## Voting rights group founded by Stacey Abrams fined for illegal campaigning

Authored by theguardian.com

The New Georgia Project, a prominent voting rights organization founded by Stacey Abrams, has been fined $300,000 by the state ethics commission of Georgia for illegally campaigning for Abrams and other Democratic candidates during the 2018 election cycle.

The consent order ends a years-long investigation that the voting rights group had broken state campaign finance laws by raising and spending millions in support of candidate without proper registration and disclosure.

The fine is the largest in Georgia history, according to the state ethics commission.

During the 2018 election cycle, the Rev Raphael Warnock – now a US senator for Georgia – was chairman of the organization’s board.

The organization was also cited for illegally campaigning for a transit referendum in the Atlanta-area suburb of Gwinnett county.

“They have to disclose the money they raise and the source of that money – where they are bringing in their dollars from.

While this finding applied to state law, federal law also forbids organizations designated as charities like the New Georgia Project from campaigning directly for candidates. »

### President Biden warns of 'oligarchy' as he bids farewell to five decades in politics

Authored by usatoday.com

"More than a century ago, American people stood up to the robber barons back then and busted the trusts," Biden said.

They just made the wealthy play by the same rules everybody else had.".

Throughout his term, Biden repeatedly warned that Trump is a threat to a democracy and framed stopping him as a "battle for the soul of the nation." »

### ‘World’s largest’ plant to suck carbon out of the air and turn it into stone opens in Iceland

Authored by cnn.com

The “world’s largest” plant designed to suck planet-heating pollution out of the atmosphere like a giant vacuum began operating in Iceland on Wednesday.

Direct air capture, or DAC, is a technology designed to suck in air and strip out the carbon using chemicals.

Next-gen climate solutions like DAC are gaining more attention from governments and private industry as humans continue to burn fossil fuels. »

### Drake drops legal action over Kendrick Lamar's Not Like Us

Authored by bbc.com

Drake sues for defamation over Kendrick Lamar song.

Rap superstar Drake is suing Universal Music Group (UMG) for defamation and harassment, over its release of the Kendrick Lamar diss track Not Like Us last year.

The song, which formed part of a furious back and forth between the two stars, accused Drake and his entourage of being "certified paedophiles" who should "be registered and placed on neighbourhood watch". »

### Israel and Hamas agree historic Gaza ceasefire deal after 15 months of war

Authored by independent.co.uk

Israel and Hamas have agreed a historic ceasefire to end 15 months of war in Gaza, a conflict in which almost 50,000 people have been killed and which has threatened to draw in the whole of the Middle East.

President-elect Donald Trump was quick to hail the end of the war, writing on Truth Social: “We have a deal for the hostages.”.

open image in gallery Palestinians react as they wait for news of a ceasefire deal with Israel, in Khan Younis in the southern Gaza Strip ( Reuters ). »

## In pictures

## Also in the news

#### PC Gaming Outsells Consoles and Becomes the Industry’s Bright Spot

#### Zelenskyy: Europe has no chance against Russia without Ukrainian military

#### Polish president insists Ukraine should be invited to join NATO now

#### Former Presidents Obama, Clinton and Bush won't attend Trump's inaugural lunch

#### FDA bans Red No. 3, artificial coloring used in beverages, candy and other foods