Caldor Fire, ‘knocking on the door’ of Lake Tahoe area, becomes nation’s ‘No. 1 priority for firefighting resources’ – USA TODAY
Caldor Fire, ‘knocking on the door’ of Lake Tahoe area, becomes nation’s ‘No. 1 priority for firefighting resources’ – USA TODAY

Source Article from https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2021/08/24/caldor-fire-lake-tahoe-california-nevada-resources/5579388001/

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Two House members secretly traveled to Kabul airport amid hurried evacuations – NBC News
Two House members secretly traveled to Kabul airport amid hurried evacuations – NBC News
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How Mexico Helped The Times Get Its Journalists Out of Afghanistan – The New York Times
How Mexico Helped The Times Get Its Journalists Out of Afghanistan – The New York Times

“We looked at this request not as foreign policy between Mexico and the U.S.,” he continued. “Instead, it’s a common position between someone who was a New York Times reporter in Kabul several years ago and myself, who was in the position to make some decisions.”

Mr. Ebrard wrote back to Mr. Ahmed around 6:30 p.m. to say Mexico was ready to help by providing assurances — to a charter airline, or another government — that it would accept a list of Afghans.

As the Taliban closed in on Kabul, however, the situation changed. The commercial airport shut down, and for a time only American military flights would depart. Qatar, where the U.S. jets landed, would usually accept Afghans only if officials there could be assured that they would move on to a third country.

Many of the details of the Afghans’ passage are being kept confidential by news organizations, in part for fear of flooding the narrow channels of escape. The Times did not promote its arrangement with Mexico. After it was reached, Mexico extended its invitation to The Wall Street Journal and The Washington Post. The editor in chief of The Journal, Matt Murray, said the paper planned to send its team, now in Qatar and Ukraine, on to Mexico. A spokeswoman for The Post declined to comment on its plans.

While the United States has ramped up its evacuation flights, the politicized and bureaucratic American immigration system has struggled to meet the crisis. Many of the special visas that the United States has issued to journalists require them to spend at least a year in a third country, presumably to satisfy the forces warning that Muslim immigrants may be terrorists working under extremely deep cover.

So governments around the world are stepping in, as they did when Syrian journalists fled that country’s war — most of them to find homes in Europe. Many others went to Turkey, which has also scrambled to provide lifelines to Afghan journalists. Uzbekistan, too, has accepted refugees and offered itself as a short-term destination for Times journalists, a senior Times editor said.

Source Article from https://www.nytimes.com/2021/08/25/business/media/mexico-afghan-journalists-rescue.html

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How screwed is Adam Kinzinger? – POLITICO
How screwed is Adam Kinzinger? – POLITICO

“Adam, right now, he and I get along great. What he’s doing, he’s doing. But if you look at the Republican electorate in any one of those districts — probably not,” said Rep. Mike Bost (R-Ill.) when asked if Kinzinger could win in a different seat. “It’d be hard.”

Democrats in the state insist that Kinzinger’s likely fate is driven solely by geographical considerations. Thanks to declining population, Illinois is losing one of its 18 congressional districts, and Democrats in charge of the process need some of Kinzinger’s blue-leaning voters to shore up Rep. Lauren Underwood (D-Ill.) and an open seat in the northwest corner held by retiring Rep. Cheri Bustos (D-Ill.).

Illinois is one of only a handful of states where Democrats have total control over redistricting, which means they’ll attempt to maximize party gains through the new map. With only a narrow majority and a historically tough midterm approaching, House Democrats plan to press their advantage in those states to squeeze out every last possible seat.

In Illinois, they’ll need to bolster the 12 incumbents seeking reelection, hang on to Bustos’ district — which has become increasingly competitive — and transform GOP Rep. Rodney Davis’ seat in the center of the state into a Democratic pickup.

Axing Kinzinger’s district, which curves from the Wisconsin to the Indiana border, is the simplest way to achieve all of those lofty goals.

Kinzinger is well-aware his seat is on the chopping block but says he’s not “overthinking” or “losing sleep” over something of which he has no control.

“If I lose my district, we’ll take a look then,” he told POLITICO. “But I’m not too freaked out.”

No official proposed map has yet emerged — only draft copies are floating around, and those were created with preliminary population totals, not the official Census data released earlier this month.

But in interviews, few party operatives in D.C. or Illinois could envision a final plan that leaves much of Kinzinger’s seat intact. The Democrats’ ideal map would shift the delegation from its current roster of 13 Democrats and five Republicans to a 14-3 split.

“Given the configuration and where the population trended, and the way it’s trending, if I had to take a bet, I bet that we lose a Republican district,” said Rep. Danny Davis (D-Ill.), who represents the Loop in Chicago.

Kinzinger, a veteran inspired to join the Air Force after the Sept. 11 attacks, is well acquainted with sharp-elbowed political fights. After ousting a Democratic incumbent to win the seat in 2010, he was pitted against a more senior Republican, Don Manzullo, in a brutal primary resulting from the last Democratic-controlled round of redistricting. Kinzinger won by 8 points.

Over the years, Kinzinger burnished his national security credentials in the House and served as a member of the whip team who was once well liked by leadership. It was only recently that he stepped into his role as a prominent Trump foil. He is currently one of two Republicans on the House select committee investigating the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol.

With the former president vowing to seek revenge on those who publicly oppose him, Kinzinger’s political fortunes changed dramatically. He already has several primary challengers filed to run against him in his current district. If they split the anti-incumbent vote, Kinzinger might have a chance at returning to Congress — but the looming redistricting likely makes it a moot point.

In interviews, Kinzinger made clear he wants to stay involved in the conversation about the future of the GOP. He has said he would look at running for statewide office if he has no viable House seat. Allies think he could even mount a 2024 presidential bid.

“I certainly wouldn’t rule out Senate or governor and anything else. Maybe, who knows?” Kinzinger said.

And he said he did not believe he needed to be in elected office to have an impact: “I still have a passion for what I’m doing and so I’d still fight hard for what I believe. So, I don’t think it’s necessary.”

Some in Kinzinger’s inner circle don’t believe he would be content watching from the sidelines. They point out that he has positioned himself as well as a Republican could for a statewide run in solidly Democratic Illinois. He could attract the suburban moderates that have raced away from the GOP since Trump took office, as well as independents weary of the Democrats’ monopoly on state and federal politics.

Sen. Tammy Duckworth and Gov. J.B. Pritzker, both Democrats, are up for reelection in 2022. Neither has attracted a strong well-funded opponent.

Kinzinger, on the other hand, has amassed a huge war chest — thanks to a surge of donors eager to reward him for opposing Trump. He had more than $3 million banked as of July and has been stockpiling money in an aligned leadership PAC that will support like-minded candidates.

“If the Democrats think that they’re just going to draw him out and that’ll be the end of Kinzinger, I think they might want to take a second look,” said former Rep. Bob Dold, a Republican who represented the Chicago suburbs. “The Democrats, if they were smart, would leave that district alone.”

As formidable as he might be in a general election, Kinzinger will have Republican primary election difficulties no matter the office he seeks. The former president is still immensely popular with GOP voters and Kinzinger’s unrestrained criticism of Trump would make it easier for a pro-Trump candidate to stoke the base. Trump himself could help recruit Senate or governor prospects to oppose him.

As for Kinzinger’s House district, GOP Reps. Darin LaHood and Mary Miller may end up absorbing some of his territory. He could choose to run against one of them in their newly reconfigured districts, but might struggle to attract Trump supporters.

“The other question is: how will the hardcore Trump loyalists feel about him? Given the influence that he has,” said Rep. Chuy García, a Chicago-based Democrat. “Right now, it’d be pretty challenging.”

The open Bustos district will likely include some swaths of Kinzinger’s old seat and he could choose to run there. But he would have to contend with 2020 Republican nominee Esther Joy King, who is making a second bid after a strong showing last cycle.

In the most popular proposed maps, Bustos’ seat emerges as the only true battleground. The House Democratic campaign arm was out recruiting candidates in the district this month, according to a source familiar with their efforts. Rockford Alderman Jonathan Logemann is likely to run and state Sen. Steve Stadelman is another possible candidate.

Meanwhile, the suburban Chicagoland seats held by Democratic Reps. Sean Casten and Underwood, both of whom ousted Republican incumbents in 2018, will become significantly safer.

Kinzinger is not the only political casualty of the upcoming remap. Davis’ central Illinois seat will likely take on a string bean shape connecting Champaign, Decatur and Springfield (which are already in his district) with the Democratic city of East St. Louis (which is in Bost’s.)

The planned new configuration for the district would make it a relatively strong Democratic seat, meaning Davis might also be eyeing a statewide bid instead of running an uphill House race.

“I’ll make my decision once the political battlefields are set,” Davis said in a brief interview. “We don’t have any say because it’s run by corrupt Democrats who have super majorities in the House and the Senate.”

Olivia Beavers and Shia Kapos contributed to this report.

Source Article from https://www.politico.com/news/2021/08/25/adam-kinzinger-illinois-democrats-506861

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Kamala Harris kicks off Vietnam visit by calling out China’s ‘bullying’ tactics – CNBC
Kamala Harris kicks off Vietnam visit by calling out China’s ‘bullying’ tactics – CNBC

The strategic competition between the U.S. and China came to forefront as Vice President Kamala Harris kicked off the second leg of her official visit to Southeast Asia in Vietnam.  

Harris told Vietnamese officials in the capital city of Hanoi on Wednesday there was a need to put pressure Beijing on its actions in the South China Sea. Vietnam is a vocal opponent of China’s vast territorial claims in the strategic waterway.  

“We need to find ways to pressure and raise the pressure, frankly, on Beijing to abide by the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, and to challenge its bullying and excessive maritime claims,” said Harris.

The United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea or UNCLOS is an international treaty that outlines nations’ rights and responsibilities in the world’s ocean space. It forms the basis for how international courts, such as the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea, settle maritime disputes. 

Harris’ comment followed her speech in Singapore on Tuesday, when she said Beijing had continued “to coerce, to intimidate and to make claims to the vast majority of South China Sea.”

The South China Sea is resource-rich waterway that’s a vital commercial shipping route where trillions of dollars of world trade pass through each year. China claims nearly the entire sea — parts of which have also been claimed by some Southeast Asian countries including Vietnam, Malaysia and the Philippines.

In 2016, a tribunal at the Permanent Court of Arbitration dismissed China’s claim as legally baseless — a ruling Beijing ignored.

In response to Harris’ Singapore speech, Chinese state media accused the American vice president of seeking to “drive a wedge” between China and its Southeast Asian neighbors.

Ahead of her arrival in Vietnam on Tuesday evening, Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and China’s ambassador to Vietnam held a previously unannounced meeting, reported Reuters. During the meeting, the Chinese ambassador pledged a donation of two million Covid-19 vaccine doses to Vietnam, according to the report.

‘Biggest’ geopolitical contest

While Harris has been cautious about hitting out at Beijing, political analysts and former diplomats said there is little doubt that her trip is part of the U.S.’ strategy in competing with China.

The rivalry between the U.S. and China is the “biggest” geopolitical issue currently, said Kishore Mahbubani, a prominent former Singapore diplomat.

“So clearly the visit of Vice President Kamala Harris is part of the contest between United States and China,” Mahbubani, now a distinguished fellow at the National University of Singapore’s Asia Research Institute, told CNBC’s “Street Signs Asia” on Wednesday.

“Southeast Asia is going to be a very, very critical arena of that competition,” he said.

His sentiment is shared by Curtis Chin, a former U.S. ambassador to the Asian Development Bank. Chin said the rise of China is “a big foreign policy challenge” for the U.S. and much of the world, even as the fallout in Afghanistan continues.

President Joe Biden has faced criticism over how he handled the withdrawal of American forces from Afghanistan. The issue has overshadowed Harris’ trip to Southeast Asia, with reporters focusing their questions on Afghanistan at the vice president’s joint press conference with Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong on Monday.

“United States needs to go all in in its attention to Southeast Asia and really much of Asia, not just the countries that we have formal alliances with,” Chin, senior fellow at the Milken Institute, told CNBC’s “Squawk Box Asia” on Wednesday.

“And when I say all in, that isn’t just diplomatic and military engagements, it means real business engagement — that’s what the United States also needs to focus on,” he added.

In her talks with Singapore’s prime minister, Harris discussed issues ranging from supply chains to climate change and the pandemic.

She announced in Vietnam that the U.S. will donate an additional one million doses of Pfizer’s Covid vaccine — taking the total U.S. donation to the Southeast Asian country to six million doses. Harris also launched the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s new Southeast Asia regional office in Hanoi.

The vice president is scheduled to conclude her Southeast Asia trip on Thursday.

Source Article from https://www.cnbc.com/2021/08/25/vp-kamala-harris-talks-south-china-sea-in-vietnam-amid-us-china-rivalry.html

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Supreme Court says Biden administration must comply with ruling to restart ‘remain in Mexico’ program for asylum seekers – The Washington Post
Supreme Court says Biden administration must comply with ruling to restart ‘remain in Mexico’ program for asylum seekers – The Washington Post

It is unclear exactly what effect the ruling will have. The Department of Homeland Security said in a statement that it will continue to challenge the district court ruling. “As the appeal process continues, however, DHS will comply with the order in good faith,” the statement said. “Alongside interagency partners, DHS has begun to engage with the Government of Mexico in diplomatic discussions surrounding the Migrant Protection Protocols (MPP). DHS remains committed to building a safe, orderly, and humane immigration system that upholds our laws and values.”

Source Article from https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/courts_law/supreme-court-remain-in-mexico/2021/08/24/6bba350a-0507-11ec-a654-900a78538242_story.html

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China may ‘gloat’ about Afghanistan now, but the Taliban’s return comes with problems, says professor – CNBC
China may ‘gloat’ about Afghanistan now, but the Taliban’s return comes with problems, says professor – CNBC

The fall of Afghanistan to the Taliban and the ensuing chaos present a “complicated situation” for China, a Cornell professor told CNBC.

“At one level, what is happening in Afghanistan might be considered a win for China because it suggests that the U.S. has a lot of weaknesses in terms of its intelligence … the way it deploys its massive military arsenal and economic power, sometimes to not very productive ends,” Eswar Prasad, a professor of trade policy at Cornell University in New York told CNBC “Street Signs Asia” on Tuesday.

America’s “long and unproductive involvement” in Afghanistan has been a “black eye” for U.S. foreign policy, said Prasad, who was formerly head of the International Monetary Fund’s China division.

“This will certainly knock the U.S. down a peg or two in the eyes of the rest of the world, although it is far from clear that the outcome in Afghanistan will by itself … drive any country deeper into China’s economic and political embrace,” he said in a separate email.

Afghanistan fell to Taliban control when the Islamist militant group seized the capital of Kabul more than a week ago. The Taliban have made rapid advances across the country since the U.S. started withdrawing its military forces in Afghanistan ahead of its Aug. 31 deadline.

Concern in Beijing over resurgent Taliban

A Taliban takeover could also come with its own problems for China, Prasad said.

There’s legitimate concern in Beijing about what a resurgence of the Taliban and other extremist groups might mean for China’s domestic stability as “it’s hard to imagine this won’t spill over the border in some fashion or the other,” he said.

China and Afghanistan share a border.

The militant group has said it would not allow other terrorist organizations to use Afghanistan as a base to launch attacks. However, analysts have expressed doubts.

A United Nations report this year said the Taliban and al-Qaeda “remain closely aligned and show no indication of breaking ties.” The Taliban previously refuted those claims.

There are two possible scenarios with extreme possibilities, said Victor Gao, vice president of the Center for China and Globalization.

One is that the Taliban embraces reform and peace, and the other is that the Taliban reverts to its old ways — to what it was 20 years ago, Gao told CNBC Tuesday.

“That will constitute a lot of threat to the people in Afghanistan, but also to neighboring countries and regions like China’s Xinjiang region, for example, and put many people in harm’s way.”

Prasad added: “So I think Beijing is likely to gloat in the short run — but who knows, it could have some problems on its hands in the long run.”

Chinese media has cast the U.S. withdrawal in a negative light. Chinese state-run media Global Times published an editorial Monday blaming the defeat of the Afghan government on the withdrawal of U.S. forces. 

‘Void’ left by U.S. withdrawal

The hasty U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan also raises some questions, Cornell’s Prasad pointed out.

“There are questions about whether — even if the U.S. is committed in the short run to a particular country or a particular region — whether the commitment can be sustained, or is credible over the longer term, and also whether the commitment might end in a very messy fashion, as we’re seeing right now,” he said.

Meanwhile, there are questions about who will fill the vacuum left by the “weak” American commitment in the region, Prasad said.

“The question is whether there is an alternative power that can, again, fill in the void that might be created by perceptions of weak American commitments or weak American ability to deliver on those commitments.”

 — CNBC’s Abigail Ng and Natasha Turak contributed to this report.

Source Article from https://www.cnbc.com/2021/08/25/cornell-professor-on-afghanistan-us-withdrawal-taliban-impact-on-china.html

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Biden rejects allies’ pleas to keep troops in Afghanistan beyond end of August – The Guardian
Biden rejects allies’ pleas to keep troops in Afghanistan beyond end of August – The Guardian

Joe Biden has rejected the pleas of domestic and international allies to keep troops in Afghanistan for evacuation efforts beyond the end of the month, citing the growing threat of a terrorist attack.

In a move likely to fuel criticism that America is abandoning Afghan partners to the Taliban, the US president made clear that he is resolved to withdraw forces from Kabul airport by next Tuesday’s deadline.

“We are currently on a pace to finish by August the 31st,” Biden said at the White House on Tuesday. “The sooner we can finish, the better. Each day of operations brings added risk to our troops.”

The president acknowledged that completing the airlift – one of the biggest in history – by 31 August depends on the Taliban continuing to cooperate and allowing access to the airport with no disruption to operations.

Biden also noted that he has asked the Pentagon and the state department for “contingency plans to adjust the timetable should that become necessary”.

He continued: “I’m determined to ensure that we complete our mission, this mission. I’m also mindful of the increasing risks that I’ve been briefed on and the need to factor those risks in.”

These “acute and growing” risks include possible terrorist attacks by Isis-K, the Islamic State group’s Afghanistan affiliate that is also a sworn enemy of the Taliban, he said. “Every day we’re on the ground is another day we know that Isis-K is seeking to target the airport and attack both US forces and allied forces and innocent civilians.”

Biden pointed out that 70,700 people have been evacuated from Kabul since 14 August. But his reluctance to extend the 31 August deadline disappointed politicians at home and leaders abroad who contend that it is unrealistic.

A US air force airman guides evacuees to board a plane at Hamid Karzai international airport in Kabul on Tuesday. Photograph: Senior Airman Taylor Crul/AP

Kevin McCarthy, the Republican leader in the House of Representatives, told a press conference: “There’s no possible way that we can get every American that’s still in Afghanistan out in the next seven days.”

Mitt Romney, a Republican senator for Utah and former presidential candidate, added: “We have been given every indication that evacuation efforts cannot be concluded by August 31. Americans are still stranded in the provinces outside of Kabul and it’s unacceptable that there is still no plan to get these individuals to safety.”

There are particular fears for Afghan civilians who, if left behind, face reprisals from the Taliban for working with western forces, missions and nongovernment organisations.

Romney added: “Leaving vulnerable Afghans – many of whom risked their lives, and their families’ lives, in service to our country – to face the wrath of the Taliban would be an utter disgrace and moral failure. Evacuation efforts should end only when the job is done.”

The US made an agreement with the Taliban, which overthrew Afghanistan’s government with shocking speed, to withdraw its forces by 31 August, including from Kabul airport. But the Biden administration has been unable to say how many Americans are in Afghanistan or how many have been evacuated.

On Tuesday a virtual meeting of the G7 – Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan and the US – debated the withdrawal date and ended in bitter disappointment for those seeking to persuade Biden to extend the end date.

Charles Michel, the president of the European Council, said: “Several leaders during the G7 meeting expressed concerns about this timing, August 31, and we have also had the opportunity to express our opinion on that.”

Boris Johnson, the British prime minister, added after the meeting: “We will go on right up until the last moment that we can. But you have heard what the president of the United States has had to say, you have heard what the Taliban have said.

“I think you have got to understand the context in which we’re doing this. We’re confident we can get thousands more out. But the situation at the airport is not getting any better, there are public order issues, it’s harrowing scenes for those who are trying to get out, and it’s tough for our military as well.”

The Taliban has allowed the airlift to continue without major interference so far. But at a press conference in Kabul, Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said his group will accept “no extensions” of the deadline.

Mujahid also said the Taliban is still allowing foreign nationals to leave but preventing Afghans from reaching the airport on the grounds that it is dangerous and their skills are are needed to rebuild the country. “We are asking the Americans please change your policy and don’t encourage Afghans to leave,” he added.

A 2020 deal struck by then president Donald Trump and the Taliban initially set a May deadline for US troops to fully withdrawn, after nearly 20 years of war there. Biden extended the deadline to 31 August but failed to anticipate how quickly the Afghan government and army would collapse.

Taliban fighters stand guard outside Hamid Karzai international airport on Tuesday. Photograph: Bashir Darwish/UPI/REX/Shutterstock

Both Democrats and Republicans have argued that more time is needed and the Taliban should not be allowed to dictate terms.

Mikie Sherrill, a member of the House armed service committee and former navy helicopter pilot, said after a classified briefing: “Make no mistake, this evacuation is an extremely dangerous mission and it’s set to get more dangerous in the coming days. I requested that the SecDef and SecState encourage the president in the strongest possible terms to reconsider that deadline.”

Ben Sasse, a Republican senator for Nebraska, added bluntly: “Damn the deadline. The American people are not going to surrender our fellow citizens to the Taliban. Americans want us to stay until we get our people out, and so do our allies.

“The Biden administration needs to cut the Stockholm syndrome. There’s absolutely no reason to trust the Taliban – they’re violently blocking Americans and our Afghan partners from reaching the airport.”

The US accelerated its round-the-clock airlift of evacuees from Afghanistan to the highest level yet on Tuesday. About 21,600 people were flown safely out of Afghanistan in the 24-hour period that ended early on Tuesday, the White House said, eclipsing the 16,000 moved out the previous day.

But on Tuesday the Axios website reported that it obtained an email in which a US official describes conditions at the Al Udeid airbase in Doha, Qatar, where many Afghan refugees are staying, as “a living hell” littered with faeces, urine and rats. John Kirby, a Pentagon spokesman, said “nobody is making excuses” and “everybody’s focused on trying” to improve the conditions.

Meanwhile the CIA director, William Burns, secretly visited Kabul on Monday to meet with the Taliban’s top political leader, Abdul Ghani Baradar, according to multiple media reports which the White House declined to confirm.

Source Article from https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2021/aug/24/joe-biden-afghanistan-evacuations-deadline-taliban

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Supreme Court Allows Revival of Trump-Era Asylum Policy – The New York Times
Supreme Court Allows Revival of Trump-Era Asylum Policy – The New York Times

President Biden suspended and then ended the program. Texas and Missouri sued, saying they had been injured by the termination by having to provide government services like drivers’ licenses to immigrants allowed into the United States under the program.

On Aug. 13, Judge Matthew J. Kacsmaryk of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas, in Amarillo, ruled that a federal law required returning noncitizens seeking asylum to Mexico whenever the government lacked the resources to detain them.

That was a novel reading of the law, the acting solicitor general, Brian H. Fletcher, told the justices. That view had “never been accepted by any presidential administration since the statute’s enactment in 1996,” including the Trump administration, he said.

Judge Kacsmaryk suspended his ruling for a week, and the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit, in New Orleans, refused to give the administration a further stay while it pursued an appeal, prompting an emergency application for a stay in the Supreme Court. On Friday, shortly before the ruling was to go into effect, Justice Samuel A. Alito Jr. issued a short stay to allow the full Supreme Court to consider the matter.

The Supreme Court has had previous encounters with the program. In response to an emergency application from the Trump administration, the court revived the program last year after a federal appeals court blocked it.

Source Article from https://www.nytimes.com/2021/08/24/us/politics/supreme-court-immigration-asylum-mexico.html

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Anatomy of a power play: How 9 House Dems cut their deal with Pelosi – POLITICO
Anatomy of a power play: How 9 House Dems cut their deal with Pelosi – POLITICO

“Not everybody loves you every day, but when you sit and work with both sides, you tend to take body blows from both sides,” Gottheimer said in an interview about his tactics. “If it’s for the good of the country, making progress and doing what’s right for the people we represent, that’s my job.”

Yet the durability of the centrists’ victory remains up for debate. The two-day budget showdown revealed the struggles of such a disparate bloc of Democrats — a mix of fiscal and social conservatives, vulnerable “frontliners” and some who hold deep blue seats — as they seek to maximize their influence.

While Gottheimer and his group celebrate the concession they got on infrastructure, they face a bigger question: whether they expended too much political capital over a calendar fight, when a much bigger debate over the size and scope of the party’s social spending package is yet to come this fall.

Just 24 hours before the vote, no one on the Hill knew how it would end.

Pelosi, not one to respond well to demands from her rank and file, was not in a rush. The Californian was hosting a who’s who of Democratic luminaries at her annual Napa fundraiser over the weekend as members of her leadership team were dispatched to try to reason with the moderates.

But in a private leadership call Sunday afternoon with just Pelosi, House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer and House Majority Whip Jim Clyburn, it became apparent that the longtime Democratic leadership trio had a problem on their hands.

While Pelosi had been in touch with other centrists in Gottheimer’s group, it had been more than a week since she and the New Jersey Democrat had had a conversation. During the Sunday leadership call, Hoyer — who had been in close contact with the rebels for many days — suggested it was time for the speaker to directly engage Gottheimer, despite his rabble-rousing reputation that had long alienated many in the caucus.

By Monday night, Pelosi, Hoyer and the rest of her leadership team were engaged in a flurry of negotiations with Gottheimer and the other moderates. Such attention, in many ways, was precisely what the moderates had wanted in the first place.

Those efforts, however, took far longer than everyone expected, with Gottheimer and another senior centrist, Rep. Henry Cuellar (D-Texas), running into some disagreements within their own ad hoc group about how to end the standoff. While the group had a singular public demand — an immediate vote on the Senate infrastructure bill — several of its members were individually approaching leadership in private with their own wants and requests, complicating the negotiations.

Moderates walked away from the standoff Tuesday declaring victory, with a promise to be included in the drafting of the $3.5 trillion social spending package as well as a date certain for an infrastructure vote. Pelosi and her allies, meanwhile, argue that she has not wavered from her previous strategy.

“A win?” Pelosi responded Tuesday when asked whether Gottheimer had scored a significant victory. “We’re not talking about a win. We’re talking about passing a rule.”

Progressives, who were largely silent amid the moderates’ maneuver in the moment, said afterward that Pelosi had simply reiterated her earlier plans to attempt to pass both massive bills by the end of September. And they said their nearly 100-member caucus would only back the Senate infrastructure deal after passing the broader party-line spending bill.

“I don’t consider them concessions,” Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.) said of the demands granted to the centrists.

“The fact that they’re gonna end up supporting what they said they wouldn’t without actually getting what they wanted, I think sets them up for failure in negotiations in the future,” she added.

Unlike House liberals, most of whom align with the Congressional Progressive Caucus, moderates are more scattered across the caucus. Their various wings — the Blue Dogs, the New Democrats and the Problem Solvers — usually spend more time arguing over the semantic differences between the groups than they do joining together to force leadership’s hand.

For instance, the larger New Democrat Coalition fully backed the speaker’s approach while key members of the other two held out.

“I think a lot of this was probably unnecessary. We could have kept the process moving forward, but that’s called legislating,” said Rep. Ami Bera (D-Calif.), a senior member of the New Democrats.

Gottheimer’s allies included mostly members of the Problem Solvers Caucus, though they came together loosely and organized in general by word of mouth amid their frustrations with Pelosi’s dual-track strategy.

Another key moderate, Blue Dog co-leader Rep. Stephanie Murphy (D-Fla.), agreed with them and had been working with leadership behind the scenes. But Murphy didn’t go public until a Monday night op-ed, adding another complication to the already strained negotiations.

Murphy had sent a set of proposals to Democratic leadership and the White House a week earlier. Those included a late-September timeline for the infrastructure bill and certain reassurances for the $3.5 trillion spending package, which the centrists ultimately received.

Yet Murphy said those early ideas were ignored, and she began drafting her op-ed — which called her own party’s strategy “misguided” — shortly after a tense call from President Joe Biden himself on Sunday night, according to people familiar with the discussions.

“I can’t explain why the serious negotiations didn’t happen until the eleventh hour,” Murphy said in an interview Tuesday, after backing the budget on the floor. “I always find that people who wait until the very last minute to do their homework, let’s just say they end up staying up very late.”

Murphy is among several Democrats who hope to see a more involved White House during the next, and likely more intense, round of negotiations on the $3.5 trillion bill.

Biden’s call to Murphy was one of several ways that senior Democrats had discussed to pressure their members to support the budget vote. Another idea was having Gottheimer’s onetime boss former President Bill Clinton make calls, although sources close to the 46-year-old centrist insist that never happened.

One way top Democrats did try to turn the screw was through fundraising, with House Democratic Campaign Chair Sean Patrick Maloney (D-N.Y.) and his staff issuing veiled warnings about the campaign arm’s financial support if moderates followed through on their threats.

But while Gottheimer had always wanted a deal, he at times found it difficult to lock down all eight other members of his motley group.

Late Monday, Pelosi and Gottheimer had finally come to an agreement on a timeline, setting the date of Sept. 28 to vote on the Senate bill, when another one of the moderates balked. Rep. Carolyn Bourdeaux (D-Ga.) insisted the deadline for a vote be moved up a full week, providing distance from when the House would likely vote on the massive social spending deal, according to people familiar with the talks.

As the clock ticked past midnight, the group of negotiators decided to hit pause as it became clear they wouldn’t reach an agreement. But just hours later, Pelosi and Gottheimer resumed talks with an early morning call Tuesday.

Later that morning, Gottheimer’s group was again on the cusp of announcing a deal, only to be held up again at the last minute by members of their own group who demanded stronger language on the timeline. That final change ended up securing all nine votes.

In the end, Gottheimer and Cuellar locked down the votes of every Democrat who signed their letter.

Asked how he and Gottheimer convinced the rest of the moderates, Cuellar — who worked closely with his long-time ally Clyburn — replied: “With a lot of work.”

“We got a date to vote on this, on the 27th. We agreed that we’re going to be voting, same with the Senate Democrats. So I think we got everything,” Cuellar said.

Nicholas Wu and Anthony Adragna contributed to this report.

Source Article from https://www.politico.com/news/2021/08/24/gottheimer-house-dems-pelosi-deal-506819

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First US troops have started leaving Afghanistan as Biden decides not to extend withdrawal deadline – CNN
First US troops have started leaving Afghanistan as Biden decides not to extend withdrawal deadline – CNN

By Oren Liebermann and Paul LeBlanc, CNN

Updated 7:46 PM ET, Tue August 24, 2021

Source Article from https://www.cnn.com/2021/08/24/politics/first-us-troops-leaving-afghanistan/index.html

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House Democrats clear path toward passing $3.5 trillion budget bill and infrastructure plan after breaking stalemate – CNBC
House Democrats clear path toward passing $3.5 trillion budget bill and infrastructure plan after breaking stalemate – CNBC

House Democrats forged ahead with President Joe Biden‘s economic plans Tuesday after they broke a stalemate that threatened to unravel the party’s sprawling agenda.

In a 220-212 party-line vote, the chamber passed a $3.5 trillion budget resolution and advanced a $1 trillion bipartisan infrastructure bill. The vote allows Democrats to write and approve a massive spending package without Republicans and puts the Senate-passed infrastructure plan on a path to final passage in the House.

The measure includes a nonbinding commitment to vote on the infrastructure bill by Sept. 27, which aims to appease nine centrist Democrats who pushed the House to consider the bipartisan plan before it took up the Democratic budget resolution. The vote also advances a sweeping voting rights bill, which Democrats aim to pass as soon as Tuesday.

In a statement Tuesday, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., said she is “committing to pass the bipartisan infrastructure bill by September 27” and would “rally” her caucus to pass it. She also stressed that she aims to pass a budget reconciliation bill that could get through the Senate — meaning it may prove smaller than House progressives want.

The opposition from the nine holdout Democrats threatened an agenda that supporters say will boost the economy and provide a lifeline to working-class households. Democratic leaders have cast the budget plan as the biggest expansion of the American social safety net in decades and the infrastructure bill as an overdue refresh of transportation and utilities.

“The bottom line is, in my view, we are a step closer to truly investing in the American people, positioning our economy for long-term growth and building an America that outcompetes the rest of the world,” Biden said Tuesday after the vote. “My goal is to build an economy from the bottom up and middle out, not just the top down.”

Pelosi has pushed to pass the bipartisan and Democratic plans at the same time in order to ensure centrists and progressives back both measures. The nine Democrats withheld their support, leaving Pelosi and her top deputies scrambling to find a path forward to salvage the party’s economic plans.

All the Democrats ended up voting with their party Tuesday. In a statement after the vote, the Democrats led by Rep. Josh Gottheimer of New Jersey said their deal with party leaders “does what we set out to do: secure a standalone vote for the bipartisan infrastructure bill, send it to the President’s desk, and then separately consider the reconciliation package.”

The vote to advance the measures preserves the party’s hopes to push through massive economic proposals this year. Democrats still need to overcome several hurdles — and write a budget bill that can win support from spending-wary centrists and progressives alike — to get the proposals through a narrowly divided Congress.

Underscoring the challenges ahead, House leaders face pressure to write and pass the reconciliation plan before they approve the infrastructure bill — which Pelosi pledged to do in about a month. In a statement Tuesday, Congressional Progressive Caucus Chair Pramila Jayapal, D-Wash., said the two proposals are “integrally tied together, and we will only vote for the infrastructure bill after passing the reconciliation bill.”

Democrats in the Senate and House hope to write their bill to strengthen the social safety net and invest in climate policy in the coming weeks. The budget measure calls for expanding Medicare, child care and paid leave, extending strengthened household tax credits passed last year, creating universal pre-K and making incentives for green energy adoption.

While the resolution allows for up to $3.5 trillion in spending, centrists will likely try to trim the price tag.

Many Republicans have supported the bipartisan infrastructure bill, saying it will jolt the economy. But they have opposed the trillions more in spending proposed by Democrats and the tax hikes on businesses and wealthy individuals the Democrats hope to use to pay for it.

The GOP has also argued the Democratic plan would increase inflation, which White House officials have disputed.

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Source Article from https://www.cnbc.com/2021/08/24/house-passes-budget-resolution-advances-infrastructure-bill.html

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Oakland County issues emergency health order requiring masks in schools – WDIV ClickOnDetroit
Oakland County issues emergency health order requiring masks in schools – WDIV ClickOnDetroit

OAKLAND COUNTY, Mich. – On Tuesday, the Oakland County Health Division issued a universal mask mandate for all students from preschool through 12th grade.

The emergency health order requires masks in daycares and elementary, middle, high, and vocational schools regardless of vaccination status to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

The order aligns with recent guidance from the Michigan Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics to ensure children, teachers, and staff are able to begin the school year safely.

This order comes on the heels of Oakland County returning to an indoor mask requirement for all employees last week regardless of vaccination status.

“Our top priority is keeping students in school for in-person learning. Masking is one of the best defenses against increased transmission of COVID and higher hospitalization rates among kids,” Oakland County Executive Dave Coulter said. “This order allows teachers to get back to educating our students and focusing on their success.”

The new health order applies to more than 200,000 students and includes public school districts and charter schools.

That mandate will be in place until the county is at a moderate level of transmission for COVID-19. You can read the the entire order below.

The number of confirmed cases of the coronavirus (COVID-19) in Michigan has risen to 933,394 as of Monday, including 20,123 deaths, state officials report.

Monday’s update includes a total of 3,920 new cases and 10 additional deaths over a three-day period — an average of about 1,306.7 cases per day. Of the 10 deaths announced Monday, five were identified during a Vital Records review.

Read more: Michigan COVID: Here’s what to know Aug. 24, 2021

Stay with Local 4 News and ClickOnDetroit as this story continues to develop.

Read the full order here:

Source Article from https://www.clickondetroit.com/news/local/2021/08/24/oakland-county-issues-emergency-health-order-requiring-masks-in-schools/

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House Passes John Lewis Voting Rights Act – NPR
House Passes John Lewis Voting Rights Act – NPR

Civil rights leader Ben Jealous speaks at a voting rights rally outside the White House on Tuesday, ahead of a House vote to advance a bill named for the late Rep. John Lewis.

Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images


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Civil rights leader Ben Jealous speaks at a voting rights rally outside the White House on Tuesday, ahead of a House vote to advance a bill named for the late Rep. John Lewis.

Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images

House lawmakers approved new legislation aimed at protecting the right to vote on Tuesday, amid a wave of restrictive new elections laws from Republican-controlled state legislatures.

The bill is named for the Georgia congressman and civil rights leader John Lewis, who died last year.

“Old battles have become new again,” said Alabama Democratic Rep. Terri Sewell, who introduced the legislation. “I want you to know that the modern day barriers to voting are no less pernicious than those literacy tests and those poll taxes,” Sewell said. “And what we must do, as we did back in the 60s, is when we see states running amok, we need federal oversight.”

Democrats say the bill, known as H.R. 4 would strengthen the Voting Rights Act of 1965, which had been weakened by a pair of Supreme Court rulings over the course of the last decade. Its supporters say that would make it more difficult for states to restrict future voting access.

While the bill passed the House along party lines, with 219 Democrats in favor and all 212 Republicans opposed, it now faces steep GOP opposition in the evenly-divided Senate. Republicans have characterized the legislation as a federal overreach into the state’s role in election processes.

Republican Rep. Rodney Davis of Illinois described it Tuesday as a “partisan power grab which circumvents the people to ensure one-party rule.”

Republicans have already blocked a separate sweeping elections and voting bill known as the For The People Act. That legislation seeks to end gerrymandering of congressional districts, set mandates for early and mail-in voting and increase transparency in campaign financing. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer has said that the Senate will turn to voting rights legislation when lawmakers return to Washington in September.

Democrats and activists have said that both bills are necessary to protect access to the ballot. President Biden echoed that message Tuesday.

“The House is acting. The Senate also has to join them to send this important bill to my desk, and the Senate has to move forward on the people’s act — critical legislation to protect our democracy and the right to vote,” Biden said. “We need both of those.”

Inaction in Washington in the midst of restrictive new elections laws in Republican-led states, has intensified calls for action from voting rights activists. On Tuesday, many gathered near the White House to call on President Biden to do more to preserve voting rights.

“Voting rights is the test of our time,” activists chanted, reprising Biden’s own declaration made during a speech in Philadelphia last month.

While Biden has spoken about the urgent threat to the right to vote, he has faced increasing criticism from his allies for not doing more to ensure that federal voting legislation becomes law.

“Our president has given us his word that he will be a champion for voting rights, but we have yet to see him put those words into action,” said Deborah Turner, the president of the League of Women Voters of the United States.

White House press secretary Jen Psaki said Tuesday that “voting rights and ensuring access to voting continues to be a central priority for the president,” adding that Biden stands with activists.

“He’s maybe not the right target of their frustration because his objective is also to get voting rights legislation passed, and he would like to sign that legislation into law,” Psaki told reporters.

Voting rights groups have called on Biden to come out in support of eliminating or changing the filibuster rules, in order to allow voting rights bills to pass with a simple majority, side-stepping widespread Republican opposition.

Turner and others called on Biden to use the “full power of his office,” and “compel Congress to pass voting rights legislation and ensure the freedom to vote for all of us and the freedom to vote for every American.”

Source Article from https://www.npr.org/2021/08/24/1030746011/house-passes-john-lewis-voting-rights-act

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Kamala Harris’ Vietnam trip delayed over possible case of mysterious ‘Havana syndrome’ – SFGate
Kamala Harris’ Vietnam trip delayed over possible case of mysterious ‘Havana syndrome’ – SFGate

U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris takes questions from reporters as she visits the Flower Dome at Gardens by the Bay, following her foreign policy speech in Singapore, Tuesday, Aug. 24, 2021.

Evelyn Hockstein/AP

Vice President Kamala Harris‘ trip to Hanoi, Vietnam, was delayed by a few hours after her office was made aware of a “recent possible anomalous health incident” among U.S. officials in Hanoi. “Anomalous health incident” is how the United States government refers to the mysterious “Havana syndrome.”

First reported in 2016 by United States officials in Cuba, Havana syndrome has afflicted more than 130 U.S. officials over the past five years stationed in several countries overseas, the New York Times reported. Per ABC News, victims of the syndrome typically report “strange experiences, like feelings of pressure or vibration and a screeching sound, and debilitating symptoms, including headaches, nausea, cognitive deficits, and trouble with seeing, hearing, or balancing.”

The vice president’s office said that after “careful consideration,” her team opted to continue with her Vietnam trip. She was previously in Singapore.


A couple hours after the announcement, NBC News reported that a medical evacuation was called for two U.S. officials in Hanoi over the weekend. The NBC report noted that “strange sounds” were involved in the incidents, and that Vietnam has seen past reports of possible Havana syndrome cases.

Very little is known about Havana syndrome. Last week, two officials stationed in Germany sought treatment for the ailment, which some speculate is the result of intense electromagnetic energy waves.

NBC News reported in June that some U.S. officials believe that unknown adversaries used “devices intended to extract information from cellphones and other personal devices” that emitted electromagnetic waves powerful enough to cause debilitating symptoms. After realizing such devices had that effect, they then “weaponized the tactic to intentionally cause physical harm.”

Source Article from https://www.sfgate.com/national-politics/article/Kamala-Harris-Vietnam-Havana-Syndrome-cause-why-US-16408202.php

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Caldor Fire: Local officials monitoring fire’s spread toward Lake Tahoe area – The Washington Post
Caldor Fire: Local officials monitoring fire’s spread toward Lake Tahoe area – The Washington Post

The city of South Lake Tahoe, an area at the lake’s southern shore with beaches and campgrounds, has a population of 22,525, and fluctuates between 30,000 and 100,000 during summers and weekends, with higher fluctuations during holiday weekends, according to a city spokeswoman, Lindsey Baker.

Source Article from https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2021/08/24/caldor-fire-lake-tahoe-california/

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LIVE: Hundreds of Afghan refugees land at Spain’s Torrejon de Ardoz air base – Reuters
LIVE: Hundreds of Afghan refugees land at Spain’s Torrejon de Ardoz air base – Reuters
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Biden Speaks On Afghanistan Evacuation – NPR
Biden Speaks On Afghanistan Evacuation – NPR

President Biden speaks in the Roosevelt Room on the continuing situation in Afghanistan on Sunday.

Samuel Corum/Getty Images


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President Biden speaks in the Roosevelt Room on the continuing situation in Afghanistan on Sunday.

Samuel Corum/Getty Images

President Biden told G-7 leaders on Tuesday that the United States is on pace to finish its withdrawal from Afghanistan by his Aug. 31 deadline, the White House said in a statement.

The president is set to deliver remarks at 4:30 p.m. ET from the White House — remarks that were originally slated to begin at noon, but were pushed back several hours.

The remarks come as Biden faces blowback from congressional lawmakers on both sides of the aisle over his handling of the withdrawal, as well as questions about whether U.S. troops have enough time to get Americans and allies out of the country.

Biden has asked the Pentagon and State Department for contingency plans if the deadline cannot be met, the White House said.

White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki told reporters the U.S. military will be out of Afghanistan by Aug. 31 “based on the achievement of our objective.”

He told the allies that meeting that “completion of the mission by August 31 depends on continued coordination with the Taliban, including continued access for evacuees to the airport.”

Evacuation effort in Afghanistan totals nearly 59,000 since Aug. 14

So far, the United States has evacuated about 4,000 American passport holders and their families, Pentagon press secretary John Kirby said in a statement.

“We expect that number to continue to grow in the coming days,” Kirby said.

In total, about 58,700 people have been evacuated from Afghanistan since Aug. 14, according to the Pentagon. As of Tuesday, 21,600 were evacuated in the last 24 hours.

Despite the Taliban’s quick takeover of Afghanistan, the president has defended his decision to withdraw, telling White House reporters on Sunday that he believes in the long-term ramifications of his choice.

“I think that history is going to record this was the logical, rational and right decision to make,” Biden said.

Biden has maintained that his goal is to get all Americans who want to leave out of Afghanistan. He has also vowed to try to evacuate as many Afghan allies who aided the U.S throughout the 20-year war as possible.

The White House expects that Afghan interpreters and others who the U.S. government is hoping to evacuate from Kabul should be able to get to the Kabul airport – despite assertions from the Taliban that Afghans would be blocked from the airport earlier in the day.

“That is not how you should read it,” Psaki told reporters who asked about the Taliban comments.

Psaki said the U.S. government was in direct contact with Afghans who qualify for evacuation.

“The individuals we have prioritized … our expectation is that they will be able to reach the airport,” Psaki said.

On Capitol Hill, concern remains over whether the exit date will be met

Rep. Adam Schiff, D-Calif., expressed doubts Monday night.

“I think it’s possible, but I think it’s very unlikely,” Schiff, who also serves as the chairman of the Intelligence Committee, said.

“Given the number of Americans who still need to be evacuated, the number of SIV’s [special immigrant visas,] the number of others who are members of the Afghan press, civil-society leaders, women leaders, it’s hard for me to imagine all of that can be accomplished between now and the end of the month,” he added.

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell made a more direct call Tuesday morning, urging Biden to “forget about the Aug. 31 deadline,” and instead focus on getting more Americans and Afghan allies out of the country.

“The Taliban should not be allowed to tell us how long we are there to get our personnel out. That’s our decision, not theirs,” he said.

People evacuated from Kabul are being held in third-party countries, including an air base in Qatar where there are “very challenging conditions,” a senior administration official told reporters on a conference call. Officials are working to try to make sure people have enough food, water and medical services. “This is a challenge. We are adjusting and improving as we do,” the official said.

The Washington Post and others have reported on the crowded and unsanitary conditions at the base.

Source Article from https://www.npr.org/2021/08/24/1030640232/watch-live-biden-to-give-update-on-u-s-evacuation-efforts-in-afghanistan

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House Democrats hatch plan to break logjam amid standoff over Biden’s agenda – NBC News
House Democrats hatch plan to break logjam amid standoff over Biden’s agenda – NBC News
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Florida doctors urge unvaccinated to get shots: ‘It’s the worst it’s ever been right now’ | TheHill – The Hill
Florida doctors urge unvaccinated to get shots: ‘It’s the worst it’s ever been right now’ | TheHill – The Hill

A group of Florida doctors on Monday gathered outside a medical office to urge unvaccinated individuals to get the coronavirus vaccine as the delta variant has led to a statewide surge in COVID-19 cases.

Most of the more than 70 physicians at the gathering work for the Jupiter Medical Center and the Palm Beach Gardens Medical Center, The Palm Beach Post reported.

“It’s the worst it’s ever been right now,” neurologist Robin Kass told the Post at the gathering. “And I just think that nobody realizes that.”

The doctors appealed to the community they serve, asking the residents to believe the doctors who have taken care of them for years.

“If you identify with one of these doctors up here, we’ve cared for your family and you’ve listened to us then, the time really is now [to get vaccinated],”  the organizer of the event, neurologist Jennifer Buczyner, said.

The gathering was made up of a variety of medical professionals including neurologists, emergency room doctors, plastic surgeons, infectious diseases experts and others, according to the local outlet.

Florida has seen COVID-19 cases rising since July, Johns Hopkins University data shows, with the number of cases and hospitalizations spiking in August.

Florida and other states across the country have had health care resources strained as the delta variant has spread faster than previous COVID-19 strains.

The state has 53 percent of its population fully vaccinated against the virus but has still begun postponing elective surgeries again due to the rise in cases straining resources.

“If you’re having back pain … or cancer removal, is that really elective?” David Lickstein, a plastic surgeon and the chief of surgery at Jupiter Medical Center, said.

Doctors around the country have been speaking out about the vaccine, detailing patients they have taken care of who have said they regretted not getting vaccinated.

The gathering of doctors in Florida took place hours before the Federal Drug Administration fully approved the Pfizer-BioNTech coronavirus vaccine.

Source Article from https://thehill.com/homenews/state-watch/569135-florida-doctors-urge-unvaccinated-to-get-shots-its-the-worst-its-ever

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Kamala Harris’ Vietnam trip delayed over possible case of mysterious ‘Havana syndrome’ – SFGate
Kamala Harris’ Vietnam trip delayed over possible case of mysterious ‘Havana syndrome’ – SFGate

U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris takes questions from reporters as she visits the Flower Dome at Gardens by the Bay, following her foreign policy speech in Singapore, Tuesday, Aug. 24, 2021.

Evelyn Hockstein/AP

Vice President Kamala Harris‘ trip to Hanoi, Vietnam, was delayed by a few hours after her office was made aware of a “recent possible anomalous health incident” among U.S. officials in Hanoi. “Anomalous health incident” is how the United States government refers to the mysterious “Havana syndrome.”

First reported in 2016 by United States officials in Cuba, Havana syndrome has afflicted more than 130 U.S. officials over the past five years stationed in several countries overseas, the New York Times reported. Per ABC News, victims of the syndrome typically report “strange experiences, like feelings of pressure or vibration and a screeching sound, and debilitating symptoms, including headaches, nausea, cognitive deficits, and trouble with seeing, hearing, or balancing.”

The vice president’s office said that after “careful consideration,” her team opted to continue with her Vietnam trip. She was previously in Singapore.


A couple hours after the announcement, NBC News reported that a medical evacuation was called for two U.S. officials in Hanoi over the weekend. The NBC report noted that “strange sounds” were involved in the incidents, and that Vietnam has seen past reports of possible Havana syndrome cases.

Very little is known about Havana syndrome. Last week, two officials stationed in Germany sought treatment for the ailment, which some speculate is the result of intense electromagnetic energy waves.

NBC News reported in June that some U.S. officials believe that unknown adversaries used “devices intended to extract information from cellphones and other personal devices” that emitted electromagnetic waves powerful enough to cause debilitating symptoms. After realizing such devices had that effect, they then “weaponized the tactic to intentionally cause physical harm.”

Source Article from https://www.sfgate.com/national-politics/article/Kamala-Harris-Vietnam-Havana-Syndrome-cause-why-US-16408202.php

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