Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass is under fire for her absence during the city’s battle with catastrophic wildfires fueled by unprecedented windstorms. The mayor was in Ghana on a taxpayer-funded delegation to attend the inauguration of Ghanaian President John Dramani Mahama as fires ravaged the city and forced over 80,000 residents to evacuate.
Bogalusa, Louisiana, is reeling from the arrest of its youngest-ever mayor, Tyrin Truong, 25, who now faces charges including drug trafficking, misuse of taxpayer funds, and soliciting prostitutes. Truong, a Democrat elected in 2022 as a rising star in his party, is accused of participating in a local drug trafficking operation and abusing his position for personal gain.
A statewide grand jury that convened in 2022 upon the request of Florida Governor Ron DeSantis (R) concluded that there is no evidence of criminal activity linked to the COVID-19 vaccines.
Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass traveled to Ghana on Tuesday as part of a U.S. delegation attending the inauguration of President John Dramani Mahama, sparking frustration as her city faced devastating wildfires. The taxpayer-funded trip, led by Shalanda D. Young, director of the U.S. Office of Management and Budget, also included U.S. Ambassador to Ghana Virginia E. Palmer and Frances Z. Brown, a senior director for African affairs.
The British government is refusing to release data on the number of grooming gang rapists deported from the country, intensifying public criticism over its handling of the issue. The Home Office, responsible for immigration enforcement, has declined to disclose deportation statistics for foreign grooming gang members, according to The Telegraph.
Apple CEO Tim Cook is reportedly making a bold gesture of support for President-elect Donald Trump by personally contributing $1 million to his inaugural committee.
Fulton County Superior Court Judge Shukura Ingram has given District Attorney Fani Willis until January 13 to respond to a court order requiring her to honor a subpoena issued by a Georgia Senate committee. The Senate Special Committee on Investigations had previously sought to question Willis about her role in the prosecution of President-elect Donald Trump.
Republican strategist Whitley Yates pushed back against Democratic strategist Theryn Bond’s concerns about privacy violations over proposed DNA testing for illegal immigrants. Bond had argued on NewsNation that DNA testing of migrants was an invasion of privacy, calling it part of a broader effort to mass deport individuals without regard for costs.
BioNTech has entered into two separate settlement agreements with the U.S. National Institutes of Health and the University of Pennsylvania regarding royalty payments for its COVID-19 vaccine.