newsweek--2020-12-09--3 Major U.S. Airlines Have Banned Over 1,200 Passengers for Not Wearing Masks

As the coronavirus pandemic continues to spike throughout the U.S. , several airlines are enforcing strict safety measures aboard an aircraft , with the majority of them requiring a face covering at all times throughout a flight .
Three major U.S. airlines—Delta , United and JetBlue—have banned a total of more than 1,200 passengers from future flights for refusing to wear a mask on board .
In a Wednesday statement , Delta CEO Ed Bastian said that nearly 700 passengers were placed on a no-fly list so far for refusing to comply with the airline 's face covering policy , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ most important safety tools . ''
Delta 's policy states that `` customers and employees are required to wear a face mask or appropriate cloth face covering over their nose and mouth throughout their travel , '' and cites guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention ( CDC ) that recommend wearing masks to slow the spread of COVID-19 .
But Delta is n't the only airline banning passengers as a consequence for noncompliance : United and JetBlue also have ongoing no-fly lists naming 435 and 88 passengers , respectively .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ been banned from flying at least one of those airlines for this reason .
A spokesperson for United Airlines told Newsweek that the ban will be enforced `` for at least the time that United 's mandatory face covering policy is in effect . ''
It is unclear whether Delta or JetBlue will make their no-fly list permanent .
A JetBlue spokesperson said that the airline—the first in the U.S. to require face coverings on flights—reviews passengers ' eligibility to fly JetBlue in the future if they do n't comply with the requirement @ @ @ @ @ @ @ our crewmembers who are focused on ensuring our customers are complying with our face covering requirements and to our customers who tell us how important this requirement is toward keeping one another healthy and safe , '' the spokesperson told Newsweek in an email .
`` As we have said previously , customers who do not comply are reviewed for future travel eligibility on JetBlue . ''
Both Southwest and American Airlines noted that they do n't track mask noncompliance for public release .
A spokesperson for Southwest Airlines mentioned that the company @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wo n't wear masks from boarding the plane in the first place , informing them of the mandatory face covering policy prior to travel .
`` Southwest also communicates this policy in pre-trip communications and expects compliance to this policy as a measure to prevent the need to ban a customer from future travel , '' the spokesperson said .
Meanwhile , American Airlines spokesperson Curtis Blessing told Newsweek that the majority of passengers follow the appropriate safety measures on board .
`` We expect our customers to comply with our policies when @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and we take action when that is not the case , but the vast majority of our customers have supported and welcomed our continuing efforts to strengthen our face covering policy based on the CDC 's guidance , '' Blessing said .
`` American , like other U.S. airlines , began requiring customers to wear a face covering while on board aircraft beginning May 11 , '' he continued .
`` We have since strengthened our policy to require face coverings be worn at airports and on board , and announced in June @ @ @ @ @ @ @ customers who refuse to wear a face covering for the duration of this requirement . ''
All aforementioned airlines have extra face masks available on board and clean the aircraft before every flight , according to their respective websites .
Delta does n't currently sell the middle seat in order to maintain social distancing .
United Airlines announced Wednesday that it will be extending its cancelation of change fees for basic economy tickets and international tickets to March 31 , 2021 , following Delta , American and Alaska Airlines announcing their plans to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
In Wednesday 's statement , Bastian noted that Delta will play `` an active role '' in the vaccine distribution process , which is expected to begin in the U.S. next week .
He says that Delta will start `` effectively and quickly transporting vaccines at home and around the world '' in light of drug companies Pfizer and Moderna applying for emergency use authorization for their coronavirus vaccines from the Food and Drug Administration following results showing 95 and 94 percent efficacy , respectively .
`` The vaccination of our people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ restoring our normal lives , both at Delta and within our families and communities , '' Bastian said .
`` To that end , we 've refined our pharmaceutical delivery protocols to ensure safe and swift distribution of vaccines as they reach final approval , '' he added .

As the coronavirus pandemic continues to spike throughout the U.S., several airlines are enforcing strict safety measures aboard an aircraft, with the majority of them requiring a face covering at all times throughout a flight. Three major U.S. airlines—Delta, United and JetBlue—have banned a total of more than 1,200 passengers from future flights for refusing to wear a mask on board.
In a Wednesday statement, Delta CEO Ed Bastian said that nearly 700 passengers were placed on a no-fly list so far for refusing to comply with the airline's face covering policy, which Bastian considers "one of our most important safety tools." Delta's policy states that "customers and employees are required to wear a face mask or appropriate cloth face covering over their nose and mouth throughout their travel," and cites guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) that recommend wearing masks to slow the spread of COVID-19.
But Delta isn't the only airline banning passengers as a consequence for noncompliance: United and JetBlue also have ongoing no-fly lists naming 435 and 88 passengers, respectively. That means more than 1,200 customers have been banned from flying at least one of those airlines for this reason.
A spokesperson for United Airlines told Newsweek that the ban will be enforced "for at least the time that United's mandatory face covering policy is in effect." It is unclear whether Delta or JetBlue will make their no-fly list permanent.
A JetBlue spokesperson said that the airline—the first in the U.S. to require face coverings on flights—reviews passengers' eligibility to fly JetBlue in the future if they don't comply with the requirement.
"We are extremely grateful to our crewmembers who are focused on ensuring our customers are complying with our face covering requirements and to our customers who tell us how important this requirement is toward keeping one another healthy and safe," the spokesperson told Newsweek in an email. "As we have said previously, customers who do not comply are reviewed for future travel eligibility on JetBlue."
Both Southwest and American Airlines noted that they don't track mask noncompliance for public release. A spokesperson for Southwest Airlines mentioned that the company's approach is to prevent people who won't wear masks from boarding the plane in the first place, informing them of the mandatory face covering policy prior to travel.
"Southwest also communicates this policy in pre-trip communications and expects compliance to this policy as a measure to prevent the need to ban a customer from future travel," the spokesperson said.
Meanwhile, American Airlines spokesperson Curtis Blessing told Newsweek that the majority of passengers follow the appropriate safety measures on board.
"We expect our customers to comply with our policies when they choose to travel with us, and we take action when that is not the case, but the vast majority of our customers have supported and welcomed our continuing efforts to strengthen our face covering policy based on the CDC's guidance," Blessing said.
"American, like other U.S. airlines, began requiring customers to wear a face covering while on board aircraft beginning May 11," he continued. "We have since strengthened our policy to require face coverings be worn at airports and on board, and announced in June that we may deny future travel for customers who refuse to wear a face covering for the duration of this requirement."
Air travelers stand by a boarding gate in John F. Kennedy International Airport on November 7 in New York City. More than 1,200 customers have been banned from flying JetBlue, Delta and United Airlines, for not wearing masks. Noam Galai/Getty Images
All aforementioned airlines have extra face masks available on board and clean the aircraft before every flight, according to their respective websites. Delta doesn't currently sell the middle seat in order to maintain social distancing.
United Airlines announced Wednesday that it will be extending its cancelation of change fees for basic economy tickets and international tickets to March 31, 2021, following Delta, American and Alaska Airlines announcing their plans to permanently eliminate change fees on international flights.
In Wednesday's statement, Bastian noted that Delta will play "an active role" in the vaccine distribution process, which is expected to begin in the U.S. next week. He says that Delta will start "effectively and quickly transporting vaccines at home and around the world" in light of drug companies Pfizer and Moderna applying for emergency use authorization for their coronavirus vaccines from the Food and Drug Administration following results showing 95 and 94 percent efficacy, respectively.
"The vaccination of our people will be a decisive turning point towards restoring our normal lives, both at Delta and within our families and communities," Bastian said.
"To that end, we've refined our pharmaceutical delivery protocols to ensure safe and swift distribution of vaccines as they reach final approval," he added.


newsweek--2020-12-09--Emily Senn Delivers the News Through Song in Her Hilarious TikToks

No matter how scary the news can get , sometimes it 's a little bit more bearable if you can sing along to it in a parody of a pop song or musical number .
Singer and actress Emily Senn has found a way to deliver the news in a humorous fashion with quick spoofs of classic songs on TikTok .
The 32 year-old singer regularly shares videos of herself singing along to current events set to the tune of Beyoncé , Rodgers and Hammerstein , Alanis Morissette , or Les Misérables .
In one of her most recent videos @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` Impossible '' from Cinderella to rip on people not taking the COVID pandemic seriously .
`` Impossible !
That half of a country could think they know more than science , '' she sings .
`` The world is full of dumb , stubborn fools/Who wo n't believe in sensible rules/And do n't believe what literal experts say . ''
Senn told Newsweek in a phone call that a conversation with a friend inspired her to do the Cinderella spoof , and she penned the rest on the subway ride to work @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I was just like , 'This is impossible .
This is crazy .
It does n't make any sense , ' and when I said the word 'Impossible ' , my musical theater brain went , 'Impossible , ' '' she said .
Sarcastically biting in her delivery , Senn said her take on `` Impossible '' was meant to highlight the ridiculousness of those that have been careless .
`` This is crazy that this is happening .
This is crazy that there are people that are still believing that this is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ still people that are still doubting this and refusing to follow even the most basic guideline setups , '' she said .
One of Senn 's earlier parodies that gained notoriety was a searing take on President Donald Trump 's tax payments ( or lack thereof for that matter ) set to `` What 's Up '' by 4 Non Blondes .
`` I wake in the morning/Check CNN and learn I paid more taxes than the president/And I scream from the top of my lungs/What 's going on , '' she belts @ @ @ @ @ @ @ question for the foreseeable future , the spoofs fill a gap that so many are craving .
`` People are missing theater and that kind of stuff , and people are appreciative of singers and musicians who are able to do this stuff on the internet , and it resonates with a lot of people , '' Senn said .
`` Even if you say you do n't like musical theater or say you do n't like classic rock songs , you think they 're cheesy , they 're overdone , they still @ @ @ @ @ @ @ even if you 're not going to admit it to anybody , '' she continued .
Like many performers , Senn really embraced TikTok during the pandemic .
When the COVID lockdowns hit , she was performing on one of the cruise ships that passengers were stuck on due to the virus .
During the two month wait to deboard , she started watching videos on the app and began making her own TikToks when she eventually got home .
After experiencing that aspect of the pandemic firsthand , Senn called her TikToks @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with everything this year has reached peak level as somebody that lost my job because of the pandemic , and not only that-got trapped on the ocean for two months because of the pandemic .
I was so disappointed with how it was handled and how everything played out and very frustrated .
Doing these videos has definitely been a way to vent my frustration in a way that 's a little less negative , '' she said .
Even though her primary goal was entertaining people and blowing off steam , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people who may not pay much attention to the news otherwise .
After her take on `` You Oughta Know , '' she said a lot of people commented that they were checking their voter registration , much to her surprise .
`` I certainly would n't call myself a credible news source , but if my videos inspire somebody to maybe look up something in the news-maybe they 'll see something in my video that will click , and they 'll think , 'Oh maybe I need to look that up , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and find a credible news source that can give them accurate information , I would call that a success , '' she said .

No matter how scary the news can get, sometimes it's a little bit more bearable if you can sing along to it in a parody of a pop song or musical number. Singer and actress Emily Senn has found a way to deliver the news in a humorous fashion with quick spoofs of classic songs on TikTok.
The 32 year-old singer regularly shares videos of herself singing along to current events set to the tune of Beyoncé, Rodgers and Hammerstein, Alanis Morissette, or Les Misérables.
In one of her most recent videos, Senn crafted her own take on "Impossible" from Cinderella to rip on people not taking the COVID pandemic seriously. "Impossible! That half of a country could think they know more than science," she sings. "The world is full of dumb, stubborn fools/Who won't believe in sensible rules/And don't believe what literal experts say."
Senn told Newsweek in a phone call that a conversation with a friend inspired her to do the Cinderella spoof, and she penned the rest on the subway ride to work.
"We were texting, and I was just like, 'This is impossible. This is crazy. It doesn't make any sense,' and when I said the word 'Impossible', my musical theater brain went, 'Impossible,'" she said.
Sarcastically biting in her delivery, Senn said her take on "Impossible" was meant to highlight the ridiculousness of those that have been careless.
"This is crazy that this is happening. This is crazy that there are people that are still believing that this isn't real. Crazy that there are still people that are still doubting this and refusing to follow even the most basic guideline setups," she said.
One of Senn's earlier parodies that gained notoriety was a searing take on President Donald Trump's tax payments (or lack thereof for that matter) set to "What's Up" by 4 Non Blondes. "I wake in the morning/Check CNN and learn I paid more taxes than the president/And I scream from the top of my lungs/What's going on," she belts.
Senn's most popular video is one where she sings about Trump's taxes to the tune of "What's Up" by 4 Non Blondes. The video has been viewed over 3 million times. Screenshot/TikTok/Emily Senn
With live performances out of the question for the foreseeable future, the spoofs fill a gap that so many are craving.
"People are missing theater and that kind of stuff, and people are appreciative of singers and musicians who are able to do this stuff on the internet, and it resonates with a lot of people," Senn said.
"Even if you say you don't like musical theater or say you don't like classic rock songs, you think they're cheesy, they're overdone, they still are gonna pump you up, even if you're not going to admit it to anybody," she continued.
Like many performers, Senn really embraced TikTok during the pandemic. When the COVID lockdowns hit, she was performing on one of the cruise ships that passengers were stuck on due to the virus. During the two month wait to deboard, she started watching videos on the app and began making her own TikToks when she eventually got home. After experiencing that aspect of the pandemic firsthand, Senn called her TikToks "cathartic."
"My frustration with everything this year has reached peak level as somebody that lost my job because of the pandemic, and not only that-got trapped on the ocean for two months because of the pandemic. I was so disappointed with how it was handled and how everything played out and very frustrated. Doing these videos has definitely been a way to vent my frustration in a way that's a little less negative," she said.
Even though her primary goal was entertaining people and blowing off steam, the singer's videos have connected with some people who may not pay much attention to the news otherwise. After her take on "You Oughta Know," she said a lot of people commented that they were checking their voter registration, much to her surprise.
"I certainly wouldn't call myself a credible news source, but if my videos inspire somebody to maybe look up something in the news-maybe they'll see something in my video that will click, and they'll think, 'Oh maybe I need to look that up," and they'll look it up and find a credible news source that can give them accurate information, I would call that a success," she said.


newsweek--2020-12-09--Trump Lashes Out at Bookies for Predicting 97% Chance He'd Win Election

President Donald Trump continued to claim that the fix was in on the presidential election on Wednesday by calling out gambling oddsmakers that believed Trump would obtain a second term .
Trump has refused to concede the election to President-elect Joe Biden and baselessly alleged widespread voter fraud on behalf of U.S. Democrats .
Attorneys for Trump have filed multiple lawsuits in swing states attempting to overturn election results , many of which have failed .
Trump has stated that he believed he was winning the race on election night , only to find out the next day that he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump pointed to early betting odds as backing for his unsubstantiated claims of voter fraud .
`` At 10:00 P.M. on Election Evening , we were at 97 % win with the so-called 'bookies ' , '' Trump tweeted .
Trump did not specify in his tweet which bookmakers he was referencing .
However , betting sites did note a shift in the odds away from Trump towards Biden as ballot counting continued .
According to odds from the European betting site Betfair on election day , Trump was barely ahead of Biden @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 51 percent to Biden 's 49 percent .
Odds that Biden would win the election increased after media outlets projected victory for Biden in some states .
Action Network , which tracks betting analytics , gave Trump a 74.2 percent chance of winning the election at 10:00 p.m. EST on election night .
By 6:15 a.m. EST the following morning , Trump 's odds of winning had decreased 38.5 percent while Biden 's chances increased to 61.5 percent .
Biden 's growing chances as election night wore on may be attributed to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ had encouraged his supporters to vote for him in person at public polling places on election day .
Biden had urged Democrats to use mail-in ballots as a way to avoid coming into contact with individuals who could potentially spread COVID-19 .
In most states , in-person ballots were counted before mail-in and absentee ballots .
Trump cried foul about the voting process during a November speech in which he alleged that votes against him had been counted without being observed poll watchers .
`` We were winning in all the key locations @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump said .
`` And then our number started miraculously getting whittled away in secret , and they would n't allow legally permissible observers . ''
As of December 9 , all 50 states and the District of Columbia have officially certified their election results , paving the way for the Electoral College to cast their ballots on December 14 .
Biden is projected to win 306 electoral votes to Trump 's projected tally of 232 .
For a presidential candidate to move forward in the confirmation process , they must receive 270 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton filed a lawsuit directly with the U.S. Supreme Court against the states of Pennsylvania , Georgia , Michigan and Wisconsin which seeks to prevent those states electors from casting their ballots .
Biden carried all 4 of those states .
At least 14 other states have filed amicus briefs in support of the litigation .
Newsweek reached out to the Biden transition team for comment .

President Donald Trump continued to claim that the fix was in on the presidential election on Wednesday by calling out gambling oddsmakers that believed Trump would obtain a second term.
Trump has refused to concede the election to President-elect Joe Biden and baselessly alleged widespread voter fraud on behalf of U.S. Democrats. Attorneys for Trump have filed multiple lawsuits in swing states attempting to overturn election results, many of which have failed. Trump has stated that he believed he was winning the race on election night, only to find out the next day that he had fallen behind. On Tuesday, Trump pointed to early betting odds as backing for his unsubstantiated claims of voter fraud.
"At 10:00 P.M. on Election Evening, we were at 97% win with the so-called 'bookies'," Trump tweeted.
At 10:00 P.M. on Election Evening, we were at 97% win with the so-called “bookies”. — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 9, 2020
Trump did not specify in his tweet which bookmakers he was referencing. However, betting sites did note a shift in the odds away from Trump towards Biden as ballot counting continued.
According to odds from the European betting site Betfair on election day, Trump was barely ahead of Biden. Trump was favored to win by 51 percent to Biden's 49 percent. Odds that Biden would win the election increased after media outlets projected victory for Biden in some states.
Action Network, which tracks betting analytics, gave Trump a 74.2 percent chance of winning the election at 10:00 p.m. EST on election night. By 6:15 a.m. EST the following morning, Trump's odds of winning had decreased 38.5 percent while Biden's chances increased to 61.5 percent.
President Donald Trump has baselessly claimed that the 2020 presidential election was compromised by voter fraud. Tasos Katopodis/Getty
Biden's growing chances as election night wore on may be attributed to the overnight counting of mail-in ballots. Trump had encouraged his supporters to vote for him in person at public polling places on election day. Biden had urged Democrats to use mail-in ballots as a way to avoid coming into contact with individuals who could potentially spread COVID-19. In most states, in-person ballots were counted before mail-in and absentee ballots.
Trump cried foul about the voting process during a November speech in which he alleged that votes against him had been counted without being observed poll watchers. "We were winning in all the key locations by a lot, actually," Trump said. "And then our number started miraculously getting whittled away in secret, and they wouldn't allow legally permissible observers."
As of December 9, all 50 states and the District of Columbia have officially certified their election results, paving the way for the Electoral College to cast their ballots on December 14. Biden is projected to win 306 electoral votes to Trump's projected tally of 232. For a presidential candidate to move forward in the confirmation process, they must receive 270 or more electoral votes.
On Tuesday, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton filed a lawsuit directly with the U.S. Supreme Court against the states of Pennsylvania, Georgia, Michigan and Wisconsin which seeks to prevent those states electors from casting their ballots. Biden carried all 4 of those states. At least 14 other states have filed amicus briefs in support of the litigation.
Newsweek reached out to the Biden transition team for comment.


newsweek--2020-12-09--Georgia GOP Files Lawsuit to Reduce Access to Ballot Drop Boxes for January Runoff

The Georgia Republican Party and the Republican National Committee filed a lawsuit that aims to reduce access to absentee ballot drop boxes ahead of the January 5 runoff election in the state .
The lawsuit was filed on Tuesday in the Fulton County Superior Court .
Instead of allowing the absentee boxes to receive ballots 24 hours a day , Republicans hope to limit their use to normal business hours .
Additionally , the lawsuit argues that poll watchers should be given increased access to monitor the results of the January 5 election .
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution first reported the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's office has repeatedly instructed county elections officials to ensure access for observers .
We have also made it clear that absentee ballot drop boxes need to be monitored 24/7 , '' Georgia 's Deputy Secretary of State Jordan Fuchs told Newsweek in an emailed statement .
`` David Shafer and the Georgia GOP need to stop passing the buck for failing to deliver Georgia for Trump and actually focus on getting out the vote in January , '' she added .
Shafer serves as the chairman of the state 's Republican Party @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Republicans have disputed the results of the state 's November 3 election .
President-elect Joe Biden narrowly won the state by a margin of nearly 12,000 votes .
Although Biden 's victory was confirmed by three tallies and two recounts , Trump has dismissed the results and claimed the election was `` rigged '' against him .
The president has described Georgia 's Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger , a Republican who voted for and donated to the president , as an `` enemy of the people '' for refusing to overturn the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ repeatedly attacked Georgia 's Governor Brian Kemp , a Republican he endorsed in 2018 , for not interfering with the results .
Although Trump and Republican supporters have filed lawsuits in Georgia attempting to overturn the results there , the new lawsuit aims to address their concerns ahead of the January 5 runoffs .
Republican Senators David Perdue and Kelly Loeffler will face off against Democratic challengers Jon Ossoff and Raphael Warnock after none of the candidates garnered more than 50 percent in the November election .
`` Limiting access to absentee ballot @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to make it more difficult for Georgians to vote , '' Nsé Ufot , CEO of the New Georgia Project founded by Democratic activist Stacey Abrams , said in an email to Newsweek .
`` Our charge in a democracy is to ensure each and every eligible voter has the opportunity to cast their ballot .
Now , especially as COVID-19 cases continue to rise , GA 's elections officials need to be doing everything they can to ensure , and expand , safe access to the vote—not stripping it away , '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ high , as the results will determine whether Republicans or Democrats control the Senate .
If Democrats win both seats , they will narrowly control the upper chamber of Congress .
Although it would be evenly split , with 50 Democrats and 50 Republicans , Vice President-elect Kamala Harris would cast tie-breaking votes .
If Republicans maintain one or both seats , they will keep narrow control of the Senate .
Georgia 's state Senate Republicans have vowed to make it more difficult to vote moving forward—fueled by their frustration over Trump 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ soon as we may constitutionally convene , we will reform our election laws to secure our electoral process by eliminating at-will absentee voting .
We will require photo identification for absentee voting for cause , and we will crack down on ballot harvesting by outlawing drop boxes , '' they said in a joint statement released Tuesday .
Ufot told Newsweek that her organization particularly concerned about suppression of voters of color ahead of the January runoff .
`` No matter what we look like or where we live , we should all @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , '' she said .
Nearly half of Georgia 's state GOP senators voiced their support for a lawsuit filed by Texas ' Attorney General Ken Paxton in an attempt to overturn their state 's election results .
Paxton filed the case with the Supreme Court this week , also taking aim at Michigan , Wisconsin and Pennsylvania—which also went for Biden .
The lawsuit alleges these states unlawfully changed their election rules during the COVID-19 pandemic .
`` We applaud the State of Texas for recognizing that the failure of the State @ @ @ @ @ @ @ laws has violated the Equal Protection Act of the U.S. Constitution , '' the Republican lawmakers said in a Tuesday statement .
Loeffler and Perdue released a similar statement on Wednesday .
In a statement emailed to Newsweek , Katie Byrd , a spokesperson for Georgia 's Attorney General Chris Carr , said : `` the Texas attorney general is constitutionally , legally and factually wrong about Georgia . ''

The Georgia Republican Party and the Republican National Committee filed a lawsuit that aims to reduce access to absentee ballot drop boxes ahead of the January 5 runoff election in the state.
The lawsuit was filed on Tuesday in the Fulton County Superior Court. Instead of allowing the absentee boxes to receive ballots 24 hours a day, Republicans hope to limit their use to normal business hours. Additionally, the lawsuit argues that poll watchers should be given increased access to monitor the results of the January 5 election. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution first reported the lawsuit.
"The Secretary of State's office has repeatedly instructed county elections officials to ensure access for observers. We have also made it clear that absentee ballot drop boxes need to be monitored 24/7," Georgia's Deputy Secretary of State Jordan Fuchs told Newsweek in an emailed statement.
"David Shafer and the Georgia GOP need to stop passing the buck for failing to deliver Georgia for Trump and actually focus on getting out the vote in January," she added. Shafer serves as the chairman of the state's Republican Party.
Flyers are passed out for GOP Senators Kelly Loeffler and Senator David Perdue during a "Defend the Majority" rally on November 19 in Perry, Georgia. Georgia's state Senate Republicans have vowed to make it more difficult to vote moving forward. Jessica McGowan/Getty
President Donald Trump and some Georgia Republicans have disputed the results of the state's November 3 election. President-elect Joe Biden narrowly won the state by a margin of nearly 12,000 votes. Although Biden's victory was confirmed by three tallies and two recounts, Trump has dismissed the results and claimed the election was "rigged" against him.
The president has described Georgia's Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger, a Republican who voted for and donated to the president, as an "enemy of the people" for refusing to overturn the state's results. Trump has also repeatedly attacked Georgia's Governor Brian Kemp, a Republican he endorsed in 2018, for not interfering with the results.
Although Trump and Republican supporters have filed lawsuits in Georgia attempting to overturn the results there, the new lawsuit aims to address their concerns ahead of the January 5 runoffs. Republican Senators David Perdue and Kelly Loeffler will face off against Democratic challengers Jon Ossoff and Raphael Warnock after none of the candidates garnered more than 50 percent in the November election.
"Limiting access to absentee ballot boxes is a sneaky, underhanded attempt to make it more difficult for Georgians to vote," Nsé Ufot, CEO of the New Georgia Project founded by Democratic activist Stacey Abrams, said in an email to Newsweek.
"Our charge in a democracy is to ensure each and every eligible voter has the opportunity to cast their ballot. Now, especially as COVID-19 cases continue to rise, GA's elections officials need to be doing everything they can to ensure, and expand, safe access to the vote—not stripping it away," Ufot said.
The stakes are particularly high, as the results will determine whether Republicans or Democrats control the Senate. If Democrats win both seats, they will narrowly control the upper chamber of Congress. Although it would be evenly split, with 50 Democrats and 50 Republicans, Vice President-elect Kamala Harris would cast tie-breaking votes. If Republicans maintain one or both seats, they will keep narrow control of the Senate.
Georgia's state Senate Republicans have vowed to make it more difficult to vote moving forward—fueled by their frustration over Trump's loss in their state. "As soon as we may constitutionally convene, we will reform our election laws to secure our electoral process by eliminating at-will absentee voting. We will require photo identification for absentee voting for cause, and we will crack down on ballot harvesting by outlawing drop boxes," they said in a joint statement released Tuesday.
Ufot told Newsweek that her organization particularly concerned about suppression of voters of color ahead of the January runoff. "No matter what we look like or where we live, we should all have an equal say in our democracy," she said.
Nearly half of Georgia's state GOP senators voiced their support for a lawsuit filed by Texas' Attorney General Ken Paxton in an attempt to overturn their state's election results. Paxton filed the case with the Supreme Court this week, also taking aim at Michigan, Wisconsin and Pennsylvania—which also went for Biden. The lawsuit alleges these states unlawfully changed their election rules during the COVID-19 pandemic.
"We applaud the State of Texas for recognizing that the failure of the State of Georgia to follow its own election laws has violated the Equal Protection Act of the U.S. Constitution," the Republican lawmakers said in a Tuesday statement. Loeffler and Perdue released a similar statement on Wednesday.
In a statement emailed to Newsweek, Katie Byrd, a spokesperson for Georgia's Attorney General Chris Carr, said: "the Texas attorney general is constitutionally, legally and factually wrong about Georgia."


newsweek--2020-12-09--GOP Lawyer Appointed by Gov. Ron DeSantis Resigns Over Police Raid on Data Analyst

A Republican lawyer in Florida accused the state of covering up coronavirus information and resigned from his position on a state judicial commission after police raided the home of a former coronavirus data scientist .
Ron Filipkowski , who was appointed to the 12th Circuit Judicial Nominating Commission by Governor Ron DeSantis , submitted his resignation on Tuesday after authorities raided the home of Rebekah Jones , a former state data scientist who accused the governor of manipulating information about the coronavirus .
Speaking to Newsweek , Filipkowski called the state 's decision to seize property from Jones `` crazy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ covered up coronavirus data and is now targeting scientists who are trying to tell the truth .
`` My concern is that in Florida we have n't been getting all of the facts and all the information about COVID , and it 's clear the governor does n't want to institute any kind of COVID policy of any kind , '' Filipkowski said .
`` The truth has been kept from us during the pandemic . ''
Over the summer , Jones said she had evidence that proved Florida was changing coronavirus data @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the state 's numbers were improving , a claim that the governor has vehemently denied .
Jones was targeted by state authorities on Monday , after the Department of Health alleged that she used its statewide system to send an unauthorized emergency alert telling scientists to `` speak up '' about true coronavirus numbers in the state .
Jones posted online a video of the armed police raid on her home , prompting Filipkowski to resign from his post in order to `` bring a little attention '' to the mishandling of coronavirus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Florida lawyer said that he believes the government raided Jones ' home in order to send a message to current health officials aiming to report accurate data on the virus .
`` It seemed really crazy to me to use police power to intimidate and harass not only a whistleblower but also with the ulterior motive of sending a message to current employees , '' he said .
Filipkowski added that the goal of the raid was not `` to determine whether she sent an email '' but rather to find out if @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the virus .
`` The crime is that she supposedly hacked their server to send an email .
Why would you then need to seize all of her electronic devices to determine whether that email was sent or not ?
It 's crazy , '' he said .
`` The most alarming part about the warrant is the breadth of it .
It was n't minimized or limited in any way , '' he added .
Because of this , Filipkowski said , the warrant leaves room for `` tremendous amounts of abuse @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in an interview with CNN 's Chris Cuomo on Monday night .
`` On my phone is every communication I 've ever had with someone who works at the state , who has come to me in confidence and told me things that could get them fired or in trouble like this , '' she said .
`` And I just want to say to all those people right now : If he does n't know already , DeSantis will know soon enough that you 've been talking to me .
So be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the worst-hit states in the country during the pandemic .
According to a New York Times database , as of Wednesday afternoon there have been at least 1,073,762 cases and 19,377 deaths in Florida since the pandemic began .
Despite the state 's rising numbers , DeSantis has ruled out imposing any coronavirus-related restrictions , including stay-at-home orders , mask mandates and shutdowns .
Newsweek reached out to DeSantis for comment but did not hear back in time for publication .

A Republican lawyer in Florida accused the state of covering up coronavirus information and resigned from his position on a state judicial commission after police raided the home of a former coronavirus data scientist.
Ron Filipkowski, who was appointed to the 12th Circuit Judicial Nominating Commission by Governor Ron DeSantis, submitted his resignation on Tuesday after authorities raided the home of Rebekah Jones, a former state data scientist who accused the governor of manipulating information about the coronavirus.
Speaking to Newsweek, Filipkowski called the state's decision to seize property from Jones "crazy" and said he believes DeSantis has covered up coronavirus data and is now targeting scientists who are trying to tell the truth.
"My concern is that in Florida we haven't been getting all of the facts and all the information about COVID, and it's clear the governor doesn't want to institute any kind of COVID policy of any kind," Filipkowski said. "The truth has been kept from us during the pandemic."
Over the summer, Jones said she had evidence that proved Florida was changing coronavirus data to make it falsely look as if the state's numbers were improving, a claim that the governor has vehemently denied.
Jones was targeted by state authorities on Monday, after the Department of Health alleged that she used its statewide system to send an unauthorized emergency alert telling scientists to "speak up" about true coronavirus numbers in the state.
Jones posted online a video of the armed police raid on her home, prompting Filipkowski to resign from his post in order to "bring a little attention" to the mishandling of coronavirus information at the state level.
The Florida lawyer said that he believes the government raided Jones' home in order to send a message to current health officials aiming to report accurate data on the virus.
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis speaks at a July 13 news conference on the surge in coronavirus cases in the state. Joe Raedle/Getty
"It seemed really crazy to me to use police power to intimidate and harass not only a whistleblower but also with the ulterior motive of sending a message to current employees," he said.
Filipkowski added that the goal of the raid was not "to determine whether she sent an email" but rather to find out if other state authorities are leaking information about the virus.
"The crime is that she supposedly hacked their server to send an email. Why would you then need to seize all of her electronic devices to determine whether that email was sent or not? It's crazy," he said.
"The most alarming part about the warrant is the breadth of it. It wasn't minimized or limited in any way," he added. Because of this, Filipkowski said, the warrant leaves room for "tremendous amounts of abuse."
Jones echoed the same concerns in an interview with CNN's Chris Cuomo on Monday night.
"On my phone is every communication I've ever had with someone who works at the state, who has come to me in confidence and told me things that could get them fired or in trouble like this," she said. "And I just want to say to all those people right now: If he doesn't know already, DeSantis will know soon enough that you've been talking to me. So be careful."
Florida remains one of the worst-hit states in the country during the pandemic. According to a New York Times database, as of Wednesday afternoon there have been at least 1,073,762 cases and 19,377 deaths in Florida since the pandemic began.
Despite the state's rising numbers, DeSantis has ruled out imposing any coronavirus-related restrictions, including stay-at-home orders, mask mandates and shutdowns.
Newsweek reached out to DeSantis for comment but did not hear back in time for publication.


newsweek--2020-12-09--Texas AG Ken Paxton Under Fire for 'Wasting' Taxpayer Money on 2020 Election Lawsuit

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton is under fire for filing a hail mary 2020 election lawsuit at the expense of state residents .
On Tuesday , the Republican asked the U.S. Supreme Court to throw out the voting results in four battleground states—Georgia , Michigan , Pennsylvania and Wisconsin—that went for Joe Biden over President Donald Trump .
Paxton alleged that the states `` exploited the COVID-19 pandemic to justify ignoring federal and state election laws and unlawfully enacting last-minute changes , thus skewing the results of the 2020 General Election . ''
Officials from each state quickly dismissed the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Jordan Fuchs deemed the claims are `` false and irresponsible '' and Pennsylvania Attorney General Josh Shaprio said that `` these continued attacks on our fair and free election system are beyond meritless , beyond reckless . ''
When asked about the litigation during an interview with CNN Wednesday , Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel said : `` Well , firstly , I feel bad for the taxpayers in Texas that have to finance this ridiculous and frivolous lawsuit . ''
The sentiment has been echoed by several Democratic state lawmakers .
Representative @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's 32nd congressional district , also criticized Paxton for `` wasting '' public funds on the lawsuit .
`` Deeply embarrassing that TX 's AG is wasting our tax dollars trying to subvert an election , '' Allred wrote .
`` This stunt will not distract from Mr. Paxton 's scandals and will not change the result of this election , it will only hurt our democracy and waste your money . ''
Rafael Anchia , a member of the Texas House of Representatives , also tweeted that the move was `` Total @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Fried , Florida 's commissioner of agriculture and consumer services , said Wednesday that she sincerely hopes her state does n't join the `` baseless lawsuit '' and that `` using taxpayer dollars to try to undermine the voice of the American people is a desecration of our democratic system and a complete disgrace . ''
Theodore Rave , a professor at the University of Houston Law Center , told Newsweek that `` it is true that this will be paid for by the taxpayers since the attorney general 's office is a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ certainly a waste of money , but it 's probably not a waste of that much money just because it 's so bad , '' Rave said , noting the case has a lot of problems and is not likely to go far in the Supreme Court .
He added , `` This lawsuit does n't strike me as a very serious lawsuit .
I do n't think this is going anywhere , it 's more of a press release than real claims . ''
Jonathan Turley , a constitutional law scholar at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Texas case will be supported by public funds but noted that `` the costs of such litigation are covered by the annual salaries of lawyers working for the Attorney General '' and will be `` relatively modest since the appeal can be taken directly to the Supreme Court and involve threshold legal issues . ''
Newsweek reached out to the attorney general 's office for comment and an estimate of how much the litigation will cost but did not receive a response prior to publication .
Trump announced Wednesday his campaign will join @ @ @ @ @ @ @ win .
He wrote on Twitter , `` This is the big one .
Our Country needs a victory ! ''
Biden has amassed 306 electoral votes , exceeding the necessary 270 to clinch victory in the state-by-state Electoral College , and is now winning the national popular vote by more than 7 million votes .
So far , Trump has refused to concede the election and continues to baselessly claim that the contest was riddled with widespread voter fraud .
But legal experts have been quick to criticize Paxton 's legal effort @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Court will even hear the case let alone rule in their favor .
Steve Vladeck , professor at the University of Texas Law School , tweeted Tuesday that `` it looks like we have a new leader in the 'craziest lawsuit filed to purportedly challenge the election ' category . ''
Rick Hasen , a professor of law and political science at the University of California Irvine , deemed the attempt `` dangerous garbage . ''
`` This is more than an Aaron Rodgers Hail Mary from midfield at Lambeau field .
This @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in a different state , '' Turley told Newsweek .

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton is under fire for filing a hail mary 2020 election lawsuit at the expense of state residents.
On Tuesday, the Republican asked the U.S. Supreme Court to throw out the voting results in four battleground states—Georgia, Michigan, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin—that went for Joe Biden over President Donald Trump.
Paxton alleged that the states "exploited the COVID-19 pandemic to justify ignoring federal and state election laws and unlawfully enacting last-minute changes, thus skewing the results of the 2020 General Election."
Officials from each state quickly dismissed the charges. Georgia Deputy Secretary of State Jordan Fuchs deemed the claims are "false and irresponsible" and Pennsylvania Attorney General Josh Shaprio said that "these continued attacks on our fair and free election system are beyond meritless, beyond reckless."
When asked about the litigation during an interview with CNN Wednesday, Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel said: "Well, firstly, I feel bad for the taxpayers in Texas that have to finance this ridiculous and frivolous lawsuit."
The sentiment has been echoed by several Democratic state lawmakers.
Representative Colin Allred, who serves the state's 32nd congressional district, also criticized Paxton for "wasting" public funds on the lawsuit.
"Deeply embarrassing that TX's AG is wasting our tax dollars trying to subvert an election," Allred wrote. "This stunt will not distract from Mr. Paxton's scandals and will not change the result of this election, it will only hurt our democracy and waste your money."
Rafael Anchia, a member of the Texas House of Representatives, also tweeted that the move was "Total WASTE of taxpayer money."
Nikki Fried, Florida's commissioner of agriculture and consumer services, said Wednesday that she sincerely hopes her state doesn't join the "baseless lawsuit" and that "using taxpayer dollars to try to undermine the voice of the American people is a desecration of our democratic system and a complete disgrace."
Theodore Rave, a professor at the University of Houston Law Center, told Newsweek that "it is true that this will be paid for by the taxpayers since the attorney general's office is a public official."
"It's certainly a waste of money, but it's probably not a waste of that much money just because it's so bad," Rave said, noting the case has a lot of problems and is not likely to go far in the Supreme Court.
He added, "This lawsuit doesn't strike me as a very serious lawsuit. I don't think this is going anywhere, it's more of a press release than real claims."
Jonathan Turley, a constitutional law scholar at George Washington University, also said the Texas case will be supported by public funds but noted that "the costs of such litigation are covered by the annual salaries of lawyers working for the Attorney General" and will be "relatively modest since the appeal can be taken directly to the Supreme Court and involve threshold legal issues."
Newsweek reached out to the attorney general's office for comment and an estimate of how much the litigation will cost but did not receive a response prior to publication.
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton (R) speaks during the launch of an antitrust investigation into large tech companies outside of the Supreme Court in Washington, D.C. on September 9, 2019. Paxton has now filed a lawsuit asking the Supreme Court to overturn 2020 election results in four states that went for President-elect Joe Biden over President Donald Trump. Mandel Ngan/AFP/Getty Images
Trump announced Wednesday his campaign will join the Texas case to overturn Biden's win. He wrote on Twitter, "This is the big one. Our Country needs a victory!"
Biden has amassed 306 electoral votes, exceeding the necessary 270 to clinch victory in the state-by-state Electoral College, and is now winning the national popular vote by more than 7 million votes. So far, Trump has refused to concede the election and continues to baselessly claim that the contest was riddled with widespread voter fraud.
But legal experts have been quick to criticize Paxton's legal effort, arguing it's unlikely the Supreme Court will even hear the case let alone rule in their favor.
Steve Vladeck, professor at the University of Texas Law School, tweeted Tuesday that "it looks like we have a new leader in the 'craziest lawsuit filed to purportedly challenge the election' category." Rick Hasen, a professor of law and political science at the University of California Irvine, deemed the attempt "dangerous garbage."
"This is more than an Aaron Rodgers Hail Mary from midfield at Lambeau field. This is a Hail Mary from another stadium in a different state," Turley told Newsweek.


newsweek--2020-12-10--Bette Midler Accuses Mitch McConnell of 'Cheating,' Urges Kentucky Recount

Bette Midler has lashed out at Mitch McConnell , branding the Senate majority leader `` utterly useless '' and a cheater .
The veteran actress and singer is highly critical of Republicans and famously uses her social media platform to denounce President Donald Trump and his associates .
Now the Hocus Pocus star has taken aim at McConnell and the state of Kentucky that keeps voting for him .
McConnell was first elected to the Senate in 1984 .
Sharing a breakdown of the Bluegrass State 's rankings on health care , education and economy , Midler tweeted : `` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ How did he win with an 18 % approval rating ?
F****** cheated , that 's how !
# Kentucky , you are keeping us all down .
I demand a # KentuckyRecount . ''
Among the list of rankings was one placing Kentucky 44th for health care .
This is verified by U.S. News & World Report , which also ranks the state 38th for education and 39th for economy .
The rankings compiled by U.S. News show how each of the 50 states perform in 77 metrics across eight categories .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Kentucky are continuing to vote for McConnell despite these low rankings .
The `` Wind Beneath My Wings '' singer recently turned 75 and used the opportunity to condemn McConnell over the stimulus negotiations on Twitter .
`` To small business owners & unemployed in Georgia : # MitchMcConnell has had a relief package on his desk for months , '' Midler wrote .
`` He refuses to negotiate to give you relief & will continue as long as he is Senate Majority Leader .
Do n't waste your vote on # @ @ @ @ @ @ @ . ''
There have been months of negotiations over a second relief package .
Congress passed its first COVID-19 stimulus nine months ago .
This week the Senate majority leader said the Democrats ' `` all or nothing '' approach had backfired .
Tensions escalated on Tuesday , when McConnell suggested that the two sticking points preventing a deal from being reached—state and local government aid and liability protections—be excluded from any package .
Last month a `` Guess the politician '' video on TikTok went viral after a man was shown an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ stimulus .
`` Oh that 's that b**** McConnell , '' the man rages in an expletive-filled rant .
`` Where the f****** stimulus at you motherf***** ? ''

Bette Midler has lashed out at Mitch McConnell, branding the Senate majority leader "utterly useless" and a cheater.
The veteran actress and singer is highly critical of Republicans and famously uses her social media platform to denounce President Donald Trump and his associates.
Now the Hocus Pocus star has taken aim at McConnell and the state of Kentucky that keeps voting for him. McConnell was first elected to the Senate in 1984.
Sharing a breakdown of the Bluegrass State's rankings on health care, education and economy, Midler tweeted: "He is useless, utterly useless. How did he win with an 18% approval rating? F****** cheated, that's how! #Kentucky, you are keeping us all down. I demand a #KentuckyRecount."
He is useless, utterly useless. How did he win with an 18% approval rating? Fucking cheated, that's how! #Kentucky, you are keeping us all down. I demand a #KentuckyRecount https://t.co/tHsptG1puF — bettemidler (@BetteMidler) December 10, 2020
Among the list of rankings was one placing Kentucky 44th for health care. This is verified by U.S. News & World Report, which also ranks the state 38th for education and 39th for economy. The rankings compiled by U.S. News show how each of the 50 states perform in 77 metrics across eight categories.
Midler's rant questions why the people of Kentucky are continuing to vote for McConnell despite these low rankings.
Bette Midler speaks at the 2012 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony in Cleveland, Ohio. She has taken aim at Mitch McConnell, branding him "utterly useless." Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagic
The "Wind Beneath My Wings" singer recently turned 75 and used the opportunity to condemn McConnell over the stimulus negotiations on Twitter.
"To small business owners & unemployed in Georgia: #MitchMcConnell has had a relief package on his desk for months," Midler wrote. "He refuses to negotiate to give you relief & will continue as long as he is Senate Majority Leader. Don't waste your vote on #Purdue or #Loeffler! #FliptheSenate."
There have been months of negotiations over a second relief package. Congress passed its first COVID-19 stimulus nine months ago.
This week the Senate majority leader said the Democrats' "all or nothing" approach had backfired.
Tensions escalated on Tuesday, when McConnell suggested that the two sticking points preventing a deal from being reached—state and local government aid and liability protections—be excluded from any package.
Last month a "Guess the politician" video on TikTok went viral after a man was shown an image of McConnell and angrily demanded a stimulus.
"Oh that's that b**** McConnell," the man rages in an expletive-filled rant. "Where the f****** stimulus at you motherf*****?"


newsweek--2020-12-10--Beijing Spokesperson Compares Persecuted China to Simba from 'The Lion King'

China 's foreign ministry has likened Beijing to Simba from Disney 's The Lion King and described recent criticisms of its policies as `` malicious smears . ''
Spokesperson Hua Chunying made the analogy at a daily press briefing on Thursday when questioned about China 's recent `` Wolf Warrior '' approach to international relations .
The phrase has origins in two patriotic Chinese films of the same name and now refers to an assertive and aggressive style of diplomacy , where the threat of military intervention and economic sanctions trumps soft power .
Hua 's colleague , Zhao Lijian @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` Wolf Warrior '' diplomat when he started a fresh row with Australia by tweeting a doctored image showing an Australian soldier killing a young Afghan child .
China 's foreign ministry refused to apologize and later doubled down on their support for Zhao as ties between Canberra and Beijing reached new lows following recent trade disputes .
Hua called the label another part of America 's `` China containment policy , '' referring to the strongly held belief that the U.S. seeks to ultimately curb Beijing 's growth and influence in Asia @ @ @ @ @ @ @ China wear the [ Wolf Warrior ] hat , some seek to threaten and blackmail China into forgoing its right to speak the truth .
`` I wonder whether those making baseless accusations about China conducting Wolf Warrior diplomacy have ever seen The Lion King ?
Have they seen how Simba grew and matured under suspicion , censure and attack ? ''
`` Faced with malign malicious smears and abuse , China will respond and state facts , '' Hua said .
`` If that 's Wolf Warrior diplomacy , then why not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the briefing , Hua announced China would be taking countermeasures against the U.S. after the State Department hit 14 senior Chinese legislative officials with sanctions , including asset freezing and travel bans , over Beijing 's anti-democracy policies in Hong Kong .
Reciprocal sanctions were placed on high-level American administrative and legislative officials , as well as representatives of non-governmental organizations .
U.S. diplomats would also no longer be able to enter Hong Kong and Macau without a visa , she told reporters .
However , the names of the senior U.S. officials @ @ @ @ @ @ @ disclosed .
The Chinese leadership 's relationship with the current administration in Washington is all but certain to end on a sour note with just weeks to go before President Donald Trump leaves the White House .
Tensions between the world 's two largest economies are expected to ease under President-elect Joe Biden , despite Secretary of State Mike Pompeo stating Monday that the bipartisan perception of the Chinese Communist Party meant that the current anti-China trend was irreversible .

China's foreign ministry has likened Beijing to Simba from Disney's The Lion King and described recent criticisms of its policies as "malicious smears."
Spokesperson Hua Chunying made the analogy at a daily press briefing on Thursday when questioned about China's recent "Wolf Warrior" approach to international relations.
The phrase has origins in two patriotic Chinese films of the same name and now refers to an assertive and aggressive style of diplomacy, where the threat of military intervention and economic sanctions trumps soft power.
Hua's colleague, Zhao Lijian, was recently accused of being a "Wolf Warrior" diplomat when he started a fresh row with Australia by tweeting a doctored image showing an Australian soldier killing a young Afghan child.
China's foreign ministry refused to apologize and later doubled down on their support for Zhao as ties between Canberra and Beijing reached new lows following recent trade disputes.
Hua called the label another part of America's "China containment policy," referring to the strongly held belief that the U.S. seeks to ultimately curb Beijing's growth and influence in Asia.
She said: "By making China wear the [Wolf Warrior] hat, some seek to threaten and blackmail China into forgoing its right to speak the truth.
"I wonder whether those making baseless accusations about China conducting Wolf Warrior diplomacy have ever seen The Lion King? Have they seen how Simba grew and matured under suspicion, censure and attack?"
"Faced with malign malicious smears and abuse, China will respond and state facts," Hua said. "If that's Wolf Warrior diplomacy, then why not be a Wolf Warrior?"
At the briefing, Hua announced China would be taking countermeasures against the U.S. after the State Department hit 14 senior Chinese legislative officials with sanctions, including asset freezing and travel bans, over Beijing's anti-democracy policies in Hong Kong.
Read more Beijing Sees Way Back for U.S.-China Ties Under Biden's Defense Secretary Beijing Sees Way Back for U.S.-China Ties Under Biden's Defense Secretary
Reciprocal sanctions were placed on high-level American administrative and legislative officials, as well as representatives of non-governmental organizations. U.S. diplomats would also no longer be able to enter Hong Kong and Macau without a visa, she told reporters.
However, the names of the senior U.S. officials to be sanctioned by China were not disclosed.
The Chinese leadership's relationship with the current administration in Washington is all but certain to end on a sour note with just weeks to go before President Donald Trump leaves the White House.
Tensions between the world's two largest economies are expected to ease under President-elect Joe Biden, despite Secretary of State Mike Pompeo stating Monday that the bipartisan perception of the Chinese Communist Party meant that the current anti-China trend was irreversible.


newsweek--2020-12-10--Highly Venomous Snake Slithers Into School to Use the Air Conditioning

Venomous snakes seeking food or shelter have had to be relocated this month after slithering into multiple schools in northeast Australia , including one species that seemingly wanted to take advantage of air conditioning .
Faculty members have been forced to call for expert assistance after finding that dangerous snakes had made their way inside a staff office and a student tuck shop .
Most recently , a relatively harmless species was removed from a school 's lunchroom .
The encounters have been documented on Facebook by the page N & S Snake Catcher , a reptile business , managed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Sally Hill , that covers multiple areas in the state of Queensland , including the cities of Brisbane and Ipswich .
On December 3 , a deadly eastern brown snake was found hiding among cables behind a desk at Bundamba State School , which is based in a suburb of Ipswich .
`` It 's not very often we are called out to schools but a brown snake made its way into an office , '' Sally Hill told Brisbane Times .
`` That was an extremely hot day so it must have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ air conditioning and it was sitting next to the tables . ''
One day later , a red-bellied black snake was discovered lurking under a cash register counter of a tuck shop at Hills International College in the town of Jimboomba .
`` I lifted up the counter and my husband grabbed the snake .
[ Staff ] were a bit frightened and ... the snake was much bigger than what they thought , '' Hill added to the Brisbane Times , also sharing a photo of the snake to the Facebook page @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the business shared a picture of a `` cheeky '' common tree snake that made its way into the lunch hall of a school in Augustine Heights .
Out of the three , brown snakes are easily the most dangerous species—documented as the second most toxic land snake in the world with a bite containing venom that can be fatal .
`` This species has the unfortunate distinction of causing more deaths from snake bite than any other species of snake in Australia , '' the Australian Museum says .
Red-bellied black snakes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ but typically more shy , while common tree snakes are both non-venomous and non-confrontational .
The Queensland government says in a fact-sheet on its website that roughly 65 percent of the state 's 120 species of snakes are venomous .
Officials stress that all native wildlife in the country is protected under law and it is illegal to kill a native animal .
Earlier this week , reptile removal experts in the region advised residents to snake-proof their homes after multiple call-outs to wrangle species found in people 's bedrooms .

Venomous snakes seeking food or shelter have had to be relocated this month after slithering into multiple schools in northeast Australia, including one species that seemingly wanted to take advantage of air conditioning.
Faculty members have been forced to call for expert assistance after finding that dangerous snakes had made their way inside a staff office and a student tuck shop. Most recently, a relatively harmless species was removed from a school's lunchroom.
The encounters have been documented on Facebook by the page N&S Snake Catcher, a reptile business, managed by husband and wife duo Norman and Sally Hill, that covers multiple areas in the state of Queensland, including the cities of Brisbane and Ipswich.
On December 3, a deadly eastern brown snake was found hiding among cables behind a desk at Bundamba State School, which is based in a suburb of Ipswich.
"It's not very often we are called out to schools but a brown snake made its way into an office," Sally Hill told Brisbane Times. "That was an extremely hot day so it must have come in to keep cool in the air conditioning and it was sitting next to the tables."
A screenshot from the N&S Snake Catcher Facebook page showing a brown snake found in a school office. The photo shows an call-out on December 3, 2020. N&S Snake Catcher/Facebook
One day later, a red-bellied black snake was discovered lurking under a cash register counter of a tuck shop at Hills International College in the town of Jimboomba.
"I lifted up the counter and my husband grabbed the snake. [Staff] were a bit frightened and... the snake was much bigger than what they thought," Hill added to the Brisbane Times, also sharing a photo of the snake to the Facebook page.
Earlier today (December 10) the business shared a picture of a "cheeky" common tree snake that made its way into the lunch hall of a school in Augustine Heights.
Out of the three, brown snakes are easily the most dangerous species—documented as the second most toxic land snake in the world with a bite containing venom that can be fatal. "This species has the unfortunate distinction of causing more deaths from snake bite than any other species of snake in Australia," the Australian Museum says.
Red-bellied black snakes are also considered to be highly-venomous, but typically more shy, while common tree snakes are both non-venomous and non-confrontational.
The Queensland government says in a fact-sheet on its website that roughly 65 percent of the state's 120 species of snakes are venomous. Officials stress that all native wildlife in the country is protected under law and it is illegal to kill a native animal.
Earlier this week, reptile removal experts in the region advised residents to snake-proof their homes after multiple call-outs to wrangle species found in people's bedrooms.


newsweek--2020-12-10--'Cobra Kai' Season 3 Trailer: Fans Spot Clue that Hints at Ali Mills Return

Cobra Kai Season 3 is coming to Netflix on January 8 , 2021 , and the streamer has now released the full trailer for The Karate Kid spin-off .
Though that promo may have seen Johnny Lawrence ( William Zabka ) and Daniel LaRusso ( Ralph Macchio ) team up and Miguel ( Xolo Maridueña ) wake up , but it was missing one cast members who Karate Kid fans were certain would return—Elisabeth Shue as the one-time love interest for both LaRusso and Lawrence , Ali Mills .
The last season ended by hinting that Ali Mills ( Elisabeth @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the new episodes after she sent a Facebook friend request to Johnny , but she is nowhere to be seen in the trailer .
This , of course , does not mean that she will not be in Season 3 .
Her absence from the trailer could be the show hiding a major reveal , with Lawrence and LaRusso 's old girlfriend returning to mix things up just as the pair were starting to get on after the promo teases them working together to take on John Kreese ( Martin Kove ) .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ out a particular moment from the Cobra Kai Season 3 trailer that they are sure hints at Ali 's return .
Towards the end of a trailer , Lawrence is seen in a white suit , waiting in what seems like a romantic location , framed with fronds of fairy lights that are very The Bachelor .
Writing on Twitter , many fans have interpreted this scene as a moment where Johnny is waiting for Ali to show up IRL after they reconnected on social media .
One user summed up a lot @ @ @ @ @ @ @ when they wrote , `` Wow the Cobra Kai trailer Face !
Kumiko returns and Johnny was in a suit at the end .
High school reunion or maybe the country club with Ali . ''
`` Is so obvious Ali is coming back even if she is not on the trailer..that last shot to Johnny on that party is like a sealed deal for me . ''
`` Could this be the moment Johnny encounters ALI for the 1st time in 36 years ?
?
? ''
`` No Ali in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 'm guessing she 'll be a surprise later in the season ? ''
Elisabeth Shue has previously expressed an interest in coming back .
She told ET Canada , for example : `` I have seen it [ the show ] and I thought it was really well done .
I 'm thinking about it [ making an appearance ] . ''
Though Shue is not confirmed for Season 3 , two familiar faces from the movies are returning , joining the ever-growing list of Karate Kid actors who have appeared in Cobra @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by Macchio , Cobra Kai Season 3 is taking a hint from The Karate Kid Part II , with LaRusso heading back to Japan to play homage to his former sensei Mr. Miyagi ( the late Pat Morita ) .
The return to Miyagi 's home also allows the show the chance to have two characters return from the movie sequel .
In the trailer , Tamlyn Tomita is seen as Kumiko , one-time girlfriend of LaRusso and the niece of Miyagi 's childhood girlfriend .
Also glimpsed is Yuji Okumoto as Chozen @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Part II .
Cobra Kai Season 3 is released on Friday , January 8 , 2020 on Netflix .

Cobra Kai Season 3 is coming to Netflix on January 8, 2021, and the streamer has now released the full trailer for The Karate Kid spin-off.
Though that promo may have seen Johnny Lawrence (William Zabka) and Daniel LaRusso (Ralph Macchio) team up and Miguel (Xolo Maridueña) wake up, but it was missing one cast members who Karate Kid fans were certain would return—Elisabeth Shue as the one-time love interest for both LaRusso and Lawrence, Ali Mills.
The last season ended by hinting that Ali Mills (Elisabeth Shue) was set to return in the new episodes after she sent a Facebook friend request to Johnny, but she is nowhere to be seen in the trailer.
This, of course, does not mean that she will not be in Season 3. Her absence from the trailer could be the show hiding a major reveal, with Lawrence and LaRusso's old girlfriend returning to mix things up just as the pair were starting to get on after the promo teases them working together to take on John Kreese (Martin Kove).
In fact, some fans have picked out a particular moment from the Cobra Kai Season 3 trailer that they are sure hints at Ali's return. Towards the end of a trailer, Lawrence is seen in a white suit, waiting in what seems like a romantic location, framed with fronds of fairy lights that are very The Bachelor.
Could this moment from the 'Cobra Kai' Season 3 trailer set up Elisabeth Shue's return? Netflix
Writing on Twitter, many fans have interpreted this scene as a moment where Johnny is waiting for Ali to show up IRL after they reconnected on social media. One user summed up a lot of fan theories, for example, when they wrote, "Wow the Cobra Kai trailer Face! Kumiko returns and Johnny was in a suit at the end. High school reunion or maybe the country club with Ali."
Other reactions included:
"Is so obvious Ali is coming back even if she is not on the trailer..that last shot to Johnny on that party is like a sealed deal for me."
"Could this be the moment Johnny encounters ALI for the 1st time in 36 years???"
"No Ali in the trailer for Cobra Kai S3. I'm guessing she'll be a surprise later in the season?"
Elisabeth Shue has previously expressed an interest in coming back. She told ET Canada, for example: "I have seen it [the show] and I thought it was really well done. I'm thinking about it [making an appearance]."
Though Shue is not confirmed for Season 3, two familiar faces from the movies are returning, joining the ever-growing list of Karate Kid actors who have appeared in Cobra Kai. As previously teased in interviews by Macchio, Cobra Kai Season 3 is taking a hint from The Karate Kid Part II, with LaRusso heading back to Japan to play homage to his former sensei Mr. Miyagi (the late Pat Morita).
The return to Miyagi's home also allows the show the chance to have two characters return from the movie sequel. In the trailer, Tamlyn Tomita is seen as Kumiko, one-time girlfriend of LaRusso and the niece of Miyagi's childhood girlfriend. Also glimpsed is Yuji Okumoto as Chozen, LaRusso's rival in Karate Kid Part II.
Cobra Kai Season 3 is released on Friday, January 8, 2020 on Netflix.


newsweek--2020-12-10--Where You Can See the Northern Lights in U.S. This Week

The Northern Lights , also known as the aurora borealis , may be visible on Thursday and Friday in some northern states , including Illinois , Oregon , Maine , Washington and Montana .
The colorful cosmic light display is caused by a geomagnetic storm .
According to the Space Weather Prediction Center ( SWPC ) of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration , a geomagnetic storm is `` a major disturbance of Earth 's magnetosphere that occurs when there is a very efficient exchange of energy from the solar wind into the space environment surrounding Earth .
`` The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are associated with solar coronal mass ejections ( CMEs ) where a billion tons or so of plasma from the sun , with its embedded magnetic field , arrives at Earth , '' the SWPC explains .
In a statement Wednesday , the SWPC noted `` Geomagnetic Storm Watches '' are in effect through December 11 .
`` As CME effects continue , activity is likely to increase , especially if the magnetic field carried with the CME connects well with Earth 's magnetosphere .
`` Therefore , the potential for strong storm @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ) Watch is in effect for December 10th .
CME-related disturbances are forecast to continue into 11 December , likely resulting in G2 ( Moderate ) storm levels - and another Watch has been issued accordingly .
`` While SWPC forecasters are fairly confident in CME arrival at Earth , timing and geomagnetic storm intensity are less certain , '' the statement added .
Spaceweather.com noted : `` Activity could continue through the night of Dec. 10-11 , giving North Americans north of latitude 45 or 50 degrees a chance to see auroras @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be spotted in some states from Maine to Montana and Washington , according to the website .
If the SWPC 's projected peak storm levels occur on Thursday , `` auroras could be sighted in the USA in states as far south as , e.g.
, Illinois and Oregon , '' the website noted .
Jennifer McDermed , a meteorologist for Minnesota 's FOX 9 tweeted Wednesday : `` Geomagnetic storm watches are in effect through December 11th !
What does this mean ?
LOOK NORTH .
Get away from city lights .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ for the northern lights !
# Auroraborealis '' Max Tsaparis , a meteorologist for Wisconsin 's WKOW also tweeted Wednesday : `` Look up tonight !
A coronal ejection from the sun is heading towards earth tonight which may cause the # NorthernLights to be visible # auroraborealis . ''
NASA explains : `` Auroras are the most visible effect of the sun 's activity on the Earth 's atmosphere .
`` Auroras occur most frequently during solar maximum , the most intense phase of the 11-year solar or sunspot cycle .
Electrons @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the number of solar particles that interact with the Earth 's atmosphere .
This increased interaction produces extremely bright auroras .
`` The most common color in an aurora is green .
But displays that occur extremely high in the sky may be red or purple .
Most auroras occur about 50 to 200 miles above the Earth .
Some extend lengthwise across the sky for thousands of miles , '' according to NASA .

The Northern Lights, also known as the aurora borealis, may be visible on Thursday and Friday in some northern states, including Illinois, Oregon, Maine, Washington and Montana.
The colorful cosmic light display is caused by a geomagnetic storm. According to the Space Weather Prediction Center (SWPC) of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, a geomagnetic storm is "a major disturbance of Earth's magnetosphere that occurs when there is a very efficient exchange of energy from the solar wind into the space environment surrounding Earth.
"The largest storms that result from these conditions are associated with solar coronal mass ejections (CMEs) where a billion tons or so of plasma from the sun, with its embedded magnetic field, arrives at Earth," the SWPC explains.
In a statement Wednesday, the SWPC noted "Geomagnetic Storm Watches" are in effect through December 11. "As CME effects continue, activity is likely to increase, especially if the magnetic field carried with the CME connects well with Earth's magnetosphere.
Read more Best Stargazing Spots Around the Globe
"Therefore, the potential for strong storm levels exists and a G3 (Strong) Watch is in effect for December 10th. CME-related disturbances are forecast to continue into 11 December, likely resulting in G2 (Moderate) storm levels - and another Watch has been issued accordingly.
"While SWPC forecasters are fairly confident in CME arrival at Earth, timing and geomagnetic storm intensity are less certain," the statement added.
Geomagnetic Storm Watches in effect Dec 9 - 11, 2020, due to anticipated CME effects. The CME occurred on December 7th, and was associated with a C7 flare from Region 2790. For the full story visit https://t.co/mzq8JTer8q @NWS pic.twitter.com/EKOKtiyz3e — NOAA Space Weather (@NWSSWPC) December 8, 2020
Spaceweather.com noted: "Activity could continue through the night of Dec. 10-11, giving North Americans north of latitude 45 or 50 degrees a chance to see auroras."
The Northern Lights could potentially be spotted in some states from Maine to Montana and Washington, according to the website.
If the SWPC's projected peak storm levels occur on Thursday, "auroras could be sighted in the USA in states as far south as, e.g., Illinois and Oregon," the website noted.
Jennifer McDermed, a meteorologist for Minnesota's FOX 9 tweeted Wednesday: "Geomagnetic storm watches are in effect through December 11th! What does this mean? LOOK NORTH. Get away from city lights. Pray the clouds break. And look for the northern lights! #Auroraborealis"
Max Tsaparis, a meteorologist for Wisconsin's WKOW also tweeted Wednesday:
"Look up tonight! A coronal ejection from the sun is heading towards earth tonight which may cause the #NorthernLights to be visible #auroraborealis."
NASA explains: "Auroras are the most visible effect of the sun's activity on the Earth's atmosphere.
"Auroras occur most frequently during solar maximum, the most intense phase of the 11-year solar or sunspot cycle. Electrons and protons released by solar storms add to the number of solar particles that interact with the Earth's atmosphere. This increased interaction produces extremely bright auroras.
"The most common color in an aurora is green. But displays that occur extremely high in the sky may be red or purple. Most auroras occur about 50 to 200 miles above the Earth. Some extend lengthwise across the sky for thousands of miles," according to NASA.


newsweek--2020-12-10--Joe Biden Will Visit Georgia Ahead of Key Senate Runoff Elections

President-elect Joe Biden will travel to Georgia next week and campaign with Democratic candidates Raphael Warnock and Jon Ossoff in the run-up to the state 's key Senate runoff elections .
The president-elect 's transition team revealed on Thursday morning that Biden plans to campaign in Atlanta on Tuesday next week .
It is not yet clear whether Vice President-elect Kamala Harris will be joining Biden on the stump .
NBC News reported that the event would be the president-elect 's first campaign appearance since he secured victory over President Donald Trump in the November 3 presidential election .
Newsweek @ @ @ @ @ @ @ further details and comment .
This article will be updated with any response .
Democratic challengers Ossoff and Warnock will appear with the president-elect with less than a month to go until they face Republican Senators Kelly Loeffler and David Perdue for control of Georgia 's Senate seats .
If the GOP incumbents lose their seats , the upper chamber will have a 50-50 split , meaning Republicans will also lose their majority in the upper chamber .
Under that scenario , Vice President-elect Harris would have a tiebreaker vote , effectively handing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ two years of the Biden administration .
President Trump held a rally in Georgia at the end of last week , and called on his supporters in the state to `` hold the line '' and register to vote before the deadline so they could preserve the GOP majority in the upper chamber .
`` You must go vote and vote early starting December 14 .
You have to do it , '' Trump told the rally .
`` They cheated and they rigged our presidential election , but we will still win @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in Georgia have been mixed since mid-November .
A Data for Progress survey released last week found Warnock marginally ahead of Loeffler , with 50 percent of likely voters backing the challenger .
But it also found Perdue 2 points ahead of Ossoff among state voters .
Another poll from SurveyUSA showed Sen Loeffler trailing Warnock by a decisive 7 percentage points among likely voters , while Ossoff led his Republican rival by a margin of 2 points .
The contenders for Georgia 's all-important Senate seats were slated to go head-to-head at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ dodged his one-on-one with Ossoff , leaving his empty podium open to attacks from Ossoff .
Both Loeffler and Warnock turned up for their debate .
`` Senator Perdue , I suppose , does n't feel that he can handle himself in debate , '' Ossoff said on Sunday .
`` Or perhaps is concerned he may incriminate himself in debate .
Both of which , in my opinion , are disqualifying for a U.S. senator seeking re-election . ''

President-elect Joe Biden will travel to Georgia next week and campaign with Democratic candidates Raphael Warnock and Jon Ossoff in the run-up to the state's key Senate runoff elections.
The president-elect's transition team revealed on Thursday morning that Biden plans to campaign in Atlanta on Tuesday next week. It is not yet clear whether Vice President-elect Kamala Harris will be joining Biden on the stump.
NBC News reported that the event would be the president-elect's first campaign appearance since he secured victory over President Donald Trump in the November 3 presidential election.
Newsweek has contacted the Biden transition team for further details and comment. This article will be updated with any response.
President-elect Joe Biden will visit Atlanta, Georgia on Tuesday next week. Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images
Democratic challengers Ossoff and Warnock will appear with the president-elect with less than a month to go until they face Republican Senators Kelly Loeffler and David Perdue for control of Georgia's Senate seats.
If the GOP incumbents lose their seats, the upper chamber will have a 50-50 split, meaning Republicans will also lose their majority in the upper chamber. Under that scenario, Vice President-elect Harris would have a tiebreaker vote, effectively handing Democrats control of Congress over the first two years of the Biden administration.
President Trump held a rally in Georgia at the end of last week, and called on his supporters in the state to "hold the line" and register to vote before the deadline so they could preserve the GOP majority in the upper chamber.
"You must go vote and vote early starting December 14. You have to do it," Trump told the rally. "They cheated and they rigged our presidential election, but we will still win it."
Senate runoff election polls in Georgia have been mixed since mid-November. A Data for Progress survey released last week found Warnock marginally ahead of Loeffler, with 50 percent of likely voters backing the challenger. But it also found Perdue 2 points ahead of Ossoff among state voters.
Another poll from SurveyUSA showed Sen Loeffler trailing Warnock by a decisive 7 percentage points among likely voters, while Ossoff led his Republican rival by a margin of 2 points.
The contenders for Georgia's all-important Senate seats were slated to go head-to-head at debates on Sunday night, but Perdue dodged his one-on-one with Ossoff, leaving his empty podium open to attacks from Ossoff. Both Loeffler and Warnock turned up for their debate.
"Senator Perdue, I suppose, doesn't feel that he can handle himself in debate," Ossoff said on Sunday. "Or perhaps is concerned he may incriminate himself in debate. Both of which, in my opinion, are disqualifying for a U.S. senator seeking re-election."