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Billionaire investor and Donald Trump adviser Marc Andreessen thinks corporate culture is about to undergo a radical change . Speaking with Erik Torenberg on the Moment of Zen podcast, Andreessen said that the reign of extreme wokeness, particularly in corporate America and the media, is rapidly coming to an end. The catalyst? A combination of rising legal risks, the deflation of wokeness as a cultural force, and a change in leadership at the Department of Justice . Andreessen highlighted that with the appointment of Harmeet Dhillon to head the DOJ's Civil Rights Division , the federal government may soon begin to challenge and reverse many of the DEI-driven policies that have dominated corporations, universities, and other large institutions over the past decade. This shift, he argues, could trigger a major pullback in DEI initiatives across the private sector , as companies scramble to comply with the law and distance themselves from policies that may now be seen as legally and culturally untenable. . @pmarca to @eriktorenberg : 'Every Signal is Being Sent' Trump DOJ Civil Rights Head Will Target Corporate DEI Policies "If you wanted to pick the most extreme possible attorney to put in charge of the Civil Rights division of the Justice Department to reverse DEI, it would be... pic.twitter.com/NNH2uTWn1t Erik Torenberg: You're optimistic now that this reign of soft authoritarianism, aka extreme wokeness, is over. There's a question of will it just come back again in four years? Now that Trump will take power, will they sort of summon the resistance antibodies again? Talk a little bit about your perspective. Marc Andreessen: I think that "wokeness is over" is a little bit too glib, and the main reason why that's the case I think, you know, maybe is self-evident, which is basically the bureaucracies of corporate America and of the government and of nonprofits, foundations, schools, universities, the media companies, the press — basically, the big bureaucracies, what we refer to as sort of the managerial class. The cathedral, Curtis' term, or James Burnham's term, the managerial class, the managers who sort of run everything — and by everything being like basically all of the large incumbent institutions — like, wokeness has become standard policy, right? And in like every large organization in the country, like the mandate number one is be compliant, right? Whatever is required to be compliant is like holy, right? It's like the thing that cannot be — you must be compliant. You must check off all the compliance boxes. Whether you win or not in the market is kind of optional, but you must be compliant. Whether you actually teach students anything is optional, but you must be compliant. Wokeness has become part of the compliance regime, also what they refer to wonderfully in great Orwellian terms as the 'risk management regime,' the 'trust and safety regime.' Yeah, you know, just take all these words and reverse them. This stuff has gotten wired very deeply, and then it's been well-documented at this point that the foundation for a lot of what we call wokeness is actually baked deeply into the law. And a whole bunch of people have done great work, like Richard Hanania, Christopher Caldwell, and Wesley [Yang], who have all done great work in documenting kind of how deep this stuff is sort of embedded in the law, which is a whole other topic. There's an institutionalization that took place that's going to take optimistically 30 years to get out or something like that. And by the way, maybe never. Having said that, there's that. But then there's what we've been dealing with for the last decade, which is beyond that — which is sort of the idea of wokeness being like the cultural vanguard, yeah, and basically being the thing that's like the coolest, highest-status, highest-fashion thing you can possibly be, and the thing that you have to be if you want to aspire to rise in the hierarchy and among the managerial class and run things. And then, if you want to get like really good press coverage, and if you want people to think that you're a moral person—that whole thing. Then there's the power component of it. I use the Tolkien metaphor here, the 'ring of power,' which is the ability to call somebody a bad name under the wokeness regime and like instantly vaporize them and blow them out of their job and take their job . Like those second parts are like, I think, fading very fast. And in a lot of ways, it's sort of inevitable that would happen, because it's just like in fashion, whatever is cool and trending now looks dated five or ten years later. And you wonder how people possibly could have worn bell bottoms or whatever. Like, you know, it's that kind of phenomenon. And there's no question, the election basically punched a giant hole in the side of that balloon, and it's deflating incredibly quickly. And by the way, you see it in the reaction. You see it in the reaction to the election itself, which is the polar opposite reaction to 2016, which is just like complete deflation taking place. And I think wokeness is losing altitude quickly. But let's come back to the legal part, because that's also — there are very interesting things that might happen there that we could also talk about." Erik Torenberg: Say more about this. Marc Andreessen: If you wanted to pick the most extreme possible attorney to put in charge of the Civil Rights division of the Justice Department to reverse DEI, it would be this lawyer named Harmeet Dhillon . She's been a California lawyer and has been the scourge of woke corporations for the last decade. As it happens, she has just been appointed to run the Civil Rights division of the Justice Department. For those who don't track this, the Civil Rights division of the Justice Department is the federal government’s prosecutorial arm that basically enforces wokeness. They’re the ones who have made sure that, for the last decade, these companies have had all these crazy policies under the penalty of being investigated, subpoenaed, and ultimately prosecuted. There have been lots of prosecutions and court cases. The most famous case that the current head of the Civil Rights division brought was the case against SpaceX for not hiring enough refugees—despite the fact that SpaceX is a military contractor and is not permitted to hire non-American citizens under a separate law. The person running that division has been a true activist, as you'd expect from this administration. And then Dhillon, who, by the way, I don’t know but I’ve been following for years, and is clearly brilliant, she is the exact opposite of that. Every signal is being sent that they’re going to do a 180 on all these things, and they’re going to begin prosecuting companies for violations of civil rights laws in the form of reverse discrimination—discrimination against white people, Asians, Jews, and other unprotected classes. So, signals are being sent by these appointments that there is going to be an assault to reverse the assault that companies and universities have been under. And then, of course, the Supreme Court ruled not that long ago that private universities are not allowed to do race-based admissions. It’s actually really funny because there’s some question as to whether the demographic shift of admissions in the last year was starkly different than the year before, as these institutions claim they’re coming into compliance with the Supreme Court. There’s some question as to whether discovery will show they’re actually in compliance or whether they’re still playing games. That’s another thing we may find out. There’s also an open question as to whether this decision has essentially already been made or will be made for private companies as well. And there’s a lot of private companies that have been trying to figure out quietly how to distance themselves from DEI, both for legal reasons and for cultural reasons. Now, there's another very interesting thing kicking in. I think there are a lot of large companies that were already done with DEI to start with. They were done with DEI for their own reasons because it’s backfired in many spectacular ways. But now, any large company that wants to distance itself from DEI has the best reason in the world: compliance. It’s illegal. Let me just say for the record... I think every major corporation in the country is just in flagrant violation of actual civil rights law. You cannot have these hard quotas and racially, ethnically, and religiously biased hiring practices. It’s flat-out illegal. These companies have gone so extreme on this that they’ve ended up in what I think is clearly mass illegality. So, as Dhillon steps into her job, she’s not going to lack for a shortage of targets. If you don’t want to be a target, it’s a great 'get out of jail free' card to just voluntarily shut all this stuff down. My guess is that starting pretty quickly, we’re already starting to see it. Boeing and a bunch of other companies have already put a bullet in their programs. Even the University of Michigan, which went completely overboard with this stuff, has actually shut their whole thing down. I think we’re going to see, my guess is, a run of companies that will take dramatic action here. Watch the entire exchange here:
The Department of Finance (DoF) has secured foreign loans worth $5.67 billion or P333.42 billion for 12 projects this year to improve the country’s transportation, defense, digital technology, healthcare and agriculture. DoF said the government received the total fund under concessional official development assistance (ODA) agreements. With these, the Philippines can pay low or nearly zero interest rates offered by foreign governments and multilateral or bilateral institutions. “That is why we make sure that we enter into partnerships with very trusted partners and that the terms of our agreements are very concessional and cost-effective so we can deliver more projects that create lasting impact for generations,” Finance Secretary Ralph Recto said. 61.3% debt-to-GDP ratio The country’s debt-to-GDP (gross domestic product) ratio stood at 61.3 percent as of the third quarter, which the DoF said remained “manageable” or lower than the International Monetary Fund’s threshold of 70 percent. DoF said the government is mobilizing the loans to construct the Metro Manila Subway Project (Phase 1), the country’s first underground railway system, and the Laguna Lakeshore Road Network Project, a 37.5-kilometer road on the country’s largest lake that will connect trade hubs in Metro Manila to those in nearby provinces such as Subic Bay in Zambales and Clark in Pampanga. The Asian Development Bank (ADB) said job opportunities for 3.47 million residents along Laguna Lake can arise once developers complete its road network in 2027. “The project will help link people to jobs and business opportunities, reduce transport costs and traffic congestion, and improve the efficiency of the overall transport network in Metro Manila and nearby regions,” ADB Country Director for the Philippines Pavit Ramachandran said. The other projects include the Dalton Pass East Alignment Alternative Road Project, the Bataan-Cavite Interlink Bridge Project, the Samar Pacific Coastal Road II Project, the New Dumaguete Airport Development Project, the Maritime Safety Capability Improvement Project Phase III, and the Infrastructure for Safer and Resilient Schools Project. DoF also signed financing agreements to implement the Philippines’ First and Second Digital Transformation Program, the Second Sustainable Recovery Program, and the Build Universal Health Care Program. To mitigate climate change and ensure the livelihood of farmers, who are the most vulnerable group to natural disasters, DoF also secured loans for the Value Chain Innovation for Sustainable Transformation in Agrarian Reform Communities Project, and the Climate Change Action Program Subprogram 2. With these projects, DoF expects production and investment activities in the country to accelerate toward an annual economic growth of 6 to 8 percent until 2028. With increasing government revenues, DoF also projects less reliance on loans at 56 percent debt-to-GDP ratio by 2028 from 61.3 percent as of the third quarter this year.
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Doha: The Qatar Meteorology Department (QMD) has warned of a continued mist to fog formation in some areas during the night and early morning, from tonight until the middle of next week. "There is an expected continuation of mist to fog forming in some areas during the night time and early morning hours until midweek," the QMD announced on its social media handles. QMD added that visibility may drop to less than 2 km during this weather condition. The weather department reminds the public to exercise caution while on the road and to stay updated on the latest developments. Tomorrow, the temperatures in Doha are expected to range between 16°C and 24°C. Today, Al Khor, Al Ghuwayriyah, and Al Shahaniyah areas recorded the lowest temperature at 10°C.
This partnership brings together Panaya's robust AI-powered Smart Testing platform and Tritusa's rich testing expertise to deliver superior testing outcomes for Australian enterprises HACKENSACK, N.J. , Dec. 2, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Panaya , the leader in SaaS-based AI-Powered Smart Testing and Change Intelligence for ERP, CRM, and Enterprise Cloud Applications, announces today a new partnership with Tritusa, an Australian company specializing in SAP Testing and Quality Assurance. This collaboration aims to provide Australian enterprises with enhanced SAP testing capabilities, including Test Automation, to ensure seamless, efficient and risk-free SAP implementations. As businesses in Australia increasingly adopt SAP S/4HANA, the need for robust testing solutions has never been greater. Panaya and Tritusa are combining their strengths to meet this demand. Panaya's cutting-edge AI-powered solutions, paired with Tritusa's comprehensive SAP testing services – including Test Management & Governance, Test Assurance, Functional Testing, Test Automation, and Performance Testing – offer a powerful, 360-degree, suite of solutions for organizations looking to optimize their SAP testing processes. This partnership allows businesses to leverage Tritusa's local expertise and Panaya's innovative technology to improve test quality, test environment readiness, and overall test effectiveness. Organizations can now accelerate their SAP projects with confidence, ensuring high-quality outcomes and minimal disruption to their operations. Shabi Levi , Head of Global Channels and Alliances at Panaya , shared his appreciation for the collaboration: "We are very pleased to partner with Tritusa to bring our AI-driven testing solutions to the Australian market. Tritusa's deep understanding of SAP testing and their commitment to quality make them an ideal partner. Together, we will empower Australian businesses to achieve faster, more reliable SAP transformations." Jag Sothivel, Technical Director at Tritusa , also highlighted the value of the partnership: "Partnering with Panaya allows us to offer our clients state-of-the-art testing solutions that go beyond traditional approaches. Panaya's technology perfectly complements our testing services, and we look forward to delivering outstanding results for our customers." About Tritusa Tritusa is an Australian company, specializing in SAP Testing and Quality Assurance. They focus on a comprehensive array of SAP Testing & Assurance services, including Test Management & Governance, Test Assurance, Functional Testing, Test Automation and Performance Testing & Engineering. They go beyond traditional SAP testing approaches and assist their customers to improve their test data quality, test environment quality, and test user quality, ensuring seamless testing outcomes. About Panaya Panaya, a SaaS-based company certified by SAP, Oracle, and Salesforce.com, offers an all-in-one platform for Smart Testing solutions and Change Intelligence tailored for ERP, CRM, and cloud business applications. Panaya accelerates and de-risks digital landscapes with AI-powered Test Automation, Test Management, and Impact Analysis. Panaya's focus on ease of use and an intuitive interface ensures seamless collaboration between business and IT, empowering business users and IT professionals to gain real-time visibility and control over their projects. This capability enables faster releases and continuous delivery of high-quality software. Since its founding in 2006, over 3,000 companies across 62 countries, including a third of the Fortune 500, have trusted Panaya to drive rapid, quality testing and change management in their enterprise business applications. For more information, contact Panaya at marketing@panaya.com or visit www.panaya.com . For media inquiries, contact Dana Averbouch, daverbouch@panaya.com . Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1636386/3844879/panaya_Logo.jpgUS actress Lively accused Baldoni of sexual harassment, hostile work environment and embarking on a “multi-tiered plan” to damage her reputation with claims of a targeted social media campaign. The legal complaint states that Baldoni, 40, hired crisis communications specialist Melissa Nathan, the same publicist who actor Johnny Depp is said to have hired during his high-profile defamation trial against Heard in 2022. In a statement given to NBC News, Aquaman star Heard said: “Social media is the absolute personification of the classic saying, a lie travels halfway around the world before truth can get its boots on. “I saw this first-hand and up close. “It’s as horrifying as it is destructive.” Depp successfully sued ex-wife Heard over a 2018 article she wrote for The Washington Post about her experiences as a survivor of domestic abuse, which his lawyers said falsely accused him of being an abuser. At the time, Heard said the jury’s verdict “sets back the clock to a time when a woman who spoke up and spoke out could be publicly shamed and humiliated”. Bryan Freedman, a lawyer representing Baldoni and the other named defendants, said Lively’s claims were “completely false, outrageous and intentionally salacious”, adding that the studio “made the decision to proactively hire a crisis manager prior to the marketing campaign of the film”. It Ends With Us, based on Colleen Hoover’s novel of the same name, is about a woman’s pursuit of a loving and healthy relationship, with Lively playing lead character Lily Bloom and Baldoni as her love interest Ryle Kincaid amid a backdrop of domestic violence. After the legal action was filed, Hoover appeared to voice support for 37-year-old Lively, writing on her Instagram stories: “@blakelively you have been nothing but honest, kind, supportive and patient since the day we met. “Thank you for being exactly the human that you are. “Never change. Never wilt.” Hoover posted a link to a New York Times article titled We Can Bury Anyone: Inside A Hollywood Smear Machine. Lively’s former cast members from the 2005 film The Sisterhood Of The Traveling Pants, America Ferrera, Amber Tamblyn, and Alexis Bledel, also released a joint social media statement to defend their long-time friend. “As Blake’s friends and sisters for over 20 years, we stand with her in solidarity as she fights back against the reported campaign waged to destroy her reputation,” the statement said. “Throughout the filming of It Ends With Us, we saw her summon the courage to ask for a safe workplace for herself and colleagues on set, and we are appalled to read the evidence of a premeditated and vindictive effort that ensued to discredit her voice.” They added: “We are struck by the reality that even if a woman is as strong, celebrated, and resourced as our friend Blake, she can face forceful retaliation for daring to ask for a safe working environment,” the statement continues. “We are inspired by our sister’s courage to stand up for herself and others.”Shawn Steel, the Republican National Committee members for California, told Breitbart News Sunday that Democrats won several congressional seats in the Golden State because ballots received after Election Day were counted — a practice that would have been illegal in other states. Steel is the husband of Rep. Michelle Steel (R-CA), who lost narrowly to Democratic challenger Derek Tran by 603 votes, though she led by 10,000 on Election Day. “It all goes back to COVID, the way they changed the laws ... they flooded the market with absentee ballots to everybody,” Steel told Breitbart News Sunday . His wife won Election Day votes, and even absentee ballots, but lost big among ballots collected in drop boxes. He added that one-third of the votes in the 45th district, which is an inland district in Orange County, came in after Election Day. Republican incumbents lost three seats in California, though the GOP retained overall control of the House by a narrow majority. Republicans also narrowly missed flipping a Democrat-held seat in California, Steel said. Steel’s wife, Rep. Steel, was targeted by pro-choice groups over her pro-life stances, in a strategy Democrats adopted nationwide. But Shawn Steel maintained that she was beaten by the late ballot counts — perfectly legal in California, but outlawed in other parts of the country. He noted that the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit — which covers Texas, Louisiana, and Mississippi — had struck down state laws that allowed ballots to be counted after Election Day, even if they had been postmarked by Election Day. The RNC had challenged a Mississippi law that allowed such ballots to be counted. The committeeman has long been a champion of the idea that Republicans should adopt Democrats’ own “ballot harvesting” tactics against them, but said Sunday that a return to the classic model — one day of voting, in person, with photo ID, and registration in advance — was necessary. Rep. Steel may be under consideration for a post in the incoming Trump administration, including ambassador to South Korea. Joel B. Pollak is Senior Editor-at-Large at Breitbart News and the host of Breitbart News Sunday on Sirius XM Patriot on Sunday evenings from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. ET (4 p.m. to 7 p.m. PT). He is the author of The Agenda: What Trump Should Do in His First 100 Days , available for pre-order on Amazon. He is also the author of The Trumpian Virtues: The Lessons and Legacy of Donald Trump’s Presidency , now available on Audible. He is a winner of the 2018 Robert Novak Journalism Alumni Fellowship. Follow him on Twitter at @joelpollak .
Hello and welcome to Yahoo's live news blog this Tuesday. says a deal over an ongoing pay dispute with workers at distribution centres is no closer to being resolved as more and more shelves are stripped bare. The supermarket says the strike has so far cost them $50 million. The White House has defended Joe Biden's decision to pardon his son Hunter Biden, sparing him a possible prison sentence for federal felony gun and tax convictions. The outgoing president previously stressed he would not make such a move. A factory at the centre of the methanol poisoning investigations in Laos has been shut down. Follow along as we bring you regular updates throughout the day. In a rare move away from Labor's careful approach to China matters, Senator Raff Ciccone has called on other countries to take a stand against China, while hailing former US House speaker Nancy Pelosi's controversial 2022 Taiwan visit. Senator Ciccone, who is head of the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Intelligence and Security, was speaking at a Melbourne event with Douglas Hsu, Taiwan's top diplomat in Australia where he was reassured there are plenty of people who reject China's advances to reunite the sovereign island with the mainland. "I genuinely believe that if there are enough of us to provide a deterrent to countries like China then I think Taiwan and its people can rest assured and sleep very well at night," Senator Ciccone said, according to the ABC. "With the growing support of like-minded countries including Australia, Taiwan is well positioned to write its own success story." He praised Pelosi for defying China's warnings not to visit Taipei, a move which Foreign Minister Penny Wong carefully navigated and declined to endorse. "The Chinese went berserk about it but, you know, quite frankly good on [Nancy Pelosi] for actually standing up [for] what she believes in. It's good to see America ... making a stance." China has long warned countries like Australia to stay out of what it describes as "internal matters". Woolworths says ongoing strikes at distribution centres has cost the supermarket giant $50 million in sales. And that number is expected to grow without an agreement being struck with workers seeing better conditions and pay. “Until the industrial action is resolved, a further impact to sales is expected. The full financial impact at this stage is unknown. It will be dependent on the duration and extent of the ongoing industrial action across the affected sites and the time taken to rebuild inventory ahead of the Christmas trading period,” Woolworths said in a statement to the ASX. While the cost is significant, it is worth remembering just months ago Woolworths announced a $1.7bn profit and a special dividend of 40 cents per share for shareholders. How's this for a way to celebrate 50 years married. A Logan couple has scooped $2.3 million from the Keno 10 Spot jackpot last night on their golden jubilee wedding anniversary. “We went [to the hotel] to treat ourselves to a celebratory lunch and a game of Keno. We always play the same numbers, which are our birthdates," the winning wife told lottery officials. “I’m absolutely speechless. We’re over the moon!” Well summer has just started and temperatures are already surging. The Pilbara community of Paraburdoo is set to reach 46C in the coming days, very close to its December record. It comes the same year the town set its highest ever temperature, recording 48.1C in January. With summer temperatures consistently nearing 50C, Shire of Ashburton president Audra Smith told the ABC it "is a concern because with what's happening with global warming". Read more about the sweltering conditions . Parents are being urged to keep an eye on their car keys after the NRMA revealed the majority of its callouts for help came from keys being locked inside vehicles with their keys. NRMA patrols received 1846 calls about children or pets being locked in a car in the past 12 months. NRMA Road Safety Expert Dimitra Vlahomitros said the temperature inside a hot car could almost double the temperature outside and it would not take long for children or pets to be in serious danger. “Whether you’re packing the car full of groceries or packing the car for a holiday, make sure you know where your keys are and don’t leave your keys with children to play with while loading up the car,” Ms Vlahomitros said. “Many people believe cars with modern technology don’t allow you to lock the keys inside the car, but that’s just not the case, particularly if there’s a young child using the keys as a toy. “We know life gets busy in the lead up to Christmas but it’s important to be extra vigilant when getting in and out of the car with young children.” Woolworths appears to be losing patience over a near two-week strike at several distribution centres and have reached out to the Fair Work Commission in the hope they can intervene. The supermarket giant wants to ban United Workers Union members blocking entrances to a distribution centre in suburban Melbourne and three other sites, with workers striking for better conditions and pay. Plans to bring in staff on Monday never eventuated, but picketers at the Dandenong South site turned away logistics trucks trying to enter. Woolworths Group has filed an urgent application with the Fair Work Commission on Tuesday. "The application comes after the UWU refused to give any assurance of safe passage for team members seeking to return to work at our Melbourne South Regional Distribution Centre (MSRDC) yesterday and this morning," Woolworths said in a statement on Tuesday morning. The application to Fair Work alleges a breach of the Good Faith Bargaining requirements in the Fair Work Act. Woolworth says the majority of staff at the Dandenong South site are not members of the union, and want to return to work and get paid. - With AAP While most likely elated, a man in Victoria is probably thinking what could have been after he was one number away from winning a truly mammoth lottery jackpot. While the 28-year-old won close to A$1 million on Saturday's USA Mega Lotto draw, he was one number away from scooping the top prize of A$789 million. I'm sure he'll be doing just fine with his A$950,000 though. The factory that produces the vodka at the centre of the Laos methanol poisoning investigations has been shut down. Six tourists, including Australian women Holly Bowles and Bianca Jones, died after they drank spirits in the backpacker town of Vang Vieng last month. It comes as the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade updates its travel warning advice to urge Australians not to drink Tiger vodka or whisky saying its sale had been banned in the Southeast Asian country. The ABC understands the owner of the factory has been arrested, while three more people connected to the Nana Backpackers Hostel, where the deceased stayed, have been arrested, taking the tally up to 11 from the hostel. No charges have been laid. The RSPCA in South Australia says its had a difficult start to its busiest period of the year. Fifty kelpies were surrender from a single property last week with extensive resources were used to treat the dogs and find them homes. RSPCA says an investigation into the dogs is ongoing. It marks the start of the busy festive period where the RSPCA expects 2,000 animals from the state to come into their care over the summer. US President-elect Donald Trump says there will be "hell to pay" in the Middle East if hostages held in the Gaza Strip are not released prior to his January 20 inauguration. During their deadly 2023 attack on Israel, Hamas-led militants captured more than 250 people, according to Israeli tallies, including dual Israeli-American nationals. Around half of the 101 foreign and Israeli hostages still held incommunicado in Gaza are believed to be alive. Making his most explicit comments on the fate of the hostages since his election in November, Trump said on social media: "(If) the hostages are not released prior to January 20, 2025, the date that I proudly assume Office as President of the United States, there will be ALL HELL TO PAY in the Middle East, and for those in charge who perpetrated these atrocities against Humanity." Trump added: "Those responsible will be hit harder than anybody has been hit in the long and storied History of the United States of America." Hamas has called for an end to the war and total Israeli withdrawal from Gaza as part of any deal to release remaining hostages. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said the war will go on until Hamas is eradicated and poses no more threat to Israel. A manhunt continues in Victoria after a man and woman were found with fatal gunshot wounds at a home on the Mornington Peninsula early Monday morning. Police said yesterday they were "very concerned" about the gunman responsible and urged the public not to approach the man if identified. Police believe a man and a woman arrived at the Rye home and became involved in an altercation with those inside. Emergency services found a 29-year-old occupant of the home seriously injured, while the woman who is believed to have arrived at the home also suffering gunshot wounds. They both died at the scene. Police believe the other man to arrive at the property fled the scene. They believe the shooting was "targeted". The White House has moved to defend Joe Biden's bombshell decision to pardon his son Hunter Biden and possibly spare him a prison sentence for federal felony gun and tax convictions. The outgoing president previously stressed he would not make such a move. There was a wave of criticism after the decision, led by President-elect Donald Trump who called such a move an "abuse and miscarriage of justice". Press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre has now addressed reporters to explain the decision. She said Biden had deliberated over the decision over the weekend during a family Thanksgiving break. "He believes in the justice system, but he also believes that the raw politics infected the process and led to a miscarriage of justice," she said, adding Biden felt his son had been "singled out". A deal between striking Woolworths workers and the supermarket giant is no closer, with defiant employees at several distribution continuing to down tools as more and more shelves sit bare in stores. “As long as they continue to block access to our site, our customers will continue to face shortages on shelves in Victoria," Woolworths said as part of their latest statement. “We call on the union to do the right thing and let us re-open this site.” Workers are protesting against "unrealistic performance expectations" which they claim lead to frequent injuries, demanding better wages, and an agreement that workers at different sites are paid the same amount. A unionist on the picket line said the industrial action would “intensify” unless their demands were met. - With wires
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Despite claims of reform, India’s criminal laws still rely on arbitrary punishments, criminalising civil matters, and echoing colonial penal codes. Imagine this scenario: Ramu, a farmer from a small village in central India, discovers a few old, valuable coins while ploughing his fields. Delighted, he sells the coins for a paltry sum of INR 1,500. But this jubilance is short-lived, as he soon receives news that he is being prosecuted under the Indian Treasure Trove Act, 1878 , for failing to report the discovery of the ‘treasure’ to the district authorities. He now faces the possibility of imprisonment for up to one year. This obscure and outdated law is one of many with the potential to turn ordinary citizens into criminals. In fact, there are more than 6,000 offences under union laws alone—enough to put nearly anyone at risk of jail. This over-reliance on criminal law—often driven by subjective notions of public order and morality—and the criminalisation of trivial infractions point to a deeper issue: the absence of a clear policy framework guiding when and how criminal laws should be applied. This lack of clarity has allowed for the politicisation of criminal law, making it a convenient, almost default response to governance challenges (such as ensuring regulatory compliances) that could otherwise be managed through civil actions (such as the imposition of monetary penalties). The continued reliance on criminal law to manage the citizen–state relationship is incompatible with the constitutional values of freedom, justice, and liberty in a modern, democratic India. From deterring crime to governance Given its power to deny individuals their life and liberty, criminal law becomes a potent tool in the hands of the state, particularly in maintaining public order. Traditionally, criminal law has focused on protecting life, liberty, property, public order, and state security by proscribing and punishing conduct that harms any of these. The Indian Penal Code, 1860, along with many other special laws enacted post-Independence, followed this approach. Despite the enactment of new laws over the past decades, the underlying notions guiding the use of criminal law have remained relatively consistent. These principles include protecting the fundamental values vital to society and its political establishment, ensuring that constitutionally protected rights are not criminalised, and rationalising punishments to align with the goal of safeguarding these values. However, there have always been aberrations. Since colonial times, criminal laws such as sedition and defamation have frequently been used as instruments to suppress dissent and stifle political and social movements, including the Indian Independence Movement. Similarly, Victorian morality was imposed on Indians by criminalising same-sex relations and adultery, until the Supreme Court recently struck these laws down. The criminalisation of begging and drug use also reflects an over-reliance on criminal law to address deeply rooted social issues, indicating that governmental responses often lack nuance and thoughtful consideration. Regulating everyday behaviours The above examples are, however, only the tip of the iceberg. There is a growing trend of using criminal provisions for regulating a wide range of behaviours, even those that may not pose a significant threat to societal order, life, property, or state security. In fact, criminal law has become central to everyday governance in India. For instance, simple regulatory non-compliances—such as failing to fulfil registration formalities , not maintaining or failing to deliver books of accounts , failing to exercise a pet properly , obstructing an officer in the exercise of their power , or jumping a red light —can all lead to jail time. In fact, at least 14 union laws criminalise the failure to maintain or produce books of accounts, with punishments including imprisonment up to two years. Similarly, more than 20 union laws criminalise obstruction of any authority in the exercise of their power, often without clearly defining what constitutes obstruction, leading to jail terms and fines. Even though the intent behind criminalising these non-compliances is to ensure strict adherence to rules, it raises a fundamental question: Is criminal law the right tool for this purpose? Can a legal framework designed to respond to heinous crimes such as murder and rape also be used to ensure timely submission of paperwork, or that sweepers give proper notice before taking a leave, or that no one drives an uninsured vehicle ? By blurring the line between serious crimes and minor infractions, this approach not only stretches the role of criminal law and criminal justice functionaries but also undermines the core function of the criminal justice system. Criminal law should be reserved for grave offences—those that pose a significant threat to human lives, property, or the socio-political order. Applying the same response to minor contraventions and failing to distinguish the severity of violations undermines the fundamental purpose of criminal law. Moreover, this approach fosters a culture where punishment and deterrence are seen as the primary methods for ensuring compliance with laws. Relying on criminal law to address minor non-compliances reinforces a system that is not only excessively harsh but also ill-suited to modern democratic societies, where punitive measures are increasingly being replaced by restorative justice. It is also misaligned with contemporary citizen–state relations, which emphasise strengthening this relationship through education, incentives, and social engagement rather than enforcing compliance through criminalisation. Lacking clear objectives and rationale The arbitrary use of criminal law does not stop at excessive criminalisation. The issue is complicated by inconsistency and irrationality in prescribing punishments . Going back to the example of Ramu—he faces up to one year of imprisonment for failing to disclose the discovery of treasure. Ironically, the same jail term is prescribed for offences such as sexual harassment by ‘making sexually coloured remarks ’ or forcing someone to work against their will . India’s criminal law landscape is rife with examples of vastly different crimes being punished similarly, or conversely, similar offences being punished differently. For instance, defamation carries a punishment of imprisonment up to two years, the same as the punishment for the concealment of birth by secretly disposing of a dead body. Similarly, making false statements on oath attracts the same punishment—imprisonment for up to three years—as subjecting a woman to cruelty . On the other hand, obstructing a public officer attracts varied punishments across different laws: a fine of up to INR 200 under the Merchant Shipping Act, 1958; imprisonment for up to three years under the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940; and imprisonment for up to three months under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006. Although the duration of imprisonment is supposed to reflect the gravity of the offence—the more serious the crime, the harsher the sentence—there are glaring inconsistencies. For example, while assault or criminal force without grave provocation is punishable with imprisonment for up to three months, rescuing cattle from the pound is punishable with imprisonment for up to six months. For a country that relies so heavily on criminal law for matters of day-to-day governance, there is a troubling lack of coherence in determining which crimes merit what punishment. This inconsistency stems, perhaps, from a lack of clarity regarding the purpose of punishment itself. For instance, what outcome does a one-year prison sentence aim to accomplish for a convict who failed to disclose the discovery of treasure, compared to someone who has sexually harassed a person? In the same way, can failing to file a property tax return on time truly be compared to subjecting a woman to cruelty , both of which carry a prison term of up to three years? These offences are vastly different in nature, yet the law treats them similarly. For punishment to be effective as well as reformative and not just deterrent, the state should adopt distinct approaches for individuals convicted of such disparate crimes. Recent attempts at change The past two years have seen some policy shifts aimed at addressing these issues and reassessing the role of criminal law in governance. The introduction of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), 2023, Bharatiya Nagarika Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), 2023, and Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam (BSA), 2023, aimed to modernise and decolonise the criminal justice system by adopting citizen-centric procedures, introducing timelines for fast-tracking processes, integrating the use of forensics and technology, making the criminal justice system victim-oriented, and prioritising justice over punishment. Similarly, the Jan Vishwas (Amendment of Provisions) Act, 2023, sought to decriminalise and rationalise punishments for offences, with an intent to improve ease of business in India. Even though these reforms are a positive step towards acknowledging the problems within the existing system, they have largely failed to disrupt the status quo . The BNS, for example, continues to prescribe punishments arbitrarily. Offences such as defamation, sedition, and crimes against religion remain on the books, perpetuating an outdated framework. One notable addition is the introduction of community service as a form of punishment, but this provision applies to only six offences, limiting its impact. In essence, India’s legislative landscape continues to be replete with criminal provisions and punishments that do not fit the crime, and governance that is over-reliant on criminalisation. Reimagining crime and punishment in India Criminal law should be limited to addressing actions that cause harm to individuals, public order, security, or property, or have a direct and plausible connection to such harm. Countries such as Croatia and Slovenia , for instance, have penal codes that explicitly limit criminal sanctions to acts that threaten or violate personal liberties and human rights. For issues beyond this, which still require regulation, the state must envision alternatives to punishment or at least alternative forms of punishment. For example, in Australia, there are various alternatives, such as intensive correction orders , drug and alcohol treatment orders , and non-conviction orders —which provide enough discretion for the court to make the punishment fit the crime. Reimagining criminal law, however, would require addressing some crucial questions: What is the true purpose of criminal law for modern India? What objectives are served by punishing individuals? Are there more effective alternatives to achieve these objectives? And ultimately, are we solving any problems by criminalising conduct, or merely creating new ones? A concrete policy on criminal law-making—one that includes criteria for criminalisation, pre-legislative impact assessments, and rules for determining the forms and quantum of punishment —can help eliminate unnecessary and arbitrary criminalisation. Similarly, a framework for prescribing punishments would ensure coherence and consistency in the use of jail terms and fines. In the absence of clearly laid-out sentencing guidelines for judges, such a framework would make a significant difference in ensuring that punishments fit the crime. This article was originally published on India Development Review .AI could help scale humanitarian responses. But it could also have big downsidesAIR FORCE 82, MERCYHURST 48
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Defending national champion South Carolina women defeated by UCLA 77-62 for their first loss since the 2023 Final Four.
