Jose Garcia
Jose Garcia's JournalIsrael accuses Hamas of reneging on parts of ceasefire-hostage agreement, delays vote
Source: The Hill
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Thursday accused Hamas of reneging on parts of a ceasefire and hostage release agreement announced the day before.
In a statement, Netanyahu said his Cabinet will not sign off on the deal until Hamas agrees to all parts of the arrangement.
“Hamas has reneged on parts of the agreement reached with the mediators and Israel in an effort to extort last-minute concessions,” Netanyahu said in a statement Thursday. “The Israeli Cabinet will not convene until the mediators notify Israel that Hamas has accepted all elements of the agreement.”
It was not immediately clear whether the statement reflected efforts to keep his precarious coalition government together, as at least one far-right member threatened to thwart the deal, or whether the ceasefire was at risk.
Read more: https://thehill.com/policy/international/5088902-israel-hamas-ceasefire-deal-vote-delay/
California's Newsom will join GOP governors in raising flag for Trump inauguration
Source: Associated Press
SACRAMENTO, Calif. -- Democratic California Gov. Gavin Newsom will join Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson and some GOP governors around the country in directing U.S. flags be raised to full height on Inauguration Day.
Newsom’s spokesperson Izzy Gardon confirmed Wednesday that the governor would temporarily direct the raising of flags at the state Capitol in Sacramento for President-elect Donald Trump’s inauguration. Flags at the U.S. Capitol and at statehouses around the country have been lowered to half-staff in honor of the late former President Jimmy Carter.
Newsom, who has become a foil for Trump over the years, will need federal help as his state recovers from devastating wildfires that have killed more than two dozen people.
Trump has complained about American flags being flown at half-staff during his inauguration. “Nobody wants to see this, and no American can be happy about it,” he posted on his social media platform.
Read more: https://www.google.com/amp/s/abcnews.go.com/amp/US/wireStory/californias-newsom-join-gop-governors-raising-flag-trump-117728419
The U.S. and Canada quietly agreed to share personal data on permanent residents crossing the border
Source: National Post
OTTAWA — Top immigration lawyers say it’s “shocking” that the federal government quietly signed a new deal with the U.S. government that automatically trades troves of personal data of millions of permanent residents in either country when they try to cross the U.S.-Canada border.
In July, the U.S. and Canadian government quietly made a major change to a 2012 agreement that authorized the automatic sharing of personal information between both countries of non-residents who applied for visas.
The original deal deliberately excluded permanent residents and citizens of both countries from the information sharing regime. But an updated agreement quietly tabled in Parliament in October added permanent residents to the list of individuals whose personal information would automatically be sent to either government if they tried to cross the U.S.-Canada border.
The updated agreement, which was signed in July but came into force this month, impacts potentially millions of permanent residents in Canada and even more in the U.S. if they decide to apply for a visa to visit either country.
Read more: https://nationalpost.com/news/politics/the-u-s-canada-share-personal-data-permanent-residents
Stacey Abrams group to pay largest fine for campaign violations in Georgia history
Source: Atlanta Journal Constitution
A voting rights group founded by Stacey Abrams will pay $300,000 for illegally supporting her 2018 gubernatorial campaign — the largest fine ever assessed for violating Georgia campaign finance laws.
Under a consent order approved by the State Ethics Commission on Wednesday, the New Georgia Project admitted it raised and spent millions of dollars to support Abrams’ unsuccessful campaign without registering as an independent political committee and disclosing its activities, as required by state law. It also supported the campaigns of other Democratic candidates that year, as well as the unsuccessful 2019 Gwinnett County MARTA referendum.
Read more: https://www.ajc.com/politics/election/abrams-group-to-pay-largest-fine-for-campaign-violations-in-georgia-history/3Q3SFGNDNFEXLBIUYUB3ONDRM4/
UK's Chagos deal on hold to allow Trump review
Source: BBC News
US President-elect Donald Trump will be consulted on the UK's deal to hand over the Chagos Islands, where there is a joint US-UK military base, to Mauritius.
The UK announced in October it would cede sovereignty of the archipelago in the Indian Ocean, but maintain control of the base on the largest island Diego Garcia under a 99-year lease.
Efforts to get the treaty signed before Trump's inauguration on Monday had been made, the BBC understands, and it had been expected the Mauritian cabinet would approve the deal on Wednesday.
The deal had already been greenlit by the Biden administration but the UK prime minister's office on Wednesday said the incoming Trump government would now "consider" the deal.
Read more: https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.bbc.com/news/articles/cwyp3750y3po.amp
Supreme Court won't take case about Michigan inmate suing because he got COVID
Source: USA Today
WASHINGTON – The Supreme Court on Monday declined to take up a case looking at whether a Michigan prisoner can sue prison officials for not doing enough during the COVID-19 pandemic to prevent infection.
The court rejected an appeal from correction officials who argued the prisoner’s lawsuit should be dismissed because the Muskegon Correctional Facility faced an impossible situation in keeping at bay a novel communicable disease in a group setting where there are significant security issues.
Allowing the suit to proceed, the correction officials told the Supreme Court, would hold them and other prison officials to an “unreasonable and impossible standard.”
Attorneys for the prisoner, Jimmie Leon Gordon, said officials displayed “deliberate indifference” to the risks posed by COVID-19. Officials ignored procedures developed by the Michigan Department of Corrections requiring them to segregate prisoners who either tested positive or had been in close contact with those who had, Gordon alleges.
Read more: https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2025/01/13/supreme-court-prison-covid-michigan/76967279007/
Denmark sent Trump team private messages on Greenland, Axios reports
Source: Reuters
Jan 11 (Reuters) - Denmark sent private messages to U.S. President-elect Donald Trump's team expressing willingness to discuss boosting security in Greenland or increasing the U.S. military presence there without claiming the island, Axios reported on Saturday, citing two sources.
Trump, who takes office on Jan. 20, has described U.S. control of Greenland, a semi-autonomous Danish territory, as an "absolute necessity". He did not dismiss the potential use of military or economic means, including tariffs against Denmark.
Axios said that the Danish government wanted to convince Trump that his security concerns could be addressed without claiming Greenland.
A spokesperson for the Trump transition team did not respond to a request for comment on the Axios report.
Read more: https://www.reuters.com/world/denmark-sent-trump-team-private-messages-greenland-axios-reports-2025-01-11/?utm_campaign=trueanthem:+Trending+Content&utm_medium=trueAnthem&utm_source=threads
Newsom calls for investigation into empty fire hydrants amid LA fires, invites Trump to California
Source: KTXL-TV Sacramento
California Governor Gavin Newsom is calling for an investigation into reports of fire hydrants being without water as crews battle to put out the devastating wildfires raging in Southern California.
On Tuesday, hurricane-force winds at nearly 100 miles per hour in Los Angeles fueled the Palisades Fire and several other wildfires. The fires devoured residential and commercial areas, burning through over 5,000 buildings and killing at least 11 people. So far, none of the fires have been fully contained and several reports attribute it to a lack of water and other obstacles.
“The ongoing reports of the loss of water pressure to some local fire hydrants during the fires and reported unavailability of water supplies from the Santa Ynez Reservoir are deeply troubling to the community,” Newsom said on Friday. “We need answers to how that happened. Therefore, I have directed state water and fire-fighting officials to prepare an independent after-incident report examining the causes of lost water supply and water pressure in municipal water systems during the fire events.
The request comes amid public confusion about the lack of preparedness from California leaders and a slew of finger-pointing at who is to blame for the catastrophe. On Friday, Los Angeles Fire Chief Kristin Crowley told FOX11 that recent budget cuts hindered the department’s response to the fires. She criticized the City of Los Angeles’ December 2024 decision to cut more than $17 million in funding from LA Fire.
Read more: https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/newsom-calls-for-investigation-into-empty-fire-hydrants-amid-la-fires-invites-trump-to-california/ar-BB1rfPOB?ocid=TobArticle
American Airlines' focus on ESG in 401(k) plan is illegal, US judge rules
Source: Reuters
Jan 10 (Reuters) - A federal judge in Texas on Friday said American Airlines (AAL.O), opens new tab violated federal law by basing investment decisions for its employee retirement plan on environmental, social and other non-financial factors.
The ruling by U.S. District Judge Reed O'Connor appeared to be the first of its kind amid growing backlash by conservatives to an uptick in socially-conscious investing.
O'Connor said American had breached its legal duty to make investment decisions based solely on the financial interests of 401(k) plan beneficiaries by allowing BlackRock (BLK.N), opens new tab, its asset manager and a major shareholder, to focus on environmental, social and corporate governance (ESG) factors.
"The evidence made clear that [American’s] incestuous relationship with BlackRock and its own corporate goals disloyally influenced administration of the Plan," wrote O'Connor, an appointee of
Read more: https://www.reuters.com/business/aerospace-defense/american-airlines-focus-esg-401k-plan-is-illegal-us-judge-rules-2025-01-10/
US Announces $25M Reward for Arrest of Venezuela's Maduro
Source: Newsweek
The United States has announced a $25 million reward for information leading to the arrest or conviction of Nicolás Maduro, coinciding with the day he was sworn in as president of Venezuela, the BBC has reported.
Maduro, chosen by the late socialist icon Hugo Chávez to succeed him in 2013, has overseen Venezuela's decline into economic chaos. Accused of corruption, human rights violations, and drug trafficking, he continues to cling to power while suppressing dissent.
The U.S. reward highlights a renewed push to destabilize Maduro's presidency and bolster the opposition's bid to restore democracy.
Only a handful of nations, including Russia, have recognized Maduro as the winner of Venezuela's July election. In contrast, the United States and the European Parliament have declared Edmundo González the "president-elect," further challenging Maduro's authority.
Read more: https://www.newsweek.com/us-announces-25m-reward-arrest-venezuelas-maduro-2013170
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