James Gordon Meek, a former investigative journalist for ABC News, was arrested and charged with transporting images depicting the sexual abuse of children. If convicted, Meek could face a mandatory minimum of five years in prison and a maximum of 20 years behind bars. The investigation began in March 2021 when Dropbox filed a tip with the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.
Posts tagged as “COVID-19”
President Joe Biden has announced Jeff Zients as his next White House chief of staff, replacing Ron Klain who has served in the role since 2020. Biden praised Klain for his leadership and said he is confident Zients will continue his example. Zients is an experienced technocrat and will help Biden prepare for his reelection bid while facing investigations from a newly empowered House Republican majority. There will be an official transition event at the White House next week to thank Klain and welcome Zients in his new role.
New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has announced her resignation after more than five years in office. Her final act as leader was to join Education Minister Chris Hipkins at the Rātana meeting grounds, and her departure has been met with sadness from many New Zealanders. Ardern's deputy, Grant Robertson, will serve as acting Prime Minister until a new leader is chosen in a leadership election on February 18th.
Google, one of the world's leading technology companies, has announced a 6% workforce reduction of 12,000 employees, as the economic boom experienced during the pandemic begins to slow. This is one of the biggest rounds of layoffs ever for the company, and adds to the tens of thousands of job losses recently announced by other tech companies such as Microsoft, Amazon, and Facebook parent Meta. The layoffs are a sign of the times, and a reminder that the tech industry is not immune to the effects of the pandemic.
New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern announced her resignation from the position, citing lack of energy to do the job justice. She expects a new Labour Prime Minister to be sworn in by February 7, and her departure marks the end of a historic tenure as the first female Prime Minister of New Zealand. Ardern has been praised for her leadership during the COVID-19 pandemic and her commitment to social justice.
The Pentagon has formally dropped its COVID-19 vaccination mandate, via legislation signed into law on December 23rd. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin signed a new memo…