- PoliticsThe Week
Ted Cruz says Senate will likely blockade Biden's nominations based on debunked election fraud allegations
Some Republican senators are using their unfounded election fraud claims as an excuse to muddy President-elect Joe Biden's transition.Biden has spent the past few weeks since the election filling out his Cabinet, hoping quick confirmations will help him get a quick start on reversing President Trump's policies. But "as long as there's litigation ongoing, and the election result is disputed, I do not think you will see the Senate act to confirm any nominee," Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) told Axios.The Senate typically starts hearing from an incoming president's Cabinet nominees before Inauguration Day, allowing them to more quickly be confirmed and start work as soon as a new president is sworn in and can formally nominate them. That's especially essential during a pandemic — something retiring Sen. Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) noted to Axios on Friday.But much of the Republican Senate and House have yet to acknowledge Biden's win. More than 100 of those congressmembers joined Texas' lawsuit Thursday aimed at overturning the election results in four states that went for Biden. The lawsuit alleges Georgia, Michigan, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin improperly changed voting rules in the 2020 election, but is unlikely to succeed in the Supreme Court, not least because several states included on the suit made similar changes by the same means.Sen. Jim Inhofe (R-Okla.) meanwhile wants a chance to challenge Biden's nominees on their credentials, particularly his controversial Defense Secretary pick retired Gen. Lloyd Austin.More stories from theweek.com Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms reportedly went from Biden's VP list to being offered a Bahamas ambassadorship Democratic congressmember demands House leaders refuse to seat Republicans who support Texas election lawsuit Joe Biden's agriculture appointment is a slap in the face to Black voters
- PoliticsHuffPost
Twitter Users Erupt Over Trump's 'Just Want To Stop The World From Killing Itself’ Claim
President Donald Trump declared on Twitter Friday morning that he just wants"to stop the world from killing itself.
- PoliticsBusiness Insider
Trump acknowledges there will be a 'Biden Administration,' effectively admitting he lost while still calling for the election result to be overturned
Trump is spending his final days in office trying to invalidate millions of votes and breaking from a US democratic tradition by refusing to concede.
- PoliticsHuffPost
Disinfection Of The Trump White House Provides Comic Fodder For Late Night Hosts
Jimmy Fallon, Seth Meyers and James Corden responded to a report that the White House will be "thoroughly" disinfected before Joe Biden moves in.
- NewsThe Telegraph
China says two Canadians held for two years on 'spying' accusations have been indicted and tried
China's Foreign Ministry said Thursday that two Canadians held for two years in a case linked to a Huawei executive have been indicted and put on trial, but gave no details. Former diplomat Michael Kovrig and businessman Michael Spavor have been confined since December 10, 2018, just days after Canada detained Huawei executive Meng Wanzhou, who is also the daughter of the founder of the Chinese global communications equipment giant. China has said Mr Kovrig and Mr Spavor were indicted June 19 by the Beijing prosecutor's office on "suspicion of spying for state secrets and intelligence." Neither China or Canada has released specifics about their cases. At a daily briefing Thursday, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying said the two had been "arrested, indicted and tried," in what appeared to be the first public mention that they had been brought to court. She reiterated that their cases and Ms Meng's were "different in nature," with Ms Meng's being a "purely political incident." Despite that, China has consistently linked the fate of the two Canadians to its demands that Ms Meng be released immediately. Canadian foreign minister Francois-Philippe Champagne issued a statement Wednesday marking their two years of captivity, saying; "These two Canadians are an absolute priority for our government, and we will continue to work tirelessly to secure their immediate release and to stand up for them as a government and as Canadians." "I am struck by the integrity and strength of character the two have shown as they endure immense hardship that would shake anyone's faith in humanity," Mr Champagne said. The US is seeking Ms Meng's extradition from Canada on fraud charges. Her arrest severely damaged relations between Canada and China, which has also sentenced two other Canadians to death and suspended imports of canola from Canada. Ms Meng, the chief financial officer of Huawei Technologies, is living in a luxury Vancouver home while her extradition case continues in a British Columbia court. The US accuses Huawei of using a Hong Kong shell company to deceive banks and do business with Iran in violation of US sanctions. It's not publicly known where Mr Kovrig and Mr Spavor are being held or under what conditions, although Canada's ambassador to China testified to a House of Commons committee this week that they were "robust." Canadian diplomats had been denied all access to the two men from January to October because of coronavirus precautions cited by the Chinese side. On-site visits were banned and not even virtual visits were permitted. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, who has described China's approach as coercive diplomacy, spoke last month with US president-elect Joe Biden about the case of the two men and said he expects Mr Biden to be a good partner in persuading Beijing to release them. Canada's Foreign Ministry did not immediately reply to an emailed request for comment on Ms Hua's remarks.
- CelebrityMarie Claire
Prince William Revealed What He Really Calls the Queen
No, it's not "Your Majesty."
- PoliticsBusiness Insider
Here's what it could take for Biden to undo Trump's big changes at the Pentagon
The Trump administration has brought massive changes to the Pentagon in the weeks since Trump lost the election.
