PoliticsYahoo NewsTrump retweets call to jail Georgia governor and secretary of state
In the middle of a barrage of tweets amplifying his message that the election was stolen from him, President Trump on Tuesday retweeted Georgia attorney Lin Wood's suggestion that the president will soon prosecute Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp and Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger — both Republicans — for refusing to overturn the results in their state. “President Trump @realDonaldTrump is a genuinely good man,” Wood wrote. The tweet included photos of Kemp and Raffensperger doctored to show them wearing face masks emblazoned with China's flag.
U.S.The Daily BeastU.S. Sanctions Iranian Intel Officers for Kidnapping Ex-FBI Man Who Died in Their Custody
The Treasury Department says it knows the Iranian intelligence officers who kidnapped the former FBI agent Robert Levinson who died in their custody. U.S. officials announced on Monday that two members of Iran's Ministry of Intelligence and Security (MOIS) would be sanctioned for their alleged role in Levinson's kidnapping and detention. “Senior Iranian officials authorized Levinson's abduction and detention and launched a disinformation campaign to deflect blame from the Iranian regime,” the statement reads.
WorldReutersChina urges EU to stop 'irresponsible remarks' after statement on Bloomberg employee
BEIJING (Reuters) -China said on Monday the European Union should stop making "irresponsible remarks" after it called for the release of all those arrested for reporting in China in a statement on a detained Chinese national working for Bloomberg News. China's foreign ministry said on Friday authorities had detained Haze Fan, who works for the Bloomberg bureau in Beijing, on suspicion of endangering national security. The European Union called for authorities to grant Fan "medical assistance if needed, prompt access to a lawyer of her choice, and contacts with her family."
HealthBusiness InsiderHead of White House security office has his right foot amputated because of severe COVID-19 and is facing 'staggering medical bills,' new report says
The head of the White House security office, Crede Bailey, had a part of his lower right leg and the big toe of his left foot amputated because of COVID-19, Bloomberg reported on Monday. Bailey has been hospitalized with a severe case of COVID-19 for three months but is said to be recovering. Friends of Bailey's have raised over $35,000 through a GoFundMe campaign to help pay for his rehabilitation and "staggering" healthcare costs.
PoliticsYahoo NewsQAnon believers spread false claims about COVID-19 vaccine touted by Trump
Since the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, promoters of the pro-Trump QAnon conspiracy theory have helped fuel a variety of falsehoods about the coronavirus and the efforts to contain it. The fact that President Trump, QAnon's hero, claims credit for developing the vaccines hasn't impeded the spread of rumors that they are unnecessary at best, and dangerous at worst. The latest round of conspiracy theories are especially pernicious, experts say, because they come from sources who purport to be — or in some cases actually are — physicians or researchers, albeit with views far outside the mainstream.
WorldReutersAfter 60 years, East Jerusalem Palestinians face eviction under Israeli settler rulings
For Nabil al-Kurd, being forced out of the East Jerusalem home he has lived in since the 1950s would be a fate worse than death. But the 76-year-old and his wife and children are among dozens of Palestinians under threat of eviction from two districts of the disputed city, after an Israeli court ruled their properties are built on land belonging to Jewish settlers. The ownership claims against him and others in Sheikh Jarrah and a second neighbourhood, Batan al-Hawa, are a focal point of settler development plans in East Jerusalem, captured by Israel in a war in 1967.
ScienceAssociated PressJapan space agency confirms asteroid soil inside capsule
Japan's space agency said Monday it has confirmed the presence of black soil samples inside a capsule that the spacecraft Hayabusa2 brought back from a distant asteroid last week. The pan-shaped capsule, 40 centimeters (15 inches) in diameter, was dropped by Hayabusa2 from space onto a spot in a sparsely populated Australian desert on Dec. 6. It arrived in Japan last Tuesday for research that will hopefully provide insights into the origins of the solar system and life on Earth.
PoliticsBusiness InsiderAttorney General Barr reportedly instructed prosecutors not to reveal the Hunter Biden tax probes before the election to keep the DOJ out of politics
Attorney General William Barr went to great lengths to prevent prosecutors and senior Justice Department officials from revealing the existence of federal tax investigations into Hunter Biden before the election, The Wall Street Journal reported. The report includes new details of Barr's efforts to keep the investigations under wraps. Monday's report adds to a growing list of frustrations President Donald Trump has with Barr and may catalyze the president's efforts to fire the attorney general weeks before he leaves office.
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Israel claims successful test on new missile system
With U.S. backing, Israel has over the last decade developed a multi-layer air shield made up of the Arrow ballistic missile interceptor, the mid-altitude David's Sling interceptor and Iron Dome, which shoots down short-range rockets and mortar shells. A video distributed by the Defence Ministry showed interceptor missiles being fired at targets simulating cruise and ballistic missiles. In a related briefing a senior Israeli official also said that Israel could be open to future cooperation on missile defence with Gulf Arab states that share its concerns over Iran.
WorldReutersMalaysian PM Muhyuddin may face showdown in final budget vote
Malaysian Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin may face another challenge to his leadership on Tuesday, if the opposition in parliament seeks to block a third and final vote to pass the government's 2021 budget. Muhyiddin's government plans to spend a record 322.5 billion ringgit ($79.61 billion) next year, up 2.5% from this year as it seeks to spur activity in an economy badly hit by the coronavirus pandemic. Opposition lawmakers led by veteran leader Anwar Ibrahim backed down from a plan to vote down the budget at the end of the policy stage debate last month, avoiding a potential political crisis as Muhyiddin faced the first real test of his wafer-thin majority in the 222-seat parliament.
PoliticsBusiness InsiderAlan Dershowitz says Texas lawsuit tossed by Supreme Court should tell Trump's allies they 'can't count on the judiciary' to invalidate the election results
Alan Dershowitz on Sunday said the Supreme Court's decision to toss the Texas election lawsuit signaled to President Donald Trump's camp that they "can't count on the judiciary" to invalidate the election results, according to The Hill. Dershowitz said Trump's campaign would need a "perfect storm" to invalidate the election results, with courts, governors, and state election officials aiding his cause. "I suspect on Monday we will see the electors ... elect Joe Biden," he said.
U.S.The IndependentNeilia Hunter: How the tragic loss of Joe Biden’s first wife shaped his Washington career
Joe Biden's ongoing recovery from the trauma of the deaths of his first wife and youngest child have dramatically shaped his career, from the ways in which he speaks to crowds about grief and mourning to his views on healthcare. While out shopping just days before Christmas in 1972, his 30-year-old wife Neilia and 13-month-old daughter Naomi were killed in a car accident after a tractor-trailer carrying corn broadsided the family's Chevrolet station wagon. Campaign literature featuring the young senator-elect from Delaware littered the streets.
WorldReutersTaiwan sees role as arms supplier for West as launches new warship
Taiwan may become a supplier of weapons to Western democracies, President Tsai Ing-wen said on Tuesday, praising the island's ramped up weapons-design ability as she launched an advanced, missile-laden warship and commissioned a new minelayer. Tsai has made boosting the defence of the Chinese-claimed island a priority in the face of a growing military challenge from Beijing, which has never renounced the use of force to bring democratic Taiwan under its control. While Taiwan's air force has benefited from big-ticket items like new and upgraded F-16s, the navy is Tsai's next focus, with submarines in production and the Tuesday launch of the first of a fleet of highly manoeuvrable stealth corvettes.
WorldBBCChilean navy ships monitor huge Chinese fishing fleet
The Chilean navy says it is closely monitoring 11 Chinese fishing vessels in its exclusive economic zone (EEZ). A Chinese fishing fleet has been accused by conservation group Oceana of "pillaging" the waters off the Galapagos Islands for squid. The fleet is made up of more than 400 fishing vessels, of which 11 are currently in Chile's EEZ, according to the Chile's navy.
PoliticsReutersU.S. sanctions NATO ally Turkey over purchase of Russian defense system
The United States imposed long-anticipated sanctions on Turkey on Monday over Ankara's acquisition of Russian S-400 air defense systems, further complicating already strained ties between the two NATO allies. Turkey condemned the sanctions as a "grave mistake" and urged Washington to revise its "unjust decision." Senior U.S. officials said in a call with reporters that Ankara's purchase of the S-400s and its refusal to reverse its decision, despite repeated pleas from Washington, left the United States with no other choice.
PoliticsBusiness Insider13 perks of being the vice president of the United States
While the salary of the president is capped at $400,000, the salary of the vice president is more fluid, possibly due to the fact that the Constitution said nothing about the vice president's earnings. Vice President Mike Pence earned $230,700 in 2019, but it was set to increase to $243,500 due to the position's pay freeze expiring, according to USA Today. However, instead of the freeze lifting entirely, Pence received a 1.9% salary raise, the same pay raise amount allotted for all federal workers.
PoliticsThe IndependentSarah Palin hits campaign trail in Georgia, denying Trump lost alongside QAnon-supporting Republican
Sarah Palin, the former governor of Alaska and 2008 Republican vice presidential nominee, joined the GOP campaign trail in Georgia, urging supporters to “crush” the vote for senators David Perdue and Kelly Loeffler to avoid “another rigged election. Georgia, we need you to not just show up 5 January, not just to win, but to crush it,” said Ms Palin, who was addressing a crowd of supporters in Marietta on Friday. We need you to crush it and to send that message, the loudest message that we can, that no, we will not implement at all socialism in America,” she said.
PoliticsUSA TODAYMichigan House punishes Republican state Rep. Gary Eisen for hinting at Electoral College disruption
Michigan Republican legislative leaders pulled a GOP lawmaker from his committee assignments Monday after the lawmaker hinted he was part of a group that sought to disrupt or otherwise undermine the Electoral College vote slated to happen at the Michigan state Capitol on Monday. Rep. Gary Eisen, R-St. Clair Township, made the comments Monday morning during an interview with Port Huron-area radio station WPHM. He was asked about the Electoral College, set to meet Monday in the state Senate chamber to cast the state's 16 electoral votes for President-elect Joe Biden. Eisen made the comments in the context of he and others in Lansing having some sort of event, either at the Capitol or somewhere else.
PoliticsReutersTrump suggests White House staff will wait longer for COVID-19 vaccines
WASHINGTON (Reuters) -U.S. President Donald Trump suggested late Sunday that senior White House officials would wait longer for COVID-19 vaccines hours after media outlets reported senior officials were to receive doses within 10 days. Late Sunday night, Trump said on Twitter he had asked for an "adjustment" to be made to the plans to vaccinate White House officials. "People working in the White House should receive the vaccine somewhat later in the program, unless specifically necessary," Trump wrote, adding: "I am not scheduled to take the vaccine, but look forward to doing so at the appropriate time."
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NZ PM defends policy after Greta Thunberg's criticism
Thunberg took to Twitter on Sunday (December 13) and said that New Zealand's "so called climate emergency declaration" was "of course nothing unique to any nation." Ardern told reporters that whilst Thunberg was also referring to only a portion of their climate change goals, it's "only a good thing that there are people out there continuing to urge ambition and action." "If it was the sum total of what we were doing, it would be worthy of criticism, it's clearly not," Ardern said.
HealthThe IndependentFDA finds Moderna vaccine 94% effective - clearing way for use by Monday
Staff at the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) have approved emergency use of a Covd vaccination created by Moderna, meaning a second wave of inoculations is likely to begin very soon. On Thursday their Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee, a group of outside medical advisors, will meet to review Moderna's vaccine. The group recommended Pfizer's vaccine for emergency use last Thursday, and the FDA approved it for emergency use the next day.
PoliticsBusiness InsiderA voting technology company at the center of election conspiracy theories demanded a retraction from Fox News, accusing them of 'a concerted disinformation campaign'
Smartmatic, a voting technology company, sent cease and desist letters on Monday to Fox News, One America News, and Newsmax, demanding retractions. The company has become the subject of conspiracy theories about the 2020 presidential election, and accused the media organizations of spreading them. In a letter to Fox News obtained by Insider, Smartmatic says Fox News hosts Lou Dobbs, Jesse Watters, and Maria Bartiromo have been instrumental in spreading the conspiracy theories, which first gained widespread currency with lawsuits from ex-Trump lawyer Sidney Powell.
PoliticsThe WeekHow we get to civil war
Democrat Joe Biden won the presidential election, and it wasn't especially close. When the village idiot proclaims himself to be Napoleon Bonaparte and no one recognizes him as such, he's just a lunatic. This combination of events — the courts rejecting legally frivolous efforts to overturn election results while significant numbers of Republican officeholders (and voters) continue to cheer on the conspiracy — shows that the primary danger of this moment isn't and never was that Trump would succeed in his hapless coup attempt.
WorldReutersSouth Korea orders schools to shut as COVID-19 cases spike
The school closure is a step towards the imposition of Phase 3 social distancing rules, a move that would essentially lock down Asia's fourth-largest economy. Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun said such a step required careful review, as the government comes under mounting pressure to do more to step the rise of infections. "The government will not hesitate to make the decision to upgrade to Phase 3 if it is considered necessary as it takes into account the opinions of related ministries, local governments, and experts," he told a meeting of health officials according to a transcript from his office.
HealthAssociated Press'Healing is coming': US health workers start getting vaccine
Health care workers around the country rolled up their sleeves for the first COVID-19 shots Monday as hope that an all-out vaccination effort can defeat the coronavirus smacked up against the heartbreaking reality of 300,000 U.S. deaths. “Relieved,” proclaimed critical care nurse Sandra Lindsay after becoming one of the first to be inoculated at Long Island Jewish Medical Center in New York. With a countdown of “3-2-1,” workers at Ohio State University's Wexner Medical Center gave initial injections to applause.
“The prospect of a 2024 run is politically significant. It’s also a complete fiction.”
“His flirtation with a 2024 bid ensures he’ll remain the dominant force in the Republican Party.”
“He shouldn’t run for president again. There’s a better job and life for him on the horizon.”
“Trump is in for years of scandals and humiliations…He’ll have to devote much of his energy to trying to stay out of prison.”
“If Trump himself passes on the opportunity, his two very political children could also potentially pick up the mantle.”