White House News (白宮消息) | Dec. 17, 2020

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US-China trade deficit skyrockets | DW News
Dec 16, 2020
US President Trump is on his way out, and as his successor prepares to take over, experts are wondering what will remain of Trump's policies. Especially the US' trade with China. Central to Trump's 'America First' approach were policies to reduce the US's trade deficit with China. He introduced tariffs on 360 billion dollars worth of Chinese-made products. But that seems to have failed: In November, China's global trade surplus skyrocketed to over 75 billion dollars, mostly due to strong exports to the US, which were up 46 percent on a year ago. The main reason for that: the coronavirus pandemic. With many Americans stuck at home, record amounts are being spent on a huge range of Chinese products. Meanwhile, American exports to China have only slightly improved. Agricultural products have sold well, but manufactured items have been badly hit by the pandemic.

Troubled Waters: Where the U.S. and China Could Clash in the South China Sea

Dec. 17 - Perhaps nowhere do the U.S. and Chinese militaries come closer to each other than in the South China Sea. And the brinkmanship in the waters could soon rise under President-elect Joe Biden.

As the world’s biggest economies spar on everything from trade to the coronavirus, fears have grown that a miscalculation between warships could spark a wider military confrontation. Although top defense officials from the U.S. and China have maintained communication even as broader relations have deteriorated, more fervent nationalism in both countries raises the political stakes of any crisis.

President Donald Trump’s administration has increased the number of “freedom of navigation operations”—known as FONOPs—in the South China Sea to challenge China’s sovereignty claims. The current round of maneuvers, which involve naval vessels sailing within territorial limits of land features claimed by China, reached a new high of 10 last year after a total of just five in the last two years of the Obama administration.
Biden looks set to maintain or even expand the number of FONOPs. Jake Sullivan, his pick for national security adviser, last year lamented the U.S.’s inability to stop China from militarizing artificial land features in the South China Sea, and called for the U.S. to focus more on freedom of navigation.     continue to read

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Donald Trump Turns Fire on Mitch McConnell for Accepting Joe Biden Win

Dec. 17 - President Donald Trump dismissed Sen. Mitch McConnell's congratulations of President-elect Joe Biden following the Electoral College vote, telling the Senate Majority Leader it is "too soon to give up."

The Kentucky Republican had acknowledged Biden as the presidential election victor on Tuesday in a floor speech.

In a message to McConnell, shared on Twitter, Trump referenced his popular vote tally and said: "Mitch, 75,000,000 VOTES, a record for a sitting President (by a lot). Too soon to give up. Republican Party must finally learn to fight. People are angry!"     continue to read

Trump's allies slam Mitch McConnell for congratulating Biden https://t.co/ak9nu6420L via @MailOnline. Mitch, 75,000,000 VOTES, a record for a sitting President (by a lot). Too soon to give up. Republican Party must finally learn to fight. People are angry!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 16, 2020

PBS NewsHour full episode, Dec. 17, 2020
Dec 16, 2020
Wednesday on the NewsHour, an economic aid package is in reach as Congress moves closer to a deal, despite a surge in infections and deaths local officials face some backlash against vaccinations from politicians and the public, and a look at why communities of colors suffer disproportionate rates of childhood trauma in the United States.

White House News (白宮消息) | Dec. 15, 2020

 2 - White House News in Chinese (weebly.com)

Jeffrey Adam Rosen (born April 2, 1958) is an American lawyer who has served as the United States Deputy Attorney General since 2019, and will become Acting United States Attorney General in the last four weeks of the current Trump administration upon the resignation of William Barr on December 23, 2020.[1] Prior to assuming his ongoing role, he was a senior partner at the law firm Kirkland & Ellis and was the United States Deputy Secretary of Transportation.[1]

Gang Member Arrested After Desperate Struggle For San Jose Police Officer’s Gun
Dec. 1, SAN JOSE (CBS SF) — A gang member has been charged with assaulting two San Jose police officers in a weekend altercation that involved a desperate struggle for an officer’s gun, authorities said.

San Jose police said 22-year-old Rodel Pulido was being held on charges that include two counts of assaulting a police officer with a firearm and felony resisting or deterring and officer with force.

“If you attack a police officer, you threaten the lives of everyone in our community,” District Attorney Jeff Rosen said. “My Office will prosecute these despicable and incredibly dangerous crimes to the fullest extent of the law”...   continue to read

William Barr will step down on 23 December, President Trump said
William Barr: US attorney general to leave post by Christmas

US Attorney General William Barr is stepping down before Christmas, President Donald Trump has announced.

Dec. 14 - Mr Barr's term was due to end on 20 January, when Mr Trump leaves office.

There had been tension between the two after Mr Barr said there was no widespread evidence of voter fraud in November's election.

He was criticised by Mr Trump for not publicly disclosing that the justice department was investigating Joe Biden's son during the campaign.

Mr Trump tweeted Mr Barr's resignation letter saying: "Our relationship has been a very good one, he has done an outstanding job!"

Mr Barr's letter to the president began by saying he "appreciated the opportunity to update" the president on the Department of Justice's (DOJ) review of voter fraud allegations in the recent election and "how these allegations will continue to be pursued".

He did not give more details about the review, and praised Mr Trump's achievements in office before ending the letter by saying he will depart from his position on 23 December.     source

Attorney General William Barr will leave his top post at the Justice Department on Dec. 23.
Attorney General William Barr to step down
The decision follows months of complaints from President Donald Trump about the administration’s top lawyer.

Dec. 15 - Attorney General William Barr is leaving his position, a decision that follows months of complaints from President Donald Trump about the administration’s top lawyer.

The cordial tone of Trump’s tweet on Monday afternoon announcing Barr’s exit was in marked contrast to the president’s public scolding of the attorney general in recent weeks. In Trump’s telling, Barr had failed to make public a financial crimes investigation into Joe Biden’s son Hunter that was ongoing before the election and failed to muster the Justice Department in support of Trump’s legal campaign to upend the election results.     continue to read

White House News (白宮消息) | Dec. 14, 2020

 2 - White House News in Chinese (weebly.com)

Judge dismisses President Trump's federal lawsuit
'This is an extraordinary case,' U.S. District Judge Brett Ludwig wrote

Dec. 12 - MILWAUKEE --A federal judge Saturday dismissed President Donald Trump's lawsuit asking the court to have the Republican-controlled legislature pick the state's 10 electors.

"This is an extraordinary case. A sitting president who did not prevail in his bid for reelection has asked for federal court help in setting aside the popular vote based on disputed issues of election administration, issues he plainly could have raised before the vote occurred," U.S. District Judge Brett Ludwig, who was appointed by Trump, wrote.

AdvertisementTrump's federal lawsuit originally asked the court to "remand" the case to the Republican-controlled legislature to pick new electors who would then cast their votes for Trump on Monday.

Ludwig last week called that request "bizarre."

After that comment, Trump amended his request to instead order the governor to issue a certificate of the results consistent with the appointment of electors designated by the legislature.

Ludwig, in a pretrial conference on Wednesday, called that request "also very odd."     continue to read

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Politics updates (Dec. 13, 2020):
Trump vows to veto defense spending bill; Pelosi calls for VA chief to resign

The state Supreme Court last week refused to take up three lawsuits filed by Trump and his allies challenging the election results. On Wednesday, U.S. District Judge Pamela Pepper dismissed a lawsuit by a Republican Party official who alleged a web of election conspiracies involving Iran, China, deceased Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez and an anonymous source who goes by the name Spider. 

A state reserve judge ruled against Trump on Friday and the Wisconsin Supreme Court was hearing an appeal to that decision Saturday when Ludwig released his decision. And in another, the U.S. Supreme Court on Friday refused to hear a case filed by the Texas attorney general seeking to block the votes of Wisconsin and three other swing states.

Brett Harry Ludwig (born 1969)[1] is a United States District Judge of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Wisconsin. He is a former Judge of the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Eastern District of Wisconsin.

Education:
Ludwig earned his Bachelor of Arts from the University of Wisconsin–Stevens Point and his Juris Doctor, magna cum laude, from the University of Minnesota School of Law.[2]

Legal and academic career:
Upon graduating from law school, Ludwig served as a law clerk to Judge George Fagg of the United States Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit. He was a partner at Foley & Lardner in Milwaukee, where he focused on commercial litigation and dispute resolution and chaired the firm's pro bono practice. He has also taught at the Marquette University Law School.[2]

Services:
1. Ludwig became a Judge of the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Eastern District of Wisconsin in 2017 and served on that court until becoming a district judge.[2]

2. On February 26, 2020, President Trump announced his intent to nominate Ludwig to serve as a United States District Judge of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Wisconsin.[2] On March 3, 2020, his nomination was sent to the Senate. President Trump nominated Ludwig to the seat vacated by Judge Rudolph T. Randa, who took senior status on February 5, 2016.[3] On June 17, 2020, a hearing on his nomination was held before the Senate Judiciary Committee.[4] On July 23, 2020, his nomination was reported out of committee by voice vote.[5] On September 9, 2020, his nomination was confirmed in the United States Senate by a vote of 91–5.[6] He received his judicial commission on September 10, 2020.     source

中方再次回应“战狼外交” 王毅：
美国倒行逆施该收场了！
20201212 |《今日关注》 CCTV中文国际
Dec 13, 2020

White House News (白宮消息) | Dec. 13, 2020

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Who Will Get The COVID-19 Vaccine First? And Why?
| Science Desk/COVID Explainers | NPR
Dec 10, 2020

CDC Advisers Agree With FDA: COVID-19 Vaccine Is OK For Public Use

Dec. 13 - An important federal advisory committee at the Center for Disease Control and Prevention has added its vote of support for the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine.

In an emergency meeting Saturday, the CDC's Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices voted to recommend the first COVID-19 vaccine for use for people 16 or older in the U.S, expressing hope that the vaccine would help curb the spread of the disease that has killed more than 295,000 people in the U.S.

This follows the Food and Drug Administration's emergency use authorization issued Friday night for this COVID-19 vaccine. With Saturday's vote, the CDC's independent advisory group joins the FDA in determining the vaccine to be safe and effective for use in the U.S. population.

Once the recommendation is approved by CDC director Robert Redfield, the agency will publish it as official guidance.     continue to read

The head of the FDA's Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research, Peter Marks, tried to reassure Americans at a Saturday press conference that the fast-track was warranted and did not result in any safety sacrifices.
‘The beginning of the end’: US general declares Pfizer jab rollout ‘D-Day’ as FDA says ‘very concerned about vaccine hesitancy’

Dec. 13 - The FDA has addressed ‘vaccine hesitancy’ concerns as a CDC panel unanimously recommended Pfizer jab for widespread use, and the US Army general in charge of distribution declared ‘the beginning of the end’ of Covid-19 pandemic.The head of the US Food and Drug Administration, Stephen Hahn, said that his agency is “very concerned about vaccine hesitancy” and thus always tried to be as “open and transparent” as possible about the Pfizer-BioNTech Covid-19 vaccine testing and emergency approval process.

We are also aware that some feel that the speed with which this development and regulatory process took place might give them concerns about the vaccine.

President Trump announced the FDA approval of Pfizer vaccine for emergency use on Friday night, amid allegations that his administration was twisting the agency’s arms to expedite the process.     continue to read

Palmer Report is an American liberal political blog,[3] based in Los Angeles, California.[4] It is written by Bill Palmer, who describes himself[5] on his website as a political journalist who covered the 2016 election cycle from start to finish, along with more than fifty additional writers and contributing editors in several U.S. states and the United Kingdom.[6] Palmer previously ran a site called Daily News Bin,[7] described by Snopes editor Brooke Binkowski as "basically a pro-Hillary Clinton 'news site.'"[8] The site has built a following based on speculative theories about Donald Trump going to prison.[9] Founded in 2013, it has been noted for the accuracy and promptness of its political analysis, which has often been reported weeks or even months in advance of other outlets for political news.[citation needed]
source from Wikipedia

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Palmer Report » Analysis

Donald Trump’s final message to his supporters: “Destroy the GOP”

Dec. 12 - Pro-Trump protesters are chanting “Destroy the GOP” at their rally today. Donald Trump will be off the political stage soon, too mired in criminal charges and financial collapse to remain interested in politics. And the lasting message he’s leaving with his supporters is they should never vote Republican again, because the party didn’t do enough to save him...     continue to read

White House News (白宮消息) | Dec. 12, 2020

 2 - White House News in Chinese (weebly.com)

Gordon Douglas Jones (born May 4, 1954) is an American attorney and politician serving as the junior United States Senator from Alabama since 2018. A member of the Democratic Party, he was the United States Attorney for the Northern District of Alabama from 1997 to 2001.

Jones was born in Fairfield, Alabama, and is a graduate of the University of Alabama and Cumberland School of Law at Samford University. After law school, he worked as a congressional staffer and as a federal prosecutor before moving to private practice. In 1997, President Bill Clinton appointed Jones as U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Alabama. Jones's most prominent cases were the successful prosecution of two Ku Klux Klan members for the 1963 Birmingham church bombing that killed four African-American girls and the indictment of domestic terrorist Eric Rudolph. He returned to private practice at the conclusion of Clinton's presidency in 2001.

Jones announced his candidacy for United States Senate in the 2017 special election following the resignation of Republican incumbent Jeff Sessions to become U.S. Attorney General. After winning the Democratic primary in August, he faced former Alabama Supreme Court Justice Roy Moore in the general election.

Jones was considered a long-shot candidate in a deeply Republican state. A month before the election, Moore was alleged to have sexually assaulted and otherwise acted inappropriately with several females, including some who were minors at the time.[1] Jones won the special election by 22,000 votes, 50%–48%.[2]
Jones is currently the only statewide elected Democrat in Alabama and the first Democrat to win statewide office since Lucy Baxley was elected President of the Alabama Public Service Commission in 2008. Democrats had not represented Alabama in the U.S. Senate since 1997, when Howell Heflin left office. Jones is considered a moderate Democrat who demonstrates a willingness to work with Republicans and split with his party on certain issues.[3]

Jones ran for a full term in 2020, and lost to Republican nominee Tommy Tuberville.[4] He has been reported as a leading candidate for United States Attorney General in the Biden administration.[5]

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U.S. Sen. Doug Jones gave his farewell address to the senate on Dec. 9, 2020.
Doug Jones gives emotional farewell address to U.S. senate

Dec. 9 - U.S. Sen. Doug Jones of Alabama, his voice at times breaking and choked with emotion, gave his farewell address to the senate on Wednesday afternoon.
He talked about how no one expected the 2017 special election result that made him the first Democratic senator from Alabama since his mentor, U.S. Sen. Howell Heflin, retired in 1997.

“It seems like I just kind of love a lost cause,” Jones said. “I believe in hope. I believe in redemption. I believe in the possibility.”     continue to read

战略核力量震撼上演
俄亮杀手锏威慑谁？
20201210 |《今日关注》CCTV中文国际
Dec 11, 2020