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<h1 data-aos="fade-down" id="daily-dose">Daily-Dose</h1>
<h1 data-aos="fade-right" data-aos-anchor-placement="top-bottom" id="contents">Contents</h1>
<ul>
<li><a href="#from-new-yorker">From New Yorker</a></li>
<li><a href="#from-vox">From Vox</a></li>
<li><a href="#from-the-hindu-sports">From The Hindu: Sports</a></li>
<li><a href="#from-the-hindu-national-news">From The Hindu: National News</a></li>
<li><a href="#from-bbc-europe">From BBC: Europe</a></li>
<li><a href="#from-ars-technica">From Ars Technica</a></li>
<li><a href="#from-jokes-subreddit">From Jokes Subreddit</a></li>
</ul>
<h1 data-aos="fade-right" id="from-new-yorker">From New Yorker</h1>
<ul>
<li><p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><strong>The G.O.P. Can No Longer Be Relied On to Protect Democracy</strong> - The gall of Kevin McCarthy and his fellow-backers of Trumps attempts to overturn the results of the election is only surpassed by their irresponsibility and fecklessness. - <a href="https://www.newyorker.com/news/our-columnists/the-gop-can-no-longer-be-relied-on-to-protect-democracy">link</a></p></li>
<li><p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><strong>Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya Is Overcoming Her Fears</strong> - “Every country has its own path to democracy,” Tsikhanouskaya, who calls herself the leader of democratic Belarus, says. “And this is ours.” - <a href="https://www.newyorker.com/news/the-new-yorker-interview/sviatlana-tsikhanouskaya-is-overcoming-her-fears">link</a></p></li>
<li><p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><strong>The Supreme Court Rejects Texass Shameful Lawsuit, But There Has to Be a Reckoning</strong> - If prominent Republicans dont renounce Trumps campaign to overturn the election, they will do lasting harm to the country—and the early signs are not good. - <a href="https://www.newyorker.com/news/daily-comment/the-supreme-court-rejects-texass-shameful-lawsuit-but-there-has-to-be-a-reckoning">link</a></p></li>
<li><p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><strong>Bidens Victory in the Electoral College Was a Welcome Affirmation of Democracy</strong> - On Monday, focus shifted away from the mendacious President and shiftless Republicans, and onto the majority of Americans who voted to rid the country of the Trump scourge. - <a href="https://www.newyorker.com/news/our-columnists/joe-bidens-victory-in-the-electoral-college-was-a-welcome-affirmation-of-democracy">link</a></p></li>
<li><p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><strong>What an F.D.A. Committee Weighed in Voting for the Pfizer COVID Vaccine</strong> - In the present circumstances, one could imagine a far more fraught F.D.A. hearing than the one that took place on Thursday. - <a href="https://www.newyorker.com/news/daily-comment/the-fdas-advisory-committee-recommends-approval-of-pfizers-covid-vaccine">link</a></p></li>
</ul>
<h1 data-aos="fade-right" id="from-vox">From Vox</h1>
<ul>
<li data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><strong>Bidens post-Electoral College speech was a stinging rebuke of Trump</strong> -
<figure>
<img alt="" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/0dpVGIRjOXOUviPUQ571u9KYGZg=/342x0:3601x2444/1310x983/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/68513853/1291302003.0.jpg"/>
<figcaption>
President-elect Joe Biden embraces his wife, Jill Biden, following his speech on Monday. | Drew Angerer/Getty Images
</figcaption>
</figure></li>
</ul>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom">
“In this battle for the soul of America, democracy prevailed.”
</p>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="I8DLQO">
Over the past six weeks since Election Day, President-elect Joe Biden carried about his business while largely ignoring the circus surrounding President Donald Trumps <a href="https://www.vox.com/22173990/electoral-college-trump-biden-stephen-miller">incessant lies about election fraud and refusal to concede</a>. That changed a bit on Monday.
</p>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="nScUSc">
Speaking hours after the Electoral College <a href="https://www.vox.com/2020/12/8/22158604/safe-harbor-electoral-college-congress-trump-challenge">officially voted to confirm his victory over Trump</a>, Biden declared victory. He also criticized the president, whom he portrayed as on the wrong side of the struggle for democracy, for refusing to acknowledge the reality of his defeat.
</p>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="6BQzRj">
“In this battle for the soul of America, democracy prevailed,” Biden said. “We the people voted. Faith in our institutions held. The integrity of our elections remains intact. And so now it is time to turn the page. To unite. To heal.”
</p>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="T6YVW4">
Biden noted that he won the same number of electoral votes as Trump did following the 2016 election — 306, though Trump ultimately received only 304 electoral votes because of two faithless electors — and said, “At the time, President Trump called his Electoral College tally a landslide. By his own standards, these numbers represented a clear victory then, and I respectfully suggest they do so now.”
</p>
<div id="5eqxwv">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" dir="ltr" lang="en">
Biden: "306 electoral votes is the same number that Trump &amp; Pence received when they won in 2016. At the time, Trump called his electoral college tally a landslide. By his own standards, these numbers represented a clear victory then &amp; I respectfully suggest they do so now" <a href="https://t.co/StyOFRJoxn">pic.twitter.com/StyOFRJoxn</a>
</p>
— Aaron Rupar (<span class="citation">@atrupar</span>) <a href="https://twitter.com/atrupar/status/1338643940149485578?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 15, 2020</a>
</blockquote>
</div>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="faNZ9a">
At another point, Biden took an indirect shot at Trump, saying “the flame of democracy was lit in this nation a long time ago. And we now know that nothing — not even a pandemic, or an abuse of power — can extinguish that flame.”
</p>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="SG9pew">
Biden addressed the <a href="https://www.vox.com/21575301/trump-lawsuits-election-rudy-giuliani-pennsylvania-georgia-michigan">flood of failed lawsuits the Trump campaign has filed</a> since the election and the Supreme Courts <a href="https://www.texastribune.org/2020/12/11/texas-lawsuit-supreme-court-election-results/">refusal</a> last week to take up a flimsy case that couldve overturned his victory. He also praised state and local officials on both sides of the aisle for overseeing a fair election while refusing to be “bullied” by Trump.
</p>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="GsTJXi">
“In America, when questions are raised about the legitimacy of elections, those questions are resolved through the legal processes. And thats precisely what happened here,” he said. “All the counts were confirmed ... none of this has stopped baseless claims.”
</p>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="4PMLIJ">
Later, Biden noted that “respecting the will of the people is at the heart of our democracy,” adding that when Trump won four years ago, “it was my responsibility to announce the tally of the Electoral College votes to the joint session of Congress ... I did my job.”
</p>
<div id="GTvl98">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" dir="ltr" lang="en">
Biden: "4 years ago, when I was VP, it was my responsibility to announce the tally of the Electoral College votes to the joint session of Congress ... I did my job ... now it's time to turn the page as we've done throughout our history." <a href="https://t.co/eCHWQMWxPo">pic.twitter.com/eCHWQMWxPo</a>
</p>
— Aaron Rupar (<span class="citation">@atrupar</span>) <a href="https://twitter.com/atrupar/status/1338645939087663107?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 15, 2020</a>
</blockquote>
</div>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="gXIzuA">
Although a majority of House Republicans indicated in writing last week that they supported the aforementioned case that could have overturned the election results, Biden extended an olive branch, saying, “Im convinced we can work together for the good of the nation on many subjects. That is the duty owed to the people, to our Constitution, to our history.” He also thanked the Senate Republicans who have already <a href="https://twitter.com/ReedReports/status/1338621293097316352">acknowledged his victory</a>.
</p>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="IXWv2t">
Biden, who sounded noticeably hoarse throughout, closed by noting that the joy of his win “is tempered by the pain so many of us are feeling today. Our nation [today] passed a grim milestone: 300,000 deaths due to this Covid virus. My heart goes out to each of you during this dark winter of the pandemic.”
</p>
<div id="Ei77nO">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" dir="ltr" lang="en">
Biden winds down his speech: "We have always set the example to the world for a peaceful transition of power. I know the task before us won't be easy. It is tempered by the pain so many of us are feeling today. Our nation passed a grim milestone. 300,000 deaths due to this virus" <a href="https://t.co/hSDGAK6Pkg">pic.twitter.com/hSDGAK6Pkg</a>
</p>
— Aaron Rupar (<span class="citation">@atrupar</span>) <a href="https://twitter.com/atrupar/status/1338646783401095176?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 15, 2020</a>
</blockquote>
</div>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="neswqF">
While the president-elect wants to turn the page from the election, the president continues to <a href="https://www.vox.com/2020/12/14/22174486/michigan-electoral-college-vote-threat-of-violence-trump">toss around lies about it being stolen from him</a>. Stephen Miller, who serves as both a White House official and campaign adviser, indicated where things might be heading during a <em>Fox &amp; Friends</em> appearance earlier Monday when he <a href="https://twitter.com/travisakers/status/1338484357389017090?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1338484357389017090%7Ctwgr%5E%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&amp;ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.vox.com%2F2020%2F12%2F14%2F22174486%2Fmichigan-electoral-college-vote-threat-of-violence-trump">said</a> that “an alternate slate of electors in the contested states is going to vote [for Trump] and we are going to send those results to Congress.”
</p>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="SpWDdO">
But thats just political theater. The fact of the matter is that Biden is president-elect. And as he noted, “Trump was denied no course of action he wanted to take” in challenging the results. As Biden emphasized on Monday, there is no escaping the reality that Bidens victory was the product of a free and fair election, whether Trump wants to acknowledge it or not.
</p>
<ul>
<li data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><strong>Alternate electors: The latest far-fetched Trump plan to overturn the election, explained</strong> -
<figure>
<img alt="" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/5trTfhy2-fD8_nWBCFek67X-_T8=/0x0:4404x3303/1310x983/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/68512140/GettyImages_1287461067.0.jpg"/>
<figcaption>
President Trump and Vice President Mike Pence prepare to speak to the press at the White House on November 24, 2020. | Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images
</figcaption>
</figure></li>
</ul>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom">
He started his administration with “alternative facts.” Hes ending it with alternate electors.
</p>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="SpIxF8">
President-elect Joe Bidens win was confirmed yet again Monday, as the 538 members of the <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2020/12/14/us/elections/electoral-college-results.html?action=click&amp;pgtype=Article&amp;state=default&amp;module=styln-elections-2020&amp;region=TOP_BANNER&amp;context=storyline_menu_recirc">Electoral College cast their votes</a> across every state and the District of Columbia — a fact that has led more conservatives <a href="https://www.wsj.com/articles/trumps-challenge-is-over-11607898467?mod=opinion_lead_pos1">to urge</a> President Trump <a href="https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/opinion/byron-yorks-daily-memo-special-edition-time-for-trump-to-stop?platform=hootsuite">to concede</a>.
</p>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="MXENSl">
There was little drama expected in how the days tallying would go; in the end, no elector went against their states popular vote.
</p>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="l510EE">
States and districts accounting for 306 electoral votes have certified wins for Joe Biden — which means Democrats, chosen by state parties, were named the electors for those states. Meanwhile, states and districts with 232 electoral votes certified wins for President Trump and appointed Trump-supporting electors.
</p>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="5VKjrY">
Yet the president seems to have other ideas. White House senior adviser Stephen Miller <a href="https://twitter.com/travisakers/status/1338484357389017090">said on Fox Monday</a> that Trumps team planned to support an “alternate” set of electors in key states Biden won, which Trump is continuing to baselessly dispute.
</p>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="PRZ2ly">
“As we speak, today, an alternate slate of electors in the contested states is going to vote and were going to send those results up to Congress,” Miller said. “This will ensure that all of our legal remedies remain open.”
</p>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="eFtLLA">
And Trumps chosen electors did indeed meet in states including <a href="https://twitter.com/RElliotWSB/status/1338536054098440196/photo/1">Georgia</a>, <a href="https://twitter.com/PAGOP/status/1338540581098807298">Pennsylvania</a>, <a href="https://twitter.com/kyledcheney/status/1338556162665484291">Wisconsin</a>, <a href="https://electionwiz.com/2020/12/14/live-nevada-gop-makes-major-announcement/amp/">Nevada</a>, and <a href="https://twitter.com/rbeggin/status/1338568801554747395">Michigan</a> to cast their votes for Trump — though some involved tried to downplay the significance of this move, <a href="https://twitter.com/bluestein/status/1338531220179791876">calling it</a> merely a legal formality.
</p>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="WEdqCC">
In fact, its a legally frivolous and baseless action. The legitimate and legally recognized electors in states Biden won have had their appointments certified by each state governor, in accordance with the vote totals in each state. The presidents “alternate” electors were acting with no legal authority whatsoever, apparently because Trump doesnt want to acknowledge the election is over and that hes lost.
</p>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="amf7fY">
The move is a preview of further shenanigans when Congress meets to count the electoral votes on January 6 — the final constitutional step before the winner is inaugurated. There, Trump allies <a href="https://www.vox.com/2020/12/8/22158604/safe-harbor-electoral-college-congress-trump-challenge">plan to file challenges</a> to the results in states Biden won. Yet those challenges will fail because Democrats will control the House.
</p>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="lN4l38">
So overall, any “alternate slate of electors” should mainly be understood as a stunt, to deceive Trumps voters into thinking he still has a chance and keep the grift (and <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/trump-raises-more-than-150-million-appealing-to-false-election-claims/2020/11/30/82e922e6-3347-11eb-afe6-e4dbee9689f8_story.html">massive fundraising</a>) that accompanies that deception going for another few weeks.
</p>
<h3 id="Z8c6wD">
Any alternate electors would have no legal authority
</h3>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="mntHEO">
Both <a href="https://lawecommons.luc.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=2719&amp;context=luclj">before</a> and <a href="https://www.vox.com/2020/11/11/21559082/trump-dispute-election-fraud-electors">after</a> the 2020 election, nightmare scenarios were floated that focused on the possibility that multiple slates of electors could be sent from a state to Congress. For instance, in a swing state Biden won with a Republican-controlled legislature, the governor could send a slate of pro-Biden electors, but the legislature could (<a href="https://www.vox.com/21562815/biden-trump-fraud-state-legislatures-electors">dubiously</a> try to) send a slate of pro-Trump electors.
</p>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="gkI0mn">
But that didnt pan out. Despite Trumps efforts to pressure GOP leaders in key states like Pennsylvania, Michigan, and Georgia, Bidens wins were certified on schedule — and no state legislature tried to appoint Trump electors instead.
</p>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="2PdQK9">
According to Miller, though, Trumps team is trying to ignore this impediment by having Trumps chosen electors in states Biden won meet on their own authority and cast their electoral votes for Trump, despite having no actual authority to do so. These electors would effectively just be some people, not the certified electors for states.
</p>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="vomqlJ">
Efforts to do this took place in swing states like <a href="https://twitter.com/RElliotWSB/status/1338536054098440196/photo/1">Georgia</a>, <a href="https://twitter.com/PAGOP/status/1338540581098807298">Pennsylvania</a>, <a href="https://twitter.com/rbeggin/status/1338568801554747395">Michigan</a>, and <a href="https://twitter.com/kyledcheney/status/1338556162665484291">Wisconsin</a>. One would-be Trump elector in Georgia <a href="https://twitter.com/thecjpearson/status/1338534282785124352">hyped the effort</a> as “taking decisive action.” But another downplayed the effort to the <a href="https://twitter.com/bluestein/status/1338531220179791876">Atlanta Journal-Constitutions Greg Bluestein</a>, saying that the idea was “basically, checking legal boxes, if something should come of the lawsuits.”
</p>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="tCXjwh">
The Trump campaigns Pennsylvania chair also <a href="https://twitter.com/ByJohnLMicek/status/1338542018117726208">argued in a statement</a> that “this was in no way an effort to contest the will of the Pennsylvania voters,” and that their elector-naming was merely “conditional” and meant to “preserve any legal claims that may be presented going forward.” (They pointed toward Hawaiis close presidential election in 1960 as a precedent, though it has little relevance for the current situation.)
</p>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="RP0RfD">
Miller optimistically suggested three main ways this alternate slate of electors could end up becoming the real electors.
</p>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="86N4AX">
First, he said, the courts could send their votes to Congress, “if we win these cases.” This seems quite unlikely, as Trump and his allies efforts to overturn the results of states in the courts have been uniformly rejected so far, at both the state court and US Supreme Court levels.
</p>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="XwJPOu">
Second, Miller said, “the state legislatures in Georgia, Wisconsin, Pennsylvania, can do the same,” suggesting Trump will keep trying to pressure GOP-controlled state legislatures to somehow reject the electors that will, after today, already have been approved in their states, and replace them with the presidents. Legislature leaders in these states have refused to do this thus far, often claiming they have no such authority to do so under state law.
</p>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="fe78Wq">
Third, Miller said they plan to “send those results up to Congress,” and that “Congress has that opportunity as well to do the right thing.” This effort is also doomed, and well explore why that is below.
</p>
<h3 id="L00iDG">
This sets up more stunts for when Congress counts the electoral votes in January
</h3>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="I3WwcQ">
On January 6, 2021, a joint session of the newly elected Congress will convene to count the votes cast by the Electoral College. This congressional count is the final formal step in making the presidential election results official before the inauguration itself.
</p>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="kbZeG4">
The 12th Amendment to the Constitution says that Congress — led by Vice President Mike Pence, in his role as president of the Senate — is supposed to “open all the certificates” of electoral votes sent by states, and “the votes shall then be counted.”
</p>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="65KvWZ">
Eventually, Congress became an arena for resolving disputes over the presidential elections outcome — particularly in the infamously disputed election of 1876. Subsequently, Congress passed the Electoral Count Act to try to shift more responsibility for settling results to the states, but it also set up a procedure by which members of Congress could challenge results in particular states.
</p>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="JJqEkV">
Under this process, if at least one House member and one senator object to the results in any state, each chamber will hold a vote on the matter. For the objection to succeed, both the House and the Senate must vote in favor of it. Otherwise, it fails. (And since Democrats will control the new House, any objection to Bidens win will surely fail in that chamber. Failure in the Senate is also a strong possibility, since several Republican senators have acknowledged that Biden won.)
</p>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="Bk7UZR">
The nightmare scenarios for a post-election dispute — like this one written last year <a href="https://lawecommons.luc.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=2719&amp;context=luclj">by Ned Foley</a>, a law professor at Ohio State University — often focused on how Congress might settle things if they got two slates of electors from a contested state, one certified by the governor and one by the state legislature. Which elector slate would be the “default” one? Would Pence end up making the final call? If he did so, and Congress was divided, who could stop him? There are various messy possibilities as to how this could play out.
</p>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="15ipOU">
But thats not the situation thats unfolding. For the 2020 election, every governor has certified a result, and no state legislature has disputed that result.
</p>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="icnEtn">
So maybe the Trump campaign will try to “send” their own results up to Congress somehow, as Miller claimed. But under the <a href="https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/3/5">Electoral Count Act</a> (which deals with the scenario where “more than one return or paper purporting to be a return from a State shall have been received”), its difficult to see how the alternate results could possibly be counted, unless Republicans decide to unilaterally declare they wont follow this provision of the Electoral Count Act because they believe it to be unconstitutional, or something.
</p>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="RzBAtH">
The person who will truly be in an awkward position on January 6 is Vice President Pence. Hes of course not the first veep to preside over the tense election of the opposing partys candidate — Vice President Biden did it for Trump in 2016, and Vice President Al Gore did it for his own opponent in 2000.
</p>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="oweOmf">
But both Hillary Clinton and Gore had conceded by then. If Trump hasnt yet conceded, he and his allies will likely try to pressure Pence to somehow interfere with the congressional counting process, even though Pences role is widely understood as mostly ceremonial.
</p>
<ul>
<li data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><strong>Attorney General Bill Barr contradicted Trump on voter fraud. Now hes resigning.</strong> -
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<img alt="" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/kw02elH4B3MqG0dMYtyt4xcOvlg=/0x0:5333x4000/1310x983/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/68513244/1229565183.0.jpg"/>
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US Attorney General William Barr at the US Capitol on November 9 in Washington, DC. | Kent Nishimura/Los Angeles Times/Getty Images
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He will depart December 23.
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<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="9zgyzy">
Attorney General Bill Barr is resigning, President Donald Trump <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1338614499981602819?s=20">announced on Twitter Monday evening</a>. His last day will be December 23.
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<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="SYKY99">
Barr has been one of Trumps <a href="https://www.vox.com/2020/2/13/21134569/barr-roger-stone-trump">most loyal allies</a>, most notably for his outspoken criticism of the 2016 Russia investigation and for going as far as <a href="https://www.vox.com/2019/10/25/20931994/russia-investigation-bill-barr-john-durham-criminal-review">launching an investigation into the origins of that probe</a>.
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<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="p4iGYb">
But Barrs relationship with the president had become strained in recent weeks over the attorney generals <a href="https://apnews.com/article/barr-no-widespread-election-fraud-b1f1488796c9a98c4b1a9061a6c7f49d">refusal to back Trumps claims of widespread voter fraud in the 2020 election</a>. Barr, contradicting Trump, said earlier this month that there was no evidence of “<a href="https://apnews.com/article/barr-no-widespread-election-fraud-b1f1488796c9a98c4b1a9061a6c7f49d">fraud on a scale that could have effected a different outcome in the election</a>.” Barr <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/william-barr-may-resign/2020/12/06/bbbc5f7e-382a-11eb-9276-ae0ca72729be_story.html">had reportedly told associates</a> in recent weeks that he was considering stepping down from his post before Inauguration Day.
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Whether this was fully Barrs decision is not totally clear, given that the attorney general had clearly fallen out of favor with the president. Last week, Trump retweeted a post that called for Barr to be fired. Trump also added his own commentary: “<a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1337754366569295874?s=20">A big disappointment!</a>
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On Monday, before the news of Barrs departure had been announced, a reporter <a href="https://twitter.com/albamonica/status/1338616547204608001?s=20">asked</a> White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany about the friction between Barr and Trump. “Yeah, you know theres a clear frustration,” she responded. “Ill leave it at that.”
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Trump, in announcing Barrs resignation Monday evening, <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1338614514493878273?s=20">said</a> in a tweet: “Our relationship has been a very good one, he has done an outstanding job!”
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Trump added: “As per letter, Bill will be leaving just before Christmas to spend the holidays with his family... Deputy Attorney General Jeff Rosen, an outstanding person, will become Acting Attorney General. Highly respected Richard Donoghue will be taking over the duties of Deputy Attorney General. Thank you to all!”
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...Deputy Attorney General Jeff Rosen, an outstanding person, will become Acting Attorney General. Highly respected Richard Donoghue will be taking over the duties of Deputy Attorney General. Thank you to all! <a href="https://t.co/V5sqOJT9PM">pic.twitter.com/V5sqOJT9PM</a>
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— Donald J. Trump (<span class="citation">@realDonaldTrump</span>) <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1338614514493878273?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 14, 2020</a>
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Trumps tweet included Barrs resignation letter — and its really quite something, as far as resignation letters go.
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In it, Barr praises the president effusively, saying that he is “greatly honored that you called on me to serve your Administration and the American people once again as Attorney General.”
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“I am proud to have played a role in the many successes and unprecedented achievements you have delivered for the American people,” Barr writes. He continues:
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Your record is all the more historic because you accomplished it in the face of relentless, implacable resistance. Your 2016 victory speech in which you reached out to your opponents and called for working together for the benefit of the American people was immediately met by a partisan onslaught against you in which no tactic, no matter how abusive and deceitful, was out of bounds. The nadir of this campaign was the effort to cripple, if not oust, your Administration with frenzied and baseless accusations of collusion with Russia.
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<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="Thl3mk">
This is a truly remarkable statement, given that Barr was tasked with overseeing the conclusion of special counsel Robert Muellers investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 election.
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Barr has made no secret of his distaste for the Russia probe, and he made controversial moves that critics say undercut Muellers work, from misleadingly framing <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/mueller-complained-that-barrs-letter-did-not-capture-context-of-trump-probe/2019/04/30/d3c8fdb6-6b7b-11e9-a66d-a82d3f3d96d5_story.html">Muellers findings in an early summary</a> to <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2020/05/11/trump-allies-michael-flynn-roger-stone-got-help-from-william-barr.html">questionable interventions</a> in the cases of former National Security Adviser Michael Flynn and Trump associate Roger Stone, both of whom were charged in the special counsels investigation. (Trump later commuted Stones sentence, and he recently pardoned Flynn.)
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Barr also tapped a US federal prosecutor, John Durham, to launch an inquiry into the origins of the 2016 Russia investigation. Barr has since named Durham as special counsel, thereby allowing Durham to continue his work <a href="https://www.npr.org/sections/biden-transition-updates/2020/12/01/940816261/barr-makes-john-durham-investigating-russia-probe-a-special-counsel">under a Biden presidency</a>.
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Barr helped Trump advance his agenda in other ways, too, <a href="https://www.vox.com/2019/4/17/18411929/william-barr-attorney-general-immigration-detention-asylum-bond">including on immigration</a> and on <a href="https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/department-justice-identifies-new-york-city-portland-and-seattle-jurisdictions-permitting">punishing protesters and cities</a> for disorder during this summers protests.
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<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="h7ZXc5">
But all of that might not have been enough to keep Barr in Trumps good graces once Barr decided not to back Trumps disproven claims that the election was stolen from him. Instead, Barr is the latest official departing or <a href="https://www.vox.com/2020/11/9/21551277/mark-esper-fired-trump-pentagon">forced out</a> with just weeks left in Trumps presidency.
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<h1 data-aos="fade-right" id="from-the-hindu-sports">From The Hindu: Sports</h1>
<ul>
<li data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><strong>2022 Womens World Cup | ICC announces schedule, India to open against a qualifier</strong> - The event, which was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic from its original window in February-March 2021 with the same six host cities and venues retained, will be held between March 4 and April 3, 2022.</p></li>
<li data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><strong>Sreesanth named in Kerala probables list for Syed Mushtaq Ali T20 Trophy</strong> - His ban ended in September this year</p></li>
<li data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><strong>Virat Kohli climbs to 2nd spot; Pujara, Rahane also feature in top-10 in ICC Test ranking for batsmen</strong> - In the ICC Test rankings for teams, India is currently placed third</p></li>
<li data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><strong>Pink ball zips around more, captains have to manage tactics: Cummins</strong> - Pat Cummins said there is always a sense of excitement when they approach a pink ball Test</p></li>
<li data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><strong>Aus vs Ind | We will have our plans in place for Kohli, says Langer</strong> - The four-match series opener at Adelaide Oval will be the only time India captain Kohli will play Test cricket Down Under this summer as he will return home on paternity leave</p></li>
</ul>
<h1 data-aos="fade-right" id="from-the-hindu-national-news">From The Hindu: National News</h1>
<ul>
<li data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><strong>Ramayana theme to mark two years of Chhattisgarh government</strong> - The Ram Van Gaman Path is referred to the route taken by Lord Ram during his 14 years of exile.</p></li>
<li data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><strong>Cabinet expansion after BJPs proposal: Nitish Kumar</strong> - Speculation over delay arose as JD(U) has been reportedly insisting on having equal number of berths to that of BJP</p></li>
<li data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><strong>Supreme Court asks Centre to consider granting break to doctors engaged in COVID-19 duty</strong> - The top court said that continuous work might be affecting mental health of doctors.</p></li>
<li data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><strong>New IVRS booking system leaves gas consumers confused</strong> - Change in booking number and restrictions on refill booking only to one registered mobile number</p></li>
<li data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><strong>₹23 crore unaccounted cash seized in I-T searches</strong> - The searches covered 60 premises located in Chennai, Trichy, Coimbatore, and various places in Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and Mumbai.</p></li>
</ul>
<h1 data-aos="fade-right" id="from-bbc-europe">From BBC: Europe</h1>
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<li data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><strong>EU Digital Services Act set to bring in new rules for tech giants</strong> - Europe is set to announce two new acts in the biggest shake-up of digital laws in 20 years.</p></li>
<li data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><strong>Dutch go into five-week lockdown</strong> - Measures designed to contain the coronavirus pandemic will change how millions of people celebrate.</p></li>
<li data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><strong>US imposes sanctions on Turkey over Russia weapons</strong> - Turkey's acquisition of a Russian-made missile defence system has angered other Nato allies.</p></li>
<li data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><strong>Brexit: UK and EU restart trade talks after leaders' call</strong> - A final decision on a deal was expected on Sunday, but the two sides sent negotiators back to the table.</p></li>
<li data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><strong>Alexei Navalny: Report names 'Russian agents' in poisoning case</strong> - News site Bellingcat unveils evidence implicating a Russian unit in the case of the Putin critic.</p></li>
</ul>
<h1 data-aos="fade-right" id="from-ars-technica">From Ars Technica</h1>
<ul>
<li><p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><strong>SolarWinds hackers have a clever way to bypass multi factor authentication</strong> - Hackers who hit SolarWinds compromised a think tank three separate times. - <a href="https://arstechnica.com/?p=1729836">link</a></p></li>
<li><p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><strong>Twenty years later, Dungeons &amp; Dragons gets another movie adaptation</strong> - Co-director clinches a <em>Freaks &amp; Geeks</em> full-circle conclusion. - <a href="https://arstechnica.com/?p=1729804">link</a></p></li>
<li><p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><strong>FTC kicks off sweeping privacy probe of nine major social media firms</strong> - Consumer privacy has fallen into the FTC's purview, so it's digging deep. - <a href="https://arstechnica.com/?p=1729727">link</a></p></li>
<li><p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><strong>SpaceX won “rural” FCC funding in surprising places, like major airports</strong> - Starlink and other ISPs took advantage of broken FCC system, researcher says. - <a href="https://arstechnica.com/?p=1729743">link</a></p></li>
<li><p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><strong>EA set to pay $1.2 billion for Codemasters and its stable of racing games</strong> - $1.2 billion purchase is part of a trend of game industry consolidation. - <a href="https://arstechnica.com/?p=1729726">link</a></p></li>
</ul>
<h1 data-aos="fade-right" id="from-jokes-subreddit">From Jokes Subreddit</h1>
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<li><strong>My wife says if this post get a 1000 likes, I can get anal on my cake day</strong> - <!-- SC_OFF -->
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Please upvote because I want this house to be spotless
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<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"> submitted by <a href="https://www.reddit.com/user/yzf426fm"> /u/yzf426fm </a> <br/> <span><a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/Jokes/comments/kdcnt4/my_wife_says_if_this_post_get_a_1000_likes_i_can/">[link]</a></span> <span><a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/Jokes/comments/kdcnt4/my_wife_says_if_this_post_get_a_1000_likes_i_can/">[comments]</a></span></p></li>
<li><strong>In Sweden the CEO of IKEA was just elected president.</strong> - <!-- SC_OFF -->
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He should have his cabinet together by the end of the week.
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<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"> submitted by <a href="https://www.reddit.com/user/Riverrat423"> /u/Riverrat423 </a> <br/> <span><a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/Jokes/comments/kd975c/in_sweden_the_ceo_of_ikea_was_just_elected/">[link]</a></span> <span><a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/Jokes/comments/kd975c/in_sweden_the_ceo_of_ikea_was_just_elected/">[comments]</a></span></p></li>
<li><strong><em>Phone rings at work</em></strong> - <!-- SC_OFF -->
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Boss: Why don't you answer it?
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Me: I'll let it ring for a while. That way they'll think I have other stuff to do than talk on the phone.
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Boss: ANSWER IT GODDAMMIT!
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Me: 911, what's the emergency?
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<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"> submitted by <a href="https://www.reddit.com/user/FreeAwards4me_THANKS"> /u/FreeAwards4me_THANKS </a> <br/> <span><a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/Jokes/comments/kcxzba/phone_rings_at_work/">[link]</a></span> <span><a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/Jokes/comments/kcxzba/phone_rings_at_work/">[comments]</a></span></p></li>
<li><strong>Whats the difference between a police officer and a bullet?</strong> - <!-- SC_OFF -->
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When a bullet kills someone else, you know its been fired
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<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"> submitted by <a href="https://www.reddit.com/user/josephjames18"> /u/josephjames18 </a> <br/> <span><a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/Jokes/comments/kdgr60/whats_the_difference_between_a_police_officer_and/">[link]</a></span> <span><a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/Jokes/comments/kdgr60/whats_the_difference_between_a_police_officer_and/">[comments]</a></span></p></li>
<li><strong>My girlfriend just sent me a message saying, "helpmyspacebarbrokecanyoucomeoverandgivemeanalternative".</strong> - <!-- SC_OFF -->
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<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom">
What does ternative mean?
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<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"> submitted by <a href="https://www.reddit.com/user/Rose_Ting"> /u/Rose_Ting </a> <br/> <span><a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/Jokes/comments/kdhy8j/my_girlfriend_just_sent_me_a_message_saying/">[link]</a></span> <span><a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/Jokes/comments/kdhy8j/my_girlfriend_just_sent_me_a_message_saying/">[comments]</a></span></p></li>
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