The first 78 year old president
Real life treasure hunter
Electoral College Officially Announced President-Elect Joe Biden
On Monday, after weeks of back and forth between the two major U.S. political parties, the Electoral College officially voted, with Joe Biden clearing the 270-vote threshold required to win the election.
• Joe Biden will be the country’s oldest President in history at 78.
• Biden will be sworn into office on January 20th on inauguration day.
Electoral college has the final say: Although the official Electoral College vote is typically just a formality, the 2020 election cycle was peppered with controversy. The Trump Campaign spread unsubstantiated allegations of widespread voter fraud in lawsuits recently shot down by the Supreme Court. Various federal agencies, including the FBI, have disputed claims of widespread voter fraud.
Mitch said it: On Tuesday, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell made an official statement regarding the outcome of the 2020 election, signaling a page-turning moment in the GOP. "The Electoral College has spoken. So today, I want to congratulate President-elect Joe Biden."
Dr. Fauci Predicts a Return to Normality by Next Fall
As COVID-19 vaccines make their way to hospitals throughout the nation, experts are now predicting we could be back to some semblance of normality by as early as next fall. On Monday, the head of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, Dr. Anthony Fauci said that the country could achieve herd immunity against the virus by mid-next year.
A price to pay: Although news of the vaccine brought optimism to many, Fauci cautioned that we do not forget about the cost thus far. “Well, it's you know, it's bittersweet […] we are still in a terrible situation with the numbers that you mentioned, the deaths, the hospitalizations, the number of cases. And yet, we're really now starting to see the light at the end of the tunnel that is going to ultimately get us through this.”
Herd immunity: Depending on the efficiency of the vaccine rollout, Fauci told reporters that it should be widely available to all citizens by April. By summer or fall, the infectious disease expert predicts that the U.S. will likely attain an ‘umbrella of herd immunity’ and achieve ‘some degree of relief.’
Treasure Hunter Sits in Jail, Refusing to Reveal Location of 500 Gold Coins He Found
A one-time deep-sea treasure hunter and research scientist, Tommy Thompson, is almost five years deep in his jail sentence he received for failing to disclose the location of a pile of gold coins he found in a historic shipwreck. Although he wasn’t charged for outright breaking the law, it was his lack of cooperation in repaying investors that landed him in jail.
• Thompson has been in jail for over four years.
• The coins he found were estimated to be worth $2 to $4 million USD.
• He’s currently looking down the barrel of $1.8 million in fines.
S.S. America: In 1988 during a deep-sea expedition, Thompson stumbled upon the shipwreck of the S.S. America, otherwise known as the ‘Ship of Gold’. The ship sailed during the gold-rush era and sank in a hurricane off the coast of South Carolina in the mid-1800s. It was purportedly full of gold coins, among other valuables.
A conveniently fickle memory: The 161 investors that Thompson relied upon for over $12 million to fund his expeditions became impatient after Thompson reportedly ‘forgot’ where he put the coins and sued him. The judge in the case pointed out the absurdity of ‘forgetting’ where he stashed 500 valuable gold coins. “He creates a patent for a submarine, but he can’t remember where he put the loot[?]”
Court Finds Evidence of Crimes Against Humanity in the Philippines
On Tuesday, the International Criminal Court released a report claiming there exists sufficient evidence to prove crimes against humanity had taken place in the Philippines under current President Rodrigo Duerte. Duerte, known for his violent ‘war on drugs’, has been accused by the ICC of murder, torture, and infliction of serious physical and mental injury.
• Duterte plans to deal with the coronavirus the ‘same way he dealt with drugs.’
• The recent typhoon Vamco has displaced thousands and killed dozens in the rural Philippines.
Vigilantism: The ICC has been looking at the Philippines for over two years now, and has focused primarily on widespread allegations that Duterte’s administration has been promoting and encouraging the killing of those the administration suspects to be drug users or distributors. The report alleges that this promotion has manifested in the form of ‘state-sanctioned vigilante death squads.’
Who’s in charge? Although the Philippines withdrew from the ICC, the court asserts that it retains jurisdiction in the country due to its participation in the Rome Statute, the treaty responsible for forming the ICC. Duterte’s spokesperson Harry Roque told reporters that “We do not recognize the jurisdiction of the ICC.”
Attorney General William Barr Resigns
U.S. Attorney General William Barr announced his resignation, effective December 23rd, on Monday as the Electoral College finished up its voting ceremonies. In Barr’s letter, he praised President Trump, saying he “felt proud to have played a role in the many successes and unprecedented achievements” he claims the President delivered for the American people.
• Barr will depart the DoJ to spend time with family for Christmas, according to President Trump.
• Deputy AG Jeff Rosen will serve as acting AG in the remainder of the lame-duck period.
• Barr’s resignation came right after the Electoral College vote.
An amicable farewell: Trump said on Twitter on Monday that he met with Barr at the White House to discuss the resignation. Trump said that his relationship with Barr has been “a very good one”, and that Barr has done “an outstanding job!” Trump asserted that his resignation’s timing was to facilitate Barr spending time with his family for the holidays.
A political specialist: Barr served twice as Attorney General, once under Bush Sr. and again under Trump. In both cases, the expert lawyer was sought out to navigate a difficult situation—under Bush Sr., the Iran-Contra scandal, and under Trump, the Robert Mueller investigation. In both cases, he was successful in diffusing the situation for those respective administrations.
What Else is Happening:
• Massive snowstorm expected for the Northeast. Meteorologists predict up to two feet of snow and signal winter alerts for millions.
• FBI says agent shot a civilian on a train near Washington D.C., says it’s actively investigating the shooting.
• The Coast Guard saved the lives of 4 people after their boat caught on fire and stranded them at sea.
• Court rejects bid for arctic offshore drilling project, much to the rejoice of environmentalists.
• Facebook lifts a controversial ban on political ads just in time for Georgia’s Senate runoff elections.