Georgia DA Fani Willis promised not to date coworkers in 2020
Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis promised voters in 2020 not to date any of her subordinates, according to newly unearthed footage. The footage, first reported by the Washington Free Beacon, shows Willis saying it would be “inappropriate” for her to have a relationship with one of her staffers. Willis is now being accused of an improper relationship with one of her prosecutors, whom she is also accused of overpaying. “I will certainly not be choosing to date people that work under me,” Willis said on the “The Patricia Crayton Show” in April 2020. “We are at a place in society where things happen in people’s relationships – husbands and wives sometimes, there are outside relationships. I don’t think that that’s what the community is concerned about. Although there might be a moral breaking in that,” she continued. GEORGIA DA FANI WILLIS SHOULD RESIGN FROM TRUMP CASE OVER ‘IMPROPER’ RELATIONSHIP ACCUSATION: EX-U.S. ATTORNEY “I think that what citizens are really, really concerned about is if you chose to have inappropriate contact with employees,” she continued. “There’s nothing I can say on it other than that it is distracting, it is certainly inappropriate for the No. 1 law officer in this state, and it really, really saddens me.” Willis is now being accused of having an improper romantic relationship with special prosecutor Nathan Wade, whom she appointed to prosecute the election interference case against former President Donald Trump. GEORGIA DA FANI WILLIS CLAIMS ‘IMPROPER’ RELATIONSHIP ACCUSATIONS ARE BASED ON RACE She is accused of overpaying the prosecutor and benefiting from the relationship in the form of lavish vacations she went on with Wade, paid for by his salary. Superior Court Judge Scott McAfee scheduled a hearing on the accusations for Feb. 15. TOP TRUMP PROSECUTOR, GEORGIA DA ALLEGED TO BE IN ‘IMPROPER’ ROMANTIC RELATIONSHIP: COURT FILING Willis has not confirmed or denied the claim, but she suggested she and Wade are being scrutinized because they are Black. Willis spoke about the matter for the first time on Sunday at the Big Bethel AME Church in Atlanta. “They only attacked one,” she said. “First thing they say, ‘Oh, she’s gonna play the race card now.’ “But no God, isn’t it them that’s playing the race card when they only question one,” Willis asked. Wade remains the lead prosecutor on Trump’s election interference case in Georgia.
Ram Mandir consecration ‘prasad’ becomes new bait for online fraud, details inside
Beware of the new cyber fraud in the name of Ram Mandir’s consecration ‘prasad’. Know details here.
Former Rajya Sabha MP Dr Subhash Chandra tours Ram Temple in Ayodhya; to attend Pran Pratishta ceremony tomorrow
Dr Chandra was accompanied by Ram Temple construction committee chairman Mr Nripendra Mishra.
Lawyer in Trump defamation case won’t introduce ‘Access Hollywood’ tape ahead of possible testimony
The infamous “Access Hollywood” tape will not be presented to New York jurors tasked with considering a defamation case against former President Donald Trump leveled by writer E. Jean Carroll. Carroll’s attorney, Roberta Kaplan, revealed that the jury would be presented with neither the tape nor two other women who accused Trump of abuse. The revelation means Trump’s testimony in the case is likely to arrive sooner than expected, possibly Monday, one day before the Republican primary in New Hampshire. Kaplan argued that she wants the trial to remain “focused” on Carroll’s accusations, not Trump’s other alleged sex crimes. The new trial comes after a federal jury in New York City decided last year that Trump was not liable for rape but was liable for sexual abuse and defamation. The former president has been ordered to pay Carroll $5 million. TRUMP CANNOT ASSERT PRESIDENTIAL IMMUNITY IN E JEAN CARROLL DEFAMATION LAWSUIT, APPEALS COURT RULES Carroll, 80, alleged that Trump raped her at the Bergdorf Goodman department store across the street from Trump Tower in Manhattan sometime in 1996. According to Carroll, the two had a chance run-in at the store, where Trump was shopping for a gift for “a girl.” She said he asked for her advice, and the two shopped together before he pushed her into a dressing room and assaulted her. MELANIA TRUMP ANNOUNCES PASSING OF ‘BELOVED’ MOTHER: ‘WE WILL MISS HER BEYOND MEASURE’ Trump denied the claim repeatedly, leading Carroll to sue him for defamation, arguing that his denial had harmed her reputation. Carroll plans to testify about the damage to her career and reputation that resulted from Trump’s public statements. She seeks $10 million in compensatory damages and millions more in punitive damages. MELANIA TRUMP SPENDS CHRISTMAS WITH AILING MOTHER, MISSING MAR-A-LAGO CELEBRATION Trump announced his own plans to testify in a post on social media last week. “I should be in New Hampshire, campaigning and fighting for our Country, and I will be later today, but for now I had to spend time in a Federal Courthouse with a Trump Hating, Radical Left Judge, on a case that is another politically biased WITCH HUNT — ONE DAY AFTER IOWA, AND JUST AHEAD OF THE IMPORTANT NEW HAMPSHIRE PRIMARY,” Trump wrote. “THIS HOAX, WHICH THE ‘BULLY’ JUDGE CHOSE TO HAVE AS TWO TRIALS INSTEAD OF MERGING INTO ONE, IS A DISGRACE, AND EVERYONE KNOWS IT. His former Law Clerk(?) is on the other side.” Carroll’s is one of many legal hurdles facing Trump ahead of the 2024 election. He also faces four indictments on charges stemming from Florida, New York City, Georgia and Washington, D.C. Fox News’ Brooke Singman and The Associated Press contributed to this report
Meet man who is the highest donor for Ram Temple construction in Ayodhya
The Ram Temple project has garnered donations of over Rs 5,500 crore so far.
Palestinian industries falter as Israel bombs Gaza, locks down West Bank
Bethlehem, occupied West Bank – As the occupied West Bank roils with near-daily Israeli raids, settler attacks and killings of Palestinians, an overlooked impact of the violence is starting to take its toll. The past few months, Muhanad Nairoukh, manager of one of the three biggest aluminium factories in the occupied West Bank, tells Al Jazeera, have been the worst for production and profits in a long time. Life in the occupied West Bank is becoming more dangerous and complicated for the people living there, and alongside that, industry has crawled to a near halt as a result of Israeli actions, making it impossible to have “business as usual”. Losses across Palestinian industry Nairoukh manages more than 30 employees who keep the company his father founded in 1993 running. He has found himself having to cut costs recently as the company operates at 40 percent capacity, and production has been reduced by 60 percent. The Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics (PCBS) estimated at the end of December that the overall economic losses in Palestine, since the beginning of the Israeli aggression on Gaza, reached around $1.5bn during the initial months of the war, equivalent to approximately $25m per day, excluding direct losses in properties and assets. Head of Purchasing Mohamed Nairoukh is worried about what the liquidity crunch will mean for the company [Ahmed Jibran/Al Jazeera] The Israeli checkpoints, which at best hold up shipments and at worse refuse to let them through, have increased the cost of internal transportation and shipping between Palestinian cities and overseas. Conversely, importing raw materials has become a logistical nightmare, significantly inflating production costs at a time when demand is plummeting due to the war. Nairoukh added that the checkpoints also affect the ability of workers to get to work on time, with truck drivers having to reroute their shipments, which exposes them to danger in addition to the time it wastes. Importing raw materials, as Nairoukh does from countries including China, Italy, Spain and Turkey, has been complicated by the closure of ports at the beginning of the war, leading to delays that resulted in inflated costs. A shipment from China, he said, used to cost $1,650 before the war but skyrocketed to $7,600 afterwards, a 360 percent increase – the kind of rise in costs that he is not sure he will be able to absorb for much longer, especially as delays mean cancelled orders and contracts. Samir Hazboun, secretary-general of the Federation of Palestinian Chambers of Commerce, Industry and Agriculture, told Al Jazeera that both extractive and transformative industries in Palestine are in trouble. [embedded content] He added that other factors, such as the fluctuating exchange rates for industries that import raw materials, also play a big role. No sales, no profits, bouncing cheques Nairoukh and other business owners who service the construction sector, as he does, have found their sales plummeting as construction has come to a near-standstill. As fewer and fewer public and private sector employees receive their salaries and Palestinians who used to work in Israel are barred from crossing the checkpoints, there is less money for even individuals to complete construction projects. While October to May is usually the construction high season, this year it was a season of significant loss instead. Collecting money owed on older orders is also becoming more complicated as cheques bounce because the people who wrote them a few months ago now have empty bank accounts. In just one day, Nairoukh reveals, he had about 67,000 shekels ($18,000) worth of cheques bounce. He is not likely to try to go after these individuals either, he says, as it is not possible to expect them to pay off such amounts when the situation is so dire for all Palestinians. But losing out on this potential income burdens his company financially even more. Muhanad Nairoukh speaks to a worker on the factory floor [Ahmed Jibran/Al Jazeera] Hazboun predicts that, if these conditions continue, there will be numerous economic collapses. For example, he says, only 30 to 35 of Bethlehem’s 130 stone and raw material factories are operational. Worrying about the employees Nairoukh has felt this pinch in all aspects of his life as the father of two has had to postpone maintenance and renovation projects for the family home and may find himself reducing household expenses if the war persists. He has kept his employees on and continued paying them, but he acknowledges that this may not be possible for much longer if the war persists, at which point layoffs may be necessary. His employees also worry about their livelihoods. They consider themselves lucky to still have jobs but know full well that the situation is very precarious. Rakan Ibrahim Abu Al-Hur, who lives near Bethlehem, considers himself lucky to still have his job cutting and processing aluminium rolls. Responsible for supporting his parents and five siblings, he really hopes the situation improves soon. He tells Al Jazeera how difficult it is now to commute back and forth from his village of ash-Shawawra to Bethlehem for work. The checkpoint at the city’s entrance is frequently closed or the inspection lines are long and slow, delaying everyone who is trying to get through. “I hope this all ends soon because if the war doesn’t stop, everything will collapse and I’ll lose my job,” Rakan says sadly. The raw material inputs the factory needs are harder and harder to come by [Ahmed Jibran/Al Jazeera] Adblock test (Why?)
Training the brain in hyper-competitive South Korea
Meet the sport therapists and ‘brain trainers’ who cultivate grit and resilience in a hyper-competitive South Korea. With 27 gold medals, South Korea has dominated archery at the Olympics for three decades. In a sport that requires significant mental strength and focus, sport psychologists play a key role in keeping the country’s archers on target. Beyond the shooting range, competitiveness is fostered in Korean society from a young age in a school system known for its rigidity. Whether it’s in the classroom or on the sports field, South Koreans strive to be the best on the global stage. Mindset meets the sports psychologists and “brain trainers” pushing South Koreans to be number one. Adblock test (Why?)
Celebrating a child’s birthday in Gaza with no cake, candles or friends
NewsFeed Palestinian journalist Mohammed Asad has celebrated his daughter’s 6th birthday in Gaza amid the rubble of homes destroyed by Israel’s war. Dana’s birthday wish is to return to school. Published On 21 Jan 202421 Jan 2024 Adblock test (Why?)
NYC Mayor Adams accused of ‘getting his Trump on’ by vetoing council bill to track every police stop
New York City Mayor Eric Adams vetoed a controversial city council bill that would require police officers to document every “investigative encounter” with the public. At a press conference Friday, Adams said the proposed legislation, known as Intro. 586-A or the “How Many Stops Act,” could slow NYPD response times, undermine community-oriented policing, and add tens of millions of dollars in overtime to the NYPD budget. Namely, he took issue with how the proposed legislation would force New York City Police Department (NYPD) officers to spend more time filling out reports after Level 1 interactions with the public instead of patrolling the street and keeping the public safe. “As young men, my brother and I were beaten by the police in the basement of a local precinct, but I turned my pain into purpose and joined the police force to effect change from within the system. And, in my time as a police officer and throughout my career in public service, I have fought for transparency and against abusive policing tactics that targeted communities of color. While Intro. 586 has good intentions behind it, the bill is misguided and compromises our public safety,” Adams said in a statement. “Our administration supports efforts to make law enforcement more transparent, more just, and more accountable, but this bill will handcuff our police by drowning officers in unnecessary paperwork that will saddle taxpayers with tens of millions of dollars in additional NYPD overtime each year, while simultaneously taking officers away from policing our streets and engaging with the community,” he siad. “That is why I am vetoing this legislation today. I ask my colleagues in government to please work with our administration to improve public safety because New Yorkers want their police out on patrol — taking criminals off our streets and keeping them safe.” DANIEL PENNY’S ATTORNEY CONFIDENT HE WILL BE ‘FULLY EXONERATED’ AFTER JUDGE DENIES MOTION TO DISMISS CHARGES Adams cited serial stabbing suspect 27-year-old Jermain Rigueur, accused of at least five stabbings within about a week, arguing the bill would impede such quick arrests, FOX 5 reported. The bill, co-sponsored by New York City Public Advocate Jumaane D. Williams, passed the council in December. It would require the NYPD to log and report basic information on level one, two, and three investigative encounters between the police and civilians. Officers would report on the race, age, and gender of the person approached, any factors leading to the interaction, and its outcomes. But NYPD Commissioner Edward A. Caban countered that the NYPD is already the country’s “most intently watched, deeply scrutinized, and openly transparent law enforcement agency,” saying the measure vetoed by Adams “is an overreach that would result in the unintended consequence of literally slowing down the city’s progress.” NYC MAYOR BUILDS HEFTY LEGAL WAR CHEST TO BATTLE FBI INVESTIGATION “Each day and night, NYPD officers carry on the dangerous, critical work of fighting crime on the streets. Terrorist plots have also been thwarted, and there is a renewed commitment among our rank and file to further build trust and strengthen relationships in every community,” Caban said in a statement. “These vital efforts will continue — and must continue, unimpeded by bureaucratic time-wasting tasks — because that is what New Yorkers expect and deserve.” “On our watch, there is a continuation of lower overall crime, including a reduction in bellwether indicators like murder, burglary, and assault. We just ended a year in which NYPD officers reduced shooting incidents citywide by a factor not seen in nearly 30 years,” Caban added. “And as of this week, index crimes in New York City have dropped another 5 percent compared to last year — and an incredible 74 percent from three decades ago.” At a press conference of his own, Williams accused Adams and the NYPD of being “fearmongers who mislead the public.” He and other councilmembers say the bill is meant to address the “longstanding inequities” faced by Black New Yorkers. “The fact that Mayor Adams is getting his Trump on right now makes this even more difficult than it has to be,” Williams said, according to FOX 5. Adams also vetoes a separate city council bill aimed at banning solitary confinement.
San Francisco Mayor London Breed slams city supervisors’ Gaza cease-fire resolution, but refuses to veto
San Francisco Mayor London Breed on Friday blasted the city supervisors’ resolution calling for an extended cease-fire in Gaza as divisive and fanning the flames of antisemitism, though she stopped short of issuing a veto. The Democrat mayor, who is up for reelection this year, wrote in a statement online that the debate over the nonbinding resolution has left the city “angrier, more divided and less safe” as “abject antisemitism” had apparently become acceptable to a subset of activists. “The antisemitism in our city is real and dangerous,” she wrote, adding that vetoing the resolution would send the issue back to the board, in whom she has “no confidence,” lead to more divisive hearings and “fan even more antisemitic acts.” Breed said she had spoken to numerous Jewish residents “who tell me they don’t feel safe in their own city. … They are fearful of the growing acts of vandalism and intimidation.” ANTISEMITISM IS GETTING WORSE AS MORE ‘SHOCKING’ AND ‘SCARY’ INCIDENTS ARE EXPOSED, DC RESIDENTS SAY A divided board approved the resolution earlier this month, which also condemned Hamas as well as the Israeli government and urged the Biden administration to press for the release of all hostages and delivery of humanitarian aid. Breed wrote that the board members, and even herself as mayor, are not elected or qualified to weigh in on foreign policy. “Their exercise was never about bringing people together,” Breed wrote in a statement. “It was about choosing a side.” BUSINESS OWNERS SAY SAN FRANCISCO IS ‘GETTING WORSE’ FOR RESTAURANTS AMIDST HOMELESS CRISIS: REPORT Breed wrote that despite the board putting San Francisco in a “terrible position,” she “must choose unity.” “When we advocate for people thousands of miles away, we should still care for the people who are right here in San Francisco … We are all San Franciscans,” she wrote. Dozens of other U.S. cities have approved a resolution that has no legal weight but reflects pressure on local governments to speak up on the Israel-Hamas war, now in its fourth month. The Associated Press contributed to this report.