White House News (白宮消息) | Feb.24, 2021

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How to Survive a Pandemic

Xavier Becerra(/hɑːviˈɛər bɪˈsɛrə/ hah-vee-AIR beh-SEHR-ə (American Spanish: [haˈβjeɾ beˈse.ra]); born January 26, 1958) is an American politician and lawyer serving as the 33rd and current attorney general of California since 2017. He previously was a member of the United States House of Representatives, representing Downtown Los Angeles in Congress from 1993 to 2017. Becerra, a member of the Democratic Party, was Chairman of the House Democratic Caucus from 2013 to 2017. On December 7, 2020, President-elect Joe Biden announced his intention to nominate Becerra to be the United States secretary of health and human services.[1] If confirmed by the Senate, he will be the fourth Californian to hold the position, the first Democrat from California and first Latino to do so.

Born in Sacramento, California, to Mexican parents, Becerra graduated from Stanford University and received his Juris Doctor degree from Stanford Law School. He worked as a lawyer at the Legal Assistance Corporation of central Massachusetts, before returning to California in 1986 to work as an administrative assistant for state senator Art Torres. He served as a deputy attorney general in the California Department of Justice from 1987 to 1990, before he was elected to the California State Assembly, where he served one term from 1990 to 1992.

Becerra was first elected to the House of Representatives in 1992. He represented California's 30th congressional district from 1993 to 2003, California's 31st congressional district from 2003 to 2013, and California's 34th congressional district from 2013 to 2017. He served as Chairman of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus from 1997 to 1999, Vice Chairman of the House Democratic Caucus from 2009 to 2013 and as a member of the Joint Select Committee on Deficit Reduction.   Wikipedia

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Xavier Becerra, President Joe Biden's nominee to be secretary of health and human services, at a Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee confirmation hearing in Washington on Tuesday.
Here's why Xavier Becerra's confirmation critics gained no traction by attacking his Catholicism

Republican efforts to derail this nomination have focused on the nominee's faith. Yet I've seen how he lives out its principles in his work.

Feb. 24 - As a nun who led one of the largest national Catholic health care organizations in the country, I know that no other federal agency works as much to protect and advance the health and well-being of families as the Department of Health and Human Services.
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That's why I was relieved and thrilled when President Joe Biden announced his intention in December to nominate California Attorney General Xavier Becerra, a leader whose character is rooted in his Catholic upbringing and values, to be secretary of health and human services. I know he is the right person to lead the agency in this moment, as he showed at his confirmation hearing Tuesday.     more to read

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Biden health secretary pick Xavier Becerra faces contentious Senate hearings
Becerra appeared before a Senate committee Tuesday that includes potentially pivotal Republican votes and some rabble-rousers.

Feb. 24 - WASHINGTON — President Joe Biden's nominee to lead the powerful Department of Health and Human Services appeared Tuesday before the Senate in the first of two hearings, with allies fanning out to defend him as Republicans mobilize to tank his nomination.

If confirmed, California Attorney General Xavier Becerra, a former congressman, will have the daunting task of steering administration policy on the coronavirus pandemic and orchestrating Biden's goal to get health care to more Americans. He would also be the first Latino HHS secretary.

"Attorney General Becerra has the experience and principles needed for this important role," Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Chair Patty Murray, D-Wash., said in her opening remarks, praising Becerra as a proven "executive leader" who has fought for patients and families' health care.

"We have a lot of work to do, and no time to waste," she said, calling on the Senate to "move quickly to confirm" him after the hearings.     more details

White House News (白宮消息) | Feb.23, 2021

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Merrick Garland: The Next Supreme Court Justice

Biden leads moment of silence as US tops 500,000 coronavirus deaths Irish Examiner15:46
Biden’s HHS nominee supported assisted suicide in California Catholic Herald15:42
The Biden Administration Must End the Trade War without Delay China US Focus15:35

Pentagon Spending May Escape Deep Budget Cuts, Key Senator Says BNN Bloomberg15:34
Meghan McCain calls for President Biden to replace Dr. Fauci with someone who understands… Mail Online15:31
How Trump set up Biden for success The Japan Times15:29
Why Biden’s ‘America is back’ is not good for the world’s ‘China concerns’ ThePrint15:28
‘The View’: Whoopi Shuts Meghan McCain Down for Interrupting Her During ‘Controversial’ Debate The Cheat Sheet15:23
State TV: Iran imposes curbs on UN nuclear inspections Mail Online15:16

Biden orders flags at half-mast to mourn 500k COVID-19 U.S. deaths CGTN15:12
How Biden can strike a blow against Saudi Arabia's human rights violations CNN15:12
With vaccine delay, Biden warns of uncertain end to pandemic American Pharmacists Association15:06
Biden admin scraps stringent citizenship test, reverts to 2008 version The Times of India15:05
Biden administration asks US Supreme Court to dump Medicaid work case Times LIVE15:02
State Department spokesman gets into heated exchange with AP reporter Mail Online14:56
WaPo called out for report on Biden's 'migrant facility for children' after hitting Trump's… Fox News14:56
Immigration Overhaul The Statesman14:55

During his confirmation hearing on Feb. 22, attorney general nominee Merrick Garland said addressing domestic terrorism would be his "first priority."
Merrick Garland tells senators Capitol riot investigation will be his first priority as attorney general

Feb. 23 - ​Attorney general nominee Merrick Garland said Monday that, if confirmed, his first order of business will be the sprawling investigation into the U.S. Capitol riot, as he more broadly vowed to stamp out the rising threat of domestic terrorism and restore public faith in the Justice Department.

Testifying at his confirmation hearing before the Senate Judiciary Committee, Garland drew parallels to past domestic terrorism threats, including the Ku Klux Klan and the prosecution he led of Timothy McVeigh in the bombing of a federal building in Oklahoma City in 1995 — one of the deadliest such attacks in U.S. history.
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His remarks made clear that his tenure will be defined by how he responds to the Jan. 6 riot, which resulted in the deaths of a police officer and four others, and to the broader threat it exposed.     more details

GOP working to block Biden’s health care pick; Democrats unfazed Boston Globe14:46
Biden Announces Changes to PPP Program Industry Week14:44

Biden calls US Covid-19 toll 'heartbreaking' RTE14:35
Manchin Backing $11 Federal Minimum Wage to Break Impasse Over Biden’s $15 Proposal The Epoch Times14:35
Biden mourns 500,000 Americans who died of COVID-19 Yahoo! Sports14:27
The Proposed Federal Covid-19 Relief Bill Includes a $15 Minimum Wage Hike and Elimination of the Tip Credit. Will… Lexology14:25
Think you'll be eligible for a $1,400 stimulus check? Here are qualifications for income,… CNET14:20
Biden picks Native American agency head SBS14:19
While the Indo-Pacific waits for Biden to recognise reality, it must help itself Observer Research Foundation14:18
Biden, Secretary of State Blinken 'eager to visit' Japan The Mainichi14:18
PATRICK LAWRENCE: Biden’s Missing Link with Europe Consortiumnews.com14:06
Biden’s balancing act to turn back the clock on Iran The Sydney Morning Herald14:05
‘I Don’t Know’: Biden’s AG Pick Dodges Issue of Whether Illegal Immigration Should Remain a Crime Sputnik14:05
US Treasury deputy chief nominee pledges to get tough on China Al Jazeera14:04
Biden Administration Revokes Trump Changes to Citizenship Test for Immigrants Reason13:56
US flags to be lowered to half-mast to commemorate half a million Covid-19 deaths The Hindu Business Line13:52
View: India should head to London climate talks with a definitive plan of action The Times of India13:42
Biden readies his first major penalties on Russia Politico EU13:38
Pressure mounts on Beijing in the South China Sea Asia Times13:35
Biden Foreign Policy a Mystery So Far The Epoch Times13:34
GOP working to block Biden's health care pick; Dems unfazed ABC News13:16
Biden attempt to resurrect Iran nuke deal off to bumpy start Mail Online13:14
US Treasury Nominee Adeyemo Vows to Combat China's 'Unfair Economic Practices' in Testimony Voice of America13:14
Mounting confirmation battle sends warning sign to Biden CNN13:09
Media Fluffs Biden Townhall13:08
Biden bends to the ayatollah Washington Examiner13:03
Corporate leaders cozy up to costly Biden climate agenda Washington Examiner13:03
Bells toll for lives lost as U.S. reaches 500,000 COVID deaths Ynet News12:55
Graham warns Biden immigration policies will lead to 'caravan after caravan' at US-Mexico border Fox News12:54
Reporter Asks State Department If Biden Cabinet 'Takes Credit' For Trump's Moves on Nord Stream 2 Sputnik12:53
Coronavirus: US marks 'heartbreaking milestone' with 500,000 COVID deaths Deutsche Welle12:51

FEBRUARY 22, 2021 | PART OF ATTORNEY GENERAL NOMINEE MERRICK GARLAND TESTIFIES AT CONFIRMATION HEARING
​Attorney General Nominee Merrick Garland Testifies at Confirmation Hearing, Part 2
Attorney General nominee Merrick Garland testifies at a confirmation hearing before the Senate Judiciary Committee.

White House News (白宮消息) | Feb.22, 2021

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Jacob Jeremiah Sullivan (born November 28, 1976) is an American senior government official who serves as the National Security Advisor to U.S. President Joe Biden. He was previously senior policy advisor to Hillary Clinton's 2016 presidential election campaign and Deputy Chief of Staff at the Department of State. Sullivan was also a senior advisor to the U.S. government for the Iran nuclear negotiations and a visiting professor at Yale Law School.

Sullivan worked in the Obama administration as Deputy Assistant to the President and National Security Advisor to U.S. Vice President Joe Biden. He also served as the Director of Policy Planning at the Department of State, and as Deputy Chief of Staff to U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.

On November 23, 2020, Biden announced that Sullivan would be appointed National Security Advisor. He took office January 20, 2021.     source from Wikipedia

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National security adviser Jake Sullivan speaks during a press briefing at the White House in Washington
US Starts Hostage Talks With Iran

Feb. 21 - WASHINGTON - White House National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan said Sunday that the United States has started talks with Iran over the return of at least five American hostages whom Tehran is holding.

In an interview on CBS News' "Face the Nation" show, Sullivan said that it was a "significant priority" of President Joe Biden's administration to get the Americans "safely back home" and that it was a “complete and utter outrage” that they were being held.

"We have begun to communicate with the Iranians on this issue," Sullivan said.

"We will not accept a long-term proposition where they continue to hold Americans in an unjust and unlawful manner," he said, calling it a "humanitarian catastrophe."

Iran is holding dozens of dual nationals, including the five Americans, mostly on espionage charges.

Even with the hostage discussions, Sullivan said no talks have begun with Tehran about the U.S. rejoining the 2015 international pact to restrain Iran’s nuclear development program, which Iranian officials maintain is for peaceful purposes and not the development of nuclear weapons.

Biden said Friday that the United States was driven to “reengage in negotiations” to revive the pact that former President Donald Trump withdrew from in 2018.     more details

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President Joe Biden participates in a virtual event with the Munich Security Conference, in the East Room of the White House, in Washington, Feb. 19, 2021.
Biden's Bid to Revive Iran Nuclear Deal Faces Long Road, Should Involve US Pressure, Analysts Say

Feb. 21 - WASHINGTON - As U.S. President Joe Biden begins a diplomatic push to revive a 2015 nuclear agreement between Iran and world powers, supporters of the deal say he will need a long-term effort to succeed, while opponents say he should focus instead on pressuring Tehran into a new and tougher deal.

The 2015 agreement, the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, or JCPOA, was reached between Iran and the five permanent members of the United Nations Security Council plus Germany, known as the P5+1. It requires Iran to undertake eight- to 15-year-long curbs in nuclear activities with potential for weaponization in exchange for international sanctions relief. Former U.S. President Donald Trump withdrew from the deal in 2018 saying it was not tough enough on Iran, which has retaliated by exceeding the deal’s nuclear limits since 2019.

“We’re prepared to reengage in negotiations with the P5+1 on Iran’s nuclear program,” Biden said Friday at the White House, in a speech to a virtual version of the Munich Security Conference, an annual forum on international security policy.     more details

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Jake Sullivan says diplomacy is only path to revive JCPOA

Feb. 21, TEHRAN - In interview with CNN on Friday, Jake Sullivan, the U.S. national security advisor, said, “The first and most important thing for us to communicate is that we believe diplomacy has to be part of the answer of solving the Iranian nuclear issue.”

Sullivan emphasized the U.S. wants to negotiate with Iran over its nuclear program and noted, “That means being prepared to sit down at the table with the permanent five members of the Security Council, plus Germany and Iran, to talk about how we get Iran back into compliance with the terms of the Joint Comprehensive Plan Of Action.”

Announcing that the Biden administration will accept the EU invitation to meet with the Iranian diplomats, he said, “So President Biden directed us to agree to the invitation by the European Union to join a meeting at a date to be determined where we can begin those discussions. We're at an early stage here.”

“It's going to take work, it's going to take hard-headed, clear-eyed diplomacy, and ultimately it's going to take a decision by Iran that they are prepared to take the steps required to assure the world and to prove to the world that their program is for exclusively peaceful purposes,” he added.
 
The U.S. national security advisor reiterated Biden’s words towards the revival of the JCPOA and underscored, “Steps by Iran to do that, clearly, and steps by the United States to meet its obligations.”

Meanwhile, he acknowledged, “The U.S. which is in contravention and came out of that deal, and Iran is calling for sanctions to be lifted.”
 
“Well, what we have said repeatedly is that United States is prepared to come back into compliance with its terms if Iran is ready to come back into compliance with its terms of the deal,” Sullivan said in answer to the question about the mechanism for synchronicity to salvage the JCPOA.      continue to read


Related Articles:

• There’s huge disagreement among Biden aides over JCPOA revival: Politico
• JCPOA is not renegotiable: American foreign policy expert
• Biden intends to talk with Iran before officially rejoining JCPOA: Bloomberg
• Los Angeles Times acknowledges first move to revive JCPOA must be taken by U.S.
• Republicans criticize Biden's decision to lift Iran sanctions

White House News (白宮消息) | Feb.20, 2021

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Pfizer Inc. (/ˈfaɪzər/)[3] is an American multinational pharmaceutical corporation. Pfizer is one of the world's largest pharmaceutical companies, and was ranked 64th on the 2020 Fortune 500 list of the largest U.S. corporations by total revenue, at $47.644 billion as of December 31, 2020.[4][5][1]

​Headquartered in Manhattan, Pfizer develops and produces medicines and vaccines for a wide range of medical disciplines, including immunology, oncology, cardiology, endocrinology, and neurology. Its products include the blockbuster drug Lipitor (atorvastatin), used to lower LDL blood cholesterol; Lyrica (pregabalin) for neuropathic pain and fibromyalgia; Diflucan (fluconazole), an oral antifungal medication; Zithromax (azithromycin), an antibiotic; Viagra (sildenafil) for erectile dysfunction; Celebrex (also Celebra, celecoxib), an anti-inflammatory drug; and Prevnar 13, a pneumococcal conjugate vaccine...

..."In May 2020, Pfizer began testing four different COVID-19 vaccine variations. It planned to expand human trials to thousands of test patients by September 2020. The pharma company injected doses of the potential vaccine BNT162b2, which was developed by the German biotechnology company BioNTech, and into the first human participants in the U.S. in early May. Based on the results, Pfizer said they "will be able to deliver millions of doses in the October time frame" and expects to produce hundreds of millions of doses in 2021.[83]"...    quoted from Wikipedia

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Pfizer’s vaccine works well after one dose, and doesn’t always need ultracold storage.

Two positive developments this week could potentially expand access to the Pfizer-BioNTech Covid-19 vaccine at a time when nations around the world are trying to ramp up vaccinations.

A study in Israel showed that the vaccine is robustly effective after the first shot, echoing what other research has shown for the AstraZeneca vaccine and raising the possibility that regulators in some countries could authorize delaying a second dose instead of giving both on the strict schedule of three weeks apart as tested in clinical trials.

Although regulators in the United States have held fast to the requirement that people receive two doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine three weeks apart, the British government decided to prioritize giving as many people as possible an initial dose, allowing delays of up to 12 weeks before the second dose. The Israeli study could bolster arguments for emulating that approach in other countries.

Published in The Lancet on Thursday and drawing from a group of 9,100 Israeli health care workers, the study showed that Pfizer’s vaccine was 85 percent effective 15 to 28 days after receiving the first dose. Pfizer and BioNTech’s late-stage clinical trials, which enrolled 44,000 people, showed that the vaccine was 95 percent effective if two doses were given three weeks apart.

Dr. Anthony S. Fauci, the nation’s leading expert on infectious diseases and an adviser to President Biden, said at a White House news conference on the pandemic on Friday that the results of the study are not significant enough to change the U.S. recommendations.

He pointed out that the people in the study were on the younger and healthier side and the researchers could not say how long the protection from one shot of the vaccine would last. He also said it was possible that a less-than-optimal dose might not kill the most powerful variants of the virus, theoretically allowing them to spread more quickly in the population.
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“We want the public not to be confused. The recommendation from the F.D.A. is two doses, just as it always has been,” Andy Slavitt, a White House virus adviser, said during the briefing.      more details

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A dose of Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine was drawn into a syringe at the Community Center in Rohnert Park, Calif.
The vaccines are quite safe, and side effects are rare, the C.D.C. reports.

Feb. 20 - ​The two coronavirus vaccines authorized for use in the United States are reassuringly safe, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported on Friday.

As of Thursday, some 41 million Americans have received at least one dose of a Covid-19 vaccine; about 16.2 million people have been fully vaccinated. But some people remain wary, concerned that the vaccines may have been rushed to market or that side effects may have gone unnoticed.

The new data provide ample evidence that the vaccines are safe, although adverse reactions have occurred in a few patients.

The C.D.C. gathered reports from a long established national surveillance network and a new safety monitoring system, called V-Safe, created specifically to track the coronavirus vaccines. Participants volunteer to enroll and fill out daily surveys reporting symptoms.

The surveillance is neither uniform nor complete, but the tracking effort nonetheless is “the most intense and comprehensive in U.S. history,” the agency said.     more details

Israel says it’s on track to vaccinate everyone over 16 by the end of March. To understand how the small country has vaccinated more of its population than any other so quickly, WSJ visited clinics that are giving shots to young and middle-aged citizens.
Some Covid-19 Vaccines Are Effective After One Dose, Can Be Stored in Normal Freezers, Data Show
In a win for global vaccination goals, BioNTech-Pfizer vaccine is shown to generate strong response with one dose and to maintain potency in standard freezers for two weeks

Feb. 20 - Efforts to vaccinate the world’s population against Covid-19 got a boost Friday after research showed that some vaccines provide strong, one-dose protection, and that one of the vaccines can now be stored in normal freezers instead of ultra-cold ones.

The vaccine developed by Pfizer Inc. and BioNTech SE generates robust immunity after one dose, according to new research out of Israel, and further data showed that the University of Oxford and AstraZeneca PLC vaccine similarly prevented Covid-19 when doses were spaced three months apart.

The findings could boost arguments in favor of delaying the second dose of the two-shot vaccine, as the U.K. has done. They could also have substantial implications on vaccine policy and distribution around the world, simplifying the logistics of distribution.

Pfizer and BioNTech said they have asked U.S. regulators to allow their vaccine to be stored and transported at temperatures consistent with standard freezing, around minus 20 Celsius, following successful internal stability testing. Similar filings were being prepared in other countries.

Should Pfizer’s request be granted by regulators, it would mean its vaccine would vastly expand access in rural regions around the world, as well as pharmacies and physician offices, according to industry experts and officials.     source
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FEBRUARY 19, 2021
Defense Secretary Austin Holds News Conference
Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin held a briefing at the Pentagon where he talked about recent meetings with NATO allies. They discussed common challenges including climate change, terrorism threats, and policies toward China, Russia, Iraq, and Afghanistan. He also said officials within the Defense Department are addressing sexual assault and domestic extremism within military ranks. 

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China and the US likely to dance diplomatically without crossing each other's redlines

Feb. 20 - ..."As Yang noted, China's position has been stable and consistent, while Biden acknowledged the U.S. has been the opposite. This is why although Yang said more, little of it was new; and while Biden said less, much of it described changes.

Although a soft reset arguably is in everyone's best interests, neither side realistically expects relations to warm considerably overnight. Both realize relations are tense and even fraught on some fronts. Both indicate a willingness to cooperate. Politically, Biden cannot afford to move too quickly on relations with China given more pressing matters at home, which above all require broad political support from Democrats and Republicans, with committed China hawks found in both parties. Beijing understands that patience might be required, as the White House press secretary indicated it would be a day after Biden's speech, and will certainly embrace it as long as sovereignty isn't compromised.
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The key for both sides will be to build from positives without crossing each other's redlines. In fact, neither side nor the world at large can afford increasing conflict, and both China and Biden's team know how to dance diplomatically. It's not unreasonable to be optimistic".     quoted from