Texas Weekly Online

Texas-trans-white
Menu
Menu

Author:

Hamas studying Gaza truce plan as Israeli hardliners threaten PM

Hamas studying Gaza truce plan as Israeli hardliners threaten PM

Hamas has confirmed that it is studying a proposal for a truce in Gaza, while hardline members of the Israeli government have threatened to collapse the coalition if any deal is not to their liking. The Palestinian group’s political leader Ismail Haniyeh confirmed on Tuesday that he is studying the proposal, thrashed out in Paris over the weekend, to halt the war and enable the exchange of Israeli and Palestinian prisoners. Haniyeh said in a statement that the group is “open to discussing any serious and practical initiatives or ideas, provided that they lead to a comprehensive cessation of aggression”. Hamas also said that the plan must ensure the “complete withdrawal of the occupation forces from the Gaza Strip”. The group’s leadership, he said, had received an invitation to Cairo to reach an “integrated vision” on the framework agreement. He also expressed appreciation for the role played by Qatar and Egypt in mediating the deal. Qatar’s prime minister, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani, said on Monday that “good progress” was made on a possible deal during meetings between intelligence officials from Egypt, Israel and the United States over the weekend. The sides discussed a proposal that would include a phased truce. The release of women and children would follow, with humanitarian aid entering the besieged Gaza Strip. The Qatari prime minister noted that Hamas has previously demanded a permanent ceasefire as a precondition to enter negotiations. However, he suggested that there is hope its stance may have shifted. “I believe we moved from that place to a place that potentially might lead to a ceasefire permanently in the future,” he said. Escalation The proposals were circulated to Hamas as fighting intensified in Gaza. Heavy Israeli strikes and urban combat across the besieged enclave killed 128 more people overnight, according to the Ministry of Health in Gaza. An Israeli ‘hit squad’ also killed three men that it labelled as “terrorists” in an undercover operation at a hospital in the occupied West Bank. “The world must put pressure on the occupation to stop these massacres and war crimes, including the policy of torture to which our people are exposed in the areas of the West Bank, executions and arrests,” said Haniyeh. Amidst the uptick in fighting, Israel has charged that around a dozen staff of the United Nations agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA) took part in the October 7 attack, leading key donor countries including the United States and Germany to suspend funding. Haniyeh said that the decision of countries to suspend contributions was a “clear violation” of last week’s International Court of Justice interim ruling, which called for increasing humanitarian aid to Gaza. Countries cutting aid support Israel’s “occupation through starvation and siege”, the Hamas chief asserted. ‘Government split’ The truce proposal has stirred division in the Israeli government. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is under significant pressure from the families of the remaining captives held by Hamas to reach a deal to secure their release. Hamas killed around 1,200 people in Israel and took about 240 captives on October 7. However, he is also being pushed to continue the war by hardline coalition partners and has pledged that the assault on Gaza will continue until Hamas is destroyed. Commenting on the reported truce deal on Tuesday, far-right Israeli Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir appeared to suggest that a deal with Hamas would trigger a government collapse. “Reckless deal = Government split,” Ben-Gvir wrote on X. עסקה מופקרת = פירוק הממשלה — איתמר בן גביר (@itamarbengvir) January 30, 2024 The national security minister is known for his inflammatory commentary on the conflict. However, his Jewish Power (Otzma Yehudit) party is a major player in Israel’s ruling coalition. Adblock test (Why?)

Global corruption fight faltering as rule of law declines: Watchdog

Global corruption fight faltering as rule of law declines: Watchdog

Global efforts to fight corruption are faltering as the rule of law retreats, Transparency International (TI) said in its latest report. The watchdog reported on Tuesday, as it published the 2023 edition of its Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI), that 23 countries have fallen to their lowest-ever level in the global ranking index. “There has been a global decline in justice and the rule of law since 2016,” TI, which has issued the CPI annually for almost three decades, said. “Weakening justice systems that reduce the accountability of public officials is a key factor in allowing corruption to thrive globally.” “Corruption will continue to thrive until justice systems can punish wrongdoing and keep governments in check,” added the NGO’s Chair Francois Valerian in a statement. “Leaders should fully invest in and guarantee the independence of institutions that uphold the law and tackle corruption.” The organisation’s CEO Daniel Eriksson said corruption worsens social injustice and disproportionately affects the most vulnerable in society. “In many countries, obstacles to justice for victims of corruption persist,” he said. “It is time to break the barriers and ensure people can access justice effectively.” TI assesses the perception of corruption using 13 data sources, including the World Bank, the World Economic Forum and private risk and consulting firms. It assigns rankings on a scale from 0 (“highly corrupt”) to 100 (“very clean”) for 180 countries and territories. Notably, high-scoring democracies like Iceland, the Netherlands and Sweden experienced a decline in the 2023 index. Countries perceived as more authoritarian, such as Iran, Russia and Venezuela, also saw their scores drop. 🔵 OUT NOW! We analysed 180 countries to see how they scored in the fight against corruption. Check out your country’s score! #CPI2023 https://t.co/0ZNQZqjgrL — Transparency International (@anticorruption) January 30, 2024 Denmark led the index for the sixth consecutive year, with a score of 90. It was followed by Finland with 87 and New Zealand with 85. Norway, Singapore, Sweden, Switzerland, the Netherlands, Germany and Luxembourg rounded out the top 10. The United States’ rank was unchanged, scoring 69 points to remain in 24th place. At the other end of the scale, Somalia came in bottom with a score of 11 points. It was followed by South Sudan, Syria and Venezuela with 13 each. Yemen scored 16; Equatorial Guinea, Haiti, North Korea and Nicaragua were marked at 17. The global average for 2023 was unchanged at 43 for the 12th consecutive year. More than two-thirds of countries scored below 50. Only eight countries improved their ranking, including Ireland, South Korea, Maldives and Vietnam. In the Asia Pacific region, TI said there was “little to no meaningful progress” toward fighting corruption. It also expressed concerns about “opacity and undue influence” in justice systems in Latin America and the Caribbean. Arab countries’ average score on the index hit an all-time low of 34, while sub-Saharan Africa remained stagnant at 33. Even in Western Europe and the European Union, the best-performing region, TI found that “weak accountability and political corruption are diminishing public trust and enabling narrow interest groups to exert excessive control over political decision-making”. Ukraine, with a score of 36, continued an 11-year improvement despite Russia’s invasion, by focusing on reforms of the judicial system, which are an element of its bid to join the EU. However, the report said that “the existence of a significant number of high-level corruption cases remains a major concern”. Russia’s score dropped to 26. Transparency International said that the government’s “pervasive control of public institutions facilitates the widespread abuse of power without accountability” while judicial independence is eroding. Adblock test (Why?)

Could Trump lose his business empire in New York fraud case?

Could Trump lose his business empire in New York fraud case?

Former US President Donald Trump could be banned from the real estate business in New York, a potentially devastating blow to his real estate empire that catapulted him to fame long before winning the White House. Trump is accused of securing loans with false financial statements for several years. After a heated trial that lasted more than three months, a Manhattan court is set to announce its ruling this week. The New York fraud case is only one of several trials heating up against Trump even as he inched closer to securing the Republican presidential nomination following his decisive victory in the Iowa caucus and New Hampshire primary earlier this month. Here’s what we know about this civil case and how it might affect Trump’s presidential campaign: What’s the case about? New York Attorney General Letitia James brought the civil lawsuit against the former president, The Trump Organization, and top officials at the business on September 21, 2023 – although an inquiry into the former president’s business dealings had been ongoing for about three years prior. In the filing, James accused Trump and officials at The Trump Organization – including his children, Ivanka, Eric and Donald Jr – of “knowingly and intentionally” creating over 200 overly-inflated financial evaluations between 2011 and 2021 that helped the company secure favourable loans from banks and insurance companies to the tune of $250m. Those actions violated the antifraud New York Executive Law, James wrote in her suit, seeking a $250m penalty against Trump. Senior Trump Organization executives Allen Weisselberg and Jeffrey Mcconney were also named as defendants, alongside companies and entities belonging to Trump such as 40 Wall Street, a skyscraper in Manhattan’s financial district. Trump’s sons Donald Trump Jr and Eric Trump are co-defendants in the case. What did the judge say about Trump? In a summary judgment on September 27, 2023, that essentially resolved the key claims in the suit, presiding Judge Arthur Engoron of the Manhattan Supreme Court ruled that Trump had committed years of fraud by massively inflating his real estate worth to lenders. His Mar-a-Lago estate, for example, was found to be inflated to about 2,300 percent of its actual price in one statement. Judge Engoron dissolved some companies belonging to the former president and also ordered to revoke the business licence of The Trump Organization, and appointed an independent monitor to oversee the company. Trump has denied wrongdoing and appealed the initial ruling. An appeal court in October temporarily halted the business dissolution part of the ruling. Trump’s lawyers argued some 1,000 employees could be affected. James’s team said it was willing to pause enforcement pending a final decision. In the charged follow-up trial to decide other claims in the attorney general’s lawsuit, Trump’s lawyers asked for the suit to be thrown out, arguing that it was politically motivated; that his accountants carried the blame for false financial statements; and that no particular individuals or entities had been hurt by said statements. Could this affect Trump’s political campaign? Trump’s presidential campaign has played on the civil suit – and the myriad of legal challenges that the Republican frontrunner faces, ahead of the presidential elections in November. The former president has appeared at court cases he is not legally required to attend, making impassioned speeches to rally his supporters behind opponents trying to block his re-election, targeting not just him but his supporters too. He has also used those court appearances to lash out at state officials. Trump accused James, the New York attorney general, of targeting him for political reasons, calling her a “political hack” who won her post because she promised to go after him. Despite the judge’s refusal, Trump spoke in court at the closing of the fraud trials on January 11, saying that the case was a “fraud on me”. “We have a situation where I’m an innocent man, I’ve been persecuted by someone running for office,” Trump said, referring to James, a Democrat who attempted to run for New York governor in the 2022 elections but later dropped out. “They want to make sure that I don’t win again,” he added. Throughout the three-month trial, Trump spoke insultingly of the judge to his supporters, saying Engoron was a biased “Trump hater.” He also attacked Allison Greenfield, Engoron’s law clerk, on his social media platform Truth Social, saying she was “politically biased and out of control”. Judge Engoron slapped a gag order on the former president and later fined him $15,000 for breaching it. Could Trump face criminal penalties? Civil cases like this usually result in monetary penalties and bans called injunctions, as opposed to criminal cases that often end up in jail time. James, in her suit against Trump, had recommended punishment: for the former president and his children to be stripped of their leadership roles at The Trump Organization, and for Trump and the business to be barred from any real estate buys in New York for the next five years. Additionally, the attorney general recommended that Trump and The Trump Organization be forbidden from accessing any loans for five years and that independent monitors and trustees be appointed for The Trump Organization. As Judge Engoron’s final ruling looms, it will likely complement his previous decisions that some of Trump’s companies have their licences revoked, some be dissolved and others be monitored independently. Adblock test (Why?)

Witness of war: Through Motaz’s lens

Witness of war: Through Motaz’s lens

Motaz Azaiza, photojournalist from Gaza, joins us for a personal conversation about his experiences during the war. For 107 days, the world saw the horrors of Israel’s war on Gaza unfold through the lens of photojournalist Motaz Azaiza. Millions followed his work on social media platforms and many of his followers saluted him as a hero. But where to go from here? How does one heal if their home and people remain under attack? Presenter: Anelise Borges Guest: Motaz Azaiza – photojournalist Adblock test (Why?)

North Carolina Gov. Cooper signs executive order to support freed prisoners through education, assistance

North Carolina Gov. Cooper signs executive order to support freed prisoners through education, assistance

North Carolina has joined a nascent nationwide effort to improve outcomes for more prisoners who return to society through an approach focused on education, health care and housing. Gov. Roy Cooper, a Democrat, signed an executive order Monday that seeks to reduce recidivism through formal training and workforce tools for incarcerated people so more can succeed once they are freed. More than 18,000 people are released annually from the dozens of North Carolina adult correctional facilities, the order says, facing obstacles to a fresh start from their criminal record. NORTH CAROLINA GOV. ROY COOPER REDUCES CONVICTED MURDERER’S SENTENCE, PARDONS 4 EX-OFFENDERS “Every person deserves the opportunity to live a life of joy, success and love even when we make mistakes,” Cooper said at an Executive Mansion ceremony. “Every single one of us can be redeemed.” The order aligns with the goals of Reentry 2030, which is being developed by the Council of State Governments and other groups to promote successful offender integration. The council said that North Carolina is the third state to officially join Reentry 2030, after Missouri and Alabama. North Carolina has set challenging numerical goals while joining Reentry 2030, such as increasing the number of high school and post-secondary degrees or skills credentials earned by incarcerated people by 75% by 2030. And the number of employers formally willing to employ ex-offenders would increase by 30%. “This is the perfect time for this order, as employers really need workers for the record numbers of jobs that are now being created in our state,” the governor said. “Our state’s correctional facilities are a hidden source of talent.” The executive order also directs a “whole-of-government” approach, in which Cabinet departments and other state agencies collaborate toward meeting these goals. For example, the state Transportation Department is directed to help provide the Department of Adult Correction information so that incarcerated people can learn how to get driver’s licenses and identification upon their release. Cooper’s order also tells the Department of Health and Human Services to create ways to prescreen prisoners for federal and state health and welfare benefits before they are freed, and look into whether some Medicaid services can be offered before their release. The order “charts a new path for us to collaborate with all state agencies to address the needs of justice-involved people in every space,” Adult Correction Secretary Todd Ishee said in a news release. The governor said there is already funding in place to cover many of the efforts, including new access to Pell Grants for prisoners to pursue post-secondary education designed for them to land jobs once released. But he said he anticipated going to the Republican-controlled General Assembly for assistance to accelerate the initiatives. Republican legislators have in the past supported other prisoner reentry efforts, particularly creating mechanisms for ex-offenders to remove nonviolent convictions from their records. NORTH CAROLINA GOVERNOR ROY COOPER PARDONS MAN WHO HAD MURDER CONVICTIONS VACATED Cooper and other ceremony speakers touched on the spiritual aspects of prisoner reentry. NASCAR team owner and former Super Bowl champion coach Joe Gibbs talked about a program within the “Game Plan for Life” nonprofit he started that helps long-term prisoners get a four-year bachelor’s degree in pastoral ministry so they can counsel fellow inmates. And Greg Singleton, a continuing-education dean at Central Carolina Community College in Sanford, is himself an ex-offender, having served four years in prison in the 1990s. The college has educational opportunities inside the state prison and county jail in Sanford. Plans are ahead to expand such assistance to jails in adjoining counties. “What if God didn’t give second chances — where would any of us be?” Singleton asked. “Oh, but thank God he did, thank God he did.”

DOJ says Merrick Garland to transfer power during upcoming back surgery after Biden Defense Dept controversy

DOJ says Merrick Garland to transfer power during upcoming back surgery after Biden Defense Dept controversy

The Justice Department announced Monday that Attorney General Merrick Garland will undergo back surgery over the weekend and transfer power to a deputy attorney general during the procedure.  “On Saturday, February 3, 2024, the Attorney General will undergo a minimally invasive back procedure called an interlaminar decompression at L4-L5 to address stenosis,” DOJ spokeswoman Xochitl Hinojosa said in a statement obtained by Fox News.  “The procedure requires general anesthesia and will last about 90 minutes,” the statement continued. “The Attorney General is likely to go home the same day. The delegation of his duties will go to the Deputy Attorney General shortly before the procedure, during the procedure, and for a brief period following the procedure to allow for recovery from general anesthesia. The Attorney General will return to work the week of February 5th.” Garland, 71, will delegate his duties to Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco shortly before, during and for a short time after the procedure as he recovers from the anesthesia, the Associated Press and Washington Post reported.  PENTAGON SLAMMED FOR CALLING LLOYD AUSTIN’S SURGERY TO REMOVE CANCER ‘ELECTIVE’: ‘ARGUING SEMANTICS’ Top government officials usually notify the public when they are undergoing medical treatment that will leave them temporarily incapacitated, but that was not the case earlier this month when Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin was hospitalized for several days at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center before the Pentagon confirmed it publicly.  PELOSI SAYS LLOYD AUSTIN HOSPITALIZATION ‘COULD HAVE BEEN HANDLED MUCH BETTER’: BIDEN ‘SHOULD HAVE KNOWN’ Austin underwent a surgical procedure for prostate cancer on Dec. 22 and was released, but was then admitted to intensive care days later after experiencing extreme pain. He stayed there for two weeks but did not inform the White House or his deputy that he had cancer, had surgery or returned to the hospital until days later. Austin’s lack of disclosure prompted two ongoing reviews as well as changes in federal guidelines to ensure the White House will be informed any time a Cabinet head cannot carry out their job. The Justice Department notified the White House of the plans to delegate his duties under the new guidelines, White House spokeswoman Olivia Dalton confirmed.  When Garland went in for a routine medical procedure in 2022, his office also informed the public a week in advance and outlined how long he was expected to be out and when he would return to work. The Associated Press contributed to this report.