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Lawmakers resign amid serious misconduct allegations
“Republican congressman Tony Gonzalez of Texas says he will retire from Congress as he faces bipartisan calls to expel him. Gonzalez is admitted to an affair with a former staff member who later died by suicide, and seven term California Democratic congressman Eric Swalwell says he will resign following multiple sexual assault allegations made against him. He had been seen as a front runner in California's gubernatorial race before dropping out yesterday after the accusation surfaced.”
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US blockades Iran to reopen Strait of Hormuz
“President Trump says The US has begun a blockade of the Iranian ports. He's trying to get Tehran to open the Strait Of Hormuz and accept a deal to end the war. We can't let a country blackmail or extort, the world because that's what they're doing. They're really blackmailing the world. We're not gonna let that happen.”
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Georgia protects TSA workers from utility shutoffs
“According to the PSC order, a moratorium would be put in place to pause any shutoffs due to unpaid or late utility bills as the shutdown continues. Georgia officials say TSA agents would need to verify their employment status to be eligible. The order states employees must pay off any past due balances within thirty days after the shutdown ends and when back pay is completely restored.”
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Postmark delays threaten mail-in tax filers
“The US Postal Service usually automatically stamps postmarks when a process is mailed that's dropped off. But exactly when that processing happens has become more complicated in more parts of the country. As part of the postal services reorganization, USPS has cut back how often it picks up mail in certain areas more than 50 miles from one of its regional processing centers. That means some first class mail may not get postmarked until the day after it's collected.”
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Fugitive Brazilian spy chief arrested in Orlando
“Bolsonaro's former spy chief, Alexandre Hamaging, fled Brazil last year, crossing the border from the Amazon into Guyana before heading to The US. When authorities moved to arrest him and found he'd escaped, Hamaji shared a video on social media saying he and his family were, quote, safe in The US, the world's freest democracy. Brazilian authorities consider him a fugitive and requested his extradition last December.”