newsweek--2020-12-16--John McDonnell Says Corbyn Suspension Was 'Huge Overreaction'

Some on the left in the U.K. want former Shadow Chancellor John McDonnell to be prime minister yet his closest brush with power ended with a heavy election defeat and , only months afterward , his close friend and former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn was suspended from the Parliamentary Labour Party for antisemitism .
McDonnell now sits on the backbenches far away , often both figuratively and literally from new leader Keir Starmer and from any idea of being the leader of Britain .
So does he want to be prime minister ?
Does he think Brexit can work ?
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's suspension ?
McDonnell has spent his entire life in and around politics .
For over 40 years , except for a brief stint in a bingo hall , he 's moved around from trade unions and Camden Borough Council to the Greater London council and been a member of Parliament for over 20 years , developing close ties with the socialist wing of the Labour Party and , for five of the last six years , serving as shadow chancellor .
Since the last election defeat , his close ally Jeremy Corbyn @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and still remains as an MP but without the Labour whip .
This side of the party has not been further from power since the start of Tony Blair 's leadership in the 1990s and Corbyn , alongside McDonnell , are still seen as having questions to answer about why the party performed so badly in the general election and whether antisemitism was there all along or if it was exacerbated and encouraged by the recent leadership .
This is , McDonnell says , a saga now proving to be a distraction large @ @ @ @ @ @ @ chances of winning the next election .
When it comes to the suspension of Corbyn for his comments in response to a report on anti-Semitism in the party , McDonnell tells Newsweek that the party has got it wrong .
`` There might be some disagreements by some about the form of words he used but there 's been a huge overreaction by Keir Starmer and the general secretary of the Labour Party , '' McDonnell tells Newsweek .
`` Most people thought the matter would be resolved by the formal disciplinary process @ @ @ @ @ @ @ no case to answer .
Jeremy gets reinstated in the party .
To then remove the whip from him people , and I agree , found this unfair and unjust .
`` What we 're hoping for now is that there 's a dialogue that takes place where people can understand different points of view and as a result of that Jeremy can have the whip restored . ''
The decision to suspend Corbyn came after the Equalities and Human Rights Commission ( EHRC ) , the country 's equalities watchdog , found @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Labour party which `` at best , did not do enough to prevent anti-Semitism and , at worst , could be seen to accept it '' following a number of high profile complaints from Jewish members of the party over anti-Semitism during his leadership .
It also said the party had breached the Equality Act .
`` I 've said before , that as soon as that report comes out , we have to accept it and get on with implementing its recommendations and working with the EHRC in terms of making sure @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' McDonnell says .
In response , Corbyn said that `` one anti-Semite is one too many '' in the party but went on to add that the `` scale of the problem was also dramatically overstated for political reasons by our opponents inside and outside the party , as well as by much of the media . ''
Around 30 minutes after Corbyn 's statement the Labour leader said those who ho believed the issue of anti-Semitism in the party had been `` exaggerated '' or that it was a `` factional @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the problem and ... should be nowhere near the Labour Party '' .
Later that day , the party released a statement saying Corbyn , who joined the Labour party 55 years ago as a teenager , had been suspended .
Since becoming Labour leader , Starmer has been praised for his `` forensic '' approach in holding Boris Johnson to account during Prime Minister 's Questions .
A recent poll by Channel 4 showed the Conservatives struggling to hold onto seats they had won from Labour in 2019 , with it being @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the out of the 45 seats it lost at the last election .
`` I think where the Labour party general secretary has made a huge mistake is trying to close down any discussion with regards to Jeremy 's suspension or with regard to the withdrawing of the whip , '' he says .
`` People have reacted against that because they see it as anti-democratic and do n't understand why anyone would impose those restrictions on debate . ''
Supporters of Corbyn have criticized the party 's general secretary David Evans @ @ @ @ @ @ @ suspend Corbyn and who has barred MPs and party members from discussing Corbyn 's suspension .
Momentum , the grassroots movement that was set up to support Corbyn , is preparing to launch a campaign to have an elected general secretary .
It 's something McDonnell supports .
`` I 've argued since the 1970s that officials should be elected , '' he says .
It 's the way in which you overcome the bureaucratization of any organization and the history of this goes back nearly a century . ''
The Times reported @ @ @ @ @ @ @ members between April and June under Starmer and while Labour may be ahead in the former red wall constituencies , the Conservatives still fare better on issues such as the economy and defense .
`` I supported Rebecca Long-Bailey [ to be leader over Starmer ] and was hoping we 'd have a left woman as leader .
When Keir ran , he ran on a 10-point policy plan which was basically drawn from the last two Labour manifestos , he committed himself to that policy program and , at the same time @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that would unite the Labour party so our job on the left in the party is two things .
`` One is to hold him to a commitment that he gave on that policy program and the role of uniting the party , but actually the role of the left in the party is to recognize the 2017 and 2019 manifestos were great , but actually things have moved on and if anything we need to be more radical as we go into the coming years .
The reason I 'm saying that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ years of austerity . ''
These 10 years of austerity saw rising poverty , stagnation in wages and cuts to social security payments but Labour failed to convert this unhappiness to any electoral success , with the Conservatives managing to achieve an 80 seat majority in 2019 , their best election result since 1987 .
For McDonnell , there are two recent policy issues he openly differs from Starmer on .
The first being the Home Office 's decision to deport Jamaican nationals it says are serious foreign criminals , but which human @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for deportation came to the U.K. as children or have lived in the country for decades with established families .
The other is the Covert Human Intelligence Sources Bill , also known as , `` SpyCops '' bill which gives authorization to undercover agents and informants to commit crimes as part of their work .
McDonnell believes there are basic human rights that the party should never compromise on .
The party has also been recently criticized for failing to take seriously the concerns of Muslim members after a report from the Labour @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a third had seen Islamophobia in the party .
McDonnell hopes the party does more to tackle the problem .
`` What I 'm hoping for is that there 's a positive response from the Labour leadership in which we take that report and we use it as a guiding vehicle of how we tackle Islamophobia in the party , '' he says .
`` Now [ report author ] Ali Milani has met with Keir Starmer and his team , my understanding is that they 're looking at a whole exercise about @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lessons from it . ''
As the COVID pandemic hit the U.K. , Chancellor Rishi Sunak has said he is willing to do `` whatever it takes '' to support businesses and households from its economic impact .
Critics say he has taken several policies from Labour 's doomed 2019 manifesto .
Policies such as the creation of a national infrastructure bank and the establishment of a Treasury HQ in the north of England .
`` Boris Johnson and Rishi Sunak seize the headline and never actually deliver in the detail or policy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this `` headline-grabbing '' was one of the reasons why Johnson was voted in and Labour failed .
`` We came across close to forming a government in 2017 and then we lost the pace between 2017 and 2019 , '' McDonnell says .
That was about a clear enough narrative about what we were about , what sort of society we want to create and how we were going to do it .
I think I should 've given more attention to developing that narrative and it 's one of the lessons @ @ @ @ @ @ @ do you achieve hegemony ? ''
This so-called `` hegemony '' would need Labour to come together as a united party , something that has been difficult in recent years .
Former Prime Minister Tony Blair called Corbyn 's leadership an error and now Starmer 's leadership being criticized from some on the left , despite his growing popularity .
Well-known figures on the left like Owen Jones have argued with McDonnell that he should run for leader and would make a great prime minister .
`` I asked him [ McDonnell ] @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 2019 election , '' Jones told the New Statesman .
`` I texted him in the early hours , begging him to stand .
He did n't reply to that text . ''
Those on the socialist wing of Labour are still wondering in McDonnell might still have a chance of rising to the top again .
`` No chance of that whatsoever , '' McDonnell says .
`` I am falling into the role of elder statesman and I 'm quite enjoying it . ''
The Labour Party has been approached for @ @

Some on the left in the U.K. want former Shadow Chancellor John McDonnell to be prime minister yet his closest brush with power ended with a heavy election defeat and, only months afterward, his close friend and former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn was suspended from the Parliamentary Labour Party for antisemitism.
McDonnell now sits on the backbenches far away, often both figuratively and literally from new leader Keir Starmer and from any idea of being the leader of Britain. So does he want to be prime minister? Does he think Brexit can work? And what does he think about Corbyn's suspension?
McDonnell has spent his entire life in and around politics. For over 40 years, except for a brief stint in a bingo hall, he's moved around from trade unions and Camden Borough Council to the Greater London council and been a member of Parliament for over 20 years, developing close ties with the socialist wing of the Labour Party and, for five of the last six years, serving as shadow chancellor.
Since the last election defeat, his close ally Jeremy Corbyn has been suspended from the Labour Party and still remains as an MP but without the Labour whip. This side of the party has not been further from power since the start of Tony Blair's leadership in the 1990s and Corbyn, alongside McDonnell, are still seen as having questions to answer about why the party performed so badly in the general election and whether antisemitism was there all along or if it was exacerbated and encouraged by the recent leadership.
This is, McDonnell says, a saga now proving to be a distraction large enough that it could harm Labour's chances of winning the next election. When it comes to the suspension of Corbyn for his comments in response to a report on anti-Semitism in the party, McDonnell tells Newsweek that the party has got it wrong.
"There might be some disagreements by some about the form of words he used but there's been a huge overreaction by Keir Starmer and the general secretary of the Labour Party," McDonnell tells Newsweek. "Most people thought the matter would be resolved by the formal disciplinary process. That took place, it found no case to answer. Jeremy gets reinstated in the party. To then remove the whip from him people, and I agree, found this unfair and unjust.
"What we're hoping for now is that there's a dialogue that takes place where people can understand different points of view and as a result of that Jeremy can have the whip restored."
The decision to suspend Corbyn came after the Equalities and Human Rights Commission (EHRC), the country's equalities watchdog, found that there was a culture in the Labour party which "at best, did not do enough to prevent anti-Semitism and, at worst, could be seen to accept it" following a number of high profile complaints from Jewish members of the party over anti-Semitism during his leadership. It also said the party had breached the Equality Act.
John McDonnell Says Corbyn Suspension Was "Huge Overreaction" Getty
"I've said before, that as soon as that report comes out, we have to accept it and get on with implementing its recommendations and working with the EHRC in terms of making sure that we implement their recommendations effectively," McDonnell says.
In response, Corbyn said that "one anti-Semite is one too many" in the party but went on to add that the "scale of the problem was also dramatically overstated for political reasons by our opponents inside and outside the party, as well as by much of the media." Around 30 minutes after Corbyn's statement the Labour leader said those who ho believed the issue of anti-Semitism in the party had been "exaggerated" or that it was a "factional attack" were also "part of the problem and... should be nowhere near the Labour Party".
Later that day, the party released a statement saying Corbyn, who joined the Labour party 55 years ago as a teenager, had been suspended. Since becoming Labour leader, Starmer has been praised for his "forensic" approach in holding Boris Johnson to account during Prime Minister's Questions. A recent poll by Channel 4 showed the Conservatives struggling to hold onto seats they had won from Labour in 2019, with it being estimated that it could win back 36 of the out of the 45 seats it lost at the last election.
"I think where the Labour party general secretary has made a huge mistake is trying to close down any discussion with regards to Jeremy's suspension or with regard to the withdrawing of the whip," he says. "People have reacted against that because they see it as anti-democratic and don't understand why anyone would impose those restrictions on debate."
Supporters of Corbyn have criticized the party's general secretary David Evans, who made the original decision to suspend Corbyn and who has barred MPs and party members from discussing Corbyn's suspension. Momentum, the grassroots movement that was set up to support Corbyn, is preparing to launch a campaign to have an elected general secretary. It's something McDonnell supports.
"I've argued since the 1970s that officials should be elected," he says. It's the way in which you overcome the bureaucratization of any organization and the history of this goes back nearly a century."
The Times reported that the party has also lost 57,000 members between April and June under Starmer and while Labour may be ahead in the former red wall constituencies, the Conservatives still fare better on issues such as the economy and defense.
"I supported Rebecca Long-Bailey [to be leader over Starmer] and was hoping we'd have a left woman as leader. When Keir ran, he ran on a 10-point policy plan which was basically drawn from the last two Labour manifestos, he committed himself to that policy program and, at the same time, he also ran as the candidate that would unite the Labour party so our job on the left in the party is two things.
"One is to hold him to a commitment that he gave on that policy program and the role of uniting the party, but actually the role of the left in the party is to recognize the 2017 and 2019 manifestos were great, but actually things have moved on and if anything we need to be more radical as we go into the coming years. The reason I'm saying that is because people are exhausted after 10 years of austerity."
These 10 years of austerity saw rising poverty, stagnation in wages and cuts to social security payments but Labour failed to convert this unhappiness to any electoral success, with the Conservatives managing to achieve an 80 seat majority in 2019, their best election result since 1987.
For McDonnell, there are two recent policy issues he openly differs from Starmer on. The first being the Home Office's decision to deport Jamaican nationals it says are serious foreign criminals, but which human rights charities have challenged because some earmarked for deportation came to the U.K. as children or have lived in the country for decades with established families.
The other is the Covert Human Intelligence Sources Bill, also known as, "SpyCops" bill which gives authorization to undercover agents and informants to commit crimes as part of their work. McDonnell believes there are basic human rights that the party should never compromise on.
The party has also been recently criticized for failing to take seriously the concerns of Muslim members after a report from the Labour Muslim Network which showed that more than a third had seen Islamophobia in the party. McDonnell hopes the party does more to tackle the problem.
"What I'm hoping for is that there's a positive response from the Labour leadership in which we take that report and we use it as a guiding vehicle of how we tackle Islamophobia in the party," he says. "Now [report author] Ali Milani has met with Keir Starmer and his team, my understanding is that they're looking at a whole exercise about how they take it forward and learn lessons from it."
As the COVID pandemic hit the U.K., Chancellor Rishi Sunak has said he is willing to do "whatever it takes" to support businesses and households from its economic impact. Critics say he has taken several policies from Labour's doomed 2019 manifesto. Policies such as the creation of a national infrastructure bank and the establishment of a Treasury HQ in the north of England.
"Boris Johnson and Rishi Sunak seize the headline and never actually deliver in the detail or policy implementation," he says. Yet this "headline-grabbing" was one of the reasons why Johnson was voted in and Labour failed.
"We came across close to forming a government in 2017 and then we lost the pace between 2017 and 2019," McDonnell says. That was about a clear enough narrative about what we were about, what sort of society we want to create and how we were going to do it. I think I should've given more attention to developing that narrative and it's one of the lessons that needs to be learned, how do you achieve hegemony?"
This so-called "hegemony" would need Labour to come together as a united party, something that has been difficult in recent years. Former Prime Minister Tony Blair called Corbyn's leadership an error and now Starmer's leadership being criticized from some on the left, despite his growing popularity.
Well-known figures on the left like Owen Jones have argued with McDonnell that he should run for leader and would make a great prime minister. "I asked him [McDonnell] to stand for Labour leader after the 2019 election," Jones told the New Statesman. "I texted him in the early hours, begging him to stand. He didn't reply to that text." Those on the socialist wing of Labour are still wondering in McDonnell might still have a chance of rising to the top again.
"No chance of that whatsoever," McDonnell says. "I am falling into the role of elder statesman and I'm quite enjoying it."
The Labour Party has been approached for comment.


newsweek--2020-12-16--Taiwan Launches 'Aircraft Carrier Killer' As China War Brews

Taiwan launched the first of its new heavily armed `` aircraft carrier killer '' warships on Tuesday , with the homemade vessels touted as a key to the country 's self-defense efforts against China 's overpowering People 's Liberation Army ( PLA ) .
Taiwan 's President Tsai Ing-wen presided over the unveiling ceremony of the vessel named Ta Chiang , a new prototype developed on the domestically made Tuo Chiang-class guided-missile corvette .
At the Lungteh shipyard in Su'ao , a township in Taiwan 's eastern Yilan County , Tsai said the new warship program was a sign of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ waters and protect its territory and sovereignty .
The upgraded Tuo Chiang-class warships come equipped with subsonic and supersonic anti-aircraft and anti-ship missiles , as well as an array of anti-surface weaponry , including torpedo tubes and Hsiung Feng III missiles capable of hitting range targets at distances of up to 250 miles .
The new fleet of stealthy `` carrier killers '' will comprise 11 vessels in total , the first of which will be delivered to the Taiwan Navy by July 2021 .
The navy said it plans to take delivery @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with five more expected by 2025 .
Taiwan 's maritime forces had ordered three new corvettes for delivery by 2025 , but the number of vessels was increased due to `` increasing threats by the enemy , '' the navy said in a press release Wednesday .
The Tuo Chiang-class corvettes , which can reach speeds of up to 43 knots , will significantly increase Taiwan 's asymmetric warfare capabilities , analysts said .
The fast and maneuverable warships will take over many of the missions currently being performed by the island 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ event of a military confrontation in the Taiwan Strait , the heavily armed corvettes , which will be more difficult to detect thanks to new stealthy technology , will be adept at surprise attacks using hit-and-run tactics , according to reports .
Su Tzu-yun , Taiwan 's top national security analyst , said the corvettes represent one of Taiwan 's `` three treasures '' in the country 's asymmetric warfare capabilities against China 's PLA , which has been sending warplanes near the island and conducting drills in the Taiwan Strait .
Alongside @ @ @ @ @ @ @ its recently announced homemade submarines , the island 's troops will be able to deter Chinese beach landings and hit the PLA 's supporting surface vessels , said Su , who works for the government-funded Institute for National Defense and Security Research .
`` 'Aircraft carrier killer ' is just a moniker , '' Su told Taiwanese media .
`` It will be effective against all of the PLA 's large warships . ''
Taiwan 's military spending is dwarfed by that of its cross-strait counterpart , which has a reported budget 15 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ military analysts believe a Chinese takeover of Taiwan will not be straightforward .
At the ship-launching ceremony on Tuesday , the navy also took delivery of a rapid minelayer , another warship which will prove critical to Taiwan 's coastal defense .
Three more minelayers are expected by the end of 2021 , according to Taiwan 's defense ministry .
During her speech , President Tsai praised the country 's capable defense research , hinting that Taiwan could one day become an equipment supplier for Western democracies .
Last month , Tsai launched @ @ @ @ @ @ @ which promises to deliver the first of eight diesel-electric underwater craft by 2025 .
The new `` Made in Taiwan '' submarines will carry American-made weapons systems from Lockheed Martin and Raytheon .

Taiwan launched the first of its new heavily armed "aircraft carrier killer" warships on Tuesday, with the homemade vessels touted as a key to the country's self-defense efforts against China's overpowering People's Liberation Army (PLA).
Taiwan's President Tsai Ing-wen presided over the unveiling ceremony of the vessel named Ta Chiang, a new prototype developed on the domestically made Tuo Chiang-class guided-missile corvette.
At the Lungteh shipyard in Su'ao, a township in Taiwan's eastern Yilan County, Tsai said the new warship program was a sign of the country's determination to defend its waters and protect its territory and sovereignty.
The upgraded Tuo Chiang-class warships come equipped with subsonic and supersonic anti-aircraft and anti-ship missiles, as well as an array of anti-surface weaponry, including torpedo tubes and Hsiung Feng III missiles capable of hitting range targets at distances of up to 250 miles.
The new fleet of stealthy "carrier killers" will comprise 11 vessels in total, the first of which will be delivered to the Taiwan Navy by July 2021. The navy said it plans to take delivery of six new corvettes by 2023, with five more expected by 2025.
Taiwan's maritime forces had ordered three new corvettes for delivery by 2025, but the number of vessels was increased due to "increasing threats by the enemy," the navy said in a press release Wednesday.
"Ta Chiang," a new Tuo Chiang-class guided-missile corvette, is unveiled by Taiwan's navy during a launching ceremony at the Lungteh shipyard in Su'ao, Yilan, Taiwan, on December 15, 2020. Presidential Office
The Tuo Chiang-class corvettes, which can reach speeds of up to 43 knots, will significantly increase Taiwan's asymmetric warfare capabilities, analysts said. The fast and maneuverable warships will take over many of the missions currently being performed by the island's larger frigates and destroyers.
In the event of a military confrontation in the Taiwan Strait, the heavily armed corvettes, which will be more difficult to detect thanks to new stealthy technology, will be adept at surprise attacks using hit-and-run tactics, according to reports.
Su Tzu-yun, Taiwan's top national security analyst, said the corvettes represent one of Taiwan's "three treasures" in the country's asymmetric warfare capabilities against China's PLA, which has been sending warplanes near the island and conducting drills in the Taiwan Strait.
Alongside Taiwan's land-based anti-ship missile launchers and its recently announced homemade submarines, the island's troops will be able to deter Chinese beach landings and hit the PLA's supporting surface vessels, said Su, who works for the government-funded Institute for National Defense and Security Research.
"'Aircraft carrier killer' is just a moniker," Su told Taiwanese media. "It will be effective against all of the PLA's large warships."
Taiwan's military spending is dwarfed by that of its cross-strait counterpart, which has a reported budget 15 times higher than Taipei. However, military analysts believe a Chinese takeover of Taiwan will not be straightforward.
Taiwan's President Tsai Ing-wen inspects a new Tuo Chiang-class corvette named "Ta Chiang" during a launching ceremony at the Lungteh shipyard in Su'ao, Yilan, Taiwan, on December 15, 2020. Presidential Office
At the ship-launching ceremony on Tuesday, the navy also took delivery of a rapid minelayer, another warship which will prove critical to Taiwan's coastal defense. Three more minelayers are expected by the end of 2021, according to Taiwan's defense ministry.
During her speech, President Tsai praised the country's capable defense research, hinting that Taiwan could one day become an equipment supplier for Western democracies.
Last month, Tsai launched Taiwan's first indigenous submarine program, which promises to deliver the first of eight diesel-electric underwater craft by 2025.
The new "Made in Taiwan" submarines will carry American-made weapons systems from Lockheed Martin and Raytheon.


newsweek--2020-12-16--What American Manufacturing Really Needs
  Opinion

Despite the challenges brought on by the coronavirus pandemic , American manufacturing has risen to the occasion , meeting new demands with new technologies .
The industry is moving in the right direction , which is why several of president-elect Joe Biden 's proposals have concerned many in the industry .
On the campaign trail , Biden made it clear that he favored significant tax increases for many businesses , and believed President Trump 's trade war with China was doing more harm than good .
Although there are certainly arguments to be made in favor of Biden 's proposals @ @ @ @ @ @ @ American manufacturers through our work , and have learned that many of these campaign promises have raised skepticism within the industry .
First , a pullback of tariffs against China would almost certainly hurt some key U.S. manufacturers .
According to the Kearney Reshoring Index , manufacturing reshoring has gone positive in the U.S. for the first time since 2011 .
A report from Thomas Industrial Survey found a similar trend , with reshoring efforts dramatically increasing as a result of the pandemic .
At the time of the Thomas study , two @ @ @ @ @ @ @ how they could bring their production back to the U.S. , while 38 percent of the companies surveyed were actively hiring .
If the Trump administration 's tariffs were removed without any major concessions or a reciprocal trade deal from China , the trend would likely reverse .
Even more worrisome is Biden 's promise to increase taxes .
If the president-elect keeps his word and initiates a corporate tax rate increase , while phasing out the 199A Qualified Business Income deduction , a key group of businesses critical to our economic recovery @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Biden 's proposal to increase taxes `` for those making over $ 400,000 . ''
While large manufacturers would be negatively affected by a possible corporate tax rate increase , the many small- to mid-sized manufacturers that create the backbone of the industry will be hit by the individual tax rate increase .
The latter are our country 's S corporations , or LLCs , whose owners are taxed ( as individuals ) on behalf of their companies .
Historically , tax reductions have made American manufacturing companies more competitive .
Increasing taxes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ again will kill the reshoring trend .
In some instances , manufacturing firms will face a corporate tax rate of up to 30.8 percent—combined with the proposed surtax , that translates to a more than 40 percent increase in taxes .
To put it simply , a tax hike robs growing and struggling manufacturers in the U.S. of the capital they need to attract necessary talent , train workers on new technologies , expand markets and foster innovation .
No amount of government grants to special classes of manufacturers will make up for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Biden should reevaluate the tariffs that are in place and let his cabinet determine what the more strategic approach should be , if the consensus is that the Trump administration was too heavy handed .
The goal should be to even the playing field for U.S. manufacturers .
The new administration should also heavily support apprenticeship and internship programs to draw our nation 's youth toward an industry that has been historically uninspiring for recent graduates looking for their first career .
The U.S. currently faces a dramatic shortage of STEM graduates @ @ @ @ @ @ @ increasingly difficult for American manufacturers to find individuals to fill a growing number of available technical jobs .
According to the Thomas Industrial Survey study , industries with higher apprenticeship adoption rates are less prone to such recruiting difficulties , even when faced with a minimal pool of technical talent .
Apprenticeship programs , along with vocational schools , play an integral part in filling those technical roles .
A Biden administration should see the economic potential of cultivating the manufacturing workforce , and develop partnerships that will support these programs .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ purpose-driven career opportunities , can be compelling .
Manufacturing careers involve , quite literally , the building of America 's future .
This is n't to say there have n't been encouraging signs from Biden and his team .
In fact , Biden 's platform heavily emphasized manufacturing , and pointed to the sector as a key component in the country 's economic rebound efforts .
Specifically , Biden has proposed a promising `` credit facility '' to inject capital into small- and mid-sized manufacturing firms , a `` Manufacturing Communities Tax Credit @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for businesses experiencing layoffs , along with tax credits for those that opt to bring `` production or service jobs back to the U.S. '' These are , without a doubt , welcome incentives for an industry that has struggled to figure out how to avoid offshoring operations to countries offering cheaper labor and infrastructure costs .
Another incentive , the Research and Development Tax Credit , has historically been a favorite of the U.S. manufacturing industry .
A Biden administration would be wise to both protect and enhance the effectiveness of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bipartisan support as members of Congress eye it as a tool for economic recovery .
However , all of these efforts will be for naught if the Biden administration couples them with economic penalties in the form of tax increases , the repeal of key tariffs and regulatory overreach .
The industry has already taken its share of blows from the pandemic , which has forced the majority of businesses to change their operations and adjust to significant supply chain disruptions .
But there is a viable path forward—one that many manufacturers are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ could yield incredible growth for America 's manufacturing sector if we offer the necessary support now .
This dark period has opened opportunities to revive automated manufacturing and embrace technologies that enhance production and innovation , all while rooting operations right here in the U.S .
If given an even playing field , the industry has repeatedly shown its ability to utilize its innovative and entrepreneurial spirit in order to produce .
Let 's give them the tools they need to succeed .
Rick Lazio is currently a Senior Vice President at alliantgroup @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from New York .
After Congress , Rick moved to the private sector working for JP Morgan Chase as a Managing Director and then Executive Vice President .
Myron Moser is chairman of the board at Hartfiel Automation and Strategic Advisory Board member at alliantgroup .
The views expressed in this article are the writers ' own .

Despite the challenges brought on by the coronavirus pandemic, American manufacturing has risen to the occasion, meeting new demands with new technologies. The industry is moving in the right direction, which is why several of president-elect Joe Biden's proposals have concerned many in the industry.
On the campaign trail, Biden made it clear that he favored significant tax increases for many businesses, and believed President Trump's trade war with China was doing more harm than good.
Although there are certainly arguments to be made in favor of Biden's proposals, we've talked to hundreds of American manufacturers through our work, and have learned that many of these campaign promises have raised skepticism within the industry.
First, a pullback of tariffs against China would almost certainly hurt some key U.S. manufacturers. According to the Kearney Reshoring Index, manufacturing reshoring has gone positive in the U.S. for the first time since 2011. A report from Thomas Industrial Survey found a similar trend, with reshoring efforts dramatically increasing as a result of the pandemic. At the time of the Thomas study, two in three manufacturing firms were looking into how they could bring their production back to the U.S., while 38 percent of the companies surveyed were actively hiring.
If the Trump administration's tariffs were removed without any major concessions or a reciprocal trade deal from China, the trend would likely reverse.
Even more worrisome is Biden's promise to increase taxes. If the president-elect keeps his word and initiates a corporate tax rate increase, while phasing out the 199A Qualified Business Income deduction, a key group of businesses critical to our economic recovery will suffer.
And then there is Biden's proposal to increase taxes "for those making over $400,000." While large manufacturers would be negatively affected by a possible corporate tax rate increase, the many small- to mid-sized manufacturers that create the backbone of the industry will be hit by the individual tax rate increase. The latter are our country's S corporations, or LLCs, whose owners are taxed (as individuals) on behalf of their companies.
Historically, tax reductions have made American manufacturing companies more competitive. Increasing taxes while providing China an unfair advantage once again will kill the reshoring trend.
In some instances, manufacturing firms will face a corporate tax rate of up to 30.8 percent—combined with the proposed surtax, that translates to a more than 40 percent increase in taxes.
To put it simply, a tax hike robs growing and struggling manufacturers in the U.S. of the capital they need to attract necessary talent, train workers on new technologies, expand markets and foster innovation. No amount of government grants to special classes of manufacturers will make up for the hit they'd take.
Instead, Biden should reevaluate the tariffs that are in place and let his cabinet determine what the more strategic approach should be, if the consensus is that the Trump administration was too heavy handed. The goal should be to even the playing field for U.S. manufacturers.
The new administration should also heavily support apprenticeship and internship programs to draw our nation's youth toward an industry that has been historically uninspiring for recent graduates looking for their first career.
Boxes containing the Pfizer-BioNTech Covid-19 vaccine are prepared to be shipped at the Pfizer Global Supply Kalamazoo manufacturing plant in Kalamazoo, Michigan on December 13, 2020. Morry Gash / POOL / AFP/Getty
The U.S. currently faces a dramatic shortage of STEM graduates compared to global competitors, making it increasingly difficult for American manufacturers to find individuals to fill a growing number of available technical jobs. According to the Thomas Industrial Survey study, industries with higher apprenticeship adoption rates are less prone to such recruiting difficulties, even when faced with a minimal pool of technical talent.
Apprenticeship programs, along with vocational schools, play an integral part in filling those technical roles. A Biden administration should see the economic potential of cultivating the manufacturing workforce, and develop partnerships that will support these programs.
The pitch to American students, who value purpose-driven career opportunities, can be compelling. Manufacturing careers involve, quite literally, the building of America's future.
This isn't to say there haven't been encouraging signs from Biden and his team. In fact, Biden's platform heavily emphasized manufacturing, and pointed to the sector as a key component in the country's economic rebound efforts.
Specifically, Biden has proposed a promising "credit facility" to inject capital into small- and mid-sized manufacturing firms, a "Manufacturing Communities Tax Credit" that would reduce the tax liability for businesses experiencing layoffs, along with tax credits for those that opt to bring "production or service jobs back to the U.S."
These are, without a doubt, welcome incentives for an industry that has struggled to figure out how to avoid offshoring operations to countries offering cheaper labor and infrastructure costs.
Another incentive, the Research and Development Tax Credit, has historically been a favorite of the U.S. manufacturing industry. A Biden administration would be wise to both protect and enhance the effectiveness of the credit, a move that already has bipartisan support as members of Congress eye it as a tool for economic recovery.
However, all of these efforts will be for naught if the Biden administration couples them with economic penalties in the form of tax increases, the repeal of key tariffs and regulatory overreach.
The industry has already taken its share of blows from the pandemic, which has forced the majority of businesses to change their operations and adjust to significant supply chain disruptions. But there is a viable path forward—one that many manufacturers are already embracing. Life after the coronavirus could yield incredible growth for America's manufacturing sector if we offer the necessary support now.
This dark period has opened opportunities to revive automated manufacturing and embrace technologies that enhance production and innovation, all while rooting operations right here in the U.S.
If given an even playing field, the industry has repeatedly shown its ability to utilize its innovative and entrepreneurial spirit in order to produce.
Let's give them the tools they need to succeed.
Rick Lazio is currently a Senior Vice President at alliantgroup, and is a former U.S. Representative from New York. After Congress, Rick moved to the private sector working for JP Morgan Chase as a Managing Director and then Executive Vice President. Myron Moser is chairman of the board at Hartfiel Automation and Strategic Advisory Board member at alliantgroup.
The views expressed in this article are the writers' own.


newsweek--2020-12-16--What Happened to the Yorkshire Ripper, the Subject of Netflix's New Docuseries?

Peter Sutcliffe , a British serial killer also known as the Yorkshire Ripper , is not alive to see the release of a new four-part docuseries on Netflix that explores his heinous crimes and capture .
Sutcliffe has not been gone for long , though : He died just this past November .
At the age of 74 , the man who killed 13 women died in prison after he was infected with coronavirus .
Coroners stated Sutcliffe had been dealing with a few other health issues , as well , but it was safe to say COVID was the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ During his reign of terror , Sutcliffe targeted sex workers and young women .
His first victim , Wilma McCann , was murdered in 1975 , and Sutcliffe did n't hide how he justified it .
`` After that first time , I developed and played up a hatred for prostitutes in order to justify within myself a reason why I had attacked and killed Wilma McCann , '' he told police .
In addition to the 13 women he killed , Sutcliffe had seven survivors who he 'd attempted to murder , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 1975 to 1980 .
Interestingly , Sutcliffe was married in 1974 and the murders seemingly did n't begin until after his nuptials .
When Sutcliffe was arrested by police in 1981 , he 'd just picked up another young woman .
Sutcliffe 's car was pulled over by police when they thought his license plates may have been fake .
Inside the car , they found a young woman—a sex worker who Sutcliffe had just met—as well as a hidden knife and hammer .
Questions about Sutcliffe 's sanity have always been in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , he was diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia and spent some of his prison time in a psychiatric institution .
Netflix released The Ripper , a four-part docuseries spotlighting Sutcliffe on Wednesday .
The series has already been the subject of some criticism , though , as some family members of Sutcliffe 's victims think the series `` glorifies '' the serial killer .
An open letter from those family members was published in The Sunday Times .
Some of the criticism comes from Netflix 's apparent change of the series ' title .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ preferred the less-gruesome title `` Once Upon a Time In Yorkshire . ''
They reminded Netflix that the term ripper is derived from ripping a human body and asked the company for a name change .
There already seems to be some misinformation about The Ripper swirling around on social media .
As of Tuesday , a handful of Twitter users confused the story of Sutcliffe with that of `` Jack the Ripper . ''
While both operated in the U.K. , and have similar `` ripper '' nicknames , Sutcliffe is not @ @ @ @ @ @ @

Peter Sutcliffe, a British serial killer also known as the Yorkshire Ripper, is not alive to see the release of a new four-part docuseries on Netflix that explores his heinous crimes and capture. Sutcliffe has not been gone for long, though: He died just this past November.
At the age of 74, the man who killed 13 women died in prison after he was infected with coronavirus. Coroners stated Sutcliffe had been dealing with a few other health issues, as well, but it was safe to say COVID was the primary factor that ended his life.
During his reign of terror, Sutcliffe targeted sex workers and young women. His first victim, Wilma McCann, was murdered in 1975, and Sutcliffe didn't hide how he justified it. "After that first time, I developed and played up a hatred for prostitutes in order to justify within myself a reason why I had attacked and killed Wilma McCann," he told police.
Yorkshire Ripper, Peter Sutcliffe, (with beard), leaves court under heavy police guard after giving evidence after which, James Castello, a fellow inmate, in Parkhurst Jail, attacked him and caused a five inch gash on his face. Sutcliffe is serving a life sentence for the murder of 13 women in Yorkshire County in 1983. Bettmann / Contributor/Getty
In addition to the 13 women he killed, Sutcliffe had seven survivors who he'd attempted to murder, too. His killing spree lasted from 1975 to 1980. Interestingly, Sutcliffe was married in 1974 and the murders seemingly didn't begin until after his nuptials.
When Sutcliffe was arrested by police in 1981, he'd just picked up another young woman. Sutcliffe's car was pulled over by police when they thought his license plates may have been fake. Inside the car, they found a young woman—a sex worker who Sutcliffe had just met—as well as a hidden knife and hammer.
Questions about Sutcliffe's sanity have always been in the public mind. After his arrest, he was diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia and spent some of his prison time in a psychiatric institution.
Netflix released The Ripper, a four-part docuseries spotlighting Sutcliffe on Wednesday. The series has already been the subject of some criticism, though, as some family members of Sutcliffe's victims think the series "glorifies" the serial killer. An open letter from those family members was published in The Sunday Times.
Some of the criticism comes from Netflix's apparent change of the series' title. Now called The Ripper, family members preferred the less-gruesome title "Once Upon a Time In Yorkshire." They reminded Netflix that the term ripper is derived from ripping a human body and asked the company for a name change.
There already seems to be some misinformation about The Ripper swirling around on social media. As of Tuesday, a handful of Twitter users confused the story of Sutcliffe with that of "Jack the Ripper." While both operated in the U.K., and have similar "ripper" nicknames, Sutcliffe is not associated with the other serial killer.
They have a Jack the Ripper series coming to Netflix and I can’t wait — Lori Harvey (@JUIICYC) December 9, 2020
I may not know what day Christmas Day falls on but I sure as hell know when the new true crime doc about Jack the Ripper is coming to Netflix — Elaine Murphy (@ElaineMurphy_) December 7, 2020


newsweek--2020-12-16--GOP State Senator's Daughter Held Wedding at Wisconsin Capitol Closed to Public

The daughter of a Republican state senator was married at Wisconsin 's state Capitol building over the weekend while it remained largely closed to the public due to the COVID-19 pandemic .
Multiple requests to host weddings and other events in the senate chamber were made since the building closed on March 27 , but a wedding ceremony request from state Senator Howard Marklein 's daughter being the only one approved , according to a Wednesday report from the Wisconsin State Journal .
Marklein 's staff confirmed to the newspaper that the small ceremony , consisting of 12 people , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ approved by Senate Sergeant at Arms Ted Blazel , who said that the decision to approve the event while denying others was `` solely based upon numbers . ''
The last wedding to be held in the chamber occurred on January 25 .
At least one Democratic lawmaker suggested that the ceremony highlighted Republican hypocrisy .
`` Putting aside the fact that social gatherings are still not safe due to the pandemic , it 's astounding that Republicans will use the Capitol for things that benefit them personally , but have gone 244 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Wisconsin , who have been sacrificing and suffering while the GOP takes an 8-month vacation , '' state Democratic Senator Chris Larson told the paper on Tuesday .
Although decisions regarding the use of legislative chambers in the Capitol building are up to Republican leadership and the Sergeant at Arms for each chamber , events held in the rest of the building and on the grounds are under the authority of the state Department of Administration , which has so far denied all public requests during the pandemic .
`` As COVID-19 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Capitol remains closed to the general public to limit spread of the disease , '' Department of Administration spokeswoman Molly Vidal told the paper .
`` As such , throughout the pandemic , any permits requesting use of DOA-operated space for ceremonies such as weddings have been denied . ''
New cases of COVID-19 in Wisconsin spiked in mid-November but have declined since then , although the virus continues to see significant spread throughout the state .
There were 2,146 new cases reported on Wednesday , with a seven-day average of 3,247 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of 77 newly reported deaths brought the total number of deaths caused by the virus to 4,308 .
With 146 new COVID-19 patients admitted to hospitals , about 16 percent of the state 's hospital beds remained available on Wednesday .
Around 200 health care workers in the state had received the first of two doses of the new coronavirus vaccine , according to local CBS affiliate WISC .
Newsweek reached out to Marklein 's office for comment .

The Wisconsin State Capitol building is seen in this photograph taken in Madison, Wisconsin on December 24, 2011. KAREN BLEIER/AFP/Getty
The daughter of a Republican state senator was married at Wisconsin's state Capitol building over the weekend while it remained largely closed to the public due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Multiple requests to host weddings and other events in the senate chamber were made since the building closed on March 27, but a wedding ceremony request from state Senator Howard Marklein's daughter being the only one approved, according to a Wednesday report from the Wisconsin State Journal.
Marklein's staff confirmed to the newspaper that the small ceremony, consisting of 12 people, took place on Saturday. It was approved by Senate Sergeant at Arms Ted Blazel, who said that the decision to approve the event while denying others was "solely based upon numbers." The last wedding to be held in the chamber occurred on January 25. At least one Democratic lawmaker suggested that the ceremony highlighted Republican hypocrisy.
"Putting aside the fact that social gatherings are still not safe due to the pandemic, it's astounding that Republicans will use the Capitol for things that benefit them personally, but have gone 244 days without convening to help the people of Wisconsin, who have been sacrificing and suffering while the GOP takes an 8-month vacation," state Democratic Senator Chris Larson told the paper on Tuesday.
Although decisions regarding the use of legislative chambers in the Capitol building are up to Republican leadership and the Sergeant at Arms for each chamber, events held in the rest of the building and on the grounds are under the authority of the state Department of Administration, which has so far denied all public requests during the pandemic.
"As COVID-19 cases continue to rise throughout Wisconsin, the Capitol remains closed to the general public to limit spread of the disease," Department of Administration spokeswoman Molly Vidal told the paper. "As such, throughout the pandemic, any permits requesting use of DOA-operated space for ceremonies such as weddings have been denied."
New cases of COVID-19 in Wisconsin spiked in mid-November but have declined since then, although the virus continues to see significant spread throughout the state. There were 2,146 new cases reported on Wednesday, with a seven-day average of 3,247 new cases per day. The addition of 77 newly reported deaths brought the total number of deaths caused by the virus to 4,308.
With 146 new COVID-19 patients admitted to hospitals, about 16 percent of the state's hospital beds remained available on Wednesday. Around 200 health care workers in the state had received the first of two doses of the new coronavirus vaccine, according to local CBS affiliate WISC.
Newsweek reached out to Marklein's office for comment.


newsweek--2020-12-16--AOC Says Democrats Need New Leadership, Pelosi and Schumer 'Need to Go'

On Wednesday , 31-year-old Democratic New York Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez said that the Democratic Party needs new congressional leadership .
When asked whether current party leaders , 80-year-old House Speaker Nancy Pelosi of California and 70-year-old Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer of New York , need to go , she responded yes .
However , Ocasio-Cortez also admitted that there are no current younger leaders within the party who could easily take Pelosi or Schumer 's role if either were to step down .
While both have concentrated power in their positions , she said , neither leader has helped @ @ @ @ @ @ @ . ''
Ocasio-Cortez made her comments in an interview with investigative news publication The Intercept .
Ocasio-Cortez said Pelosi has indicated that she expects the next two years to be her final ones as House Speaker .
`` The left is n't really making a plan for that , '' Ocasio-Cortez said .
`` So I do think that it 's something that we really need to think about . ''
`` I do think that we need new leadership in the Democratic Party ... the internal dynamics of the House has made @ @ @ @ @ @ @ option for succession , '' Ocasio-Cortez said .
`` It 's easy for someone to say , 'Oh well , you know , why do n't you run ? '
but the House is extraordinarily complex , and I 'm not ready .
It ca n't be me .
I know that I could n't do that job . ''
Pelosi 's leadership team , Majority Leader Steny Hoyer of Maryland and Majority Whip James Clyburn of South Carolina , are 81- and 80-years-old , respectively , the publication noted .
A December @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Senate Democrats on how to handle 87-year-old Senator Dianne Feinstein of California , the senior Democrat on the Senate Judiciary Committee , after showing signs of mental infirmity .
In a November 17 hearing , Feinstein repeated the same question twice in a row to Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey and during the confirmation hearings of Supreme Court Justices Brett Kavanaugh and Amy Coney Barrett , Feinstein 's public comments angered Democrats who criticized their lack of tact .
Further into The Intercept interview , Ocasio-Cortez also echoed progressives ' frustration with the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ filling his cabinet and upper-level administrative positions with members from the former administrations of Barack Obama and Bill Clinton as well as from large multi-million dollar companies like the investment banking company Goldman Sachs , the tech companies Google and Facebook and the consulting group McKinsey & Company .
`` A huge reason why we got Donald Trump in the first place , '' she said , `` in addition to just the racism that was waiting to be reanimated in this country , [ was there ] was just an extreme disdain @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Washington . ''

On Wednesday, 31-year-old Democratic New York Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez said that the Democratic Party needs new congressional leadership. When asked whether current party leaders, 80-year-old House Speaker Nancy Pelosi of California and 70-year-old Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer of New York, need to go, she responded yes.
However, Ocasio-Cortez also admitted that there are no current younger leaders within the party who could easily take Pelosi or Schumer's role if either were to step down. While both have concentrated power in their positions, she said, neither leader has helped prepare "a next generation of leadership."
Ocasio-Cortez made her comments in an interview with investigative news publication The Intercept.
In a podcast, Democratic New York Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez said that congressional Democrats needed new party leadership and answered "yes" when asked if current party leaders House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer need to go. In this July 15, 2019 photo, Ocasio-Cortez speaks during a press conference, to address remarks made by President Donald Trump earlier in the day, at the US Capitol in Washington, DC. Brendan Smialowski / AFP
Ocasio-Cortez said Pelosi has indicated that she expects the next two years to be her final ones as House Speaker.
"The left isn't really making a plan for that," Ocasio-Cortez said. "So I do think that it's something that we really need to think about."
"I do think that we need new leadership in the Democratic Party ... the internal dynamics of the House has made it such that there's very little option for succession," Ocasio-Cortez said. "It's easy for someone to say, 'Oh well, you know, why don't you run?' but the House is extraordinarily complex, and I'm not ready. It can't be me. I know that I couldn't do that job."
Pelosi's leadership team, Majority Leader Steny Hoyer of Maryland and Majority Whip James Clyburn of South Carolina, are 81- and 80-years-old, respectively, the publication noted.
A December 10 New Yorker article mentioned the unsureness of Senate Democrats on how to handle 87-year-old Senator Dianne Feinstein of California, the senior Democrat on the Senate Judiciary Committee, after showing signs of mental infirmity.
In a November 17 hearing, Feinstein repeated the same question twice in a row to Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey and during the confirmation hearings of Supreme Court Justices Brett Kavanaugh and Amy Coney Barrett, Feinstein's public comments angered Democrats who criticized their lack of tact.
Further into The Intercept interview, Ocasio-Cortez also echoed progressives' frustration with the fact the Democratic President-elect Joe Biden is filling his cabinet and upper-level administrative positions with members from the former administrations of Barack Obama and Bill Clinton as well as from large multi-million dollar companies like the investment banking company Goldman Sachs, the tech companies Google and Facebook and the consulting group McKinsey & Company.
"A huge reason why we got Donald Trump in the first place," she said, "in addition to just the racism that was waiting to be reanimated in this country, [was there] was just an extreme disdain for this moneyed political establishment that rules Washington."
Newsweek contacted Ocasio-Cortez's office for comment.


newsweek--2020-12-16--US Military Taking 'Targeted Actions' Against 'Wide-Spread, Evolving' Hack

The Pentagon 's combat support agency tasked with information technology and communications support has said it 's taking active measures to investigate potential intrusions and guard against future threats after a massive hack that infiltrated across at least several departments of the U.S. federal government .
`` We are aware of the wide-spread and evolving cyber incident , '' Navy Vice Admiral Nancy Norton , director of the Defense Information Systems Agency and commander of Joint Force Headquarters - Department of Defense Information Network ( DODIN ) , said in a statement sent Wednesday to Newsweek .
`` We continue @ @ @ @ @ @ @ indicators of compromise and take targeted actions to protect our systems beyond the defensive measures we employ each day , '' the statement continued .
And while the affected software company , SolarWinds , is used by all five branches of the U.S. military , Norton noted that no evidence of illicit entry had yet been detected .
`` To date , we have no evidence of compromise of the DODIN , '' the statement added .
`` We will continue to work with the whole-of-government effort to mitigate cyber threats to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of what appeared to be a sprawling , months-long cyberespionage operation that exploited an Orion software update dating to May remains unclear , both public and private sector institutions are scrambling to evaluate their defenses .
Among U.S. agencies , the Treasury Department and Department of Commerce have acknowledged their networks were affected by the so-called supply chain attack , with media reports indicating the Department of Homeland Security , the State Department and the National Institutes of Health and others have joined the list .
Unnamed U.S. officials cited in major outlets @ @ @ @ @ @ @ suspect , but Moscow 's embassy in Washington has denied responsibility .
In a statement reiterated to Newsweek , the embassy dismissed what it argued to be `` unfounded attempts of the U.S. media to blame Russia for hacker attacks on U.S. governmental bodies . ''
`` We declare responsibly : malicious activities in the information space contradict the principles of the Russian foreign policy , national interests and our understanding of interstate relations , '' the embassy said .
`` Russia does not conduct offensive operations in the cyber domain . ''
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ operation , Secretary of State Mike Pompeo told the Ben Shapiro Show on Tuesday that `` Russian efforts to use cyber capabilities against us here in the United States is something that 's been consistent certainly for – goodness , I guess I was in Congress six years and now four years in the administration . ''
He accused the Kremlin of attempting to interfere in the past four elections , saying President Donald Trump—who is accused by Democrats of colluding with Russia to win in 2016—has met with success in curbing Moscow @ @ @ @ @ @ @ remains a persistent problem .
`` This is a real challenge , '' Pompeo said .
`` We have imposed costs on the Russians .
We 've urged them to cease this kind of malign activity .
But they are a real challenge . ''
In a joint statement sent to Newsweek the following day , the Office of the Director of National Intelligence said told Newsweek said its officials , along with FBI and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency ( CISA ) had `` become aware of a significant and ongoing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have divided the labor in tackling the issue .
The FBI `` is investigating and gathering intelligence in order to attribute , pursue , and disrupt the responsible threat actors , '' while also `` engaging with known and suspected victims , and information gained through FBI 's efforts will provide indicators to network defenders and intelligence to our government partners to enable further action , '' the statement said .
CISA , which issued an emergency directive on Sunday in response to the hack 's detection , `` is engaging with our @ @ @ @ @ @ @ infrastructure community to ensure they understand their exposure and are taking steps to identify and mitigate any compromises , '' according to the statement .
ODNI , for its part , `` is helping to marshal all of the Intelligence Community 's relevant resources to support this effort and share information across the United States Government . ''
Other U.S. agencies referred Newsweek to the National Security Council 's announcement Tuesday of the formation of a Cyber Unified Coordination Group to investigate the incident .
A U.S. Cyber Command spokesperson told Newsweek on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ action should any defense networks be compromised .
An official with the U.S.-led NATO Western military alliance , some of whose networks also used SolarWinds software , said Tuesday that `` cyber defence is a core part of our collective defence . ''

The Pentagon's combat support agency tasked with information technology and communications support has said it's taking active measures to investigate potential intrusions and guard against future threats after a massive hack that infiltrated across at least several departments of the U.S. federal government.
"We are aware of the wide-spread and evolving cyber incident," Navy Vice Admiral Nancy Norton, director of the Defense Information Systems Agency and commander of Joint Force Headquarters - Department of Defense Information Network (DODIN), said in a statement sent Wednesday to Newsweek.
"We continue to assess our DOD Information Networks for indicators of compromise and take targeted actions to protect our systems beyond the defensive measures we employ each day," the statement continued.
And while the affected software company, SolarWinds, is used by all five branches of the U.S. military, Norton noted that no evidence of illicit entry had yet been detected.
"To date, we have no evidence of compromise of the DODIN," the statement added. "We will continue to work with the whole-of-government effort to mitigate cyber threats to the nation."
A staff sergeant assigned to the 175th Cyberspace Operations Group of the Maryland Air National Guard monitors live cyber attacks on the operations floor of the 27th Cyberspace Squadron, known as the Hunter's Den, at Warfield Air National Guard Base, Middle River, Maryland, June 3, 2017. J.M. Eddins Jr./Airman Magazine/U.S. Air Force
While the full extent of what appeared to be a sprawling, months-long cyberespionage operation that exploited an Orion software update dating to May remains unclear, both public and private sector institutions are scrambling to evaluate their defenses.
Among U.S. agencies, the Treasury Department and Department of Commerce have acknowledged their networks were affected by the so-called supply chain attack, with media reports indicating the Department of Homeland Security, the State Department and the National Institutes of Health and others have joined the list.
Unnamed U.S. officials cited in major outlets have pointed to Russia as the top suspect, but Moscow's embassy in Washington has denied responsibility.
In a statement reiterated to Newsweek, the embassy dismissed what it argued to be "unfounded attempts of the U.S. media to blame Russia for hacker attacks on U.S. governmental bodies."
"We declare responsibly: malicious activities in the information space contradict the principles of the Russian foreign policy, national interests and our understanding of interstate relations," the embassy said. "Russia does not conduct offensive operations in the cyber domain."
Without specifically blaming Moscow for the SolarWinds operation, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo told the Ben Shapiro Show on Tuesday that "Russian efforts to use cyber capabilities against us here in the United States is something that's been consistent certainly for – goodness, I guess I was in Congress six years and now four years in the administration."
He accused the Kremlin of attempting to interfere in the past four elections, saying President Donald Trump—who is accused by Democrats of colluding with Russia to win in 2016—has met with success in curbing Moscow's alleged bad behavior, though it remains a persistent problem.
"This is a real challenge," Pompeo said. "We have imposed costs on the Russians. We've urged them to cease this kind of malign activity. But they are a real challenge."
In a joint statement sent to Newsweek the following day, the Office of the Director of National Intelligence said its officials, along with FBI and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), had "become aware of a significant and ongoing cybersecurity campaign."
The three agencies have divided the labor in tackling the issue.
The FBI "is investigating and gathering intelligence in order to attribute, pursue, and disrupt the responsible threat actors," while also "engaging with known and suspected victims, and information gained through FBI's efforts will provide indicators to network defenders and intelligence to our government partners to enable further action," the statement said.
CISA, which issued an emergency directive on Sunday in response to the hack's detection, "is engaging with our public and private stakeholders across the critical infrastructure community to ensure they understand their exposure and are taking steps to identify and mitigate any compromises," according to the statement.
ODNI, for its part, "is helping to marshal all of the Intelligence Community's relevant resources to support this effort and share information across the United States Government."
Other U.S. agencies referred Newsweek to the National Security Council's announcement Tuesday of the formation of a Cyber Unified Coordination Group to investigate the incident.
A U.S. Cyber Command spokesperson told Newsweek on Monday it "is postured for swift action should any defense networks be compromised. An official with the U.S.-led NATO Western military alliance, some of whose networks also used SolarWinds software, said Tuesday that "cyber defence is a core part of our collective defence."


newsweek--2020-12-16--Subcommittee Threatens CDC With Subpoenas Over Missing COVID Response Email

South Carolina Congressman James Clyburn , who serves as the Chairman of the Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Crisis ( SSCC ) , said Wednesday he could subpoena the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services ( HHS ) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention ( CDC ) for information regarding an allegedly deleted email .
Meanwhile , emails sent to Newsweek Wednesday indicated that an individual appointed to the HHS by President Donald Trump recommended a herd immunity approach to battling the COVID-19 pandemic .
Charlotte Kent , editor-in-chief of the CDC 's Morbidity and Mortality Weekly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ December that she had been asked to delete an email from former HHS adviser Dr. Paul Alexander .
The email allegedly requested a change to a report on virus transmission between schoolchildren .
Kent said she was not sure who gave the instructions to delete the email , but believed the request came from CDC Director Dr. Robert Redfield .
In a statement released by the SSCC on Wednesday , Clyburn implied that his committee 's investigation into the allegations was being stonewalled .
`` The documents released today reinforce the need for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Select Subcommittee 's investigation into the political meddling that has hindered the nation 's response to this deadly virus , '' Clyburn said .
`` HHS must produce the critical documents and witnesses it is withholding , and CDC Director Robert Redfield must appear for an interview regarding evidence that he ordered CDC staff to delete a key email .
Unless the Administration abandons this flagrant obstruction , I will be forced to start issuing subpoenas . ''
In a Thursday interview with the Associated Press , Redfield denied that he asked for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` I would never tell somebody to delete an email , '' Redfield said .
`` What I did tell people—I instructed CDC to ignore Dr. Alexander 's comments and they did n't need to reply to his email . ''
Other emails written by Alexander seem to indicate he was attempting to influence some public health officials to steer their COVID-19 recommendations towards supporting the idea of herd immunity .
Herd immunity occurs when the majority of a population becomes infected with a virus and recovers .
The recovery leaves antibodies behind @ @ @ @ @ @ @ unable to reinfect a subject .
In a June email , Alexander said `` this is why the concept of herd immunity is so critical for this virus is boxed in if we get to that number of about 60 % population immunity via our own infection of vaccine ( or combination ) .
Hiding from the virus allows it to lay in wait . ''
Alexander also condemned the `` left scientists who work against the administration . ''
`` They want to destroy the nation and people 's lives just to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Alexander wrote .
In July , Alexander disparaged infectious diseases expert Dr. Anthony Fauci for a television appearance in which Fauci said the COVID-19 virus had mutated .
`` He just wont stop !
!
!
!
!
!
!
!
!
!
!
!
!
!
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! ''
Alexander wrote .
`` He cant keep quiet ... ..and he is not on the same page of the govn ... does he think he is the President ?
?
? ''
In a separate July email , Alexander called for using people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ contracting the virus to be used to develop herd immunity .
`` Infants , kids , teens , young people , young adults , middle aged with no conditions etc .
have zero to little risk ... so we use them to develop herd ... we want them infected ... and recovered ... with antibodies , '' Alexander wrote .
Newsweek reached out to the HHS and the CDC for comment .
According to data from Johns Hopkins University , the U.S. has reported 16,716,777 positive cases of COVID-19 with 303,773 fatalities attributed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .

South Carolina Congressman James Clyburn, who serves as the Chairman of the Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Crisis (SSCC), said Wednesday he could subpoena the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) for information regarding an allegedly deleted email. Meanwhile, emails sent to Newsweek Wednesday indicated that an individual appointed to the HHS by President Donald Trump recommended a herd immunity approach to battling the COVID-19 pandemic.
Charlotte Kent, editor-in-chief of the CDC's Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, testified before the SSCC in December that she had been asked to delete an email from former HHS adviser Dr. Paul Alexander. The email allegedly requested a change to a report on virus transmission between schoolchildren.
Kent said she was not sure who gave the instructions to delete the email, but believed the request came from CDC Director Dr. Robert Redfield. In a statement released by the SSCC on Wednesday, Clyburn implied that his committee's investigation into the allegations was being stonewalled.
"The documents released today reinforce the need for HHS to end its obstruction of the Select Subcommittee's investigation into the political meddling that has hindered the nation's response to this deadly virus," Clyburn said. "HHS must produce the critical documents and witnesses it is withholding, and CDC Director Robert Redfield must appear for an interview regarding evidence that he ordered CDC staff to delete a key email. Unless the Administration abandons this flagrant obstruction, I will be forced to start issuing subpoenas."
In a Thursday interview with the Associated Press, Redfield denied that he asked for the deletion of Alexander's email. "I would never tell somebody to delete an email," Redfield said. "What I did tell people—I instructed CDC to ignore Dr. Alexander's comments and they didn't need to reply to his email."
Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Crisis Chairman James Clyburn said Wednesday that if he does not receive previously requested information from the CDC, he may begin issuing subpoenas. Stefani Reynolds-Pool/Getty
Other emails written by Alexander seem to indicate he was attempting to influence some public health officials to steer their COVID-19 recommendations towards supporting the idea of herd immunity.
Herd immunity occurs when the majority of a population becomes infected with a virus and recovers. The recovery leaves antibodies behind in the system which renders the virus unable to reinfect a subject.
In a June email, Alexander said "this is why the concept of herd immunity is so critical for this virus is boxed in if we get to that number of about 60% population immunity via our own infection of vaccine (or combination). Hiding from the virus allows it to lay in wait."
Alexander also condemned the "left scientists who work against the administration."
"They want to destroy the nation and people's lives just to make the President look bad," Alexander wrote.
In July, Alexander disparaged infectious diseases expert Dr. Anthony Fauci for a television appearance in which Fauci said the COVID-19 virus had mutated. "He just wont stop!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" Alexander wrote. "He cant keep quiet.....and he is not on the same page of the govn...does he think he is the President???"
In a separate July email, Alexander called for using people deemed to be at low risk for contracting the virus to be used to develop herd immunity. "Infants, kids, teens, young people, young adults, middle aged with no conditions etc. have zero to little risk... so we use them to develop herd... we want them infected... and recovered... with antibodies," Alexander wrote.
According to a statement emailed to Newsweek by an HHS spokesperson, Alexander's emails "absolutely did not shape department strategy."
In an October appearance on Meet the Press, HHS Secretary Alex Azar said that herd immunity was not official policy. "It's a desire, through vaccination, to get to herd immunity," Azar said, "but it may be an outcome of all of those steps, but the desire is reduce cases, reduce cases, reduce hospitalizations, reduce fatalities. That's, that's what I am focused on every day."
According to data from Johns Hopkins University, the U.S. has reported 16,716,777 positive cases of COVID-19 with 303,773 fatalities attributed to the virus as of December 16.
Updated 12/17/2020 10:34 p.m. EST: This story has been updated with a statement from HHS.