The Full Belmonte, 1/21/2023
3 active-duty Marines charged in Jan. 6 Capitol riot
By ALANNA DURKIN RICHER
“A Marine who said he was waiting for ‘Civil war 2’ and two other active-duty members of the military have been charged with participating in the riot at the U.S. Capitol, authorities said in newly filed court papers.
Micah Coomer, Joshua Abate and Dodge Dale Hellonen were arrested this week on misdemeanor charges after their fellow Marines helped investigators identify them in footage among the pro-Trump mob on Jan. 6, 2021, according to court papers.
Dozens of people charged in the riot have military backgrounds, but these three are among only a handful on active duty. A Marine Corps officer seen on camera scuffling with police and helping other members of the mob force their way into the Capitol was charged in 2021.
No defense lawyers for the men were listed in the court docket, so it was not immediately clear whether they have attorneys to comment on their behalf.
Their service records show they are all active-duty Marines. Maj. Kevin Stephensen, a spokesman for the Marine Corps, said it is aware of the allegations and ‘is fully cooperating with appropriate authorities in support of the investigation.’…” Read more at AP News
Arizona’s new attorney general to use election fraud unit to boost voting rights
Democrat Kris Mayes will repurpose unit created by Republican predecessor to focus on protecting voting access
“A unit created under the former Republican attorney general of Arizona to investigate claims of election fraud will now focus on voting rights and ballot access under the newly elected Democratic attorney general.
The Democratic attorney general, Kris Mayes, told the Guardian that instead of prosecuting claims of voter fraud, she will ‘reprioritize the mission and resources’ of the unit to focus on ‘protecting voting access and combating voter suppression’. Mayes won the attorney general’s race in November against election denier Abe Hamadah by just 280 votes, a race that went to a state-mandated recount.
‘Under my predecessor’s administration, the election integrity unit searched widely for voter fraud and found scant evidence of it occurring in Arizona,’ Mayes said in a statement. ‘That’s because instances of voter fraud are exceedingly rare.’
Mayes also plans for the unit to work on protecting election workers, who have faced threats of violence and intimidation. And she intends for the unit to defend Arizonans’ right to vote by mail, which has been attacked by Republican lawmakers and the state GOP in recent years despite being the most common way Arizonans of all political parties cast their ballots.
In 2019, the Republican-controlled Arizona legislature and then governor, Republican Doug Ducey, added about a half-million dollars in funding for an ‘election integrity unit’ in the attorney general’s office. Since then, the unit has brought a number of legal cases, including charges against four Latina women in a rural part of the state for collecting other people’s ballots, which is illegal in Arizona.
It is not yet clear what will happen to cases currently under way, including the ballot collection charges in Yuma county, Mayes’s office said. A webpage on the attorney general’s website created to allow people to file election complaints for potential investigation is still live.
Until recently, the head of the unit under the previous Republican attorney general, Mark Brnovich, was Jennifer Wright, an attorney who had criticized Maricopa county elections and sent a letter to the county trying to investigate its elections. Wright left the office shortly before Mayes took control.
Since its inception, the unit has come under fire from Democrats who found its very existence unnecessary, called its attorneys into question, and said it played into false claims about elections. Republicans, too, criticized the unit for not going far enough on election fraud. In one notable instance, the unit investigated claims of hundreds of votes cast by people who were dead, finding just one voter among those claimed dead in whose name a ballot was actually cast….” Read more at The Guardian
“Theranos founder Elizabeth Holmes should report to prison as scheduled in April, US prosecutors say, rather than living on an expensive estate while she appeals her conviction. As Holmes unsuccessfully fought fraud charges, she lived on a property reportedly with $13,000 in monthly upkeep costs, the government said in a court filing. Prosecutors added that the convicted fraudster ‘continues to show no remorse.’” [Bloomberg]
Elizabeth Holmes, center, arrives at federal court with her mother Noel Holmes, left, and partner Billy Evans in San Jose, California, for her sentencing on Nov. 18. Photographer: Marlena Sloss/Bloomberg
Chris Hipkins to be New Zealand’s next prime minister
By NICK PERRY
“WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) — Education Minister Chris Hipkins is set to become New Zealand’s next prime minister after he was the only candidate to enter the contest Saturday to replace Jacinda Ardern.
Hipkins, 44, must still garner an endorsement Sunday from his Labour Party colleagues, but that is just a formality now. An official transfer of power will come in the days to follow.
‘It’s a big day for a boy from the Hutt,’ Hipkins said, referring to the Hutt Valley near Wellington where he grew up. ‘I’m really humbled and really proud to be taking this on. It is the biggest responsibility and the biggest privilege of my life.’
Ardern shocked the nation of 5 million people on Thursday when she announced she was resigning after five-and-a-half years in the top role.
The lack of other candidates indicated party lawmakers had rallied behind Hipkins to avoid a drawn-out contest and any sign of disunity following Ardern’s departure….” Read more at AP News
“German Tanks to Kyiv Are Stuck as US Resists Sending Its Own
The US and some European nations are struggling to overcome Germany’s reluctance to supply its Leopard battle tank to Ukraine. Natalia Drozdiak, Michael Nienaber and Jenny Leonard explain what’s behind the disagreement that tarnishes the allies’ unity against Russia’s invasion.” [Bloomberg]
Two German-built Leopard tanks and a Puma infantry fighting vehicle. Photographer: Sean Gallup/Getty Images
“Germany will allow other countries to train Ukrainian soldiers on the vehicles.” [Bloomberg]
“Russian authorities have deployed air-defense installations in and around Moscow after several drone attacks hit the country’s heartland.” [Bloomberg]
“War in Ukraine Strains Ties Between Putin and His Old Serb Ally
Traditionally one of Russia’s closest allies in Europe, Serbia is trying to distance itself from Moscow as the war in Ukraine strains ties between the two countries and their leaders. In an interview with Misha Savic and Andreas Dudik, President Aleksandar Vucic dismissed Russian territorial claims in Ukraine and predicted the “worst is yet to come” in the conflict.” [Bloomberg]
“Russians Invent Own Supply Chains to Beat Sanctions Squeeze
For many young Russians, the sanctions imposed after the invasion of Ukraine were a good reason to leave. Yet as the economic isolation left gaping holes in supply chains, consumers and entrepreneurs are finding creative ways to fill them.” [Bloomberg]
“Scholz Sees Germany Riding Out War in Ukraine Without Recession
Chancellor Olaf Scholz said he’s sure Germany will avoid a recession this year, offering reassurance for Europe’s largest economy as it faces down Russia’s energy squeeze. He told Bloomberg News Editor-in-Chief John Micklethwait in an interview that diversifying gas supplies has been critical in helping to keep the economy going.” [Bloomberg]
“Covid Catastrophe Looms for China’s New Year Travelers
The sudden dismantling of China’s Covid Zero restrictions means hundreds of millions of people are headed home for the Lunar New Year holiday for the first time since 2019. The crush of travel risks supercharging the world’s biggest Covid outbreak.” [Bloomberg]
A child at the Hongqiao Railway Station in Shanghai on Thursday. Photographer: Qilai Shen/Bloomberg
“China’s Population Starts Shrinking, First Drop Since 1960s
The population started shrinking in 2022 for the first time in six decades, the latest milestone in a worsening demographic crisis. It marks the first drop since 1961, the final year of the Great Famine under former leader Mao Zedong, and coincided with figures showing the world’s No. 2 economy expanded last year at the second-slowest pace since the 1970s.” [Bloomberg]
“US Poised for Dutch, Japanese Help on China Chip Crackdown
The Netherlands and Japan, home to key suppliers of semiconductor manufacturing equipment, are close to joining a Biden administration-led effort to curb exports of the technology to China. Jenny Leonard, Ian King and Cagan Koc outline the state of play.” [Bloomberg]
“Japan Looks Beyond US Alliance for Help to Deter China Military
Prime Minister Fumio Kishida is looking beyond his country’s alliance with the US to deter China, bolstering security ties with democracies from Australia to Europe. Isabel Reynolds and Ben Westcott explain Japan’s deepening unease about the dangers in its neighborhood.” [Bloomberg]
Soldiers from Japan’s Ground Self-Defence Force in a joint military drill with troops from the US, Britain and Australia on Jan. 8. Photographer: Yuichi Yamazaki/AFP/Getty Images
“Erdogan Keeps World Guessing as Turkey Stalls NATO Expansion
More than six months since Sweden and Finland applied to join NATO, Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan remains the key roadblock to the alliance’s expansion. What’s more, as this report shows, with a Turkish election due in June if not sooner, fresh tensions are flaring.” [Bloomberg]
“Turkey canceled next week’s visit by Swedish Defense Minister Pal Jonson as tension flared over permission given by Stockholm for a public burning of the Islam’s holy book Koran.” [Bloomberg]
“Women Are Macron’s Biggest Critics in Pension Reform Protests
Some of the biggest opponents of Macron’s flagship pension reform are women, with a recent poll finding 63% of them back protests against the plan, compared to 54% of men. While some women will benefit, Ania Nussbaum writes, many are unhappy about the prospect of working longer or retiring with a lower pension.” [Bloomberg]
Demonstrators at the Place de la Nation in Paris on Thursday. Photographer: Nathan Laine/Bloomberg
“UK’s Sunak Looks to Pay Deals to Avert February Strike Chaos
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak will look to begin closing a series of pay deals with UK labor unions, as the government enters 10 days of crunch talksahead of coordinated strike action planned for early February. Alex Wickham reports that cabinet members have called for quick action to avoid the country coming to a standstill.” [Bloomberg]
“UK police issued Sunak with a fine after he filmed a clip for social media that showed him in a moving vehicle without wearing a seat belt.” [Bloomberg]
“A strain of drug-resistant gonorrhea has been detected in Massachusetts, prompting a worrying warning from the state’s Department of Public Health (DPH) on Thursday telling residents to take extra precautions. The strain is ‘the first time that resistance or reduced response to five classes of antibiotics has been identified in gonorrhea in the United States,’ according to a statement from the DPH. At least two residents have been identified with the strain so far, but the cases appear to be unrelated and researchers are unable to find a direct connection. Contact tracing is currently underway to determine if other individuals have acquired the infection. The problem with gonorrhea, authorities said, is that it can present without symptoms, leaving those infected unaware if not tested. If left untreated, it can result in pelvic inflammatory disease, infertility, and other health problems. The two cases were eventually cured with ceftriaxone, the antibiotic currently recommended to treat gonorrhea. ‘The discovery of this strain of gonorrhea is a serious public health concern,’ said Public Health Commissioner Margret Cooke. ‘We urge all sexually active people to be regularly tested for sexually transmitted infections and to consider reducing the number of their sexual partners and increasing their use of condoms when having sex.’ [Daily Beast] Read it at Department of Public Health
Elon Musk takes witness stand to defend Tesla buyout tweets
By MICHAEL LIEDTKE
“SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Elon Musk took the witness stand Friday to defend a 2018 tweet claiming he had lined up the financing to take Tesla private in a deal that never came close to happening.
The tweet resulted in a $40 million settlement with securities regulators. It also led to a class-action lawsuit alleging he misled investors, pulling him into court for about a half hour Friday to deliver sworn testimony in front of a nine-person jury and a full room of media and other spectators.
The trial was then adjourned for the weekend and Musk was told to return Monday to answer more questions.
In his initial appearance on the stand, Musk defended his prolific tweeting as ‘the most democratic way’ to distribute information even while acknowledging constraints of Twitter’s 280-character limit can make it difficult to make everything as clear as possible.
‘I think you can absolutely be truthful (on Twitter),’ Musk asserted on the stand. ‘But can you be comprehensive? Of course not.’
Musk’s latest headache stems from the inherent brevity on Twitter, a service that he has been running since completing his $44 billion purchase of it in October.
The trial hinges on the question of whether a pair of tweets that Musk posted on Aug. 7, 2018, damaged Tesla shareholders during a 10-day period leading up to a Musk admission that the buyout he had envisioned wasn’t going to happen.
In the first of those those two 2018 tweets, Musk stated ‘funding secured’ for a what would have been a $72 billion buyout of Tesla at a time when the electric automaker was still grappling with production problems and was worth far less than it is now. Musk followed up a few hours later with another tweet suggesting a deal was imminent.
After it became apparent that the money wasn’t in place to take Tesla private, Musk stepped down as Tesla’s chairman while remaining CEO as part of the Securities and Exchange Commission settlement, without acknowledging any wrongdoing.
The impulsive billionaire came into court wearing a dark suit and tie on the third day of the civil trial in San Francisco that his lawyer unsuccessfully tried to move to Texas, where Tesla is now headquartered, on the premise that media coverage of his tumultuous takeover of Twitter had tainted the jury pool….” Read more at AP News
Rare attack in Alaska renews interest in polar bear patrols
By GENE JOHNSON and MARK THIESSEN
“ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) — For isolated communities at the top of the world, keeping the planet’s largest land predators -- polar bears -- out of town is key to coexistence.
That can mean patrolling for the animals by snowmobile or four-wheeler, shooing them away with spotlights or a revved engine, or hazing them with beanbag shotguns. In one Canadian town, polar bears that can’t be scared off are kept in an air-conditioned “bear jail” until they can be flown out onto the sea ice. Such bear patrols have long succeeded in reducing conflict.
But this week, a polar bear attack killed a mother and her 1-year-old son in Wales, a tiny, remote Alaska whaling village whose bear patrol had lapsed. The incident — the first fatal polar bear attack in Alaska in 30 years — underscored the risks of living alongside the creatures, which can weigh more than 1,700 pounds (771 kg).
While it’s not clear why the bear attacked, and while no patrol can prevent all troublesome encounters between bears and people, the mauling has renewed interest in such programs….” Read more at AP News
“Buffalo Bills star Damar Hamlin is facing a long road to recovery despite making good progress since his on-field cardiac arrest collapse earlier this month, a family spokesperson said Thursday. ‘Despite being out of the hospital, Damar still has a lengthy recovery. Damar still requires oxygen and is having his heart monitored regularly,’ Hamlin’s friend and business partner Jordon Rooney said. ‘He has visited with the team a few times but he still gets winded very easily. He’s upbeat and positive and ready to continue to overcome this.’ Hamlin, 24, collapsed during a game against at the Cincinnati Bengals and was rushed to hospital on Jan. 2, bringing renewed scrutiny on the NFL and the safety of its athletes.” [Daily Beast] Read it at ESPN
175-year-old piece of history
Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo. Photo: Corbis via Getty Images
“Pages from the original Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo, a document that transformed the American Southwest, are headed to a museum in Denver on the 175th anniversary of its signing.
Why it matters: The treaty ended the U.S.-Mexico War and greatly expanded the United States' territory. Its impact on the lives of people living in the region and their nationality is still the focus of conversations today, Axios' Russell Contreras writes.
Map of the United States of Mexico, 1847, published by J Disturnall. This was appended to the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo. Photo: Universal History Archive/Getty Images
Signed in 1848, the treaty ended the Mexican-American War and added nearly 1.2 million square miles to the United States, including New Mexico, Colorado, California and parts of Texas in exchange for $15 million.
People of Mexican descent living in the territories were granted American citizenship, and previous land grant rights were promised to be honored.
But Mexican Americans experienced discrimination and racial violence almost immediately after as white settlers ignored land rights and court systems dismissed civil rights complaints.” [Axios]
They're at the top of their game
”Who's up for breaking some records? First, we have the honor of introducing Spike, who was recently deemed the world's oldest dog by Guinness World Records. The 23-year-old chihuahua mix lives in Ohio and, judging by his expression, has already seen worlds far beyond the veil. According to his owners, Spike was found abandoned and bloody in the parking lot of a grocery store. Since then, he's survived several attacks from wild animals and spends his time raging full force against the dying of the light.” [CNN]
“Next up, we have a new claimant for World's Biggest Pizza! To celebrate the return of its ‘big New Yorker’ pizza, Pizza Hut collaborated with YouTube star Airrack to make a monstrous pizza inside the Los Angeles Convention Center. The 13,990-square-foot indeed smashed the existing record. As soon as the stunt was done and documented, the pizza's 68,000 slices were donated to local food banks. Save a slice for our old man Spike! He deserves it.” [CNN]
Away they go
”These photos of content creator Jess Stone and her German shepherd Moxie should go right next to the word "cool" in the dictionary. The stylish pair (with Stone's husband bringing up the rear) are 10 months into an epic motorcycle trip that will take them through 90 countries throughout Central America, North and South America, Africa, Europe and Asia. When Stone and her husband started planning their motorbike travels, they knew they wanted Moxie to come along. So, they designed the K9 Moto Cockpit, a motorcycle dog carrier they now manufacture in Guatemala, along with a range of outdoor dog gear, through their company Ruffly. Stone also paired up with global nonprofit Girl Up -- a girl-centered leadership development initiative, and hopes to raise $100,000 for their projects during her epic adventure.” [CNN]