We bring you the biggest stories of the day so far. From&nbsp;Rittenhouse case polarising US on political lines, attracting sharp reactions to&nbsp;Canada approving Pfizer Covid vaccine for kids aged 5-11,&nbsp;we have it all.

You can also read about&nbsp;jailed Saakashvili ending 50-day hunger strike,&nbsp;deforestation in Brazil's Amazon rainforest surging to 15-year high and&nbsp;experts looking to recycle dangerous space junk into rocket fuel in Earth's orbit.

Please click on the headline to read the full story.

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<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/rittenhouse-acquittal-polarises-us-on-political-lines-attracts-sharp-reactions-430653">Rittenhouse case polarises US on political lines, attracts sharp reactions</a>

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The trial in Kyle Rittenhouse case seems to have polarised the United States along political lines. The acquittal has attracted sharp reactions from all corners of the country.&nbsp;US President Joe Biden is angry and concerned, while former president Donald Trump has congratulated Rittenhouse.

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<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/a-major-milestone-canada-approves-pfizer-covid-19-vaccine-for-kids-aged-5-11-430640">'A major milestone': Canada approves Pfizer Covid vaccine for kids aged 5-11</a>

<img alt="Brief 3" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="26c9e5fa-e021-42a4-a086-638fbc6faf93" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/ws.JPG" />

In what&nbsp;has been termed as a "a major milestone" by Health Canada, the country&nbsp;has now authorised the use of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine for children between 5 and 11. The decision comes in after a few companies sent an application requesting a clinical trial for thousands of children in this age group.

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<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/georgia-jailed-saakashvili-ends-hunger-strike-after-50-days-moved-to-military-hospital-430651">Jailed Saakashvili ends 50-day hunger strike; moved to military hospital</a>

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Georgia's ex-president Mikheil Saakashvili has finally ended his hunger strike after he was moved to a military hospital from a prison clinic. The jailed leader has been on a hunger strike for 50 days after his return from exile in Ukraine on October 1.

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<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/raising-worries-with-environmentalists-deforestation-in-brazils-amazon-rainforest-surges-to-15-year-high-430649">Deforestation in Brazil's Amazon rainforest surges to 15-year high</a>

<img alt="Brief 5" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="a34f88f2-977b-4c07-a59c-7f311c05182a" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/ws3.JPG" />

Undercutting Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro's pledge at the COP26 summit, deforestation in Brazil's Amazon rainforest has surged to a 15-year high.&nbsp;According to a government's 2021 report that raises worries with environmentalists, deforestation has soared 22 per cent&nbsp;in a year.

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<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/experts-look-to-recycle-dangerous-space-junk-into-rocket-fuel-in-earths-orbit-430648">Experts look to recycle dangerous space junk into rocket fuel in Earth's orbit</a>

<img alt="Brief 2" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="beaaa5fc-bb19-4eb8-801b-297cb668d6cc" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Space%20Junk.jpg" />

Several efforts are being made to recycle space junk to come up with rocket fuel in Earth's orbit.&nbsp;For achieving this goal, an Australian company had become a part of an international effort.&nbsp;Three other companies&nbsp;are also making valuable contribution.

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We bring you the biggest stories of the day so far. From Rittenhouse case polarising US on political lines, attracting sharp reactions to Canada approving Pfizer Covid vaccine for kids aged 5-11, we have it all.

We bring you the biggest stories of the day so far. From Rittenhouse case polarising US on political lines, attracting sharp reactions to Canada approving Pfizer Covid vaccine for kids aged 5-11, we have it all. You can also read about jailed Saakashvili ending 50-day hunger strike, deforestation in Brazil's Amazon rainforest surging to 15-year high and experts looking to recycle dangerous space junk into rocket fuel in Earth's orbit. Please click on the headline to read the full story. Rittenhouse case polarises US on political lines, attracts sharp reactions The trial in Kyle Rittenhouse case seems to have polarised the United States along political lines. The acquittal has attracted sharp reactions from all corners of the country. US President Joe Biden is angry and concerned, while former president Donald Trump has congratulated Rittenhouse. 'A major milestone': Canada approves Pfizer Covid vaccine for kids aged 5-11 In what has been termed as a "a major milestone" by Health Canada, the country has now authorised the use of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine for children between 5 and 11. The decision comes in after a few companies sent an application requesting a clinical trial for thousands of children in this age group. Jailed Saakashvili ends 50-day hunger strike; moved to military hospital Georgia's ex-president Mikheil Saakashvili has finally ended his hunger strike after he was moved to a military hospital from a prison clinic. The jailed leader has been on a hunger strike for 50 days after his return from exile in Ukraine on October 1. Deforestation in Brazil's Amazon rainforest surges to 15-year high Undercutting Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro's pledge at the COP26 summit, deforestation in Brazil's Amazon rainforest has surged to a 15-year high. According to a government's 2021 report that raises worries with environmentalists, deforestation has soared 22 per cent in a year. Experts look to recycle dangerous space junk into rocket fuel in Earth's orbit Several efforts are being made to recycle space junk to come up with rocket fuel in Earth's orbit. For achieving this goal, an Australian company had become a part of an international effort. Three other companies are also making valuable contribution.

Morning news brief: Rittenhouse acquittal, deforestation in Amazon and more

In a unique initiative, several efforts are being made to recycle dangerous space junk to come up with rocket fuel in space. &nbsp;&nbsp;

For achieving this goal, an Australian company had become a part of an international effort in this regard. &nbsp;

Debris from old spacecraft, dead satellites and spent rocket parts have clogged the orbit of Earth. They pose a threat to new satellites and the International Space Station as they travel in orbit at high speeds endangering anything that comes in their way. &nbsp;

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/indian-scientists-discover-star-planet-bigger-than-jupiter-430108" hreflang="en">Indian scientists discover star-planet bigger than Jupiter</a>

An “in-space electric propulsion system” has been developed by a South Australian company Neumann Space. It can be used in low Earth orbit to extend the missions of spacecraft, move satellites or de-orbit them. &nbsp;

For the propulsion system, the company is looking to turn space junk into fuel with the help of three other companies. &nbsp;

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/auditors-say-nasas-artemis-programme-likely-to-be-delayed-by-several-years-430217" hreflang="en">Auditors say NASA's Artemis programme likely to be delayed by several years</a>

These three are Japanese start-up Astroscale, which can use satellites to capture bits of debris in space, Nanorocks of the US, which is working to use advanced robotics to store and cut up debris in orbit and another US company, Cislunar, is developing a space foundry to melt debris into metal rods. &nbsp;

These metal rods will be used as fuel in Neumann Space’s propulsion system as it ionises the metal, which then creates thrust to move objects around orbit. &nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

In a unique initiative, several efforts are being made to recycle dangerous space junk to come up with rocket fuel in space. For achieving this goal, an Australian company had become a part of an international effort in this regard.

In a unique initiative, several efforts are being made to recycle dangerous space junk to come up with rocket fuel in space. For achieving this goal, an Australian company had become a part of an international effort in this regard. Debris from old spacecraft, dead satellites and spent rocket parts have clogged the orbit of Earth. They pose a threat to new satellites and the International Space Station as they travel in orbit at high speeds endangering anything that comes in their way. Also Read: Indian scientists discover star-planet bigger than Jupiter An “in-space electric propulsion system” has been developed by a South Australian company Neumann Space. It can be used in low Earth orbit to extend the missions of spacecraft, move satellites or de-orbit them. For the propulsion system, the company is looking to turn space junk into fuel with the help of three other companies. Also Read: Auditors say NASA's Artemis programme likely to be delayed by several years These three are Japanese start-up Astroscale, which can use satellites to capture bits of debris in space, Nanorocks of the US, which is working to use advanced robotics to store and cut up debris in orbit and another US company, Cislunar, is developing a space foundry to melt debris into metal rods. These metal rods will be used as fuel in Neumann Space’s propulsion system as it ionises the metal, which then creates thrust to move objects around orbit. (With inputs from agencies)

Experts look to recycle dangerous space junk into rocket fuel in Earth's orbit

In this year, several regions of the world have been forced to live under highly tensed atmosphere. &nbsp;&nbsp;

Be it a conflict on the border or environment of hatred created by sectionalism, people on almost every continent faced sleepless nights lately. &nbsp;&nbsp;

The regions, which have been regularly facing the upheaval, are South China Sea, Taiwan Strait, East China Sea, Koreas, Israel-Palestine region, Afghanistan, Belarus-Poland border, Sudan, Hong Kong, etc. &nbsp;

In some places, the opposite sides are warring due to overlapping claims, while at some, people are just fighting for existence.&nbsp; &nbsp;

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/rittenhouse-acquittal-polarises-us-on-political-lines-attracts-sharp-reactions-430653" hreflang="en">Rittenhouse acquittal polarises US on political lines, attracts sharp reactions</a>

Several nations, such as Sudan, witnessed coup while some also had to go through assassinations of top officials like Haiti. &nbsp;&nbsp;

In a nutshell, several people were affected by the worrisome developments around the world. &nbsp;&nbsp;

In Taiwan Strait, China and Taiwan have been fighting a war of words and showing strengths by the way of incursions, military exercises, joining regional pacts, etc. &nbsp;

For a long time, South China Sea seems to have become a bone of contention. After China militarised some artificially constructed islands in the area to assert its claim over the waterway, several countries of the world seem to have been making efforts to push back the Chinese. &nbsp; &nbsp;

China, Taiwan, Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia and Brunei have overlapping claims in the region. The situation is such that one small clash can lead to a full-scale war anytime. &nbsp;

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/wont-tolerate-taiwans-independence-says-china-430759" hreflang="en">Won't tolerate Taiwan's independence, says China</a>

Be it the formation of the Quad or Aukus, the focus of the major powers in the region has been to keep a tab over the increasingly aggressive China. &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;

Calling it ‘freedom of navigation’, the US, the UK and other countries have been sending their warships to the region as a show of power but with little or no effect on the adversary China. They regularly pass through the area to demonstrate the right to sail through what is considered to be international waters. It seems to have been only making the Beijing more aggressive. &nbsp; &nbsp;

In East China Sea, China has been taking on Japan as both the countries lay claim on same set of islands. &nbsp;

In the Koreas, India-China border, Israel-Palestine region, etc, there has been unusual calmness and slight skirmishes. The war of words, missile tests, flag meetings, firing of rockets, etc are also common. &nbsp;&nbsp;

After the Taliban took over the war-torn Afghanistan, the country has been witnessing poverty, hunger, power crisis, increase in suicide attacks by IS and affiliated groups, etc. &nbsp;&nbsp;

The Belarus-Poland border has been facing migrant crisis, where several people were looking to cross over to Europe but to no avail. &nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

In this year, several regions of the world have been forced to live under highly tensed atmosphere. Be it a conflict on the border or environment of hatred created by sectionalism, people on almost every continent faced sleepless nights lately.

In this year, several regions of the world have been forced to live under highly tensed atmosphere. Be it a conflict on the border or environment of hatred created by sectionalism, people on almost every continent faced sleepless nights lately. The regions, which have been regularly facing the upheaval, are South China Sea, Taiwan Strait, East China Sea, Koreas, Israel-Palestine region, Afghanistan, Belarus-Poland border, Sudan, Hong Kong, etc. In some places, the opposite sides are warring due to overlapping claims, while at some, people are just fighting for existence. Also Read: Rittenhouse acquittal polarises US on political lines, attracts sharp reactions Several nations, such as Sudan, witnessed coup while some also had to go through assassinations of top officials like Haiti. In a nutshell, several people were affected by the worrisome developments around the world. In Taiwan Strait, China and Taiwan have been fighting a war of words and showing strengths by the way of incursions, military exercises, joining regional pacts, etc. For a long time, South China Sea seems to have become a bone of contention. After China militarised some artificially constructed islands in the area to assert its claim over the waterway, several countries of the world seem to have been making efforts to push back the Chinese. China, Taiwan, Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia and Brunei have overlapping claims in the region. The situation is such that one small clash can lead to a full-scale war anytime. Also Read: Won't tolerate Taiwan's independence, says China Be it the formation of the Quad or Aukus, the focus of the major powers in the region has been to keep a tab over the increasingly aggressive China. Calling it ‘freedom of navigation’, the US, the UK and other countries have been sending their warships to the region as a show of power but with little or no effect on the adversary China. They regularly pass through the area to demonstrate the right to sail through what is considered to be international waters. It seems to have been only making the Beijing more aggressive. In East China Sea, China has been taking on Japan as both the countries lay claim on same set of islands. In the Koreas, India-China border, Israel-Palestine region, etc, there has been unusual calmness and slight skirmishes. The war of words, missile tests, flag meetings, firing of rockets, etc are also common. After the Taliban took over the war-torn Afghanistan, the country has been witnessing poverty, hunger, power crisis, increase in suicide attacks by IS and affiliated groups, etc. The Belarus-Poland border has been facing migrant crisis, where several people were looking to cross over to Europe but to no avail. (With inputs from agencies)

Weekend Special: Let's revisit world's highly tensed regions

In the first traditional turkey pardon ceremony in his presidency, US President Joe Biden pardoned two turkeys, namely, Peanut Butter and Jelly, on Friday. &nbsp;

The two birds were spared from becoming a presidential meal in this holiday season in a joke-filled ceremony on the White House's Rose Garden. &nbsp;

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/rittenhouse-acquittal-polarises-us-on-political-lines-attracts-sharp-reactions-430653" hreflang="en">Rittenhouse acquittal polarises US on political lines, attracts sharp reactions</a>

The outdoor ceremony was attended by the families and children of the White House staffers. &nbsp;

On the occasion, the President joked, "Eventually, Peanut Butter and Jelly were selected on the basis of their temperament, appearance and, I suspect, vaccination status. Yes, instead of getting basted, these two turkeys are getting boosted." &nbsp;

Peanut Butter and Jelly were "two names I couldn't agree on more. I have to admit to you, my wife doesn't like me to admit it, that's what I like for lunch," said Biden. &nbsp;

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/gaffe-prone-us-president-joe-biden-gets-flurry-of-memes-for-79th-birthday-430679" hreflang="en">Gaffe-prone US President Joe Biden gets flurry of memes for 79th birthday</a>

This tradition is “important” as it “reminds us to have a little bit of fun and always be grateful,” particularly after the pandemic’s upheaval of everyday life, the president added. &nbsp;

In 1989, Turkey pardoning became a norm in the White House after President George HW Bush revived the tradition. It has become a regular of the White House holiday season. &nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

In the first traditional turkey pardon ceremony in his presidency, US President Joe Biden pardoned two turkeys, namely, Peanut Butter and Jelly, on Friday. The two birds were spared from becoming a presidential meal in this holiday season in a joke-filled ceremony on the White House's Rose Garden.

In the first traditional turkey pardon ceremony in his presidency, US President Joe Biden pardoned two turkeys, namely, Peanut Butter and Jelly, on Friday. The two birds were spared from becoming a presidential meal in this holiday season in a joke-filled ceremony on the White House's Rose Garden. Also Read: Rittenhouse acquittal polarises US on political lines, attracts sharp reactions The outdoor ceremony was attended by the families and children of the White House staffers. On the occasion, the President joked, "Eventually, Peanut Butter and Jelly were selected on the basis of their temperament, appearance and, I suspect, vaccination status. Yes, instead of getting basted, these two turkeys are getting boosted." Peanut Butter and Jelly were "two names I couldn't agree on more. I have to admit to you, my wife doesn't like me to admit it, that's what I like for lunch," said Biden. Also Read: Gaffe-prone US President Joe Biden gets flurry of memes for 79th birthday This tradition is “important” as it “reminds us to have a little bit of fun and always be grateful,” particularly after the pandemic’s upheaval of everyday life, the president added. In 1989, Turkey pardoning became a norm in the White House after President George HW Bush revived the tradition. It has become a regular of the White House holiday season. (With inputs from agencies)

In Thanksgiving tradition, US President Joe Biden pardons ‘Peanut Butter’, ‘Jelly’

Nearly six weeks after being put on a ventilator, a woman miraculously woke from COVID-19 -induced coma on the day she was going to be taken off life support. &nbsp;

The family and doctors catering to the 69-year-old woman, Bettina Lerman, were in for a shocking surprise when she woke up on her own just hours before they were going to pull the plug.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/nearly-100-million-people-worldwide-have-suffered-from-long-covid-study-430694" hreflang="en">Nearly 100 million people worldwide have suffered from long Covid: Study</a> &nbsp;

The family had also picked up a headstone and casket. &nbsp;

Andrew Lerman, son of the woman, said, “We had a family meeting with the hospital because my mother wasn’t waking up. No matter what they (did), they couldn’t get her to wake up. They said that her lungs are completely destroyed. There’s irreversible damage — that it’s just not going to happen.” &nbsp;

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/covid-19-ups-risk-of-stillbirth-by-nearly-twice-says-study-in-us-430710" hreflang="en">COVID-19 ups risk of stillbirth by nearly twice, says study in US</a>

In a call on October 29, Andrew learnt from the doctor at Maine Medical Center in Portland, Maine, that his mother had unexpectedly woken up. She did not suffer organ failure and was also aware of her surroundings. &nbsp;&nbsp;

Bettina had contracted the coronavirus disease in early September. The woman is unvaccinated and may get the vaccine after she recovers. &nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

Nearly six weeks after being put on a ventilator, a woman miraculously woke from COVID-19 -induced coma on the day she was going to be taken off life support. The family and doctors catering to the 69-year-old woman, Bettina Lerman, were in for a shocking surprise when she woke up on her own just hours before they were going to pull the plug.

Nearly six weeks after being put on a ventilator, a woman miraculously woke from COVID-19 -induced coma on the day she was going to be taken off life support. The family and doctors catering to the 69-year-old woman, Bettina Lerman, were in for a shocking surprise when she woke up on her own just hours before they were going to pull the plug. Also Read: Nearly 100 million people worldwide have suffered from long Covid: Study The family had also picked up a headstone and casket. Andrew Lerman, son of the woman, said, “We had a family meeting with the hospital because my mother wasn’t waking up. No matter what they (did), they couldn’t get her to wake up. They said that her lungs are completely destroyed. There’s irreversible damage — that it’s just not going to happen.” Also Read: COVID-19 ups risk of stillbirth by nearly twice, says study in US In a call on October 29, Andrew learnt from the doctor at Maine Medical Center in Portland, Maine, that his mother had unexpectedly woken up. She did not suffer organ failure and was also aware of her surroundings. Bettina had contracted the coronavirus disease in early September. The woman is unvaccinated and may get the vaccine after she recovers. (With inputs from agencies)

On day to be taken off life support, woman wakes up from COVID-19-induced coma

The American chapter of the Court of Master Sommeliers, one of the world’s most influential wine organizations, is moving to expel six men accused of a variety of sexual-misconduct offenses, after a nine-month investigation.

The inquiry followed an October 2020 report in The New York Times in which 21 women said they had been sexually harassed, manipulated or assaulted by male master sommeliers. Current and former members described the court, whose members are mostly men, as a bastion of sexual harassment and coercion that had long been known and tolerated by the group’s leaders.

“What became clear through this investigation was the need for a seismic cultural shift within our organization,” Emily Wines, the chairwoman of the chapter’s board, said Wednesday in a statement about its investigation, which was conducted by an outside firm. The announcement was first reported by The San Francisco Chronicle.

The court said it would not disclose specific findings about the six men: Drew Hendricks, Fred Dexheimer, Joseph Linder, Matt Stamp, Robert Bath and Fred Dame, a founder of the chapter. But it said its investigation “confirmed that perceived power was exploited by members of the organization. The findings substantiated behaviors that ranged from inappropriate comments and flirting to nonconsensual touching and exploiting a mentoring relationship for a perceived quid pro quo.”

The court will hold a hearing about the proposed expulsions within 30 days. If the men are ousted, they would be prohibited from applying for reinstatement, according to a letter sent to one of the men.

The chapter also banned Geoff Kruth, a prominent member who resigned last year, from seeking reinstatement. Shortly before The Times article appeared, Kruth stepped down as the president of GuildSomm, the court’s educational spinoff. Eleven women told The Times they had experienced sexual misconduct by Kruth. Reached by phone on Thursday, he declined to comment.

More than a dozen women said Dame had frequently engaged in unwanted touching and sexual innuendo. On Thursday, he hung up on a reporter.

One woman said Hendricks had grabbed for her breasts, and another said he had asked for “a pair of panties to snuggle with” after she refused to sleep with him. Hendricks and his lawyer did not respond to messages seeking comment. Neither did Bath and Dexheimer.

Stamp, once the vice president of the board, failed to disclose that he had sexual relationships with two women who underwent the rigorous exam process required for membership. In a statement, Stamp said he “should have not been within the vicinity of anyone taking an examination” with whom he had a romantic relationship, even though he had recused himself from proctoring the exams for those women.

He said he took responsibility for his error in judgment: “I will learn and grow from my mistakes and accept today’s decision with a heavy heart.”

Linder, a master sommelier in Seattle who is now a contractor, also said that he took responsibility for his actions, but that the scandal pointed to a wider problem in the sommelier community. “When you are impaired, your better judgment goes out the window,” he said.

Liz Dowty Mitchell, 38, a sommelier in New Orleans, is one of two women who said Dame had slapped her on the rear at court events. She also said last year that a man who mentored her had repeatedly pursued her with sexual invitations. He is not among the men the chapter is seeking to dismiss.

Mitchell said she was contacted by an investigator in January, but decided not to take part in the inquiry because she didn’t trust the process. She said that she was blindsided by the sudden release of the investigation results and disappointed that men accused of more egregious sexual acts were not among those marked for expulsion.

“It’s really disheartening,” Mitchell said. “It’s incredibly uncomfortable. It doesn’t leave me with any sort of closure.”

The court said 22 members were investigated, but the “findings did not support further action in some cases.” Some members, it said, will go through “varying levels of rehabilitative education to allow members to take accountability and then return in good standing.”

Wines, the board’s chairwoman, said that while “a small number” of investigations were continuing, the court decided to announce the proposed expulsions because most of the inquiries had concluded.

Mitchell said she has been haunted by the belief that some men, including her mentor, who harassed women would continue as members.

“That’s a horrible feeling when I risked everything to come forward to protect future women,” she said. “I have no assurance that it won’t happen again in the future, and that’s why we came forward in the first place, to protect future women. It’s a pretty terrible feeling. It’s like this is all in vain.”

In the days following The Times report, the chapter elected a new board. Devon Broglie, the chairman, had resigned, after a junior-level candidate said Broglie had an inappropriate sexual relationship with her before he became chairman. The court said his resignation was unrelated to the allegations.

Linder, one of the sommeliers marked for ouster, said he agreed with Mitchell that some men accused of more serious abuses had not been punished.

“The hammer should’ve come a lot harder on the people who groomed candidates and had sex with them,” he said. “And for some reason, they got a pass.”

The American chapter of the Court of Master Sommeliers, one of the world’s most influential wine organizations, is moving to expel six men accused of a variety of sexual-misconduct offenses, after a nine-month investigation.

The American chapter of the Court of Master Sommeliers, one of the world’s most influential wine organizations, is moving to expel six men accused of a variety of sexual-misconduct offenses, after a nine-month investigation. The inquiry followed an October 2020 report in The New York Times in which 21 women said they had been sexually harassed, manipulated or assaulted by male master sommeliers. Current and former members described the court, whose members are mostly men, as a bastion of sexual harassment and coercion that had long been known and tolerated by the group’s leaders. “What became clear through this investigation was the need for a seismic cultural shift within our organization,” Emily Wines, the chairwoman of the chapter’s board, said Wednesday in a statement about its investigation, which was conducted by an outside firm. The announcement was first reported by The San Francisco Chronicle. The court said it would not disclose specific findings about the six men: Drew Hendricks, Fred Dexheimer, Joseph Linder, Matt Stamp, Robert Bath and Fred Dame, a founder of the chapter. But it said its investigation “confirmed that perceived power was exploited by members of the organization. The findings substantiated behaviors that ranged from inappropriate comments and flirting to nonconsensual touching and exploiting a mentoring relationship for a perceived quid pro quo.” The court will hold a hearing about the proposed expulsions within 30 days. If the men are ousted, they would be prohibited from applying for reinstatement, according to a letter sent to one of the men. The chapter also banned Geoff Kruth, a prominent member who resigned last year, from seeking reinstatement. Shortly before The Times article appeared, Kruth stepped down as the president of GuildSomm, the court’s educational spinoff. Eleven women told The Times they had experienced sexual misconduct by Kruth. Reached by phone on Thursday, he declined to comment. More than a dozen women said Dame had frequently engaged in unwanted touching and sexual innuendo. On Thursday, he hung up on a reporter. One woman said Hendricks had grabbed for her breasts, and another said he had asked for “a pair of panties to snuggle with” after she refused to sleep with him. Hendricks and his lawyer did not respond to messages seeking comment. Neither did Bath and Dexheimer. Stamp, once the vice president of the board, failed to disclose that he had sexual relationships with two women who underwent the rigorous exam process required for membership. In a statement, Stamp said he “should have not been within the vicinity of anyone taking an examination” with whom he had a romantic relationship, even though he had recused himself from proctoring the exams for those women. He said he took responsibility for his error in judgment: “I will learn and grow from my mistakes and accept today’s decision with a heavy heart.” Linder, a master sommelier in Seattle who is now a contractor, also said that he took responsibility for his actions, but that the scandal pointed to a wider problem in the sommelier community. “When you are impaired, your better judgment goes out the window,” he said. Liz Dowty Mitchell, 38, a sommelier in New Orleans, is one of two women who said Dame had slapped her on the rear at court events. She also said last year that a man who mentored her had repeatedly pursued her with sexual invitations. He is not among the men the chapter is seeking to dismiss. Mitchell said she was contacted by an investigator in January, but decided not to take part in the inquiry because she didn’t trust the process. She said that she was blindsided by the sudden release of the investigation results and disappointed that men accused of more egregious sexual acts were not among those marked for expulsion. “It’s really disheartening,” Mitchell said. “It’s incredibly uncomfortable. It doesn’t leave me with any sort of closure.” The court said 22 members were investigated, but the “findings did not support further action in some cases.” Some members, it said, will go through “varying levels of rehabilitative education to allow members to take accountability and then return in good standing.” Wines, the board’s chairwoman, said that while “a small number” of investigations were continuing, the court decided to announce the proposed expulsions because most of the inquiries had concluded. Mitchell said she has been haunted by the belief that some men, including her mentor, who harassed women would continue as members. “That’s a horrible feeling when I risked everything to come forward to protect future women,” she said. “I have no assurance that it won’t happen again in the future, and that’s why we came forward in the first place, to protect future women. It’s a pretty terrible feeling. It’s like this is all in vain.” In the days following The Times report, the chapter elected a new board. Devon Broglie, the chairman, had resigned, after a junior-level candidate said Broglie had an inappropriate sexual relationship with her before he became chairman. The court said his resignation was unrelated to the allegations. Linder, one of the sommeliers marked for ouster, said he agreed with Mitchell that some men accused of more serious abuses had not been punished. “The hammer should’ve come a lot harder on the people who groomed candidates and had sex with them,” he said. “And for some reason, they got a pass.”

Elite wine group moves to expel 6 members in sexual harassment inquiry

TikTok seems to be going through a rough phase in Pakistan. In last 15 months, the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority has imposed and lifted ban for the fourth time. &nbsp;

This time, the ban has been lifted on TikTok after four months. The Pakistan's media regulating authority announced on Friday. &nbsp;&nbsp;

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/extremism-in-pak-not-rooted-in-madrasas-but-schools-colleges-says-minister-430533" hreflang="en">Extremism in Pak not rooted in madrasas, but schools, colleges, says Minister</a>

The development comes as the popular Chinese video-sharing service made assurances that it would control the spread of indecent content. &nbsp;

Considering the scenario, it cannot be confirmed that the app will be banned again or not. &nbsp;

In October 2020, TikTok was first blocked in Pakistan. The action was taken over complaints about allegedly 'immoral, obscene and vulgar' content on the app. &nbsp;

The app has become quite popular among teens and young adults in the country. &nbsp;&nbsp;

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/pakistan-frees-hardline-islamist-under-a-deal-to-end-violence-430353" hreflang="en">Pakistan frees hardline Islamist under a deal to end violence</a>

In a statement on Twitter, the regulatory agency said that TikTok had assured Pakistan it would also block users, who upload 'unlawful content’. &nbsp;&nbsp;

The app, which is owned by China's ByteDance, has been downloaded around 39 million times in Pakistan. &nbsp;

Pakistan, which has strong relations with China, has been asking TikTok to come up with an effective mechanism to control unlawful content. &nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

TikTok seems to be going through a rough phase in Pakistan. In last 15 months, the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority has imposed and lifted ban for the fourth time.

TikTok seems to be going through a rough phase in Pakistan. In last 15 months, the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority has imposed and lifted ban for the fourth time. This time, the ban has been lifted on TikTok after four months. The Pakistan's media regulating authority announced on Friday. Also Read: Extremism in Pak not rooted in madrasas, but schools, colleges, says Minister The development comes as the popular Chinese video-sharing service made assurances that it would control the spread of indecent content. Considering the scenario, it cannot be confirmed that the app will be banned again or not. In October 2020, TikTok was first blocked in Pakistan. The action was taken over complaints about allegedly 'immoral, obscene and vulgar' content on the app. The app has become quite popular among teens and young adults in the country. Also Read: Pakistan frees hardline Islamist under a deal to end violence In a statement on Twitter, the regulatory agency said that TikTok had assured Pakistan it would also block users, who upload 'unlawful content’. The app, which is owned by China's ByteDance, has been downloaded around 39 million times in Pakistan. Pakistan, which has strong relations with China, has been asking TikTok to come up with an effective mechanism to control unlawful content. (With inputs from agencies)

For fourth time, Pakistan lifts ban on Chinese video-sharing app TikTok

If a new study is to be believed, the risk of stillbirth is about twice as high for women with Covid compared to those without. &nbsp;&nbsp;

When the Delta variant had become dominant, the risk of stillbirth had grown to about quadruple, a large US government study said on Friday. &nbsp;

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/nearly-100-million-people-worldwide-have-suffered-from-long-covid-study-430694" hreflang="en">Nearly 100 million people worldwide have suffered from long Covid: Study</a>

Carried out by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) of the United States, the analysis was based on over 1.2 million deliveries, which were conducted between March 2020 and September 2021, from a large hospital database of the country. &nbsp;

Accounting for 0.65 per cent or 8,154 deliveries, stillbirths were highly rare overall. &nbsp;

After using statistical methods to account for the effect of other variables that might change the result, stillbirths were 1.47 times more common in Covid-positive mothers pre-Delta, 4.04 times higher after and 1.90 times higher overall.&nbsp;

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/a-major-milestone-canada-approves-pfizer-covid-19-vaccine-for-kids-aged-5-11-430640" hreflang="en">'A major milestone': Canada approves Pfizer Covid-19 vaccine for kids aged 5-11</a>

The previous research indicated a potential biological cause for the increased risk that could be the result of inflammation or decreased blood flow to the placenta, wrote authors. &nbsp;

Among deliveries with Covid, conditions, such as heart injury, having more than one baby, life-threatening lung injury, sepsis, poor blood flow resulting in shock, separation of the placenta from the uterus, chronic high blood pressure and having to go on a ventilator or being admitted to ICU, were linked to higher rates of stillbirth. &nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

If a new study is to be believed, the risk of stillbirth is about twice as high for women with Covid compared to those without. When the Delta variant had become dominant, the risk of stillbirth had grown to about quadruple, a large US government study said on Friday.

If a new study is to be believed, the risk of stillbirth is about twice as high for women with Covid compared to those without. When the Delta variant had become dominant, the risk of stillbirth had grown to about quadruple, a large US government study said on Friday. Also Read: Nearly 100 million people worldwide have suffered from long Covid: Study Carried out by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) of the United States, the analysis was based on over 1.2 million deliveries, which were conducted between March 2020 and September 2021, from a large hospital database of the country. Accounting for 0.65 per cent or 8,154 deliveries, stillbirths were highly rare overall. After using statistical methods to account for the effect of other variables that might change the result, stillbirths were 1.47 times more common in Covid-positive mothers pre-Delta, 4.04 times higher after and 1.90 times higher overall. Also Read: 'A major milestone': Canada approves Pfizer Covid-19 vaccine for kids aged 5-11 The previous research indicated a potential biological cause for the increased risk that could be the result of inflammation or decreased blood flow to the placenta, wrote authors. Among deliveries with Covid, conditions, such as heart injury, having more than one baby, life-threatening lung injury, sepsis, poor blood flow resulting in shock, separation of the placenta from the uterus, chronic high blood pressure and having to go on a ventilator or being admitted to ICU, were linked to higher rates of stillbirth. (With inputs from agencies)

COVID-19 ups risk of stillbirth by nearly twice, says study in US

According to new bill in UK parliament, people can be stripped of their British citizenship without a prior warning. &nbsp;

Under a proposed rule change, it has been quietly added to the nationality and borders bill. If this bill gets passed, it may open a can of worms. &nbsp;

As per Clause 9, “Notice of decision to deprive a person of citizenship” of the bill, the government is exempted from having to give notice if it is not “reasonably practicable” to do so, or in the interests of diplomatic relations, national security or public interest. It was updated earlier this month.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/princess-elizabeth-doll-which-angered-royal-family-to-be-auctioned-430611" hreflang="en">Princess Elizabeth doll which angered Royal family to be auctioned</a>&nbsp;

According to the critics, removing citizenship, as in Shamima Begum case, who had fled the country as a schoolgirl to join Islamic State, is already a contentious power. The scrapping of the requirement for notice would make the powers of home secretary more draconian. &nbsp;

Frances Webber, vice-chair, Institute of Race Relations, said, “This amendment sends the message that certain citizens, despite being born and brought up in the UK and having no other home, remain migrants in this country. Their citizenship, and therefore all their rights, are precarious and contingent.” &nbsp;

“It builds on previous measures to strip British-born dual nationals (who are mostly from ethnic minorities) of citizenship and to do it while they are abroad, measures used mainly against British Muslims. It unapologetically flouts international human rights obligations and basic norms of fairness,” added Webber. &nbsp;

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/uk-drivers-to-be-banned-from-using-handheld-devices-from-next-year-430603" hreflang="en">UK drivers to be banned from using handheld devices from next year</a>

The Home Office said, “British citizenship is a privilege, not a right. Deprivation of citizenship on conducive grounds is rightly reserved for those, who pose a threat to the UK or whose conduct involves very high harm. The nationality and borders bill will amend the law so citizenship can be deprived where it is not practicable to give notice, for example, if there is no way of communicating with the person.” &nbsp;&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies) &nbsp;&nbsp;

According to new bill in UK parliament, people can be stripped of their British citizenship without a prior warning. Under a proposed rule change, it has been quietly added to the nationality and borders bill.

According to new bill in UK parliament, people can be stripped of their British citizenship without a prior warning. Under a proposed rule change, it has been quietly added to the nationality and borders bill. If this bill gets passed, it may open a can of worms. As per Clause 9, “Notice of decision to deprive a person of citizenship” of the bill, the government is exempted from having to give notice if it is not “reasonably practicable” to do so, or in the interests of diplomatic relations, national security or public interest. It was updated earlier this month. Also Read: Princess Elizabeth doll which angered Royal family to be auctioned According to the critics, removing citizenship, as in Shamima Begum case, who had fled the country as a schoolgirl to join Islamic State, is already a contentious power. The scrapping of the requirement for notice would make the powers of home secretary more draconian. Frances Webber, vice-chair, Institute of Race Relations, said, “This amendment sends the message that certain citizens, despite being born and brought up in the UK and having no other home, remain migrants in this country. Their citizenship, and therefore all their rights, are precarious and contingent.” “It builds on previous measures to strip British-born dual nationals (who are mostly from ethnic minorities) of citizenship and to do it while they are abroad, measures used mainly against British Muslims. It unapologetically flouts international human rights obligations and basic norms of fairness,” added Webber. Also Read: UK drivers to be banned from using handheld devices from next year The Home Office said, “British citizenship is a privilege, not a right. Deprivation of citizenship on conducive grounds is rightly reserved for those, who pose a threat to the UK or whose conduct involves very high harm. The nationality and borders bill will amend the law so citizenship can be deprived where it is not practicable to give notice, for example, if there is no way of communicating with the person.” (With inputs from agencies)

In UK, new bill empowers British govt to remove citizenship without notice

A teacher in California told students belonging to a conservative club to "jump off a bridge" after they waved an&nbsp;anti-Biden&nbsp;flag at a Veterans Day event. &nbsp;

According to the Paso Robles Press, Kristin Usilton, teacher, Bauer Speck Elementary School, had posted a video on her Instagram account, which has been deleted. &nbsp;&nbsp;

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In the video, the teacher criticised a Paso Robles High School Conservative Club demonstration at a Veterans Day event. &nbsp;

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/a-fine-idea-alcohol-detection-systems-now-mandatory-for-all-vehicles-in-us-430317" hreflang="en">'A fine idea': Alcohol detection systems now mandatory for all vehicles in US</a>

Usilton said, "The Paso Robles Conservative Club for the high school, you can go jump off a bridge. I'm going to post what they thought was a great show of support for the veterans, who I'm pretty sure would be absolutely offended by what they did on school campus." &nbsp;

At an event on November 10 meant to celebrate US veterans, students from the high school's conservative club waved a variety of flags, such as American flag, "Trump 2020" flag, Gadsden flag, "F*** Biden" flag, etc, according to the Tribune. &nbsp;&nbsp;

Usilton said, "Had the LGBTQ population done that or the black or Hispanic community members, we would have had our ass chewed out. Look at what they did today." Usilton also showed footage of the students waving the flags.&nbsp;

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/real-threat-us-investigates-instagrams-impact-on-childrens-mental-health-430383" hreflang="en">'Real threat': US investigates Instagram's impact on children's mental health</a>

In another video, Usilton clarified, "When I said, 'Go jump off a bridge,' I just meant go away, and I will not use that term again because of the incredible influx of messages I got about that. But if that's what you focused on in that message, you're kind of part of the problem." &nbsp;

On November 17, Curt Dubost, superintendent, Paso Robles Joint Unified School District, released a statement addressing both Usilton and the students, who waved the flags. &nbsp;

Dubost said, "Last Wednesday, a student effort to honour Veterans Day was disrupted by a very poor choice to include a profane flag." He also criticised Usilton and labelled her actions as "inappropriate." &nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

A teacher in California told students belonging to a conservative club to "jump off a bridge" after they waved an anti-Biden flag at a Veterans Day event. According to the Paso Robles Press, Kristin Usilton, teacher, Bauer Speck Elementary School, had posted a video on her Instagram account, which has been deleted.

A teacher in California told students belonging to a conservative club to "jump off a bridge" after they waved an anti-Biden flag at a Veterans Day event. According to the Paso Robles Press, Kristin Usilton, teacher, Bauer Speck Elementary School, had posted a video on her Instagram account, which has been deleted. Teacher in Paso Robles, California says conservative kids can “jump off a bridge” pic.twitter.com/GVHh7Uh7fm — Libs of Tik Tok (@libsoftiktok) November 18, 2021 × In the video, the teacher criticised a Paso Robles High School Conservative Club demonstration at a Veterans Day event. Also Read: 'A fine idea': Alcohol detection systems now mandatory for all vehicles in US Usilton said, "The Paso Robles Conservative Club for the high school, you can go jump off a bridge. I'm going to post what they thought was a great show of support for the veterans, who I'm pretty sure would be absolutely offended by what they did on school campus." At an event on November 10 meant to celebrate US veterans, students from the high school's conservative club waved a variety of flags, such as American flag, "Trump 2020" flag, Gadsden flag, "F*** Biden" flag, etc, according to the Tribune. Usilton said, "Had the LGBTQ population done that or the black or Hispanic community members, we would have had our ass chewed out. Look at what they did today." Usilton also showed footage of the students waving the flags. Also Read: 'Real threat': US investigates Instagram's impact on children's mental health In another video, Usilton clarified, "When I said, 'Go jump off a bridge,' I just meant go away, and I will not use that term again because of the incredible influx of messages I got about that. But if that's what you focused on in that message, you're kind of part of the problem." On November 17, Curt Dubost, superintendent, Paso Robles Joint Unified School District, released a statement addressing both Usilton and the students, who waved the flags. Dubost said, "Last Wednesday, a student effort to honour Veterans Day was disrupted by a very poor choice to include a profane flag." He also criticised Usilton and labelled her actions as "inappropriate." (With inputs from agencies)

Watch: Upset teacher tells students to 'jump off a bridge' for waving anti-Biden flag in US

In a unique development, several farmers and rescuers used boats and personal watercraft, such as jet skis, to rescue hundreds of cows stranded in the floodwaters in Canada’s province of British Columbia.&nbsp;The rescuers made strenuous efforts to tow cows to dry land. &nbsp;

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/catastrophic-flooding-triggers-state-of-emergency-in-canada-430285" hreflang="en">'Catastrophic' flooding triggers state of emergency in Canada</a>

Abbotsford Mayor Harry Braun, in a news conference on Wednesday, praised the rescue process.&nbsp;Braun said, "When I see calves that were underwater that they rescued and threw in the boat to save them, I mean, on one hand, it breaks my heart; on the other hand, I'm just so impressed with our farming community that they have come together to help each other." &nbsp;

On Tuesday night, residents in Abbotsford were told to evacuate after the imminent failure of a pump station, which prevents the Fraser River from overflowing onto the Fraser Valley. &nbsp;&nbsp;

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/drug-overdoses-killed-a-record-100000-in-us-during-covid-19-pandemic-430274" hreflang="en">Drug overdoses killed a record 100,000 in US during COVID-19 pandemic</a>

Abbotsford is the largest town in Sumas Prairie and houses about three-quarters farmland, Mayor added. "The farmers have adapted to the situation and figuring out how to do things," Braun added. &nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

In a unique development, several farmers and rescuers used boats and personal watercraft, such as jet skis, to rescue hundreds of cows stranded in the floodwaters in Canada’s province of British Columbia.

In a unique development, several farmers and rescuers used boats and personal watercraft, such as jet skis, to rescue hundreds of cows stranded in the floodwaters in Canada’s province of British Columbia. The rescuers made strenuous efforts to tow cows to dry land. Also Read: 'Catastrophic' flooding triggers state of emergency in Canada Abbotsford Mayor Harry Braun, in a news conference on Wednesday, praised the rescue process. Braun said, "When I see calves that were underwater that they rescued and threw in the boat to save them, I mean, on one hand, it breaks my heart; on the other hand, I'm just so impressed with our farming community that they have come together to help each other." On Tuesday night, residents in Abbotsford were told to evacuate after the imminent failure of a pump station, which prevents the Fraser River from overflowing onto the Fraser Valley. Also Read: Drug overdoses killed a record 100,000 in US during COVID-19 pandemic Abbotsford is the largest town in Sumas Prairie and houses about three-quarters farmland, Mayor added. "The farmers have adapted to the situation and figuring out how to do things," Braun added. (With inputs from agencies)

To rescue cows, farmers use boats, jet skis as floods wreak havoc in Canada's British Columbia

A plan by House Democrats to reduce taxes for high earners in states like New Jersey, New York and California in their $1.85 trillion social policy spending package is becoming an early political albatross for the party, with Republicans already mobilizing to accuse Democrats of defying their populist principles in favor of cutting taxes for the rich.

The criticism offers a preview of the emerging battle lines ahead of next year’s midterm elections and underscores the challenge that Democrats face when local politics collide with the party’s national ambitions to promote economic equity. For Republicans who have defended their 2017 tax cuts, which overwhelmingly benefited the wealthy, the proposal by Democrats to raise the limit on the state and local tax deduction is an opportunity to flip the script and cast Democrats as the party of plutocrats.

“I think they’re struggling to maintain their professed support for taxing the wealthy, yet they are providing a huge tax windfall under the SALT cap,” said Rep. Kevin Brady of Texas, the top Republican on the House Ways and Means Committee, referring to the acronym for state and local taxes. “If your priorities are working families, make that the priority, not the wealthy.”

Republicans, looking for ways to finance their own tax cuts in 2017, capped the amount of state and local taxes that households could deduct from their federal tax bills at $10,000. Democrats from high-tax states like New York, New Jersey and California have spent years promising to repeal the cap and are poised to lift it to $80,000 through 2030, before reducing it back to $10,000 in 2031. The cap, which is currently set to disappear in 2025, would then expire permanently in 2032.

The bill would cut taxes sharply for the next five years by increasing the value of the deduction, but it would mean higher taxes in the following five years than if the cap were allowed to expire. The Congressional Budget Office said Thursday that over the course of a decade, the changes to the deduction would amount to a tax increase that would raise about $14.8 billion in revenue.

The House proposal is likely to change in the Senate, where it has its own champions and detractors. Sen. Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., the majority leader, has embraced a more generous deduction while Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., chair of the Senate Budget Committee, has sharply criticized the House proposal. He joined Sen. Bob Menendez, D-N.J., in negotiating an income cap — as high as $550,000, though that number is in flux — on who can receive the deduction.

This week, the National Republican Congressional Committee released survey data that it said suggested most voters in battleground states would be less likely to vote for Democrats who supported a policy that gave tax cuts to rich homeowners in New Jersey, New York and California. It said that the Democratic Party would have “to defend its politically toxic policies which penalize hardworking families to reward liberal elites.”

Prominent tax and budget analysts have argued that expanding the deduction amounted to an unnecessary giveaway to the rich.

According to the nonpartisan Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget, a family of four in Washington making $1 million per year would receive 10 times as much tax relief next year from expanding the state and local tax deduction as a middle-class family would receive from another provision in the social policy package, an expansion of the child tax credit. Citing calculations from the nonpartisan Urban-Brookings Tax Policy Center, the group said that two-thirds of households making more than $1 million a year would get a tax cut under the legislation because of the increase to the state and local property tax deduction.

The proposal has put some Democrats on the defensive.

Rep. Jared Golden, D-Maine, said this week that tax giveaways to millionaires sounded like something that Republicans would have come up with.

“Proponents have been saying that the BBB taxes the rich,” Golden said on Twitter, referring to the bill known as the Build Back Better Act. “But the more we learn about the SALT provisions, the more it looks like another giant tax break for millionaires.”

The issue is further complicating passage of the bill, which Democrats are trying to get through both the House and Senate without Republican support. Given their thin majorities in both chambers, Democrats can afford to lose no more than three votes in the House and none in the Senate.

Some Democrats in Congress from states with high taxes have made the inclusion of the more generous deduction as a prerequisite for their backing the bill.

“There’s a series of competing views on SALT, but I mean, it’s pretty obvious something has to be in there, that’s for sure,” said Rep. Richard E. Neal of Massachusetts, chair of the House Ways and Means Committee.

The unexpectedly tight race for governor of New Jersey was a clear reminder that the state’s high property taxes — and the limit on their deductibility — are high on voters’ lists of worries, strategists and other political observers said.

“As COVID kind of recedes, taxes are taking its place as the top issue in New Jersey,” said Michael DuHaime, a Republican political strategist with Mercury Public Affairs.

The SALT cap “essentially resulted in a pretty large tax increase for a lot of families” in the suburbs of New York City, DuHaime said. With Democrats in power, those homeowners are counting on some relief, he said.

Now that former President Donald Trump is out of office, New Jersey has “reverted to its mean” of being deeply concerned about the state’s affordability, said Julie Roginsky, a strategist who advised Gov. Philip Murphy, a Democrat, during his first campaign in 2017. The average homeowner in the state pays about $10,000 in property taxes, she said, with the cap hitting about one-third of New Jersey residents.

“I think it’s absolutely a line in the sand that some of these vulnerable members of Congress need to draw,” Roginsky said.

Several Democrats who represent affluent suburban areas where most homeowners pay much more than $10,000 a year in property taxes will face stiff challenges in the midterm election next year, strategists said. Their short list of vulnerable House members include Josh Gottheimer, Mikie Sherrill and Tom Malinowski from North Jersey, and Andy Kim, who represents part of the Jersey Shore, all of whom support raising the SALT cap.

If the Democrats can engineer a change to the SALT deduction that is retroactive to cover 2021 taxes, those incumbents can campaign on having provided a tax cut, Roginsky said. But if they fail, their Republican opponents — like Thomas Kean Jr., a state senator who is challenging Malinowski — will be able to use that against them, she said.

“It may not play well in Vermont or in Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez’s district, but if you’re Nancy Pelosi, you understand that the road to your majority runs through places like suburban New Jersey and suburban California and suburban New York,” Roginsky said.

Ben Dworkin, the director of the Rowan Institute for Public Policy and Citizenship at Rowan University in Glassboro, New Jersey, cited the unexpectedly close race for New Jersey governor this year. He noted how effective Murphy’s challenger, Jack Ciattarelli, was in playing to voters’ feelings about the state’s high taxes.

“He hammered home that issue,” Dworkin said.

Public polling leading up to that election showed that affordability in general was the “top issue” in the state, he said.

“From an elected official standpoint, anything you can do to alleviate the pressure of taxes, as a change in the SALT cap would do, is a huge benefit,” Dworkin said.

Even one of the leading Republicans in the state, Jon M. Bramnick, the minority leader in the state Assembly, said he would applaud the Democrats if they provided some tax relief to New Jersey residents.

“If Gottheimer and Mikie Sherrill and the others stand up to the Republicans and get it done, I’ll say I’m with them and I’m proud of their work,” Bramnick said.

Gottheimer said in an interview that people had been migrating away from New Jersey because the cap on the deduction meant an increase in the cost of living. He dismissed criticism that lifting the cap was a tax cut for the rich, arguing that was not the case in his state.

“My job is to fight for my district, and again if other states or districts don’t want it they don’t have to take it,” Gottheimer said. “If you come to my state, this is an existential threat.”

Yet the overall economic impact of the cap in high-tax states is not as clear as those who support raising it suggest.

Daniel Hemel, a law professor at the University of Chicago whose research has focused on taxes, argued that under the current proposal, millionaires would actually face higher taxes than they otherwise would have in the second half of the decade.

And while he said liberals should be concerned that the law would mean some rich people would get big tax breaks, he argued that Republicans were being disingenuous in their attacks given the structure of their $1.5 trillion tax cut four years ago.

“I think any Republican who voted for the 2017 tax law loses the ability to criticize liberals for regressive tax policy,” Hemel said.

A plan by House Democrats to reduce taxes for high earners in states like New Jersey, New York and California in their $1.85 trillion social policy spending package is becoming an early political albatross for the party, with Republicans already mobilizing to accuse Democrats of defying their populist principles in favor of cutting taxes for the rich.

A plan by House Democrats to reduce taxes for high earners in states like New Jersey, New York and California in their $1.85 trillion social policy spending package is becoming an early political albatross for the party, with Republicans already mobilizing to accuse Democrats of defying their populist principles in favor of cutting taxes for the rich. The criticism offers a preview of the emerging battle lines ahead of next year’s midterm elections and underscores the challenge that Democrats face when local politics collide with the party’s national ambitions to promote economic equity. For Republicans who have defended their 2017 tax cuts, which overwhelmingly benefited the wealthy, the proposal by Democrats to raise the limit on the state and local tax deduction is an opportunity to flip the script and cast Democrats as the party of plutocrats. “I think they’re struggling to maintain their professed support for taxing the wealthy, yet they are providing a huge tax windfall under the SALT cap,” said Rep. Kevin Brady of Texas, the top Republican on the House Ways and Means Committee, referring to the acronym for state and local taxes. “If your priorities are working families, make that the priority, not the wealthy.” Republicans, looking for ways to finance their own tax cuts in 2017, capped the amount of state and local taxes that households could deduct from their federal tax bills at $10,000. Democrats from high-tax states like New York, New Jersey and California have spent years promising to repeal the cap and are poised to lift it to $80,000 through 2030, before reducing it back to $10,000 in 2031. The cap, which is currently set to disappear in 2025, would then expire permanently in 2032. The bill would cut taxes sharply for the next five years by increasing the value of the deduction, but it would mean higher taxes in the following five years than if the cap were allowed to expire. The Congressional Budget Office said Thursday that over the course of a decade, the changes to the deduction would amount to a tax increase that would raise about $14.8 billion in revenue. The House proposal is likely to change in the Senate, where it has its own champions and detractors. Sen. Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., the majority leader, has embraced a more generous deduction while Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., chair of the Senate Budget Committee, has sharply criticized the House proposal. He joined Sen. Bob Menendez, D-N.J., in negotiating an income cap — as high as $550,000, though that number is in flux — on who can receive the deduction. This week, the National Republican Congressional Committee released survey data that it said suggested most voters in battleground states would be less likely to vote for Democrats who supported a policy that gave tax cuts to rich homeowners in New Jersey, New York and California. It said that the Democratic Party would have “to defend its politically toxic policies which penalize hardworking families to reward liberal elites.” Prominent tax and budget analysts have argued that expanding the deduction amounted to an unnecessary giveaway to the rich. According to the nonpartisan Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget, a family of four in Washington making $1 million per year would receive 10 times as much tax relief next year from expanding the state and local tax deduction as a middle-class family would receive from another provision in the social policy package, an expansion of the child tax credit. Citing calculations from the nonpartisan Urban-Brookings Tax Policy Center, the group said that two-thirds of households making more than $1 million a year would get a tax cut under the legislation because of the increase to the state and local property tax deduction. The proposal has put some Democrats on the defensive. Rep. Jared Golden, D-Maine, said this week that tax giveaways to millionaires sounded like something that Republicans would have come up with. “Proponents have been saying that the BBB taxes the rich,” Golden said on Twitter, referring to the bill known as the Build Back Better Act. “But the more we learn about the SALT provisions, the more it looks like another giant tax break for millionaires.” The issue is further complicating passage of the bill, which Democrats are trying to get through both the House and Senate without Republican support. Given their thin majorities in both chambers, Democrats can afford to lose no more than three votes in the House and none in the Senate. Some Democrats in Congress from states with high taxes have made the inclusion of the more generous deduction as a prerequisite for their backing the bill. “There’s a series of competing views on SALT, but I mean, it’s pretty obvious something has to be in there, that’s for sure,” said Rep. Richard E. Neal of Massachusetts, chair of the House Ways and Means Committee. The unexpectedly tight race for governor of New Jersey was a clear reminder that the state’s high property taxes — and the limit on their deductibility — are high on voters’ lists of worries, strategists and other political observers said. “As COVID kind of recedes, taxes are taking its place as the top issue in New Jersey,” said Michael DuHaime, a Republican political strategist with Mercury Public Affairs. The SALT cap “essentially resulted in a pretty large tax increase for a lot of families” in the suburbs of New York City, DuHaime said. With Democrats in power, those homeowners are counting on some relief, he said. Now that former President Donald Trump is out of office, New Jersey has “reverted to its mean” of being deeply concerned about the state’s affordability, said Julie Roginsky, a strategist who advised Gov. Philip Murphy, a Democrat, during his first campaign in 2017. The average homeowner in the state pays about $10,000 in property taxes, she said, with the cap hitting about one-third of New Jersey residents. “I think it’s absolutely a line in the sand that some of these vulnerable members of Congress need to draw,” Roginsky said. Several Democrats who represent affluent suburban areas where most homeowners pay much more than $10,000 a year in property taxes will face stiff challenges in the midterm election next year, strategists said. Their short list of vulnerable House members include Josh Gottheimer, Mikie Sherrill and Tom Malinowski from North Jersey, and Andy Kim, who represents part of the Jersey Shore, all of whom support raising the SALT cap. If the Democrats can engineer a change to the SALT deduction that is retroactive to cover 2021 taxes, those incumbents can campaign on having provided a tax cut, Roginsky said. But if they fail, their Republican opponents — like Thomas Kean Jr., a state senator who is challenging Malinowski — will be able to use that against them, she said. “It may not play well in Vermont or in Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez’s district, but if you’re Nancy Pelosi, you understand that the road to your majority runs through places like suburban New Jersey and suburban California and suburban New York,” Roginsky said. Ben Dworkin, the director of the Rowan Institute for Public Policy and Citizenship at Rowan University in Glassboro, New Jersey, cited the unexpectedly close race for New Jersey governor this year. He noted how effective Murphy’s challenger, Jack Ciattarelli, was in playing to voters’ feelings about the state’s high taxes. “He hammered home that issue,” Dworkin said. Public polling leading up to that election showed that affordability in general was the “top issue” in the state, he said. “From an elected official standpoint, anything you can do to alleviate the pressure of taxes, as a change in the SALT cap would do, is a huge benefit,” Dworkin said. Even one of the leading Republicans in the state, Jon M. Bramnick, the minority leader in the state Assembly, said he would applaud the Democrats if they provided some tax relief to New Jersey residents. “If Gottheimer and Mikie Sherrill and the others stand up to the Republicans and get it done, I’ll say I’m with them and I’m proud of their work,” Bramnick said. Gottheimer said in an interview that people had been migrating away from New Jersey because the cap on the deduction meant an increase in the cost of living. He dismissed criticism that lifting the cap was a tax cut for the rich, arguing that was not the case in his state. “My job is to fight for my district, and again if other states or districts don’t want it they don’t have to take it,” Gottheimer said. “If you come to my state, this is an existential threat.” Yet the overall economic impact of the cap in high-tax states is not as clear as those who support raising it suggest. Daniel Hemel, a law professor at the University of Chicago whose research has focused on taxes, argued that under the current proposal, millionaires would actually face higher taxes than they otherwise would have in the second half of the decade. And while he said liberals should be concerned that the law would mean some rich people would get big tax breaks, he argued that Republicans were being disingenuous in their attacks given the structure of their $1.5 trillion tax cut four years ago. “I think any Republican who voted for the 2017 tax law loses the ability to criticize liberals for regressive tax policy,” Hemel said.

Tax deduction that benefits the rich divides Democrats ahead of vote

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Zee News Rajasthan

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Gandharv Walia

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