GOP mocks Gavin Newsom’s ‘brag’ over modest increase in homelessness hike
California Republican leaders appeared to mock Gov. Gavin Newsom’s fiery response to a critical analysis of his handling of the Golden State’s homelessness crisis, saying that any increase in homelessness is not admirable. State Senate Minority Leader Brian Jones criticized Newsom, calling the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s year-end Homelessness Assessment Report an indictment of his capabilities. “Gavin Newsom literally lost track of the $27 billion he spent on the homeless crisis,” Jones said, citing the report as listing California first in homelessness, with an increase of 3% to 187,000. CA VOTERS NARROWLY REJECT $18/HR MINIMUM WAGE “Today’s HUD report makes it clear that instead of solving the problem, Newsom’s endless spending ‘solution’ has only made it worse,” said Jones, R-San Diego. The report, however, also cited that Illinois, Wyoming, Hawaii and Colorado were the states where family homelessness doubled or worse. BRIAN W. JONES: SUPER SANCTUARY IMMIGRATION POLICY THREATENS LIVES AND AIDS VIOLENT CRIMINALS A statement from the Republican caucus of the California State Assembly keyed into Newsom’s recent thorough defense against an op-ed in the outlet CalMatters that made similar criticisms. “In case you missed it, Governor Newsom’s office threw a tantrum over a column… that broke down his history of failure on homelessness,” the caucus, led by Assemblyman James Gallagher of Yuba City, collectively wrote. The CalMatters op-ed claimed Newsom’s handling of the homelessness crisis will be a key point of attack for his prospective 2028 Democratic presidential primary challengers if he chooses to seek higher office then. The column cited Newsom as saying “what’s happening on the streets has to be a top priority,” and reported he indicated a willingness to hold local officials accountable as well. “People have to see and feel the progress and the change…” Newsom said, according to the column. Gallagher’s caucus then cited Newsom’s response to the column, which consisted of a series of pointed posts. “Given the sheer population size of California, to talk about homelessness without any of the broader context or how this administration’s efforts compare to the prior is a disservice to Californians, plain and simple,” Newsom’s office’s account wrote on X. ICE DEPORTATIONS CATCH UP TO TRUMP-ERA IN FY 2024 AS BIDEN ADMIN COMES TO A CLOSE “As the Governor has said many times, the work is far from over and urgency and results at the local level are needed more than ever. It’s why new accountability tools have been put in place, for quicker results. It’s also a longer-term effort — through implementation of Prop 1, CARE Court, conservatorship reform, the just approved BH-Connect waiver all of which are aimed at addressing the systemic issues of homelessness but not yet fully online.” Newsom’s office also posted that unsheltered homelessness grew four times faster during the waning years of Gov. Edmund “Jerry” Brown’s administration than under his. “The number of unsheltered homeless increased by 13.83% during the Newsom Administration (2019-2023), compared to an increase of 51.79% in the five-year period prior to the administration (2015-2019),” the post read. California’s 14% homelessness increase also fell below the national increase of 21%, the governor’s office added. Assembly Republicans responded to Newsom’s comments. “Since the governor is committed to gaslighting on this issue, we’ll state the obvious: an increase of 20% is not progress,” their statement read. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP Jones, the Senate minority leader, cited Friday that he co-sponsored bipartisan legislation to change California’s homelessness policies and focus on “compassionate enforcement” of encampment violations. One of his proposals from this past term, which did not make it to Newsom’s desk, focused on existing state law deeming “lodging” in a public or private place without permission to be disorderly conduct. The bill would have delayed any indictment on that count for 72 hours after first notice and imposed a “state-mandated local program” for homeless individuals in those situations. Fox News Digital reached out to Newsom for further response to the criticisms but did not receive a response by press time.
Why Yemen awarded death sentence to Kerala nurse Nimisha Priya
India said it is extending all possible help to explore relevant options in the case of Priya.
Biden moving to ban oil and gas leases for 20 years in Nevada region, just weeks before Trump inauguration
The Biden administration is attempting to implement last-minute restrictions on oil and gas drilling in the west just weeks before President-elect Donald Trump’s inauguration. On Monday, the Department of the Interior announced plans to pursue a 20-year ban on oil and gas leases in 264,000 acres of Nevada’s Ruby Mountains. The administration submitted an application to withdraw the acreage from any potential leasing, which initiated a two-year ban on new mineral leases in the area during the approval process. The proposal now heads into a 90-day public comment period, which will fall under the Trump administration. “The Ruby Mountains are an iconic landscape with exceptional recreation opportunities and valuable fish and wildlife habitat worth preserving for the future,” Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack said in a statement. “Today’s action honors the voices of Tribal communities and conservation and sportsmen’s groups and marks another important step to protect a treasured landscape.” ‘WRONG-HEADED’: ENERGY INDUSTRY LEADERS BLAST BIDEN ADMIN REPORT ON NATURAL GAS EXPORTS The Biden administration’s lease limitation does not put restrictions on mining in the region. SCOTUS HEARS ARGUMENTS IN CASE THAT COULD RESHAPE ENVIRONMENTAL LAW During Trump’s first administration, the Forest Service conducted a study to determine whether 54,000 acres could be leased for oil and gas drilling in the Ruby Mountains. The proposal was eventually rejected in 2019 after the public comment period saw “thousands of comments from the local area, the state of Nevada, and from across the nation” opposing the idea, according to William Dunkelberger, the forest supervisor who signed the decision. Jenna Padilla, the geologist for the Humboldt-Toiyabe Ruby Mountains ranger district at the time, said that geological surveys “show there is low to no potential for oil” in the region, the LA Times reported in 2018. It is unclear whether the Trump administration will consider potential leases in the region, but such actions could face roadblocks following the Biden administration’s new proposal.
Gaza hospitals on ‘brink of total collapse’ from Israel attacks: UN
A UN report says Israel’s claims that Gaza hospitals are being used for military purposes by Palestinian armed groups are “vague” amid continuing Israeli attacks on health facilities protected under international law. The report – released on Tuesday by the UN human rights office – said Israeli strikes targeting hospitals and their surroundings in the Gaza Strip have pushed the territory’s healthcare system “to the brink of total collapse with catastrophic effect on Palestinians’ access to health and medical care”. The 23-page report looked at the period from October 7, 2023, to June 30, 2024. During this time there were at least 136 attacks on 27 hospitals and 12 other medical facilities, inflicting significant casualties among doctors, nurses, medics, and other civilians while causing significant damage to, if not the complete destruction of, civilian infrastructure. A UN delegation visits Kamal Adwan Hospital in Beit Lahiya in September [Hassan Zaanin/Anadolu] ‘A death trap’ The report highlighted that international humanitarian law explicitly protects medical personnel and hospitals as long as they do not engage in or are not used to commit acts harmful to the enemy outside their humanitarian function. “Insufficient information has so far been made publicly available to substantiate these allegations, which have remained vague and broad, and in some cases appear contradicted by publicly available information,” the UN report said. The deliberate destruction of healthcare facilities “may amount to a form of collective punishment, which would also constitute a war crime”, it added. Advertisement “The one sanctuary where Palestinians should have felt safe in fact became a death trap,” UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk said. “The protection of hospitals during warfare is paramount and must be respected by all sides at all times.” Israel has in recent days escalated attacks on the besieged Kamal Adwan Hospital in northern Gaza, detaining its director. The World Health Organization said the Kamal Adwan Hospital’s remaining 15 critical patients, 50 caregivers, and 20 health workers were transferred on Friday to the nearby Indonesian Hospital, which it described as “destroyed and non-functional”. Hamas dismissed Israel’s assertion its members operated from the hospital throughout the 15-month Gaza war, saying no fighters had been there. Former Israeli diplomat Alon Pinkas told Al Jazeera even if his country did provide evidence to back up claims that Hamas used medical facilities for military operations, it would not justify attacking hospitals. “There is a discrepancy between the big headlines … and the failure to come up with the evidence to support this,” he said. While the Israeli military said more than 250 Hamas fighters were arrested at Kamal Adwan Hospital in northern Gaza, Pinkas noted even if that is true, it still “does not justify rendering the hospital inoperative”. Transparent investigation The report called for credible, independent investigations into the health facility attacks, emphasising the “limitations” of Israel’s justice system in addressing the actions of its armed forces. Advertisement “It is essential that there be independent, thorough and transparent investigations of all of these incidents, and full accountability for all violations of international humanitarian and human rights law which have taken place,” said Turk. He also urged that “all medical workers arbitrarily detained must be immediately released”. “It must also be a priority for Israel, as the occupying power, to ensure and facilitate access to adequate healthcare for the Palestinian population,” Turk said. Israel’s war on Gaza has killed more than 45,500 people in the besieged territory, mostly civilians, according to the Health Ministry. Adblock test (Why?)
A Year of Censorship: Social Media Crackdown
We look at how censorship on the internet has increased and ask what freedom of expression means online. With some governments banning apps like TikTok and social media platforms suspending and banning accounts with pro-Palestinian views, it’s been a challenging year for free speech on the internet. We look at what tech companies and institutions around the world have done to censor both content and users expressing their opinions. Adblock test (Why?)
Sde Teiman: Israel’s notorious detention facility
NewsFeed Gaza doctor Hussam Abu Safia from Kamal Adwan Hospital is believed to be detained at Israel’s infamous Sde Teiman military base that doubles as a prison for Palestinians. Here’s why the facility is so controversial. Published On 31 Dec 202431 Dec 2024 Adblock test (Why?)
New Year 2025 bank holiday: Are banks closed on January 1? Check here
Barring some specific exceptions, all Indian banks will have a working day on January 1, 2025, which falls on a Wednesday. As of yet, though, the RBI hasn’t declared the holidays of the new year.
Hochul’s polluters pay bill could result in regressive costs for working families: economists
A New York democratic bill aimed at charging oil and gas companies for pollution could result in regressive costs for working families in the state, energy and economic experts tell Fox News Digital. New York Gov. Kathy Hochul recently signed the Climate Change Superfund Act, a bill that seeks to charge polluters up to $75 billion for pollution dating from 2000 to 2018. The money will reportedly be used to fund projects rebuilding infrastructure damaged by weather over the years. While the bill seeks to fine large corporations, some economists say that such actions will result in higher prices for some New Yorkers. “It’s heartwarming to see Governor Hochul finally acknowledge what energy advocates have long understood: the best way for humanity to thrive is through adaptation to a changing climate. By signing this bill, she’s effectively endorsed that philosophy—though in the most counterproductive way possible,” Jason Isaac, CEO and founder of The American Energy Institute, said in a statement shared with Fox News Digital. BIDEN SETS ECONOMY-WIDE CLIMATE TARGET: REDUCING EMISSIONS 66% IN 2035 FROM 2005 LEVELS “Instead of incentivizing innovation, this legislation piles billions in new costs onto energy producers, punishing the very industry that keeps the light and heat on for New Yorkers,” Isaac continued. “The real tragedy here isn’t just the higher energy costs for working families; it’s watching businesses and residents flee a state that refuses to adapt its own bloated policies to economic reality.” “The result will be higher energy costs for households, families, and small businesses in one of the most expensive states to live in the country,” Trisha Curtis, economist at the American Energy Institute, said. “With no plan to address the broader economic consequences, this law will drive people, businesses, and state revenue out of New York and into other more competitive states.” O.H. Skinner is the executive director of the Alliance for Consumers, a Phoenix-based nonprofit committed to ensuring consumer protection efforts, class action lawsuits, and attorney general enforcement actions are consistent with the rule of law. He is also a member of the Washington, D.C.-based Federalist Society. FIVE WAYS TRUMP COULD DISMANTLE BIDEN’S CLIMATE AGENDA Skinner called the bill “the latest attempt by left-wing politicians in New York to drive reliable energy production out of existence and force everyone to abide by their preferred Progressive Lifestyle Choices.” “This policy will do nothing except raise energy prices for hardworking Americans and decrease our standard of living, while progressive elites pat themselves on the back for punishing disfavored industries,” Skinner told Fox. “Whether it’s charging citizens to drive into their own city, banning new gas appliances, or foisting a massive new tax bound to significantly raise the price of energy, hardly a day goes by that New York government doesn’t implement ESG policies that make their citizens’ lives quantifiably worse,” said Consumers’ Research Executive Director Will Hild. Fox News contributor David Webb said that the bill is “going to cost New Yorkers.” “If you’re an energy company, you’re already guilty. They’re just going to decide over the next decade how they’re going to charge you for your guilt,” Webb told “Fox & Friends First,” calling Hochul a “far left governor” that is “bound to this ideology.” However, proponents praised the legislation for requiring companies to pay for fossil fuel pollution in the state. “By signing the Climate Change Superfund Act, Gov. Hochul is addressing the financial burden placed on New Yorkers by the fossil fuel companies,” said Richard Schrader, Director of New York Government Affairs at Natural Resources Defense Council, a nonprofit environmental organization. “It’s a key example of what putting fiscal fairness and environmental justice front and center looks like.” In total, 38 firms reportedly deemed carbon polluters will be on the hook, such as American oil giants Exxon and Chevron, as well as the UK’s Shell and BP. Vermont remains the only other state to adopt similar pieces of legislation. The bill comes just weeks after Hochul rolled out a plan to offer payments of up to $840 to New York residents who switch out their washing machines for a green alternative.
DC mayor reports ‘great meeting’ with Trump after past public feuds, touts ‘common ground’ on nation’s capital
Washington, D.C., Mayor Muriel Bowser said Monday that she and President-elect Trump “had a great meeting to discuss our shared priorities” for his upcoming term, despite their previously contentious relationship that hit a fever pitch in 2020 during the George Floyd riots. “President Trump and I both want Washington, DC to be the best, most beautiful city in the world and we want the capital city to reflect the strength of our nation,” Bowser said. The Democratic mayor said she and Trump “discussed areas for the collaboration between local and federal government, especially around our federal workforce, underutilized federal buildings, parks and green spaces, and infrastructure.” “I am optimistic that we will continue to find common ground with the President during his second term, and we look forward to supporting a successful inauguration on January 20,” she added. NYPD OPERATING IN ‘HEIGHTENED THREAT ENVIRONMENT’ IN ADVANCE OF NEW YEAR’S EVE CELEBRATION The statement’s tone is a far cry from Bowser’s messaging related to Trump four years ago, when the mayor declared that a portion of the street leading up to the White House that protesters spray-painted to read “Defund the Police” would be officially recognized by the District of Columbia as “Black Lives Matter Plaza.” Bowser and Trump publicly sparred over the use of the federal law enforcement to quell the riots and protests that engulfed the nation’s capital, as well as other American cities. As for Bowser’s reference to the “federal workforce,” congressional staffers and even a member of Congress, have fallen victim to carjackings and other violent crimes over the past year. Just weeks ago, a congressional staffer from Texas was targeted by a group of armed men who held up about a dozen other people during the morning commute in Washington, the Washington Post reported. Trump made it a promise on the campaign trail this year that he would revitalize D.C. and other American cities that he says have deteriorated in recent years under progressive policies that have fueled violent crime and emboldened offenders. “We will rebuild our cities, including our capital in Washington DC, which has become a very dangerous and badly managed place. We’re going to make them safe, clean and beautiful again. We will teach our children to love our country, to honor our history, and to always respect our great American flag,” Trump said at his sold-out rally at Madison Square Garden in New York City. D.C. saw the largest surge in violent crime between 2022 and 2023 compared to any other large city in the country, WUSA reported in June, citing Department of Justice data highlighted by the Major Cities Chiefs Association earlier this year. DC VIOLENT CRIME DIPS 35% IN 2024, REACHES 30-YEAR LOW: US ATTORNEY D.C. police and public safety officials on Monday, however, touted how violent crime in the capital in 2024 is on a record downward trajectory. Since 2023, homicides in Washington have declined by 32%, violent crime has dropped by 35% and overall crime is down 15%, DC Police Chief Pamela Smith and Deputy Mayor for Public Safety Lindsey Appiah announced. The 35% dip in year-over-year crime constitutes a new 30-year low for D.C., U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia Mathew Graves noted earlier this month. Smith on Monday championed better use of technology, crediting how “the mayor approved the increase of CCTV cameras across the city.” The chief also said a sweeping D.C. crime bill enacted earlier this year served as a “morale booster” for officers, who expressed how they feel like they “could police again” with returned or new tools to use on the streets. The bill also made it easier for judges to order pre-trial detention. Appiah, meanwhile, admitted that holding suspects accused of violent crimes ahead of trial – as opposed to releasing them back onto the street to re-offend – has contributed to the about-face. “Those who commit violent crime, particularly with guns, sometimes need to be held pre-trial,” Appiah said, according to WRC-TV.
This is the ‘poorest’ CM of India, ruling state since 2011, holds assets worth just Rs…
As per the report, Andhra Pradesh’s N Chandrababu Naidu is the richest chief minister with assets worth over Rs 931 crore, followed by Arunachal Pradesh’s Pema Khandu at over Rs 332 crore, while Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah is ranked third with assets worth more than Rs 51 crore.