The Full Belmonte, 12/22/21
Rapid at-home Covid-19 test kits are distributed last week in Chelsea, Massachusetts.
“President Joe Biden sought to reassure vaccinated Americans yesterday that they can proceed with their holiday plans without fear of getting seriously ill from Covid-19. He also announced new efforts to combat a surge of US cases during a speech at the White House. Steps include preparing 1,000 military service members to deploy to overburdened hospitals across the country in January and February and the purchase of 500 million at-home rapid Covid-19 tests that Americans who sign up will get by mail -- although there is concern about the availability of tests amid the rapid spread of the Omicron variant. Biden’s remarks came as the CDC released new data showing Covid-19 was the third leading cause of death in 2020, claiming more than 350,000 lives in the US and lowering life expectancy by nearly two years.” Read more at CNN
Photo: Drew Angerer/Getty Images
“Admitting Omicron ‘spread even more rapidly than anybody thought,’ President Biden addressed the nation this afternoon about this ‘scary time.’
‘I know you're tired ... and I know you're frustrated,’ he said, standing in front of a Christmas tree in the White House's State Dining Room. ‘We're still in it. ... We'll get through this.’
Biden, who rarely mentions former President Trump, invoked his predecessor's announcement Sunday that he'd gotten a vaccine booster.
‘Maybe one of the few things he and I agree on,’ Biden said.
The president also credited ‘the prior administration and our scientific community’ on vaccines.
Biden said he knew he’ll be criticized for saying this, but he told the unvaccinated they have an obligation ‘to your country’ to get the shot: ‘It's your patriotic duty.’
To ‘purveyors of ... lies and misinformation,’ Biden said: ‘Stop it. Stop it now.’
The president said Americans should be ‘concerned about Omicron but not panicked.’
‘No, this is not March of 2020,’ he said, enunciating each word.
‘Yes, you can’ safely celebrate the holidays if everyone in the room is vaccinated — and especially if you've been boosted.
But Biden urged vigilance by all: ‘Vaccinated people get COVID. They get ill. But they're protected from severe illness and death.’” Read more at Axios
“President Joe Biden will be tested for COVID-19 on Wednesday after an initial negative antigen test Sunday and a PCR test Monday. The president was in close contact with a White House aide on Friday who tested positive Monday. The announcement came amid a surge in coronavirus infections driven by the delta variant and as health officials brace for another spike caused by the omicron variant. The unidentified White House aide spent about 30 minutes ‘in proximity to the president’ on Air Force One as Biden flew from South Carolina to Pennsylvania on Friday, according to the statement.” Read more at CNN
“Long Covid patients are increasingly reporting vibrations and tremors.
Long Covid patients—estimated to be 10% to 30% of people who have had Covid-19—experience a range of symptoms including fatigue, cognitive problems, shortness of breath and sensory issues, such as numbness and tingling. Internal buzzing sensations and external shaking, which have historically been less common, are gaining more attention among long Covid advocates and doctors. ‘It feels like someone put something on my bed and it’s vibrating,’ one patient said. ‘My body is moving inside, it’s jolting, and at night it’s really bad.’ Doctors don’t know what is causing the mysterious symptoms, but say they might be the result of autonomic nervous system dysfunction.” Read more at Wall Street Journal
“The global response to omicron is mixed
So far, the global response to surging omicron cases has been mixed: Germany, Scotland, Ireland, the Netherlands, and South Korea announced new restrictions on Tuesday but Australia and the UK declined to do so. [Vox] Read more at Reuters
The World Health Organization is urging people to cancel or change their holiday plans, considering how much is still unknown about omicron. ‘An event canceled is better than a life canceled,’ WHO Director Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said on Tuesday. [Vox] Read more at BBC
Australia has ruled out the possibility of further lockdowns, despite record-breaking case numbers: ‘We have to move from a culture of mandates to a culture of responsibility. That’s how we live with the virus into the future.’ Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison said. Read more at CNN / Helen Regan and Hilary Whiteman
Some European countries appear more willing to tighten restrictions. German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said his country’s new rules, which include bans on crowds at events and caps on private gatherings, were needed because the pandemic ‘won’t be over as soon as we had hoped.’ [Vox] Read more at Deutsche Welle
In South Africa, where scientists first detected the omicron variant, things may be looking up, as new case numbers are down. ‘We’re over the curb,’ Dr. Angelique Coetzee, said. [Vox] Read more at CNN
“JOHANNESBURG (AP) — South Africa’s noticeable drop in new COVID-19 cases in recent days may signal that the country’s dramatic omicron-driven surge has passed its peak, medical experts say.
Daily virus case counts are notoriously unreliable, as they can be affected by uneven testing, reporting delays and other fluctuations. But they are offering one tantalizing hint — far from conclusive yet — that omicron infections may recede quickly after a ferocious spike.
South Africa has been at the forefront of the omicron wave and the world is watching for any signs of how it may play out there to try to understand what may be in store.
After hitting a high of nearly 27,000 new cases nationwide on Thursday, the numbers dropped to about 15,424 on Tuesday. In Gauteng province — South Africa’s most populous with 16 million people, including the largest city, Johannesburg, and the capital, Pretoria — the decrease started earlier and has continued.” Read more at AP News
“Biden insisted yesterday that he and Democratic Sen. Joe Manchin will ‘get something done’ on the Build Back Better plan after Manchin defied his party by torpedoing the key piece of Biden's domestic agenda. Manchin announced Sunday that he could not support the sweeping economic and climate bill that requires his support to pass in the Senate. Separately, Manchin is facing calls from a powerful group close to his heart to reconsider his opposition to the plan: coal miners. America's largest coal mining union put out a statement this week lauding the legislation's provisions and pushing Manchin to take a do-over. The union pointed to several items in the plan that it believes are crucial to its members and communities, including tax incentives to encourage manufacturers to build facilities in coalfields, employing thousands of coal miners who are out of work.” Read more at CNN
“Michael Flynn, the embattled former national security adviser to former President Donald Trump, is suing to block a House subpoena for his phone records. His lawsuit, filed yesterday, marks the eighth court challenge against the ability of the House select committee investigating the January 6 attack on the Capitol to gather evidence on Trump's efforts to overturn the 2020 election. Separately, Republican Rep. Scott Perry yesterday declined the panel's request to speak with him, a move that could set up a showdown between a staunch Trump supporter and the committee. Perry is the first known lawmaker the panel had reached out to for its investigation. His response raises the question of whether the committee will now move to subpoena a fellow House member, a step that could dramatically escalate political tensions between the panel and Republicans.” Read more at CNN
“Weeks after Kyle Rittenhouse said he wanted to ‘lay low’ when he was found not guilty of homicide, attempted homicide and other charges related to last year’s fatal shootings that rocked Kenosha, Wis., the teen was welcomed Monday at a conservative conference to music, pyrotechnics and a standing ovation from thousands of attendees.
‘You’re a hero to millions,’ Turning Point USA leader Charlie Kirk told Rittenhouse during the group’s AmericaFest gathering in Phoenix. ‘It’s an honor to be able to have you.’
Amid the pomp and circumstance for an 18-year-old who had the crowd chanting his name, Rittenhouse, who shot and killed two men and injured another during mass protests against police violence in August 2020, suggested Monday that lawsuits could be filed against media outlets for how they covered his murder trial.” Read more at Washington Post
“Russian President Vladimir Putin said his country has ‘every right’ to ‘react harshly to unfriendly steps’ as the US and NATO continue to pressure Moscow over its aggression towards Ukraine. The US and its allies have warned Russia about the consequences of further hostilities amid its continued military buildup near the Ukraine border -- a move that US intelligence has assessed as preparation for a full-scale invasion early next year. NATO's Secretary General said yesterday that while the alliance is ready to engage in ‘meaningful dialogue’ with Russia, it will continue to support Ukraine ‘politically and practically.’ Russia has amassed thousands more troops along its border with Ukraine in recent days.” Read more at CNN
“Hamdok’s resignation rumors. Sudanese Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok plans to resign imminently, Reuters reported. His expected resignation comes days after hundreds of thousands demonstrators marched against the country’s October military coup and his return to government. On Tuesday, the United Nations called for an investigation into reports of sexual violence during the protests.” Read more at Foreign Policy
“France’s fake health passes. French authorities have discovered 182,000 fake COVID-19 health passes since the passes were mandated in July, a sign of persistent vaccine resistance in the country. When the passes first became required for entry to public venues like restaurants and cafes, they sparked national protests.
The French police are determined to crack down on forgeries. ‘Using, procuring or selling false health passes, in particular via social networks, is punishable by 5 years in prison and a 75,000 euro fine,’ Gérald Darmanin, the French Interior Minister, tweeted.” Read more at Foreign Policy
“Perilous journey. In the past week, 164 migrants seeking refuge in Europe drowned in two separate shipwrecks off the Libyan coast, the United Nations announced on Tuesday. A central transit point for African and Middle Eastern migrants, Libya has experienced a rise in attempted crossings in recent months. This year, nearly 1,500 people have died passing through the Mediterranean route while attempting to reach Europe.” Read more at Foreign Policy
“As the holidays approach, higher demand for pork in Spain is pushing professional ham sniffers, or caladores, to their smelling limits. During the industry’s low season, sniffers typically smell 200 loins per day to assess their quality and scent profile. But as demand ramps up, sniffers now must evaluate as many as 800 hams per day. To cope with these increased responsibilities, some caladores have started taking 10-minute breaks every two hours.” Read more at Foreign Policy
“Jurors in the manslaughter trial of Kim Potter, a former Minnesota police officer who fatally shot 20-year-old Black motorist Daunte Wright during an April traffic stop while yelling ‘Taser,’ were to begin their third day of deliberations Wednesday.
The jury submitted two questions to the court Tuesday evening after nearly 13 hours of deliberating. The jurors asked the judge for guidance on what to do if they cannot reach a consensus and requested the zip ties on Potter's firearm be removed so the gun could be held outside of the evidence box.” Read more at USA Today
Harvard University professor Charles Lieber leaves federal court in Boston yesterday. Photo: Michael Dwyer/AP
“A jury on Tuesday found Harvard professor Charles Lieber guilty on six counts related to payments he received from a Chinese government talent program, delivering a win for the U.S. government.
The closely watched trial in federal court in Boston has emerged as a key test of a Justice Department initiative meant to combat Beijing’s efforts to mine U.S. universities to catapult China to the forefront of scientific development.
Mr. Lieber, who holds joint appointments in Harvard University’s chemistry and engineering departments and is a renowned expert in the field of nanoscience, was accused of lying to government investigators about his participation in the Chinese government’s Thousand Talents program aimed at wooing foreign experts. He also was charged with failing to disclose cash payments from the program on his income tax returns and concealing the existence of a Chinese bank account.
The verdict, returned after less than three hours of deliberations, marks a stunning fall for Mr. Lieber, who came under scrutiny by federal investigators over an academic partnership with the Wuhan University of Technology that dates back a decade. Prosecutors showed documentary evidence that Mr. Lieber had signed a Thousand Talents agreement with Wuhan that paid him hundreds of thousands of dollars—some in cash and some deposited into a Chinese bank account.
The Wuhan school also had appointed Mr. Lieber as director of the WUT-Harvard Joint Nano Key Laboratory, a lab that Harvard officials said they had no knowledge of and hadn’t approved as a collaborator. Harvard later asked Wuhan to remove the school’s name from the collaboration, and Harvard employees testified at trial that Mr. Lieber hadn’t followed the process needed to establish a collaboration.
Mr. Lieber’s legal team argued that the professor’s conduct was sloppy but not criminal and that the government lacked key pieces of evidence needed to prove the charges.” Read more at Wall Street Journal
“Airplane passengers who act up during flights could lose PreCheck eligibility. Federal agencies are stepping up their information-sharing practices to crack down on unruly conduct, with passengers who get fined for bad behavior potentially also facing removal from the trusted-traveler program that offers speedier security screenings.” Read more at Wall Street Journal
“MIAMI — Two men were arrested after the authorities said they clashed with police officers on Monday at Miami International Airport, which is expecting a record number of passengers for the holiday season.
The men — Mayfrer Gregorio Serranopaca, 30, of Kissimmee, Fla., and Alberto YanezSuarez, 32, of Odessa, Texas — were each charged with battery on a law enforcement officer, according to the Miami-Dade Police Department, which is investigating the episode. Mr. Serranopaca also faces additional charges, including resisting an officer with violence and inciting a riot.
Mr. Serranopaca and Mr. YanezSuarez could not be reached on Tuesday. It was not immediately clear if the men had lawyers.
The skirmish, which was captured on a cellphone video that circulated widely on social media, took place at about 6:30 p.m. Monday, when officers responded to a call from an airport employee about a disturbance at Gate H8.” Read more at New York Times
“Fox Corporation, the owner of Fox News, told employees on Friday that those working in New York City would have to show proof they’d had at least one dose of the Covid vaccine by Dec. 27, removing the option to get tested weekly instead.
The new policy was in keeping with New York City’s vaccine rule, which Mayor Bill de Blasio announced in early December and which is more stringent than a contested Biden administration rule requiring vaccine mandates or weekly testing at larger employers.
The New York City mandate, which requires on-site workers at all businesses to be vaccinated, is the country’s most sweeping local vaccine mandate and affects some 184,000 businesses.” Read more at New York Times
“Workers for Kellogg voted in favor of a new five-year contract. The agreement ends a 2½-month strike, with union officials saying the deal maintains workers’ cost-of-living raises and guarantees that no plants will be shut down for about five years. The workers were asking for better benefits and pay after working longer hours during the pandemic.” Read more at Wall Street Journal
“Churches aim to hold Christmas services despite a rise in Omicron cases. Many leaders and congregants say they don’t want to miss in-person observances two years in a row for one of the most important days on the Christian calendar.” Read more at Wall Street Journal
“2020 saw a surge in charitable giving, and 2021 could top it, Axios' Erica Pandey writes.
Why it matters: Amid the bleakness this holiday season, Americans are finding new ways to give back. ‘There have been unprecedented opportunities to make a difference,’ says Una Osili, an associate dean at Indiana University's Lilly Family School of Philanthropy.
What's happening: Restaurant closures and limited travel have left many Americans with more disposable income, putting them in a better position to give, Osili notes. And there are more needs than ever.
By the numbers: Americans donated $2.7 billion on this year's Giving Tuesday (right after Black Friday) — a 9% jump from last year.
Overall, Americans donated $471 billion in 2020, up 5% from 2019. 2021 is still in the middle of its giving season — in fact, Dec. 31 is one of the most popular giving days of the year, says Osili.
More of the super-wealthy are pledging to give away their billions:
Two of 2020's biggest donors were MacKenzie Scott (formerly MacKenzie Bezos) and Twitter founder Jack Dorsey.
Here’s what you can do:
Give time: Every city has food banks, youth centers or homeless shelters where you can help. There are even virtual volunteer gigs on VolunteerMatch that are COVID-safe.
Give money: If you’re buying gifts, pick a company that's giving back.
Give things: Around 40% of Americans want to purge their closets, per CivicScience data. Do your research so the clothes you’re donating don’t end up in a landfill. Mashable suggests donating to Goodwill or the Salvation Army: Those big organizations can handle volume and won't get overwhelmed and throw clothes out.” Read more at Axios
“Nearly $100 billion has been stolen from U.S. government COVID relief programs — most in unemployment fraud, AP reports from a Secret Service announcement.
"The sheer size of the pot is enticing to the criminals," said Roy Dotson, the Secret Service pandemic fraud recovery coordinator.
The Justice Department said last week that its fraud section had prosecuted 150+ defendants in more than 95 criminal cases related to the Paycheck Protection Program.
The government has seized $75 million in cash, plus numerous real estate properties and luxury items bought with PPP proceeds.” Read more at Axios
“John Thune, the No. 2 Senate Republican, is weighing retirement, in part because of Trump’s hold on the G.O.P.” Read more at New York Times
“73% — The estimated share of U.S. Covid-19 cases attributed to the Omicron variant in the week ending Dec. 18, the CDC said. That is up from 13% of infections in the week through Dec. 11. The highly transmissible variant has spread rapidly in the U.S. and has reached at least 89 nations around the world.
393,000 — The number of people the U.S. population gained in the year that ended July 1, growing by just 0.1%—the lowest rate on record—according to Census Bureau data that highlight the pandemic’s fallout after its first year, as Covid-19 became the nation’s third-leading cause of death.” Read more at Wall Street Journal
“In the first 10 months of this year, U.S. workers handed in nearly 39 million resignations, the highest number since tracking began in 2000. Companies are struggling to stop employees from leaving and to boost morale. Some are trying mandatory companywide vacation days and blackout hours when meetings are banned. Executives are also experimenting with new ways of working, including four-day workweeks and asynchronous schedules that allow people to set their own hours. Over the past two decades, the length of the average American workday has expanded by 1.4 hours, according to Gallup polling. Many managers hoped that a combination of remote work and flexible schedules would yield happier employees, but work-from-home days often became stacked with video calls, leaving individual work to be tackled outside regular business hours.” Read more at Wall Street Journal
“The Biden administration approved two solar projects in California that would generate enough power for 132,000 homes.” Read more at New York Times
“The world's biggest commercial aircraft makers are asking the Biden administration to delay the rollout of 5G cell service next month. The CEOs of Boeing and Airbus Americas sent a letter to Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg that says the planned January 5 rollout could cause interference that could ‘adversely affect the ability of aircraft to safely operate.’ At issue are instruments known as radar altimeters that pilots need to make safe landings in low-visibility conditions. An industry analysis says 5G interference could affect hundreds of thousands of flights each year, delaying planes or causing them to divert. The CEOs are asking the Biden administration to work with the FCC to limit the power of 5G transmissions near airports.” Read more at CNN
“SpaceX's uncrewed Dragon capsule began its journey toward the International Space Station early Tuesday and arrived Wednesday morning to deliver supplies. Among the 6,500 pounds of cargo and science experiments, some Christmas cheer was included for the ISS astronauts and cosmonauts, according to NASA. Roasted turkey, green beans, smoked seafood and shellfish, fruitcake, and presents for the crew were part of the special delivery. The autonomous capsule will spend about a month docked with the ISS before returning to Earth with waste and science experiment results.” Read more at USA Today
“Due to the rising number of positive COVID-19 cases, the National Hockey League and the NHL Players' Association agreed to start their Christmas break early. The league will resume practices on Dec. 26 and the regular-season schedule will pick up Dec. 27. Originally, there were 10 games slated for Tuesday, but just one was played as the Tampa Bay Lightning beat the Vegas Golden Knights. The COVID surge will also keep NHL players outof the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing, according to a source. An official announcement is expected Wednesday. Meanwhile, National Basketball Association Commissioner Adam Silver said on ESPN Tuesday that his league has examined multiple options but does not yet see a reason to stop or pause the 2021-22 season. Silver's assessment came despite more than 70 players entering health and safety protocols in December.” Read more at USA Today
“A fossilized dinosaur egg from over 66 million years ago was found to have an embryo inside it of it. Researchers say the discovery creates a link between dinosaurs and modern-day birds.” Read more at USA Today
“‘Deeply saddened’: Sarah Jessica Parker, Cynthia Nixon and Kristin Davis spoke on the sexual misconduct allegations recently levied against their former ‘Sex and the City’ co-star, Chris Noth.” Read more at USA Today
“Chris Noth has been dropped from the CBS show ‘The Equalizer.’ The actor will no longer film any new episodes, the TV network said, adding to fallout from sexual-assault accusations that have been made against him, which Noth has denied.” Read more at Wall Street Journal
“Lives Lived: Darby Penney shed light on forgotten people’s lives by examining the contents of suitcases left in the attic of a psychiatric hospital. She died at 68.” Read more at New York Times
Bruce Springsteen in October in New York.Krista Schlueter for The New York Times
“The Boss cashes in
Last week, Sony announced it had purchased Bruce Springsteen’s recording and songwriting catalog for about $550 million. It’s the latest mega-payout at a time when many artists are selling their catalogs: Springsteen joins Bob Dylan, Tina Turner, Shakira and more.
The growth of subscription services like Spotify has made the music industry appealing to investors, including private equity firms. They view royalties as ‘an investment, somewhat like real estate, with predictable rates of return and relatively low risk,’ Ben Sisario writes in The Times.
Springsteen was part of a generation of musicians who asserted greater control over their work. ‘A lot of artists were taken advantage of in the ’50s and ’60s,’ John Branca, Michael Jackson’s longtime lawyer, said. ‘With the emergence of better legal and management representation in the ’70s and ’80s, there was a push for the artists to obtain more power.’
Many of those stars are now giving up that control and cashing in. Of course, not every artist wants in. Diane Warren, the songwriter behind hits like Celine Dion’s ‘Because You Loved Me,’ told Rolling Stone that selling her catalog ‘would be like selling my soul.’” Read more at New York Times