Cut to the News
Cut through the clutter to today's top news
December 31, 2020
Good morning
Welcome to today's top news.
Leading the News . . .
Hawley says he'll object to Electoral College certification of Biden victory on Jan. 6 . . . Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., on Wednesday became the first Republican senator to publicly say he will object to the certification of the presidential election results when a joint session of Congress meets in one week to formally certify President-elect Joe Biden's 306-232 Electoral College victory over President Trump. Roughly a dozen Trump
supporters in the House – led by Rep. Mo Brooks of Alabama – have said they will challenge the slate of electors from six battleground states where Biden narrowly edged Trump in last month's election. But the challenge of at least one senator is needed for both houses of Congress to debate the objections. Fox
News
GOP lawmaker says 100 Republicans could challenge Electoral College results . . . Rep. Adam Kinzinger (R-Ill.) said Wednesday he thinks as many as 100 Republicans could challenge the Electoral College results when Congress convenes to count the votes on Jan. 6. In an interview with "The Bulwark Podcast," Kinzinger told host Charlie Sykes he thinks "upwards of 100" GOP lawmakers could challenge the Nov. 3 election results. The Hill
Fauci sees US gaining control over COVID by next fall . . . Dr. Fauci said on Wednesday he foresees America achieving enough collective COVID-19 immunity through vaccinations to regain “some semblance of normality” by autumn 2021. Fauci made his remarks during an online discussion of the pandemic with California Governor Gavin Newsom, who announced that a more infectious coronavirus variant originally found in Britain has been
detected in his state, a day after the first known U.S. case was documented in Colorado. Fauci said that additional cases of the variant would likely surface around the country and that the mutating nature of such viruses is normal. Reuters
Does anyone believe what Fauci says any more?
China gives its first COVID vaccine approval to Sinopharm . . . China approved its first COVID-19 vaccine for general public use on Thursday, a shot developed by an affiliate of state-backed pharmaceutical giant Sinopharm, as it braces for greater transmission risks over the winter. No detailed efficacy data of the vaccine has been publicly released but its developer, Beijing Biological Products Institute said on Wednesday its
vaccine was 79.34% effective in preventing people from developing the disease based on interim data. Reuters
I am not planning on taking China's vaccine to prevent the Chinese virus. Are you?
|
|
Trump's push for $2,000 stimulus checks hits dead end in Senate . . . President Trump's push to boost the amount of stimulus checks from $600 to $2,000 appears to be dead in the water in the GOP-controlled Senate. Trump is ramping up calls for Congress to increase the amount provided by a recently passed $2.3 trillion deal, an idea that quickly garnered support from Democratic leadership, some House Republicans and a growing number
of Senate Republicans. But a bill to increase the checks faces steep roadblocks — political, policy and procedural — that make it increasingly unlikely that lawmakers will get legislation to Trump’s desk by noon on Sunday, the deadline for the current Congress. The Hill
Electoral College action by Congress should be a formality, Biden team says . . . Incoming White House press secretary Jen Psaki said Wednesday that Congress’s expected certification of President-elect Joe Biden’s victory should be treated as a “formality,” even as a growing number of congressional Republicans vow to challenge the process. Psaki expressed confidence that "President-elect Biden will be sworn in on the 20th,"
hours after Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) became the first senator to vow to challenge Biden’s victory in Pennsylvania and potentially other states on Jan. 6, when Congress meets to certify the results of the Electoral College vote. The Hill
Get ready for some excitement on January 6.
DHS on track for 450 miles of border wall by end of year . . . Homeland Security has surged new border wall construction along previously unfenced portions of the U.S.-Mexico boundary and is closing in on President Trump’s goal of 450 total miles built by the end of this year. As of Monday, some 446 miles had been erected and statistics released this week by Customs and Border Protection, the agency that oversees the wall, showed
a new mile being completed about every day. And after years of focus on repairing outdated or dilapidated sections of existing wall, CBP is now making major headway in sealing off new sections of the boundary that didn’t have any barriers. Washington Times
Census Bureau to miss deadline, threatening Trump's attempt to exclude illegal migrants from census . . . For the first time in four decades the Census Bureau will miss their deadline on reporting apportionment figures used to divvy up congressional seats. The missed deadline will likely subvert President Trump’s plans to remove people living in the country without legal permission from the process. Trump pushed to
have immigrants living in the U.S. without legal permission discounted from the final census count, which is used by the U.S. House of Representatives to decide how many House members each state gets – a move that some theorized would benefit GOP lawmakers. The 2020 census will also be used to help determine how to redraw district lines, a process that occurs every 10 years. Fox News
|
|
Iran's President Rouhani issues a death threat against Trump . . . Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said Wednesday that President Trump will soon be dead while vowing blood vengeance for the killing of an Iranian general. Mr. Rouhani made the threat in a speech to the Iranian Cabinet about the “martyred” Gen. Qassem Soleimani, which was posted in English on the Iranian presidential Website. “In a few
days, the life of this criminal will end and he will go to the dustbin of history,” the official Iranian government site quoted him in English as having said. Washington Times
US flies bombers off Iran's coast in warning to Teheran . . . United States B-52 bombers flew off of Iran’s coast in a show-of-force days before the one-year anniversary of the successful U.S. drone strike that killed Iranian military commander Qassem Soleimani. The two planes were dispatched from Minot Air Force Base in North Dakota and flew 36 hours to complete the round trip. The mission marked the third time in the last 45 days that the U.S.
conducted such flights in the Arabian Gulf. The display comes as the U.S. gears up for potential attacks from Iran or its proxy groups in Iraq, Yemen, and Syria to mark the anniversary of Soleimani’s death who was killed on a Jan. 3, 2019. Washington Examiner
Trump briefed on unverified intel about China offering bounties in Afghanistan . . . The Trump administration is declassifying unconfirmed intelligence indicating that the Chinese government offered bounties to non-state actors in Afghanistan to attack U.S. soldiers. Two senior administration officials, and a senior intelligence official and a senior administration official separately confirmed the reporting related to the
declassified intelligence. If true, the bounties would represent a massive escalation by China in its power competition with the United States. The Hill
|
|
Hong Kong media tycoon Jimmy Lai jailed after bail revoked . . . Hong Kong’s highest court on Thursday revoked media tycoon Jimmy Lai’s bail after prosecutors succeeded in asking the judges to send him back to detention. Lai had been granted bail on Dec. 23 after three weeks in custody on charges of fraud and
endangering national security. His appeal hearing is slated for Feb. 1. The court said Thursday that it was “reasonably arguable” that the previous judge’s decision was erroneous and that the order of granting bail was invalid. Lai is among a string of pro-democracy activists and supporters arrested by Hong Kong police in recent months as authorities step up their crackdown on dissent in the semi-autonomous Chinese territory. Associated Press
Pakistan arrests twenty four people over demolishing of Hindu temple . . . Pakistani police arrested 24 people in overnight raids after a Hindu temple was set on fire and demolished by a mob led by supporters of a radical Islamist party, officials said Thursday.
Meanwhile, dozens of Hindus rallied in the southern port city of Karachi to demand the rebuilding of their place of worship.
The temple’s destruction Wednesday in the northwestern town of Karak also drew condemnation from human rights activists and leaders of Pakistan’s minority Hindu community. Associated Press
|
|
Dow closes at record in year-end rally . . . The Dow Jones Industrial Average closed at a record high of 30,410 Wednesday, extending year-end gains with a positive outlook heading into 2021. The Dow was up 74 points, or 0.2 percent, while the S&P 500 closed up 5 points, or 0.1 percent, remaining just below the record it set earlier in the week. Markets often rise in the waning days of December, and stocks have been particularly sunny
in recent weeks as COVID-19 vaccines have been shown to be safe and effective, received emergency use authorizations and begun rolling out in the US and other countries. The Hill
Minimum wage set to rise in 20 states as growing number adopt $15 an hour . . . With the COVID-19 pandemic raging, layoffs mounting and $2,000 stimulus checks for U.S. households looking highly uncertain, there couldn’t be a better time to bump up the minimum wage for millions of low-paid Americans. Employers argue there couldn’t be a worse time, with small businesses struggling to survive amid plunging revenue and a new round of
state shutdowns aimed at curtailing the latest coronavirus spike. So far, workers appear to have won the fight and will reap the benefits starting Friday. Twenty states and 32 cities and counties – including many in California – are set to raise their minimum wages on or about New Year’s Day. USA Today
|
|
Gun rights activists celebrate as Trump admin pulls stabilizing-brace ban . . . Gun rights activists are claiming victory after the Trump administration withdrew new guidance that could have effectively outlawed stabilizing braces, which resemble gunstocks and attach to pistols to steady the
shooters’ aim. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives had said the devices can transform pistols into short-barreled rifles subject to federal regulation and taxation — a perpetual fear of gun owners. But after significant outcry from members of Congress and others, the agency withdrew its notice for public comment on the guidance less than a week after publishing it. Washington Times
Secret Service changing POTUS detail amid concerns current members like Trump . . . The Secret Service is planning to add a number of agents that previously worked with President-elect Biden when he served as vice president to his presidential detail in the coming weeks. While it’s not unusual for
staffing changes to be made to the presidential detail when a new administration assumes office, the new moves come as allies of the incoming president have expressed concerns about how some agents may align with President Trump. The Hill
Biden Transition Pentagon briefings resume amid dispute . . . Talks have resumed between President-elect Joe Biden’s transition team and the Defense Department following an 11-day stalemate, but his aides said they were pushing the Trump administration for more information related to national security and
the coronavirus pandemic. Following a cessation of meetings starting Dec. 18, the Defense Department has held three briefings this week with Mr. Biden’s team on Covid-19 and cybersecurity. While the meetings were paused, officials at the Defense Department said they responded to 17 requests for information from Dec. 18-28. Wall Street Journal
What restaurants are open New Year's Day 2021? Chick-fil-A and many more
|
|
Baboon who fled his vasectomy . . . Sydney zookeepers scheduled a baboon for a vasectomy but their plans were cut short. The incident occurred last February when a male baboon and his two female companions - who accompanied the baboon to keep him calm - were en route to an animal facility for the procedure. After monkeying around with a broken truck lock, the baboons made their escape to freedom and through a car
park. Sadly, it was only a matter of hours before authorities apprehended the three. The reason for the vasectomy was to allow [the baboon] to continue to live his life in peace and harmony with his own family instead of constantly breeding within the troupe as it presents genetic problems. Doctors eventually went through with the vasectomy. Washington Free Beacon
No-one wants to lose their monkeyhood.
|
|
Do you love Cut to the News? Let your family and friends know about it! They'll thank you for it. Spread the word . . .
By Email - use the message that pops up or write your own. On Facebook - On FB, write your own message
Thank you for doing it.
Have a great day.
Rebekah
Rebekah Koffler
Got this from a friend? Subscribe here and get Cut to the News sent to your Inbox every morning.
|
|
|
