Thirty-five House Republicans joined Democrats on Wednesday in voting to create a bipartisan commission to investigate the January 6 attack on the US Capitol, risking the wrath of former president Donald Trump and flouting party leaders who condemned the proposal as unfairly partisan and unneeded.
The Republican mavericks were led by John Katko of New York, who wrote the measure with Homeland Security Committee chairman Bennie Thompson.
Mr Katko, the panel’s top Republican, was battling two tides that have overwhelmed Congress in recent years: the nearly overwhelming potency Mr Trump still has among Republicans and a jagged-edged partisanship that often confounds even mundane legislation.
"I encourage all members, Republicans and Democrats alike, to put down their swords for once, just for once, and support this bill," Mr Katko said.
A moderate and a former prosecutor, Mr Katko defended the proposed commission as a fair and needed step towards understanding the riot, how it happened and what security improvements the Capitol needs to prevent a future assault.
"This is about fact. It is not partisan politics," he said.
The 35 defectors represented a relatively modest but still significant proportion of House Republicans, of whom 175 opposed the legislation.
Their defiance underscored the party's rift as some members supported an investigation into the shocking and violent Capitol attack while leaders tried to avoid enraging the former president, whose support they believe they will need to win House control in the 2022 elections.
The Democratic-run House approved the measure 252-175 and sent it to the Senate, where Democrats face an uphill fight to garner at least 10 Republican “yes” votes they will need to prevail.
Three Republicans spoke in favour of the legislation: Mr Katko, Fred Upton and Peter Meijer. All were among the 10 who voted days after the attack to impeach Mr Trump for encouraging his supporters to attack the Capitol. Mr Trump was later acquitted by the Senate.
If not for resistance by the Capitol Police, “who knows how many of our heads would have been swinging on those gallows” that members of the mob erected outside the building, Mr Upton said.
Mr Meijer, a new representative, took what seemed to be veiled shots at Mr Trump, House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy of California and some of his colleagues.
"I encourage all members, Republicans and Democrats alike, to put down their swords for once, just for once, and support this bill."
Without mentioning names, Mr Meijer said the attack occurred "with the encouragement of prominent elected officials". He said some who initially criticised the attack "have walked back their words or softened their speech".
“More troubling, there has been an active effort to whitewash and rewrite the shameful events of that day to avoid accountability," Mr Meijer said.
Days after the Capitol attack, Mr McCarthy said Mr Trump "bears responsibility" for the rioters' assault. But he opposed impeachment, eased his criticisms of Mr Trump and opposed creation of the commission. Other Republicans downplayed the attack, with one comparing the rioters to tourists.
The most prominent of Mr Trump's Republican critics in the House, Liz Cheney of Wyoming, did not speak. Her colleagues dumped her from a House Republican leadership position last week for repeatedly criticising Mr Trump for his role in the Capitol attack and his claims that he lost the election because of widespread voting fraud.
The measure would create a 10-member commission – with five members appointed by each party – to investigate the Capitol riot.
Leading all-time NBA scorers
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar 38,387
Karl Malone 36,928
Kobe Bryant 33,643
Michael Jordan 32,292
LeBron James 31,425
Wilt Chamberlain 31,419
AUSTRALIA SQUAD v SOUTH AFRICA
Aaron Finch (capt), Shaun Marsh, Travis Head, Chris Lynn, Glenn Maxwell, D'Arcy Short, Marcus Stoinis, Alex Carey, Ashton Agar, Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood, Pat Cummins, Nathan Coulter-Nile, Adam Zampa
What can you do?
Document everything immediately; including dates, times, locations and witnesses
Seek professional advice from a legal expert
You can report an incident to HR or an immediate supervisor
You can use the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation’s dedicated hotline
In criminal cases, you can contact the police for additional support
Scores:
Day 4
England 290 & 346
Sri Lanka 336 & 226-7 (target 301)
Sri Lanka require another 75 runs with three wickets remaining
Quick pearls of wisdom
Focus on gratitude: And do so deeply, he says. “Think of one to three things a day that you’re grateful for. It needs to be specific, too, don’t just say ‘air.’ Really think about it. If you’re grateful for, say, what your parents have done for you, that will motivate you to do more for the world.”
Know how to fight: Shetty married his wife, Radhi, three years ago (he met her in a meditation class before he went off and became a monk). He says they’ve had to learn to respect each other’s “fighting styles” – he’s a talk it-out-immediately person, while she needs space to think. “When you’re having an argument, remember, it’s not you against each other. It’s both of you against the problem. When you win, they lose. If you’re on a team you have to win together.”
At Eternity’s Gate
Director: Julian Schnabel
Starring: Willem Dafoe, Oscar Isaacs, Mads Mikkelsen
Three stars
Day 1, Abu Dhabi Test: At a glance
Moment of the day Dimuth Karunaratne had batted with plenty of pluck, and no little skill, in getting to within seven runs of a first-day century. Then, while he ran what he thought was a comfortable single to mid-on, his batting partner Dinesh Chandimal opted to stay at home. The opener was run out by the length of the pitch.
Stat of the day - 1 One six was hit on Day 1. The boundary was only breached 18 times in total over the course of the 90 overs. When it did arrive, the lone six was a thing of beauty, as Niroshan Dickwella effortlessly clipped Mohammed Amir over the square-leg boundary.
The verdict Three wickets down at lunch, on a featherbed wicket having won the toss, and Sri Lanka’s fragile confidence must have been waning. Then Karunaratne and Chandimal's alliance of precisely 100 gave them a foothold in the match. Dickwella’s free-spirited strokeplay meant the Sri Lankans were handily placed at 227 for four at the close.
Dhadak 2
Director: Shazia Iqbal
Starring: Siddhant Chaturvedi, Triptii Dimri
Rating: 1/5
GAC GS8 Specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
Power: 248hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 400Nm at 1,750-4,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 9.1L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh149,900
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Anxiety and work stress major factors
Anxiety, work stress and social isolation are all factors in the recogised rise in mental health problems.
A study UAE Ministry of Health researchers published in the summer also cited struggles with weight and illnesses as major contributors.
Its authors analysed a dozen separate UAE studies between 2007 and 2017. Prevalence was often higher in university students, women and in people on low incomes.
One showed 28 per cent of female students at a Dubai university reported symptoms linked to depression. Another in Al Ain found 22.2 per cent of students had depressive symptoms - five times the global average.
It said the country has made strides to address mental health problems but said: “Our review highlights the overall prevalence of depressive symptoms and depression, which may long have been overlooked."
Prof Samir Al Adawi, of the department of behavioural medicine at Sultan Qaboos University in Oman, who was not involved in the study but is a recognised expert in the Gulf, said how mental health is discussed varies significantly between cultures and nationalities.
“The problem we have in the Gulf is the cross-cultural differences and how people articulate emotional distress," said Prof Al Adawi.
“Someone will say that I have physical complaints rather than emotional complaints. This is the major problem with any discussion around depression."
Daniel Bardsley
