Amazon Delivers Ultimatum to Remote Workers as Layoffs Continue

Eli Pacheco
-
0
Amazon Delivers Ultimatum to Remote Workers as Layoffs Continue

(Eli Pacheco, Headline USA) Amazon on Friday informed employees that they might not get promotions if they don’t return to the office according to mandates imposed in May, CNBC reported.

The e-commerce giant requires employees to report to the office at least three times each week. Some staff have resisted the policy, which led to Amazon doubling down on it with the announcement about promotions.

Amazon posted about the policy on its internal website.

“Managers own the promotion process, which means it is their responsibility to support your growth through regular conversations and stretch assignments, and to complete all the required inputs for a promotion,” one post read. “If your role is expected to work from the office 3+ days a week and you are not in compliance, your manager will be made aware and VP approval will be required.”

Employees at the Seattle headquarters walked off the job in May after the first mandate announcement. They also protested layoffs that began in 2022 and have impacted 27,000 workers.

After an internal petition to CEO Andy Jassy to ease those requirements didn’t have an effect, some workers resigned. At the time, Amazon also required some workers who previously worked remotely to move out of state to work in central office hubs.

The company has changed its tune several times since lockdowns in 2020.

After the pandemic began, Amazon adopted an “office-centric culture.” Then, it gave more flexibility to workers as some companies eased remote policies. In May, Jassy said a return to office mandates would help company culture and collaboration.

The latest remote work change came as Amazon cut hundreds of jobs in its Alexa division. Alexa is Amazon’s virtual assistant technology, part of its devices and services unit. Many have already lost their jobs.

Daniel Rausch, Amazon’s vice president of Alexa and Fire TV, informed workers of layoffs on Friday.

“As we continue to invent, we’re shifting some of our efforts to better align with our business priorities, and what we know matters most to customers—which includes maximizing our resources and efforts focused on generative AI,” Rausch wrote in the memo.

Amazon employs 350,000 workers in its corporate ranks. Before the mandate, managers could determine staff office attendance for their departments.

Amazon considers remote work case-by-case for special circumstances.

Newly Released Jan. 6 Footage Shows FBI in Capitol

Ken Silva
-
0
Newly Released Jan. 6 Footage Shows FBI in Capitol

(Ken Silva, Headline USA) Newly released videos of the Jan. 6, 2021, protest-turned-riot includes footage of an FBI agent wandering Capitol Hill—confirming earlier rumors and reports that the bureau had personnel in the building that day.

The footage shows the FBI agent near the Hall of Columns South Door around 3:05 p.m., apparently interacting with Capitol Police and members of an armed tactical team. By this time, law enforcement had cleared most of the protestors out of the building.

The footage appears to be of the “secret commandos with shoot-to-kill authority,” the existence of which was first reported by Newsweek in January 2022. The commandos in a photo for that article seem to be the same ones shown in the newly released footage, which was released Friday by House Speaker Mike Johnson.

According to Newsweek, the Jan. 6 Capitol commandos included members of the FBI’s Hostage Rescue Team, its national “Render Safe” team and its SWAT team from the Baltimore Field Office, along with Special Response Teams from the ATF and the U.S. Marshals Service Special Operations Group.

“On the morning of January 6, most of these forces staged closer to downtown Washington, particularly after intelligence was received indicating a possible threat to FBI headquarters building or the FBI’s Washington Field Office,” Newsweek said of the secret commandos.

“FBI tactical teams arrived on Capitol Hill early in the day to assist in the collection of evidence at sites—including the Republican and Democratic party national headquarters—where explosive devices were found. FBI SWAT teams and snipers were deployed to secure nearby congressional office buildings,” the outlet added.

“Other FBI agents provided selective security around the U.S. Capitol and protection to congressional members and staff.”

Along with discrediting the notion that Jan. 6 posed a true danger to the legislators inside the Capitol, the presence of highly armed FBI personnel also raises grave questions about what national security officials knew about the event beforehand, and why they weren’t better prepared on the front lines.

Newsweek acknowledged these questions in its January 2022 article, pointing out that then-acting Attorney General Jeffrey Rosen deployed the commandos unilaterally.

“There was no formal request from the U.S. Capitol Police, the Secret Service, or the Metropolitan Police Department—in fact, no external request from any agency. The leadership in Justice and the FBI anticipated the worst and decided to act independently, the special operations forces lurking behind the scenes,” Newsweek said.

“The lingering question is: What was it that the Justice Department saw that provoked it to see January 6 as an extraordinary event, something that the other agencies evidently missed.”

Ken Silva is a staff writer at Headline USA. Follow him at twitter.com/jd_cashless.

Child Molester Guilty of Hacking Jumbotron at Jacksonville Jaguars Stadium

Editor 1
-
0
Child Molester Guilty of Hacking Jumbotron at Jacksonville Jaguars Stadium

(Headline USA) A convicted child molester was found guilty Friday of hacking the jumbotron at the Jacksonville Jaguars stadium after the team learned he was a registered sex offender and fired him.

A federal jury found 53-year-old Samuel Arthur Thompson, of St. Augustine, guilty of producing, receiving and possessing sexual images of children, producing such images while required to register as a sex offender, violating the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act, sending unauthorized damaging commands to a protected computer and possessing a firearm as a convicted felon, according to court records.

Thompson faces a mandatory minimum of 35 years in prison when he’s sentenced March 25.

Thompson was arrested in early 2020 after being deported by the Philippines back to the U.S., officials said. He had fled to the Southeast Asia country about six months earlier, after the FBI executed a search warrant at his home and seized several of his computers, according to a criminal complaint.

According to court records, Thompson was convicted of sexually assaulting a 14-year-old boy in Alabama in 1998. Among other things, the conviction required him to register as a sex offender and to report any international travel.

The Jaguars hired Thompson as a contractor in 2013 to consult on the design and installation of their new video board network and later to operate the jumbotron on gamedays, investigators said. The team chose not to renew his contract in 2018 after learning of his conviction and status as a sex offender.

According to prosecutors, before Thompson’s contract ended in March 2018, he installed remote access software on a spare server in the Jaguars’s server room. He then remotely accessed computers that control the jumbotron during three 2018 season games, causing the video boards to malfunction repeatedly.

The Jaguars eventually found the spare server and removed its access to the jumbotron, prosecutors said. The next time the server was accessed during a game, the team was able to collect network information about the intruder, which the FBI traced to Thompson’s home, prosecutors said.

The FBI executed a search warrant at Thompson’s residence in July 2019 and seized a phone, a tablet and two laptops, which had all been used to access the spare jumbotron server, according to log files. Agents also said they seized a firearm, which Thompson was prohibited from possessing as a convicted felon.

The FBI also found thousands of images and hundreds of videos of child sexual abuse on the devices. The files included videos and images that Thompson had produced a month before the raid on his home that depicted children that had been in his care and custody, investigators said.

The Jaguars released a statement thanking federal prosecutors from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for their work on the case.

“We are proud of our current and former employees who provided evidence and testimony to assist in the conviction,” the statement said.

Adapted from reporting by the Associated Press

Dems May Not Need Brokered Convention to Pull Biden Bait-and-Switch

Molly Bruns
-
0
Dems May Not Need Brokered Convention to Pull Biden Bait-and-Switch

(Molly Bruns, Headline USA) As President Joe Biden’s approval ratings continue to plummet and Democrat animus against him builds, questions concerning his replacement.

Growing speculation has centered upon California Gov. Gavin Newsom as the favored choice to take up Biden’s mantle, particularly after a comment by Biden earlier this week.

“I want to thank him. He’s been one hell of a governor, man,” Biden said. “Matter of fact, he can be anything he wants—he could have the job I’m looking for.”

A Twitter thread from an anonymous lawyer who writes under the name “Techno Fog,” brought attention to a rule established by the Democratic National Committee in 2022 that would allow Newsom to step in without the need for a primary campaign or vote.

In the “event of a death, resignation or disability of a nominee of the Party for President,” the DNC has sole authority to fill the vacancy, as long as it occurs after the convention in that election year.

If Biden resigned now, the rules would require the DNC to host a nominating convention to vote on a new candidate. If no favorite candidate emerged from the votes by the delegates, the convention would be considered “brokered” and the vote would be taken again, with privileges extended to the candidates.

In what appears to be an attempt to avoid that process altogether, the DNC might push Biden’s resignation on his declining health—or polling numbers—leaving an open seat for the DNC to gift to Newsom.

Techno Fog also noted that Newsom refused to give definite answers about a presidential run in recent interviews.

Biden’s disapproval rating hit 56% in a Nov. 4 poll.

Given the situation in the White House and the fact that Newsom’s final term as governor ending in 2026, many believe he is attempting to capitalize on his current momentum to land a presidential seat.

Newsom’s recent visit to China, as well as him playing host to Chinese President Xi Jinping this week, may be some of the more prominent moves of his “shadow campaign.”

‘Trump Is Still Alive’: Donald, Melania’s Tribute to Carter Triggers Leftist Vitriol

Luis Cornelio
-
0
‘Trump Is Still Alive’: Donald, Melania’s Tribute to Carter Triggers Leftist Vitriol

(Luis Cornelio, Headline USA) Former First Lady Rosalynn Carter’s passing on Sunday prompted tributes from across the political spectrum, including Republicans honoring her alongside former President Jimmy Carter.  

However, former President Donald Trump’s condolence message drew divisive criticism from some leftist voices on Twitter, shifting the focus away from honoring Carter’s memory and injecting partisan rhetoric into the national mourning of a former first lady.  

A user identified as “David Leaning Left” took to Twitter, insinuating doubt about Trump’s sincerity in his tribute. “Do you think Donald Trump wrote this post about Rosalynn Carter?” David queried, igniting unwarranted speculation regarding the authenticity of Trump’s sentiment.

Notably, David had previously been involved in spreading false white supremacy allegations about an NYPD officer during a Donald Trump Jr. appearance at a Manhattan court.

Author Susanne Laqueur adopted a more egregious tone, callously declaring, “Rosalyn Carter died and Trump is still alive. Further proof there is no God.”

The Trump family faced similarly disparaging comments after Judge Maryanne Trump Barry passed away earlier this week. Some users on Twitter hinted at the wrong Trump passing or made disrespectful guesses about the cause of death.

Trump, in his message, paid his respects to Rosalynn Carter’s legacy as a devoted first lady and humanitarian. 

“Melania and I join all Americans in mourning the loss of Rosalynn Carter. She was a devoted First Lady, a great humanitarian, a champion for mental health, and a beloved wife to her husband for 77 years, President Carter,” Trump said. 

“Our prayers are with the former president, the Carter family, and the entire community of Plains, Georgia, that she loved so much!” he added. 

Former First Lady Melania Trump also honored Rosalynn Carter in a separate statement. “Rosalynn Carter leaves behind a meaningful legacy not only as First Lady but as a wife and mother. We will always remember her servant’s heart and devotion to her husband, family, and country,” she said on Twitter. 

Argentina Elects Anti-Socialist President, Trump Offers Congratulations in MAGA Nod

Luis Cornelio
-
0
Argentina Elects Anti-Socialist President, Trump Offers Congratulations in MAGA Nod

(Luis Cornelio, Headline USA) In a significant electoral upset, Argentina has elected an anti-socialist, free-market populist often likened to conservative firebrand President Donald Trump, as its next leader.

Javier Milei, a newcomer to politics hailing from the Argentine chamber of deputies, secured the presidency after his opponent, left-wing bureaucrat Sergio Massa, conceded defeat as early voting tallies indicated an impending win for Milei.

Milei celebrated the electoral win by releasing an audio message, calling on election workers to stay in the counting centers and protect the integrity of the results. Milei argued that the far-left could try to thwart the elections in recounts.

“The Kirchnerism will use all its force to commit fraud in the electoral recounts. I ask for you to stay at the counting centers and defend the vote. This is the moment of truth,” he said in a Spanish-language audio-only video.

Trump took to Truth Social on Sunday to congratulate Milei’s victory, saying, “Congratulations to Javier Milei on a great race for President of Argentina. The whole world was watching! I am very proud of you.”

Milei’s ascendancy to the presidency signifies a pivotal shift away from the far-left political landscape that has dominated Argentine politics for decades. 

One of the key focal points of Milei’s campaign has been his commitment to slashing government spending to combat inflation, reducing taxes, dismantling the central bank and adopting the U.S. dollar as the national currency, as detailed in an interview with conservative pundit Tucker Carlson. 

Moreover, crucial issues such as opposing the rise of socialism and staunchly advocating against abortion were central pillars of Milei’s campaign.

His recent appearance on Carlson’s show drew attention and praises for his forceful rebuttals and pro-freedom stances. Following the announcement of his victory, several conservative figures and pundits took to social media to express their support and jubilation. 

“Here is Milei going off on socialist politicians, calling them ‘parasites’ for stealing from their people. […] Legend” said Colin Rugg, the co-founder of Trending Politics. Popular Twitter account End Wokeness said, “You gotta love this guy.” 

Rita Panahi, an Australian columnist, humorously remarked, “Condolences to the world’s Leftist media. They haven’t been this triggered since Meloni.” Panahi’s post alluded to Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, a conservative figure who assumed power in 2022.

The incoming president, Javier Milei, is set to replace incumbent Alberto Fernández, who opted not to seek re-election. Notably, Fernández’s vice president, Cristina Fernández de Kirchner (unrelated), also chose not to run for president. 

Cristina Fernández de Kirchner, who served two terms as president between 2007 and 2015, faced severe allegations of corruption and was sentenced to six years in prison. Her husband, Néstor Kirchner, preceded her as president from 2003 to 2007. 

Milei’s triumph signifies a departure from Peronism, a quasi-leftist populist ideology that has held sway in Argentine politics for several years.

McCarthy Threatens Gaetz w/ Possible Santos-Like Expulsion Ahead of Ethics Report

Luis Cornelio
-
0
McCarthy Threatens Gaetz w/ Possible Santos-Like Expulsion Ahead of Ethics Report

(Luis Cornelio, Headline USA) Former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., hinted at potential expulsion proceedings against Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., following an impending ethics committee report, drawing parallels to the unfolding controversy surrounding Rep. George Santos, R-N.Y. 

In a Sunday Fox News interview, McCarthy drew a comparison between the predicaments of Gaetz and Santos, the latter facing imminent expulsion threats subsequent to a damning report released by the House Ethics Committee. 

The Ethics Committee’s investigation unearthed evidence on Thursday suggesting Santos might have illegally used campaign funds for personal expenditures, including extravagant purchases and a subscription to an adult website. Gaetz, similarly under scrutiny, faces allegations of sexual misconduct and financial mishaps. 

“I think once that Ethics complaint comes forward, [Gaetz] could have the same problem as Santos has,” McCarthy remarked during the Sunday Morning Futures interview with Fox News host Maria Bartiromo. 

McCarthy called on House Republicans to stay united behind newly elected House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La. 

“I think the conference would be probably better united to be able to move forward and get this all done,” he added. 

McCarthy’s comments about Gaetz came amid inquiries about Johnson’s decision to greenlight government funding until January. 

“I think Johnson was very smart about making sure keeping our troops paid, especially in the Mediterranean where they are right now,” McCarthy stated earlier in the interview. However, he expressed disappointment over some members stalling bill progress, likely referring to the Republicans who voted to oust him earlier this year. 

“Unfortunately, we had a number of members doing the same exact thing they did before: Stopping bills from moving forward,” McCarthy continued. “We’re going to have to come together. We do know this is really driven, as you know, by Matt Gaetz’s ethics complaint.”

Palestinian Smollett? Ohio Man Arrested for Allegedly Fabricating Hate Crime

Luis Cornelio
-
0
Palestinian Smollett? Ohio Man Arrested for Allegedly Fabricating Hate Crime

(Luis Cornelio, Headline USA) An Ohio man, 20-year-old Hesham A. Ayyad, finds himself facing charges of making false alarms, falsification, obstruction of official business, domestic violence and assault after allegedly misleading authorities about being a victim of a hate crime due to his Palestinian background.

The saga began when Ayyad purportedly informed the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) about an incident involving a driver hurling anti-Palestinian slurs at him and subsequently hitting his vehicle, local media reported on Nov. 15.

However, subsequent investigations by law enforcement revealed a starkly different reality. The reported hate-fueled encounter turned out to be a fabricated narrative, with Ayyad’s injuries stemming from a physical altercation with his brother. 

An Oct. 23 press release issued by CAIR initially portrayed a harrowing account. “The victim of the reported hit and run said he was walking home from eating lunch when a car slowed down and rolled down the window,” the group claimed.  

The dramatic press release added, “The driver of the car allegedly started yelling at him using anti-Palestinian statements like ‘Kill all Palestinians,’ ‘Long live Israel,’ as he swerved his car to intimidate the victim. The driver then allegedly turned around and hit the man while shouting ‘DIE!’”

Faten Odeh, the CAIR-Ohio Interim Executive Director, went as far as calling on the federal government to investigate the alleged crime.  

However, a review of video footage explicitly contradicted Ayyad’s claims of being struck by a vehicle, revealing the fabrication behind his reported injuries. 

“It was further found that injuries sustained at the time of the incident were caused by a violent fight that the alleged victim had participated in with his brother, which was confirmed by area video surveillance,” police said, according to Cleveland.com. 

The purportedly fabricated allegations come as pro-Palestinian groups raise the alarm over the alleged increase in attacks against Muslims in the U.S. On the other hand, pro-Jewish groups counterclaim that anti-Semitism attacks are on the rise, stemming from the Hamas-led terrorist attacks in the southern region of Israel on Oct. 7. 

At least 1,400 individuals, including U.S. citizens, died at the hands of Hamas terrorists that day.

Inmate Detail – AYYAD, HESHAM A (via Lorain County Jail, Obtained by Headline USA)

World Leader’s Wifey Opens Up About Love Affair w/ 15-Year-Old… She Was 40

Luis Cornelio
-
0
World Leader’s Wifey Opens Up About Love Affair w/ 15-Year-Old… She Was 40

(Luis Cornelio, Headline USA) In a revealing interview, Brigitte Macron, wife of French President Emmanuel Macron, spoke candidly about her love affair with the world leader, recounting the challenges tied to their odd relationship that began when he was just 15 years old. 

Recalling the tumultuous start of their romance, Brigitte candidly expressed her anxiety over dating someone so young

“My head was in a mess,” she told Paris Match on Nov. 14, according to a translation by the Daily Telegraph. “For me, such a young boy was crippling.” 

She detailed the upheaval caused by Emmanuel’s parents attempting to send the 15-year-old to a boarding school. 

“Emmanuel had to leave for Paris,” she revealed. “I told myself that he would fall in love with someone his [own] age. It didn’t happen.” 

Despite expectations, their connection endured and gained public attention during Macron’s presidential campaign in 2017. 

At the time, Brigitte explained her pivotal choice to pursue the relationship in an interview with Elle France. 

“There are times in your life where you need to make vital choices,” she declared. “And for me, that was it. So, what has been said over the 20 years, it’s insignificant.” 

She added, “Of course, we have breakfast together, me and my wrinkles, him with his youth, but it’s like that. If I did not make that choice, I would have missed out on my life.” 

As reported by Fox News, the relationship began during Brigitte’s tenure as a drama professor at Catholic Providence in Amiens, where her daughter was a classmate of the young Macron.  

The age of consent in France is 15 years, unless there is sexual violence involved. Despite Emmanuel being sent to boarding school, Brigitte continued the relationship. 

To shield her children from the fallout, Brigitte opted to wait a decade before marrying Macron. “I took time so I would not wreck their lives,” she confessed in the new interview with Match. “That lasted 10 years, the time to put them on the rails. You can imagine what they were hearing. But I didn’t want to miss out on my life.” 

Hochul Signs Bill Sealing New York Criminal Records

Editor 5
-
0
Hochul Signs Bill Sealing New York Criminal Records

(Christian Wade, The Center Square) — Over 2 billion criminal records could be sealed under a bill signed into law by New York Gov. Kathy Hochul, which is expected to add to Republican claims that the state’s Democrats are too soft on crime.

The “clean slate” law, which goes into effect in one year, will allow ex-cons who’ve completed their sentences, parole, or probation to get criminal records sealed three years after they are sentenced for misdemeanors and seven years for felonies, so long as they haven’t been convicted of other offenses.

Sex crimes and major felonies, such as murder, will not be eligible for sealing, according to the Hochul administration.

Hochul signed the bill on Thursday and framed the issue largely in economic terms, saying it will “help New Yorkers access jobs and housing while allowing police, prosecutors and school officials to protect their communities.”

“The best crime-fighting tool is a good-paying job,” the governor said in a statement. “And as our state faces a worker shortage, with more than 450,000 job openings right now, this new law will help businesses find more workers who will help them grow, expand and thrive.”

Law enforcement agencies, prosecutors and defense attorneys can still access sealed convictions under certain conditions. So will private employers in industries where workers interact with children, the elderly and disabled individuals.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation will still be able to access those records. When someone is arrested by state or local police, their fingerprints and information are sent to the FBI for review. The agency creates a federal record of the charges.

More than 2 million New Yorkers have criminal convictions for convictions between 1980 and 2021, according to a study by John Jay College’s Data Collaborative for Justice.

New York is known for being particularly unforgiving when allowing people to get out from under the shadow of a conviction. Criminal records can haunt people long past their punishment, criminal justice advocates say, preventing them from getting jobs, housing or college.

The legislation authorizing the mass sealings was approved by lawmakers over the summer on a largely party-line vote, with Republicans voting against it.

Supporters of the changes, like Democratic House Speaker Carl Heastie, say the new law will give millions of New Yorkers who served their time “the opportunity to begin a new chapter of their lives – helping open the door to housing and employment opportunities previously closed to them.”

GOP lawmakers who opposed the measure argued that New York already has a law allowing people to request their criminal records be sealed and say it sends a bad message in a state struggling with crime.

“Make no mistake, we’re already a state of deserving, reasonable second chances. Judges have existing discretion to seal records,” said state Sen Jake Ashby, R-Castleton, in a statement. “During a time of rising antisemitism and bigoted violence, employers will be totally in the dark about many hate crimes and terrorism offenses.”

U.S. Rep. Anthony D’Esposito, R-N.Y., a former NYPD officer, said the state government should be focused on overhauling criminal justice laws, like cashless bail, which he says gives criminals a free pass.

“This is a continuation of the far-left policies and pro-criminal agenda of Gov. Hochul and the New York State Legislature,” D’Esposito told CNN on Friday. “People should have second chances, but there are better ways to handle it than sending a message to individuals who commit crimes if they check a few boxes it will be eliminated from their criminal record.”

1...1,6251,6261,627...3,875Page 1,626 of 3,875