“America's political VIPs are staying home from the Beijing Olympics, citing China's "ongoing genocide and crimes against humanity."
‘[W]e will not be contributing to the fanfare of the games,’ White House press secretary Jen Psaki told reporters.
U.S. athletes will participate with ‘full support’ from the White House, Psaki said. The Winter Games begin Feb. 4.
Why it matters: The diplomatic rebuke avoids the confrontation of a full boycott.
Back in 1980, President Carter kept U.S. Olympians home from the Moscow games to protest the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan.
The U.S. declared earlier this year that Chinese Communist Party actions against Muslim minorities in Xinjiang constitute ‘genocide’ and ‘crimes against humanity,’ notes Axios' Jacob Knutson.
Between the lines: Nearly half of Americans are against China hosting the Games, according to an Axios/Momentive poll completed in August.” Read more at Axios
“President Joe Biden and Russian President Vladimir Putin will speak in a video call Tuesday as tensions between the two nations escalate over a Russian troop buildup on the Ukrainian border seen as a sign of a potential invasion. Biden will emphasize his desire for a diplomatic solution to the U.S. conflict with Russia over Ukraine but will warn Putin that Russia's continued aggression against its neighbor will come with costs. Ukraine has been on edge in recent weeks amid a fresh build-up of Russian troops on the nation's eastern border, near where Moscow and Kyiv have been enmeshed in a simmering conflict for the last seven years that's killed more than 14,000 people. The Kremlin said Friday that Putin, during his call with Biden, would seek binding guarantees precluding NATO's expansion to Ukraine.” Read more at USA Today
“A powerful storm system pounded Hawaii Monday with heavy rain, and forecasters warned of a chance for ‘dangerous’ and ‘catastrophic’ flooding in some areas . More than 2 feet of rain is possible in some areas; widespread amounts of 10 to 15 inches are likely. ‘Expect widespread heavy rainfall with this system, especially under the large heavy rain band, capable of producing catastrophic flooding, and strong gusty southerly winds through Wednesday,’ the National Weather Service in Honolulu said. The islands of Oahu and Kauai could see the brunt of the storm Monday and Tuesday. But for Maui and the Big Island, which have already been soaked, ‘it's not going to take a lot of additional rain to really lead to big problems,’ the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Robert Ballard said. Kona low storms are a type of seasonal cyclone in the Hawaiian Islands, usually formed in the winter from winds coming from the westerly ‘Kona’ direction, the weather service said.” Read more at USA Today
“WASHINGTON—Saudi Arabia is running out of the ammunition it uses to defend against weekly drone and missile attacks on its kingdom and is urgently appealing to the U.S. and its Gulf and European allies for a resupply, U.S. and Saudi officials said.
Over the past several months, Saudi Arabia has been attacked by nearly a dozen ballistic missile and drone strikes launched each week by the Yemen-based Houthi rebels, U.S. and Saudi officials said. The Saudi military has successfully fended off most of the barrages with its Patriot surface-to-air missile system, but its arsenal of interceptors—missiles used to shoot down airborne weapons—has fallen dangerously low, these officials said
Meanwhile, the U.S. military has redeployed much of the American weaponry that defended U.S. forces and lent security to Saudi Arabia, part of the Biden administration’s turn away from the Middle East to confront China.
While U.S. officials appeared poised to formally approve the Saudi request, the situation has officials in Riyadh concerned that without a sufficient stock of Patriot interceptors, the sustained attacks could result in significant loss of life or damage to critical oil infrastructure. In January, the Houthis struck buildings belonging to the royal court, but no one was injured.
The Saudi government’s appeal has tested the U.S. commitment to the Middle East and in particular to Riyadh, where the Biden administration has attempted to reshape the relationship over a range of issues including human rights, the Saudi-led war in Yemen and the October 2018 killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi at the hands of Saudi operatives at the Saudi consulate in Istanbul.” Read more at Wall Street Journal
“The Justice Department has sued Texas over its new electoral map, alleging that it discriminates against Latino and Black voters. This is the second time in just over a month that the federal government has sued the Lone Star state over its election practices. Texas added more residents in the past 10 years than any other state, with Hispanic, Black, Asian-American and other minority groups accounting for about 95% of the growth, census data show. Texas GOP lawmakers have said their map properly accounts for minority residents and complies with voting-rights laws.” Read more at Wall Street Journal
“President Donald J. Trump’s blood oxygen level sank to a precariously low level after he announced that he had tested positive for the coronavirus last year, according to a new book by Mark Meadows, his former chief of staff.
The new details contradict Mr. Trump’s denials this year that his Covid bout was more dire than White House medical officials had acknowledged at the time.
Mr. Meadows’s book, titled ‘The Chief’s Chief,’ goes on sale on Tuesday. He describes his tenure in the White House, alternately promoting Mr. Trump’s false claims that the 2020 election was stolen from him and attacking the news media. Mr. Meadows also revealed previously undisclosed details about the former president’s medical condition in October 2020.
Mr. Trump, who has long been fearful of appearing weak, has tried to camouflage those details. The White House staff and members of his medical team aided that effort, publicly downplaying how sick he was at the time. The former president denied a detailed New York Times report this year that he was more ill than his aides had revealed, with depressed oxygen levels and lung infiltrates, which occur when they are inflamed and filled with fluid or bacteria.” Read more at New York Times
“Pakistan, the State Department warns sharply, has more than a dozen serious human rights problems, from ‘extrajudicial killings’ to ‘forced disappearance by the government or its agents’ to ‘political prisoners’ to ‘severe restrictions of religious freedom’ to ‘trafficking in persons.’
But on Thursday, Pakistan will join about 110 other countries at a two-day ‘Summit for Democracy’ convened by President Biden, with the goal of rallying the nations of the world against the forces of authoritarianism.
In creating an invite list that seems to divide the world into good guys and bad guys — despite a strong denial by the White House of any such intent — the administration has prompted tensions and anger from various countries, while highlighting that the globe is hardly binary. Some of the invitees have undisputed democratic credentials, and some of those omitted are clearly authoritarian, but many countries fall into a murky area.” Read more at Washington Post
“The super-rich are getting stupid rich:
New data out today shows the share of global wealth held by the richest slice of humanity swelled by almost a full percentage point during the pandemic, Axios business editor Kate Marino writes.
The top 0.01% of individuals now hold about 11% of the world's wealth, compared to just over 10% in 2020, according to the ‘World Inequality Report 2022,’ written by Lucas Chancel, Thomas Piketty, Emmanuel Saez and Gabriel Zucman.
Why it matters: Governments around the world spent vast sums to battle the pandemic, fueling massive appreciation in stocks and real estate.
The increase in billionaires' share of wealth from 2020 to 2021 was the steepest on record, the report says.
Zoom out: The study found poverty increased sharply in countries with weak welfare coverage. But massive government support in the U.S. and Europe mitigated some impact on lower earners, Reuters notes.” Read more at Axios\
“Marc Short, the former chief of staff to Vice President Mike Pence, is cooperating with the House committee investigating the January 6 Capitol riot. This is a significant development that will give investigators insight from one of the highest-ranking Trump officials. Short is still one of Pence's closest advisers and is a witness to many critical events at the center of the investigation, including what happened to Pence at the Capitol on January 6 and how former President Donald Trump pressured Pence not to certify the presidential election. Short's cooperation also signals an openness among Pence's inner circle to talk to the committee — a change from some in Trump’s inner circle who have defied House subpoenas.” Read more at CNN
“WASHINGTON — The defense team for a cybersecurity lawyer who was indicted in September by a Trump-era special counsel asked a judge on Monday to set a trial date sooner than the prosecutor wants — while disclosing evidence recently turned over to them that appears to contradict the charge.
The materials could make it harder for the special counsel, John H. Durham, to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that the cybersecurity lawyer, Michael Sussmann, is guilty of the charge against him: making a false statement to the F.B.I. during a September 2016 meeting about possible links between Donald J. Trump and Russia.
The newly disclosed evidence consists of records of two Justice Department interviews of the former F.B.I. official to whom Mr. Sussmann is accused of lying, each of which offers a different version of the key interaction than the version in the indictment. That official is the prosecution’s main witness.” Read more at New York Times
“The December 15 debt ceiling deadline is looming, and the question may not be whether Congress votes to raise it, but who will take the fall for the politically toxic vote. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnnell is reportedly working on a plan to raise the nation’s borrowing limit — which is a must if the US wants to avoid economic chaos — while forcing Democrats to be the ones to pull the trigger. However, the plan requires Republican cooperation under the rules of the Senate, and it’s not clear whether 10 of McConnell’s party colleagues will agree to it. Meanwhile, Biden’s key economic legislation, known as the Build Back Better bill, is still languishing. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer is insisting the bill can still pass his chamber by Christmasdespite lingering differences among Democrats.” Read more at CNN
“The Biden administration has relaunched a Trump-era border policy known as ‘Remain in Mexico.’ The policy allows officials to send non-Mexican migrants back to Mexico to await their US immigration court hearings. The Biden administration pledged to end the program and begin admitting migrants who were subjected to it, but a federal judge in Texas ordered the administration to revive the policy. Still, the administration has promise to make changes that will, as White House press secretary Jen Psaki said, ‘improve humanitarian components,’ like improving access to lawyers. However, the return of the policy is still a deeply unwelcome and discouraging one for immigration advocates.” Read more at CNN
“Court clamor | Biden faces increasing calls to expand the number of justices on the U.S. Supreme Court to dilute its conservative majority, which is considering a rollback on abortion and a broadening of gun rights. As Greg Stohr and Jennifer Epstein explain in this report, it’s far from clear whether the president will yield to the pressure.” Read more at Bloomberg
“President Biden highlighted the nation's astronomical drug costs in another appeal to Congress to pass his Build Back Better Plan. He pointed to the cost of insulin, a lifesaving medication that costs between $375 to $1,000 now that would be capped at $35 under his bill.” Read more at NPR
“Instagram is introducing a new set of safety features for young users,including tools for time management and limits to exposure to adult users and sensitive content. The app's head Adam Mosseri will testify before a Senate committee on the app's potential harmful effects on teens.” Read more at NPR
“American Airlines CEO Doug Parker will step down March 31 and be replaced by American president Robert Isom. Parker will continue as chairman, the airline announced this morning.” Read more at Axios
“‘I'm disappointed, quite honestly’: Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel said late Monday that the Oxford School District declined an offer to launch an independent review into the recent school shooting. They're going to go with a private security firm instead.” Read more at USA Today
Ghislaine Maxwell's sex-abuse trial will continue in New York City Tuesday, one day after a British woman testified that Maxwell pressured her into giving Jeffrey Epstein sexual massages when she was still a teenager . The woman – using the pseudonym ‘Kate’ to protect her privacy – said Monday she met Maxwell when she was 17 through a friend she had dated on and off, and was eager to be friends with the British socialite. Maxwell told her Epstein, then her boyfriend, was a philanthropist who could help her with her singing career, she said. On cross-examination, a lawyer for Maxwell got the witness to acknowledge instances where she had spoken out publicly about Epstein and Maxwell using her real name. The lawyer also asked whether her history of drug and alcohol abuse affected her memory. Maxwell, 59, has denied charges she groomed girls as young as 14 for Epstein, who killed himself in jail in 2019. Her lawyers say the government is making her a scapegoat for Epstein's alleged sex crimes.” Read more at USA Today
“Former ‘Empire’ actor Jussie Smollett, facing six felony disorderly conduct charges for allegedly filing a false police report about being the victim of a hate crime, took the stand in a Chicago courtroom Monday to testify in his own defense. He reiterated his stance that there ‘was no hoax.’
In January 2019, Smollett told police he had been attacked late at night by two people in the city’s Streeterville neighborhood. Smollett, who is Black and gay, said they poured an unknown chemical substance on him, hurled slurs and yelled, ‘This is MAGA country,’ referring to Donald Trump’s ‘Make America Great Again’ campaign slogan.
After the news spread, Smollett received widespread support from numerous advocacy organizations and fellow celebrities. But within days, doubts over whether Smollett was telling the truth began to spread on social media. The actor told Robin Roberts on ‘Good Morning America’ that the lack of belief angered him.” Read more at Washington Post
“Gen Z is feeling the stresses of the pandemic more than any other age group, according to a U.S. survey released Monday.
Higher proportions of Americans between ages 13 and 24 say the pandemic has made their education, career goals and social lives more difficult, compared with millennials and Gen X.” Read more at Washington Post
“Preliminary work to remove an enormous pedestal that until recently held a statue of Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee got underway Monday in Richmond, Virginia. In one of the first steps, a crew was erecting scaffolding around the pedestal. The removal will be completed by the end of December. Democratic Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam's administration announced plans Sunday to remove the pedestal, which sits in the middle of a traffic circle along the capital city's historic Monument Avenue and has for 130 years. The statue was removed this year after the Virginia Supreme Court ruled the state, which owns the property, was not bound by a century-old land deed between a group of Henrico County citizens who paid for the bronze sculpture and the commonwealth.” Read more at USA Today
“The MINNESOTA Supreme Court heard a lawsuit seeking to extend the franchise to more than 50,000 people convicted of felonies and now on probation.” Read more at Talking Points Memo
“Vanessa Bryant, the widow of Kobe Bryant submitted a six-page document in court Monday that explains why she feels sick and angry at Los Angeles County employees who shared photos of her husband and daughter after they died in a helicopter crash in February 2020 in Southern California.
Vanessa Bryant is suing the county for invasion of privacy, accusing county sheriff’s deputies and firefighters of improperly taking and sharing photos of human remains from the crash scene. Her attorneys filed documents that said ‘close-up photos of Gianna and Kobe’s remains were passed around (to) at least 28 LASD devices and by at least a dozen firefighters. And that was only the beginning.’” Read more at USA Today
“Rep. Devin Nunes (R-Calif.) plans to leave his seat at the end of this month to become CEO at a new media company founded by former president Donald Trump, the company announced Monday. The move was confirmed by a political ally of Nunes, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss the congressman’s plans. Nunes’s office did not respond to inquiries.
Nunes, who was first elected to Congress in 2002 at age 30, was reelected to his seat last year for a 10th term, which ends in January 2023. A news release Monday said Nunes would be joining the Trump Media & Technology Group as its chief executive starting in January.
If the GOP were to take back the House majority in 2022, Nunes would be in line to be chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee. By stepping down, he would be potentially giving up what is considered the most powerful committee gavel.” Read more at Washington Post
“Medina Spirit, the plucky colt with modest roots who went from afterthought to first-place finisher in the controversial 2021 Kentucky Derby, died suddenly Monday after a workout at California’s Santa Anita racetrack. The smallish Florida-bred 3-year-old had won at Churchill Downs on May 1 before failing a drug test that led to a suspension of Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert.
‘Medina Spirit was a great champion, a member of our family who was loved by all, and we are deeply mourning his loss,’ Baffert said in a statement. ‘I will always cherish the proud and personal memories of Medina Spirit and his tremendous spirit.’
Santa Anita Park said in a statement that Medina Spirit, owned by Saudi Arabian businessman Amr Zedan, ‘died suddenly of a probable cardiac event according to the on site veterinary team who attended to him.’ Samples of the horse’s blood, hair and urine were sent to the California Horse Racing Board, according to the statement, and a full necropsy is expected….
A trainer who was present at Santa Anita Park, who asked not to be identified because of the sensitivity of the situation, said Medina Spirit appeared to slow near the wire, looking ‘a little wobbly’ until his rider guided him to the outside fence, where he collapsed. He had raced four times since his wire-to-wire win by half a length at the 147th Kentucky Derby, running third in the Preakness as Baffert stayed home in California, winning Aug. 29 at Del Mar and Oct. 2 at Santa Anita, then beating the other 3-year-olds in the Breeders’ Cup Classic on Nov. 6 at Del Mar, finishing a non-menacing second by 2¾ lengths to 5-year-old sensation Knicks Go….
By then, the California Horse Racing Board had listed the disputed winner of the still-undecided Kentucky Derby as the 72nd equine fatality of 2021 at five California tracks, after a ‘non-musculoskeletal sudden death.’
The death of the Kentucky Derby star, under the care of the embattled horseman who is the most famous person in racing, is yet another unwelcome development in a sport staring down existential threats stemming from dwindling revenue, spates of dead horses and top trainers under indictment for doping. Santa Anita Park was central to one of those scandals after 37 horses died there during the 2019 racing season. The deaths sparked multiple investigations, which found no criminal wrongdoing by trainers or track operators.
Medina Spirit is the youngest first-place Derby finisher to die since 1984, when Swale died suddenly after a workout that June 17, eight days after winning the Belmont Stakes. Barbaro, the 2006 Derby winner, died in January 2007, eight months after suffering a catastrophic injury near the outset of the 2006 Preakness. Twenty-one winners of the Derby survive, the oldest being 1994 winner Go for Gin, who turned 30 this year and stands at the Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington.” Read more at Washington Post
“Four Heisman Trophy finalists announced: The group includes three quarterbacks and a defensive end. Alabama's Bryce Young remains the overwhelming favorite to win the award.” Read more at USA Today
“The Justice Department has closed a federal investigation into the 1955 lynching of Emmett Till in rural Mississippi, a case that horrified the country and galvanized the civil rights movement, according to two people familiar with the decision.
Till, a Black 14-year-old visiting from Chicago, was murdered after he was accused of whistling at and making sexual advances toward a White woman, Carolyn Bryant, during an interaction at Bryant’s grocery store in Money, Miss.
Federal authorities reopened the case three years ago, after a new book quoted Bryant denying that Till had made any advances.
Till was kidnapped Aug. 28, 1955, tortured and shot. His mangled body was found days later in the Tallahatchie River and taken to Chicago for burial. Thousands waited in line to bear witness.
Photographs of Till’s corpse — which at his mother’s insistence was kept in an open coffin for the world to see — became some of the most consequential images of racial violence against African Americans.
Justice Department officials met Monday with members of Till’s family to inform them of the decision to close the case, according to people familiar with the matter, who spoke on the condition of anonymity in advance of a public announcement expected later in the day.
Emmett Till’s mother opened his casket and sparked the civil rights movement
A 2017 book, ‘The Blood of Emmett Till,’ by historian Timothy Tyson, includes the first-known interview with Bryant. She told Tyson that Till had not come on to her sexually — a disclosure that directly contradicted her testimony six decades earlier, when she told a jury that Till grabbed her by the waist and uttered obscenities.
‘That part’s not true,’ Bryant, now in her late 80s, is quoted as saying. ‘Nothing that boy did could ever justify what happened to him.’
The release of the book reignited interest in Till’s case, which put a harsh national spotlight on racial violence in the postwar era. The book also spurred speculation about whether Bryant — now known as Carolyn Donham — could face charges.” Read more at Washington Post
“Tuesday marks eight decades since the shocking attack on Pearl Harbor in Hawaii that propelled the U.S. into World War II. More than 2,400 people were killed when hundreds of Japanese planes bombed American service members and civilians on U.S. soil on Dec. 7, 1941, dubbed ‘a date which will live in infamy’ by then-President Franklin D. Roosevelt. Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day will be observed at Hawaii's Pearl Harbor National Memorial with multiple events, including a ceremony for the 429 USS Oklahoma crew members killed during the attack. Each year, the National Memorial marks Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day by commemorating how it ‘was a catalyst that led to a changed world.’ This year, the memorial is focusing on the ‘long and difficult road to peace.’” Read more at USA Today
No posts