Air Force gave its forces until Nov. 2 to get the vaccine, and thousands have either refused or sought an exemption. Air Force spokeswoman Ann Stefanek said Monday that these are the first airmen to be administratively discharged for reasons involving the vaccine. Each of the services set its own deadlines and procedures for the mandate, and the Air Force set the earliest deadline. According to the latest Air Force data, more than 1,000 airmen have refused the shot and more than 4,700 are seeking a religious exemption. As of last week, a bit more than 97% of the active duty Air Force had gotten at least one shot.

But at least five workers said supervisors warned employees that they would be fired if they left their shifts early. Supervisors and team leaders told employees that leaving would probably jeopardize their jobs, the employees said. Employees can leave any time they want to leave and they can come back the next day.”He also denied that managers told employees that leaving their shifts meant risking their jobs. “Some people asked if they could leave,” but managers told them they would be fired if they did, she said. The first tornado warning passed without any damage, but several hours later, another warning was issued.

Russian President Vladimir Putin drove a taxi to boost his income following the fall of the Soviet Union, state-run news agency RIA Novosti reported on Sunday. In a documentary film, RIA-Novosti quoted the Russian leader as saying: "Sometimes I had to earn extra money." A loyal servant of the Soviet Union, Putin was dismayed when it fell apart, once describing the collapse as "the greatest geopolitical disaster of the 20th century." Putin's comments come as critics accuse him of planning to recreate the Soviet Union with an invasion of Ukraine. Watch video 02:55 Russia: 30 years on from the Soviet Unionjsi/fb (Reuters, AFP)

Yet the governor’s COVID-fueled political troubles are far from over, as she heads into a 2022 reelection campaign. “Certainly there are still public health dangers from COVID,” says Cornell Belcher, a Democratic strategist. “But the political problem with COVID is this, and you pick it up in focus groups: the uncertainty of it all. “Your political strategy on a health emergency isn’t really political,” says Biden’s pollster John Anzalone. The messaging by this administration going into the midterms is an absolute failure, just the way it was an absolute failure of the Obama administration going into 2010.

On Friday the Supreme Court had the chance to strike down a completely unconstitutional, totally insane Texas law that bans abortion after six weeks. Even many conservative court watchers thought the Supreme Court should and would strike down the law because it went contrary to both Roe and Planned Parenthood v. Casey. The choice to leave this Texas law in place marks a shift from a conservative court that still tries to keep up the appearance of objectivity to a Supreme Court that is fully partisan. Conservative Chief Justice John Roberts was horrified by the decision, saying that the “clear purpose and actual effect” of S.B. “The Court clears the way for States to reprise and perfect Texas’s scheme in the future to target the exercise of any right recognized by this Court with which they disagree,” Sotomayor warned.

Josh is currently being held in a county jail in Fayetteville, Arkansas as he awaits his April sentencing hearing. According to a new report from In Touch, Josh is being held in solitary confinement as he awaits his sentencing. We know what you're thinking -- maybe it wouldn't be such a bad thing for Josh to endure a savage beating. As for Anna, insiders say Josh's long-suffering wife is "completely devastated" by the situation, as one might expect. We suppose that's the level of delusion that one needs in order to remain married to Josh Duggar.

President Biden has asked Education Secretary Miguel Cardona to review whether Biden has the legal authority to cancel student loan debt, White House chief of staff Ron Klain revealed. “He’ll look at that legal authority, he’ll look at the policy issues around that, and then he’ll make a decision. REUTERS/Erin ScottWhen then-candidate Biden gained the Democratic nomination in March last year, the presidential hopeful did not believe a chief executive had the authority to cancel any federal debt without Congress. In February, the president asked the Justice Department to review his legal authority to cancel $10,000 in student loans. “The president continues to call on Congress to cancel $10,000 in debt for student loan borrowers.

AP Top Stories December 13 PHere’s the latest for Monday, December 13: Death toll rises from cluster of Midwest tornados; President Biden travels to Kentucky Wednesday; Former officer may change plea in George Floyd civil rights case; New York state imposes mask mandate.

Prices up, approval down: As inflation continues to surge in the United States, Americans have named it their top concern, surpassing the pandemic. The poll found that 28% of Americans approved of Biden’s handling of inflation, while a majority of Americans, at 69%, disapproved. The committee is scheduled to vote Monday evening to recommend the full House find Meadows in contempt for defying a subpoena. Meadows is not alone: Trump is also fighting a subpoena for his administration's documents at the National Archives and Records Administration. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled against Trump and in favor of the committee receiving the documents because President Joe Biden waived executive privilege.

Lolita C. BaldorAssociated PressWASHINGTON — No U.S. troops involved in the August drone strike that killed innocent Kabul civilians and children will face disciplinary action, U.S. defense officials said Monday. But he concluded that the strike was a tragic mistake and not caused by misconduct or negligence. Austin asked Gen. Frank McKenzie, head of Central Command, and Gen. Richard Clark, head of Special Operations Command, to review Said's conclusions and come back to him with recommendations. The Aug. 29 drone strike on a white Toyota Corolla sedan, killed Zemerai Ahmadi and nine family members, including seven children. More:Air Force inspector general says US strike that killed 7 children, 3 adults in Afghanistan was 'an honest mistake''A tragic mistake': How US airstrikes in Afghanistan killed civilians with Hellfire missiles during evacuation

?No American service members involved in the erroneous August drone strike that killed 10 Afghan civilians as the Biden administration concluded its chaotic military withdrawal from the war-torn nation will face disciplinary action, the Pentagon said Monday. According to Kirby, “there was not a strong enough case to be made for personal accountability” in McKenzie’s and Clarke’s recommendations. “The recommendations were more about procedure and process and the secretary reviewed them and has accepted them,” Kirby said. “And again, most of them are of a classified nature … but there was no overt recommendation made by either specific to accountability and any punishment for anyone.”The brother of Afghan drone strike victim Zemerai Ahmadi surveying the damage of the strike that killed ten innocent people. Kirby cautioned that the recommendation of no discipline did not mean the ?Defense Department ?”?is turning a blind eye to a high standard of conduct and leadership.?”?Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin approved the recommendation that no US troops be disciplined for the drone strike.

“We had many conversations with your ambassador, but [between] my presidency and the White House, no,” Giammattei said. Then we had the visit of Vice President Harris. White House press secretary Jen Psaki confirmed that Vice President Kamala Harris is still the Biden administration’s border czar after the Guatemalan president claimed that he hasn’t spoken to her since June. Ken Cedeno/CNP/Bloomberg via Getty Images“He said, Vice President Harris, he has not spoken to her,” Doocy persisted. She eventually made a perfunctory visit to the border in June, 94 days after being named the border czar.

Manchin sees this as evidence that its “true cost” is being concealed, since there will be pressure to extend the programs. That’s nonsense — the bill’s “true cost” is whatever spending it calls for, and any extensions must be approved by future Congresses — but this is what Manchin is saying.

This week, Bret sits down with former State Department Spokesperson and Senior Advisor of Scowcroft Center at Atlantic Counsel Morgan Ortagus, FOX News White House Correspondent Peter Doocy, and former Tennessee Congressman Harold Ford Jr., to discuss President Biden’s federal vaccine mandate. Later, the panel weighs in on the ongoing tensions between the United States and China, and the Chinese communist party, and the competitive nature of the relationship. Follow Bret on Twitter: @BretBaier

With no transition from refugee to U.S. resident, he felt like he was starting from scratch. Now, as a state senator helping to facilitate the resettlement of Afghan refugees across Oregon, he wants to make sure that his experiences won’t be repeated in a new generation of immigrants. Courtesy Sen. Kayse JamaFor Jama and state Rep. Khanh Pham, receiving the around 1,200 Afghans settling in Oregon is something that hits close to home. Pham comes from a refugee family herself; her parents met in Oklahoma after fleeing Vietnam after the war. “For me, as the first refugee, first Muslim to serve in the state of Oregon Senate, I don’t want my story to be seen as the exception,” Jama said.

RICHMOND, Va. — A Virginia legislative branch agency has been hit by a ransomware attack, Gov. Cybersecurity researchers who track ransomware say there’s no previous record of a state legislature suffering an attack. “It continues to show that no organization is safe form these ransomware attacks. A top agency official told Virginia legislative leaders in an email obtained by The Associated Press that hackers using “extremely sophisticated malware” had accessed the system late Friday. Brett Callow, a threat analyst at the firm Emsisoft, said Virginia is the 74th state or local government hit by ransomware attacks this year, though the first legislature he’s ever seen attacked.

The Supreme Court declined Monday to block New York’s vaccine mandate for health care workers — one that has an exception for medical reasons but none for religious objections. The court denied a request for a temporary order to block the requirement while lawsuits against it proceed. When New York announced the requirement in August, it contained exemptions for both medical and religious reasons. He said the state failed to show that accommodating the religious objectors would make any meaningful difference in protecting public health. Since August, the court has turned down other challenges to vaccine mandates from students at Indiana University, teachers in New York, and health care workers in Maine and Massachusetts.

Negotiations have not gone well: The company announced plans last week to hire permanent replacements for the striking workers. President Joe Biden said Friday that he was "deeply troubled" by reports of Kellogg's plan to permanently replace striking plant workers as the union haggles for a new contract involving 1,400 employees. "Permanently replacing striking workers is an existential attack on the union and its members' jobs and livelihoods. There's some compelling anecdotal evidence to suggest striking workers not only noticed the presidential statement, but also celebrated it. The month before his presidential inauguration, Biden assured workers he'd be "the most pro-union president you've ever seen."

More Black families are homeschooling their children, citing the pandemic and racismEnlarge this image toggle caption Kyra Miles/WBHM Kyra Miles/WBHMIt's a common perception that white, evangelical families are the most likely to homeschool their children. But a growing number of Black families have started teaching their kids at home — especially during the pandemic. "I think you're going to see more and more parents, Black parents, homeschooling their children like never before," Burges said. Duckworth said the Black Homeschoolers of Birmingham has created a community where children don't feel different because of their race. They participate in a lot of the Black homeschooling group's activities, like the debate club and field trips.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court refused Monday to halt a COVID-19 vaccine requirement for health care workers in New York that does not offer an exemption for religious reasons. “Now, thousands of New York healthcare workers face the loss of their jobs and eligibility for unemployment benefits,” Gorsuch wrote in a 14-page opinion that Alito joined. The court had previously turned away health care workers in Maine, who filed a similar challenge, with the same three justices in dissent. As of Oct. 19, roughly 90% of health care workers were fully vaccinated and most of the rest had received one of two doses, the state told the high court. Fewer than 2% of nursing home, adult care facility and hospital workers had sought a religious exemption, the state said.

By Ariane de Vogue | CNNThe Supreme Court turned away two emergency requests Monday from health care workers, doctors and nurses in New York to block the state’s vaccine mandate. The rule, which is currently in effect, covers workers in hospitals and nursing homes, home health agencies, adult centers as well as hospices. Several doctors who say they have treated many patients with Covid filed a separate request with the justices. He said that two of the doctors are not “anti-vaxxers who object to all vaccines,” but that the sincerity of their religious beliefs should be respected. “It is morally acceptable to receive Covid-19 vaccines that have used cell lines from aborted fetuses in their research and production process,” the Vatican note said.

Burleson school trustees will meet tonight, the first board meeting since the arrest of two educators accused of abusing students with disabilities. School officials immediately removed the two from the classroom once they learned of the allegations but didn’t tell family members until several days later, parents said. The News requested the investigative findings from the school district but has not yet received them. Burleson school officials declined to share details of the investigation publicly, citing federal privacy laws. Since the allegations emerged in Burleson, parents at Norwood requested cameras be placed in their children’s classroom and the district expedited the process.

But the Perry who filed his papers as a gubernatorial candidate on Monday is not the former Texas governor and U.S. energy secretary. The newly filed candidate, Rick Perry of Springtown, northwest of Fort Worth, is apparently a computer technician with the title of “senior desktop engineer” at Lockheed Martin, according to a LinkedIn profile. Ballot-name confusion is part of Texas political lore, with Gene Kelly (not the Hollywood actor) a perennial candidate in recent decades. “When I saw ‘Ricky Perry,’ my thought was that in his younger days, people called Richard Perry ‘Ricky,’” he said. I mean, not that it means anything, but he’s still also Ricky Perry in that way, I guess.”

First lady Jill Biden and second gentleman Douglas Emhoff are visiting Wisconsin on Wednesday to meet with health care workers as well as victims of the Waukesha Christmas parade and their families. They will also visit with children who just received the COVID-19 vaccine and their families. After the Children's Hospital visit, they're scheduled to head to Waukesha City Hall to visit with families of victims from the parade attack and first responders. Biden, Emhoff and Murthy are expected to make brief public remarks at Children's Hospital and in Waukesha, but the White House said they will meet privately with families and first responders. Their visit comes about three weeks after the parade attack, which left six dead and more than 60 people injured.

Milwaukee's formal bid to host the Republican National Convention in 2024 came in at more than 200 pages and was submitted last week. It also talks about the city's experience preparing to host the Democratic National Convention in 2020, though the event itself was largely virtual due to the coronavirus pandemic. Mayor Tom Barrett, a Democrat, has expressed enthusiasm for hosting the convention — and getting another shot at the Democratic National Convention in 2024. Either national convention would likely bring tens of thousands of visitors to the area. As for the 2024 Democratic National Convention, Williams-Smith said her organization had not yet received the request for proposals.

In recent years, the Kremlin has been systematically destroying civil society in Russia. Thousands have chosen to leave the country for fear of being arrested, and those who did not leave are detained and prosecuted for their political opposition to the regime. The number of political prisoners in Russian jails is now estimated to be in the hundreds, which is similar to the Soviet days. Many of those who criticize the government are forced out of their jobs or deemed to be “foreign agents.” And of course, those who present a real challenge to Russian officials’ widespread corruption are assassinated.

Kathy Hochul’s rollout of a new indoor mask mandate is "causing chaos and confusion." Suozzi (D-Glen Cove) also said he, unlike Attorney General Letitia James, is remaining in the Democratic primary to challenge Hochul and contended that James’ departure helps his chances. The emergency regulation will run until Jan. 15 to try to limit the spread of COVID-19 during the holiday season. Suozzi said the requirement, announced Friday, didn’t give businesses and counties time to prepare. I will be running for the governor in the primary on June 28," said Suozzi, a former Nassau County executive.

Axtell on Monday said holding the trial in St. Paul was only recently confirmed. Among them, the 1960s-era courthouse is smaller than the federal courthouse in Minneapolis and isn’t as set back from the street, complicating access. The matter is assigned to U.S. District Court Judge Paul Magnuson, who is based at the St. Paul federal courthouse. Now, St. Paul “will be starting our plan from scratch,” he said. On Monday, St. Paul officials still held out some hope of getting the federal trial moved.

The safe storage legislation is one of several bills languishing in Congress. Blumenthal and Murphy are also backing “red flag” legislation, which would give law enforcement the authority to temporarily revoke weapons from a person who poses a threat to themselves or others. Connecticut was the first state to pass such a bill, but about 20 others have followed, including the Republican-led states of Florida and Indiana.

Last month, Medicare announced one of the largest increases ever in its “Part B” monthly premium for outpatient care, nearly $22, from $148.50 currently to $170.10 starting in January. “Rather than assessing the current $21.60 per month … premium increase in full, I urge you to reduce the amount,” Senate Finance Chairman Ron Wyden, D-Ore., wrote health secretary Xavier Becerra. But Wyden wrote Becerra that as secretary of Health and Human Services, he has “broad authority” to determine the “appropriate contingency margin” to use in setting premiums. Given that Medicare is still developing its formal policy for covering Aduhelm, Wyden said there is a clear rationale for collecting less up front at this particular time. “Uncertainty” over the drug’s financial impact on Medicare appeared to be driving much of the calculation of the new premium, Wyden noted.

“This cannot be compared to any other case that this court or any other court in this county has seen before, and calling this an isolated incident quite frankly does not do it justice,” Keast said. “This was a mass murder at a school, judge. This was planned. At that time, she could make a decision on whether to order a competency exam for him if such an exam is requested by his attorneys. Monday's conference was a procedural hearing to prepare for a Dec. 20 preliminary hearing, which also will be moved to a later date.

Biden, who has already signed emergency declarations for Kentucky, said he stands ready to do the same for Illinois. He added that he has ordered his administration to make every resource available to local and state officials in Kentucky and the other states impacted by the storms. The president said his message to governors was that the federal government would help them get “Whatever they need, when they need it.”“We’re going to get this done,” Biden added. McConnell said he'll travel “at the end of the week” back to Kentucky — an indication he would not be joining Biden’s trip Wednesday. McConnell earlier Monday thanked Biden in a tweet for his actions to help the state.

The appeals court ruled that Evers’ media-access criteria was reasonable and he was under no obligation to grant access for every news outlet to every news conference. MacIver had argued that Evers was excluding its staffers and violating their free speech rights because they are conservatives. Evers said they were excluded because they are not principally a news gathering operation and they are not neutral. But the institute sued after being excluded from a media briefing Evers gave for reporters on his state budget proposal in 2019. Evers wasn’t present, but members of his administration provided information to reporters on embargo ahead of his budget speech to the Legislature that evening.

Macron called for changes in the passport-free Schengen area to improve the protection of external borders and limit flows of migrants from one EU country to another, and to streamline the process of sending those who don’t qualify for asylum back to their home countries, “people who have no right to stay in the EU." Yet political rifts remain between the staunchly pro-EU French leader and Orban, who together with Morawiecki has challenged the bloc's jurisdiction over the affairs of its 27 member nations. The EU’s executive arm continues to withhold tens of billions of euros in COVID-19 economic recovery funds from Poland and Hungary over concerns about corruption and judicial interference. It has also threatened to impose additional sanctions if the two countries fail to live up to rule of law requirements. Macron, a centrist who favors deeper European integration, acknowledged that he had “political disagreements” with the Hungarian leader, and earlier in the day insisted that “respect for the rule of law, media pluralism, and the fight against discrimination are at the heart of the European project,” a reference to claims by Orban’s critics that he has eroded democratic institutions in Hungary and seized control of large parts of the country’s media.

Gavin Newsom's prospects of gliding into a second term in 2022 appear as golden as the $23 million he has socked away for his reelection campaign. At this point in the last race for California governor, the field of candidates was wide and two debates had been staged. Republican campaign consultant Tim Rosales said anyone should be sober about the odds of dethroning the "800-pound gorilla" — Newsom. Republican businessman John Cox, who lost to Newsom in 2018, received 4.1% of the vote, and Assemblyman Kevin Kiley (R-Rocklin) won 3.5%. Crime is worse than it was when I was campaigning.... Gavin Newsom oversaw the release of almost 20,000 convicted felons early.

The secrecy of the Postal Service’s mobile voting project alarmed election security officials and advocates who fear it could spark conspiracy theories and degrade public faith in the democratic process. The agency declined to share any long-range plans for the blockchain-based voting system. The Postal Service was awarded a public patent for the concept in August 2020, but had not previously revealed that it built a prototype system or tested it. Former postmaster general Megan Brennan, who was in office when the mail agency began developing the mobile voting system, did not respond to a request for comment. In all cases, mobile voting was limited to voters with disabilities that made in-person or mail voting difficult and, in some cases, to overseas voters.

Jen Psaki was interrupted during today's (Monday) White House press conference by a musical ringtone. The white house press secretary was discussing the administrations' climate policy when a reporters phone rang. "We're getting a little groovy in here, I like it", Ms Psaki said, while dancing slightly. "I was enjoying it thoroughly, we should turn it back on in a few minutes," the press secretary added. Hours ago after it was announced Joe Biden will meet Centrist Senator Joe Manchin as Democrats race to pass the president’s Build Back Better Act.

The problems emerged less than 24 hours after ministers announced that lateral flow tests would be a key weapon in the battle against the omicron variant. Supply of lateral flow tests ‘simply isn’t there’ in many areasFrom Tuesday, double-jabbed contacts of a Covid-19 case will need to take daily rapid tests for seven days. Members of the public ‘frightened’ about difficulties obtaining lateral flow testsPaul Taylor, a 37-year-old pharmacy technician from Leeds, said he was "frightened" at the prospect of being unable to order any lateral flow tests. Jessica Keogh, a 32-year-old executive assistant from London, said she had run out of lateral flow tests and was unable to order more. Asked about the issue, Mr Johnson said: "They can get those tests, we do have a ready supply of lateral flow tests.

The plan is expected to pass despite the Tory backlash because Labour has said it will support it. Cabinet ministers and whips also mounted a positive argument for Covid passports, sharing internal polling commissioned by the Cabinet Office showing the public favours Plan B and a cautious approach, it is understood. It marked a significant fall from the previous tally of ministerial aides placed on “resignation watch”. Mr Javid spent Monday briefing 10 concerned PPSs who had set up a WhatsApp group to discuss how to vote. It followed a personal ring-round by the Health Secretary and Maggie Throup, the vaccines minister, to potential rebels over the weekend.

An unknown group called "Kraken Intel" may have contributed to the PowerPoint presentation used by Donald Trump’s advisers to plot ways of overturning the 2020 election, it has emerged. Yet an editable version seen by The Independent contains the logo of Kraken Intel on the bottom-right corner of one page, hidden behind a white box that can be deleted by the user. The editable PowerPoint appears to be authentic, since other versions show the tip of the Kraken logo peeping out from behind the white box, as if it had been redacted in a hurry. The Kraken Intel logo, featuring a stylised image of a10-armed octopus or squid, appears on page 29 of one version of the document, showing the supposed "true" margins of Mr Trump’s victory once "fraudulent" votes are removed. A spokesperson for Mr Trump did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

An NBC sports crew on assignment in Oakland, California, was robbed at gunpoint on Sunday morning, police told local media. Security guard Kevin Nishita was also shot dead during an attempted robbery, while with a KRON-TV Channel 4 news crew in late November. “We in Oakland believe in a comprehensive and effective approach to ending gun violence,” Ms Schaaf said, reported the San Francisco Chronicle. District 6 Councilmember Loren Taylor, who is running for mayor, has called for gun violence to be declared a “public health emergency”. The Independent has contacted Oakland Police Department for further details on the NBC robbery.

White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki scoffed at a call by the Taliban to release $10bn in frozen cash to Afghanistan. Afghan Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi told the Associated Press that it wants a good relationship with other nations and did not have a problem with the United States. “Sanctions against Afghanistan would ... not have any benefit,” Mr Muttaqi told the AP on Sunday. She said the money is not available because the cash is in certain financial institutions that have risk mitigation strategies. “Again, we’re continuing to review but that’s the status and the reason why we have not, there is not any update on that,” Ms Psaki said.

Ayanna Davis, 20, was arrested Friday by detectives with the Polk County Sheriff's Office, after a Lakeland Senior High School student notified school resource officers on December 3 of the video, which allegedly showed Davis having sex with another student, police say. Davis is charged with sexual battery and offenses against students by an authority figure, per a Polk County Sheriff's Office news release. Davis had been working at Lakeland High School as a substitute English teacher under the employment of school staffing company Kelly Education, a firm that occasionally recruits substitutes for schools in Polk County. With that said, Polk County Public Schools also commented on the scandal, offering some not-so-choice words for the substitute. She is currently being held at Polk County Jail, records show, with her arraignment set for January 10.

The Supreme Court refused Monday to halt a COVID-19 vaccine requirement for health care workers in New York that does not offer an exemption for religious reasons. 'These applicants are not 'anti-vaxxers' who object to all vaccines,' Gorsuch added. New York is one of just three states, along with Maine and Rhode Island, that do not accommodate health care workers who object to the vaccine on religious grounds. The court had previously turned away health care workers in Maine, who filed a similar challenge, with the same three justices in dissent. As of Oct. 19, roughly 90% of health care workers were fully vaccinated and most of the rest had received one of two doses, the state told the high court.

Former President Donald Trump's son-in-law and ex-senior adviser Jared Kushner once screamed at the Israeli ambassador and kicked him out of the White House, a new book claims. We did it because we were serious about peace,' Kushner reportedly screamed in response. 'This will be the biggest mistake you have ever made,' Kushner told his longtime family friend. 'I don't think Bibi ever wanted to make peace,' Trump told Israeli author Ravid. Abbas reportedly told Trump he was eager to make a deal, while Netanyahu told him to wait.

They first approved a list of eight names and three companies associated with Russia's private military company Wagner to be added immediately to existing sanctions regimes. Separately, in a sign of Brussels' determination to address what it sees as the Kremlin's efforts to "destabilise" Ukraine, Syria, Libya and several African countries, sanctions were slapped on Wagner. In addition to the Wagner firm and three linked companies, the sanctions list targeted eight individuals, including the group's alleged commander. United frontThe talks on Monday will also help prepare for the EU leaders' meeting with the "Eastern Partnership" -- Ukraine, Georgia, Moldova, Armenia and Azerbaijan -- on Wednesday. Belarus left the group after the EU accused strongman Alexander Lukashenko of rigging his re-election, but opposition leader Svetlana Tikhanovskaya is in Brussels.

Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte on April 2, 2021. Dutch political parties agreed on Monday to form a coalition government that will hand Prime Minister Mark Rutte a fourth term in office, a record 271 days after elections in March. In late October the negotiations beat the Netherlands' previous record for coalition talks of 225 days as the parties wrangled still more. But the deal for a fourth coalition will confirm Rutte – dubbed the "Teflon prime minister" for his ability to dodge scandals – as Europe's second longest-serving leader after Hungarian premier Viktor Orban. The new Dutch foreign minister is likely to be Sigrid Kaag, whose D66 party came second in the March elections, Dutch media reported.

Saied later moved to rule by decree, sparking fears for the only democracy to have emerged from the Arab uprisings a decade ago. But he has also faced growing opposition from critics who fear he is seeking to install a new autocracy in Tunisia, the birthplace of the 2011 Arab uprisings. The document, which put in place a hybrid presidential and parliamentary system, was seen as a compromise between Ennahdha and its secular rivals. But many Tunisians see the political system it created as having failed, creating corruption and endless blockages without resolving deep social and economic problems. "Those who have received and continue to receive money from abroad have no place in parliament," he said.

Share this Story: And step on it: Vladimir Putin reveals he used to drive a taxiAnd step on it: Vladimir Putin reveals he used to drive a taxi 'One can assume that Putin did not just make these remarks off the cuff', said one critic, who called the revelation a calculated act of propagandaArticle content Russian President Vladimir Putin’s revelation that he used to drive a taxi to make ends meet after the Soviet Union fell apart in 1991 is a “calculated” act of propaganda, according to a Canadian academic expert on Russia. Advertisement Story continues below This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Try refreshing your browser, or And step on it: Vladimir Putin reveals he used to drive a taxi Back to video An American president who once drove a cab, for example, would likely brag about it, and would be admired for lifting himself up from humble beginnings through hard work in a land of opportunity. Advertisement Story continues below This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Advertisement Story continues below This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.

A cursory glance at his record indicates that he has consistently opposed federal disaster relief measures. On disaster aid, Paul voted against a 2013 bill to aid victims of Hurricane Sandy, and earlier this year blocked accelerated passage of the Gulf Coast Hurricane Aid Act, a measure to aid victims of the storms in Louisiana. That points to a fundamental difference between Republicans and Democrats when it comes to disaster aid. Republican posturing against disaster aid “for thee, but not for me” is a hardy perennial on Capitol Hill. Of those votes, 31 came fromRepublicans who had previously sought disaster aid for their own states.

SAN SALVADOR: Thousands of people protested Sunday (Dec 12) in El Salvador's capital against corruption and what they see as a drift towards authoritarianism, days after the United States announced sanctions against a close aide of President Nayib Bukele. The new Bukele-aligned court then gave the green light for him to run for reelection in 2024 - despite a constitutional one-term limit. On Thursday, Washington imposed economic sanctions on Bukele's chief of staff Carolina Recinos for alleged corruption - charges the Salvadoran leader called "absurd". After the rally, which unfolded without incident, Bukele lashed out at the US government. "US taxpayers should know that their government is using their money to fund communist movements against a democratically elected (and with a 90 per cent approval rating) government in El Salvador," he tweeted.

After a series of deadly tornadoes hit the midwest, Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., requested federal aid for his home state of Kentucky. Twitter users then quickly criticized Paul for his previous opposition to disaster relief. In a letter to President Biden, Paul wrote., "The Governor of the Commonwealth has requested federal assistance this morning, and certainly further requests will be coming as the situation is assessed. However, users on Twitter uncovered several instances where Paul criticized other politicians for requesting disaster relief and even voting against disaster relief bills. Chris Christie of New Jersey requested federal aid for Hurricane Sandy in 2012, Paul criticized Christie for having a "gimme, gimme, gimme," attitude.

Following the first attack, which took place in March 2020, Israeli intelligence discovered additional sites producing chemical weapons, and according to two Western officials, Israel believed this was an effort by Syria to rebuild its chemical warfare capabilities. The Washington Post report said that the Israeli military refused to respond to the report, but Western intelligence officials immediately noticed that these attacks were unusual in relation to other attacks in Syria attributed to Israel. While previous attacks targeted pro-Iranian militias or Iranian arms shipments, these attacks were directed against targets part of Syria's chemical weapons program. "It is a strategic weapon for the regime," said a Western intelligence official. The report was based on four U.S. and Western intelligence sources that were exposed to sensitive intelligence during the attacks and were interviewed on condition of anonymity.

Russian President Vladimir Putin chairs a meeting on economic issues via a video link in Sochi, Russia December 7, 2021. Sputnik/Mikhail Metzel/Pool via REUTERS/FilesLONDON/MOSCOW, Dec 13 (Reuters) - Russian President Vladimir Putin told British Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Monday that members of the NATO military alliance were threatening Russia by expanding activity in Ukraine, the Kremlin said. U.S. intelligence assesses that Russia could be planning a multi-front offensive on neighbouring Ukraine as early as next year, involving up to 175,000 troops. Moscow says the expansion of NATO threatens Russia and has contravened assurances given to it as the Soviet Union collapsed in 1991. Johnson warned Putin that any destabilising action against Ukraine would be a strategic mistake with significant consequences, Downing Street said.

RICHMOND, Va. (AP) — A Virginia legislative branch agency has been hit by a ransomware attack, Gov. ADVERTISEMENTCybersecurity researchers who track ransomware say there’s no previous record of a state legislature suffering an attack. “It continues to show that no organization is safe form these ransomware attacks. A top agency official told Virginia legislative leaders in an email obtained by The Associated Press that hackers using “extremely sophisticated malware” had accessed the system late Friday. Brett Callow, a threat analyst at the firm Emsisoft, said Virginia is the 74th state or local government hit by ransomware attacks this year, though the first legislature he’s ever seen attacked.

Organic MatterIan Parker is to be congratulated on his extraordinarily clear-eyed look at Randy Constant’s organic-grain-fraud scheme (“Inorganic,” November 15th). Dan ConableEagle Bay, N.Y.As a former certified organic farmer of twelve years, I read Parker’s piece with great interest. Any organic farmer could take advantage of the system as Randy Constant did, but, by and large, this industry is composed of honest people. Now, as a farmer using conventional methods, I sleep much better. Whatever one’s reason for putting pen to paper, what we reveal and what we conceal is always a personal decision.

Until then, the easy response was Angela Merkel, the Chancellor of Germany. Merkel wasn’t only a spectator in the transition; she used the occasion to deliver statements both symbolic and explicit. Before the torches came out, though, Merkel, wearing a simple black coat, spoke about the things other than festive rituals that sustain a democracy. He is a quantum chemist—as was Merkel before she entered politics—and has managed to maintain a mostly private life during her tenure. She, too, had an earlier marriage, which ended in divorce, but from which she retained the name Merkel; she was born Angela Kasner.

Angered by the U.S. Supreme Court decision to continue allowing private citizens to sue Texas abortion providers, Gov. Gavin Newsom of California on Saturday called for a similar law giving ordinary residents legal standing to file lawsuits against purveyors of restricted firearms. “SCOTUS is letting private citizens in Texas sue to stop abortion? !” Mr. Newsom, a Democrat, tweeted. “If that’s the precedent, then we’ll let Californians sue those who put ghost guns and assault weapons on our streets.

JERUSALEM — The Israeli prime minister met the crown prince of the United Arab Emirates on Monday on the first official visit by an Israeli leader to the Gulf state, a historic encounter that would have been unimaginable a few years ago and showcased the rapid realignment of the Middle East, driven by shared fears of a nuclear Iran. Naftali Bennett, the Israeli prime minister, spent four hours with the de facto Emirati leader, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Zayed — two hours longer than planned. They met in Abu Dhabi amid renewed tensions between the United States and Israel, which opposes revived efforts by Washington to persuade Iran to curb its nuclear ambitions in exchange for sanctions relief. “I’m flying back to Israel, very optimistic that this relationship can set an example of how we can make peace here in the Middle East,” Mr. Bennett said in a video released shortly before his departure to Israel. Ostracized for years by all but two Arab countries, Israel began to establish formal relationships with four others, including the United Arab Emirates, in August 2020.

A statewide mask mandate goes into effect on Monday, requiring all businesses and public spaces that do not check vaccine status to require a mask. In New York State, the average was 9,716 on Saturday, a 51 percent jump over 14 days. A sweeping coronavirus vaccine mandate for all private employers in New York City takes effect on Dec. 27. For weeks, he has resisted calls to implement a citywide mask mandate despite rising cases, fearing it would weaken the city’s vaccination-focused strategy. “But we are going to work with the state to implement this mask mandate.

In an interview that aired over the weekend on Sunday TODAY with Willie Geist, Hillary Clinton said "If I were a betting person right now, I'd say Trump is going to run again." As for what another Trump run for office would mean for America, Clinton didn't mince words. While Clinton is confident the 75-year-old Trump will attempt another run for the presidency, others are less sure. John Kelly, who served as Trump's chief of staff from 2017 until 2019, said in a new report from The Atlantic, "Trump won't run." Speaking to Geist in the Sunday interview, Clinton said she has had moments of guilt since losing the election to Trump.

The vice president, 57, traveled to Paris in November to meet with French President Emmanuel Macron following a rough patch in U.S. relations with the country. During the four-day trip, Harris highlighted and discussed important issues on behalf of the Biden administration. Meanwhile, the exit of high-profile aides — including senior advisor and chief spokesperson for the vice president, Symone Sanders — have complicated Harris' response to reports of alleged dysfunction inside her office. President Joe Biden, joined by Vice President Kamala Harris, after delivering remarks on the CDC’s updated guidance on mask wearing for vaccinated individuals Thursday, May 13, 2021, in the Rose Garden of the White House. "Quite frankly, the media around this takes away from how effective she is being as vice president," Lee said.

CNN reports on the uncertainty over whether the only woman to hold the Speaker’s gavel will remain in leadership after the 2022 midterm electionsRep. Nancy Pelosi plans to run for reelection in 2022. An election win in 2022 will precede an 18th full term for Pelosi, who was first elected House Speaker more than a decade ago. She held the position until Republicans claimed a majority in the House in 2012 and returned to the leadership role after the 2018 midterm elections. Pelosi was reelected Speaker this year despite five Democratic colleagues not voting for her. Nancy Pelosi House Speaker Nancy Pelosi | Credit: Bill Clark/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty"We can keep saying our diversity is our power — but guess what?

Added: 13.12.2021 13:04 | 30 views | 0 commentsPresident Joe Biden spoke with Sen. Joe Manchin late last week, according to a source familiar with the conversation, as the President works to secure the West Virginia Democrat's vote for his expansive economic and climate bill he wants passed by the end of the year.

Added: 18.06.2020 20:07 | 17 views | 0 commentsThe U.S. Senate on Thursday voted to confirm a federal judge who is a protege of Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell to an influential appeals court in Washington.

Added: 18.06.2020 19:47 | 19 views | 0 commentsU.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said on Thursday revelations in a book by a former top White House aide show President Donald Trump is unfit and unprepared to be president and Democrats will continue oversight of the Republican president's behavior.

Supreme Court ruling on Texas law was the result of decades of pressure from anti-abortion groupsAdded: 13.12.2021 15:43 | 27 views | 0 commentsThe anti-abortion movement has won its biggest returns yet on its decades-long investment on reshaping the courts, with a Supreme Court order that allowed the country's second most populous state to cut off almost all access to the procedure.

Added: 13.12.2021 18:04 | 20 views | 0 commentsDonald Trump's closest Hill allies are privately lobbying the former President to get involved in a Republican-on-Republican matchup in Illinois, a potentially messy scenario that has sparked internal strife in the party and prompted GOP leaders to launch a counter-campaign aimed at keeping Trump on the sidelines.

House Jan. 6 committee poised to vote on holding Meadows in contempt for defying subpoenaAdded: 13.12.2021 15:58 | 28 views | 0 commentsIn a 51-page report, the committee detailed how the former White House chief of staff said the National Guard had been called to protect “pro Trump people” on Jan. 6.

Meadows’s email on military protecting ‘pro Trump people’ on Jan. 6 rekindles prior testimonyAdded: 13.12.2021 15:39 | 28 views | 0 commentsThe testimony came from then-acting defense secretary Christopher Miller.

Why Putin's Ukraine invasion is just a ruse - the real target is the WestAdded: 13.12.2021 7:24 | 32 views | 0 commentsRUSSIA has amassed more than 100,000 troops on the border with Ukraine, raising fears of a repeat of its 2014 annexation of Crimea. But who is the real target here?

Russia war fears explode as EU chief warns of imminent attack from PutinAdded: 13.12.2021 10:07 | 37 views | 0 commentsFEARS of imminent war between Russia and Ukraine have exploded with EU chief Josep Borrell warning of a hybrid attack from Putin.

Russia nuclear war warning: Putin threatens to unleash hellfire in EU with missile launchAdded: 13.12.2021 20:02 | 13 views | 0 commentsRUSSIA has threatened to deploy intermediate-range nuclear missiles in Europe, amid escalating tensions with the West over Ukraine.

Dominic Cummings must go, Boris Johnson told as Tories warn him to get a ‘grip’ on Number 10 infightingAdded: 12.11.2020 12:24 | 17 views | 0 commentsSpin doctor Lee Cain denies he was behind leak over Lockdown 2‘If they have got rid of one Kray brother, the other has to go too’

'The View' co-host Joy Behar: States could segregate schools again if Supreme Court doesn't changeAdded: 13.12.2021 20:22 | 6 views | 0 comments“The View” co-host Joy Behar fretted Monday that some states would return to segregated schools if Supreme Court didn't address more issues.

Added: 13.12.2021 20:48 | 7 views | 0 commentsFormer police officer Philip Holloway said on "Outnumbered" Monday that Vice President Kamala Harris being the border scar is "ridiculous" and suggests she addresses the issue to clean up her image.

Dems Try to Grab Power Through Election 'Reform' LegislationAdded: 13.12.2021 19:11 | 11 views | 0 commentsDemocratic leaders deride state election integrity efforts while ignoring the 65% of Americans who want to strengthen election safeguards.

Added: 13.12.2021 19:11 | 14 views | 0 commentsFlorida Gov. Ron DeSantis plans to deport illegal migrants flown secretly into Florida from the southern border by the Biden administration to elite Democrat enclaves.

Added: 13.12.2021 21:16 | 7 views | 0 commentsSpeaker Nancy Pelosi will stay until at least after the midterm elections, extending her nearly 20-year run as the House's top Democrat after she turns 82 and, perhaps, beyond.

Trump and Netanyahu, before Bibi’s betrayal by acknowledging Biden’s election. “I haven’t spoken to him since,” Trump said of the former Israeli prime minister. The final straw for Trump was when Netanyahu congratulated President-elect Biden for his election victory while Trump was still disputing the result. “The first person that congratulated [Biden] was Bibi Netanyahu, the man that I did more for than any other person I dealt with … Bibi could have stayed quiet. What really honked off Trump was that Netanyahu acknowledged the victory at all, particularly at a time when other Trump allies like Vladimir Putin and Jair Bolsonaro were still holding back.

The House committee investigating the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol released a report on Sunday detailing its case to hold Mark Meadows in contempt of Congress. If it does, as is expected, the House of Representatives is expected to vote on the measure later this week. The report released Sunday adds to some of the tidbits the committee released last week about how Meadows reportedly used his position to advance the effort to overturn the election results. The report does not go into detail about the context surrounding Meadows noting that the National Guard would be on hand to protect Trump supporters, only that it came in an email sent Jan. 5 and pertained to the Guard being present at the Capitol. In a letter informing Meadows’ attorney that the committee had “no choice” but to hold Meadows in contempt, Chairman Bennie Thompson (D-Miss.)

Mehmet Oz, the quack doctor who last month announced he’s running for Senate in Pennsylvania, is none too pleased that the Philadelphia Inquirer is not going to refer to him as “Dr. “The Inquirer hates, hates that I’m empowering you, hates that I’m taking on some of the established folks, hates that the entrepreneurial solutions that I’m offering might makes sense. The Inquirer‘s decision to apply their policy to Oz last week prompted him to post a highly produced video bashing the decision. Oz” was in violation of its own policy, adding that it would no longer refer to him as a doctor. Sony announced on Monday that The Dr. Oz Show will end in its 13th season on Jan. 14.

In an interview with Axios correspondent Barak Ravid, Trump said Netanyahu “never wanted peace” with the Palestinians. “I don’t think Bibi ever wanted to make peace,” Trump told Ravid, using a nickname to refer to Netanyahu. Trump before he was even inaugurated announced that his son-in-law, Jared Kushner, would be in charge of crafting a peace deal. '” Trump told Ravid of the decision. Do you?’ And he said, ‘Well, uh, uh uh’ — and the fact is, I don’t think Bibi ever wanted to make a deal.”

Biden looks to streamline gov't services with orderPresident Joe Biden signed an executive order Monday aimed at rebuilding the public's trust in government by making it easier to do things like renew passports, apply for Social Security benefits and get aid after natural disasters.

New York state imposed the vaccine mandate for health care workers in August. The Supreme Court was considering two emergency challenges to that mandate and decided to allow the law to stand in both of them. The Supreme Court has so far avoided the issue of COVID-19 vaccine mandates, turning away several appeals challenging requirements. The justices declined in October to block a vaccine mandate for health care workers in Maine over similar objections. Implementation of the requirement was put on hold by a federal appeals court in a case that is likely bound for the Supreme Court.

White House press secretary Jen Psaki says President Joe Biden is trying to persuade Sen. Joe Manchin to vote for his Build Back Better Act legislation. And this is just a continuation of that.”A group of West Virginians urge Sen. Joe Manchin to pass the Build Back Better Act by his yacht club in Washington, DC on Dec. 09, 2021. “People have been in a hurry for a long time to do something,” the senator told reporters. “The CBO’s not a Republican or Democrat report, the CBO’s the Congressional Budget Office, and they’re non-partisan,” Manchin told reporters. Sen. Joe Manchin warns President Joe Biden’s Build Back Better Act would add trillions to the federal deficit.

An Alaska IHOP is going viral with a savage note blaming President Biden for its lack of staff. “Haven’t been to an IHOP in over 20 years, but now I’ll start,” another person tweeted, while others told the chain the sign had made new customers. The note claimed that Biden gave out too much “free money,” leading to people not wanting to work. They’re quitting because you underpay them,” someone else tweeted the company, calling it “a MAGA chain.”“Don’t eat IHOP’s over-priced, unhealthy, fascist pancakes,” the user wrote with the hashtag #BoycottIHOP. “Quit being greedy and pay your employees,” someone else tweeted, pointing out that IHOP’s revenue in 2020 was an estimated $2.25 billion.

The Postal Service system allowed people to cast votes on an Internet-connected mobile app similar to how they might add items to an online shopping cart or fill out an online survey. The votes were designed to be anonymous and to be recorded in multiple digital locations simultaneously. The idea is that each of those digital records would act as a check to verify the accuracy of the other records. This is essentially the same method that cryptocurrencies such as bitcoin use to ensure transactions are accurately recorded.

We also know of Trump’s efforts to force the Justice Department to declare the election was corrupt and “leave the rest to me" and Republicans in Congress. And we have seen the mind-boggling 38-page PowerPoint plan to conduct a coup, including a declaration of “national security emergency” that could halt the voting, if needed. As bizarre as the document was, even more bizarre are the alleged meetings that Meadows and lawmakers had with the plan’s author, none of whom had the common sense and loyalty to report it to the FBI.

After Vice President Kamala Harris claimed headlines about dysfunction in her office were "ridiculous," former police officer Philip Holloway said on "Outnumbered" Monday that the "ridiculous" headline is that she is still the border czar. SAN FRANCISCO CHRONICLE SPOTLIGHTS KAMALA HARRIS' OFFICE REDECORATING AMID SCANDALS: 'THE ROOM IS WARMER'PHILIP HOLLOWAY: If she's concerned about a ridiculous headline, the ridiculous headline is that Kamala Harris is the border czar because she has not been down there. …Talk to border patrol agents and apologize to them for accusing them of committing crimes on horseback when they are just out there trying to do their job. They deserve some real leadership on the border. …That would do a lot for her image.

"The View" co-host Joy Behar fretted Monday that some states would return to segregated schools if the Supreme Court didn't directly address more issues. "Why do we need the Supreme Court? Guest co-host Amanda Carpenter of The Bulwark said she was pro-life but criticized the Texas law as one that fostered a culture of vigilantism. HARRIS SAYS RIGHT TO ABORTION ‘NONNEGOTIABLE’ AS SCOTUS ALLOWS STRICT TEXAS LAW TO CONTINUEThe Supreme Court decision prompted California Gov. "It shows you the Supreme Court is political and full of it … I think it's an important piece of legislation, even if it is not going to work," Behar said.

The Supreme Court on Monday refused to block a New York regulation that requires health care workers to get the COVID-19 vaccine without any religious exemptions. The vaccine mandate for health care workers, which went into effect in August, allows only for medical exemptions but not religious ones. The Supreme Court turned away two applications from doctors and nurses in the state for injunctive relief to allow religious exemptions while litigation continues in the lower courts over the mandate's constitutionality. SUPREME COURT CARSON V. MAKIN ARGUMENTS: JUSTICES OFFER SUPPORT FOR RELIGIOUS RIGHTS IN MAINE EDUCATION CASEJustices Clarence Thomas, Samuel Alito and Neil Gorsuch dissented. Gorsuch wrote in his dissent that the mandate turns away the very doctors and nurses the state has depended on throughout the course of the pandemic.

White House press secretary Jen Psaki said Monday that there are a "range of reasons" for the increase in crime and smash-and-grab robberies in cities across the country, dodging a question on whether "soft on crime" policies are to blame. PSAKI SAYS ROOT CAUSE OF ORGANIZED RETAIL CRIME IS THE COVID-19 PANDEMICDuring a White House briefing Monday, Psaki was asked whether she thought cities were experiencing an increase in crime due to its prosecutors and their "soft on crime" approach. Psaki, though, said the White House is focused on "what we can do to address it." "Ending cash bail will not automatically put people charged with crimes on the streets," a White House official told Fox News last month. Meanwhile, as for the spike in crime, Psaki earlier this month said COVID-19 and guns were "root" causes of the increase in organized retail theft.

A doctor prepares to administer a vaccine injection to Claudia Scott-Mighty, a patient care director at NewYork-Presbyterian Lawrence Hospital on Friday, Jan. 8, 2021, in Bronxville, N.Y. | Kevin Hagen/AP Photo Supreme Court rejects move to block New York vaccine mandateThe U.S. Supreme Court has denied a request to block New York’s vaccination mandate for health care workers because it doesn't have a religious exemption. The decision was announced Monday afternoon. Three of the court's six conservative justices — Clarence Thomas, Samuel Alito and Neil Gorsuch — dissented, saying they would grant relief. The mandate covers staff in hospitals, nursing homes and other medical facilities. We the Patriots USA, Inc., which sued the Hochul administration over the mandate, asked the court last month to block the state from requiring those who were previously granted religious exemptions to get vaccinated or show proof of a medical exemption.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court refused Monday to halt a COVID-19 vaccine requirement for health care workers in New York that does not offer an exemption for religious reasons. The court acted on emergency appeals filed by doctors, nurses and other medical workers who say they are being forced to choose between their jobs and religious beliefs. “Now, thousands of New York healthcare workers face the loss of their jobs and eligibility for unemployment benefits,” Gorsuch wrote in a 14-page opinion that Alito joined. New York is one of just three states, along with Maine and Rhode Island, that do not accommodate health care workers who object to the vaccine on religious grounds. The court had previously turned away health care workers in Maine, who filed a similar challenge, with the same three justices in dissent.

FILE - The Supreme Court is seen on the first day of the new term, in Washington, Oct. 4, 2021. Scott Applewhite, File)FILE - The Supreme Court is seen on the first day of the new term, in Washington, Oct. 4, 2021. Scott Applewhite, File)WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court refused Monday to halt a COVID-19 vaccine requirement for health care workers in New York that does not offer an exemption for religious reasons. New York is one of just three states, along with Maine and Rhode Island, that do not accommodate health care workers who object to the vaccine on religious grounds. The court had previously turned away health care workers in Maine, who filed a similar challenge, with the same three justices in dissent.

Frustrated that you can't schedule an IRS call back? Biden signed an order to do thatEnlarge this image toggle caption Evan Vucci/AP Evan Vucci/APPresident Biden has moved to trim the government red tape that makes dealing with federal agencies and applying for benefits an often complex and frustrating experience. "We're going to make the government work more effectively for American citizens, so its not as confusing and it's straightforward," Biden said as he signed the order. The order includes a commitment to improve 36 "customer service experiences" across 17 federal agencies. Max Stier, head of the nonprofit Partnership for Public Service, lauded the order.

The Senate on Tuesday will vote to raise the U.S. debt limit, Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said. Last week, the Senate advanced a bill that was designed to allow Democrats to raise the debt limit without Republican votes. "The Senate will act tomorrow to prevent default," New York Democrat Schumer said in a speech. The Democratic-controlled House would also need to pass an increase in the government's borrowing limit, before it is sent to President Joe Biden for signature.

The HillHouse Majority Whip James Clyburn (D-S.C.) responded to Democrats itching to replace older lawmakers in leadership roles, saying "if you want my seat, come get it. "Asked by Axios' Alexi McCammond in an interview for "Axios on HBO" when he thinks it will be time for the Democratic Party to "create a path for the next generation," noting that President Biden will be 82 in 2024, Clyburn said "the path is there for the next generation," before...

Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) opposes disaster aid, unless his state is a disaster epicenter. A cursory glance at his record indicates that he has consistently opposed federal disaster relief measures. That points to a fundamental difference between Republicans and Democrats when it comes to disaster aid. Republican posturing against disaster aid "for thee, but not for me" is a hardy perennial on Capitol Hill. Of those votes, 31 came from Republicans who had previously sought disaster aid for their own states.

Associated PressIndia's Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday took a dip in the sacred Ganges River before a crowd of thousands, as he opened part of a large-scale development project in the holy city of Varanasi, where his ruling party is looking to garner support ahead of key state elections. The highlight of the opening ceremony was a $45 million corridor meant to facilitate pilgrims' visits to some of India's holiest sites. Modi’s Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has been keen to consolidate its support ahead of next year's polls in the northern state of Uttar Pradesh, where Varanasi is located. Modi's far-right party currently holds power in the state — India’s largest with 230 million people — but is under immense pressure over its response to the pandemic and the struggling economy.

The Build Back Better legislation Democrats hope to pass by the end of year is Part II of that strategy, with extensions of a new child tax credit and health care subsidies among the bill’s major elements. Just 41% of respondents in a recent NPR/Marist poll said they support the BBB legislation, with 34% opposed and 25% unsure. One obvious problem with the BBB bill is Americans don’t know what it will do. In a letter to his Senate Democrat colleagues on Monday, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said he hopes to pass the Build Back Better legislation by Christmas. A compromise here or there could earn Manchin’s vote, and get the BBB legislation to Biden’s desk.

Still, he sounded skeptical about Democrats' Christmas deadline, which would give the Senate just two weeks to pass a massive piece of legislation. While Democrats have brought down the price tag of the social spending bill to $1.7 trillion from $3.5 trillion, Manchin has his party of using so-called "budget gimmicks" to conceal the true cost of the legislation. But if the measures did not expire in a few years' time, the bill would actually cost about $4.9 trillion, according to the CBO. It relies on $1.95 trillion in new taxes, including a 15% corporate minimum and a surcharge aimed at ultramillionaires. Because Senate Democrats are using a procedural tool known as budget reconciliation to pass the package without any Republican support, the party cannot afford to lose a single vote or they risk imperiling the bill's passage.

Gurbir Grewal has been named the new director of the Securities and Exchange Commission’s enforcement program. Previously, Grewal served as New Jersey’s attorney general for more than three years, a position Governor Phil Murphy appointed him to in 2018. Grewal has indicated that Wall Street should prepare itself for hirer fines for corporate transgressions, especially for repeat offenders. As New Jersey’s attorney general, he reformed the state's police use-of-force training and spoke out against Asian-American hate crimes, and intervened in a case to preserve deportation protections for immigrants enrolled in the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program. Before he was an attorney general, he led the economic-crimes unit as a federal prosecutor in Newark, N.J., and oversaw the prosecution of traders who illicitly obtained market-moving corporate news stolen by hackers.

Cruz, 23, pleaded guilty in October to the February 2018 murders at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland. The defense will have an opportunity to object if they believe anything that will be said would be unfairly inflammatory, the judge and prosecutors said. They have a right under Florida law … to be heard and they have a right to voice their feelings,” assistant prosecutor Carolyn McCann said. Jury selection had been set to begin next month, but it now won’t likely start until February or March. The trial has been delayed by the COVID-19 outbreak and arguments over what evidence and testimony will be permitted.

By James Oliphant | ReutersWASHINGTON – A leading Georgia legislator has introduced a bill that would eliminate absentee ballot drop boxes, a favored and highly-used tool last November that allowed voters to safely cast ballots during the coronavirus pandemic. Butch Miller, the No.2 Republican in Georgia’s Republican-controlled senate and a candidate for lieutenant governor in the 2022 elections, said drop boxes were a “weak link” in guarding against voter fraud, according to a statement released by his office. Kemp must first fend off a primary challenge from David Perdue, a Trump-backed former U.S. senator who has endorsed his false election fraud claims. The leading Republican candidate is Herschel Walker, a former football star at the University of Georgia and in the NFL. Kemp and the state’s Republican secretary of state, Brad Raffensperger, have insisted no widespread fraud occurred.

The leader of Assembly Democrats will step down in January, leaving the caucus' top post during a legislative session while he mulls whether to run for reelection. State Rep. Gordon Hintz of Oshkosh will step down as Assembly minority leader on Jan. 10, he announced Monday. And in the last two election cycles, Assembly Democrats have picked up seats and returned every single incumbent, despite the most gerrymandered maps in American history." Assistant Minority Leader Dianne Hesselbein, D-Cross Plains, said Hintz "exemplifies the qualities of a leader that are not often displayed in legislative politics." Assembly Democrats will vote to elect their new leader on Dec. 20.

J.B. Pritzker on Monday issued a disaster proclamation for nearly 30 counties across central and southern Illinois affected by tornados and other severe weather over the weekend. The governor issued a disaster proclamation for 28 Illinois counties, including Bond, Cass, Effingham, Jackson, Kankakee, Lawrence and Madison counties. Madison County Coroner Stephen Nonn on Sunday identified the six people who were killed at the Amazon facility. The destruction at the Amazon facility was caused by one of several devastating tornadoes that tore through Illinois and four other states on Saturday, leaving hundreds of miles of damage in their wake. The track of destruction by the violent tornadoes could set a record for the longest in the U.S. history.

Clark County on Monday recorded 1,160 new cases of COVID-19 and 11 deaths during the previous three days as key metrics for the disease pointed in different directions. Updated figures posted by the Southern Nevada Health District pushed totals for the county to 350,253 cases of the disease and 6,319 deaths. Daily fatalities over the three days were well below the two-week moving average of COVID-19 deaths of five per day, which was down one from Friday’s update. The weekly update for Clark County showed 803 new COVID-19 cases among fully vaccinated individuals during the previous week, along with 36 hospitalizations and 13 deaths. Divided by three, the 507 new cases per day reported from Friday through Sunday were slightly below the two-week moving average of 531 per day.

Head of the Harbor officials could vote as early as Wednesday on a $2.2 million tentative budget for 2022 that for the first time in decades will not include a service fee for the St. James Fire District, which provides fire and rescue services to the area. The village tax rate will fall to $20.63 per $1,000 of assessed value from $28.53 per $1,000 for 2021. The village spending plan would fund repaving of Saneck Road and its side roads. The tentative budget appears on the village website, and hard copies are available at Village Hall. A budget hearing is scheduled for 7 p.m. at Village Hall; Dahlgard said trustees will likely vote after the hearing.

Detroit — Mayor Mike Duggan on Monday announced his intentions to nominate Deputy Mayor Conrad Mallett Jr. to be the city's next top lawyer. Mallett would resign from his current position if confirmed by Detroit's City Council in January as the city's new corporation counsel, the city said in a news release. Garcia defended his actions during a recent Detroit City Council session and said he looked forward to any process that would resolve the dispute. Mallet, who served in executive leadership under former Detroit Mayor Coleman A. Raimi has been serving as the city’s Deputy Corporation Counsel for the last seven years.

“The bottom line is we’re going to make the government work more effectively,” Biden said before signing the order in the Oval Office. That’s a tall order, considering that the federal government has persisted in its lumbering ways despite repeated attempts over generations to make it more nimble. “The fight to improve government services requires a broad retooling of the bureaucratic wiring and flattening of the hierarchy. Medicare recipients are to be able to access personalized online tools for saving money on drugs and managing their health care. It should become easier to update mailing addresses with the government or change names with the Social Security Administration.

Manchin and Biden planned to talk by phone Monday afternoon, said a person who described the plans only on condition of anonymity. Biden told reporters at the White House that when he talks to lawmakers, he tries to “convince them that what I’m proposing makes sense and is not inconsistent with what they believe." Manchin, a moderate, has pushed for months to curb the bill's costs. His support is crucial because Democrats will need all their votes for the 50-50 Senate to approve the legislation. The House approved its version of the bill last month.

Meanwhile, Lightfoot's claims that she had no knowledge of the raid were proven false when emails revealed that her staff had told her. Lightfoot came under more criticism when city attorneys tried to get a court order to prevent a local television station from airing video of the raid at Young's home. Young also filed a federal lawsuit against the city in connection with the raid, but that lawsuit was dismissed last year. The proposed settlement was not a surprise, as the city's legal department said earlier this year that it was working to resolve the matter. Such a settlement became even more likely when the city's Civilian Office of Police Accountability called for the suspension or firing of eight officers in a report released last month.

HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — The highest-ranking member of the Pennsylvania state Senate said Monday that he won't seek another term in the chamber in order to focus on his candidacy for the governorship. Senate President Pro Tempore Jake Corman, R-Centre, took himself out of the running for another term representing a State College area district. He had previously said that he would run for both the governor's office and his Senate seat at the same time when he announced his candidacy last month. Corman, 57, was first elected to the state Senate in 1998. His father, Doyle Corman, held the seat before him, serving in the Senate from 1977 to 1998.

Given that Medicare is still developing its formal policy for covering Aduhelm, Wyden said there is a clear rationale for collecting less up front at this particular time. "It is possible that any near-term Medicare coverage for Aduhelm ... could have a limited and narrow scope," he wrote. "Uncertainty" over the drug's financial impact on Medicare appeared to be driving much of the calculation of the new premium, Wyden noted. The Labor Department reported Friday that consumer prices jumped 6.8% over the past year, the biggest inflation increase in nearly four decades. Inflation worries are adding to the political uncertainty for Democrats heading into the 2022 midterm elections.

The Hanover County general registrar corrected a minor duplication error in last month's election, and the revised numbers were accepted by the Virginia State Board of Elections. Teresa Smithson, the Hanover registrar, wrote to the state board Thursday to say that a Republican canvass observer found a discrepancy in the county's final vote totals for the central absentee precinct. The registrar notified the county's electoral board and the state, and the state board voted Monday to accept the correction. State Elections Commissioner Chris Piper called the mistake a minor error that didn't affect any outcomes. "To ensure this does not happen in the future, our Electoral Board will discuss at their next meeting a time management change in the current way we canvass," Smithson wrote in her letter to the state.

The attack involves ransomware that a criminal enterprise implants in critical computer systems to extort money. The governor's office and Burhop confirmed that the state has received a ransom note, but did not specify its contents. Among the agencies affected by the attack was the Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission, the General Assembly's watchdog agency. Senate Clerk Susan Schaar said the Department of Legislative Automated Services is working with the Virginia Information Technologies Agency, or VITA, to address the outage. VITA serves more than 60 agencies in the executive branch of state government.

Police spurned advice to focus on serious crimes during the pandemic by continuing to prosecute lower level offences, a study has suggested. Transform Justice said it meant police lost a “golden opportunity” to solve thousands of more serious crimes through the lockdowns. Penelope Gibbs, the founder of Transform Justice and a former magistrate, said: "In the pandemic year, the police lost a golden opportunity to prevent people being swept into the criminal justice system. “They could have resolved thousands of shoplifting and cannabis possession crimes effectively without going to court - through using rehabilitative cautions. “This would have freed up police investigation and court resources for the most serious crimes, and helped reduce the court backlog.”

People will eventually need to show proof of having a booster jab to demonstrate that they are fully vaccinated under the Covid passports scheme, Sajid Javid has said. The Health Secretary said the change – which would see proof of three jabs and not two needed – will come into effect after all adults have been offered a top-up vaccine. People will still be able to show proof of a negative test instead of their vaccination status under the Covid passports scheme, which will come into force in England on Wednesday if MPs back it on Tuesday. It is unclear when the change in the definition of fully vaccinated could come into force, but it is likely to be in the new year at the earliest with the boosters rollout still ongoing. "Once all adults have had a reasonable chance to get their booster jab, we intend to change this exemption to require a booster dose," Mr Javid said.

A Russian opposition Communist Party MP has been charged with illegally hunting an elk last month. Rashkin, who at first denied shooting the elk, admitted to killing an animal but has denied breaking the law. The Communist Party MP also faces administrative charges after refusing to take a medical examination when he was arrested. But some Russian media say that Rashkin is facing charges due to his frequent criticism of the Kremlin and support for jailed Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny. In September, Rashkin was among several Communist Party members who protested alleged online voting fraud in Moscow during Russia’s parliamentary and local elections.

A drunk woman who hurled a torrent of racial abuse at a black Wetherspoons doorman and spat at him broke down in tears today as she was jailed for 14 weeks. 'You shouted 'm*****s' to Mr Price and other staff - this is an obvious term for disabled people. 'Mr Price has forgiven you, down to his faith, he is Godfearing. He saw Ms Walker do something out of the corner of his eye. 'Ms Walker was stood near the door shouting you 'f*****g n*****' and 'black c**t and stepped towards Mr Price.

The scene of the US drone strike in Kabul on August 29, 2021 -- which the Pentagon now admits mistakenly killed 10 people, including seven children, who were not a threatWashington (AFP) – The Pentagon said Monday that no US troops or officials would face disciplinary action for a drone strike in Kabul in August that killed 10 Afghan civilians, including seven children. Advertising Read moreSpokesman John Kirby said Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin had received a high-level review of the strike which made no recommendation of accountability. The August 29 drone strike took place in the final days of the US-led evacuation of Kabul after the Taliban seized control of the country. In early November an initial report carried out by the US Air Force inspector general, Lieutenant General Sami Said, called the strike tragic but "an honest mistake." But it made no call for anyone to be punished for the mistake.

"OMFGGGG I PASSED THE BABY BAR EXAM!!! "For anyone who doesn't know my law school journey, know this wasn't easy or handed to me. The exam consists of four essays and 100 multiple choice questions on contracts, criminal law and torts, the bar said. Only around a fifth to a quarter of test-takers pass the exam, state bar figures show. "I was told by top lawyers that this was a close to impossible journey and harder than the traditional law school route," Kardashian said.

Tunisian President Kais Saied on Monday said Tunisia would hold a constitutional referendum next July, exactly a year after he seized broad powers in moves his opponents call a coup, and that parliamentary elections would follow at the end of 2022. Changes to the constitution would follow the public online consultation and parliament would remain suspended until a new one was elected, said Saied. Saied said he would appoint a committee of experts to draft a new constitution, to be ready by June ahead of the referendum. They called for "a clear timeline allowing for a swift return to functioning democratic institutions, with an elected parliament playing a significant role". We stand ready to support Tunisia and its people in addressing the challenges ahead," they added.

Tariffs do exactly one thing: raise prices. There's probably not much President Joe Biden can do to curb inflation in the short term. But there is one thing Biden could do to immediately provide consumers with relief. Again: The one and only thing that tariffs do is raise prices. To the extent that any of those things occur, they happen because tariffs raise prices.

LONDON (AP) — An American citizen who left Britain after being involved in a crash that killed a teenage motorcyclist is to face charges in a British court, prosecutors said Monday. In an apparent breakthrough in the long-deadlocked case, the Crown Prosecution Service said the case against Anne Sacoolas would be heard at London’s Westminster Magistrates’ Court on Jan 18. “While the challenges and complexity of this case are well known, we remain committed to securing justice in this matter,” the prosecution service said. ADVERTISEMENTDunn’s family have pressed politicians in Britain and the United States to get Sacoolas to face British justice, but an extradition request was refused by U.S. authorities. Dunn’s mother, Charlotte Charles, said the family felt “very emotional and overwhelmed, having just learned the news that Mrs. Sacoolas is now to face our justice system.

On Monday, Dec. 13, 2021, a Chicago City Council committee recommended paying $2.9 million to Young, who was handcuffed while naked by police officers during a botched raid of her home in 2019. On Monday, Dec. 13, 2021, a Chicago City Council committee recommended paying $2.9 million to Young, who was handcuffed while naked by police officers during a botched raid of her home in 2019. (Jose M. Osorio/Chicago Tribune via AP)CHICAGO (AP) — A Chicago City Council committee on Monday recommended paying $2.9 million to a woman who was handcuffed while naked by police officers during a botched raid of her home in 2019. “The city has never disputed Ms. Young suffered an indignity” during the raid, city Corporation Counsel Celia Meza told the Finance Committee, according to the Chicago Tribune. Young also filed a federal lawsuit against the city in connection with the raid, but that lawsuit was dismissed last year.

A new Russian movie tells the story of Russian pilot Lieut. The movie was first shown at the Hmeimim military base on the anniversary of the pilot’s killing. In Aleppo, an audience of Russian soldiers and some Russian nationals watched the film in a free screening. Peshkov was the first Russian pilot to be killed in Syria, since Russia’s military intervention alongside the Syrian government in late September 2015. Inessa Yurchenko, producer of Trix Media, said at a press conference in Russia that "Sky" is the first film to tell the story of the Russian military operations in Syria.

Meadows wrote in an email that the National Guard would "protect pro Trump people," according to the House committee investigating the insurrection, and others would be available on standby. The message was among the documents Meadows shared with the committee that now plans to recommend a contempt citation for the top adviser to former President Donald Trump. The report specifically cited the Jan. 5 email in which Meadows wrote that "pro Trump people" would be protected. Meadows sent the message the day before Trump spoke at a rally near the Capitol as lawmakers began counting electoral votes. When one member of Congress pointed out the plan was "highly controversial," the report said Meadows responded "I love it."

Mayor Bill de Blasio, in his final days in office, boasted Monday that the city’s poverty rate is at a historic low — while excluding the devastating economic impact of the coronavirus pandemic from his data. Mayor Bill de Blasio touted the fact that under his direction, the city’s poverty levels have decreased, but he forgot to include the pandemic figures. Christopher SadowskiMayor de Blasio admitted that the 2019 poverty rate “does not yet account for the impact of COVID and that’s real.” Kevin C. DownsThe Big Apple’s poverty rate dropped from 20.2 percent when de Blasio first took office to 17.9 percent in 2019. Matthew McDermottDe Blasio admitted that the 2019 poverty rate “does not yet account for the impact of COVID and that’s real,” but said he expects federal support to counter much of the economic devastation wrought by the pandemic. The Big Apple’s unemployment rate remains high at 8.4%, compared to half that in many other parts of the state.

Since the summer of 2020, mainstream Democrats in Congress have pushed to end cash bail and pretrial detention. Democrats in Congress haven’t passed a bill to end cash bail. A left wing group called "the Bail Project" then paid Williams bail. At the same time, liberal state and local politicians defend groups like the Bail Project, and even send them taxpayer dollars. Americans are worried about crime, and Democrats have responded by standing up for criminals.

"I believe that good policy is good politics," Buttigieg told Fox News. Public opinion polls indicate that the infrastructure law is popular with most Americans. The president made New Hampshire his first stop in showcasing the package on the day after he signed the bill into law. New Hampshire’s congressional delegation joined the president at the event last month, and teamed up with Buttigieg on Monday, where the transportation secretary highlighted a $25 million transportation grant to the city of Manchester. He told Fox News that the infrastructure law is "clearly not about the next election or politics.

Rachel Campos-Duffy, co-host of "Fox & Friends Weekend," criticized President Biden after he said in an interview with Jimmy Fallon that he doesn't look at his poll numbers. On "Outnumbered," Monday, Campos-Duffy said his response was "not funny" and questioned whose lives have actually improved since Biden took office. JOE CONCHA: ‘RED TSUNAMI’ COMING IN 2022 AS BIDEN APPROVAL RATING PLUMMETSRACHEL CAMPOS-DUFFY: It's not funny. He went on to say later in that interview that his job was to make Americans' lives better. … If you can't get safety right, you can't get anything right.

A group of migrants attempted to cross the Rio Grande River on Monday, underscoring the haphazard situation at the southern border. The group of at least a dozen migrants appeared to be held together by a rope while making their way to Eagle Pass, Texas. TEXAS MOTHER, DAUGHTER KILLED AS HUMAN SMUGGLER CRASHES INTO TEAM WHILE EVADING LAW ENFORCEMENT NEAR BORDERMonday's video came amid a surge in illegal encounters and concerns over whether Customs and Border Protection (CBP) could cope with the influx. One sector of the southern border had seen more than 100,000 illegal encounters since Oct. 1, which represented a 163% increase from the same time period in 2020. AZ MAYOR DECLARES EMERGENCY AFTER BORDER CHAOS: ‘HUMANITARIAN CRISIS’ COULD BE DEVELOPINGLast week, Agent Jason D. Owens tweeted: "130+ in 1 group.

The San Francisco Chronicle spotlighted Vice President Kamala Harris' office redecorating project this weekend as she continues to battle with poor public perception. "The office where Harris hosted The Chronicle for a recent interview has been overhauled since photographs were released of it early this year showing sparse decoration and navy blue walls. The room is warmer, painted a light shade of blue, and the patterned couches have been swapped for a nearly white set. Harris is the first woman, woman of color, Black woman and first graduate of a historically Black university or college to be vice president," she continued. "I love people, and there’s so much that we are doing that is directly impacting and with the people in mind," Harris told the Chronicle.

Rep. Madison Cawthorn, R-N.C., slammed Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg’s husband, Chasten Buttigieg, for complaining about the Biden administration restarting student loan payments. The freshman congressman tore into the transportation secretary’s spouse over the recent Instagram story that saw Buttigieg make headlines. "Chasten Buttigieg's personal responsibility seems to be lost in Pete Buttigieg's supply chain crisis," Cawthorn told Fox News in a Monday statement. "Chasten, your student loan payments restart after January 31, 2022," the notice read, according to a screenshot tweeted by Politico’s Michael Stratford. "A good reminder that the left’s ‘cancel student loan debt’ goal would overwhelmingly help financially comfortable people."

Aimal (R), brother of Ezmarai Ahmadi, stands next to the wreckage of a vehicle that was damaged in a US drone strike in the Kwaja Burga neighbourhood of Kabul on September 18, 2021. The U.S. military will not punish any personnel for the drone strike this summer in the capital of Afghanistan that killed 10 civilians, including as many as seven children, NBC reported Monday. That recommendation came after a Pentagon investigation found that the strike did not violate the laws of war. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, who previously called the civilian deaths a "horrible mistake," concurred in the decision not to reprimand any personnel for the strike. The strike came during the chaotic withdrawal of U.S. troops from Afghanistan, which President Joe Biden had ordered in April.

No U.S. military personnel will be reprimanded for the August drone strike in Kabul that killed 10 Afghan civilians, including seven children, two defense officials said Monday. The strike was launched three days after a deadly suicide bombing outside Kabul airport that killed 13 U.S. military members and scores of Afghan civilians. The review found that the incident did not violate any laws of war but left decisions on punishment up to the commanders. Multiple issues, including execution errors, confirmation bias and communication breakdowns, led to the mistaken drone strike, according to the review. The 10 dead Afghan civilians were all members of the same extended family, relatives told NBC News, and included the seven children, some as young as 2 and 3.

AMSTERDAM — Four Dutch parties reached a coalition deal Monday, bringing an end to the country’s longest talks to form a government and paving the way for Mark Rutte to serve a fourth term as prime minister. Serving another full term would make Rutte the country’s longest-serving prime minister. Talks hit a major snag early on, after Rutte was accused of not telling the truth about remarks made during coalition discussions. The parties eventually came back together to relaunch coalition talks in earnest in October — about seven months after the election. The parties are set to present their coalition deal later this week, after which parliament will debate and vote on the agreement.

Dr. Lorren Jackson, an assistant Hennepin County medical examiner, testified Monday that the gunshot wound causing injuries to Wright’s heart and lungs is what caused his death. He said with these injuries, one can survive “seconds to minutes.”“Far and away the gunshot wound to the chest was the most significant injury,” he said during testimony in which he walked jurors through Wright’s autopsy. Any injuries from the crash were insignificant in terms of what caused Wright’s death, Jackson said. Wright’s mother, who has been present for much of the testimony, was not in court as the autopsy photos were shown. ___Find the AP’s full coverage of the Daunte Wright case: https://apnews.com/hub/death-of-daunte-wright

FILE - Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas speaks to reporters at the San Ysidro port of entry, Dec. 7, 2021, in San Diego. The Associated Press sought answers Monday from the Department of Homeland Security on its use of sensitive government databases for tracking international terrorists to investigate as many as 20 American journalists, including an acclaimed AP reporter. The Associated Press sought answers Monday from the Department of Homeland Security on its use of sensitive government databases for tracking international terrorists to investigate as many as 20 American journalists, including an acclaimed AP reporter. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull, File)WASHINGTON (AP) — The Associated Press sought answers Monday from the Department of Homeland Security on its use of sensitive government databases for tracking international terrorists to investigate as many as 20 American journalists, including an acclaimed AP reporter. The DHS inspector general report that revealed the most recent disclosure of investigations of journalists also stemmed from a Trump-era leak investigation.

Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., a key vote on President Joe Biden's domestic spending agenda, tells reporters he's late for a hearing and can't talk, at the Capitol in Washington, Thursday, Dec. 2, 2021. Manchin seems poised to force removal of the bill's four weeks of paid annual leave, a $200 billion item prized by progressives. Manchin seems poised to force removal of the bill's four weeks of paid annual leave, a $200 billion item prized by progressives. Scott Applewhite)WASHINGTON (AP) — Democrats should curb the cost of their $2 trillion social and environment bill by choosing their top priorities, Sen. Joe Manchin said Monday, as he and President Joe Biden prepared to discuss how to advance the long-stalled package. Manchin, D-W.Va., criticized Democrats’ decision to make many of the measure’s initiatives temporary to limit the bill’s price tag.

Ahead of panel vote, Meadows' attorney says contempt referral runs contrary to lawEnlarge this image toggle caption Patrick Semansky/AP Patrick Semansky/APHours before a House select committee was set to vote for Mark Meadows' referral for criminal contempt, the former Trump White House chief of staff said through his attorney that the effort was unwise, unfair and contrary to law. However, President Biden waived executive privilege in Meadows' case, which supersedes any other claims, the committee argues. Executive privilege is also at the center of a Trump lawsuit, which could get taken up by the Supreme Court. The committee said Meadows refused to provide testimony on the documents and a long list of interests for the panel. In all, the panel said Meadows missed three scheduled deposition dates, in October, November and December.

Russia on Monday said that it could be forced to deploy nuclear missiles in Europe as a reaction to what it perceives as NATO's intentions to make similar moves. Intermediate-range ballistic and cruise missiles were banned in Europe as part of a 1987 treaty aimed at addressing Cold War tensions. Meanwhile, Ryabkov said there were "indirect indications" that NATO intended to redeploy intermediate-range missiles, such as the recent restoration of the 56th Artillery Command, which housed missiles with nuclear capabilities during the Cold War, Reuters added. NATO has said that there would be no new U.S. missiles in Europe and that it would address threats from new Russian missiles with conventional weapons. However, Ryabkov said Russia had a "complete lack of trust" in the military alliance, the news service noted.

Are tornados linked to climate change, similar to how devastating heat, wildfires, droughts and floods have intensified with a warming Earth? I fear we are poking the climate beast,” said Jennifer Marlon, a climate scientist at the Yale School of the Environment, in a tweet. President Biden was asked on Saturday if he can link climate change to the weekend devestation. “All I know is that the intensity of the weather across the board has some impacts as a consequence of the warming of the planet and climate change,” Biden said. “The link between tornadoes and climate change is currently unclear.

Russia - APRussia threatened to deploy intermediate-range nuclear missiles in Europe on Monday, escalating its stand-off with the West over Ukraine. Sergei Ryabkov, Russia's deputy foreign minister, said that Moscow would turn to the weapons if Nato fails to rule out ever using them itself. Intermediate-range nuclear forces (INF) were banned in 1987 under a treaty signed between Mikhail Gorbachev, the former Soviet leader, and US President Ronald Regan. Mr Ryabkov denied Russia was planning to invade Ukraine in comments to the state-run RIA Novosti agency. The sanctions are part of a wider retaliatory package being considered by EU ministers to deter any Russian invasion of Ukraine.

ReutersRussian President Vladimir Putin told British Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Monday that members of the NATO military alliance were threatening Russia by expanding activity in Ukraine, the Kremlin said. U.S. intelligence assesses that Russia could be planning a multi-front offensive on neighbouring Ukraine as early as next year, involving up to 175,000 troops. The Kremlin denies it plans to invade and says the West is gripped by Russophobia. Moscow says the expansion of NATO threatens Russia and has contravened assurances given to it as the Soviet Union collapsed in 1991.

BIDEN PITCHES REVAMPED MILLIONAIRES TAX, GLOBAL MINIMUM TO FUND SPENDING BILLIt shows that child care costs could increase by up to 102% – and as much as 122% – for some Americans under Biden's signature economic agenda, which would cap child care costs at no more than 7% of parents' income for those earning their state's median income. About half of families using non-parental child care would fall into that category, according to the analysis. The left-leaning Center for American Progress estimated that families' costs could soar by an average of $13,000 if Biden's bill becomes law, largely due to mandated higher wages for child care workers. That could push the overall cost of child care centers to about $28,970. "Normally people who quit jobs to take care of their kids do so in order to save the money they’d have to spend on child care.

Though Newsom’s proposal invoked Texas law, which bans abortion after six weeks, the bill he seeks would look almost nothing like it. First, Newsom’s proposal does not directly contradict what the Supreme Court or the majority of federal courts have said about the 2nd Amendment. In short, the Newsom proposal — unlike the Texas law — would not outlaw conduct clearly protected by the federal courts’ reading of the Constitution. This is a crucial distinction from the Texas law, which was written to make private citizens the only enforcers. Unlike the Texas law, Newsom’s proposal would not offer an end run around government actors.

The nation’s COVID-19 death toll is just shy of 800,000 as the anniversary of the U.S. vaccine rollout arrives. An untold number of lives — perhaps tens of thousands — have been saved by vaccination. Developed and rolled out at blistering speed, the vaccines have proved incredibly safe and highly effective at preventing deaths and hospitalizations. In Oklahoma, nearly 60% of COVID-19 deaths occurred after all adults became vaccine-eligible. California has seen more than 15,000 COVID-19 deaths since the state opened eligibility to all adults in mid-April.

“This is a flagrant example of a federal agency using its power to examine the contacts of journalists,” Pace wrote. This latest revelation prompted Sen. Ron Wyden to call on DHS to immediately turn over the inspector general report to Congress. During the Obama administration, federal investigators secretly seized phone records for some reporters and editors at the AP. The DHS inspector general report that revealed the most recent disclosure of investigations of journalists also stemmed from a Trump-era leak investigation. The inspector general opened its investigation after media reports exposed Rambo and his investigation of Watkins.

By AMY FORLITI and STEVE KARNOWSKIMINNEAPOLIS (AP) — The trial of a Minnesota police officer charged in the shooting death of Daunte Wright opened its second week of testimony on Monday with an assistant medical examiner telling jurors that the gunshot wound was not survivable and caused Wright’s death. Dr. Lorren Jackson, an assistant Hennepin County medical examiner, testified Monday that the gunshot wound causing injuries to Wright’s heart and lungs is what caused his death. Any injuries from the crash were insignificant in terms of what caused Wright’s death, Jackson said. Wright’s mother, who has been present for much of the testimony, was not in court as the autopsy photos were shown. The video showed the critical moments where Wright pulled away as Luckey was on the verge of handcuffing him, followed by Potter shouting “I’ll tase you!” and “Taser, Taser, Taser!” and then shooting him once with her handgun.

Standing outside her modest Austin home, the front steps crumbling, Zerlina Smith-Members on Monday announced her intention to run for Cook County board president. Smith-Members, who has lived in Austin for the past 10 years, says Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle has failed to deal with the violence plaguing the county. The Cook County Medical Examiner’s Office recently confirmed the county’s 1,000th homicide in 2021. The last time Cook County saw more homicides was in 1994 when there were 1,141. “We have an underfunded [Cook County] state’s attorney’s office.

Their constant complaints about the election could ultimately hurt Republicans if they don't believe results can be trusted, she said. At another point, she said: "These made-up things that people do to jazz up the base is just despicable and I don't think any elected legislator should ever play that game." Some Republicans have called for the resignations of members of the bipartisan Wisconsin Elections Commission and its nonpartisan director, Meagan Wolfe. Wisconsin election officials have faced a string of threats over the last year over how they did their jobs. For instance, people this year have threatened to hang, shoot or jail Claire Woodall-Vogg, the director of the Milwaukee Election Commission.

The corporation counsel further noted that, although the raid continued for roughly 40 minutes, Young was forced to stand in a “complete state of undress” for just 16 seconds. It took a full 10 minutes before Young was allowed to get fully dressed, and only after a female officer arrived on the scene. That was 16 seconds too long,” the corporation counsel said. “In this particular instance, it is not unreasonable to assume that there would be a request for anywhere between $13 million and $16 million. [Or] it could be $16 million for the 16 seconds that she was left in a complete state of undress,” Meza said.

The Cudahy School Board will be considering three options for potential school mergers at its Monday meeting to resolve budget issues the district says are being caused by declining enrollment, declining state aid and rising costs. Jones and Lincoln Elementary Schools, and the merger of Cudahy Middle School and Cudahy High School, with sixth graders returning to elementary schools. That option, known as Option C, suggested closing one elementary school and keeping sixth grade students in elementary schools in the 2022-23 school year and consolidating the middle and high school in the 2023-24 school year. That option also listed finding varying amounts of cost savings at each school in the 2022-23 school year. The Monday meeting starts at 7 p.m. at the Cudahy School District administration building,2915 E. Ramsey Ave. in Cudahy.

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — The trial of a Minnesota police officer charged in the shooting death of Daunte Wright opened its second week of testimony on Monday with an assistant medical examiner telling jurors that the gunshot wound was not survivable and caused Wright’s death. Dr. Lorren Jackson, an assistant Hennepin County medical examiner, testified Monday that the gunshot wound causing injuries to Wright’s heart and lungs is what caused his death. Any injuries from the crash were insignificant in terms of what caused Wright’s death, Jackson said. Wright’s mother, who has been present for much of the testimony, was not in court as the autopsy photos were shown. The video showed the critical moments where Wright pulled away as Luckey was on the verge of handcuffing him, followed by Potter shouting “I’ll tase you!” and “Taser, Taser, Taser!” and then shooting him once with her handgun.

As of Monday, a campaign aiming to recall Shannon far exceeded the number of valid signatures required to get the recall on the ballot, Yamhill County Clerk Brian Van Bergen told The Oregonian/OregonLive. The minimum required is 2,547 and the county has found no cause to invalidate more than 3,000 signatures thus far, Van Bergen said. “At the moment, we still remain over 3,000, and that is well over the minimum needed,” Van Bergen said. Newberg school board chair Dave Brown, also elected in 2019?s low turnout election, also faces the prospect of a recall election, potentially on the same ballot as Shannon in January. “The speed with which the Brown recall came together proved the underlying theory behind our effort,” Matt Moriarty, a Dundee resident and chief strategist for both the Recall Brian Shannon and Recall Dave Brown campaigns, told The Oregonian/OregonLive.

Amy ForlitiAssociated PressMinneapolis – Former Minneapolis Police Officer Derek Chauvin appears to be on the verge of pleading guilty to violating George Floyd’s civil rights. A federal docket entry on Monday showed that a hearing has been scheduled for Wednesday for Chauvin to change his current not-guilty plea in the case. The court system also sent out instructions for media to attend the hearing. Chauvin has already been convicted of state murder and manslaughter charges for pinning his knee against Floyd’s neck as the Black man said he couldn’t breathe in a May 25, 2020 arrest. Chauvin and three other former officers – Thomas Lane, J. Kueng and Tou Thao – were set to go to trial in late January on those charges.

Manchin and Biden planned to talk by phone Monday afternoon, said a person who described the plans only on condition of anonymity. Biden told reporters at the White House that when he talks to lawmakers, he tries to “convince them that what I’m proposing makes sense and is not inconsistent with what they believe." Manchin, a moderate, has pushed for months to curb the bill's costs. His support is crucial because Democrats will need all their votes for the 50-50 Senate to approve the legislation. The House approved its version of the bill last month.

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden signed an executive order Monday aimed at rebuilding the public's trust in government by making it easier to do things like renew passports, apply for Social Security benefits and get aid after natural disasters. The idea is to put the public and customer service at the center of federal operations, saving time, energy, frustration and potentially money by offering better and more efficient services for the millions of routine interactions people have with the government. “The bottom line is we're going to make the government work more effectively,” Biden said before signing the order in the Oval Office. That’s a tall order, considering that the federal government has persisted in its lumbering ways despite repeated attempts over generations to make it more nimble. President Bill Clinton famously pledged in 1993 to “reinvent government” with an interagency task force.

A pastor at a church in Louisville's Butchertown neighborhood is facing charges after being accused of threatening to kill a woman who was staying with him if she left his condominium. "The Office of Priest Personnel will work with the parish to make sure that Masses are covered in the coming weeks," Kurtz wrote. "I have appointed Father John R. Burke, a retired priest of the Archdiocese, as the temporary administrator of Saint Joseph Parish." Fernandez is accused of causing an unnamed woman to fear for her safety if she left his condo, according to a police complaint, and accused of stating he would find the woman and kill her if she left his residence. Police obtained a warrant to search his phone, according to the citation, and found a deleted WhatsApp text message from Fernandez to the woman.

The removal of a Canadian teacher for wearing a hijab in the classroom has sparked widespread condemnation of a controversial law in the province of Quebec, which critics say unfairly targets ethnic minorities under the pretext of secularism. But the law has an outsized impact on Muslim women and in schools in the province, where 74.5% of teachers are women. This is a bigger issue … I don’t want this to be a personal thing because that won’t do any good to anyone,” Anvari told CTV News. Federal leaders have been wary of angering voters in Quebec by taking too strong a stand against the law. But because Anvari became a substitute teaching last spring and signed a new contract in October, she is barred from wearing a hijab in the classroom.

A group of women is going all the way to the top with their challenge of a beach town ban on topless sunbathing, urging the US supreme court to rule against allowing men but not women to show all that skin. Ocean City, Maryland, passed its ordinance in 2017 after one of the plaintiffs, Chelsea Eline, contacted local police and asserted a right to go topless, the Daily Times reported. Town leaders are within their rights to impose a restriction on women but not men in order to protect public sensibilities wrote the judge, A Marvin Quattlebaum Jr.Chief judge Roger Gregory concurred, noting that supreme court precedent requires upholding the ban. “Suppose the ordinance defined nudity to include public exposure of a woman’s hair, neck, shoulders, or ankles. The court has until 7 January to respond, according to the supreme court docket.

Russia threatened to deploy intermediate-range nuclear missiles in Europe on Monday, escalating its stand-off with the West over Ukraine. Intermediate-range nuclear forces (INF) were banned in 1987 under a treaty signed between Mikhail Gorbachev, the former Soviet leader, and US President Ronald Regan. Mr Ryabkov denied Russia was planning to invade Ukraine in comments to the state-run RIA Novosti agency. “There will be confrontation, this will be the next step, [previously banned weapons] will appear from our side,” he said. “They don’t exist now, we have a unilateral moratorium,” he added, referring to the US withdrawal from the INF treaty.

Emmanuel Macron called for a tough new EU pact to prevent asylum seekers travelling across Europe on Monday following a meeting with Hungary’s anti-immigration leader Viktor Orban. The issue will be addressed at a summit of EU leaders this week in Brussels, when they will discuss “external aspects of migration”, according to a leaked document seen by the Telegraph. “All migratory routes” in and out of the bloc will be assessed, the draft conclusions stated, instructing the European Commission to ensure an “effective returns” policy to deport failed asylum seekers. While the discussion will be focused on the EU’s external borders, Mr Macron is expected to raise so-called secondary movements to cut the number of migrants travelling to northern France before attempting to cross the Channel to England. The French leader has said he will use next year’s rotating EU presidency, which Paris takes over in January, to crack down on illegal migrant camps in northern France and break up smuggling networks.

So the best thing we can do is all get our boosters.”Long booster queues visible from ParliamentBut anybody trying for a booster had a wait. In some cases a very long wait. Photos were posted on Twitter of long lines in all manner of spots around the UK, from Sevenoaks in Kent to Kidlington in Oxfordshire and lengthy lines in Manchester. The situation wasn’t helped by confusion over who could get a booster jab by walking in, rather than making an appointment. But many young people, over 18 but under 30, were chancing their arm (so to speak) in trying to get a booster in the headlong rush.

Mr Saint-Rémy, aka Kiko, is a Haitian businessman who has been on the US Drug Enforcement Agency's radar for alleged involvement in the drug trade. Mr Martelly helped shape Mr Moïse's political career, even signalling to the supporters that he wanted Mr Moïse to succeed him. Both Mr Martelly and his brother-in-law, Mr Saint-Rémy, wielded power in Mr Moïse’s government. This was a problem, as Mr Martelly reportedly viewed Mr Moïse has something of a puppet, according to some accounts. She recalled voicing her concerns that Mr Martelly was "drowning" her candidate, and suggested that Mr Moïse campaign alone.

Amanda Knox has said that the Ghislaine Maxwell and Elizabeth Holmes trials are giving her “flashbacks” to her 2007 murder trial. Ms Knox was wrongfully convicted of the murder of her 21-year-old roommate, British exchange student Meredith Kercher. Ms Knox was acquitted in 2015, but wrote on Monday that she can “empathise and sympathise” with Ms Maxwell and Ms Holmes, who are both on trial on opposite ends of the US. Ms Holmes, meanwhile, faces up to 20 years in prison if convicted for fraud, and knowingly tricking investors about Theranos’ blood test technology, which prosecutors claim she knew was bogus. “I know very well what it’s like to be scapegoated for a man’s crimes and to be a victim of true coercion,” wrote Ms Knox.

Boris Johnson has insisted he "broke no rules" after being pictured hosting a quiz night in Number 10, as Tory MPs said on Monday night that the Cabinet Secretary must be given time to conduct a "thorough" investigation. On Monday, Mr Johnson hit back at allegations that he may have misled Parliament and broken Covid rules as he continued to face questions over his participation in events in Downing Street last Christmas. It follows the unearthing of an image of Mr Johnson this weekend, which appeared to confirm he had taken part in the quiz three days before the alleged Christmas party in Downing Street. Number 10 has insisted the event was held virtually and that Mr Johnson joined "briefly" to "thank staff for their hard work throughout the year". Asked whether that meant Mr Case's investigation would include the quiz, Mr Johnson said: "He's looking at all these things.

During a recent interview with Israeli journalist Barak Ravid, Mr Trump said of his erstwhile ally: “I don’t think Bibi ever wanted to make peace.”Mr Trump described Mr Netanyahu’s approach to the peace process as having “just tapped us along” despite efforts by Trump administration officials such as Jared Kushner to jump-start negotiations for what Mr Trump called “the mother of all deals” during his 2016 campaign. Mr Trump told Ravid that he initially believed Palestinian Authority president Mahmoud Abbas would be a far more willing negotiator than Mr Netanyahu after a “great” first meeting between him and Mr Abbas. “I thought he was terrific,” Mr Trump said. I thought he wanted to make a deal more than Netanyahu.”But when Mr Trump broached the subject with his Israeli counterpart, he said Mr Netanyahu wavered rather than take the opportunity to negotiate with Mr Abbas. Do you?’ And he said, ‘Well, uh, uh uh’ — and the fact is, I don’t think Bibi ever wanted to make a deal,” the ex-president recalled, suggesting to Ravid that Mr Netanyahu’s reluctance was driven by domestic political considerations.

Fox News’s White House correspondent Peter Doocy got into it once again with Jen Psaki, President Joe Biden’s press secretary, as he questioned whether the president supported the crimefighting tactics of New York City leaders. We’ve seen an arsonist burn down a half-a-million-dollar Christmas tree in New York City back on the streets. Does the president think that’s good governing?” he asked. Doocy: We’ve seen an arsonist burn down a half a million dollar Christmas tree in New York City back on the streets. The Fox Christmas tree was set ablaze last week in an incident that did not result in any injuries; police later arrested a 49-year-old man with a history of drug use arrests who they said may be experiencing homelessness as well.

A video of Mr Finch by reporter Victor Ordoñez posted on Twitter had reach more than 3.4m views by afternoon on Wednesday. Mr Ordoñez tweeted that Mr Finch “drove half an hour with a grill and a truckload of food and parked right in the middle of Mayfield, Kentucky”. “Jim wore a smile the whole morning, we laugh when I asked if he had a restaurant,” Mr Ordoñez added. We got hamburgers, chicken, I got sausage, eggs,” Mr Finch said. “Just real simple stuff you can have and not worry about making a mess, grab and go type of food.”Twitter users praised Mr Finch for his efforts.

Bulgaria’s parliament has formally voted to elect Kiril Petkov as the country's next prime minister, ending a months-long political crisis. MPs elected the 41-year-old centrist leader by 134 votes to 104 during a session on Monday. At the last vote in November, Petkov's PP party emerged as surprise victors over the conservative GERB party, which dominated Bulgarian politics in the last decade. Petkov - a Harvard-educated entrepreneur - previously served as minister of economics in Bulgaria's caretaker government. “What we will govern is not our money, but that of all Bulgarian citizens,” Petkov told reporters in Sofia after presenting his government.

She added: "Now the hard work of reform and rebuilding can begin. Whether or not justice comes and change is made, depends on what happens next."

The former chief prosecutor of Albania has been arrested while on the run from authorities in Italy, police said. Llalla -- who served as Albania’s prosecutor general from 2012 to 2017 -- left the country after the court found him guilty of falsely declaring his assets. Llalla resigned from his role as Albania’s most senior prosecutor in December 2017. Corruption in senior officials has long plagued Albania's democratic, economic and social development. Many judges and prosecutors have been dismissed for alleged corruption and illegally acquiring property and money.

'I don't think Bibi ever wanted to make peace,' Trump told Israeli author Barak Ravid, it was revealed Monday. Abbas reportedly told Trump he was eager to make a deal, while Netanyahu told him to wait. Former President Trump claimed his promise of peace between Israel and Palestine fell through because Benjamin Netanyahu was not interested in peace'I thought he was terrific,' Trump said of Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas (above). Trump during the 2016 presidential campaign repeatedly said he had been told peace was not possible between Israel and Palestine. 'I got angry and I stopped it because that was really going too far,' Trump told Ravid.

The presentation also made it to Meadows, whose lawyer confirmed he has provided information to the House Jan. 6th Committee. Retired Army Col. Phil Waldron says he met with former White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows eight to ten times. He circulated a 38-page PowerPoint memo recommending a 'national security emergency''The presentation was that there was significant foreign interference in the election, here's the proof,' Waldron said, pointing to a web of unverified information claiming foreign election interference. A person familiar with the matter told the Post Meadows met with Waldron at the White House in December. 'VP Pence rejects the electors from States where fraud occurred causing the election to be decided by remaining electoral votes.

Rajoy (left) has denied any knowledge of the alleged spying operation against his party's former treasurer Luis BarcenasMadrid (AFP) – Spain's former conservative prime minister Mariano Rajoy on Monday denied any knowledge of an alleged spying operation inside his own party. Advertising Read moreRajoy was answering questions from a parliamentary committee investigating accusations that officials inside Rajoy's Popular Party (PP) launched a spying operation on a senior party official. The aim of the alleged spying was to find out what dirt Barcenas had on party officials. "I don't know Mr Villarejo,..." Rajoy, who served as prime minister between 2011 and 2018, told the committee. Socialist Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez and his radical-left ally Podemos successfully pushed for the parliamentary investigation into the alleged spying operation inside the Popular Party.

United Nations (United States) (AFP) – Russia on Monday vetoed a Security Council resolution formally linking climate change and global security that was supported by a majority of UN member states. China abstained, while India voted against, arguing that global warming was chiefly an issue related to economic development, rather than international security. "We need to better understand this link" between security and climate change, she said. Russia's ambassador to the UN, Vassily Nebenzia, said a resolution would "create confusion and duplication" with other UN forums tackling climate change. "For us, the direct link between terrorism and climate change is far from obvious," he said.

Witness Kansas Sen. Roger Marshall -- and this exchange he had with "Meet the Press" moderator Chuck Todd on Sunday:Todd: Do you believe you were elected fair and square in 2020? I think Kansas has some of the tightest election laws in the land. We went back and looked at that to make sure that it was a safe and fair election. Just really proud of how Kansas could do it. Todd: And do you believe that Joe Biden was elected fair and square?

On Sunday, the January 6 committee released a 51-page report backing up its recommendation that Meadows be held in criminal contempt for his decision to renege on testifying before the committee. The report throws a fairly fine net over Meadows for his behavior in office before, during, and after the insurrection. Mr. Meadows exchanged text messages with, and provided guidance to, an organizer of the January 6th rally on the Ellipse after the organizer told him that ‘‘[t]hings have gotten crazy and I desperately need some direction. Mr. Meadows received text messages and emails regarding apparent efforts to encourage Republican legislators in certain States to send alternate slates of electors to Congress, a plan which one Member of Congress acknowledged was ‘‘highly controversial’’ and to which Mr. Meadows responded, ‘‘I love it.’’ Mr. Meadows responded to a similar message by saying ‘‘[w]e are’’ and another such message by saying ‘‘Yes. He also reportedly introduced Mr. Trump to then-DOJ official Jeffrey Clark.

(Representational)Britain on Monday confirmed what is thought to be the first confirmed death after infection with the Omicron variant, as the country launched an ambitious Covid booster shot programme to stop the virus spiralling out of control. The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) told AFP: "It appears indeed that this is the first confirmed Omicron death." But the Centre said many cases around the world were not genome-sequenced, so it was "impossible to know whether this is the first Omicron death". In South Africa, where the virus mutation was first identified, no deaths linked to Omicron have been officially announced, the department of health said. Johnson is seeking to refocus attention on the pandemic, after a torrid week in which he and staff were accused of breaking Covid rules last year.

The Syrian Democratic Forces unit carried out the joint operation with the international coalition near Busayrah, a village in the eastern countryside of Deir el-Zour province. It targeted a “dangerous IS cell” based on intelligence and reconnaissance of their presence in the area. The militants opened fire at the raiding force, which had besieged the area, the SDF said in a statement. Activists and a war monitor reported the raid, suggesting civilians were among those killed. The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, which monitors the war, said the raid was conducted with aerial support from U.S.-led forces.

At least one person in the UK had died with the Omicron variant, Boris Johnson has said as he refused to rule out imposing further restrictions across England in the run-up to Christmas. Concern is mounting among scientists and in Whitehall that the Omicron variant could soon become the dominant Covid strain, weakening the defences two vaccines offer against the virus. It came as a further 1,576 Omicron cases were reported across the UK on Monday, taking the total number to 4,713, the UK Health Security Agency said. However, Johnson’s official spokesman clarified on Monday that everyone eligible would have the chance to get their booster vaccination if they booked in good time or attended a walk-in clinic. He said the cabinet secretary, Simon Case, was investigating the matter and would report back “as soon as we reasonably can”.

If Gorenstein had lived in any of forty-three other states, she might not have needed a journalist to raise her case with the company — she could have contacted an independent state consumer advocate office for help. In her veto memo, Hochul argued that the proposed utility consumer advocate would be a “superfluous construct” duplicating the functions of two offices that already exist: the Office of Consumer Services, which Gorenstein had contacted, and the Utility Intervention Unit at the Department of State. The Utility Intervention Unit intervened in twenty utility rate and policy proceedings before the Public Service Commission last year, according to Erin McCarthy, a spokesperson for the Department of State. “In each rate proceeding, [Utility Intervention Unit] advocates aggressively on behalf of consumers with the goal of limiting the utilities’ proposed rate increases,” she wrote in a statement. “In order for the utility advocate to be an effective advocate for consumers — rather than just another gubernatorial appointee carrying out the governor’s policies — that advocate must be completely independent of the governor and the utility commission,” he said.

The European Commission — the unelected body of technocrats that designs European Union legislation — isn’t exactly known as a friend of the worker. Often unfairly treated as self-employed, platform workers are now to be considered employees and thus entitled to the labor rights that are standard for most workers in Europe. There are also important new rights for platform workers in respect to algorithmic management. Algorithms are a black box for platform workers who are given no information as to why fundamental aspects of their work are suddenly altered. First, the indispensable backdrop to these reforms is the burgeoning international movement of platform workers getting organized in unions and demanding workers’ rights through protests and strikes.

Thanks to them, the White House has issued a ban on travel from eight countries in southern Africa. Travel bans can slow—but not stop—the emergence of the virus in certain circumstances: where outbreaks are detected early and where the travel bans are tied to a set of broader public health interventions, as one study analyzing travel bans on China in early 2020 found. Punishing South Africa and its neighbors could have other serious side effects. “Today, I spent a big part of my day talking to genomic and biotech companies as soon we will run out of reagents as airplanes are not flying to South Africa!” he tweeted. The notion that we can erect a Fortress America to withstand SARS-CoV-2 based on travel bans and boosters at home is a deadly delusion.

Armed vigilante groups have a long history that includes attacks on workers’ movements and especially racist oppression and repression. Before the Civil War, the number of official police was small because the slaveholder class did not want to pay for them. After the Civil War, the KKK in effect fought a guerrilla war of terror and murder to restore, as much as they could, the defeated slaveholder confederacy. The jury’s acquittal was an attack on the Black Lives Matter movement as much as the 1964 murder of the civil rights workers in Mississippi was an attack on the Civil Rights movement. While controlling police conduct is much more difficult, there are at least uniform training of police to respect the civil rights of citizens in many countries.

A farmer’s daughter, she worked eighteen years in the printing business before returning to the farm life that her dad ultimately relinquished. Dairy farmers have their own special hell with what’s called “monopsony”—having only a single powerful buyer in their region to process their perishable raw milk. This ugly little farce has played out in the National Organic Program’s power politics. In a powerhouse exposé, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported that in 2016 just six of these suspect organic dairy farms in Texas produced almost 25 percent more milk than all of Wisconsin’s 453 organic dairy farms combined. So the Real Organic Project is fighting to both fix the National Organic Program and advance an even more rigorous organic standard.

Right wing Ukrainian troops patrol areas in the eastern part of the country held by rebels fighting the central government. | Morning StarLithuanian Foreign Minister Gabrielius Landsbergis called for Western powers to prepare an “unprecedented” response to any Russian attack on Ukraine at an EU foreign ministers’ summit today. The German leader said he was hopeful that “a very good, pragmatic solution” to the standoff was imminent. EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said the bloc was on “deter mode” over reports of a Russian troop build-up near Ukraine. Russia denies any hostile intent, pointing out that its troops are within its own territory while tens of thousands of U.S. troops are stationed in Germany, Poland, and Lithuania.

All of the twists and turns in the saga of the Build Back Better Act have just been prologue. New social spending programs — many of which may not last longMost of the bill’s spending — more than half in the House’s version — is devoted to expanding the social welfare state. They include:The expanded child tax credit: As a pandemic relief measure, Congress expanded the child tax credit for this year, making it significantly larger (for all families except the rich) and having it go out in monthly payments. (If the expanded child tax credit was expanded for a full decade, it would cost more than $1 trillion in that span.) This meant a bigger tax bill for well-off people who live in places where taxes are high — usually blue states or cities.

Not too long ago, a group of residents tackled a man who had been firing a gun in Russian Mission. The old Elevation of the Holy Cross Church, constructed around 1851, sits atop a hill overlooking Russian Mission. Russian Mission is reachable by plane year-round, by snowmobile in the winter and by boat in the summer. (Loren Holmes/ADN)As Russian Mission grew accustomed to life without a cop of any kind, the attacks by Pitka continued. Nicephore worked for 18 months as a city police officer, recruited by the Russian Mission city manager.

It took the Alaska State Troopers 110 days to capture one of three people accused of an ambush in the village of Russian Mission this year. In response, then-U.S. Attorney General William P. Barr declared the public safety crisis in Alaska villages to be a federal emergency and Gov. Department of Public Safety officials said the money intended for those village troopers was likely spent on personnel costs such as overtime. Tramadols,” said Edwards, referring to a prescription pain medication that is sometimes ordered online and received by mail in Alaska villages. An additional $6 million in emergency rural public safety money was awarded from the Emergency Federal Law Enforcement Assistance program directly to the state Department of Public Safety.

“In May, when I visited Alaska, I witnessed firsthand the complex, unique, and dire law enforcement challenges the State of Alaska and its remote Alaska Native communities are facing,” said Attorney General Barr. BJA is also making an additional $162,000 available to the U.S. Attorney’s Office to establish an additional Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) target site encompassing rural Alaska. According to one estimate, one-third of Alaskan villages have no local law enforcement personnel at all. The lack of law enforcement resources results in a high violent crime rate, especially in Alaska Native communities. “I want to be sure that the support this Department offers to Alaska Native communities will support solutions identified by the communities themselves,” said Attorney General Barr.

Trump appointee Michael Caputo warned government employees last year not to speak with the media, records obtained by BuzzFeed News revealed. In an email to BuzzFeed News, Caputo said he did not write the policies in question and was "duty-bound to enforce them." "The Office of Special Counsel found the policies I inherited were missing a short phrase of standard bureaucratic notification. The Office of Special Counsel had previously substantiated allegations that HHS had violated the law during Trump's presidency with three gag orders between January 2017 and May 2018. Kevin Lamarque / Reuters Caputo at a Trump administration event during his brief stint as assistant secretary for public affairs at the Department of Health and Human Services

Potter trial opens 2nd week with autopsy detailsThe trial of a Minnesota police officer charged in the shooting death of Daunte Wright has opened its second week of testimony with an assistant medical examiner telling jurors that his gunshot wound was not survivable.

Former Trump adviser Kellyanne Conway discussed President Biden's dwindling approval rating on crime, especially among suburban women and independents. BIDEN'S APPROVAL RATING ON CRIME TANKS AMID RISE IN SMASH-AND-GRAB ROBBERIESKELLYANNE CONWAY: [Democrats] don’t seem to understand the error of their ways. They are out of sync with what most Americans are saying about crime, drugs, 100,000 overdose deaths, fentanyl pouring over the border, and they’re out of touch with the way people are just looking at basic public safety. That’s not because of COVID, that’s because of the schools, and it’s because of public safety. Women particularly.

Murdaugh described to the judge his frame of mind leading up to the events of that day. The Murdaugh family also faces lawsuits surrounding a 2019 boat crash in which Paul Murdaugh was charged with boating under the influence causing death. The lawyers for both Murdaugh and Satterfield’s family said Murdaugh had agreed to a $4.3 million judgment in the case, subject to the approval of court-appointed receivers who now control his assets. Lee’s bond order surpassed amounts recommended by prosecutors, who had recommended the judge either set bond at the $6.2 million Murdaugh was accused of stealing or a lesser figure of $4.7 million – about $100,000 for each count. Defense attorneys had asked the judge to set bond at a maximum of $200,000 and indicated they would ask Lee to reconsider her Monday decision.

President Biden will travel to Kentucky on Wednesday to survey the damage following tornadoes and unseasonal extreme weather across the Midwest that left dozens dead. The White House said the president will travel to Ft. Campbell, Ky. for a storm briefing Wednesday, and to Mayfield and Dawson Springs, Ky. to survey storm damage. Over the weekend, Biden approved an emergency declaration providing federal funds to Kentucky, and said he would deploy federal resources to the storm ravaged areas. Approximately 300 National Guard members went house to house, checking on residents and helping to remove debris. And Mayfield Mayor Kathy Stewart O’Nan warned Monday in an appearance on NBC’s "Today" that the town could be without heat, water and electricity for a "long time" as authorities continue to survey tornado damage from Friday.

Michigan school shooting suspect Ethan Crumbley appeared in court Monday afternoon for a probable cause conference that was adjourned until Jan. 7. ALLEGED MICHIGAN SCHOOL SHOOTER CONVINCED OFFICIALS VIOLENT DRAWINGS WERE HARMLESS PURSUITBoth parents also pleaded not guilty at their arraignment last week. MICHIGAN SCHOOL SHOOTING: ETHAN CRUMBLEY'S MOTHER TEXTED HIM ‘DON’T DO IT,' PROSECUTORS SAY"At no time did counselors believe the student might harm others based on his behavior, responses and demeanor, which appeared calm. The school district denied the district attorney's request to conduct an independent investigation into the matter. Oakland County Prosecutor Karen McDonald said on NBC’s "Today" show last week that she has not ruled out charging school officials in the case.

Mark Meadows, White House chief of staff, listens to a question from a member of the media outside of the White House in Washington, D.C., U.S., on Wednesday, Oct. 21, 2020. The lawmakers investigating the Jan. 6 invasion of the Capitol are set Monday to vote to recommend the House hold former President Donald Trump's White House chief of staff Mark Meadows in contempt of Congress. It was filed a day before Trump lost his appeal to stop the committee from obtaining the disputed White House records. The report says that Trump himself has not relayed any privilege claims to them regarding Meadows' participation in their probe. The White House did not disclose that positive test at the time, but rather only shared a subsequent pre-debate test result that came back negative.

Sony Pictures on Monday said it will end its long-running "Dr. Oz Show" next month, a move that comes weeks after host Mehmet Oz announced he will run for the Senate as a Republican out of Pennsylvania. Those rules allow candidates to ask for air time from TV stations that carry content, and the stations that dropped the recent New Jersey resident Oz all are seen in parts of Pennsylvania. In announcing his run, Oz joined an already crowded field of candidates seeking to replace Sen. Pat Toomey, a Republican who is retiring. Pennsylvania is one of a handful of 2022 battleground state Senate races where no clear Republican favorite has emerged. At the time Oz launched his Senate bid, a campaign spokesperson told CNBC he "lives" and "votes" in Pennsylvania.

EU foreign policy chief Joseph Borrell said sanctions should have been imposed on those involved in the conflict in Ethiopia | John Thys/AFP via Getty ImagesEU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell on Monday scolded the bloc’s countries for not having imposed sanctions on those involved in a bloody conflict in Ethiopia, a move he said might have helped to reduce violence in the East African country. The war in Ethiopia’s northern region of Tigray, which began about a year ago and has since spread to other parts of the country, has resulted in thousands of deaths. Asked about his remarks, Borrell said he didn’t believe EU sanctions would have managed to stop the conflict, but “would have, in my view, influenced the behavior of the actors.”“Only a political solution can reverse the negative and dangerous dynamic we are seeing now,” the foreign policy chief said. Borrell didn’t reveal which EU countries had been against imposing sanctions but said “many countries felt that it wasn’t an adequate solution.”He added that he wanted to bring attention to the seriousness of the situation in Ethiopia. “The conflict in the country has further worsened and expanded, producing a devastating humanitarian crisis.

The wife of a U.S. intelligence officer will face British court proceedings in January over the death of teenager Harry Dunn, the U.K.’s Crown Prosecution Service said Monday. Anne Sacoolas is accused of killing Dunn in a road crash near Northamptonshire after a car hit the teenager’s motorbike in August 2019. She left the U.K. shortly after the incident, after diplomatic immunity was asserted on her behalf by the U.S. government. The Crown Prosecution Service authorized Northamptonshire Police to charge Sacoolas with causing death by dangerous driving in December 2019. But the subsequent extradition request for Sacoolas to be returned to the U.K. was rejected by the U.S. government, heightening diplomatic tensions between London and Washington.

The Murdaugh family also faces lawsuits surrounding a 2019 boat crash in which Paul Murdaugh was charged with boating under the influence causing death. Lee’s bond order surpassed amounts recommended by prosecutors, who had recommended the judge either set bond at the $6.2 million Murdaugh was accused of stealing or a lesser figure of $4.7 million — about $100,000 for each count. Defense attorneys had asked the judge to set bond at a maximum of $200,000 and indicated they would ask Lee reconsider her Monday decision. “He has no money.”Murdaugh has been jailed since October on charges of stealing insurance money from Satterfield’s sons. Circuit Judge Clifton Newman again denied bond in November, citing Murdaugh’s considerable financial resources and mental instability.

A report out Sunday that recommends that Trump administration chief of staff Mark Meadows be held in contempt of Congress alleges that he said National Guard troops would keep President Donald Trump’s supporters safe Jan. 6. The panel discusses.Dec.

FILE - Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas speaks to reporters at the San Ysidro port of entry, Dec. 7, 2021, in San Diego. The Associated Press sought answers Monday from the Department of Homeland Security on its use of sensitive government databases for tracking international terrorists to investigate as many as 20 American journalists, including an acclaimed AP reporter. The Associated Press sought answers Monday from the Department of Homeland Security on its use of sensitive government databases for tracking international terrorists to investigate as many as 20 American journalists, including an acclaimed AP reporter. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull, File)WASHINGTON (AP) — The Associated Press sought answers Monday from the Department of Homeland Security on its use of sensitive government databases for tracking international terrorists to investigate as many as 20 American journalists, including an acclaimed AP reporter. The DHS inspector general report that revealed the most recent disclosure of investigations of journalists also stemmed from a Trump-era leak investigation.

In times of crisis — or to create one — Russia's Putin turns to his militaryEnlarge this image toggle caption Mikhail Metzel/AP Mikhail Metzel/APWhen Vladimir Putin came to power in 1999, he immediately called on the Russian military. The Russian troops eventually subdued the rebel fighters in Chechnya, a region inside southern Russia. Putin didn't invade, but the episode led to a summit between Putin and President Biden in Geneva, Switzerland, in June. Enlarge this image toggle caption AP via Maxar Technologies AP via Maxar TechnologiesFrye distinguishes between what were two separate Russian military operations in Ukraine in 2014. "If President Putin fell off his horse tomorrow, we would still be dealing with this for years to come," said Hodges.

President Joe Biden will lobby Sen. Joe Manchin (D.-W.Va.), whose vote is critical to passing Biden’s nearly $2 trillion social spending bill, but who hasn’t committed to supporting it. Manchin hasn’t commented since Friday’s report that the consumer-price index rose 0.8% in November from the prior month and 6.8% year over year. Biden will speak with Manchin on Monday afternoon on a range of legislative priorities, including the social spending initiative, the White House said on Monday. The administration has been engaging with Manchin to assuage his inflation concerns, press secretary Jen Psaki said in a daily press briefing. “The president looks forward to speaking directly with Sen. Manchin about making the case for why the president feels this legislation should move forward,” Psaki said.

The Biden administration is planning to announce nominees for positions on the Federal Reserve "soon," White House press secretary Jen Psaki said Monday. "Certainly that is something that we're looking to get done soon and hopefully before the president and everyone leaves for time with their families over the holidays," Psaki told reporters at a briefing. Biden has three more candidates to nominate, including a banking regulator, after announcing the re-nomination of Chairman Jerome Powell and elevating Lael Brainard to vice chair.

Trump fans sitting in the nosebleed section of the FLA Live Arena were told that they were being “upgraded” to the lower levels, according to the newspaper. Trump appeared with former Fox News personality Bill O’Reilly, who was bounced from the network after accusations of sexual harassment. ... Big crowds!” He signed it “President” Trump. Story continuesPeople on TikTok boasted that they had made fake reservations for the Tulsa rally as Trump organizers boasted that more than a million people had signed up to attend. Womp WompDonald Trump's event with former Fox News host Bill O'Reilly on Saturday had so many empty seats that organizers closed the top bowl of the stadium.

The governor said 105 people remain unaccounted for, and that it will likely be weeks before officials have an accurate number for the fatalities. Searchers look for victims in the wreckage from a tornado in Mayfield, Ky., on Sunday. “I’m not doing so well today,” Beshear said at one point during the press conference. “And I’m not sure how many of us are.”The governor did offer one glimmer of good news. The president himself will visit Kentucky Wednesday to survey the damage in tornado-ravaged Mayfield and Dawson Springs.

ReutersPresident Joe Biden is expected to speak with Senator Joe Manchin as soon as Monday as Democrats struggle to overcome stubborn differences on a $1.75 trillion spending package while Congress prepares to wrap up its work for the year. Months of disagreement have held up the "Build Back Better" bill, which aims to bolster the social safety net and fight climate change, leading the chair of Congress' large progressive Democratic caucus to voice exasperation on Monday at what she said were deliberate misrepresentations of the bill. U.S. Representative Pramila Jayapal criticized an analysis of the bill released on Friday by the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office at the request of Senate Republicans, which found that the bill would add $3 trillion to the federal budget deficit over the next decade if all its programs ran that long.

A reform group pressing to change how the state conducts its once-a-decade rewrite of state and federal legislative districts will try again to put the matter before voters. Kirk Rossmann shows off his "I Voted" sticker after casting his ballots at a polling station at Galleria Mall in 2018, in Henderson. At the time, Fair Maps leader Sondra Cosgrove, a history professor at the College of Southern Nevada, vowed that the group would resurrect the effort in 2021. Fifteen states use independent commissions to redraw state legislative districts and 10 use them to draw congressional districts, with others using them in advisory or backup capacity, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures. Brian Sandoval vetoed the Legislature’s redistricting plans and declined to call lawmakers back into special session to try again.

Kevin Stitt will not extend Oklahoma's hunting and fishing compacts with the Cherokee and Choctaw nations. The tribes issued hunting licenses to citizens and reimbursed the state $2 for every license and paid state administrative fees. Under the agreements, the Cherokee Nation agreed to buy at least 150,000 licenses a year, while the Choctaw Nation agreed to 50,000. Under the compact, Cherokee Nation citizens received one universal deer tag (antlered or antlerless) and one turkey tag per calendar year. The Cherokee Nation took effect Jan. 1, 2016, and the Choctaw Nation compact took effect Jan. 1, 2017.

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden said Monday that he will travel to Kentucky on Wednesday to view damage from last week's devastating tornadoes that killed at least 64 people and displaced thousands more. Biden announced the upcoming trip following a briefing with homeland security and disaster response officials in the Oval Office to discuss what more the federal government can do to support those affected by the natural disaster. The White House said he would visit Ft. Campbell, Kentucky for a briefing on the response operations, and then to hard-hit Mayfield and Dawson Springs to survey the damage. Biden said he was developing the itinerary in consultation with local officials to ensure that his presence doesn't distract from the ongoing emergency response.

The judge disagreed, ruling that Congress’ joint session to certify the electoral results constituted an official proceeding under the law. Friedrich also concluded that the obstruction charge covers a broader set of acts than what the defense lawyers contended. “The indictment in this case alleges obstructive acts that fall on the obviously unlawful side of the line,” the judge wrote. However, on Saturday, Friedrich deferred ruling on whether the same obstruction charge applies in a separate case against Guy Reffitt, a Texas man accused of leading a group of rioters up the Capitol steps to confront law enforcement officers. The judge said it is unclear, based on the indictment alone, what actions Reffitt allegedly engaged in to obstruct the congressional proceeding.

BANGOR, Maine (AP) — Max Linn, a former U.S. Senate candidate from Maine who shook up a high-profile race with his antics during debates, has died. He died of an apparent heart attack, the Bangor Daily News reported. He was a retired financial planner who ran as a conservative independent during the 2020 Senate election that ultimately sent Republican Sen. Susan Collins back to Washington. Linn didn't garner many votes, but he made an impression during debates, such as when he cut up protective masks in protest of COVID-19 rules. He first came on the political scene in Maine in 2018 when he attempted to run against independent Sen. Angus King, but was disqualified from the Republican primary.

Andy Beshear is planning to deliver an update on the commonwealth's response to this past weekend's deadly tornadoes on Monday afternoon. During a Monday morning briefing in Frankfort, Beshear said the confirmed death toll was up to 64, but expected to continue to rise. He said at least 105 Kentuckians unaccounted for and that over 1,000 properties were destroyed by the storms. The National Weather Service survey of tornado damage is ongoing, but preliminary reviews suggest that the main tornado may have been an EF3 with winds as strong as 206 mph. Live updates:Beshear confirms Kentucky tornado death toll at 64, with 100+ unaccounted forHow to help:Donate to relief funds, supplies and blood drivesBefore and after:Satellite photos of Mayfield leave city unrecognizable after tornadoBeshear's press conference is scheduled to begin at 4 p.m. EST.

Trump’s been teasing the launch of Truth Social for months. Truth Social has reportedly raised $1 billion from a group of investors. Signing up for Truth Social now will give it [TMTG] more value when it merges with $DWAC. As of now Truth Social has no value because no one knows how it will do. NRSC’s page to reserve a username on Truth Social pre-selects monthly recurring donations.

A retired BBC director caught with more than 800 child abuse images told police he was a “prolific watcher” of adult pornography but had no idea how illegal material had found its way onto his electronic devices, a court has heard. Victor Melleney, 76, who has worked on Panorama and Question Time, is accused of downloading and possessing indecent images of children between 2011 and 2018. Paul Douglass, prosecuting, told the jury that 832 child abuse images - many of which were Category A, the most serious type - were found on Mr Melleney’s computers and hard drives. His wife opened the door at Sheffield Terrace and Mr Melleney was asked to join them, which he did wearing a light-coloured dressing gown. Mr Melleney denies making indecent images of children, possessing prohibited images of children, possessing an extreme video of intercourse with an animal and possessing a prohibited pornographic imageThe trial continues.

Durham University students are plotting to make mass requests for college transfers as they step up their campaign to have a principal ousted. Students are discussing further protests against Prof Tim Luckhurst as well as boycotts next term if they are not satisfied with the outcome of the university’s investigation. Prof Luckhurst came under fire for calling students “pathetic” after they walked out when Liddle rose to speak. He reportedly shouted: “At South College, we value freedom of speech” as several students left the dining hall and is “stepping back” from some duties while the university investigates. Niall Hignett, a first-year law student at South College who was involved in organising a demonstration against Prof Luckhurst last week, said: “We’re not giving up.

A woman in Michigan is facing nine years in prison for attempting to hire an assassin to kill her ex-husband after filling in an application form on a joke website called rentahitman.com. Wendy Wein contacted the site’s administrator outlining her request, and insisted she wanted to be connected to a “field operative” in follow up emails. But instead of linking up with a hitman, her details were handed over to police, who set up an undercover sting near Detroit. Officers posing as assassins were offered $5,000 and handed a $200 down payment for travel expenses because her ex-husband lived in another state. Bob Innes, who set up the website in 2005 said: "I thought nobody can be that stupid, and boy have I been proven wrong.”

Watch live as the White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki holds a briefing. It comes hours after it was announced Joe Biden will meet Centrist Senator Joe Manchin over the next couple of days, as Democrats race to pass the president’s Build Back Better Act before the end of the year. If Democrats fail to pass the bill before the end of the year, the extension of the expanded child tax credits, which have become a life-saving benefit for many American families, will be jeopardized. Sign up to our newsletters.

Alex Murdaugh, the former lawyer embroiled in a swirl of criminal investigations, has spoken up for himself in an emotional bond hearing appearance. “I understand there may be concern I may be a danger to myself,” Mr Murdaugh said, according to The Daily Beast. In an eight-minute speech, Mr Murdaugh said he accepted responsibility for his actions. Meanwhile, police are taking a second look at Mr Murdaugh’s housekeeper, who died under disputed circumstances in 2018. In October, Mr Murdaugh was arrested in Florida and charged with “obtaining property by false pretenses” in the case.

A two-month-old girl has become one of the youngest victims of the tornado in Kentucky and five surrounding states after she died from her injuries sustained during the storm. Oaklynn Koon died on Monday, according to her parents Douglas and Jackie. My dad,” Douglas Koon wrote on Facebook. Not long before her death, the family wrote: “It’s not looking good guys at all. She doesn’t have activity.”“I’m in shock, my heart feels absolutely shattered,” one of the parents wrote on their shared account.

Anne Sacoolas is due to face criminal proceedings in the UK after being charged with causing Harry Dunn's death by dangerous driving. The case will be heard at Westminster Magistrates' Court on January 18, the Crown Prosecution Service said. Image: Anne Sacoolas is due to face criminal proceedings in the UKIt is understood she will appear via video link from the US, according to PA news agency. A Crown Prosecution Service spokesman said: "While the challenges and complexity of this case are well known, we remain committed to securing justice in this matter. "The case will be heard at Westminster Magistrates' Court on 18 January."

Sajid Javid tonight warned that booster jabs will soon be required to be counted as 'fully vaccinated'. The Health Secretary told the Commons that the government intends to change the definition as soon as all adults have had a 'reasonable change' to get a booster. Mr Javid ran the gauntlet of Tory anger at the new 'Plan B' restrictions to tackle the Omicron variant in the Commons this evening. Mr Javid said that those who are double-jabbed will be exempt - but added: 'Once all adults have had a reasonable chance to get their booster jabs we intend to change this exemption to require a booster dose.' Mr Johnson begged Tories to back his 'Plan B' Covid curbs today amid fears more than 70 will rebel in a crunch vote tomorrow.

Denmark's former immigration minister has been jailed for ordering asylum seeking couples to be separated if one was a minor in a bid to stamp out child marriage. She was accused of misleading parliamentary committees four times while informing them about the separation policy she adopted as minister. Ms Stoejberg served as minister for immigration, integration and housing from 2015 to 2019 as part of Denmark's previous centre-right government. Pictured: Failed asylum seekers wait in rural Danish departure centre in 2019 (file photo)Considered an immigration hardliner, Ms Stoejberg spearheaded the tightening of asylum and immigration rules. The court consists of 15 supreme court judges and 15 members appointed by parliament.

Mark Meadows' attorney in a Monday letter urged the Jan. 6 committee not to pursue criminal charges against the former White House chief of staff, as he argued doing so would be 'contrary to law.' 'Such a referral would be contrary to law, manifestly unjust, unwise and unfair,' attorney George Terwilliger wrote. In a 51-page report released Sunday, the committee described a series of messages sent by Meadows to various people. In the document released Sunday, the committee outlined the questions it would have asked Meadows had he cooperated. Meadows has continued to defend Trump, including in his new book, The Chief's Chief, released last week.

Advertisement Story continues below This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Try refreshing your browser, or Putin laments end of 'historical Russia,' decrying hardships that resulted after fall of U.S.S.R. Back to video “It was a disintegration of historical Russia under the name of the Soviet Union,” Putin said of the 1991 breakup, in comments aired on Sunday as part of a documentary film called “Russia. Advertisement Story continues below This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Advertisement Story continues below This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Share this article in your social networkAdvertisement Story continues below This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.

The 2020 election wasn’t the first election Mark Meadows tried to overturn, multiple sources have told The Independent. The sources, all of whom spoke to The Independent on condition of anonymity for fear of retaliation from Mr Meadows, Mr Trump or their allies, are veterans of North Carolina politics who have been allies with Mr Meadows in the past. According to one veteran North Carolina operative, Mr Meadows had initially pledged to remain neutral while Mr Trump, Mr Cruz, and the 15 other major candidates battled it out during the lengthy 2016 primary process. A spokesperson for Mr Trump did not immediately respond to a request for comment from The Independent. Spokespersons for Mr Cruz and the North Carolina Republican Party did not immediately respond to requests for comment from The Independent.

“I appreciate the Administration’s quick work to speed resources to help deal with this crisis,” McConnell said. Thank you @POTUS for your rapid approval of Kentucky’s Major Disaster Declaration. Andy Beshear’s (D) request for a major disaster declaration for the state. Biden approved one, ordering federal aid to supplement recovery efforts in the areas affected by severe storms, winds, flooding and tornadoes, the White House announced late on Sunday. Tornadoes ravaged Kentucky and five other states over the weekend, killing at least 80 people.

(CNN) The Biden administration is taking steps to make government services easier, more accessible and streamlined for Americans across agencies through an executive order President Joe Biden is slated to sign Monday afternoon. The efforts, led by the Office of Management and Budget and impacting agencies across the government, will work to eliminate a variety of hassles for the public. It is coming to fruition at the President's request. "This work really stems from the President's interest, whether it's in legislation or for the work of the federal government, he's always focused on ensuring that programs are working. OMB's Deputy Director for Management, Jason Miller, told reporters the executive order will direct over 30 specific actions by 17 different federal agencies that are expected to be completed in the "near term," starting in the coming months but finished within one year.

The Jan. 6 select committee investigating the Capitol riot released a report and resolution Sunday outlining its recommendation to hold former White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows in contempt of Congress. Why it matters: The report alleges that Meadows sent an email Jan. 5 "to an individual about the events on January 6 and said that the National Guard would be present to 'protect pro Trump people' and that many more would be available on standby." What's next: The select committee is expected vote to recommend charges of contempt of Congress against Meadows this week, before a full House vote takes place, per AP. Representatives for Meadows did not immediately respond to Axios' request for comment about the House panel's report. Read the panel's report in full, via DocumentCloud:Editor's note: This article has been updated to include the report and with further context on the House panel's investigation.

After deadly tornadoes devastated parts of Kentucky, Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) asked President Biden for federal aid. However, the senator has a history of opposing aid for disaster victims.

“Everyone has to choose basically what we can sustain,” Manchin told reporters in a message to fellow Democrats. The CBO said Friday that if the provisions in Democrats' bill were extended, it would add $3 trillion to the deficit. “We're going to talk about exactly what happened on Friday with the CBO score and inflation reports,” Manchin said. He said he wants to hear directly from Biden about “where he's at and what his concerns may be.”It doesn't sound like Biden shares Manchin's concerns at the moment. Manchin believes Democrats should assume those programs will be extended, which would increase the actual cost of the bill over time.

The US citizen Anne Sacoolas is due to face criminal proceedings in the UK charged with causing the death by dangerous driving of the 19-year-old motorcyclist Harry Dunn. Sacoolas and her family were taken out of the UK by US authorities as Northamptonshire police investigated Dunn’s death, with US officials claiming she had diplomatic immunity. At one point Radd Seiger, the chief campaigner for the Dunn family, was told he had a 1% chance of success. The CPS reached the decision to charge Sacoolas with causing Dunn’s death by dangerous driving in December 2019. The Sacoolas family have made various offers of compensation and statements of regret, but they have not satisfied the Dunn family.

Send this page to someone via emailWhite supremacists in Canada’s armed forces pose an “active counter-intelligence threat” and national defence officials are “limited” in their ability to root them out, the country’s national security watchdog says. The National Security and Intelligence Review Agency (NSIRA) reported concerns Monday that the Canadian Armed Forces’ counter-intelligence unit is “limited” in their ability to proactively identify white supremacists in the ranks. White supremacist groups actively seek individuals with prior military training and experience, or conversely, encourage individuals to enlist in order to gain access to specialized training, tactics and equipment,” the report reads. While the “responsibility for addressing this threat cannot fall uniquely” on the Forces’ counter-intelligence unit, NSIRA said, the agency reported concern the unit “may not be fully utilized to proactively identify white supremacist across” the Department of National Defence. But NSIRA’s report casts doubt on the Forces’ ability to actually identify white supremacists within their ranks.

A lawsuit by two palm oil companies to overturn a decision by a district government revoking their permits has been rejected by a court in Indonesia. JAKARTA — A court in Indonesia has rejected a bid by two palm oil companies to have their permits restored after they were scrapped by local authorities for a litany of violations. The three companies also lacked a right-to-cultivate permit, or HGU, the last in a series of licenses that oil palm companies must obtain before being allowed to start planting. The Sorong government also faces two other lawsuits, both filed by PT Inti Kebun Lestari (IKL), the third palm oil company whose permit was revoked. Banner image: A trial session of a lawsuit filed by two palm oil companies against Sorong district head Johny Kamuru in the Jayapura state administrative court in Papua.

(CNN) Anne Sacoolas, the US woman accused of killing a British teenager while driving on the wrong side of the road in England, will face criminal proceedings in the UK early next year, the UK Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) said Monday. The 44-year-old is charged with causing 19-year-old Briton Harry Dunn 's death in August 2019 by dangerous driving. "The case will be heard at Westminster Magistrates' Court on 18 January," the CPS said. "Anne Sacoolas has a right to a fair trial. The court did not comment to CNN on whether video-link would be used.

NEW YORK (AP) — Russia on Monday vetoed a first-of-its-kind U.N. Security Council resolution casting climate change as a threat to international peace and security, sinking a years-long effort to make global warming more central to decision-making in the U.N.’s most powerful body. Prior council resolutions have mentioned destabilizing effects of climate change in specific places, such as various African countries and Iraq. But Monday’s resolution would have been the first devoted to climate-related security danger as an issue of its own. Russia and India’s envoys said that the issue should remain with such U.N. groups as the Framework Convention on Climate Change. Adding climate change to the Security Council’s agenda would only deepen global divisions that were pointed up by last month’s climate talks in Glasgow, Scotland, the opponents said.

U.S. District Judge Dabney Friedrich ruled on Friday that an obstruction charge applies to the Justice Department’s case against Ronald Sandlin and Nathaniel DeGrave. U.S. District Judge Dabney Friedrich ruled on Friday that an obstruction charge applies to the Justice Department’s case against Ronald Sandlin and Nathaniel DeGrave. U.S. District Judge Dabney Friedrich ruled on Friday that an obstruction charge applies to the Justice Department’s case against Ronald Sandlin and Nathaniel DeGrave. Friedrich also concluded that the obstruction charge covers a broader set of acts than what the defense lawyers contended. The obstruction charge is a felony punis