Despite the tumult in the world, there are still some positive news stories that are being told. One of the most recent is that a man suspected of being a terrorist has died in a hospital in Pakistan. In addition, the US Senate could give final approval to a one-week federal government funding extension before midnight on Friday.
US Senate could give final approval to one-week extension of federal government funding before midnight Friday
Congressional leaders are working on a catchall spending package to keep the federal government running through mid-December. It also provides billions to help communities recover from natural disasters.
The House and Senate have yet to agree on the length of the short-term extension, but they have a lot of important bills to vote on this week. The House will consider the annual defense policy and the annual environmental protection agency bills, among others. The Senate will consider the high-profile nominations of U.S. Attorney General Loretta Lynch and Michelle Lee to head the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.
The House and Senate are expected to finish up their work on a spending bill in December. There are plenty of bills to consider, but the most immediate issue is avoiding a partial government shutdown.
Congress hasn’t completed work on time since the last century. Democrats are worried that debates on health care, climate policy, and other issues could spill into the next election year. But congressional leaders have made it clear that they plan to act in December.
The short-term spending bill, aka the continuing resolution, is the most likely way to avoid a government shutdown. The House and Senate haven’t agreed on the length, but they’ve been able to make a start.
The biggest question remains whether lawmakers can pass a bill that isn’t so simple. Republicans have warned that they’ll only support a short-term extension into early next year. Meanwhile, Democrats are skeptical that the smallest of all possible spending bills is the one that will get passed.
Despite the fact that the bill isn’t likely to be passed in its current form, the Senate and the House are scheduled to meet again on Wednesday. If Congress can’t pass the bill before midnight Friday, federal agencies will run out of money. A one-week extension would give lawmakers more time to negotiate, but it might complicate the process.
Meta’s oversight board upholds company’s decision to restore a video of sexual assault allegedly on a tribal women by a group of men on Instagram
Among the many things that the Meta Oversight Board has done this year is to provide an opinion on the company’s controversial “cross-check” program. The program is designed to detect and flag posts that might violate the company’s community standards. The program has been criticized for its flaws.
For example, the Oversight Board found that the company’s cross-check program does not meet Meta’s stated human rights obligations. In fact, it fails to even meet the company’s most basic standards. The program is designed to identify high-risk content, which it then prioritizes. It also fails to measure the effectiveness of the program. The board’s report outlines 32 recommendations for how to revamp the program.
The most significant recommendation is that the company should invest more resources into reviewing content. It should also remove accounts from its cross-check program if they repeatedly violate the rules.
The Oversight Board also recommended that Facebook track core metrics. These metrics would help to show the company’s commitment to free speech and other core values. It should also increase transparency around its cross-check list. It should disclose which entities are included in the program and whether or not they are allowed to use its extra review. It should also make it easier for users to apply for access to the program.
The board also found the company’s decision to restore a post featuring a video of a woman being sexually assaulted by a group of men on Instagram was a big step. Rather than simply remove the video, the company placed it behind a warning screen, which prevented children from viewing it.
The Oversight Board’s list of recommendations includes the Meta cross-check, but it does not include other important aspects of the program. The company’s cross-check program did not meet Meta’s stated values and responsibilities to promote freedom of expression and privacy.
Eritrean troops “murdered” uncle in Tigray region of Ethiopia
During the Tigray War, Eritrean troops engaged in widespread killings of civilians. Survivors described indiscriminate shelling, extrajudicial executions, and pillage. These crimes are in violation of international humanitarian law, which prohibits deliberate targeting of civilians.
The Eritrean and Ethiopian military forces seized Axum in mid-November. Both sides committed multiple war crimes. The Eritrean military was armed with distinctive army gear and spoke Arabic. They carried out house-to-house raids in Axum. They destroyed private homes and luxury goods. They also killed hundreds of civilians in cold blood.
On September 17, Menelik ordered the military to prepare for war. He received arms from France and Russia. He then sent Ras Makonnen to Zeila to propose peace talks. However, he rejected the alliance in July. Afterward, he was forced to join the army and took King Tona to Addis Ababa as a prisoner.
On January 1, 1890, Italy declared its sovereignty over the Eritrea Red Sea Colony. This territory stretches south of Massawa and includes the cities of Axum, Keren, and Shoa. In 1923, Cesare de Vecchi arrived with artillery and armed police.
In 1911, the Italians extended their railway from Massawa to Asmara. In addition, they constructed the Keren-Axum railroad and built a railroad from Keren to Agordat.
The Italians had a presence in the Horn of Africa for three years. They built 4,000 kilometers of roads. They also recruited Eritreans. In 1908, they began recruiting Eritreans. They recruited more than 200,000 Eritreans.
The Italians ruled over Tigray for three years. The Italians were also feared by the Swedes. They were afraid of their potential threat to the Kingdom of Denmark. In 1935, the Italians expelled the Swedish mission. They also chartered a colony in Mogadishu to administer it from there.
Harvinder Singh Sandhu alias Rinda, a wanted terrorist, died at a hospital in Pakistan
Known for his gangster activities, Harvinder Singh Sandhu alias Rinda died in Lahore on Saturday. He had been admitted to a hospital for renal problems. His death is being claimed by the Davinder Bhambiha mafia group. He had reportedly obtained an Indian passport on false pretenses. However, a top state police officer has said that the death was a huge relief to Punjab.
He had been wanted for a number of terror cases. In May, he was named as the mastermind of an RPG attack on the Punjab Police intelligence headquarters in Mohali. This incident happened when the security forces were on a hunt for Rinda and his accomplices.
The NIA had labelled him as a major threat to national security. Earlier this year, the NIA had announced a cash reward of Rs 10 lakh for information on Rinda. The agency has also been looking for Rinda in at least 30 criminal cases.
The NIA said that he had been involved in a wide range of crimes. His crimes include extortion, kidnapping, and murder. He was also accused of smuggling drugs into the country from Pakistan. His alleged role in the Nawanshahr crime investigation agency building blast last year was also mentioned in the NIA report.
Rinda had links with almost all gangs in Punjab. His name appeared in several terror cases, including the murder of Hindu leader Sudhir Suri. He had a close connection with the pro-Khalistan terrorist organisation, Babbar Khalsa International. His gang was a main supplier of weapons and drugs to gangsters.
He has allegedly committed seven dacoities. He was arrested for the first time in 2008. He shifted to Nanded, Maharashtra after his release.
Georgia’s top elections official urges lawmakers to end general
During a press conference last week, Georgia’s top elections official, Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger, urged state lawmakers to end runoffs in general elections. In a press release, Raffensperger cited three reasons for the runoffs’ distaste among voters and candidates.
The first is the length of the runoff window, which was shortened from nine weeks to four. That added to the burden on local election officials and poll workers.
The second is the ranked-choice instant-runoff system, which allows voters to rank their preferences for various candidates and vote for one or more of them. This would eliminate the need to return to the polls after the general election and make it easy to find out who won the race.
During the same press conference, Raffensperger pushed back against President Trump’s claims that ballots had been altered or that voting machines were rigged. He said that such allegations are “misinformation” and a “witch hunt.” He called the data “wrong,” and criticized the White House for spreading such claims.
Third, Raffensperger pointed to a “flawed” voting law that gave lawmakers sweeping powers over election procedures. The law capped the amount of mail balloting opportunities and eliminated food from waiting voters. It also allowed state officials to take over county election boards.
Fourth, Raffensperger called on the state legislature to make a “non-partisan change” to the current runoff requirements. He said it is time for the state to move away from a general-election runoff process, and instead adopt a ranked-choice system. This system would allow voters to choose more than one candidate.
Lastly, Raffensperger referred to the “Election Integrity Act,” which was passed in 2021 and gives lawmakers authority to review and investigate election problems. It was signed into law by Governor Brian Kemp, who will soon be replaced as Lt. Gov. Burt Jones.
