theguardian--2020-12-16--Trump 'penned political suicide note' at every Covid press conference, former Australian PM says

The former Australian prime minister John Howard has said Donald Trump penned a lengthy “ political suicide note ” with his “ terrible ” handling of the coronavirus pandemic , without which the Republican would have prevailed against Joe Biden .
Howard , who led a conservative Coalition government for nearly 12 years , made the remarks on Wednesday night during a question and answer session at the Menzies Research Centre at the conclusion of a lecture delivered by the former National party leader John Anderson .
“ If Donald Trump had handled the pandemic half-decently he would have won @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ He was headed towards a victory until the pandemic hit .
It was his mishandling of that because , in the end , the public , when threatened , want their leaders to defend them against the threat.
” Howard said competent public health responses had increased the popularity of political leaders across Australia .
“ That ’ s why Scott Morrison has very high approvals , Gladys Berejiklian has , our friend [ Mark McGowan ] in Western Australia has , and even our friend in Victoria [ Daniel Andrews ] @ @ @ @ @ @ @ than surviving , politically , he is quite perpendicular at the present time , ” the former Liberal leader said .
“ Now part of that is a perception that difficult as it all was , and so forth , he got the show through.
” Howard noted that Andrews , the Labor premier in Victoria , had been “ open to a lot of political attack ” .
“ I know this is not a political occasion so I shouldn ’ t join in that attack , ” he said .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to be said for the proposition – and this is an optimistic thing in a way – that the side of politics in America that embraced identity politics far more , namely the Democratic party side , sure Biden won , but given how appallingly Trump handled the pandemic how could he not win ?
“ Every time [ Trump ] had a news conference he was penning a political suicide note.
” Howard , Australia ’ s prime minister from 1996 to 2007 , said Trump ’ s handling of the pandemic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Republicans did “ far better than many people expected ” in Congress .
Anderson ’ s lecture to the Liberal-aligned thinktank on Wednesday night railed against “ wokeness ” and identity politics .
Despite Biden ’ s resounding victory both in the electoral college and the popular vote , Howard said he detected a backlash in “ middle America ” which prevented the Democrats from gaining control of the legislature .
“ I draw a little bit of encouragement from that , not in a partisan sense – I am more sympathetic to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Democrats – but I think probably there was a middle America rejection to be found in that election outcome , notwithstanding the fact that [ Biden ] won and I think you are starting to see it reflected in Biden ’ s choice of people who will serve in his administration – they are not as leftwing and embracing of political correctness as you might expect.
” Anderson agreed with Howard ’ s thesis and declared the media in Australia and the US were preoccupied with characterising Trump as a “ terrible person @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The former Nationals leader and deputy prime minister did not reflect on Trump ’ s habitual lying while in office or the scandals that ultimately defined his presidency .
Anderson noted that an “ astonishing ” number of Americans voted for Trump despite the mismanagement of Covid-19 .
Howard said in response to that observation : “ He did have a number of flaws.
” And Anderson said the looming runoff election in the state of Georgia was “ a very important runoff for the globe – I mean what happens in American @ @ @ @ @ @ @ probably as important to us as what happens here ” .
“ I ’ m so motivated by what I see as the real potential for us to lose our freedoms , ” Anderson said .
“ I ’ m so despairing at our lack of , am I allowed to say , manning up.
” After deciding he should instead say “ humanising up ” – “ there ’ s a touch of wokeism in everyone ” – Anderson concluded by stating that when it came to the defence of freedom “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wheel ” .

The former Australian prime minister John Howard has said Donald Trump penned a lengthy “political suicide note” with his “terrible” handling of the coronavirus pandemic, without which the Republican would have prevailed against Joe Biden.
Howard, who led a conservative Coalition government for nearly 12 years, made the remarks on Wednesday night during a question and answer session at the Menzies Research Centre at the conclusion of a lecture delivered by the former National party leader John Anderson.
“If Donald Trump had handled the pandemic half-decently he would have won the election,” Howard said.
“He was headed towards a victory until the pandemic hit. It was his mishandling of that because, in the end, the public, when threatened, want their leaders to defend them against the threat.”
Howard said competent public health responses had increased the popularity of political leaders across Australia.
“That’s why Scott Morrison has very high approvals, Gladys Berejiklian has, our friend [Mark McGowan] in Western Australia has, and even our friend in Victoria [Daniel Andrews] is surviving – he’s more than surviving, politically, he is quite perpendicular at the present time,” the former Liberal leader said. “Now part of that is a perception that difficult as it all was, and so forth, he got the show through.”
Howard noted that Andrews, the Labor premier in Victoria, had been “open to a lot of political attack”.
“I know this is not a political occasion so I shouldn’t join in that attack,” he said.
“But I think there’s something to be said for the proposition – and this is an optimistic thing in a way – that the side of politics in America that embraced identity politics far more, namely the Democratic party side, sure Biden won, but given how appallingly Trump handled the pandemic how could he not win?
“Every time [Trump] had a news conference he was penning a political suicide note.”
Howard, Australia’s prime minister from 1996 to 2007, said Trump’s handling of the pandemic was “terrible” but still the Republicans did “far better than many people expected” in Congress.
Anderson’s lecture to the Liberal-aligned thinktank on Wednesday night railed against “wokeness” and identity politics.
Despite Biden’s resounding victory both in the electoral college and the popular vote, Howard said he detected a backlash in “middle America” which prevented the Democrats from gaining control of the legislature.
“I draw a little bit of encouragement from that, not in a partisan sense – I am more sympathetic to the Republicans than I am to the Democrats – but I think probably there was a middle America rejection to be found in that election outcome, notwithstanding the fact that [Biden] won and I think you are starting to see it reflected in Biden’s choice of people who will serve in his administration – they are not as leftwing and embracing of political correctness as you might expect.”
Anderson agreed with Howard’s thesis and declared the media in Australia and the US were preoccupied with characterising Trump as a “terrible person” rather than analysing his policies.
The former Nationals leader and deputy prime minister did not reflect on Trump’s habitual lying while in office or the scandals that ultimately defined his presidency.
Anderson noted that an “astonishing” number of Americans voted for Trump despite the mismanagement of Covid-19. Howard said in response to that observation: “He did have a number of flaws.”
And Anderson said the looming runoff election in the state of Georgia was “a very important runoff for the globe – I mean what happens in American politics at this point in history is probably as important to us as what happens here”.
“I’m so motivated by what I see as the real potential for us to lose our freedoms,” Anderson said. “I’m so despairing at our lack of, am I allowed to say, manning up.”
After deciding he should instead say “humanising up” – “there’s a touch of wokeism in everyone” – Anderson concluded by stating that when it came to the defence of freedom “it’s all hands to the wheel”.


theguardian--2020-12-16--Pete Buttigieg says he feels 'eyes of history' on him as first LGBTQ+ cabinet pick – video

Pete Buttigieg thanked Joe Biden as he was formally announced as his nominee for transportation secretary .
Buttigieg , the @ @ @ @ @ , Indiana and Democratic presidential candidate , will be the first openly LGBTQ+ cabinet member @ @ @ @ @ confirmed into post by the Senate , assuming he wins confirmation .
• Biden taps @ @ @ @ @ and Jennifer Granholm for energy

Pete Buttigieg thanked Joe Biden as he was formally announced as his nominee for transportation secretary. Buttigieg, the former mayor of South Bend, Indiana and Democratic presidential candidate, will be the first openly LGBTQ+ cabinet member in American history to be confirmed into post by the Senate, assuming he wins confirmation.


theguardian--2020-12-17--John Lewis remembered by Bryan Stevenson

How did you first meet ?
I first met John Lewis about 30 years ago at the airport in Atlanta .
He came over and said : “ You ’ re the young man representing people on death row.
” And I said : “ Yes , I am , and it ’ s such a thrill to meet you.
” And he said : “ I just want to encourage you to keep doing your important work.
” It meant the world to me that he would do that .
This was at a time when support for the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ very prevalent .
That casual encounter just energised me for months .
I was inspired by him long before I met him and I feel really privileged to have spent time with him in the last few years .
How influential was he on your own activism ?
I grew up in a poor rural community .
No one I knew had gone to college , very few people had graduated from high school .
So I was fascinated by his growing up in Pike County , a rural community of sharecroppers .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ life for himself that he actually hadn ’ t seen .
He heard Dr King speaking on the radio and just wrote to him .
And Dr King wrote back to him and invited him to Montgomery .
That was incredibly inspiring to me .
He was someone who carried that lived experience of segregation with him throughout his life .
John Lewis had experienced the injustice and segregation in the Jim Crow era and it shaped his world view .
That lived experience is very challenging to overcome .
If you have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ you understand that they were not directions , they were moral assaults that created real injuries .
You damage people when you tell them they are not good enough to go through the front door , to marry someone of a different race , to attend school with white children , to be on the beach with white kids .
That lived experience motivated him to fight injustice wherever he saw it .
He was part of a generation that were incredibly courageous in terms of their dedication to non-violent direct action .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ rarely see .
In the early 1960s , he was one of the original Freedom Riders and he was badly beaten by the police .
Just two years later , in 1965 , he was at the head of the march on the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma , being beaten and battered again .
What a lot of people don ’ t appreciate is that he and his fellow protesters would put on their Sunday best to go to these places and then get on their knees and pray knowing that they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and bloodied by the police .
There was an absolute expectation of violence and yet they went .
That is what was extraordinary about the courage of John Lewis and the generation he represents .
What he and people like him did back then required an incredible commitment .
It could have cost them their lives .
How important was his Christian faith to his activism ?
It was incredibly important to him as it was to Dr King .
They both knew that they shared a faith with many of the people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ They both believed that they had an obligation to challenge people who were dishonouring that faith because bigotry and segregation are contrary to Christianity and the Gospels .
They saw themselves as committed Americans trying to push this country to live up to its values and ideas .
In many ways they were the living proponents of what we now call liberation theology .
They were protesting with a flag in one hand and a bible in the other .
When John Lewis entered Congress , how important was that for you ?
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ child , there were no black congressional members .
We did not see people of colour in positions of power and influence .
That all happened during the course of John Lewis ’ s life .
You have to understand that in the United States , we have never had a real change in power .
The people who sustained inequality and injustice , who turned their backs to thousands of black people being lynched , who did not intervene to end segregation are the people who are still in power .
So @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and advocating for racial justice as John Lewis did , is not easy .
It is not comfortable .
How would you sum him up ?
John Lewis was a visionary .
He taught me that justice is a constant struggle , that we never really arrive , we have to always keep fighting against the things that are undermining equality and justice and to protect the things that represent equality and justice .
He shared his incredibly generous spirit and his capacity for love and encouragement directly with me .
He would @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Bryan .
Don ’ t let anyone cause you to not be brave.
” That kind of affirmation is priceless .
I can ’ t even articulate the value of it .
He was courageous , committed and compassionate .
And , he had an instinct for doing the things that had to be done , however challenging and uncomfortable .
His life was remarkable and unparalleled in many ways .
He inspired people to do difficult things in the service of justice .
Very few people have done more to make the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Sean O ’ Hagan

How did you first meet?
I first met John Lewis about 30 years ago at the airport in Atlanta. He came over and said: “You’re the young man representing people on death row.” And I said: “Yes, I am, and it’s such a thrill to meet you.” And he said: “I just want to encourage you to keep doing your important work.” It meant the world to me that he would do that. This was at a time when support for the kind of work I do was not very prevalent. That casual encounter just energised me for months.
I was inspired by him long before I met him and I feel really privileged to have spent time with him in the last few years.
How influential was he on your own activism?
I grew up in a poor rural community. No one I knew had gone to college, very few people had graduated from high school. So I was fascinated by his growing up in Pike County, a rural community of sharecroppers. As a teenager, he imagined a life for himself that he actually hadn’t seen. He heard Dr King speaking on the radio and just wrote to him. And Dr King wrote back to him and invited him to Montgomery. That was incredibly inspiring to me.
He was someone who carried that lived experience of segregation with him throughout his life.
John Lewis had experienced the injustice and segregation in the Jim Crow era and it shaped his world view. That lived experience is very challenging to overcome. If you have actually seen those Whites Only signs, you understand that they were not directions, they were moral assaults that created real injuries. You damage people when you tell them they are not good enough to go through the front door, to marry someone of a different race, to attend school with white children, to be on the beach with white kids. That lived experience motivated him to fight injustice wherever he saw it.
John Lewis (second from left in the main group, wearing a white tunic), Dr Martin Luther King (centre) and other civil rights activists arrive in Montgomery, Alabama having marched in nonviolent protest from Selma, 25 March 1965. Photograph: Bettmann Archive
He was part of a generation that were incredibly courageous in terms of their dedication to non-violent direct action.
He was courageous in ways that we rarely see. In the early 1960s, he was one of the original Freedom Riders and he was badly beaten by the police. Just two years later, in 1965, he was at the head of the march on the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma, being beaten and battered again. What a lot of people don’t appreciate is that he and his fellow protesters would put on their Sunday best to go to these places and then get on their knees and pray knowing that they were going to get battered and beaten and bloodied by the police. There was an absolute expectation of violence and yet they went. That is what was extraordinary about the courage of John Lewis and the generation he represents. What he and people like him did back then required an incredible commitment. It could have cost them their lives.
How important was his Christian faith to his activism?
It was incredibly important to him as it was to Dr King. They both knew that they shared a faith with many of the people that were oppressing and abusing them. They both believed that they had an obligation to challenge people who were dishonouring that faith because bigotry and segregation are contrary to Christianity and the Gospels. They saw themselves as committed Americans trying to push this country to live up to its values and ideas. In many ways they were the living proponents of what we now call liberation theology. They were protesting with a flag in one hand and a bible in the other.
When John Lewis entered Congress, how important was that for you?
Incredibly so. When I was a child, there were no black congressional members. We did not see people of colour in positions of power and influence. That all happened during the course of John Lewis’s life. You have to understand that in the United States, we have never had a real change in power. The people who sustained inequality and injustice, who turned their backs to thousands of black people being lynched, who did not intervene to end segregation are the people who are still in power. So, a black person being in Congress and advocating for racial justice as John Lewis did, is not easy. It is not comfortable.
John Lewis presenting Bryan Stevenson with the Smithsonian Magazine’s American Ingenuity award for social progress in 2012. Photograph: Brendan Hoffman/Getty Images
How would you sum him up?
John Lewis was a visionary. He taught me that justice is a constant struggle, that we never really arrive, we have to always keep fighting against the things that are undermining equality and justice and to protect the things that represent equality and justice. He shared his incredibly generous spirit and his capacity for love and encouragement directly with me. He would always say: “Be brave, Bryan. Don’t let anyone cause you to not be brave.” That kind of affirmation is priceless. I can’t even articulate the value of it.
He was courageous, committed and compassionate. And, he had an instinct for doing the things that had to be done, however challenging and uncomfortable. His life was remarkable and unparalleled in many ways. He inspired people to do difficult things in the service of justice. Very few people have done more to make the world a better place. Interview by Sean O’Hagan


theguardian--2020-12-18--The Georgia runoff: an historic battle for control of the US Senate

Reporter Khushbu Shah discusses the runoff in Georgia .
Republicans have 50 seats in the Senate and the Democrats 48 , so much hangs on the outcome of the 5 January election On 5 January , control over the US Senate will be decided by Georgia ’ s runoff , where the Republicans Kelly Loeffler and David Perdue face the Democrats Raphael Warnock and Jon Ossoff respectively in two races .
With the Republicans holding 50 seats and the Democrats 48 , the results will play a key role in Joe Biden ’ s ability to legislate and govern during @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lost the state of Georgia , which had previously been a longtime Republican stronghold , but polls indicate a tight contest in both Senate races .
Khushbu Shah , editor in chief of the Fuller Project , talks to Mythili Rao about the runoff and what the candidates are offering .
Huge amounts of money have gone into this election , with billionaire Republicans on Wall Street opening their wallets to try to protect Perdue and Loeffler ’ s seats .
Khushbu also discusses Georgia ’ s long history of voter suppression and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .

Presented by Mythili Rao with Khushbu Shah, produced by Rose de Larrabeiti and Axel Kacoutié; executive producers Nicole Jackson and Phil Maynard

Reporter Khushbu Shah discusses the runoff in Georgia. Republicans have 50 seats in the Senate and the Democrats 48, so much hangs on the outcome of the 5 January election
On 5 January, control over the US Senate will be decided by Georgia’s runoff, where the Republicans Kelly Loeffler and David Perdue face the Democrats Raphael Warnock and Jon Ossoff respectively in two races. With the Republicans holding 50 seats and the Democrats 48, the results will play a key role in Joe Biden’s ability to legislate and govern during his time as president. Donald Trump lost the state of Georgia, which had previously been a longtime Republican stronghold, but polls indicate a tight contest in both Senate races.
Khushbu Shah, editor in chief of the Fuller Project, talks to Mythili Rao about the runoff and what the candidates are offering. Huge amounts of money have gone into this election, with billionaire Republicans on Wall Street opening their wallets to try to protect Perdue and Loeffler’s seats. Khushbu also discusses Georgia’s long history of voter suppression and the impact it could have this time.


theguardian--2020-12-18--US surpasses 17m coronavirus cases just a day after setting record death toll – as it happened

The revelation that elite cyber spies in past months conducted the largest hack against US officials in years has put the spotlight on SolarWinds , the Texas-based company whose software was compromised while servicing some of the biggest agencies and companies in the United States .
SolarWinds provides computer networking monitoring services to corporations and government agencies around the world , and has become a dominant player since it was founded in 1999 .
“ They ’ re not a household name the same way that Microsoft is .
That ’ s because their software sits in the back office @ @ @ @ @ @ @ research analyst at Baird who has followed the company for years .
“ Workers could have spent their whole career without hearing about SolarWinds .
But I guarantee your IT department will know about it.
” The firm was founded by two brothers in Tulsa , Oklahoma , ahead of the feared turn-of-the-millennium Y2K computer bug .
On an October earning call , the company ’ s chief executive Kevin Thompson touted how far it had come since .
There was not a database or an IT deployment model out there to which @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of monitoring or management , he told analysts .
“ We don ’ t think anyone else in the market is really even close in terms of the breadth of coverage we have , ” he said .
“ We manage everyone ’ s network gear.
“ That dominance , however , has become a liability .
On Sunday , SolarWinds alerted thousands of its customers that an “ outside nation state ” had found a back door into its most popular product , a tool called Orion that helps organizations monitor outages @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The company revealed that hackers snuck a malicious code that gave them remote access to customers ’ networks into an update of Orion .
The hack began as early as March , SolarWinds admitted , giving the hackers plenty of time to access the customers ’ internal workings .

Maanvi Singh (now) and Joan E Greve (earlier)

18 Dec 2020 01.06 GMT Summary From me and Joan E Greve: Cedric Richmond, who is slated to be the director of the White House office of public engagement, tested positive for Covid-19. He was not in close contact with the president-elect, according to the Biden transition team.
He was not in close contact with the president-elect, according to the Biden transition team. An FDA advisory panel voted to recommend authorizing the Moderna coronavirus vaccine. The recommendation clears the way for the FDA to approve the vaccine for emergency use, a decision that could as soon as later this week.
The recommendation clears the way for the FDA to approve the vaccine for emergency use, a decision that could as soon as later this week. The US has now confirmed more than 17 million cases of coronavirus. The virus continues to spread at an alarming rate, as the country sets new records for coronavirus cases and deaths. According to Johns Hopkins University, the US confirmed 247,403 cases of coronavirus yesterday, and another 3,656 Americans died of the virus yesterday as well.
The virus continues to spread at an alarming rate, as the country sets new records for coronavirus cases and deaths. According to Johns Hopkins University, the US confirmed 247,403 cases of coronavirus yesterday, and another 3,656 Americans died of the virus yesterday as well. Joe Biden had chosen Deb Haaland to run the interior department. If confirmed, the progressive congresswoman would be the first Native American to serve as interior secretary.
If confirmed, the progressive congresswoman would be the first Native American to serve as interior secretary. Another 885,000 Americans filed new claims for unemployment benefits last week, representing an increase from a week earlier. Economists warn that unemployment is moving in a startling direction as Americans prepare for the holidays amid more coronavirus-related layoffs.
representing an increase from a week earlier. Economists warn that unemployment is moving in a startling direction as Americans prepare for the holidays amid more coronavirus-related layoffs. Congress is expected to pass another stopgap funding bill to continue negotiations over coronavirus relief. Senate majority leader Mitch McConnell said it was “highly likely” lawmakers would work through the weekend to reach a deal on a relief package and a government spending bill. The government is currently set to shut down tomorrow night.
Updated at 01.19 GMT
18 Dec 2020 00.44 GMT More members of Biden’s climate team: Former Michigan governor Jennifer Granholm has been chosen to serve as Secretary of Energy.
has been chosen to serve as Secretary of Energy. Michael Regan, the secretary of Noth Carolina’s environmental agency , has been picked to serve as Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) administrator.
the secretary of Noth Carolina’s environmental agency has been picked to serve as Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) administrator. Brenda Mallory , an environmental lawyer, has been selected as chair of the Council on Environmental Quality.
, an environmental lawyer, has been selected as chair of the Council on Environmental Quality. Former Environmental Protection Agency chief Gina McCarthy will be national climate adviser.
will be national climate adviser. Ali Zaidi, a longtime Biden adviser, will be deputy national climate adviser.
Updated at 01.09 GMT
18 Dec 2020 00.39 GMT “From the wildfires across California and the west to the storms battering our coasts, our climate crisis is a grave and growing threat to the American people and the planet we all share,” said Kamala Harris, discussing the administration’s picks to lead climate policy, including Deb Haaland. “On the campaign, President-elect Biden and I proposed one of the most ambitious climate plans in history. The team we are announcing today will help make that plan a reality. They are seasoned public servants and climate experts who reflect the very best of our country. They have the knowledge and experience to confront this global challenge head-on with our allies and partners around the world. And they are the team the American people need and deserve to help protect our communities – and our planet – for generations,” Harris said in a statement.
Updated at 00.50 GMT
18 Dec 2020 00.09 GMT Deb Haaland: ‘I am honored and ready to serve’ as Interior Secretary Haaland would be the first Native American cabinet secretary. “A voice like mine has never been a Cabinet secretary or at the head of the Department of Interior,” she tweeted – her fist remarks since she was picked for the job. A voice like mine has never been a Cabinet secretary or at the head of the Department of Interior.
Growing up in my mother’s Pueblo household made me fierce. I’ll be fierce for all of us, our planet, and all of our protected land.
I am honored and ready to serve. — Deb Haaland (@DebHaalandNM) December 18, 2020 Read more: Biden picks Deb Haaland as first Native American interior secretary Read more
Updated at 00.51 GMT
17 Dec 2020 23.44 GMT SolarWinds: company at the core of the Orion hack falls under scrutiny Kari Paul reports: The revelation that elite cyber spies in past months conducted the largest hack against US officials in years has put the spotlight on SolarWinds, the Texas-based company whose software was compromised while servicing some of the biggest agencies and companies in the United States. SolarWinds provides computer networking monitoring services to corporations and government agencies around the world, and has become a dominant player since it was founded in 1999. “They’re not a household name the same way that Microsoft is. That’s because their software sits in the back office,” said Rob Oliver, a research analyst at Baird who has followed the company for years. “Workers could have spent their whole career without hearing about SolarWinds. But I guarantee your IT department will know about it.”
The firm was founded by two brothers in Tulsa, Oklahoma, ahead of the feared turn-of-the-millennium Y2K computer bug. On an October earning call, the company’s chief executive Kevin Thompson touted how far it had come since.
There was not a database or an IT deployment model out there to which the company did not provide some level of monitoring or management, he told analysts. “We don’t think anyone else in the market is really even close in terms of the breadth of coverage we have,” he said. “We manage everyone’s network gear.“ That dominance, however, has become a liability. On Sunday, SolarWinds alerted thousands of its customers that an “outside nation state” had found a back door into its most popular product, a tool called Orion that helps organizations monitor outages on their computer networks and servers. The company revealed that hackers snuck a malicious code that gave them remote access to customers’ networks into an update of Orion. The hack began as early as March, SolarWinds admitted, giving the hackers plenty of time to access the customers’ internal workings. Agencies contributed reporting. Read more: SolarWinds: company at the core of the Orion hack falls under scrutiny Read more
17 Dec 2020 23.10 GMT Growing alarm as US government investigates extent of hacking campaign Kari Paul reports: US authorities on Thursday expressed increased alarm about a large and sophisticated hacking campaign affecting government networks. The cybersecurity unit of the Department of Homeland Security warned that the hack “poses a grave risk to the federal government and state, local, tribal and territorial governments as well as critical infrastructure entities and other private sector organizations”. The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (Cisa) also warned that it will be difficult to remove the malware inserted through network software. “Removing this threat actor from compromised environments will be highly complex and challenging for organizations,” the agency said in the statement. Thursday’s comments were the most detailed yet from the agency since reports of the hack emerged over the weekend. The US government on Wednesday confirmed that an operation by elite hackers, suspected to be Russian, affected its networks and said the attack was “significant and ongoing”. “This is a developing situation, and while we continue to work to understand the full extent of this campaign, we know this compromise has affected networks within the federal government,” said a joint statement issued by the FBI, Cisa, and the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (Odna). Agencies contributed reporting. Read more: Growing alarm as US government investigates extent of hacking campaign Read more
17 Dec 2020 22.56 GMT Cedric Richmond, Biden's incoming White House senior advisor, tests positive for Covid-19 Cedric Richmond, who is slated to be the director of the White House office of public engagement, tested positive, according to Biden transition spokeswoman Kate Bedingfield
Richmond was not in close contact with Joe Biden, nor was he in close contact with Georgia senate candidates Raphael Warnock and Jon Ossoff, for whom he campaigned at an event this week. Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms, Stacey Abrams and Nikema Williams, who also attended campaign event, were also not considered to be in close contact. “After his rapid test came back positive, we initiated contact tracing protocols immediately, and have determined that he was in CDC-defined close contact with two individuals, neither of whom are Biden, Warnock or Ossoff staff,” Bedingfield said in a statement. “Those individuals, two people who drove his car during the campaign trip, have been notified and are self-quarantining consistent with CDC guidelines.
17 Dec 2020 22.48 GMT Bernie Sanders: “The American people want help.”
The Vermont senator, who has long been advocating to include direct payments as part ofo the relief bill, said the deal that lawmakers are now closing in on is a “step forward”. "The American people want help, they need help. This will be a step forward in providing a modicum of relief to people who are struggling right now." Sen. Sanders says as lawmakers near an agreement on a Covid-19 relief bill that could provide a new round of stimulus checks. pic.twitter.com/02c6k1YKO0 — MSNBC (@MSNBC) December 17, 2020
17 Dec 2020 22.34 GMT A federal judge today rejected a request from the Republican party to change the rules for absentee voting in Georgia even as some have begun casting votes ahead of the 5 January election. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports: The lawsuit by the Twelfth Congressional District Republican Committee sought to eliminate the use of absentee ballot drop boxes in Georgia and prohibit local election officials from opening ballot envelopes before Election Day. It also sought to invalidate guidance from the Secretary of State’s Office on how local officials should verify signatures on absentee ballots. J. Randal Hall, chief judge of the U.S. District Court in Augusta, rejected the requests. He found Republican claims that the rules have abetted voter fraud to be “highly speculative” and said they did not warrant changing the rules in the middle of the election. “We are not even on the eve of an election,” Hall said in dismissing the case. ‘We are, as it relates to this particular election, closing in on halftime.” The lawsuit is part of an extraordinary effort by Republicans to ask courts to change the rules for absentee ballots amid the runoff election that will determine which party controls the U.S. Senate. Through Wednesday, more than 423,000 Georgians had already cast absentee ballots for the runoff. Early in-person voting began Monday. Read more here.
Updated at 22.45 GMT
17 Dec 2020 22.19 GMT From Guardian staff and agencies: Two people are dying of Covid-19 every hour in Los Angeles county, as California set daily records for newly reported cases and deaths and hospitals struggle to keep up with the surge of coronavirus patients. Most California residents are under a stay-at-home order as California battles a deadly surge in Covid-19 cases and intensive care unit capacity across the state dwindles. Across the state, a record 53,711 new cases and 293 deaths were recorded on Wednesday. Los Angeles county, with 10 million residents, the state’s most populous, reported more than 22,000 new cases. Two people are dying every hour in the county, said Barbara Ferrer, the public health director for the county. “We’re experiencing an explosive and very deadly surge,” she said.
The rise in cases is presenting unprecedented challenges for the state’s hospitals. Los Angeles county has 2,500 ICU beds but within a month could easily need far more, said Dr Christina Ghaly, the county’s health services director. “Hospitals are under siege and our models show no end in sight,” she said.
Southern California and the Central Valley have exhausted their regular supply of intensive care beds, with many medical centers there tapping into their “surge” capacity. Available ICU beds in the San Francisco Bay Area dropped below 15%. Health officials in Southern California’s Orange county issued an order preventing hospitals from diverting ambulances to other medical centers. Read more: Two people dying every hour in Los Angeles county as it sees ‘explosive surge’ Read more
17 Dec 2020 22.04 GMT Today so far That’s it from me today. My west coast colleague, Maanvi Singh, will take over the blog for the next few hours. Here’s where the day stands so far: An FDA advisory panel voted to recommend authorizing the Moderna coronavirus vaccine. The recommendation clears the way for the FDA to approve the vaccine for emergency use, a decision that could as soon as later this week.
The recommendation clears the way for the FDA to approve the vaccine for emergency use, a decision that could as soon as later this week. The US has now confirmed more than 17 million cases of coronavirus. The virus continues to spread at an alarming rate, as the country sets new records for coronavirus cases and deaths. According to Johns Hopkins University, the US confirmed 247,403 cases of coronavirus yesterday, and another 3,656 Americans died of the virus yesterday as well.
The virus continues to spread at an alarming rate, as the country sets new records for coronavirus cases and deaths. According to Johns Hopkins University, the US confirmed 247,403 cases of coronavirus yesterday, and another 3,656 Americans died of the virus yesterday as well. Joe Biden plans to nominate Deb Haaland to run the interior department, according to multiple reports. If confirmed, the progressive congresswoman would be the first Native American to serve as interior secretary.
according to multiple reports. If confirmed, the progressive congresswoman would be the first Native American to serve as interior secretary. Another 885,000 Americans filed new claims for unemployment benefits last week, representing an increase from a week earlier. Economists warn that unemployment is moving in a startling direction as Americans prepare for the holidays amid more coronavirus-related layoffs.
representing an increase from a week earlier. Economists warn that unemployment is moving in a startling direction as Americans prepare for the holidays amid more coronavirus-related layoffs. Congress is expected to pass another stopgap funding bill to continue negotiations over coronavirus relief. Senate majority leader Mitch McConnell said it was “highly likely” lawmakers would work through the weekend to reach a deal on a relief package and a government spending bill. The government is currently set to shut down tomorrow night. Maanvi will have more coming up, so stay tuned.


theguardian--2020-12-18--Biden picks Deb Haaland as first Native American interior secretary

Joe Biden has chosen the US lawmaker Deb Haaland as interior secretary and will nominate the North Carolina official Michael Regan to head the Environmental Protection Agency , in two diverse and influential picks to handle crucial issues such as public lands , pollution and the climate crisis .
Haaland , a progressive Democratic congresswoman from New Mexico since 2019 , would be the first Native American cabinet secretary and one of the first Native Americans ever to serve in a US cabinet .
The department ’ s jurisdiction covers tribal lands and vast tracts of protected American wilderness , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ national parks .
In a tweet on Thursday evening , Haaland said she was “ honored and ready to serve ” as interior secretary .
“ A voice like mine has never been a cabinet secretary or at the head of the Department of Interior , ” she added .
Haaland is a member of Pueblo of Laguna and would become the first descendant of the original people to populate North America to run the interior department , which has often had a difficult relationship with the 574 federally recognized tribes in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ And she has told the Reuters news agency she would seek to usher in an expansion of renewable energy production on federal land to contribute to the fight against climate change , and undo Donald Trump ’ s regressive focus on bolstering fossil fuels output .
Progressives hailed the selection of Haaland as “ perfect choice ” and a “ fierce ally ” of the environmental movement .
“ Rep Deb Haaland ’ s appointment as secretary of the interior is a historic moment for every Native American and the Green New Deal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the executive director of the youth-led Sunrise Movement .
She added : “ With a progressive leader at the helm , we can make real progress on stopping climate change and ensure sovereignty and dignity for all Native people and justice for all.
” Climate activists , joined by progressive members of Congress , tribal leaders and Hollywood celebrities , had mounted a public campaign in support of Haaland .
The interior secretary will be critical to enacting Biden ’ s ambitious climate plan as well as playing an important role leading discussions @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The House speaker , Nancy Pelosi , had issued a statement on Wednesday saying : “ Congresswoman Haaland knows the territory , and if she is the president-elect ’ s choice for interior secretary , then he will have made an excellent choice.
” The retiring New Mexico senator Tom Udall , a Democrat who was also reportedly under consideration for the role , was among the first politicians to congratulate Haaland , calling her appointment a “ watershed moment for Native communities , and for our nation ” .
In a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who would use the position to “ undo the damage of the Trump administration , restore the department ’ s workforce and expertise , uphold our obligations to Native communities , and take the bold action needed to tackle the accelerating climate and nature crises.
” “ I am confident that she will be both a historic interior secretary and an excellent one , ” he added .
Theresa Pierno , the president and CEO for the National Parks Conservation Association , said Haaland would be ready for the job “ on day @ @ @ @ @ @ @ champion ” who had helped hold the line on conservation .
“ Amid a global pandemic and climate crisis , we need a department of interior secretary who is ready to address 21st-century challenges with bold solutions … to protect our national parks and public lands for the benefit of all Americans , ” she said .
Meanwhile , Biden plans to nominate Regan , North Carolina ’ s top environmental regulator , to head the EPA , according to Reuters .
If confirmed by the US Senate , Regan would become the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , after Lisa Jackson , who served during Barack Obama ’ s presidency .
He would be a leading member of the new , expanded Biden team focusing on reversing Trump ’ s environmental rollbacks and address the climate crisis with a plan for bringing the US economy to net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050 .
Regan brings years of experience dealing with fossil fuel industries in his home state , including overseeing a roughly $ 9bn settlement agreement with utility Duke Energy for the nation ’ s largest clean-up of coal ash @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the EPA and worked on climate change and pollution initiatives for the Environmental Defense Fund , a green advocacy group .
“ Regan understands that tough environmental goals tempered with economic and technological reality produce the best approach on everything from climate change to more local problems , ” said Scott Segal , an attorney for the law firm Bracewell , which has petroleum companies as clients .
Jim Marston , the former head of the Environmental Defense Fund state initiatives program , said : “ He could talk with , work with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ allows him to really relate ... to working-class folks who are the workers in plants that need to be regulated , ” Marston said .
Democrats have a very narrow majority in the House , so losing Haaland to the cabinet is a risk , making three Democratic members of the House that will be leaving the chamber to join the new administration .
Marcia Fudge will be nominated to lead the Department of Housing and Urban Development , and Cedric Richmond will serve as the director of the White House Office of @ @ @

Joe Biden has chosen the US lawmaker Deb Haaland as interior secretary and will nominate the North Carolina official Michael Regan to head the Environmental Protection Agency, in two diverse and influential picks to handle crucial issues such as public lands, pollution and the climate crisis.
Haaland, a progressive Democratic congresswoman from New Mexico since 2019, would be the first Native American cabinet secretary and one of the first Native Americans ever to serve in a US cabinet. The department’s jurisdiction covers tribal lands and vast tracts of protected American wilderness, including jewels such as Yellowstone and Yosemite national parks.
In a tweet on Thursday evening, Haaland said she was “honored and ready to serve” as interior secretary.
“A voice like mine has never been a cabinet secretary or at the head of the Department of Interior,” she added.
A voice like mine has never been a Cabinet secretary or at the head of the Department of Interior.
Growing up in my mother’s Pueblo household made me fierce. I’ll be fierce for all of us, our planet, and all of our protected land.
I am honored and ready to serve. — Deb Haaland (@DebHaalandNM) December 18, 2020
Haaland is a member of Pueblo of Laguna and would become the first descendant of the original people to populate North America to run the interior department, which has often had a difficult relationship with the 574 federally recognized tribes in the US, the Washington Post reported.
And she has told the Reuters news agency she would seek to usher in an expansion of renewable energy production on federal land to contribute to the fight against climate change, and undo Donald Trump’s regressive focus on bolstering fossil fuels output.
Progressives hailed the selection of Haaland as “perfect choice” and a “fierce ally” of the environmental movement.
“Rep Deb Haaland’s appointment as secretary of the interior is a historic moment for every Native American and the Green New Deal movement,” said Varshini Prakash, the executive director of the youth-led Sunrise Movement.
She added: “With a progressive leader at the helm, we can make real progress on stopping climate change and ensure sovereignty and dignity for all Native people and justice for all.”
Climate activists, joined by progressive members of Congress, tribal leaders and Hollywood celebrities, had mounted a public campaign in support of Haaland. The interior secretary will be critical to enacting Biden’s ambitious climate plan as well as playing an important role leading discussions between the federal government and tribal nations.
The House speaker, Nancy Pelosi, had issued a statement on Wednesday saying: “Congresswoman Haaland knows the territory, and if she is the president-elect’s choice for interior secretary, then he will have made an excellent choice.”
The retiring New Mexico senator Tom Udall, a Democrat who was also reportedly under consideration for the role, was among the first politicians to congratulate Haaland, calling her appointment a “watershed moment for Native communities, and for our nation”.
In a statement, Udall praised her as someone who would use the position to “undo the damage of the Trump administration, restore the department’s workforce and expertise, uphold our obligations to Native communities, and take the bold action needed to tackle the accelerating climate and nature crises.”
“I am confident that she will be both a historic interior secretary and an excellent one,” he added.
Theresa Pierno, the president and CEO for the National Parks Conservation Association, said Haaland would be ready for the job “on day one” and was a congressional “champion” who had helped hold the line on conservation.
Deb Haaland at the swearing-in ceremony on the floor of the US House of Representatives in 2019. Photograph: Brendan Smialowski/AFP/Getty Images
“Amid a global pandemic and climate crisis, we need a department of interior secretary who is ready to address 21st-century challenges with bold solutions … to protect our national parks and public lands for the benefit of all Americans,” she said.
Meanwhile, Biden plans to nominate Regan, North Carolina’s top environmental regulator, to head the EPA, according to Reuters.
If confirmed by the US Senate, Regan would become the second Black person to run the EPA, after Lisa Jackson, who served during Barack Obama’s presidency. He would be a leading member of the new, expanded Biden team focusing on reversing Trump’s environmental rollbacks and address the climate crisis with a plan for bringing the US economy to net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050.
Regan brings years of experience dealing with fossil fuel industries in his home state, including overseeing a roughly $9bn settlement agreement with utility Duke Energy for the nation’s largest clean-up of coal ash. Regan has also previously worked at the EPA and worked on climate change and pollution initiatives for the Environmental Defense Fund, a green advocacy group.
“Regan understands that tough environmental goals tempered with economic and technological reality produce the best approach on everything from climate change to more local problems,” said Scott Segal, an attorney for the law firm Bracewell, which has petroleum companies as clients.
Jim Marston, the former head of the Environmental Defense Fund state initiatives program, said: “He could talk with, work with industry. And his own personal history allows him to really relate ... to working-class folks who are the workers in plants that need to be regulated,” Marston said.
Democrats have a very narrow majority in the House, so losing Haaland to the cabinet is a risk, making three Democratic members of the House that will be leaving the chamber to join the new administration.
Marcia Fudge will be nominated to lead the Department of Housing and Urban Development, and Cedric Richmond will serve as the director of the White House Office of Public Engagement.
Lauren Gambino contributed reporting


theguardian--2020-12-17--'An evil family': Sacklers condemned as they refuse to apologize for role in opioid crisis

Two of a group of billionaire Sackler family members that own Purdue Pharma , the US pharmaceutical manufacturer of the prescription painkiller OxyContin , refused to apologize for their role in the opioids crisis that has killed almost half a million Americans , during a hearing in Washington on Thursday .
Kathe Sackler and David Sackler , former board members of Purdue , both said sorry for the pain endured by individuals suffering from addiction and those who lost loved ones to overdoses , but they avoided admitting any personal culpability .
It was the first time members of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for their alleged role in the opioid epidemic .
The Democrat Jim Cooper of Tennessee , a member of the House of Representatives oversight committee questioning the two at the online hearing , said that watching the pair testify made his “ blood boil ” .
“ I ’ m not sure I know of any family in America that is more evil than yours , ” Cooper said .
Purdue Pharma last month pleaded guilty in federal court to three criminal charges related to conspiring to mislead regulators and paying illegal kickbacks @ @ @ @ @ @ @ higher sales of the addictive narcotic .
The drug ’ s active ingredient oxycodone derives from opium poppies .
The company also pleaded guilty and was fined in a 2007 criminal case , admitting misbranding the drug as safe when it was not , but escaped heavy consequences and significantly increased sales of the drug in subsequent years .
No individual Sacklers have been charged with crimes but six family members , including Kathe and David , and their company , have been sued by cities , counties and states across the US @ @ @ @ @ @ @ deceptive practices to boost sales of OxyContin while misleading prescribers and the public about the risks of addiction and death .
The House committee hearing is part of a congressional investigation into “ the role of Purdue Pharma and the Sackler family in the opioid epidemic ” .
The Republican congressman James Comer of Kentucky , a state that has suffered high levels of addiction and death from the over-prescription of opioids in the last 25 years , said he was very pro-business but found the actions of Purdue Pharma and some members @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ sickening ” and called them “ bad actors ” .
“ The company knew it was addictive , that it was creating all kinds of havoc in America and yet you continued marketing this product , ” he said .
David Sackler , who is in his late 30s and sat on the board of Purdue from 2012 to 2018 , said he wanted to express his family ’ s “ deep sadness ” about the opioid crisis .
“ OxyContin is a medicine that was intended to help people… far too @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and abuse of opioids , including OxyContin , ” Sackler conceded .
But after joining the board of Purdue , where family members held the majority of the seats , Sackler said he “ relied on Purdue ’ s management to keep on top of the medical science and ensure the company was complying with all laws and regulations ” .
He concluded : “ We are truly sorry to everyone who has lost a family member or suffered from the scourge of addiction.
” Kathe Sackler , who is in her early @ @ @ @ @ @ @ heart breaks for parents who have lost their children ” to overdoses , adding : “ I ’ m so terribly sorry for your pain and loss.
” Kathe Sackler , a former vice-president of Purdue Pharma who sat on the board of directors from 1990 to 2018 , said she “ acted honestly and in good faith ” .
She said : “ It distresses me greatly and angers me greatly that the medication that was developed to help people and relieve severe pain has become associated with so much human suffering.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Democrat Carolyn Maloney asked Kathe Sackler directly : “ Will you apologize to the American people for the role you played in the opioid crisis ?
” Sackler said she “ would be happy to apologize to the American people for all the pain , suffering and tragedies ” while adding that she was angry “ that some people at Purdue broke the law ” .
Maloney pressed Sackler again , saying she had never apologized for her role in the crisis .
Sackler responded that when she looked back at her time @ @ @ @ @ @ @ could have done differently ” .
He said : “ To the American people I am deeply and profoundly sorry that OxyContin has played a role in any addiction and death… I believe I conducted myself legally and ethically.
” Maloney called the Sackler family group involved with OxyContin “ the Bernie Madoff of medicine ” , referring to the financial “ Ponzi ” scheme fraudster sentenced to 150 years in prison in 2009 for masterminding a $ 65bn ( £38bn ) fraud that wrecked the lives of thousands of investors .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , called the Purdue owners “ criminals ” .
The committee member Peter Welch , Democrat of Vermont , said that the leading members of the Sackler family that own Purdue collectively earned a fortune of around $ 12bn from sales of OxyContin and asked Kathe Sackler if there was “ any reason why every single dollar ” should not be returned to the US government “ for distribution to the victims of Purdue Pharma ” – comparing the haul to the $ 12bn he said the government was seeking in assets from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has been sentenced to life in prison .
Welch noted that “ no one from the Sackler family is in jail and many of us think that is not right ” .
Purdue Pharma is in bankruptcy proceedings and settlement negotiations , which Comer characterized as a ploy to avoid justice .
Parents who lost children to addiction and overdoses after they had been prescribed OxyContin testified to their suffering .
So did art photographer and activist Nan Goldin , who said the drug almost destroyed her career , and led a campaign @ @ @ @ @ @ @ generated from sales of OxyContin into rejecting the family name and money .

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Two of a group of billionaire Sackler family members that own Purdue Pharma, the US pharmaceutical manufacturer of the prescription painkiller OxyContin, refused to apologize for their role in the opioids crisis that has killed almost half a million Americans, during a hearing in Washington on Thursday.
Kathe Sackler and David Sackler, former board members of Purdue, both said sorry for the pain endured by individuals suffering from addiction and those who lost loved ones to overdoses, but they avoided admitting any personal culpability. It was the first time members of the family faced such public scrutiny in person for their alleged role in the opioid epidemic.
The Democrat Jim Cooper of Tennessee, a member of the House of Representatives oversight committee questioning the two at the online hearing, said that watching the pair testify made his “blood boil”.
“I’m not sure I know of any family in America that is more evil than yours,” Cooper said.
Purdue Pharma last month pleaded guilty in federal court to three criminal charges related to conspiring to mislead regulators and paying illegal kickbacks to doctors and others aimed at pushing higher sales of the addictive narcotic. The drug’s active ingredient oxycodone derives from opium poppies.
The company also pleaded guilty and was fined in a 2007 criminal case, admitting misbranding the drug as safe when it was not, but escaped heavy consequences and significantly increased sales of the drug in subsequent years.
No individual Sacklers have been charged with crimes but six family members, including Kathe and David, and their company, have been sued by cities, counties and states across the US, accused of orchestrating and knowingly pushing deceptive practices to boost sales of OxyContin while misleading prescribers and the public about the risks of addiction and death.
The House committee hearing is part of a congressional investigation into “the role of Purdue Pharma and the Sackler family in the opioid epidemic”.
Kathe Sackler testifies by video during a virtual hearing of the US House oversight committee. Photograph: Reuters
The Republican congressman James Comer of Kentucky, a state that has suffered high levels of addiction and death from the over-prescription of opioids in the last 25 years, said he was very pro-business but found the actions of Purdue Pharma and some members of the Sackler family in promoting OxyContin “sickening” and called them “bad actors”.
“The company knew it was addictive, that it was creating all kinds of havoc in America and yet you continued marketing this product,” he said.
David Sackler, who is in his late 30s and sat on the board of Purdue from 2012 to 2018, said he wanted to express his family’s “deep sadness” about the opioid crisis.
“OxyContin is a medicine that was intended to help people… far too many lives have been destroyed by addiction and abuse of opioids, including OxyContin,” Sackler conceded.
But after joining the board of Purdue, where family members held the majority of the seats, Sackler said he “relied on Purdue’s management to keep on top of the medical science and ensure the company was complying with all laws and regulations”.
He concluded: “We are truly sorry to everyone who has lost a family member or suffered from the scourge of addiction.”
The company knew it was addictive, that it was creating all kinds of havoc in America and yet you continued marketing this product Congressman James Comer
Kathe Sackler, who is in her early 70s, opened by saying her “heart breaks for parents who have lost their children” to overdoses, adding: “I’m so terribly sorry for your pain and loss.”
Kathe Sackler, a former vice-president of Purdue Pharma who sat on the board of directors from 1990 to 2018, said she “acted honestly and in good faith”.
She said: “It distresses me greatly and angers me greatly that the medication that was developed to help people and relieve severe pain has become associated with so much human suffering.”
The committee chair and New York Democrat Carolyn Maloney asked Kathe Sackler directly: “Will you apologize to the American people for the role you played in the opioid crisis?”
Sackler said she “would be happy to apologize to the American people for all the pain, suffering and tragedies” while adding that she was angry “that some people at Purdue broke the law”.
Maloney pressed Sackler again, saying she had never apologized for her role in the crisis. Sackler responded that when she looked back at her time at Purdue “there is nothing I could have done differently”.
Maloney asked David Sackler the same question.
He said: “To the American people I am deeply and profoundly sorry that OxyContin has played a role in any addiction and death… I believe I conducted myself legally and ethically.”
Maloney called the Sackler family group involved with OxyContin “the Bernie Madoff of medicine”, referring to the financial “Ponzi” scheme fraudster sentenced to 150 years in prison in 2009 for masterminding a $65bn (£38bn) fraud that wrecked the lives of thousands of investors.
The congresswoman Ayanna Pressley, Democrat of Massachusetts, called the Purdue owners “criminals”.
The committee member Peter Welch, Democrat of Vermont, said that the leading members of the Sackler family that own Purdue collectively earned a fortune of around $12bn from sales of OxyContin and asked Kathe Sackler if there was “any reason why every single dollar” should not be returned to the US government “for distribution to the victims of Purdue Pharma” – comparing the haul to the $12bn he said the government was seeking in assets from Mexican drug kingpin El Chapo, who has been sentenced to life in prison.
Sackler did not give a clear answer.
Welch noted that “no one from the Sackler family is in jail and many of us think that is not right”.
Purdue Pharma is in bankruptcy proceedings and settlement negotiations, which Comer characterized as a ploy to avoid justice.
Parents who lost children to addiction and overdoses after they had been prescribed OxyContin testified to their suffering. So did art photographer and activist Nan Goldin, who said the drug almost destroyed her career, and led a campaign to shame institutions named for Sackler philanthropy generated from sales of OxyContin into rejecting the family name and money.


theguardian--2020-12-17--US Congress closes in on $900bn Covid aid bill as Friday deadline looms

US congressional negotiators tampered on Thursday morning the growing optimism that they are closing in on a $ 900bn Covid-19 aid bill , alluding to “ a few final issues ” that need to be addressed before an agreement is made .
The stimulus bill is tied to Congress ’ annual budget for most government agencies , which needs to be passed by Friday to avert a government shutdown .
Speaking on the Senate floor , the Senate majority leader , Mitch McConnell , said that it is “ highly likely ” negotiators will be working through the weekend to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ appears Congress will have to pass a stopgap bill , which will extend their funding deadline and prevent a shutdown .
“ I hope we ’ ll extend it for a very , very short window of time , ” he said , citing the urgency of a new stimulus package .
Earlier this week , leaders of both parties expressed optimism that negotiations were coming to an end .
But on Thursday , both McConnell and the Senate minority leader , Chuck Schumer , suggested that the two sides still have disagreements @ @ @ @ @ @ @ forward .
“ Many , if not all , difficult topics are behind us , a few final issues must be hammered out , ” Schumer said .
“ We ’ ve very close to an agreement , but the details really matter.
” For months , Republicans have been gunning for a stimulus package with a much lower price tag than Democrats want .
The two sides seem to have found common ground on a $ 908bn relief package – over $ 1tn less than the first stimulus package .
The legislation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ about $ 600 , extend unemployment benefits , help pay for vaccine distribution and assist struggling small businesses .
The measure is set to be attached to a $ 1.4tn spending bill that must pass by Friday to avert a government shutdown .
Two contentious issues appear to have been left by the wayside – it is not expected to include a dedicated funding stream for state and local governments , which has long been a Democratic priority but opposed by Republicans , or new protections for companies from lawsuits related to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ agenda .
Senator John Thune , the Senate ’ s No 2 Republican , said the proposed direct payments to individuals would be around $ 600 to $ 700 a person .
Mark Ritacco , director of governmental affairs for the National Association of Counties , said some steps Congress could take to help local authorities include providing a one-year extension of unused funds provided by the Cares Act , a Covid-19 relief bill enacted in March .
His organization also hopes Congress will expand the number of counties that can receive aid @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they must administer the new vaccines .
It suggested having the federal government replenish more local Covid-19 relief costs already partly reimbursed by the Federal Emergency Management Agency ( Fema ) , such as personal protective equipment for schools and other government buildings .
But some Republicans are wary that having Fema pay more is a roundabout way of providing more state and local government aid .
“ If it ’ s simply a way of disguising money for state and local governments , we ’ ll have a lot of opposition , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at a key moment for a US economy clearly weakening after an initial rebound from recession triggered by the pandemic earlier this year .
Consumer spending , buoyed through the summer and early fall by more than $ 3tn in federal assistance , has hit a wall as new lockdowns limit business activity and keep people home .
Another 885,000 Americans filed new claims for unemployment benefits last week , representing an increase of 23,000 from a week earlier .
The number represents the highest weekly figure since September .
Overall , more @ @ @ @ @ @ @ unemployment benefits .
Economists say unemployment numbers are heading in an alarming direction as Americans prepare for the holidays amid more coronavirus-related layoffs .
A number of experts also said the data underscored the need for Congress to pass another coronavirus relief bill to aid Americans who are financially struggling .
Joe Biden said the stimulus package was encouraging but more aid would be needed .
“ It looks like they ’ re very , very close , and it looks like there is going to be direct cash payments , but it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ important down payment – on what ’ s going to have to be done beginning at the end of January , into February , ” the president-elect told reporters .
Commerce department data showed retail sales fell unexpectedly sharply in November , with consumer outlays on goods and services showing softness across the board .
The Federal Reserve on Wednesday promised to keep funneling cash into financial markets further into the future to fight the recession , even as policymakers ’ outlook for next year improved following initial rollout of a coronavirus vaccine @

Lauren Aratani in New York, Joan E Greve in Washington and agencies

US congressional negotiators tampered on Thursday morning the growing optimism that they are closing in on a $900bn Covid-19 aid bill, alluding to “a few final issues” that need to be addressed before an agreement is made.
The stimulus bill is tied to Congress’ annual budget for most government agencies, which needs to be passed by Friday to avert a government shutdown.
Speaking on the Senate floor, the Senate majority leader, Mitch McConnell, said that it is “highly likely” negotiators will be working through the weekend to reach an agreement. He said it appears Congress will have to pass a stopgap bill, which will extend their funding deadline and prevent a shutdown.
“I hope we’ll extend it for a very, very short window of time,” he said, citing the urgency of a new stimulus package.
Earlier this week, leaders of both parties expressed optimism that negotiations were coming to an end. But on Thursday, both McConnell and the Senate minority leader, Chuck Schumer, suggested that the two sides still have disagreements that need to be resolved before moving forward.
“Many, if not all, difficult topics are behind us, a few final issues must be hammered out,” Schumer said. “We’ve very close to an agreement, but the details really matter.”
For months, Republicans have been gunning for a stimulus package with a much lower price tag than Democrats want. The two sides seem to have found common ground on a $908bn relief package – over $1tn less than the first stimulus package.
The legislation is expected to include stimulus checks of about $600, extend unemployment benefits, help pay for vaccine distribution and assist struggling small businesses.
The measure is set to be attached to a $1.4tn spending bill that must pass by Friday to avert a government shutdown. Two contentious issues appear to have been left by the wayside – it is not expected to include a dedicated funding stream for state and local governments, which has long been a Democratic priority but opposed by Republicans, or new protections for companies from lawsuits related to the pandemic, something high on the Republican agenda.
Senator John Thune, the Senate’s No 2 Republican, said the proposed direct payments to individuals would be around $600 to $700 a person.
Mark Ritacco, director of governmental affairs for the National Association of Counties, said some steps Congress could take to help local authorities include providing a one-year extension of unused funds provided by the Cares Act, a Covid-19 relief bill enacted in March.
His organization also hopes Congress will expand the number of counties that can receive aid to include smaller counties, especially as they must administer the new vaccines. It suggested having the federal government replenish more local Covid-19 relief costs already partly reimbursed by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (Fema), such as personal protective equipment for schools and other government buildings.
But some Republicans are wary that having Fema pay more is a roundabout way of providing more state and local government aid.
“If it’s simply a way of disguising money for state and local governments, we’ll have a lot of opposition,” Thune said.
The negotiations come at a key moment for a US economy clearly weakening after an initial rebound from recession triggered by the pandemic earlier this year. Consumer spending, buoyed through the summer and early fall by more than $3tn in federal assistance, has hit a wall as new lockdowns limit business activity and keep people home.
Another 885,000 Americans filed new claims for unemployment benefits last week, representing an increase of 23,000 from a week earlier. The number represents the highest weekly figure since September. Overall, more than 20.6 million Americans are now receiving unemployment benefits.
Economists say unemployment numbers are heading in an alarming direction as Americans prepare for the holidays amid more coronavirus-related layoffs.
A number of experts also said the data underscored the need for Congress to pass another coronavirus relief bill to aid Americans who are financially struggling.
Joe Biden said the stimulus package was encouraging but more aid would be needed.
“It looks like they’re very, very close, and it looks like there is going to be direct cash payments, but it’s a down payment – an important down payment – on what’s going to have to be done beginning at the end of January, into February,” the president-elect told reporters.
Commerce department data showed retail sales fell unexpectedly sharply in November, with consumer outlays on goods and services showing softness across the board.
The Federal Reserve on Wednesday promised to keep funneling cash into financial markets further into the future to fight the recession, even as policymakers’ outlook for next year improved following initial rollout of a coronavirus vaccine.
Reuters contributed to this report.


theguardian--2020-12-17--Trump appointee urged ‘herd immunity’ approach to combat Covid – report

A top White House appointee in the Department of Health and Human Services ( HHS ) urged health officials in July to double down on a “ herd immunity ” approach to combating the Covid-19 pandemic , writing “ we want [ Americans ] infected ” .
Paul Alexander , a former aide to HHS assistant press secretary Michael Caputo and a known herd immunity advocate , wrote an email to Caputo on 4 July – right as virus cases were spiking in the Sun Belt – laying out his case for herd immunity .
“ Allow the nation to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ teens , young people , young adults , middle aged with no conditions etc .
have zero to little risk… So we use them to develop herd… we want them infected , ” Alexander wrote in the email , which was obtained and published by Politico .
Public health experts have said throughout the pandemic that a herd immunity strategy would lead to the healthcare system becoming overwhelmed and many more deaths due to the virus .
While children and young adults tend to have milder cases of the virus , that does @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the virus ’ most serious effect .
A study of 3,000 adults aged 18 to 34 found that , of those sick enough to be hospitalized , 21 % ended up in intensive care .
The emails are surfacing as part of a House investigation into interference from the White House on the work of career scientists at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention ( CDC ) .
James Clyburn , the Democratic US representative heading the investigation , has been putting pressure on HHS to cooperate with the investigation , citing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ meddling with CDC public guidance and information , looking to soften the appearance of how badly the virus was spreading .
Last week , Clyburn released a partial transcript of a testimony from a CDC official who said that she and others were instructed to delete an email from Alexander that said the CDC ’ s weekly report to the scientific community “ is designed to hurt this Presidnet for their which I am not interested in ” , apparently misspelling the world “ president ” .
In a statement , HHS said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ good faith ” and is purposefully trying to portray the department in a bad light .
While HHS secretary Alex Azar has tried to distance the department from ideas of herd immunity , saying in October that “ herd immunity is not the strategy of the US government ” , Trump as recently as October suggested the strategy would make the virus “ go away ” .
“ It would go away without the vaccine … With time it goes away , and you ’ ll likely develop a herd mentality , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ possibly confusing the phrase with “ herd immunity ’ .
“ It ’ s going to be herd developed , and that ’ s going to happen.
” A former CDC top official told Politico that Alexander represented the views of the White House to HHS .
“ It was understood that he spoke for Michael Caputo , who spoke for the White House , ” said Kyle McGowan , a former CDC chief of staff who left the agency over the summer .

A top White House appointee in the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) urged health officials in July to double down on a “herd immunity” approach to combating the Covid-19 pandemic, writing “we want [Americans] infected”.
Paul Alexander, a former aide to HHS assistant press secretary Michael Caputo and a known herd immunity advocate, wrote an email to Caputo on 4 July – right as virus cases were spiking in the Sun Belt – laying out his case for herd immunity.
“Allow the nation to develop antibodies. Infants, kids, teens, young people, young adults, middle aged with no conditions etc. have zero to little risk… So we use them to develop herd… we want them infected,” Alexander wrote in the email, which was obtained and published by Politico.
Public health experts have said throughout the pandemic that a herd immunity strategy would lead to the healthcare system becoming overwhelmed and many more deaths due to the virus. While children and young adults tend to have milder cases of the virus, that does not mean they are completely immune to the virus’ most serious effect. A study of 3,000 adults aged 18 to 34 found that, of those sick enough to be hospitalized, 21% ended up in intensive care.
The emails are surfacing as part of a House investigation into interference from the White House on the work of career scientists at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
James Clyburn, the Democratic US representative heading the investigation, has been putting pressure on HHS to cooperate with the investigation, citing growing evidence that Trump political appointees were meddling with CDC public guidance and information, looking to soften the appearance of how badly the virus was spreading.
Last week, Clyburn released a partial transcript of a testimony from a CDC official who said that she and others were instructed to delete an email from Alexander that said the CDC’s weekly report to the scientific community “is designed to hurt this Presidnet for their which I am not interested in”, apparently misspelling the world “president”.
In a statement, HHS said that Clyburn is “not operating in good faith” and is purposefully trying to portray the department in a bad light.
While HHS secretary Alex Azar has tried to distance the department from ideas of herd immunity, saying in October that “herd immunity is not the strategy of the US government”, Trump as recently as October suggested the strategy would make the virus “go away”.
“It would go away without the vaccine … With time it goes away, and you’ll likely develop a herd mentality,” Trump told George Stephanopoulos in October, possibly confusing the phrase with “herd immunity’. “It’s going to be herd developed, and that’s going to happen.”
A former CDC top official told Politico that Alexander represented the views of the White House to HHS. “It was understood that he spoke for Michael Caputo, who spoke for the White House,” said Kyle McGowan, a former CDC chief of staff who left the agency over the summer.


theguardian--2020-12-18--Pence receives Covid vaccine on TV as FDA panel recommends Moderna – live

Kamala Harris will visit Georgia on Monday , Joe Biden ’ s transition team just confirmed .
The vice-president-elect will @ @ @ @ @ to campaign for Democratic Senate candidates Jon Ossoff and Raphael Warnock .
Ossoff and Warnock @ @ @ @ @ David Perdue and Kelly Loeffler in the January 5 runoff races in Georgia , which @ @ @ @ @ Senate .
Biden traveled to Georgia earlier this week to campaign for Ossoff and Warnock @ @ @ @ @ Georgians to vote by emphasizing the need for a Democratic-controlled Senate .
“ Tell your @ @ @ @ @ just like you did in November , ” Biden said in Atlanta .
“ Turn @ @ @ @ @ it ’ s not even close.
” Biden won Georgia last month by just 13,000 @ @ @ @ @ first Democrat since 1992 to carry the state , and that victory has given Democrats @ @ @ @ @ both Senate seats with next month ’ s runoff races .

19 Dec 2020 01.37 GMT Summary From me and Joan E Greve The FDA authorized the Moderna coronavirus vaccine for emergency use. The government can begin to distribute 5.9m doses of the vaccine across the US.
The government can begin to distribute 5.9m doses of the vaccine across the US. Congress passed a stop-gap spending bill to keep the government funded past midnight. Once Donald Trump signs it, the legislation will fund the government for another two days as lawmakers continue negotiations over appropriations and coronavirus relief. Congress must pass a spending bill by midnight to avoid a government shutdown.
Once Donald Trump signs it, the legislation will fund the government for another two days as lawmakers continue negotiations over appropriations and coronavirus relief. Congress must pass a spending bill by midnight to avoid a government shutdown. Vice-president Mike Pence received the coronavirus vaccine live on television. The House speaker, Nancy Pelosi, and the Senate majority leader, Mitch McConnell, also received the vaccine Friday, and Joe Biden is expected to be vaccinated on Monday in another televised event.
The House speaker, and the Senate majority leader, also received the vaccine Friday, and is expected to be vaccinated on Monday in another televised event. The supreme court dismissed a challenge to Donald Trump’s proposal to exclude undocumented immigrants from the census count to apportion congressional seats. The court’s six conservative justices dismissed the challenge as premature, given that it is unclear what effect the proposal would have. Voting rights and immigrant rights groups have already pledged to file another lawsuit if Trump attempts to implement the policy.
The court’s six conservative justices dismissed the challenge as premature, given that it is unclear what effect the proposal would have. Voting rights and immigrant rights groups have already pledged to file another lawsuit if Trump attempts to implement the policy. The Pentagon and the Biden transition team provided conflicting explanations for a pause in the president-elect’s briefings. While the acting defense secretary, Christopher Miller, cited a “mutually-agreed upon holiday pause” to explain the interruption, Biden’s advisers said they never agreed to such a pause and argued the briefings were more necessary than ever. Axios reported earlier today that Miller had ordered Pentagon officials to stop cooperating with the Biden transition team.
Updated at 01.50 GMT
19 Dec 2020 01.17 GMT “I would anticipate that we likely will see shots in the arm by the very early part of next week,” Dr Anthony Fauci, the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), told NBC earlier today. NIAID worked with Moderna in developing the vaccine. Unlike the Pfizer vaccine, the Moderna vaccine deliveries will be managed by the federal government, using funding from Operation Warp Speed, the Trump administration’s program to quickly develop and disseminate Covid-19 vaccines and treatments.
Updated at 01.32 GMT
19 Dec 2020 01.08 GMT Jessica Glenza Importantly, Moderna’s vaccine holds two distinct advantages over Pfizer’s. First, it does not require ultra-cold storage. That means the vaccine could be less susceptible to wastage and will be easier to transport to rural communities. It also does not require dilution or mixing, like Pfizer’s vaccine. The second advantage is more subtle – Moderna’s Phase III clinical trial data showed no members of the vaccinated group developed severe Covid-19, where 30 placebo group members did. This means for the 6% of people who do not receive the preventive effects of the vaccine, the vaccine may still reduce severity of symptoms. The Pfizer vaccine is authorized in children as young as 16, but Moderna’s vaccine can only be used in adults 18 and older.
19 Dec 2020 00.54 GMT Jessica Glenza “With the availability of two vaccines now for the prevention of COVID-19, the FDA has taken another crucial step in the fight against this global pandemic that is causing vast numbers of hospitalizations and deaths in the United States each day,” said FDA commissioner Stephen M. Hahn, in a statement. The Moderna vaccine was found to be more than 94% effective at preventing Covoid-19, in a trial of more than 30,000 patients. Moderna’s scientists said there were two allergic reactions in its trial, one in the placebo arm and another in a vaccine recipient. In the vaccine arm, the allergic reaction was more than 60 days after the participant received the vaccine, and was found to be related to a separate medical procedure. Moderna’s vaccine, like Pfizer’s, is be authorized for emergency use with the idea that the company would apply for a full approval in coming months.
19 Dec 2020 00.46 GMT Jessica Glenza The Pfizer vaccine was the first drug authorized by the FDA to prevent Covid-19 in the US. It was earlier authorized by the UK and Canada.
Like Pfizer’s vaccine, the drug developed by Moderna to prevent Covid-19 uses messenger RNA technology. This technology introduces the body to the spike protein coating the surface of the coronavirus. The vaccine was developed in a joint effort by Moderna Inc and NIAID. It received nearly $2.5bn in US government funding, and the federal government has already purchased 200m doses with an option to buy 300m more. Emergency approval of the second vaccine will put the US on track to potentially immunize up to 150 million people between now and mid-2021, if the government can effectively roll out the most logistically challenging public health campaign in history. Both vaccines require two-dose “booster” regimens.
19 Dec 2020 00.42 GMT FDA approves Moderna vaccine for distribution The Food and Drug Administration approved Moderna’s vaccine for emergency use. This is the second coronavirus vaccine to gain approval in the US. The government can now begin to distribute 5.9m doses of the Moderna vaccine across the US.
19 Dec 2020 00.39 GMT Lawmakers from both sides of the aisle said they were optimistic they could reach a deal on a coronavirus stimulus bill this weekend. The $900bn proposal currently on the table has been held up over an attempt by Republicans to curtail the Federal Reserve’s lending power - limiting its emergency lending efforts amid a deep economic crisis. Democrats said the provision would tie president-elect Joe Biden’s hands as he tries to rein in the economic fallout caused by the coronavirus crisis. The final proposal will likely include funds for a new round of stimulus payments to Americans - likely $600 for most Americans. Republicans have been trying to use their Federal Reserve provision as leverage, saying they’d agree to double the stimulus check amount if they get their way with the Fed.
19 Dec 2020 00.09 GMT Senate approves stopgap measure The measure has passed hours before the government is headed into a shutdown. Now Trump has to sign the measure.
19 Dec 2020 00.08 GMT If the Senate agrees to the stopgap spending bill and Trump signs it, lawmakers will have an additional 48 hours to finalize a coronavirus relief bill. But the stopgap measure could be held up by even a single senator objecting. Both Republican and Democratic senators weighed whether to do so. On the Republican side, senator Josh Hawley of Missouri expressed frustrations that lawmakers had been left in the dark about aspects of the bill, saying the situation is “beginning to reach the point of absurdity” – but backed off a threat to block the stopgap. On the other side, Bernie Sanders – who has been vocal in criticizing legislators who’ve dragged their feet on sending out another round of stimulus checks – has been non-committal when asked whether he’ll approve a stopgap.
Updated at 00.14 GMT
18 Dec 2020 23.41 GMT House approves stopgap spending bill The House approved a stopgap spending bill to fund government through Sunday, averting a shutdown for two days. The bill passed 380-60. It’s now up to the Senate to approve it.
18 Dec 2020 23.33 GMT Officials closed the Washington Monument today after interior secretary David Bernhardt, who tested positive for Covid-19 this week, led a private tour of the DC site. At least two staff working at the moment are in quarantine following exposure, according to the interior department. The Washington Post first reported the story. The Washington Monument, as the sun rises. Photograph: Alexander Drago/Reuters “As we do in all circumstances when an employee attests to having COVID-19, we work with our public health officials to ensure all guidance from the CDC is followed, such as identifying close contacts and cleaning areas as appropriate,” said interior spokesman Nicholas Goodwin in a statement to media. “The Secretary was recently at the Washington Monument. In working with our public officials and out of an abundance of caution, a couple of employees have quarantined resulting in a temporary workforce reduction at the monument and its temporary closure.”
Updated at 00.15 GMT
18 Dec 2020 23.16 GMT In order to protect a waning Democratic majority in the House, Joe Biden may stagger the confirmation of representatives he has chosen to serve in his cabinet, giving congressional Democrats to pass their 100-day agenda. The AP repoorts: President-elect Joe Biden’s decision to tap several House Democrats for administrative positions is putting Speaker Nancy Pelosi in a politically tough spot, having chiseled away at the party’s already slimming majority and leaving her potentially without enough votes to pass his legislative agenda. Democrats already were heading into the new Congress with a razor-thin margin over Republicans. But Biden’s overture to a third lawmaker, Rep. Deb Haaland, D-N.M., as the history-making first Native American interior secretary, set off a fresh round of pained conversations on what to do. Pelosi will start the Biden era with a narrow majority, 222-211, with a few races still undecided. But Pelosi’s leadership team has a plan. “We need to manage something like this,” Rep. James Clyburn of South Carolina, the Democratic whip and a top Biden ally, said in an interview with The Associated Press this week. According to Clyburn, an emerging strategy is to stagger the confirmations: Biden would hold off on formally submitting the nominations all at once so the House numbers don’t immediately drop. Under the plan, timing would unfold over the first several months of the new Congress, ample time for the House to pass the 100-days agenda, a typically important but symbolic, legislative sprint that takes on new importance aligned with Biden’s presidency. Biden’s first pick from the House, Rep. Cedric Richmond, D-La., would join the administration quickly once the president-elect is inaugurated Jan. 20, Clyburn said. Richmond is poised to become a senior adviser, a position that doesn’t require confirmation by the Senate. Biden would then wait to submit the other two nominees, Haaland and Rep. Marcia Fudge, D-Ohio, who was tapped as housing secretary, until after the March special election in Louisiana to fill Richmond’s seat. The lawmakers can remain in the House, voting as members, until they are Senate confirmed. Their nominations could be sent one after the other, in the months that follow. “Just manage it,” Clyburn said. The three House seats are in Democratic strongholds and expected to be off-limits to Republicans. But special elections can throw curveballs, and the staggered timing would also give the campaigns ample running room to shore up the candidates and races. Read more here.
Updated at 23.17 GMT
18 Dec 2020 22.58 GMT Pence – Space Force members will be known as 'Guardians' Martin Pengelly Members of the new United States Space Force will be known as “Guardians”, Vice-President Mike Pence announced on Friday, at a ceremony to mark the first birthday of one of Donald Trump’s signature policy initiatives. “It is my honor,” Pence said, “on behalf of the president of the United States, to announce that henceforth the men and women of the United States Space Force will be known as guardians. “Soldiers, sailors, airmen, marines and guardians will be defending our nation for generations to come.” On Twitter, the Space Force added: “The opportunity to name a force is a momentous responsibility. Guardians is a name with a long history in space operations, tracing back to the original command motto of Air Force Space Command in 1983, ‘Guardians of the High Frontier.’ “The name Guardians connects our proud heritage and culture to the important mission we execute 24/7, protecting the people and interest of the US and its allies.
“Guardians. #SemperSupra!” The force’s Latin motto, adopted in July, means: “Always above.” Pence’s announcement came on the same day a US astronaut aboard the International Space Station transferred from the air force into the space force, but nonetheless it prompted familiar mirth on social media. As Military.com put it, “space enthusiasts and military members were quick to point out the name Guardians evokes the Marvel Comics’ Guardians of the Galaxy film franchise, about a motley crew of superheroes in space”. With the Trump administration on its way out of power, the future of the space force seems uncertain. As the Associated Press put it, delicately: “President-elect Joe Biden has yet to reveal his plans for the space force in the next administration.” Trump unveils logo for Starfleet ... er, Space Force ... and Trekkers take to Twitter Read more
Updated at 23.07 GMT
18 Dec 2020 22.36 GMT Kaiser Family Foundation Poll: Americans feel the worst is yet to come About 72% of Democrats and 32% of Republicans said the worst of the pandemic is yet to come, per a Kaiser Family Foundation poll. Among independents, half said the worst lies ahead. The majority of people from all three political leanings said they wore masks when leaving the house. As coronavirus cases surge across the US, enacting a disproportionate toll on people of color, about three in four Black adults (75%) and Hispanic adults (77%) said they were worried they or a family member would fall ill with Covid-19. About 64% of white adults expressed the same concern. Read the full findings of the December poll here.