BREAKING! A second new variant of the coronavirus has been detected in the UK having first been discovered in South Africa. Matt Hancock announced two cases had been observed in the UK in a press conference from Downing Street, with both patients being closely monitored. The government is now set to implement travel restrictions on those entering the nation from South Africa, while the health secretary urged those who had arrived from the country in the last fortnight to isolate immediately for two weeks. "These measures are temporary while we investigate further this new strain which is shortly to be analysed at Porton Down," the Independent reported.

WARNING! GRAPHIC CONTENT! The Webster Groves Police Department released dash cam of an officer involved in a fatal #shooting that occurred on the fast lane of westbound I-44 near Elm Avenue on May 5, 2020. On May 5, 2020 St. Louis County police said passing motorists reported a motorist was stalled in the westbound lanes of Interstate 44 between Elm and Shrewsbury. Two Webster Groves police cruisers responded. As soon as officer Brendan McGahan a 37-year-old married man, who has been on the force for 7 1/2 years approach the driver side door the driver 23-year-old Qavon Webb opened fired and shot 6 times at the officer hitting him in the hand, arm and the buttocks, and “there was another one to his leg and a couple in the vest. (Read full story.)

BREAKING! President Donald Trump on Wednesday vetoed the annual defense policy bill, following through on threats to veto a measure that has broad bipartisan support in Congress and potentially setting up the first override vote of his presidency.

The bill affirms 3% pay raises for U.S. troops and authorizes more than $740 billion in military programs and construction. Trump has offered a series of rationales for vetoing the bill. He has called for lawmakers to include limits on social media companies he claimed are biased against him.

He has called for stripping out language that allows for the renaming of military bases such as Fort Benning and Fort Hood that honor Confederate leaders. Without going into detail, he has claimed the biggest winner from the defense bill would be China.

Both the House and Senate passed the measure by margins large enough to override a veto from the president. Trump had vetoed eight bills previously, but those vetoes were sustained because supporters did not gain the two-thirds vote needed in each chamber for the bill to become law without Trump’s signature.

In advance of the veto, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., has said the bill would help deter Chinese aggression. Other GOP backers of the measure, including Sen. John Thune of South Dakota, the second-ranking Senate leader, and Rep. Mike Gallagher of Wisconsin, a member of the House Armed Services Committee, have tweeted that the bill would counter threats from countries such as China.

Sen. Jack Reed of Rhode Island, the top Democrat on the Senate Armed Services Committee, said Trump’s declaration that China was the biggest winner in the defense bill was false. Reed also noted the shifting explanations Trump had given for the veto.

"President Trump clearly hasn’t read the bill, nor does he understand what’s in it," Reed said. "There are several bipartisan provisions in here that get tougher on China than the Trump Administration has ever been."

The measure guides Pentagon policy and cements decisions about troop levels, new weapons systems and military readiness, military personnel policy and other military goals. Many programs can only go into effect if the bill is approved, including military construction.

McConnell, in a rare break with Trump, had urged passage despite Trump’s threat to veto it. McConnell said it was important for Congress to continue its nearly six-decade-long streak of passing the defense policy bill.

Santa Ana Police Department: Most Wanted Wednesday!
Location: 1703 E. McFadden Avenue - Waba Grill. On 11/19/2020 at approximately 10 PM, the wanted suspect entered the location and contacted the clerk. The suspect threw a plastic bag at the clerk and demanded the money from the register. Once taking the money the suspect fled on foot and was last seen running in a northwest direction toward Lyon Street. Anyone with information on the identity/whereabouts of the wanted suspect is asked to contact Detective D. Prewett at (714) 245-8323 or mailto: DPrewett@santa-ana.org

Here's a list of who's open for grub and last minute goodies Christmas Day 2020.

UK. Several locals were seen giving food to truck drivers stuck in queues near Sandling, Kent, on Wednesday, as drivers remained stuck despite the French and UK government striking a deal to reopen the French border for those with a negative coronavirus test.

When shit gets real, the real get shit.

Unarmed civilians will now respond to 17 different types of calls in San Francisco. What could possibly go wrong?

SAN FRANCISCO, CA- The San Francisco Police Officers Association (POA) has reportedly signed off on a plan to delay pay raises for its officers and to turn over 17 different types of calls that will instead be handled by unarmed civilian service providers.

The POA’s endorsement comes just a few weeks after San Francisco voters passed legislation eliminating minimum staffing requirements for the San Francisco Police Department (SFPD). The law, which required the city to maintain at least 1,971 full-time police officers, which was approved in Proposition E, has been squashed by voters.

Now, the staffing levels on the police department will be decided by elected novices, many likely with political agendas. The proposition tasks the police commission with evaluating police staffing levels on a regular basis and to adjust the numbers accordingly.

Ahead of that vote, the union argued that the department has been chronically understaffed as of late and was already struggling to cover calls. At the time, POA Vice President Sergeant Tracy McCray told the San Francisco Chronicle: “Our response times to 911 calls are lagging because we don’t have enough people on patrol.”

At the end of November, Mayor London Breed announced the launch of the first phase of San Francisco’s Street Crisis Response Team (SCRT) pilot program. SCRT is part of the city’s efforts to develop alternatives to police responses to non-violent calls. (Read more.)

Somewhere in Brazil

UPPER MERION TWP., Pennsylvania -- As Christmas approaches, kids are flooding the Upper Merion Township Police Department with letters to Santa. The police department set up a special mailbox to send Santa letters. Officer Joe Davies says, "Originally I expected about 20 to 30 letters tops, and we are well over 200 now and it's taken off more than expected." On Tuesday, Santa browsed his haul of letters and he says he reads all of them. Santa read one letter: "'Dear Santa, this is my first Christmas and I want a coronavirus vaccination affordable by all and a full-time job for my papa.'" The wish had Santa choking back tears. 2020 has been a troubling year, but the giving spirit is alive and thanks to Upper Merion police. For all those little ones who missed out on sending Santa a letter, Upper Merion police will be ready to help out next year.

LA County Sheriff Alex Villanueva: Happy Holidays and all the best. I hope the New Year brings everyone new opportunities and new possibilities.