newsweek--2020-12-02--Mitch McConnell's Revised Stimulus Proposal Still Not Enough, Economists Say

Last ditch efforts are currently underway in Washington as lawmakers ruminate on another potential round of coronavirus stimulus .
Senate majority leader Mitch McConnell has been in private discussions with House minority leader Kevin McCarthy , Treasury secretary Steven Mnuchin and White House chief of staff Mark Meadows for days , looking at what outgoing President Donald Trump will be willing to sign into law in his final days in office .
Proposals for a new round of stimulus checks have now been delayed for months , held up by political deadlock in Congress and the election , and experts @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by top decision-makers .
Some believe the moves being made are still not enough .
`` Most political observers remain ( very ) skeptical , pointing out that the respective positions of the Senate leader Mitch McConnell and House of Representatives leader Nancy Pelosi do not seem to have moved much , '' Stephen Innes , chief global market strategist at Axi told Newsweek in emailed comments .
`` More noise than political substance then at this juncture , '' he continued .
`` When I woke up to the stimulus sirens , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ so much but welcome to be proven wrong . ''
`` If it does go through , it would reduce the likelihood of a quick and sizeable stimulus under the Biden administration , '' he continued .
Innes thinks that the probability of a lame duck deal remains at less than 50 percent and that the primary focus will turn to the Georgia Senate runoff in January .
If Republicans hold the Senate we could be `` back to square one , '' he concluded .
Democrats are looking at their own counteroffer @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Nancy Pelosi spoke to Mnuchin for the first time since late October on Tuesday .
`` Fiscal policy is really the only game in town now , '' Gayle Allard professor of economics at IE business school told Newsweek .
`` $ 908bn may be enough to turn around growth and incomes in the last quarter of the year , if it is passed quickly and if consumers and businesses spend the money received rather than saving it . ''
`` It could be a bridge to the new year , when confidence @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and falling infection and death rates , '' she continued .
But Allard notes that economists are concerned that the initially fast pace of the recovery is slowing : incomes are down , jobless claims are up and the fourth quarter looks weak .
Both Fed chairman Jerome Powell and President-elect Joe Biden say fiscal measures are urgently needed .
The package McConnell has circulated totals $ 908 billion and looks to include $ 332.7 billion in small business relief , including $ 257.7 billion earmarked for the Paycheck Protection Program .
It @ @ @ @ @ @ @ loan to USPS , $ 105 billion to `` help students get back in school '' , $ 16 billion for testing and contact tracing , $ 31 billion vaccine-related costs including development and distribution and $ 20 billion of additional farm assistance .
A draft shows that the proposal does not include a second round of checks .
McConnell said that Trump would sign the bill , and additional assistance could be passed in the near future .
However , the draft was only a modest revision of an earlier partisan plan @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Some Democrats , and one Republican , quickly moved to indicate resistance to McConnell 's draft .
The price tag was almost double the $ 500 billion `` targeted '' package proposed by McConnell and less than half of the $ 2.2 trillion that House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has demanded , but it fell flat with leaders from both sides of the political aisle .
`` We do n't have time for messaging games , we do n't have time for lengthy negotiations .
The way you get a result is you have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ McConnell said at his weekly news conference on Tuesday .
`` We do n't have time to waste time . ''

Last ditch efforts are currently underway in Washington as lawmakers ruminate on another potential round of coronavirus stimulus.
Senate majority leader Mitch McConnell has been in private discussions with House minority leader Kevin McCarthy, Treasury secretary Steven Mnuchin and White House chief of staff Mark Meadows for days, looking at what outgoing President Donald Trump will be willing to sign into law in his final days in office.
Proposals for a new round of stimulus checks have now been delayed for months, held up by political deadlock in Congress and the election, and experts are skeptical about the noises being made by top decision-makers. Some believe the moves being made are still not enough.
"Most political observers remain (very) skeptical, pointing out that the respective positions of the Senate leader Mitch McConnell and House of Representatives leader Nancy Pelosi do not seem to have moved much," Stephen Innes, chief global market strategist at Axi told Newsweek in emailed comments.
"More noise than political substance then at this juncture," he continued. "When I woke up to the stimulus sirens, I was very optimistic but now not so much but welcome to be proven wrong."
"If it does go through, it would reduce the likelihood of a quick and sizeable stimulus under the Biden administration," he continued.
Innes thinks that the probability of a lame duck deal remains at less than 50 percent and that the primary focus will turn to the Georgia Senate runoff in January. If Republicans hold the Senate we could be "back to square one," he concluded.
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) talks with reporters following the weekly Republican Senate conference meeting in the Mansfield Room at the U.S. Capitol December 1, in Washington, D.C. The Senate GOP leaders were asked about the chances of Congress passing another coronavirus relief bill along with must-pass government funding legislation. Tom Williams-Pool/Getty Images
Democrats are looking at their own counteroffer to McConnell's deal. House speaker Nancy Pelosi spoke to Mnuchin for the first time since late October on Tuesday.
"Fiscal policy is really the only game in town now," Gayle Allard professor of economics at IE business school told Newsweek.
"$908bn may be enough to turn around growth and incomes in the last quarter of the year, if it is passed quickly and if consumers and businesses spend the money received rather than saving it."
"It could be a bridge to the new year, when confidence will hopefully return thanks to the vaccine and falling infection and death rates," she continued.
But Allard notes that economists are concerned that the initially fast pace of the recovery is slowing: incomes are down, jobless claims are up and the fourth quarter looks weak. Both Fed chairman Jerome Powell and President-elect Joe Biden say fiscal measures are urgently needed.
The package McConnell has circulated totals $908 billion and looks to include $332.7 billion in small business relief, including $257.7 billion earmarked for the Paycheck Protection Program. It also includes a $10 billion Treasury loan to USPS, $105 billion to "help students get back in school", $16 billion for testing and contact tracing, $31 billion vaccine-related costs including development and distribution and $20 billion of additional farm assistance.
A draft shows that the proposal does not include a second round of checks.
McConnell said that Trump would sign the bill, and additional assistance could be passed in the near future. However, the draft was only a modest revision of an earlier partisan plan that had already been blocked twice. Some Democrats, and one Republican, quickly moved to indicate resistance to McConnell's draft.
The price tag was almost double the $500 billion "targeted" package proposed by McConnell and less than half of the $2.2 trillion that House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has demanded, but it fell flat with leaders from both sides of the political aisle.
"We don't have time for messaging games, we don't have time for lengthy negotiations. The way you get a result is you have to have a presidential signature," McConnell said at his weekly news conference on Tuesday. "We don't have time to waste time."


newsweek--2020-12-02--Bitcoin: An Overnight Success a Decade in the Making | Opinion

Is it too late to buy some bitcoin ? ''
`` What about Ripple—I hear that 's cheaper ? ''
`` Ethereum ? ''
`` Why did n't you tell me to buy earlier ! ''
With the price of bitcoin hitting its all-time high on Monday , I 'm starting to get more calls from friends asking these questions .
I 've been in the crypto world since 2011 , covering it as a reporter and teaching it as a law professor , and such calls are one of the few certainties in this wacky market .
In the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the fourth I 've lived through , it 's important to remember that the best way to make money is slowly .
Instead of reading crypto Twitter , anyone looking to succeed in this market should listen to the traditional investor most hostile to crypto : Warren Buffett .
When asked why more people do n't copy his investing strategy , Warren Buffett famously answered , `` Because nobody wants to get rich slow . ''
This is especially true in the crypto world , where fortunes seem to be made overnight .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ for Businessweek about a man who erased a hard drive that had 800 bitcoins on it .
When I wrote the story , they were worth $ 200,000 .
They are now worth more than $ 15 million .
Two years earlier , I lost a bitcoin poker game whose pot today is worth about $ 4 million .
I 'm not sure yet what these stories do to one 's psyche , but as economic historian Charles Kindleberger once said , `` there is nothing so disturbing to one 's well-being and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rich . ''
The flip side , however , is that money easily made is not as easily appreciated .
There is an element of luck in making quick money—whether that meant accidentally leaving a mining machine running or hearing about bitcoin early through happenstance , chance played a huge role in the speed of getting rich .
It is not luck that makes people happy with getting rich , but a sense of accomplishment and devotion to an ideal greater than money .
Bitcoin represents such an ideal to many of its @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Bitcoin 's value , at least to its early backers , is based on an ideology that sees the market as better at producing money than the government .
Some people talk of the separation of church and state ; those in the bitcoin community talk about the separation of money and state .
This is not a new idea—economists like F.A .
Hayek and Ludwig von Mises understood the power of the free market to produce a money that was not subject to the vicissitudes of politics .
Buffett 's father @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this as well and was a supporter of the gold standard and sound money .
Whether you agree with this value proposition , there are many who do .
Money has a reflexive quality to it , and the reason dollars have value is the reason gold or diamonds have value—because people believe they have value .
The early bitcoin pioneers were driven not by money , but by ideology .
These are people like Nick Szabo , a pioneer of cryptography as well as smart contracts , who has been working at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ through the slow work of building the intellectual edifice that bitcoin stands on .
Reading Szabo 's writings , it is clear that he is not someone who is in it for the money .
Dedication to a cause—something we should all have—is what has allowed him to endure .
Another example : I asked the hardcore bitcoiner Erik Voorhees in the early days if he was cashing out .
To my surprise , he said he was almost completely cashed out .
He quickly clarified , `` ... of dollars . ''
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ are able to distinguish market prices from intrinsic value .
My business partner , Burak Alici , is quick to note that volatility is not the same thing as risk or uncertainty .
Although our firm does n't invest in anything crypto-related , preferring boring businesses like elevators and train brakes , we are always cognizant that in markets , momentum does not always make right .
The only reason people like Buffett or Burak or the bitcoin millionaires were able to hang on and persevere is that they marched to the beat @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a good way to become rich ( it is also a good way to march off a cliff ) .
So , while it may seem that the bitcoin moguls got rich overnight , this is the kind of getting rich quick that the band Phish referred to when someone called them an overnight success .
Drummer Jon Fishman said something to the effect of , `` Yeah , we spent 9 years becoming an overnight success . ''
Max Raskin is an adjunct professor of law at New York University and the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ investment holding company .
Follow him on Twitter @ maxraskin .
The views expressed in this article are the writer 's own .

Is it too late to buy some bitcoin?" "What about Ripple—I hear that's cheaper?" "Ethereum?" "Why didn't you tell me to buy earlier!" With the price of bitcoin hitting its all-time high on Monday, I'm starting to get more calls from friends asking these questions. I've been in the crypto world since 2011, covering it as a reporter and teaching it as a law professor, and such calls are one of the few certainties in this wacky market. In the current craze, which is at least the fourth I've lived through, it's important to remember that the best way to make money is slowly. Instead of reading crypto Twitter, anyone looking to succeed in this market should listen to the traditional investor most hostile to crypto: Warren Buffett.
When asked why more people don't copy his investing strategy, Warren Buffett famously answered, "Because nobody wants to get rich slow." This is especially true in the crypto world, where fortunes seem to be made overnight. In 2013, I wrote a story for Businessweek about a man who erased a hard drive that had 800 bitcoins on it. When I wrote the story, they were worth $200,000. They are now worth more than $15 million. Two years earlier, I lost a bitcoin poker game whose pot today is worth about $4 million. I'm not sure yet what these stories do to one's psyche, but as economic historian Charles Kindleberger once said, "there is nothing so disturbing to one's well-being and judgment as to see a friend get rich."
The flip side, however, is that money easily made is not as easily appreciated. There is an element of luck in making quick money—whether that meant accidentally leaving a mining machine running or hearing about bitcoin early through happenstance, chance played a huge role in the speed of getting rich.
A visual representation of the cryptocurrency Bitcoin on November 20, 2020 in London, England. The price of Bitcoin has risen sharply in the the last two months, to a high of around 18,800 USD, gaining nearly 100% since September. Jordan Mansfield/Getty
It is not luck that makes people happy with getting rich, but a sense of accomplishment and devotion to an ideal greater than money. Bitcoin represents such an ideal to many of its early supporters who have gotten rich slowly.
Bitcoin's value, at least to its early backers, is based on an ideology that sees the market as better at producing money than the government. Some people talk of the separation of church and state; those in the bitcoin community talk about the separation of money and state. This is not a new idea—economists like F.A. Hayek and Ludwig von Mises understood the power of the free market to produce a money that was not subject to the vicissitudes of politics. Buffett's father, a congressman from Nebraska, understood this as well and was a supporter of the gold standard and sound money. Whether you agree with this value proposition, there are many who do. Money has a reflexive quality to it, and the reason dollars have value is the reason gold or diamonds have value—because people believe they have value.
The early bitcoin pioneers were driven not by money, but by ideology. These are people like Nick Szabo, a pioneer of cryptography as well as smart contracts, who has been working at crypto for decades. His impact came through the slow work of building the intellectual edifice that bitcoin stands on. Reading Szabo's writings, it is clear that he is not someone who is in it for the money. Dedication to a cause—something we should all have—is what has allowed him to endure. Another example: I asked the hardcore bitcoiner Erik Voorhees in the early days if he was cashing out. To my surprise, he said he was almost completely cashed out. He quickly clarified, "...of dollars."
This is similar to how value investors are able to distinguish market prices from intrinsic value. My business partner, Burak Alici, is quick to note that volatility is not the same thing as risk or uncertainty. Although our firm doesn't invest in anything crypto-related, preferring boring businesses like elevators and train brakes, we are always cognizant that in markets, momentum does not always make right.
The only reason people like Buffett or Burak or the bitcoin millionaires were able to hang on and persevere is that they marched to the beat of their own drums. This is a good way to become rich (it is also a good way to march off a cliff). So, while it may seem that the bitcoin moguls got rich overnight, this is the kind of getting rich quick that the band Phish referred to when someone called them an overnight success. Drummer Jon Fishman said something to the effect of, "Yeah, we spent 9 years becoming an overnight success."
Max Raskin is an adjunct professor of law at New York University and the general counsel of QVIDTVM Inc., an investment holding company. Follow him on Twitter @maxraskin.
The views expressed in this article are the writer's own.


newsweek--2020-12-02--COVID Vaccines Are Being Targeted by Organized Crime Networks, Interpol Global Alert Warns

Interpol issued a global alert on Wednesday , warning its 194 member countries to `` prepare for organized crime networks targeting COVID-19 vaccines , both physically and online . ''
The organization 's Secretary General , Jürgen Stock , said `` criminal organizations are planning to infiltrate or disrupt supply chains '' as governments prepare to roll out new vaccines .
`` It is essential that law enforcement is as prepared as possible for what will be an onslaught of all types of criminal activity linked to the COVID-19 vaccine , which is why INTERPOL has issued this global warning @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The Interpol Orange Notice details `` potential criminal activity in relation to the falsification , theft and illegal advertising of COVID-19 and flu vaccines '' as well as examples of crimes `` where individuals have been advertising , selling and administering fake vaccines , '' the statement added .
Stock noted : `` Criminal networks will also be targeting unsuspecting members of the public via fake websites and false cures , which could pose a significant risk to their health , even their lives . ''
Interpol also advised the public to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ medical equipment or medicine .
According to an analysis by its Cybercrime Unit , about 1,700 of 3,000 websites associated with online pharmacies suspected of selling illicit medicines and medical devices contained cyber threats , especially phishing and spamming malware .
`` To avoid falling victim to online scams , it is important to be vigilant , be skeptical and be safe , as offers which appear too good to be true usually are .
Always check with your national health authorities or the World Health Organization for the latest health advice in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
It also warned that as testing is increased to help global travel resume , there is also a risk of `` unauthorized and falsified testing kits '' being made and distributed .
There are currently at least 212 COVID-19 vaccines being developed across the globe , as of November 12 , according to the latest report by the World Health Organization ( WHO ) .
Forty-eight of these vaccine candidates are at their clinical evaluation stages , while 164 are under pre-clinical evaluation , according to WHO .
The novel coronavirus has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it was first reported in Wuhan , China .
More than 1.4 million people have died worldwide and more than 40.6 million have recovered as of Tuesday , according to Johns Hopkins .
The graphic below , produced by Statista , shows the total number of COVID-19 vaccine doses secured by different countries .
The graphic below , produced by Statista , shows countries with the most COVID-19 cases .

Interpol issued a global alert on Wednesday, warning its 194 member countries to "prepare for organized crime networks targeting COVID-19 vaccines, both physically and online."
The organization's Secretary General, Jürgen Stock, said "criminal organizations are planning to infiltrate or disrupt supply chains" as governments prepare to roll out new vaccines.
"It is essential that law enforcement is as prepared as possible for what will be an onslaught of all types of criminal activity linked to the COVID-19 vaccine, which is why INTERPOL has issued this global warning," Stock said in a statement.
The Interpol Orange Notice details "potential criminal activity in relation to the falsification, theft and illegal advertising of COVID-19 and flu vaccines" as well as examples of crimes "where individuals have been advertising, selling and administering fake vaccines," the statement added.
Stock noted: "Criminal networks will also be targeting unsuspecting members of the public via fake websites and false cures, which could pose a significant risk to their health, even their lives."
Interpol also advised the public to be careful when conducting online searches for medical equipment or medicine.
According to an analysis by its Cybercrime Unit, about 1,700 of 3,000 websites associated with online pharmacies suspected of selling illicit medicines and medical devices contained cyber threats, especially phishing and spamming malware.
"To avoid falling victim to online scams, it is important to be vigilant, be skeptical and be safe, as offers which appear too good to be true usually are. Always check with your national health authorities or the World Health Organization for the latest health advice in relation to COVID-19," Interpol said.
It also warned that as testing is increased to help global travel resume, there is also a risk of "unauthorized and falsified testing kits" being made and distributed.
There are currently at least 212 COVID-19 vaccines being developed across the globe, as of November 12, according to the latest report by the World Health Organization (WHO).
Forty-eight of these vaccine candidates are at their clinical evaluation stages, while 164 are under pre-clinical evaluation, according to WHO.
A technician working in a lab at Sinovac Biotech where the company is producing their potential COVID-19 vaccine CoronaVac, pictured on September 24 in Beijing, China. Interpol has issued a global alert warning its 194 member countries to “prepare for organized crime networks targeting COVID-19 vaccines." Getty Images
The wider picture
The novel coronavirus has infected more than 63.3 million people since it was first reported in Wuhan, China.
More than 1.4 million people have died worldwide and more than 40.6 million have recovered as of Tuesday, according to Johns Hopkins.
The graphic below, produced by Statista, shows the total number of COVID-19 vaccine doses secured by different countries.
STATISTA
The graphic below, produced by Statista, shows countries with the most COVID-19 cases.


newsweek--2020-12-02--'The Talk': Eve and Marie Osmond's Replacements Announced

The Talk has been without co-host Marie Osmond since September , and Eve is set to leave at the end of 2020 , meaning that the CBS talker is in need of two new hosts .
These two new women will be joining Sharon Osbourne , Carrie Ann Inaba and Sheryl Underwood from January 4 , 2021 .
On that day , Elaine Welteroth and Amanda Kloots will start their runs as permanent hosts , having filled in on the program throughout the fall .
Welteroth first became known to many when she became the editor of Teen Vogue in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ noticed for its insightful takes on politics and social justice .
Since leaving the job in 2018 , she wrote a memoir , guest wrote an episode of Grown-ish ( as well as playing herself on both Black-ish and Grown-ish ) and served as a judge on the 2019 season of Project Runway .
Kloots , meanwhile , is a fitness trainer , who started her career as a Broadway dancer and Rockette .
She came to the public attention in the summer after she chronicled her husband Nick Cordero 's battle with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in July .
I am beyond excited and grateful for the opportunity to join the phenomenal women of The Talk , '' Welteroth said in a statement .
`` They have each made me feel right at home alongside them on this incredible platform that cultivates connection , kindness and understanding when we all need it most .
I look forward to learning from them and lending my perspective to conversations that build bridges in this singular time in our world . ''
Kloots , meanwhile , said : `` I am thrilled @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and crew .
From the very first time I guest co-hosted on The Talk , I knew I was among a very special group of people .
I look forward to starting off the new year with honest and thought-provoking discussions , mixed with plenty of fun and laughter , too . ''
Osmond announced that she was leaving in the fall following the departure of executive producer John Redmann , with the two set to work on new projects .
Eve , meanwhile , announced her exit in part due to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from her home in London , where she relocated midway through the year .
She also said at the time that she wanted to `` concentrate on expanding our family , being with my family . ''
Welteroth and Kloots are the 12th and 13th hosts of the CBS talk show since it began in 2010 with hosts Julie Chen , Sara Gilbert , Sharon Osbourne , Marissa Jaret Winokur , Holly Robinson Peete and Leah Remini .
The Talk airs weekdays at 11 a.m. PT / 2 p.m .
ET on CBS @

The Talk has been without co-host Marie Osmond since September, and Eve is set to leave at the end of 2020, meaning that the CBS talker is in need of two new hosts. These two new women will be joining Sharon Osbourne, Carrie Ann Inaba and Sheryl Underwood from January 4, 2021.
On that day, Elaine Welteroth and Amanda Kloots will start their runs as permanent hosts, having filled in on the program throughout the fall.
Welteroth first became known to many when she became the editor of Teen Vogue in 2012 and the magazine started to become noticed for its insightful takes on politics and social justice. Since leaving the job in 2018, she wrote a memoir, guest wrote an episode of Grown-ish (as well as playing herself on both Black-ish and Grown-ish) and served as a judge on the 2019 season of Project Runway.
Kloots, meanwhile, is a fitness trainer, who started her career as a Broadway dancer and Rockette. She came to the public attention in the summer after she chronicled her husband Nick Cordero's battle with the coronavirus, which eventually killed him in July.
Amanda Kloots and Elaine Welteroth are the new hosts of 'The Talk'. CBS
I am beyond excited and grateful for the opportunity to join the phenomenal women of The Talk," Welteroth said in a statement. "They have each made me feel right at home alongside them on this incredible platform that cultivates connection, kindness and understanding when we all need it most. I look forward to learning from them and lending my perspective to conversations that build bridges in this singular time in our world."
Kloots, meanwhile, said: "I am thrilled and honored to join this incredible cast and crew. From the very first time I guest co-hosted on The Talk, I knew I was among a very special group of people. I look forward to starting off the new year with honest and thought-provoking discussions, mixed with plenty of fun and laughter, too."
Osmond announced that she was leaving in the fall following the departure of executive producer John Redmann, with the two set to work on new projects. Eve, meanwhile, announced her exit in part due to the difficulties of filming the American chat show from her home in London, where she relocated midway through the year. She also said at the time that she wanted to "concentrate on expanding our family, being with my family."
Welteroth and Kloots are the 12th and 13th hosts of the CBS talk show since it began in 2010 with hosts Julie Chen, Sara Gilbert, Sharon Osbourne, Marissa Jaret Winokur, Holly Robinson Peete and Leah Remini.
The Talk airs weekdays at 11 a.m. PT / 2 p.m. ET on CBS.


newsweek--2020-12-02--China Is 'Wiping Out a Whole Generation of Hong Kongers,' Rights Group Warns, After Activists Jailed

China Is 'Wiping Out a Whole Generation of Hong Kongers,' Rights Group Warns, After Activists Jailed for Protests

Hong Kong pro-democracy groups and human rights organizations have condemned the jailing of three prominent activists for their role in anti-China protests in the semi-autonomous territory , as Beijing continues its crackdown on political dissidents .
Pro-democracy leaders Joshua Wong , 24 ; Agnes Chow , 23 ; and Ivan Lam , 26 , were jailed Wednesday for between 7 and 13.5 months for their roles in anti-government rallies over the past year .
These are the most significant sentences for pro-democracy leaders since protests erupted last summer against China 's political and legal encroachment into Hong Kong .
All @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 100 supporters gathered outside the court ahead of the sentencing , as did a smaller number of pro-Beijing demonstrators calling for harsh sentences .
Pro-democracy groups and human rights organizations were quick to condemn the sentences , which they characterized as the Chinese Communist Party 's latest effort to crush legitimate political opposition and destroy the `` one country , two systems '' arrangement that has afforded Hong Kong more freedom that the mainland since it transitioned from British to Chinese rule in 1997 .
In a statement sent to Newsweek , Samuel @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Democracy Council—said : `` Beijing and Carrie Lam are using the court to make an example [ of the protest leaders and send the message ] : 'Obey or spend the best part of your youth behind bars . '
'' `` The CCP is ready and willing to maintain control and power at all costs , even if it means imprisoning and wiping out a whole generation of Hong Kongers , '' Chu said .
`` I am heartbroken and indignant at the treatment and immediate future of the trio—and thousands of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as Wong wrote this week from jail—'Cages can not lock up souls ' and the movement only grows stronger every time an activist is arrested , convicted , and jailed .
HKDC condemns the harsh sentences and urges the United States and the international community to do the same . ''
Nathan Law—who co-founded the now-shuttered Demosisto pro-democracy organization alongside Wong and Chow—told Newsweek the sentences are `` devastating . ''
Law now lives in London , having fled Hong Kong after a draconian national security law , criminalizing anti-government dissent and threatening @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this summer .
`` It 's an absurdly heavy sentence and the independence of the judiciary system is in doubt , '' Law said .
`` It shows that the court once again become the suppression tool in favor to the authorities and the authority is determined to imprison prominent activists to set an example . ''
Chow still faces additional charges under the national security law , accused of colluding with foreign powers ; a charge that carries a maximum sentence of life in prison .
Chow told Newsweek in June : @ @ @ @ @ @ @ against such a strong and powerful regime .
But I really want to stay here and do something ...
It might be our last fight . ''
So broad is the national security law that more charges against all three could follow .
Hong Kong 's courts are currently clogged with cases against protesters .
`` Sentences could pile up , '' Law said .
`` To be honest , I have no idea when the trio could step out of the prison . ''
`` I hope the international community could voice @ @ @ @ @ @ @ release of the trio , '' Law told Newsweek .
`` As Joshua said before he left the courtroom—it 's not the end of the fight .
We all have to stick to our roles and resist .
It 's time to speak up for Hong Kong more actively . ''
Human rights groups are also pushing back against China 's prosecution of pro-democracy activists .
Amnesty International released a statement from its Asia-Pacific Regional Director Yamini Mishra reading : `` Once again , the government has used the politically-motivated charge of 'inciting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who have merely spoken out and protested peacefully . ''
`` By targeting well-known activists from Hong Kong 's largely leaderless protest movement , authorities are sending a warning to anyone who dares openly criticize the government that they could be next . ''

Hong Kong pro-democracy groups and human rights organizations have condemned the jailing of three prominent activists for their role in anti-China protests in the semi-autonomous territory, as Beijing continues its crackdown on political dissidents.
Pro-democracy leaders Joshua Wong, 24; Agnes Chow, 23; and Ivan Lam, 26, were jailed Wednesday for between 7 and 13.5 months for their roles in anti-government rallies over the past year.
These are the most significant sentences for pro-democracy leaders since protests erupted last summer against China's political and legal encroachment into Hong Kong.
All three pleaded guilty to charges. Around 100 supporters gathered outside the court ahead of the sentencing, as did a smaller number of pro-Beijing demonstrators calling for harsh sentences.
Pro-democracy groups and human rights organizations were quick to condemn the sentences, which they characterized as the Chinese Communist Party's latest effort to crush legitimate political opposition and destroy the "one country, two systems" arrangement that has afforded Hong Kong more freedom that the mainland since it transitioned from British to Chinese rule in 1997.
In a statement sent to Newsweek, Samuel Chu—the managing director of the Hong Kong Democracy Council—said: "Beijing and Carrie Lam are using the court to make an example [of the protest leaders and send the message]: 'Obey or spend the best part of your youth behind bars.'"
"The CCP is ready and willing to maintain control and power at all costs, even if it means imprisoning and wiping out a whole generation of Hong Kongers," Chu said. "I am heartbroken and indignant at the treatment and immediate future of the trio—and thousands of activists like them."
"But as Wong wrote this week from jail—'Cages cannot lock up souls' and the movement only grows stronger every time an activist is arrested, convicted, and jailed. HKDC condemns the harsh sentences and urges the United States and the international community to do the same."
Nathan Law—who co-founded the now-shuttered Demosisto pro-democracy organization alongside Wong and Chow—told Newsweek the sentences are "devastating."
Law now lives in London, having fled Hong Kong after a draconian national security law, criminalizing anti-government dissent and threatening violators with life imprisonment, was passed this summer.
"It's an absurdly heavy sentence and the independence of the judiciary system is in doubt," Law said. "It shows that the court once again become the suppression tool in favor to the authorities and the authority is determined to imprison prominent activists to set an example."
Chow still faces additional charges under the national security law, accused of colluding with foreign powers; a charge that carries a maximum sentence of life in prison. Chow told Newsweek in June: "It's never easy to fight against such a strong and powerful regime. But I really want to stay here and do something... It might be our last fight."
So broad is the national security law that more charges against all three could follow. Hong Kong's courts are currently clogged with cases against protesters. "Sentences could pile up," Law said. "To be honest, I have no idea when the trio could step out of the prison."
"I hope the international community could voice against this unjust sentencing and demand Immediate release of the trio," Law told Newsweek. "As Joshua said before he left the courtroom—it's not the end of the fight. We all have to stick to our roles and resist. It's time to speak up for Hong Kong more actively."
Human rights groups are also pushing back against China's prosecution of pro-democracy activists. Amnesty International released a statement from its Asia-Pacific Regional Director Yamini Mishra reading: "Once again, the government has used the politically-motivated charge of 'inciting others to protest' to prosecute people who have merely spoken out and protested peacefully."
"By targeting well-known activists from Hong Kong's largely leaderless protest movement, authorities are sending a warning to anyone who dares openly criticize the government that they could be next."


newsweek--2020-12-02--China Says US Report to Congress Filled with 'Conspiracies, Pitfalls, Threats'

China has objected to an annual report released by a congressionally mandated commission examining challenges to the relationship between Washington and Beijing , which the authors found to be rising to the top of the global order at the expense of the United States .
The U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission released on Tuesday its annual congressional report , which for the first time focused on China `` surpassing '' the U.S. in terms of economics as well as diplomacy , technology and diplomacy , rather than simply `` catching up . ''
While both President Robin Cleveland and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ areas of potential cooperation between the two powers on issues such as the economy , health care and climate change at a virtual press conference held a day before the report 's release , both issued criticisms of China mirroring the 575-page document 's findings that alleged the country was taking advantage of the U.S. , other countries and international institutions in an effort to advance the interests of the People 's Republic and its ruling Chinese Communist Party .
Reached for a response to accusations found in the report and recommendations that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ China , Beijing 's embassy in Washington referred Newsweek to comments Wednesday by Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying , who railed against the report , others like it and their authors .
`` The so-called commission you mentioned has always been ideologically biased against China , '' Hua said .
`` There is no factual basis for the vilification and smear of China in various reports it has fabricated . ''
She tied it to a larger trend of anti-China rhetoric being espoused not only by U.S. officials , but others she @ @ @ @ @ @ @ based on an outdated concept of international relations .
`` Some people in the United States can not extricate themselves from the Cold War and zero-sum game thinking , '' Hua said .
`` All that meet their eyes are conspiracies , pitfalls and threats .
This will do no good for the United States itself , the China-U.S. relations and the world . ''
Rather than adhere to the report 's calls for China to change its attitude , Hua said it was the U.S. that should update its worldview .
`` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the United States will abandon the Cold War and the zero-sum game thinking and ideological prejudice , stop making unprovoked accusations against China , and stop doing or saying anything that harms China 's interests and China-U.S. relations , '' Hua said .
U.S.-China ties have deteriorated considerably in recent years , especially suffering as President Donald Trump adopted a tough stance against what his administration has branded as Washington 's number one strategic competitor .
Just short of openly declaring a new Cold War , the Trump administration has urged the international @ @ @ @ @ @ @ accusing the world 's largest nation by population and the second biggest economy—first by purchasing power parity—of trade abuses , human rights violations and territorial aggression .
Many similar criticisms appeared in the U.S.-China Commission report , which linked them to a wider plan for global domination .
Beijing seeks to use its growing power to transform the international order , ultimately legitimizing its repressive governance system ; expanding its economic , security , and political interests ; and restoring China to what it views as its rightful place at the center of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
It called for Washington lawmakers to take action to prevent this , offering 10 key recommendations that included strict vetting of China-origin businesses , compulsory reciprocity from Beijing in terms of public and private sector interactions as well as greater U.S. support for self-ruling Taiwan and semi-autonomous Hong Kong .
Without such measures , the report predicted a reorganization of the international order .
`` Underestimating Beijing 's intent to revise the international order based on its current capabilities risks delaying a response until it is already too late to preserve the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ unprecedented flourishing of human life and freedoms for the last three quarters of a century , '' the report added .
U.S. legislators have increasingly sounded the alarm and what they believed to be unfair and exploitative Chinese behavior in international politics and trade .
As the House of Representatives prepared to bass a bill Wednesday taking aim at Chinese companies ' ability to raise money on U.S. stock exchanges , Hua decried what she saw as yet another practice that `` demonstrates the United States applies discriminatory policies to Chinese companies and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ She urged the U.S. to reconsider this approach in favor of dialogue .
`` In today 's world where the capital market is highly globalized , the right way to solve problems is to enhance dialogue and cooperation among relevant parties in a candid manner on issues such as strengthening cross-border regulatory cooperation and protecting the legitimate rights and interests of investors , '' Hua said .
`` We firmly oppose politicizing securities regulation .
We hope the U.S. side can provide a fair , just and non-discriminatory environment for foreign companies to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ instead of trying to set up various barriers . ''
While tensions remain high between the U.S. and China , tensions that spiked this year as the COVID-19 outbreak wrought sickness and disrupted life across the globe have relatively cooled in the wake of the U.S. presidential election , in which Trump 's rival , former Vice President Joe Biden has been declared the victor .
China has recognized Biden 's win , and last week President Xi Jinping offered a message to the president-elect .
`` Promoting healthy and stable development of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ interests of the people in both countries , but also meets the common expectation of the international community , '' Xi said , according to the state-run Xinhua News Agency .
The Chinese leader called for a reset in relations , one he argued would be to the mutual benefit of both countries .
Xi was quoted as saying that he `` hopes that the two sides will uphold the spirit of non-conflict , non-confrontation , mutual respect and win-win cooperation , focus on cooperation , manage differences , advance the healthy and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ join hands with other countries and the international community to promote the noble cause of world peace and development . ''
Biden has remained largely silent on China , to which he 's previously traveled as both vice president and senator .
He revealed during a New York Times interview published Wednesday , that he planned no sudden decisions involving China , including no reversal of the Trump-era tariffs that sparked a trade war between the two nations two and a half years ago .
`` I 'm not going to make any @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the tariffs , '' Biden told the newspaper .
`` I 'm not going to prejudice my options . ''
Rather , he would first conduct a comprehensive review of the current U.S.-China strategy and consult with foreign allies , especially in Asia and Europe , `` so we can develop a coherent strategy . ''
`` The best China strategy , I think , is one which gets every one of our—or at least what used to be our—allies on the same page , '' Biden told The Times .
`` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ priority for me in the opening weeks of my presidency to try to get us back on the same page with our allies . ''

China has objected to an annual report released by a congressionally mandated commission examining challenges to the relationship between Washington and Beijing, which the authors found to be rising to the top of the global order at the expense of the United States.
The U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission released on Tuesday its annual congressional report, which for the first time focused on China "surpassing" the U.S. in terms of economics as well as diplomacy, technology and diplomacy, rather than simply "catching up."
While both President Robin Cleveland and Vice Chair Carolyn Bartholomew discussed with Newsweek areas of potential cooperation between the two powers on issues such as the economy, health care and climate change at a virtual press conference held a day before the report's release, both issued criticisms of China mirroring the 575-page document's findings that alleged the country was taking advantage of the U.S., other countries and international institutions in an effort to advance the interests of the People's Republic and its ruling Chinese Communist Party.
Reached for a response to accusations found in the report and recommendations that U.S. lawmakers take a tougher line on China, Beijing's embassy in Washington referred Newsweek to comments Wednesday by Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying, who railed against the report, others like it and their authors.
"The so-called commission you mentioned has always been ideologically biased against China," Hua said. "There is no factual basis for the vilification and smear of China in various reports it has fabricated."
She tied it to a larger trend of anti-China rhetoric being espoused not only by U.S. officials, but others she charged with trying to sabotage bilateral relations based on an outdated concept of international relations.
"Some people in the United States cannot extricate themselves from the Cold War and zero-sum game thinking," Hua said. "All that meet their eyes are conspiracies, pitfalls and threats. This will do no good for the United States itself, the China-U.S. relations and the world."
Rather than adhere to the report's calls for China to change its attitude, Hua said it was the U.S. that should update its worldview.
"We hope that the relevant people in the United States will abandon the Cold War and the zero-sum game thinking and ideological prejudice, stop making unprovoked accusations against China, and stop doing or saying anything that harms China's interests and China-U.S. relations," Hua said.
A pro-Beijing supporter holds the Chinese national flag as he and others gather outside the Legislative Council in Hong Kong, China on November 12, a day after the city's authorities ousted four opposition lawmakers. The United States and fellow Anglosphere nations Australia, Canada and the United Kingdom have railed against China's consolidation of power over semi-autonomous Hong Kong, resulting in Chinese accusations of the quartet meddling in China's internal affairs. ANTHONY WALLACE/AFP/Getty Images
U.S.-China ties have deteriorated considerably in recent years, especially suffering as President Donald Trump adopted a tough stance against what his administration has branded as Washington's number one strategic competitor.
Just short of openly declaring a new Cold War, the Trump administration has urged the international community to rethink relations with China, accusing the world's largest nation by population and the second biggest economy—first by purchasing power parity—of trade abuses, human rights violations and territorial aggression.
Many similar criticisms appeared in the U.S.-China Commission report, which linked them to a wider plan for global domination.
Beijing seeks to use its growing power to transform the international order, ultimately legitimizing its repressive governance system; expanding its economic, security, and political interests; and restoring China to what it views as its rightful place at the center of the world," the report found.
It called for Washington lawmakers to take action to prevent this, offering 10 key recommendations that included strict vetting of China-origin businesses, compulsory reciprocity from Beijing in terms of public and private sector interactions as well as greater U.S. support for self-ruling Taiwan and semi-autonomous Hong Kong.
Without such measures, the report predicted a reorganization of the international order.
"Underestimating Beijing's intent to revise the international order based on its current capabilities risks delaying a response until it is already too late to preserve the liberal international order that has allowed the unprecedented flourishing of human life and freedoms for the last three quarters of a century," the report added.
U.S. legislators have increasingly sounded the alarm and what they believed to be unfair and exploitative Chinese behavior in international politics and trade.
As the House of Representatives prepared to bass a bill Wednesday taking aim at Chinese companies' ability to raise money on U.S. stock exchanges, Hua decried what she saw as yet another practice that "demonstrates the United States applies discriminatory policies to Chinese companies and launches political oppression against them."
She urged the U.S. to reconsider this approach in favor of dialogue.
"In today's world where the capital market is highly globalized, the right way to solve problems is to enhance dialogue and cooperation among relevant parties in a candid manner on issues such as strengthening cross-border regulatory cooperation and protecting the legitimate rights and interests of investors," Hua said. "We firmly oppose politicizing securities regulation. We hope the U.S. side can provide a fair, just and non-discriminatory environment for foreign companies to invest and operate in the US, instead of trying to set up various barriers."
While tensions remain high between the U.S. and China, tensions that spiked this year as the COVID-19 outbreak wrought sickness and disrupted life across the globe have relatively cooled in the wake of the U.S. presidential election, in which Trump's rival, former Vice President Joe Biden has been declared the victor.
China has recognized Biden's win, and last week President Xi Jinping offered a message to the president-elect.
"Promoting healthy and stable development of China-U.S. relations not only serves the fundamental interests of the people in both countries, but also meets the common expectation of the international community," Xi said, according to the state-run Xinhua News Agency.
The Chinese leader called for a reset in relations, one he argued would be to the mutual benefit of both countries.
Xi was quoted as saying that he "hopes that the two sides will uphold the spirit of non-conflict, non-confrontation, mutual respect and win-win cooperation, focus on cooperation, manage differences, advance the healthy and stable development of China-U.S. ties, and join hands with other countries and the international community to promote the noble cause of world peace and development."
Biden has remained largely silent on China, to which he's previously traveled as both vice president and senator. He revealed during a New York Times interview published Wednesday, that he planned no sudden decisions involving China, including no reversal of the Trump-era tariffs that sparked a trade war between the two nations two and a half years ago.
"I'm not going to make any immediate moves, and the same applies to the tariffs," Biden told the newspaper. "I'm not going to prejudice my options."
Rather, he would first conduct a comprehensive review of the current U.S.-China strategy and consult with foreign allies, especially in Asia and Europe, "so we can develop a coherent strategy."
"The best China strategy, I think, is one which gets every one of our—or at least what used to be our—allies on the same page," Biden told The Times. "It's going to be a major priority for me in the opening weeks of my presidency to try to get us back on the same page with our allies."


newsweek--2020-12-02--Katie Porter Spars With Mnuchin At Hearing: 'Ridiculous You're Play Acting… You Have No Legal Degree

Katie Porter Spars With Mnuchin At Hearing: 'Ridiculous You're Play Acting… You Have No Legal Degree'

Rep. Katie Porter ( D-Calif. ) slammed Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin for `` ridiculous play acting '' as a lawyer during a House hearing focusing on relief funds for the COVID-19 pandemic on Wednesday .
Porter and Mnuchin argued over details of the Coronavirus Aid , Relief , and Economic Security ( CARES ) Act at a House Committee on Financial Services hearing .
Mnuchin has demanded that any unused funds from the $ 2.2 trillion COVID-19 relief bill should be returned to the Treasury Department if they remain unused at the end of the year .
Porter challenged the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I 'm reading aloud now from section 4027 of the CARES Act : 'On or after January 1 , 2026 , any funds that are remaining shall be transferred to the general fund . '
In other words , sent back to the Treasury , '' Porter said .
`` Secretary Mnuchin , is it currently the year 2026 , yes or no ? ''
Mnuchin at first refused to respond to the question , prompting Porter to press him on the matter .
He responded that `` of course it 's not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` ridiculous to ask me that question and waste our time . ''
`` Well , Secretary Mnuchin , I think it 's ridiculous that you 're play acting to be a lawyer when you have no legal degree , '' Porter said .
`` Well actually , I have plenty of lawyers at the Department of Treasury who advise me , '' Mnuchin replied .
`` So , I 'm more than happy to follow up with [ committee Chairwoman Maxine ] Waters and explain all the legal provisions and the ranking @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to make that access . ''
Porter again pressed Mnuchin about whether he was a qualified lawyer .
He admitted that `` I do not have a legal degree , I have lawyers that report to me . ''
When Porter questioned his arguing with Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell , who is a qualified lawyer , that the funds should be returned based on `` what the law says , '' Mnuchin asked the congresswoman `` are you a lawyer ? ''
Porter is a lawyer .
She graduated magna cum laude @ @ @ @ @ @ @ studied under Sen. Elizabeth Warren ( D-Mass . )
and was an editor for the Harvard Women 's Law Journal , which has since been renamed the Harvard Journal of Law & Gender .
She then worked as a lawyer in private practice and spent several years as a law professor before entering politics .
A new COVID-19 relief bill remained elusive more than eight months after the CARES Act passed both chambers of Congress and was signed by President Donald Trump .
Partisan disagreements , focused on the overall size of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ made the prospect of legislation being passed soon appear increasingly unlikely even as the virus continued to spike throughout the country .
Newsweek reached out to the Treasury Department for comment .

Rep. Katie Porter (D-Calif.) slammed Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin for "ridiculous play acting" as a lawyer during a House hearing focusing on relief funds for the COVID-19 pandemic on Wednesday.
Porter and Mnuchin argued over details of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act at a House Committee on Financial Services hearing. Mnuchin has demanded that any unused funds from the $2.2 trillion COVID-19 relief bill should be returned to the Treasury Department if they remain unused at the end of the year. Porter challenged the legal reasoning behind the demand.
"I'm reading aloud now from section 4027 of the CARES Act: 'On or after January 1, 2026, any funds that are remaining shall be transferred to the general fund.' In other words, sent back to the Treasury," Porter said. "Secretary Mnuchin, is it currently the year 2026, yes or no?"
Rep. Katie Porter (D-Calif.) is seen during remote questioning of Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin at a House Financial Services committee hearing in Washington, D.C. on December 2, 2020. Pool/Getty
Mnuchin at first refused to respond to the question, prompting Porter to press him on the matter. He responded that "of course it's not 2026" while protesting that it was "ridiculous to ask me that question and waste our time."
"Well, Secretary Mnuchin, I think it's ridiculous that you're play acting to be a lawyer when you have no legal degree," Porter said.
"Well actually, I have plenty of lawyers at the Department of Treasury who advise me," Mnuchin replied. "So, I'm more than happy to follow up with [committee Chairwoman Maxine] Waters and explain all the legal provisions and the ranking member. So, more than happy to make that access."
Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin answers questions at a House Financial Services committee hearing in Washington, D.C. on December 2, 2020. Pool/Getty
Porter again pressed Mnuchin about whether he was a qualified lawyer. He admitted that "I do not have a legal degree, I have lawyers that report to me." When Porter questioned his arguing with Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell, who is a qualified lawyer, that the funds should be returned based on "what the law says," Mnuchin asked the congresswoman "are you a lawyer?"
Porter is a lawyer. She graduated magna cum laude from Harvard Law School, where she studied under Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and was an editor for the Harvard Women's Law Journal, which has since been renamed the Harvard Journal of Law & Gender. She then worked as a lawyer in private practice and spent several years as a law professor before entering politics.
A new COVID-19 relief bill remained elusive more than eight months after the CARES Act passed both chambers of Congress and was signed by President Donald Trump. Partisan disagreements, focused on the overall size of the bill as well as specific provisions, made the prospect of legislation being passed soon appear increasingly unlikely even as the virus continued to spike throughout the country.
Newsweek reached out to the Treasury Department for comment.


newsweek--2020-12-02--Lottery With 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 and 10 Drawn Sparks Fraud Probe After 20 People Win Jackpot

Some lottery players in South Africa cried foul on Tuesday when the Powerball numbers were presented in consecutive order .
Tuesday 's winning Powerball numbers were 05-06-07-08 and 09 .
The Powerball number , which increases the jackpot , was 10 .
Those numbers were played by 20 individuals who received $ 372,791.40 each .
Another 79 players who did not guess the Powerball number won $ 410.92 each .
In a Tuesday tweet , the National Lotteries Commission congratulated the winners .
`` These numbers may be unexpected but we see many players opt to play these sequences , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Some social media users were not sure the numbers were simply the luck of the draw .
`` Last night 's Powerball results , '' tweeted Tech Central founder Duncan McLeod .
`` What ?
!
Could this possibly be correct ?
Or was there a software glitch ?
Or something else ? ''
According to the news agency AFP , South Africa National Lotteries Commission ( NLC ) spokesman Ndivhuho Mafela said the drawing would be investigated .
Newsweek reached out to the NLC for further comment .
The odds of winning @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 42,375,200 .
Money is added to the pot if no winning ticket is presented .
There is no limit as to how much money can be placed in the jackpot .
While no fraud has yet to be proven in the South Africa Powerball drawing , rigging lottery games is not unheard of .
In 2017 , former information technology manager for Iowa 's Multi-State Lottery Association was sentenced to 25 years in prison after he pleaded guilty to manipulating the computer programs that chose the numbers for some lottery games .
Through @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was able to control which numbers were drawn on certain days .
Tipton revealed the numbers to family members and friends , sometimes splitting the winnings between themselves .
Tipton and his brother , Eddie , obtained a total of $ 24 million from rigged lotteries across 5 states .
Some Americans have also fallen victim to lottery scams perpetrated through mail or email .
In 2019 , the Federal Trade Commission ( FTC ) reported that people had lost roughly $ 121 million to false lottery games .
Communications from scammers tell @ @ @ @ @ @ @ In order to collect their winnings , the alleged winners are asked to pay some kind of fee upfront .
Once the money is received from the victims , the alleged prize is never sent .
According to the FTC , no legitimate lottery or sweepstakes will ask participants to ask for payment to receive a prize .
`` If you 're not sure about a contest or promoter , try typing the company or product name into your favorite search engine with terms like 'review , ' 'complaint ' or 'scam , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ news release .
`` You also might check it out with your state attorney general or local consumer protection office . ''

Some lottery players in South Africa cried foul on Tuesday when the Powerball numbers were presented in consecutive order.
Tuesday's winning Powerball numbers were 05-06-07-08 and 09. The Powerball number, which increases the jackpot, was 10. Those numbers were played by 20 individuals who received $372,791.40 each. Another 79 players who did not guess the Powerball number won $410.92 each.
In a Tuesday tweet, the National Lotteries Commission congratulated the winners. "These numbers may be unexpected but we see many players opt to play these sequences," the tweet read in part.
Some social media users were not sure the numbers were simply the luck of the draw. "Last night's Powerball results," tweeted Tech Central founder Duncan McLeod. "What?! Could this possibly be correct? Or was there a software glitch? Or something else?"
Last night's Powerball results. What?! Could this possibly be correct? Or was there a software glitch? Or something else? pic.twitter.com/XkGJHEEJPb — Duncan McLeod (@mcleodd) December 2, 2020
According to the news agency AFP, South Africa National Lotteries Commission (NLC) spokesman Ndivhuho Mafela said the drawing would be investigated. Newsweek reached out to the NLC for further comment.
After the numbers in a Tuesday South African lottery game were drawn in consecutive order, some alleged that the drawing had been rigged. iStock/Getty
The odds of winning South Africa's Powerball are 1 in 42,375,200. Money is added to the pot if no winning ticket is presented. There is no limit as to how much money can be placed in the jackpot.
While no fraud has yet to be proven in the South Africa Powerball drawing, rigging lottery games is not unheard of. In 2017, former information technology manager for Iowa's Multi-State Lottery Association was sentenced to 25 years in prison after he pleaded guilty to manipulating the computer programs that chose the numbers for some lottery games.
Through the installation of certain codes, Tipton was able to control which numbers were drawn on certain days. Tipton revealed the numbers to family members and friends, sometimes splitting the winnings between themselves. Tipton and his brother, Eddie, obtained a total of $24 million from rigged lotteries across 5 states.
Some Americans have also fallen victim to lottery scams perpetrated through mail or email. In 2019, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) reported that people had lost roughly $121 million to false lottery games.
Communications from scammers tell people they have won a prize. In order to collect their winnings, the alleged winners are asked to pay some kind of fee upfront. Once the money is received from the victims, the alleged prize is never sent.
According to the FTC, no legitimate lottery or sweepstakes will ask participants to ask for payment to receive a prize. "If you're not sure about a contest or promoter, try typing the company or product name into your favorite search engine with terms like 'review,' 'complaint' or 'scam,'" the FTC said in a news release. "You also might check it out with your state attorney general or local consumer protection office."


newsweek--2020-12-02--Joe Biden Backs Stimulus Deal Half the Size of White House's Pre-Election Offer to Break Deadlock

President-elect Joe Biden on Wednesday threw his support behind a $ 908 billion bipartisan stimulus proposal that 's roughly half the size offered by the Trump administration during negotiations with Democrats before the 2020 election .
A coalition of Republican and Democratic senators , including Susan Collins of Maine and Joe Manchin of West Virginia , unveiled the proposed bill on Tuesday as a middle-of-the-road compromise to address the economic fallout of the pandemic that has left Americans struggling to pay for basic necessities .
Biden backed the measure this afternoon , shortly after Democratic leaders indicated their willingness to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ deliver quick relief .
The former vice president said the developing $ 908 billion aid package `` would n't be the answer , but it would be the immediate help for a lot of things . ''
The bipartisan measure includes an extra $ 300 per week in unemployment benefits , $ 160 billion for state and local governments , nearly $ 290 billion in aid for small businesses through the Paycheck Protection Program , about $ 82 billion for schools , $ 45 billion for transportation agencies , as well as $ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ distribution .
The price tag attached to the package is almost double the $ 500 billion `` targeted '' package proposed by Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and less than half of the $ 2.2 trillion that House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has demanded .
In October , the Trump administration offered Democrats $ 1.8 trillion after the House approved a $ 2.2 trillion measure .
At the time , Pelosi passed , saying it was insufficient in addressing the needs of Americans suffering under the pandemic .
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer initially @ @ @ @ @ @ @ when it was presented , but he changed his mind one day later .
In a joint statement on Wednesday , Schumer and Pelosi said they were supporting the $ 908 billion bipartisan deal `` in the spirit of compromise . ''
`` While we made a new offer to Leader Mitch McConnell on Monday , in the spirit of compromise we believe the bipartisan framework introduced by Senators yesterday should be used as a basis for immediate bipartisan , bicameral negotiations , '' the Democratic leaders said in a statement .
`` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ offer improvements , but the need to act is immediate and we believe that with good-faith negotiations we could come to an agreement . ''
While Democrats have capitulated , McConnell has expressed unwillingness to budge from his roughly $ 500 billion position .
On Tuesday , McConnell rejected the bipartisan deal and unveiled a slightly tweaked , $ 550 billion version of a `` targeted '' proposal that had already been blocked twice .
Democrats and Collins quickly indicated resistance to a draft of McConnell 's plan .
`` If it 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ forth this summer then it 's going to be a partisan bill that is not going to become law , '' Collins said .
`` And I want a bill that will become law . ''
McConnell previously endorsed a roughly $ 1 trillion plan this summer but retracted his support following backlash from some conservatives .
Newsweek reached out to McConnell 's office for comment .

President-elect Joe Biden on Wednesday threw his support behind a $908 billion bipartisan stimulus proposal that's roughly half the size offered by the Trump administration during negotiations with Democrats before the 2020 election.
A coalition of Republican and Democratic senators, including Susan Collins of Maine and Joe Manchin of West Virginia, unveiled the proposed bill on Tuesday as a middle-of-the-road compromise to address the economic fallout of the pandemic that has left Americans struggling to pay for basic necessities.
Biden backed the measure this afternoon, shortly after Democratic leaders indicated their willingness to take the deal in an effort to deliver quick relief. The former vice president said the developing $908 billion aid package "wouldn't be the answer, but it would be the immediate help for a lot of things."
President-elect Joe Biden speaks during an event to name his economic team on December 1, 2020 in Wilmington, Delaware. Alex Wong/Getty
The bipartisan measure includes an extra $300 per week in unemployment benefits, $160 billion for state and local governments, nearly $290 billion in aid for small businesses through the Paycheck Protection Program, about $82 billion for schools, $45 billion for transportation agencies, as well as $16 billion for coronavirus testing and vaccine distribution.
The price tag attached to the package is almost double the $500 billion "targeted" package proposed by Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and less than half of the $2.2 trillion that House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has demanded. In October, the Trump administration offered Democrats $1.8 trillion after the House approved a $2.2 trillion measure. At the time, Pelosi passed, saying it was insufficient in addressing the needs of Americans suffering under the pandemic.
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer initially expressed disinterest in the new bipartisan proposal when it was presented, but he changed his mind one day later. In a joint statement on Wednesday, Schumer and Pelosi said they were supporting the $908 billion bipartisan deal "in the spirit of compromise."
"While we made a new offer to Leader Mitch McConnell on Monday, in the spirit of compromise we believe the bipartisan framework introduced by Senators yesterday should be used as a basis for immediate bipartisan, bicameral negotiations," the Democratic leaders said in a statement. "Of course, we and others will offer improvements, but the need to act is immediate and we believe that with good-faith negotiations we could come to an agreement."
While Democrats have capitulated, McConnell has expressed unwillingness to budge from his roughly $500 billion position. On Tuesday, McConnell rejected the bipartisan deal and unveiled a slightly tweaked, $550 billion version of a "targeted" proposal that had already been blocked twice. Democrats and Collins quickly indicated resistance to a draft of McConnell's plan.
"If it's identical to what [McConnell] brought forth this summer then it's going to be a partisan bill that is not going to become law," Collins said. "And I want a bill that will become law."
McConnell previously endorsed a roughly $1 trillion plan this summer but retracted his support following backlash from some conservatives.
Newsweek reached out to McConnell's office for comment.


newsweek--2020-12-02--'SWAT' Season 4, Episode 5 Release Date: Why It Is Not Airing on December 2

SWAT Season 4 may have only just got going , but already the show is taking a break .
The CBS procedural will not air a new episode on December 2 , meaning that fans will have to wait until later in December to watch Episode 5 , titled `` Fracture . ''
Why SWAT is not airing on December 2 Nothing to worry about , SWAT fans – the show is just taking a week 's break , as is standard practice for network TV shows .
A TV season ( which usually runs from September to May ) @ @ @ @ @ @ @ most of the big network dramas have 20 to 24 episodes .
This means that the show has to sometimes take weeks off to spread episodes across the whole season – even if , as happened this year , the show started to air later in the year .
Most notably , most series take a month or so off over the winter , which SWAT Season 4 will do from December 16 until January 2021 .
As such , this is just a scheduling break for the show after November , which @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as it is when the audiences panels who decide TV ratings have to give details of all the shows they are watching .
SWAT is far from the only CBS show taking a week off in December – NCIS Season 18 , for example , also did not air a new episode in the first week of December .
SWAT Season 4 , Episode 5 will come to CBS on Tuesday , December 9 , when the show will air in its usual time slot of 10 p.m .
ET / 9 p.m. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be available on the CBS website and app as well as CBS All Access shortly after airing .
Though CBS has not released a synopsis for `` Fracture , '' they have released a promo that reveals the show is continuing its commitment to framing the show in context of protests around police brutality .
In this trailer , we learn that Hondo ( played by Shemar Moore ) has been tasked with improving relations between police and the black community – though he has concerns about their approach .
`` Pandering ai @ @ @ @ @ @ @ him tell his superior .
The episode will also see SWAT face off against `` a more radical offshoot of the KKK . ''
This comes after the show 's makers revealed their plan to respond to the Black Lives Matter movement on the show .
Moore told Entertainment Weekly , for example , `` It 's fun to be on an exciting , kick-ass cop show .
I 'm the lead actor and I 'm proud to have achieved that .
But I 'm also a producer on the show .
It @ @ @ @ @ @ @ come up with quality content that has integrity without getting too heavy-handed or preachy .
I felt that there was an opportunity and a large responsibility to stay , as they say , woke . ''

SWAT Season 4 may have only just got going, but already the show is taking a break. The CBS procedural will not air a new episode on December 2, meaning that fans will have to wait until later in December to watch Episode 5, titled "Fracture."
Why SWAT is not airing on December 2
Nothing to worry about, SWAT fans – the show is just taking a week's break, as is standard practice for network TV shows.
A TV season (which usually runs from September to May) is about 32 weeks long, while most of the big network dramas have 20 to 24 episodes. This means that the show has to sometimes take weeks off to spread episodes across the whole season – even if, as happened this year, the show started to air later in the year. Most notably, most series take a month or so off over the winter, which SWAT Season 4 will do from December 16 until January 2021.
As such, this is just a scheduling break for the show after November, which is a major month for the networks as it is when the audiences panels who decide TV ratings have to give details of all the shows they are watching. SWAT is far from the only CBS show taking a week off in December – NCIS Season 18, for example, also did not air a new episode in the first week of December.
'SWAT' Season 4, Episode 5 will not air on December 2. CBS
When will SWAT Season 4, Episode 5 air?
SWAT Season 4, Episode 5 will come to CBS on Tuesday, December 9, when the show will air in its usual time slot of 10 p.m. ET / 9 p.m. CT. As ever, the episode will be available on the CBS website and app as well as CBS All Access shortly after airing.
Though CBS has not released a synopsis for "Fracture," they have released a promo that reveals the show is continuing its commitment to framing the show in context of protests around police brutality.
In this trailer, we learn that Hondo (played by Shemar Moore) has been tasked with improving relations between police and the black community – though he has concerns about their approach. "Pandering ain't the answer," we see him tell his superior. The episode will also see SWAT face off against "a more radical offshoot of the KKK."
This comes after the show's makers revealed their plan to respond to the Black Lives Matter movement on the show. Moore told Entertainment Weekly, for example, "It's fun to be on an exciting, kick-ass cop show. I'm the lead actor and I'm proud to have achieved that. But I'm also a producer on the show. It's very important to me that we come up with quality content that has integrity without getting too heavy-handed or preachy. I felt that there was an opportunity and a large responsibility to stay, as they say, woke."
SWAT returns on December 2 on CBS.


newsweek--2020-12-02--WH Press Sec McEnany Says Trump 'Followed the Science,' Works Hard on COVID Response 'Behind the Sce

WH Press Sec McEnany Says Trump 'Followed the Science,' Works Hard on COVID Response 'Behind the Scenes'

When asked on Wednesday about President Donald Trump 's recent lack of public comments on the worsening COVID-19 pandemic , White House Press Secretary Kayleigh McEnany claimed that Trump has been working `` behind the scenes '' and that his previous actions demonstrate that he has `` followed the science '' on the virus .
`` He 's hard at work at this with the task force behind the scenes , '' McEnany said , touted Trump 's advocation of reopening schools as proof that Trump has `` followed the science '' , especially as more medical experts have supported @ @ @ @ @ @ @ President 's followed the science , '' McEnany said .
`` He 's also kept in mind we have a constitution , and he will be unashamed and always advocating for the science in the best interest of the children of this country . ''
A November 14 Washington Post article claimed that Trump had n't attended a meeting of the White House 's coronavirus task force in five months nor taken steps to slow the virus ' spread in the days following his national election loss to President-elect Joe Biden .
Responding @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Sarah A Matthews told Business Insider , `` The President is regularly briefed about the coronavirus .
The relevant information is brought to him on the big decisions , and then he moves forward in the way that 's best for our country . ''
While Trump used to regularly appear as part of the daily coronavirus task force briefings in the pandemic 's opening months , his appearances suddenly stopped after the April 23 briefing in which Trump publicly speculated whether injecting household disinfectants into the body might cure the virus .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ a sarcastic ploy towards reporters done just to `` to see what would happen . ''
During an October 24 campaign rally in Lumberton , North Carolina , Trump said , `` That 's all I hear about now .
That 's all I hear .
Turn on television—'COVID , COVID , COVID , COVID , COVID , COVID .
By the way , on November 4 , you wo n't hear about it anymore . ''
His comment suggested that Democrats and the media were discussing the pandemic just to hurt his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ disagreed that Trump has always `` followed the science '' on COVID-19 .
Trump has repeatedly asserted that the virus would just disappear one day and has continually downplayed the virus ' lethality , calling it no worse than he flu , even as new cases and deaths dramatically outpaced any previous flu season , killing more Americans than have died in five modern U.S. military conflicts .
Even senior White House adviser Jared Kushner described Trump 's relationship to the medical community as adversarial .
In July , four former directors of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Prevention ( CDC ) accused Trump of `` subverting scientific expertise '' and `` unnecessarily putting lives at risk . ''
In a Washington Post op-ed , they wrote , `` No president ever politicized [ the CDC 's ] science the way Trump has . ''
On October 26 , Trump said that doctors overreport COVID-19 deaths for financial gain .
However , Ashish K. Jha , dean of the Brown University School of Public Health , called Trump 's claim `` Facebook junk . ''
Many other doctors and medical associations @ @ @ @ @ @ @ potentially lose their licenses if they inflated case numbers .
In early October , The New England Journal of Medicine published its first-ever editorial in the publication 's over-200-year history stating that Trump had `` failed ... a test of leadership '' in his response to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic .
Newsweek reached out to the White House for comment .

When asked on Wednesday about President Donald Trump's recent lack of public comments on the worsening COVID-19 pandemic, White House Press Secretary Kayleigh McEnany claimed that Trump has been working "behind the scenes" and that his previous actions demonstrate that he has "followed the science" on the virus.
"He's hard at work at this with the task force behind the scenes," McEnany said, touted Trump's advocation of reopening schools as proof that Trump has "followed the science", especially as more medical experts have supported reopening schools as well.
"The President's followed the science," McEnany said. "He's also kept in mind we have a constitution, and he will be unashamed and always advocating for the science in the best interest of the children of this country."
In a Wednesday press briefing, White House Press Secretary Kayleigh McEnany said that President Donald Trump has always followed the science on COVID-19 and is working "behind the scenes" in response to an inquiry about his recent absence in publicly discussing the virus. In this October 10, 2020 photo, Trump takes his mask off before speaking from the South Portico of the White House. Mandel Ngan/AFP/Getty
A November 14 Washington Post article claimed that Trump hadn't attended a meeting of the White House's coronavirus task force in five months nor taken steps to slow the virus' spread in the days following his national election loss to President-elect Joe Biden.
Responding to the article, White House spokeswoman Sarah A Matthews told Business Insider, "The President is regularly briefed about the coronavirus. The relevant information is brought to him on the big decisions, and then he moves forward in the way that's best for our country."
While Trump used to regularly appear as part of the daily coronavirus task force briefings in the pandemic's opening months, his appearances suddenly stopped after the April 23 briefing in which Trump publicly speculated whether injecting household disinfectants into the body might cure the virus. He later claimed his comment was merely a sarcastic ploy towards reporters done just to "to see what would happen."
During an October 24 campaign rally in Lumberton, North Carolina, Trump said, "That's all I hear about now. That's all I hear. Turn on television—'COVID, COVID, COVID, COVID, COVID, COVID. By the way, on November 4, you won't hear about it anymore." His comment suggested that Democrats and the media were discussing the pandemic just to hurt his re-election chances.
Medical professionals have also disagreed that Trump has always "followed the science" on COVID-19. Trump has repeatedly asserted that the virus would just disappear one day and has continually downplayed the virus' lethality, calling it no worse than he flu, even as new cases and deaths dramatically outpaced any previous flu season, killing more Americans than have died in five modern U.S. military conflicts.
Even senior White House adviser Jared Kushner described Trump's relationship to the medical community as adversarial.
In July, four former directors of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) accused Trump of "subverting scientific expertise" and "unnecessarily putting lives at risk." In a Washington Post op-ed, they wrote, "No president ever politicized [the CDC's] science the way Trump has."
On October 26, Trump said that doctors overreport COVID-19 deaths for financial gain. However, Ashish K. Jha, dean of the Brown University School of Public Health, called Trump's claim "Facebook junk." Many other doctors and medical associations said doctors would face criminal charges and potentially lose their licenses if they inflated case numbers.
In early October, The New England Journal of Medicine published its first-ever editorial in the publication's over-200-year history stating that Trump had "failed ... a test of leadership" in his response to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
Newsweek reached out to the White House for comment.


newsweek--2020-12-02--Fox News' Hannity Sets Ratings Record in November Amid Trump's Voter Fraud Push

Fox News ' Hannity achieved record ratings in a key demographic during the month of November amid President Donald Trump 's evidence-free claims of massive voter fraud during the presidential election .
The prime-time opinion program hosted by Sean Hannity was watched by an average of over 1 million viewers aged 25-54 for the first time ever during the month .
The show was the second-highest rated cable news show with 4,982,000 total viewers , just below the 5,095,000 who watched the network 's top-rated show Tucker Carlson Tonight .
Hannity 's post-election coverage featured regular appearances by White House @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Graham ( R-S.C. ) and a host of other prominent Republicans closely associated with the president .
Lawyers promoting unsubstantiated claims that widespread voter fraud handed President-elect Joe Biden the White House were also featured .
Fox News had its best November in prime time Nielsen ratings overall , while beating rival networks CNN and MSNBC in total viewers during both day and prime time .
Hannity and Tucker Carlson Tonight were joined by fellow Fox News programs The Five and The Ingraham Angle in a list of the top five rated cable @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's The Rachel Maddow Show .
Tucker Carlson Tonight was the most-watched show in all of cable news during November and became the first program on a cable news network to ever score over 5 million viewers for two consecutive months .
Hannity is the only other cable news show to achieve a monthly average of 5 million viewers .
Fox News viewership grew 22 percent in daytime programming when compared to November 2019 figures , with prime-time ratings increasing by 41 percent .
MSNBC increased viewership by 32 percent in the day @ @ @ @ @ @ @ while CNN had by far the largest year-to-year increases of the three networks .
CNN daytime numbers were up 135 percent from the previous year , with prime-time numbers up 180 percent .
In the 25-54 demographic , CNN led ratings in both prime time and daytime .
Total average viewer numbers reached a high mark for CNN in November , with prime-time viewership of over 2.8 million being the most ever recorded by the network .
Prime-time viewership among those aged 25-54 hit the highest level seen since 2003 , with a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ all of the cable news networks likely benefited from extensive election coverage .
Delayed results due to the counting of large numbers of mail-in ballots amid the COVID-19 pandemic , along with Trump 's extended protesting of the outcome , could have helped to further boost ratings above the already high figures that might have otherwise been expected during the month of a presidential election .

Fox News' Hannity achieved record ratings in a key demographic during the month of November amid President Donald Trump's evidence-free claims of massive voter fraud during the presidential election.
The prime-time opinion program hosted by Sean Hannity was watched by an average of over 1 million viewers aged 25-54 for the first time ever during the month. The show was the second-highest rated cable news show with 4,982,000 total viewers, just below the 5,095,000 who watched the network's top-rated show Tucker Carlson Tonight.
Hannity's post-election coverage featured regular appearances by White House Press Secretary Kayleigh McEnany, Senator Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) and a host of other prominent Republicans closely associated with the president. Lawyers promoting unsubstantiated claims that widespread voter fraud handed President-elect Joe Biden the White House were also featured.
Fox News had its best November in prime time Nielsen ratings overall, while beating rival networks CNN and MSNBC in total viewers during both day and prime time. Hannity and Tucker Carlson Tonight were joined by fellow Fox News programs The Five and The Ingraham Angle in a list of the top five rated cable news network shows, followed by MSNBC's The Rachel Maddow Show.
Fox News host Sean Hannity speaks to President Donald Trump at an event in Las Vegas, Nevada on September 20, 2018. Ethan Miller/Getty
Tucker Carlson Tonight was the most-watched show in all of cable news during November and became the first program on a cable news network to ever score over 5 million viewers for two consecutive months. Hannity is the only other cable news show to achieve a monthly average of 5 million viewers.
Fox News viewership grew 22 percent in daytime programming when compared to November 2019 figures, with prime-time ratings increasing by 41 percent. MSNBC increased viewership by 32 percent in the day and 29 percent during prime time, while CNN had by far the largest year-to-year increases of the three networks. CNN daytime numbers were up 135 percent from the previous year, with prime-time numbers up 180 percent.
In the 25-54 demographic, CNN led ratings in both prime time and daytime. Total average viewer numbers reached a high mark for CNN in November, with prime-time viewership of over 2.8 million being the most ever recorded by the network. Prime-time viewership among those aged 25-54 hit the highest level seen since 2003, with a total of approximately 952,000.
Ratings for all of the cable news networks likely benefited from extensive election coverage. Delayed results due to the counting of large numbers of mail-in ballots amid the COVID-19 pandemic, along with Trump's extended protesting of the outcome, could have helped to further boost ratings above the already high figures that might have otherwise been expected during the month of a presidential election.


newsweek--2020-12-02--Roger Stone Says North Korean Boats Delivered Ballots Through Maine Harbor As Trump Boosts Fraud Cla

Roger Stone Says North Korean Boats Delivered Ballots Through Maine Harbor As Trump Boosts Fraud Claims

Former Trump adviser Roger Stone claimed on Wednesday that North Korea had interfered in the U.S. presidential election .
Meanwhile , President Donald Trump continued to assert that fraudulent activity was prevalent during the November election .
Stone , who has previously spoken of his respect for some members of the QAnon conspiracy theory movement , was sentenced to 40 months in prison for lying to investigators in connection with the Mueller probe into Russian election meddling during Trump 's 2016 campaign .
Trump commuted Stone 's sentence in July .
With the Electoral College expected to meet on December @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of widespread election fraud .
Democrat President-elect Joe Biden was widely projected to be the winner of the election despite Trump 's protestations .
During an interview on The Alex Jones Show , Stone said he had received further proof of election fraud .
`` I just learned of absolute incontrovertible evidence of North Korean boats delivering ballots through a harbor in Maine , the state of Maine , '' Stone said .
`` If this checks out , if law enforcement looked into that and it turned out to be true , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the election . ''
Newsweek reached out to the Maine Bureau of Corporations , Elections and Commissions for comment .
Stone told Jones that he prayed daily for Trump to be `` strengthened '' in his fight against `` an epically corrupt deep state that has no problem in what appears to be the cyber-manipulation of the votes of the American people . ''
In a July interview , Stone praised some members of the QAnon movement as `` great patriots . ''
Many of the theories espoused by QAnon adherents revolve @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Democrats , some members of the business community and individuals in the entertainment industry .
According to the theory , those individuals are involved in pedophilia , human trafficking and satanic worship .
While Trump has declined to distance himself from the QAnon movement , his claims that Democrats conspired to win the election have continued .
On Wednesday , Trump released a 46-minute long video on his Twitter feed detailing his allegations of election fraud .
`` The Democrats had this election rigged right from the beginning , '' Trump said , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ improper mail-in ballots and insufficient signature checks .
Trump has alleged that many of the mail-in ballots , which skewed Democratic , were illegally counted .
Those ballots allegedly helped swing the election in Biden 's favor .
`` If we are right about the fraud , '' Trump said , `` Joe Biden ca n't be president .
We 're talking about hundreds of thousands of votes . ''
Trump 's legal team has filed litigation in some battleground states contesting the election process .
However , many of those lawsuits have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a disaster this election was , '' Trump said .
`` A total catastrophe , but we 're going to show it , and hopefully the courts—in particular , the Supreme Court of the United States—will see it and respectfully , hopefully , they will do what 's right for our country . ''
According to the Associated Press , Biden was projected to win the election with 51.3 percent of the popular vote to Trump 's 47 percent .
Biden received 306 electoral votes , more than the 270 electoral votes required @ @ @ @ @ @ @ some litigation on behalf of Trump is still ongoing , states have until December 8 to certify their election results before the Electoral College convenes on December 14 .

Former Trump adviser Roger Stone claimed without evidence on Wednesday that North Korea had interfered in the U.S. presidential election. Meanwhile, President Donald Trump continued to assert that fraudulent activity was prevalent during the November election.
Stone, who has previously spoken of his respect for some members of the QAnon conspiracy theory movement, was sentenced to 40 months in prison for lying to investigators in connection with the Mueller probe into Russian election meddling during Trump's 2016 campaign. Trump commuted Stone's sentence in July.
With the Electoral College expected to meet on December 14, Trump has intensified his claims of widespread election fraud. Democrat President-elect Joe Biden was widely projected to be the winner of the election despite Trump's protestations. During an interview on The Alex Jones Show, Stone baselessly said he had received proof of election fraud.
"I just learned of absolute incontrovertible evidence of North Korean boats delivering ballots through a harbor in Maine, the state of Maine," Stone said. "If this checks out, if law enforcement looked into that and it turned out to be true, it would be proof of foreign involvement in the election."
In a statement emailed to Newsweek on Thursday, the office of Maine's Secretary of State denied Stone's allegations.
"Discussing a rumor such as this only legitimizes it," said Department of the Secretary of State Director of Communications Kristen Schulze Muszynski. "We have no evidence of any interference in our election, and we have completed our certification of the official results. We take voter fraud and interference allegations seriously and look into any substantiated claims. At this point, this vague rumor has absolutely no validity."
Stone told Jones that he prayed daily for Trump to be "strengthened" in his fight against "an epically corrupt deep state that has no problem in what appears to be the cyber-manipulation of the votes of the American people."
Roger Stone, former adviser to President Donald Trump, said Wednesday that he had knowledge of "incontrovertible evidence" of election fraud. Mark Wilson/Getty
In a July interview, Stone praised some members of the QAnon movement as "great patriots." Many of the theories espoused by QAnon adherents revolve around Trump leading a covert battle against Democrats, some members of the business community and individuals in the entertainment industry. According to the theory, those individuals are involved in pedophilia, human trafficking and satanic worship.
While Trump has declined to distance himself from the QAnon movement, his claims that Democrats conspired to win the election have continued. On Wednesday, Trump released a 46-minute long video on his Twitter feed detailing his allegations of election fraud.
"The Democrats had this election rigged right from the beginning," Trump said, citing claims of voting machine manipulation, improper mail-in ballots and insufficient signature checks.
Trump has alleged that many of the mail-in ballots, which skewed Democratic, were illegally counted. Those ballots allegedly helped swing the election in Biden's favor. "If we are right about the fraud," Trump said, "Joe Biden can't be president. We're talking about hundreds of thousands of votes."
Trump's legal team has filed litigation in some battleground states contesting the election process. However, many of those lawsuits have been dismissed by judges.
"What a disaster this election was," Trump said. "A total catastrophe, but we're going to show it, and hopefully the courts—in particular, the Supreme Court of the United States—will see it and respectfully, hopefully, they will do what's right for our country."
According to the Associated Press, Biden was projected to win the election with 51.3 percent of the popular vote to Trump's 47 percent. Biden received 306 electoral votes, more than the 270 electoral votes required to be officially declared president. Although some litigation on behalf of Trump is still ongoing, states have until December 8 to certify their election results before the Electoral College convenes on December 14.
Correction: This story has been updated to say that Stone had no evidence for the comments he made.
Update (4:28 p.m. EST, 12/03/2020): This story has been updated with a statement from the Department of the Secretary of State of Maine.