The Full Belmonte, 2/3/2023
China says it’s looking into report of spy balloon over US
“BEIJING (AP) — China said Friday it is looking into reports that a Chinese spy balloon has been flying in U.S. airspace and urged calm, adding that it has ‘no intention of violating the territory and airspace of any sovereign country.’
Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning also said she had no information about whether a trip to China by U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken planned for next week will proceed as scheduled.
At a daily briefing, Mao said that politicians and the public should withhold judgment ‘before we have a clear understanding of the facts’ about the spy balloon reports.
Blinken would be the highest-ranking member of President Joe Biden’s administration to visit China, arriving amid efforts to mitigate a sharp downturn in relations between Beijing and Washington over trade, Taiwan, human rights and China’s claims in the South China Sea….” Read more at AP News
Rep. Ilhan Omar ousted from key committee
“The Republican-led House voted along party lines to remove Minnesota Democratic Rep. Ilhan Omar from the House Foreign Affairs Committee over previous comments she made about Israel that members of both parties viewed as antisemitic. Republican leaders have threatened to take action against Omar over a number of controversial statements she's made since she came to Capitol Hill in 2019.
Omar said on the House floor Thursday that the vote to remove her is about more than silencing her voice: ‘This debate today is about who gets to be an American.’
•Political revenge? GOP calls to remove Omar got louder last yearwhen the Democrat-led House stripped Republicans Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., and Paul Gosar, R-Ariz., of committee assignments for menacing social media posts. Both GOP lawmakers have been reinstated to committees this Congress.
•What has Omar said about Israel? A prominent progressive in Congress, Omar, who is Muslim, has been a fierce critic of Israel's treatment of Palestinians and routinely questions U.S. aid to the Middle East ally.
•A colleague hits back: ‘There is nothing consistent with the Republican Party's continued attack, except for the racism and incitement of violence against women of color in this body,’ U.S. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., said in a retort to her Republican colleagues after the House voted along party lines to remove Omar. [USA Today]
U.S. Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., attends a press conference on committee assignments for the 118th U.S. Congress, at the U.S. Capitol Building on January 25, 2023 in Washington, DC.
Kevin Dietsch, Getty Images
“Allen Weisselberg, a jailed former Trump Organization executive, may face more charges as prosecutors pressure him to cooperate in an inquiry into Donald Trump.” [New York Times]
Arctic blast
“Parts of the Northeast US are bracing today for possibly the coldest wind chills in decades. Dangerously frigid temperatures with wind chills as cold as 50 degrees Fahrenheit below zero are set to wallop New England and surrounding regions beginning this morning, the Weather Prediction Center said. All of Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island and Connecticut are under wind chill alerts. Northern New Jersey, northeast Pennsylvania and much of New York state outside of New York City and Long Island are also under wind chill threats. Officials are warning people to stay indoors as such extreme conditions can cause frostbite in as little as 10 minutes. Fortunately, the cold spell will only last about 36 hours, forecasts show. This comes as the South is struggling with a deadly ice storm that made road conditions miserable this week, claiming the lives of at least eight people in two states.” [CNN]
Trump campaign staff on 2020 election lies: ‘fan the flame’
By SCOTT BAUER
“MADISON, Wis. (AP) — A newly released audio recording offers a behind-the-scenes look at how former President Donald Trump’s campaign team in a pivotal battleground state knew they had been outflanked by Democrats in the 2020 presidential election. But even as they acknowledged defeat, they pivoted to allegations of widespread fraud that were ultimately debunked — repeatedly — by elections officials and the courts.
The audio from Nov. 5, 2020, two days after the election, is surfacing as Trump again seeks the White House while continuing to lie about the legitimacy of the outcome and Democrat Joe Biden’s win.
The Wisconsin political operatives in the strategy session even praised Democratic turnout efforts in the state’s largest counties and appeared to joke about their efforts to engage Black voters, according to the recording obtained Thursday by The Associated Press. The audio centers on Andrew Iverson, who was the head of Trump’s campaign in the state.
‘Here’s the deal: Comms is going to continue to fan the flame and get the word out about Democrats trying to steal this election. We’ll do whatever they need. Just be on standby if there’s any stunts we need to pull,’ Iverson said.
Iverson is now the Midwest regional director for the Republican National Committee. He deferred questions about the meeting to the RNC, whose spokesperson, Keith Schipper, declined comment because he had not heard the recording.
The former campaign official and Republican operative who provided a copy of the recording to the AP was in the meeting and recorded it. The operative is not authorized to speak publicly about what was discussed and did not want to be identified out of concern for personal and professional retaliation, but said they came forward because Trump is mounting a third attempt for the White House….Read more at AP News
“Delayed impact | A new bomb-tipped long-range rocket will be part of the US’s latest $2.2 billion arms package for Ukraine due to be announced today. The satellite-guided weapon has roughly double the range of the HIMARS system prized by Ukrainian forces, but won’t be deployed anytime soon. An industry official said first deliveries would take about nine months once the Air Force issues a contract.” [Bloomberg]
“A Russian offensive in eastern Ukraine appears imminent even as Kyiv holds out for more weapons deliveries for its own push in the south in the spring, US and European officials said.” [Bloomberg]
“Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy holds summit talks with top European Union officials in Kyiv today focused on his country’s potentially years-long bid to join the bloc.” [Bloomberg]
The only limit to weapons deliveries to Ukraine should be nuclear arms, incoming Czech President Petr Pavel, a former top NATO general, said in a Bloomberg Television interview.” [Bloomberg]
“Republican flex | US House Republicans began an investigation into the activities of Biden’s climate envoy John Kerry, in another show of authority after winning a majority in the midterm elections. The head of the House Oversight and Accountability Committee demanded in a letter that Kerry turn over information about his office’s actions, spending and staffing, including any dealings with the Chinese Communist Party and left-wing environmental groups.” [Bloomberg]
Workforce drop-outs have become an economic dead weight that has left the UK facing its bleakest outlook in generations, according to the Bank of England. In one of the most dismal forecasts it has produced, the central bank said the economy is already in recession and will struggle for growth even when the downturn is over, and the main culprit is the shrinking workforce. [Bloomberg]
“Balkan brawl | The Serbian parliament devolved into chaos yesterday as President Aleksandar Vucic urged lawmakers to stay the path toward joining the EU despite the bloc’s demands for concessions on Kosovo. Legislators scuffling on the floor of the assembly laid bare the resistance Vucic faces as he seeks to make a deal over Kosovo and avoid torpedoing Serbia’s EU membership bid.” [Bloomberg]
Lawmakers hold banners reading “No to the ultimatum” and “Treason” during a special parliament session in Belgrade yesterday. Photographer: Andrej Isakovic/AFP/Getty Images
Easing tensions | Israeli Foreign Minister Eli Cohen made a surprise visitto Sudan yesterday and said the nations plan to sign a peace accord, highlighting the improving ties between the Jewish state and the Muslim nation. Yet the signing ceremony will only take place after the transition to civilian rule in Khartoum, and no date for that has been set.
SPORTS NEWS FROM THE ATHLETIC
“A W.N.B.A. superteam: Courtney Vandersloot, a star guard, is joining the New York Liberty one day after Breanna Stewart agreed to sign with the team.” [New York Times]
“M.L.B.’s scheduling change: More interleague games, fewer division matchups and some extravagant destinations — it’s all part of baseball’s dramatic scheduling overhaul.” [New York Times]
“Mixon wanted in Cincinnati: The police issued an arrest warrant for the Bengals running back Joe Mixon, saying he threatened and pointed a gun at someone last month.” [New York Times]