COVID-19 variant JN.1: Delhi-NCR on toes after first case found in Ghaziabad, know how other states are faring
BJP councillor in Ghaziabad Amit Tyagi was infected and found to be COVID-19 positive.
Mumbai Police impose Section 144 till Jan 18, drones and gliders banned
The police has also banned drones, paragliders and other flying objects.
Alabama mayor resigns, pleads guilty to using inmates, city employees for private labor
The mayor of a small city in Alabama has resigned and pleaded guilty to 15 misdemeanor counts of using city employees and inmates to perform private work for him while they were working or in custody. Hanceville Mayor Kenneth Nail, 60, on Tuesday entered the plea to use of office for personal gain, agreed to resign and publicly apologized. “I am truly sorry for the harm and inconvenience brought about by this,” Hanceville wrote in his apology. “I never wanted to bring any negativity to Hanceville. I love Hanceville and the people of Hanceville. I would never do anything to intentionally harm the city. Again, I am truly sorry.” FORMER JACKSON, MISSISSIPPI CITY EMPLOYEE GETS PROBATION FOR ART GRANT WIRE FRAUD SCHEME Since 2008, Nail has served as mayor in the city which lies between the cities of Birmingham and Huntsville and has a population of about 3,200. Cullman County District Attorney Champ Crocker announced the multi-count indictment against Nail last month. The initial charges were felony crimes but reduced to misdemeanors in the plea deal. The crimes happened between Sept. 30, 2019, and Sept. 29, 2023, court records show. According to the indictment, Nail routinely solicited former Police Chief Bob Long to perform work at Nail’s home while the chief was on duty, and he had another employee, Joshua Howell, drive to Georgia in a city vehicle while on duty to perform work on a trailer owned by Nail and his wife. Nail also used three former jail inmates to do work at his home while they were in custody, the indictment alleges. As part of the plea, Crocker said Nail was ordered to pay $4,000 in restitution, a $2,500 fine, perform 120 hours of community service and will be on probation for 15 years, which prohibits working for any public or governmental entity during probation, al.com reported. “The trust between the people and their government must remain strong. Mr. Nail pleaded guilty, admitted to his misconduct, and also apologized to the citizens of Hanceville for his actions,’’ Crocker said. “I believe this swift resolution is balanced and shows both consideration for admitting guilt and that elected officials who violate the public trust will be held accountable.” Nail was represented by attorneys Michael Whisonant and Richard Jaffe, who said they were pleased with the resolution of the case. “Mayor Nail cares deeply for the citizens Hanceville, and has given most of his adult life to the service of the citizens of Cullman County,” according to a statement from the lawyers. “He also greatly appreciates all the people that have reached out and supported him through this difficult process, and is happy this is behind him.”
INDIA bloc MPs to hold march over suspension from Vijay Chowk to Parliament House today
The floor leaders of the INDIA bloc will hold a meeting on Thursday morning at the office of Rajya Sabha Leader of Opposition Mallikarjun Kharge.
California Lt. Gov. calls for state to ‘explore every legal option’ to remove Trump from ‘24 ballot
A day after the Colorado Supreme Court disqualified former President Donald Trump from appearing on the state’s ballots in 2024, California Lieutenant Gov. Eleni Kounalakis is asking the Golden State’s Secretary of State to “explore every legal option” to do the same. Kounalakis sent a letter to Secretary of State Shirley Weber, dated Wednesday, Dec. 20, and referencing Colorado’s recent ruling which stated Trump was ineligible to appear on the state’s ballot as a presidential candidate because of his role in “inciting an insurrection” on the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. “This decision is about honoring the rule of law in our country and protecting the fundamental pillars of our democracy,” Kounalakis, who launched a campaign to run for California governor in 2026, wrote. “Specifically, the Colorado Supreme Court held in Anderson v. Griswold (2023 CO 63) that Trump’s insurrection disqualifies him under section three of the Fourteenth Amendment to stand for presidential re-election. Because the candidate is ineligible, the court ruled, it would be a ‘wrongful act’ for the Colorado Secretary of State to list him as a candidate on that state’s presidential primary ballot.” The gubernatorial candidate told the Secretary of State that California “must stand on the right side of history,” and is “obligated to determine” if the former president is ineligible to be on the ballot for the same reasons he was deemed ineligible in Colorado. COLORADO SUPREME COURT DISQUALIFIES TRUMP FROM 2024 BALLOT Kounalakis said Colorado’s decision could be the basis for California’s decision. “The constitution is clear: you must be 35 years old and not be an insurrectionist,” Kounalakis wrote, though in an earlier version of the letter that hit social media, the Lt. Gov. wrote, “you must be 40 years old…” POLL SHOWS BIDEN HITTING RECORD LOW APPROVALS, FALLING BEHIND AGAINST TRUMP IN 2024 MATCHUP She also said this is not a matter of political gamesmanship, but instead is a “dire matter that puts at stake the sanctity of our constitution and our democracy.” Colorado’s disqualification was made under the 14th Amendment of the U.S. Constitution and tied to the Capitol riot on Jan. 6, 2021. The 4-3 ruling is stayed until Jan. 4 because of likely appeals. Three justices on the Colorado Supreme Court dissented. DEMOCRATS DROP ‘BIDENOMICS’ AS SOME VOTERS COMPLAIN IT’S ‘TONE-DEAF’: REPORT “We do not reach these conclusions lightly,” the court’s majority wrote. “We are mindful of the magnitude and weight of the questions now before us. We are likewise mindful of our solemn duty to apply the law, without fear or favor, and without being swayed by public reaction to the decisions that the law mandates we reach.” In a previous ruling, Colorado District Judge Sarah B. Wallace allowed Trump to stay on the ballot but found that Trump “engaged in insurrection” for his role in the Jan. 6 Capitol riot. Colorado Secretary of State Jena Griswold said in a statement that she would “continue to follow court guidance on this important issue.” CALIFORNIA LT. GOV. ELENI KOUNALAKIS ANNOUNCES GUBERNATORIAL BID FOR 2026 “The Colorado Supreme Court has ruled that Donald Trump is barred from the Colorado ballot for inciting the January 6 insurrection and attempting to overturn the 2020 Presidential Election. This decision may be appealed,” Griswold wrote. The 14th Amendment states: “No person shall be a Senator or Representative in Congress, or elector of President and Vice-President, or hold any office, civil or military, under the United States, or under any state, who, having previously taken an oath, as a member of Congress, or as an officer of the United States, or as a member of any State legislature, or as an executive or judicial officer of any State, to support the Constitution of the United States, shall have engaged in insurrection or rebellion against the same, or given aid or comfort to the enemies thereof But Congress may by a vote of two-thirds of each House, remove such disability.” Disqualification lawsuits relating to Trump’s appearance on the ballot are pending in 13 states, including Texas, Nevada and Wisconsin. Bill Mears and Adam Sabes of Fox News Digital contributed to this report.
Arkansas judge threatens to drop state AG’s lawsuit against Corrections Board
An Arkansas judge on Tuesday threatened to dismiss a lawsuit filed by the state’s attorney general against the Corrections Board that he would normally represent, the latest in a widening legal fight between the panel and Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders over prisons. Pulaski County Circuit Judge Tim Fox on Tuesday criticized Attorney General Tim Griffin for filing a Freedom of Information Act lawsuit against the Board of Corrections without arranging for a special counsel to represent the panel in the case. The judge said he’ll dismiss the lawsuit in 30 days if Griffin doesn’t reach an agreement with the board on a special counsel. Griffin has accused the panel of violating the law when it hired an outside attorney in its dispute with Sanders over who runs the state prison system. ARKANSAS SHERIFF ORDERED TO GIVE UP LAW ENFORCEMENT DUTIES AMID OBSTRUCTION, CONCEALMENT CHARGES “The case, at this juncture, from a procedural standpoint, is that the attorney general has sued his own clients, in violation of his duties and responsibilities mandated to him by the Arkansas General Assembly,” Fox wrote. Griffin said he was certain he and his office complied with all ethical obligations and planned to appeal to the state Supreme Court. “The court’s order states that the Board of Corrections is clearly ‘entitled to legal counsel,’” Griffin said in a statement. “There is no dispute about that here. The dispute is whether the board has followed the legal requirements to obtain outside counsel.” Abtin Mehdizadegan, the board’s attorney, said the panel believed Fox’s ruling “recognizes the extreme conflicts of interest presented by the attorney general’s retaliatory lawsuit against the board.” “I expect that the issue of the attorney general’s ethics will continue to be the subject of close scrutiny,” he said in a statement. The board last week suspended state Corrections Secretary Joe Profiri and sued the state over a new law that took away the panel’s authority over Profiri and two other top officials. A judge on Friday issued a temporary order blocking the law and set a hearing for next week in the case. Griffin has asked the court to reconsider its order. The dispute stems from the Sanders administration moving forward with opening temporary prison beds that the board has not approved. Members of the board have said opening the temporary beds would jeopardize the safety of inmates and staff. The board said the blocked law, which would have taken its hiring and firing power over the corrections secretary and given it to the governor, violates Arkansas’ constitution. The blocked law also would have given the corrections secretary, not the board, hiring and firing authority over the correction and community correction division directors.
Why the war on Gaza is not making Israel safer
Political scientist Ian Bremmer says the human carnage of Israel’s war on Gaza is strengthening Hamas. Contrary to what Israeli leaders say, the war on Gaza is not making Israel safer, according to political scientist Ian Bremmer, founder of Eurasia Group, which studies geopolitical risk. Bremmer argues that the human carnage created by Israel in Gaza over the past few weeks is strengthening Hamas and isolating Israel. Meanwhile, United States support for Israel’s actions has made Washington “more isolated … than the Russians were when they invaded Ukraine”. Join host Steve Clemons as he asks Bremmer about the war on Gaza and its global ramifications, including the roles played by Iran, Saudi Arabia and some European countries. Adblock test (Why?)
Iraq’s governing Shia alliance strengthened in provincial elections
The Iran-aligned coalition wins 101 out of 285 seats, and is boosted in advance of parliamentary elections in 2025. Iraq’s governing Shia alliance has reportedly emerged as the biggest winner in the country’s provincial elections. The loose coalition of Shia groups, called the Shia Coalition Framework (CF), took 101 of 285 council seats in the December 18 vote, Iraqi state media reports. The election result is seen as a boon to the Iran-aligned groups, which have been steadily gaining influence, in advance of a parliamentary election scheduled for 2025. CF already forms the biggest bloc in Iraq’s parliament. The grouping ran three lists in the provincial election, but said they would govern together after the vote, the first such agreement in a decade. The victory will strengthen the CF’s influence over Iraq’s powerful provincial councils, which are responsible for appointing regional governors and allocating health, transport and education budgets. Who is part of the alliance? The Shia alliance’s top list, which won 43 seats, brings together several of Iraq’s most influential Iran-allied military-political groups, including the Badr Organisation and Asaib Ahl al-Haq. The second list, which took 35 seats, is headed by former Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki. The third, winning 23 seats, includes moderate Shia leader Ammar al-Hakim and former Prime Minister Haidar al-Abadi. Together, the allied lists will control 101 seats in the provincial assemblies, more than any other bloc. The CF’s electoral success was aided in part by a boycott from one of its main rivals, the populist Shia leader Moqtada al-Sadr. Al-Sadr, whose party resigned from parliament in 2022 after failing to form a governing coalition, called on his supporters to stay away from the polls so as not to grant legitimacy to a “corrupt” ruling class. Other contenders in Monday’s vote included Sunni business mogul Khamees Khanjar, whose list won 14 seats, and deposed Sunni Parliament Speaker Mohammed Halbousi, who took 22 seats, including winning the most votes in Baghdad and Anbar province. A host of local lists and smaller groups won the remaining seats. Despite fears of violence, the voting process unfolded largely peacefully, barring a few scattered incidents. In the al-Sadr bastion of Najaf, a stun grenade was hurled at a polling station, although it caused no injuries. Iraq’s election commission said six million people voted in the polls, with a turnout rate of 41 percent. A woman dips her finger in ink after voting in Iraqi provincial council elections, in eastern Baghdad, December 18 [Ahmad al-Rubaye/AFP] From ‘trust’ to ‘service’ The results of the provincial polls, Iraq’s first in a decade, reflected the balance of power in a country where groups close to neighbouring Iran have steadily gained influence. They are a positive sign for Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani, who counts on the winning CF alliance as his government’s main backer. Following the vote count, al-Sudani urged quick action to address the country’s development challenges. “I congratulate the political forces and successful candidates in the Provincial Council Elections,” said al-Sudani on the social media platform X. “I hope this trust quickly transforms into tangible public service, contributing to the implementation of government plans for development, reconstruction, and service provision,” he said. Adblock test (Why?)
Poland’s new pro-EU government dismisses state media chiefs
Culture ministry announces sackings citing need to restore impartiality of state news outlets. The management of Polish public television, radio and state news agency PAP have been dismissed and one public news channel that critics say was politicised under the previous government has gone off air. The culture ministry under Poland’s new pro-European Union government announced the dismissals of the chairmen and boards in a statement on Wednesday, citing the need to restore the outlets’ impartiality. Critics say that state-run media, in particular 24-hour news channel TVP Info, became an outlet for propaganda during Law and Justice’s (PiS) eight years in office. On Wednesday TVP Info’s signal disappeared, and so did its website. “The end of TVPiS. TVP Info was turned off,” Civic Platform – the biggest party in the new government – posted on X. Prime Minister Donald Tusk’s coalition, which took power last week, has vowed to create news outlets that take a more balanced approach. On Tuesday, Poland’s new parliament adopted a resolution calling on “all state authorities to immediately take action aimed at restoring constitutional order in terms of citizens’ access to reliable information and the functioning of public media”. The vote prompted PiS lawmakers to stage a sit-in in the state television buildings, with the party officials posing for pictures with the television employees. “This is clearly an attack on the free media, it is a violation of the law,” Piotr Glinski, a former culture minister in the PiS government, told the AFP news agency about the reshuffle. On Wednesday, Maciej Swirski, the head of the National Broadcasting Council, said: “Disabling the television signal and the TVP Info websites is an act of lawlessness and recalls the worst times of martial law,” referring to events during the communist era in Poland. Swirski was appointed to the broadcasting council by the last parliament after he was recommended by PiS. “The illegal actions of the Minister of Culture in relation to TVP, Polish Radio and PAP show how the authorities that supposedly care about the rule of law violate it at every step” former PiS Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki wrote on X. “We will not give up. We will not allow for a dictatorship to be built in Poland,” he added. The PiS government was frequently criticised by the opposition and non-profits for trying to stifle independent media and limit freedom of expression. Global media watchdog Reporters Without Borders (RSF) in 2020 said “partisan discourse and hate speech are still the rule within [Poland’s] state-owned media, which have been transformed into government propaganda mouthpieces.” When Tusk’s government took office, it began reversing policies of the previous administration that many in Poland found divisive. Parties that make up the new government collectively won the majority of votes in the October 15 election. They have vowed to govern jointly under the leadership of Tusk, who served as prime minister from 2007 to 2014 and was head of the European Council from 2014 to 2019. [embedded content] Adblock test (Why?)
Texas flies over 120 immigrants to Chicago in expansion of Gov. Greg Abbott’s busing plan
The flight comes after Chicago officials reportedly cracked down on buses coming from Texas with immigrant passengers. Since last year, Texas has bused over 80,000 immigrants to Democratic-led cities across the U.S.