Virginia Gov. Youngkin calls for end to taxes on tips ahead of legislative session
Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin, a Republican, is pushing to eliminate taxes on tips ahead of the commonwealth’s next legislative session. This proposal would return an estimated $70 million annually to the pockets of Virginia workers, Youngkin’s office said Monday in a press release. An end to taxes on tips could help more than 250,000 people in Virginia who work within the food service industry, the personal service industry such as hairstylists, the hospitality industry and others who receive tips through their employment in other industries. “We have delivered over $5 billion in tax relief to date, and we remain committed to lowering the cost of living for hardworking Virginians. It’s their money, not the government’s,” Youngkin said in the release. YOUNGKIN TO DRAFT SANCTUARY CITY BAN, MAKING STATE FUNDING ON ICE COOPERATION “By removing tips from taxable income, it will directly increase the take-home pay of hundreds of thousands of Virginians and give them more buying power, which in turn will improve financial stability, stimulate local economies, and honor the value of their hard work,” he continued. Virginia workers who earn tips would be able to claim a deduction on their state tax return if the income is included in their federal adjusted gross income, the release said. “This is way to keep more money in their pocket as opposed to giving it to a government. We’re already running surpluses and therefore, no taxes on tips is going to become the manta in Virginia,” Youngkin said Monday during an appearance on Fox News’ “America’s Newsroom.” The governor’s proposal echoes President-elect Trump’s call during his campaign to end taxes on tips. Vice President Harris also expressed support for eliminating taxes on tips during her presidential campaign. GLENN YOUNGKIN ‘PERSONALLY INVITES’ NEW TRUMP ADMIN TO SETTLE IN VIRGINIA OVER MARYLAND AND DC The proposal comes ahead of the start of Virginia’s legislative session next month. It would require approval from the commonwealth’s General Assembly, and it is unclear if Democrats, who control both chambers, would support Youngkin’s proposal. Next year, Virginia’s gubernatorial race will be held, where Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears, a Republican, is expected to face off against U.S. Rep. Abigail Spanberger, a Democrat.
Several Delhi schools receive bomb threat again; fifth incident in nine days
According to an official from the Delhi Fire Service (DFS), a call regarding a bomb threat was received from Crescent Public School in Saraswati Vihar, northwest Delhi.
Trump threatens more lawsuits against media as ABC to pay $15 million to settle case
Donald Trump said yesterday at a Mar-a-Lago news conference that he would take a couple of questions. By the time he finished speaking, he had gone on for an hour. Trump made news on a dozen topics, a reminder of the freewheeling approach in which even among journalists who can’t stand him, the incoming president is a newsmaking machine who provides headlines around the clock, setting the terms of debate – in a sharp contrast with the reclusive Joe Biden. Trump also deflected a few questions that he absolutely should not have answered, such as strategy on Ukraine and whether he’d retaliate against Iran. TRUMP LEAVES CHINA GUESSING WHAT HIS NEXT MOVE IS WITH INAUGURATION INVITE I was a bit surprised, though, that he launched an attack on the press, though, since this contradicted his recent remarks about reaching out to even hostile news outlets, as long as they treat him fairly. This took place two days after ABC and George Stephanopoulos apologized to Trump to settle a defamation, agreeing to donate $15 million to a presidential library or foundation, plus another million bucks to cover his legal fees. This averted what could have been an embarrassing and grueling deposition by its star anchor. The network’s problem is that Stephanopoulos had repeatedly said Trump had been found liable for “rape,” repeating the word about 10 times, in the E. Jean Carroll civil suit, when the jury held him liable for “sexual abuse.” While the judge said this would commonly be understood as rape, they are legally different in New York. You don’t agree to 15 million bucks unless you think you don’t have much of a case. While left-leaning pundits are accusing ABC of “caving” to Trump, the network made a different judgment call. Trump ripped the media as “very corrupt” and ticked off more lawsuits he has filed or plans to file. The president-elect said he planned to sue the Des Moines Register for having a poll before the election that turned out to be wrong. He praised pollster Ann Selzer as always having gotten him right until the Iowa caucuses, when she said he’d lose by 4 points and he won the state by 13. RFK JR SET TO FACE ABORTION, VACCINE SCRUTINY IN SITDOWNS WITH SENATORS ON CAPITOL HILL Trump said he was taking legal action against “60 Minutes” for substituting a different, tighter answer to a different question than had been asked—a practice that most journalists, including me, said was a huge blunder by the CBS show. “We have to straighten out the press,” he said. “The press is very corrupt. Almost as corrupt as our elections.” He added: “I’m doing this not because I want to. I’m doing this because I feel I have an obligation to,” Trump said. “In my opinion, it was fraud and it was election interference.” Trump also said he would pursue a suit against Bob Woodward for making public the audiotapes from a book project. Woodward has said he never agreed not to do so. And Trump plans to pursue his action against the Pulitzer Prize board for giving the Washington Post and New York Times awards for what he calls the Russia Russia Russia hoax. While it was certainly overplayed, the board says Trump could not point to any inaccuracies in the articles submitted. And then there was Trump commenting on, well, just about everything else. He said he would consider a pardon for indicted New York Mayor Eric Adams because he’d been treated “very unfairly.” He said he couldn’t understand how people could sympathize with the suspect in the fatal shooting of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson: “It was cold-blooded. Just a cold-blooded, horrible killing, and how people can like this guy is — that’s a sickness, actually.” DANIEL PENNY’S JURY PRAISED FOR EXONERATING HIM IN CHOKEHOLD TRIAL: ‘GOT IT RIGHT’ He heaped praise on Lara Trump but said the decision on whether to name her to a vacant Florida Senate seat was up to DeSantis. However, the Wall Street Journal reports that he has lobbied the governor to choose her. He defended DOD nominee Pete Hegseth, saying all he wants to do is improve the military. He also provided visual backing by bringing Hegseth to the Army-Navy Game, along with JD Vance, Elon Musk (of course), Ron DeSantis, Tulsi Gabbard and Speaker Mike Johnson. Trump said he would keep the polio vaccine but would have discussions with RFK Jr. about other vaccines, including his totally debunked theory that vaccines cause autism. Trump did argue there has been a rise in autism among boys. “I think he’s going to be much less radical than you would think,” he told reporters. Trump demanded that Biden officials explain what is happening with the mystery drones, since they obviously know. That is a whole lot of news. Perhaps we’ve forgotten how Donald J. Trump loves to sound off on everything under the sun. We’re about to get a four-year refresher course.
“Euphoria” in Syria could quickly turn to “frustration”
[unable to retrieve full-text content] Mohamad Elmasry talks about the challenges Syrians face that could easily disrupt the current mood.
Chief of Russian nuclear protection forces killed in Moscow bomb blast
DEVELOPING STORYDEVELOPING STORY, Chief of Russia’s Troops of Radiological, Chemical and Biological Defence killed outside an apartment building. A bomb hidden in an electric scooter has killed a senior general in charge of nuclear protection forces in Moscow, Russia’s investigative committee said. Lieutenant General Igor Kirillov, who was chief of the Troops of Radiological, Chemical and Biological Defence, was killed on Tuesday outside an apartment building on Ryazansky Prospekt. “Igor Kirillov, the head of the radiation, chemical and biological protection forces of the armed forces of the Russian Federation, and his assistant were killed,” the investigative committee said. According to a law enforcement official, the explosive device “had a capacity of some 300 grams in TNT equivalent”, Russian outlet Tass news agency reported. Photographs posted on Russian Telegram channels showed a shattered entrance to a building littered with rubble and two bodies lying in the blood-stained snow. Reuters news agency footage from the scene showed a police cordon. A criminal case has been opened. Rubble and litter can be seen outside the building where the explosion took place [Maxim Shemetov/Reuters] Russia’s radioactive, chemical and biological defence troops are special forces who operate under conditions of radioactive, chemical and biological contamination. Advertisement On Monday, Ukrainian prosecutors charged Kirillov in absentia with the alleged use of banned chemical weapons in Ukraine, the Security Service of Ukraine said, according to the Kyiv Independent. Russia denies those accusations. In October, the United Kingdom sanctioned Kirillov and the nuclear protection forces for using riot control agents and multiple reports of the use of the toxic choking agent chloropicrin on the battlefield. Ukraine’s Security Service, the SBU, said that they had recorded more than 4,800 uses of chemical weapons on the battlefield since February 2022, particularly K-1 combat grenades. During the almost 3-year operation, Russia has made small but steady territorial gains to the nearly one-fifth of Ukraine it already controls. Adblock test (Why?)
“Wheels of justice now turning” for Syrian torture victims
[unable to retrieve full-text content] Roger Lu Phillips talks about what the new Syrian government will have to do to bring justice to Assad regime’s victims.
Law Minister Arjun Meghwal tables ‘One Nation, One Election’ bills in Lok Sabha
Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal moves ‘one nation, one election’ bills for introduction in Lok Sabha.
Tech firms offer ‘pet leaves’, ‘unlimited sick leaves’ to retain Gen Z
Tech companies are offering attractive leave benefits to retain Gen Z. They have aligned their offerings to accommodate the professional and personal goals of these young professionals. These include pet leave, unlimited sick leaves, rotation opportunities, etc.
Who was Tulsi Gowda? Padma Shri awardee environmentalist, ‘Encyclopedia of Forest’, who died at 86
Gowda was known as the ‘Encyclopedia of Forests’ and by her tribe as the ‘tree goddess’ because of her knowledge of the forest.
Shillong Teer Results TODAY December 17, 2024 Live Updates: Check lucky winning numbers
Shillong Teer is a traditional archery-based lottery game that is popular in Meghalaya, particularly in its capital city, Shillong. Known locally as “Thoh Tim,” which translates to “guess the number,” this game combines elements of archery and betting, attracting both locals and tourists. Shillong Teer has its roots in the archery traditions of the Khasi tribe and has been played for centuries. The game was legalized in 1982 under the Meghalaya Amusements and Betting Tax Act, allowing it to be organized officially and contributing to local revenue.