Dual cyclones threaten to menace several Pacific countries

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Two separate cyclones developing in the Pacific are threatening to impact several countries later this week, with Fiji in particular being warned to be alert.

Los Angeles, Orange and San Francisco counties shatter COVID-19 records as ICU space shrinks – Los Angeles Times

There were 1,236 people hospitalized with COVID-19 in Orange County on Sunday and 4,203 in Los Angeles on Saturday, according to the latest available numbers — both record highs. San Francisco, which had been a front-runner in coronavirus testing, reported a record of 323 new cases Saturday.

Intensive care units in Southern California had only 4.2% of their capacity available Sunday, falling below the statewide level of 7.4%, according to the California Department of Public Health. Northern California had the highest capacity, with 29%, while the San Joaquin Valley had just 1.5%.

Source: Los Angeles, Orange and San Francisco counties shatter COVID-19 records as ICU space shrinks – Los Angeles Times

Michigan Republican rebuked after refusing to promise no violence as electors vote | TheHill

Asked by a radio host whether he could assure that the meeting would remain safe and that “nobody is going to get hurt,” Eisen answered bluntly.

“No,” he said. “I don’t know, because what we’re doing today is uncharted. It hasn’t been done. It’s not me doing it. It’s the Michigan Party, Republican Party. I’m just here to witness.”

A spokesperson for the Michigan Republican Party told the Detroit Free Press on Monday that he is “unaware of what Rep. Eisen is referring to.”

In a statement, Michigan state House Speaker Lee Chatfield (R) and Speaker-elect Jason Wentworth (R) condemned any suggestion of violence. They said that Eisen had been removed from his committee posts as a result of his comments.

“We as elected officials must be clear that violence has no place in our democratic process,” Chatfield and Wentworth said. “We must be held to a higher standard. Because of that, Rep. Eisen has been removed from his committee assignments for the rest of the term.”

Source: Michigan Republican rebuked after refusing to promise no violence as electors vote | TheHill

Ocasio-Cortez asks for details on coronavirus precautions on Rikers Island | TheHill

“The City has made valiant efforts to protect New Yorkers from COVID-19, particularly given they’ve received little help from the Trump administration. However, these disturbing calls necessitate further transparency,” Ocasio-Cortez wrote. “Many at Rikers stand only accused, not convicted, of a crime. And none of the detained individuals were sentenced to death by a deadly virus. The City has a responsibility to provide for the health and safety of everyone at Rikers.” Source: Ocasio-Cortez asks for details on coronavirus precautions on Rikers Island | TheHill

Trump suggests White House staff will wait longer for COVID-19 vaccines – The Jerusalem Post (Line up and let’s see you, our daughter, son-in-law, their children, wife and Pence take the shot!)

National Security Council spokesman John Ullyot said before Trump’s tweet that senior officials in the executive branch, Congress and judiciary would receive vaccinations in line with a protocol aimed at ensuring the US government can continue to operate during a pandemic or catastrophic emergency.
“The American people should have confidence that they are receiving the same safe and effective vaccine as senior officials of the United States government on the advice of public health professionals and national security leadership,” Ullyot said in a statement.

Source: Trump suggests White House staff will wait longer for COVID-19 vaccines – The Jerusalem Post

Trump’s long shot strategy to undermine American democracy

Somehow over turn enough electors so that Biden does not have 270 electoral votes – thus “kicking the presidential election to the House of Representatives. In the House, state delegations would have each cast one vote for president. While Democrats have a slim control of the 2021 House (at least 222 Democrats with 218 needed for a majority), the state delegations favor Republicans, 26-24.”(https://www.newsmax.com/headline/election-biden-trump-lawsuits/2020/12/13/id/1001277/)

Dumbest Dum-Dum in Senate Has Dumb Idea | Mock Paper Scissors

“Sen. Ron Johnson, the chairman of the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, has invited former independent counsel Ken Starr and attorneys in key battleground states to testify at a controversial hearing next week where he plans to probe the 2020 election that President-elect Joe Biden won.” “He also says the hearings will help him decide whether to join House Republicans to challenge the electoral results on the floor in January, as he’s met with one of those conservatives — Ohio Rep. Jim Jordan — to help prepare for next week’s hearing.” Source: Dumbest Dum-Dum in Senate Has Dumb Idea | Mock Paper Scissors

‘Bellingcat’ joint investigation implicates FSB in Navalny poisoning — Meduza

Bellingcat and its partners also maintain that all 15 operatives on the team tailing Navalny have “backgrounds in chemical and biological warfare, medicine, and special operations.” And that they are supported by specialists involved in developing chemical warfare agents:

This sub-unit appears to report to a scientist who previously worked in Russia’s military chemical weapons program in Shikhany, where nerve agents from the Novichok family were originally developed, and is supported by a network of other chemical weapons specialists dispersed at several government-run institutes.

Source: ‘Bellingcat’ joint investigation implicates FSB in Navalny poisoning — Meduza