Omicron | Nov. 30, 2021

 1 - White House News in Chinese (weebly.com)

NOVEMBER 29, 2021
​President Biden on Omicron Variant
President Biden addressed the country on the new COVID-19 variant: Omicron. The president called the new form of the virus that emerged from South Africa a “cause for concern, but not cause for panic.” He said his administration would draft contingency plans if existing vaccines do not provide adequate protection from Omicron. “We do not yet believe that additional measures will be needed,” he said. “But so that we are prepared, if needed, my team is already working with officials at Pfizer and Moderna and Johnson & Johnson to develop contingency plans for vaccines or boosters if needed.” 

Dr. Fauci Responds To GOP Rep. Jackson Calling Omicron The ‘Midterm Election Variant’​
Nov 30, 2021
Omicron variant protection through COVID-19 vaccine boosters, wearing masks and more are discussed by Dr. Anthony Fauci, who also responds to GOP Rep. Ronny Jackson calling Omicron the ‘Midterm Election Variant.’

Remarks by President Biden Providing an Update on the Omicron Variant

NOVEMBER 29, 2021•SPEECHES AND REMARKS
​
Roosevelt Room
12:01 P.M. EST

THE PRESIDENT:  Good morning, folks.  I hope you all had a happy Thanksgiving -– able to get together with your family and friends.  And it was great to see so many families getting together this Thanksgiving after being apart last year.  And we have much to be grateful for as a nation.

​When I was elected, I said I would always be honest with you.  So today, I want to take a few moments to talk about the new COVID variant first identified last week in Southern Africa.  It’s called the Omicron. 

It is –- and to their credit, the scientific community in South Africa quickly notified the world of the emergence of this new variant.  This kind of transparency is to be encouraged and applauded because it increases our ability to respond quickly to any new threats.  And that’s exactly what we did. 

The very day the World Health Organization identified the new variant, I took immediate steps to restrict travel from countries in Southern Africa.  But while we have — that travel restrictions can slow the speed of Omicron, it cannot prevent it. 

But here’s what it does: It gives us time.  It gives us time to take more actions, to move quicker, to make sure people understand you have to get your vaccine. You have to get the shot.  You have to get the — get the booster if you’re -–

Sooner or later, we’re going to see cases of this new variant here in the United States.  We’ll have to face this new threat just as we have faced those that have come before it.

Today, there are three messages about the new variant that I want the American people to hear. 

First, this variant is a cause for concern, not a cause for panic.  We have the best vaccine in the world, the best medicines, the best scientists.  And we’re learning more every single day. 

And we’ll fight this variant with scientific and knowledgeable actions, and speed — not chaos and confusion.  And we have more tools today to fight the variant than we’ve ever had before — from vaccines to boosters, to vaccines for children five years and older, and much more.

A year ago, America was floundering against the first variant of COVID.  We beat that variant significantly, and then we got hit by a far more powerful threat: the Delta variant.  But we took action, and now we’re seeing deaths from Delta come down.  We’ll fight the –- you know, and –- look, we’re going to fight and beat this new variant as well. 
We’re learning more about this new variant every single day.  And as we learn more, we’re going to share that information with the American people candidly and promptly...     more 

Yuriy Vitrenko
​Russia does not want to negotiate with Ukraine on continuation of gas transit after 2024

Source : 112 Ukraine

According to the Naftogaz head, there is not even a hint of negotiations on Moscow’s side

Nov. 13 - Head of Naftogaz Yuriy Vitrenko stated that Russia does not want to negotiate with Ukraine on the extension of the contract on gas transit to the EU after 2024 as Reuters reported.

"There's nothing, not even a hint, no official or unofficial talks, (with Russia)... we are discussing it with the Americans and the Germans that all of us would like the transit to continue, but the Russians are reluctant to start these discussions," he said.

The Naftogaz head noted that if the contract for gas transit through Ukraine is not extended, then the use of both Nord Stream gas pipelines, which go directly to Germany, will strengthen Russia's control over the supply of blue fuel to Europe. According to him, this will make the EU more vulnerable to politically motivated supply disruptions and price spikes.

As it was reported earlier, the construction of the Russian Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline was completely finished as of the morning of September 10. Work on laying the Nord Stream 2 pipeline began in 2018. Its length is 1,230 km. The pipeline is expected to supply 55 billion cubic meters of gas annually from Russia via the Baltic Sea to Germany.

On October 18, it became known earlier that the first string of the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline is filled with technical gas and is ready for operation.

On October 20, Gas Transmission System Operator of Ukraine filed an application to the German energy regulator (Bundesnetzagentur) regarding participation in the Nord Stream-2 AG certification procedure.

On November 16, it became known that Germany has suspended Nord Stream 2 certification. The report states that in order to renew the certification, the Nord Stream 2 operator must have an organizational form in accordance with the laws of Germany.

It was noted that the launch of Nord Stream 2 bypassing Ukraine could lead to a loss of gas supply in five Ukrainian cities.

Related Articles

Ukraine has no right to suspend Nord Stream 2, - Naftogaz Head

Germany admits possibility of launching Nord Stream 2 without certification

Ukraine expects Germany's clearer position in terms of Nord Stream 2, - Foreign Minister

Topics:
Nord Stream 2

NOVEMBER 29, 2021
​President Biden Meets with CEOs on Holiday Shopping
President Biden met with executives from several big companies including Food Lion and Walmart to discuss supply chain issues and the holiday shopping season.

President Biden Hosts Roundtable with Leading Retailers About Holiday Shopping, Stocked Shelves and Overcoming Supply Chain Challenges

NOVEMBER 29, 2021•STATEMENTS AND RELEASES
​Today, President Biden, Director of the National Economic Council, Brian Deese and Cedric Richmond, Director of Office of Public Engagement, hosted a roundtable with a diverse group of American companies to discuss their outlook for the strong holiday shopping season, and the steps companies large and small have taken to meet consumer demands. The meeting also highlighted steps companies have taken to overcome supply chain bottlenecks and the progress they are seeing at the Ports of LA and Long Beach, as a result of the work of the Biden-Harris Administration.

The CEOs thanked President Biden for his focus on supply chain bottlenecks and the productive partnership he established with the private sector to tackle these disruptions.

​The business leaders noted the strength of their supply chains, especially for seasonal items, and highlighted ways they had planned ahead, diversified their supplier base, sourced new products, and partnered closely with suppliers to be ready to meet the seasonal demand. The result of this planning is evident in their high inventory levels and high on time delivery rates.

Participants noted that the backlog at the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach has decreased, and Walmart CEO Doug McMillon highlighted a 51% improvement in his company’s throughput at the ports due to the work of the Biden-Harris Port Envoy...     more

USICA | Nov. 13, 2021

 White House News in Chinese - About (weebly.com)

NOVEMBER 12, 2021
White House Daily Briefing
​White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki held her first in-person briefing with reporters since testing positive for COVID-19. Topics discussed included the upcoming meeting between President Biden and the Chinese president, inflationary concerns, high gas prices, and the president’s nominee to lead the FDA. 

Press Briefing by Press Secretary Jen Psaki, November 12, 2021

NOVEMBER 12, 2021•PRESS BRIEFINGS

James S. Brady Press Briefing Room

MS. PSAKI:  Hi, everyone.

Q    Welcome back.
Q    Welcome back!

MS. PSAKI:  Thank you.  Okay.  I have a couple of items for all of you at the top.
First, let me say it’s great to be back with all of you, although as a longtime hater of heels, I do miss my slippers, so — which I’m sure some of the women in this room can agree with.

just to reiterate, I had intended to go on the trip with the President about two weeks ago.  I did not go on the trip because I had members of my household who had tested positive for COVID.  So out of an abundance of caution, I stayed home.  I received four negative tests, and then, on October 31st, I received a positive test. 

And I put out that information out of an abundance of transparency.  I had not seen the President or had close contact for five days, given the trip.  And when I did see him five days prior, we wore masks and we were sitting outside.

As I noted in my initial statement — and was still the case even after that — I had mild symptoms, primarily fatigue.  And I remain incredibly grateful for the vaccine and the impact of the vaccine in keeping me safe and other people in my house safe as well...     more

NOVEMBER 12, 2021
President Biden Holds Cabinet Meeting on Infrastructure Deal
President Biden made brief remarks to the media before meeting with his cabinet to discuss infrastructure and social spending plans.

Remarks by President Biden in Cabinet Meeting

NOVEMBER 12, 2021•SPEECHES AND REMARKS
Cabinet Room

THE PRESIDENT:  Well, I want to thank you all for being here.  I want to thank Vice President Harris, who is on the line.  I asked her to go to Paris to meet with Macron — with President Macron — and to work on some things relating to Libya and a few other things.  And — and thanks.  I --
Madam Vice President, in a little while, after this is over, maybe we can talk and see how things are going okay for you.  All right?
THE VICE PRESIDENT:  I’d like that.  Thank you, Mr. President. 
THE PRESIDENT:  Okay. 
And we’ve gathered my Cabinet this afternoon at a moment of immense hope and possibility, in our view, for the United States. 

The American people sent us here to deliver.  The American people said they sent us here to make their government work, and they sent us here to make a difference in their lives.  And I believe we’re doing that.  I believe that’s just what we’re doing.
On Monday, I look forward to signing into law the Infrastructure Act — the Investment and Jobs Act, which we’ll do outside, God willing, if the weather — the weather holding.  And it’s going — you know, it was a lot of hard work to get it done.  I know it was probably hard work for all the press here to watch me try to get it done. 

But I want to thank them for acknowledging that this was a bipartisan bill — it was bipartisan support — and proving we can still come together.  It’s hard, but we can still come together to get something big done for the American people.

And the bill represents critical investments that are long overdue in our country — from rebuilding our roads and highways, to getting rid of the lead pipes; delivering clean water to thousands of fam- — tens — actually, millions of people around the nation; to making high-speed Internet accessible to every American, rural and urban; to forfitin- — to fortifying our bridges and powerlines and levees that stand up to the increasing threats posed by extreme weather and super storms.  And we have $99 billion worth of losses just this year because of the consequence of those environmental events.  To fortifying our bridges, our power lines, as I said, and our levees.  But also to — one of our biggest responsibilities is to make sure all the money is used efficiently and effectively...     more 

PBS NewsHour full episode, Nov. 12, 2021
Nov 13, 2021
Friday on the NewsHour, negotiations go down to the wire at the global climate summit but meaningful agreements remain elusive. Then, the regional war in Tigray spills over into the rest of Ethiopia, ensnaring innocent civilians. And, Jonathan Capehart and Gary Abernathy discuss the climate in Congress and the political implications of ongoing inflation.

Out Of Time: Climate Talks Go Past Deadline

​November 12, 2021
Friday's draft proposals called on countries to accelerate "the phaseout of unabated coal power and of inefficient subsidies for fossil fuels."

Going into overtime Friday night, negotiators at U.N. climate talks in Glasgow were still trying to find common ground on phasing out coal, when nations need to update their emission-cutting pledges and, especially, on money.

Talks are at a "bit of a stalemate," and the United States, with support from the European Union, is holding back talks, said Lee White, the Gabonese minister for forests and climate change.

Mohamed Adow of Climate Action Network International, a long-time talks observer, said poorer nations are beyond disappointed with the way the United Kingdom presidency has come up with drafts and that this has become "a rich world" negotiation. He said poorer nations cannot accept what has been proposed.

U.S. Climate Envoy John Kerry on Friday night told The Associated Press that climate talks are "working away" after a late night meeting with his Chinese counterpart and before a hallway chat with India's negotiator.

agreement was ready by the 6 p.m. local time scheduled end of the conference. And sometimes that helps diplomats get in a more deal-making mood.

"The negotiating culture is not to make the hard compromises until the meeting goes into extra innings, as we now have done," said long-time climate talks observer Alden Meyer of the European think tank E3G. "But the U.K. presidency is still going to have to make a lot of people somewhat unhappy to get the comprehensive agreement we need out of Glasgow."

Three sticking points were making people unhappy on Friday: coal, cash and timing...     more

Bipartisan Infrastructure Deal | Nov. 6, 2021

 White House News in Chinese - About (weebly.com)

Democratic leaders had hoped to pass both bills out of the House on Friday, but postponed action after centrists demanded a nonpartisan accounting of its costs - a process that could take weeks

US Congress passes $1 trillion infrastructure bill

​Biden will now oversee the biggest upgrade of America’s roads, railways and other transportation infrastructure in a generation.

Nov. 6 - After a daylong standoff, Democrats set aside divisions between progressives and centrists to pass a $1 trillion infrastructure bill, a package of highway, broadband and other infrastructure improvements, sending it to US President Joe Biden to sign into law.

The 228 to 206 vote is a substantial triumph for Biden’s Democrats, who have bickered for months over the ambitious spending bills that make up the bulk of his domestic agenda.

Biden’s administration will now oversee the biggest upgrade of America’s roads, railways and other transportation infrastructure in a generation, which he has promised will create jobs and boost US competitiveness...     more

Related Aarticles:
Virginia governors race is first ‘test of Biden’s presidency’
Biden asks US House to vote for $3tr budget, infrastructure bills

What’s in Biden’s $1.75 trillion ‘Build Back Better’ package?

---

NOVEMBER 5, 2021
​President Biden Remarks on October Jobs Report
President Biden delivered remarks from the White House on the latest economic numbers, noting a fall in the unemployment rate to 4.6% and 531,000 jobs added in October 2021. He said more Americans were working due to his economic agenda as well as COVID-19 vaccine mandates. The president also urged lawmakers to vote for his social spending proposal and a bipartisan infrastructure bill in order to continue strengthening the ecomony. 

Remarks by President Biden on the October Jobs Report

​NOVEMBER 05, 2021•SPEECHES AND REMARKS
State Dining Room

THE PRESIDENT: Good morning. Today is another great day for our economic recovery. America is getting back to work. Our economy is starting to work for more Americans.

Thanks to the economic plan we’ve put through in Congress earlier this year and a successful vaccine deployment, America continues to add jobs at a record pace.

In this historically strong recovery, unemployment rate has fallen again today down to 4.6 percent. This included a substantial drop in unemployment for Hispanics, which was much needed.

Our economy is on the move. This morning, we learned that in October, our economy created 531,000 jobs — well above expectations.

We also learned that job growth over the prior two months, August and September, was nearly 250,000 more jobs than previously thought.

In total, the job creation in the first full nine months
of my administration is about 5.6 million new jobs — a record for any new President.

That’s a monthly average of over 60,000 [600,000] new jobs each month — 10 times more than the job creation at three months before I took office.

New unemployment claims have fallen every week for the past five weeks, are down by more than 60 percent since I took office, and are now at the lowest level since the pandemic started.

And people continue to move from unemployment rolls to work. Unemployment has decreased this year by more — more than any other year since 1950. So any year since 1950, unemployment has decreased more in this year than since 1950.

And not only are more Americans working, working Americans are seeing their paychecks go up. Weekly pay went up in October with an average hourly earnings up almost 5 percent this year.

That’s more than some of the lowest — that’s more than some of the lowest-paid workers in our country — men and women who work in restaurants, hotels, the (inaudible) have seen their pay go up 12 percent this year.

Over five and a half million jobs. Unemployment down at record pace to 4.6 percent. And before we passed the Rescue Plan, forecasters said it would take until the end of 2023 — to the end of 2023 to get to 4.6 unemployment rate.

Today, we’ve reached that rate two years before forecasters thought it was possible. I would humbly suggest this is a significant improvement from when I took office and a sign that we’re on the right track...     more

Fact Sheet: The Bipartisan Infrastructure Deal

NOVEMBER 06, 2021•STATEMENTS AND RELEASES
​
Today, Congress passed the Bipartisan Infrastructure Deal (Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act), a once-in-a-generation investment in our nation’s infrastructure and competitiveness. For far too long, Washington policymakers have celebrated “infrastructure week” without ever agreeing to build infrastructure. The President promised to work across the aisle to deliver results and rebuild our crumbling infrastructure. After the President put forward his plan to do exactly that and then negotiated a deal with Members of Congress from both parties, this historic legislation is moving to his desk for signature.

This Bipartisan Infrastructure Deal will rebuild America’s roads, bridges and rails, expand access to clean drinking water, ensure every American has access to high-speed internet, tackle the climate crisis, advance environmental justice, and invest in communities that have too often been left behind. The legislation will help ease inflationary pressures and strengthen supply chains by making long overdue improvements for our nation’s ports, airports, rail, and roads. It will drive the creation of good-paying union jobs and grow the economy sustainably and equitably so that everyone gets ahead for decades to come. Combined with the President’s Build Back Framework, it will add on average 1.5 million jobs per year for the next 10 years.

This historic legislation will:                               

Deliver clean water to all American families and eliminate the nation’s...     more

Official Says DOD Is Focused on Threats From State Actors, Terrorists

NOV. 5, 2021 | BY DAVID VERGUN, DOD NEWS

Pentagon Press Secretary John F. Kirby held a briefing with journalists today, covering a broad range of topics from China, Russia and Pakistan to COVID-19 vaccinations.

​Russia
Kirby said there's been an unusual build up of Russian military activity near Ukraine in the last several days.

"We continue to consult with allies and partners on the issue," he said. "We continue to monitor this closely. Any escalatory or aggressive actions by Russia would be of great concern to the United States.

"We would urge Russia to be more clear about its intentions," he added.

China and North Korea
Both nations have been building up their nuclear missile capabilities.

"What we're focused on is being able to address the threats and challenges in the region," Kirby said, referring to the "pacing challenge" from China, as well as potential actions by North Korea.

The Defense Department, he said, would "obviously support any level of dialogue and discussion that reduces the threats of weapons of mass destruction," but the matter would be better addressed at the State Department and White House levels.

"What we have to stay focused on is making sure that to the degree there is a threat and a challenge, that we're ready to deter that threat and challenge and defeat it if necessary, and that's what our focus is on here. But nobody wants to see an arms race that leads to conflict and confrontation," he added.

Pakistan
Pakistan remains a key partner in the region, he said. "We look for opportunities to continue to work with Pakistan to address what is a shared threat, a shared terrorism threat along that spine between Pakistan and Afghanistan, and we're going to continue to explore opportunities to do that."

​Kirby added that Pakistan itself has fallen victim to terrorism in that border region, and the country's citizens have been killed or wounded, "so, they have a real stake in this."

Vaccinations
Kirby also reminded those present that Nov. 22 is the deadline for DOD civilians to show proof that they've been vaccinated for COVID-19.

---

NOVEMBER 5, 2021
Defense Department Briefing
Defense Department Spokesman John Kirby briefs reporters at the Pentagon.

Pentagon Press Secretary John F. Kirby Holds a Press Briefing

NOV. 5, 2021

Pentagon Press Secretary John F. Kirby

PRESS SECRETARY JOHN F. KIRBY: Good afternoon, everybody.
(CROSSTALK)

Oh, there we go. OK, just to note that the entire Department of Defense is thinking and -- and praying for the family of Colin Powell, his loved ones, his -- his friends and colleagues. I'm sure you all got a chance to see the terrific memorial service at the National Cathedral, and again, we -- we hold in great esteem and with great respect his long service in the United States Army and of course as Chairman of the Joint Chiefs, and again, our thoughts and prayers are -- are with the family as they continue to grieve his loss.

Schedule-wise, a note that, on next Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, a once in a lifetime event will be taking place at Arlington National Cemetery, as part of the centennial commemoration of the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.

On Tuesday and Wednesday, the American public will be able to walk in the same footsteps as the tomb guards and lay a flower at the unknown soldier. This event is free and open to the public.

Thursday, a joint service honor procession will march through the cemetery, and that will evoke the memory of the unknown soldier funeral procession. Concurrently, a joint service aerial review of 17 aircraft will fly over the tomb that day. This was, again, a once in a lifetime event here celebrating a century of the Tomb of the Unknown and we obviously encourage you all to cover that and we certainly encourage the American people to -- if they can and -- and are -- and -- and desire to, to take part in that. 

With that, we'll take questions. I think we have Lita on the phone.

Q: Hi, John,..     more

NOVEMBER 5, 2021
White House Daily Briefing
​White House Deputy Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre held a briefing on the Biden administration’s policy agenda. The president’s social spending and infrastructure proposals dominated discussion.

Press Briefing by Principal Deputy Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre

NOVEMBER 05, 2021•PRESS BRIEFINGS

James S. Brady Press Briefing Room
 
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: All right, everyone. Happy Friday.
 
Q  Happy Friday. (Laughter.)
 
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: It’s been a long week. It’s been a long week. Okay, I got a couple toppers for all.
 
So, President Biden’s economic plan is working. And thanks to his Rescue Plan and our successful vaccine program, America continues to add jobs at a record place — pace: 620,000 a month on average and over 5.6 million jobs created since he took office. Americans are getting back to work.
 
Because of the success of that effort, our economy has the resilience we need to weather the challenges posed by this virus, more Americans are going back to work, and more Americans feel safe going back to work.
 
That’s why we added 531,000 jobs in October and the unemployment rate fell to 4.6 percent — the lowest level since the beginning of the pandemic, and a place that the CBO projected, before the Rescue Plan was passed, that we wouldn’t reach until the fourth quarter of 2023.
 
Unemployment has decreased this year more than any other year in U.S. history. And the number of Americans filing for unemployment each week has declined from nearly 900,000 when President Biden took office to under 270,000 this week.
 
Because of the decisive action the President took with the Rescue Plan and his efforts to fight the pandemic, our economy has rebounded at a rate unsurpassed in modern history, far outstripping those of our peer countries. And because of that, businesses were able to stay open, schools were able to reopen, and Americans are able to get back to work. 
 
It’s been a busy week making strong progress in our fight against COVID-19, so I also wanted to give an overview of this work — the work that we’ve been doing around the pandemic, in fighting the pandemic.
 
On Monday, we hit 80 percent of adults with at least one shot and 70 percent of adults fully vaccinated. And we’re still vaccinating hundreds of thousands of Americans every day...     more

Statement by President Joe Biden on the House Passage of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act

​NOVEMBER 06, 2021•STATEMENTS AND RELEASESTonight, we took a monumental step forward as a nation.

The United States House of Representatives passed the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, a once-in-generation bipartisan infrastructure bill that will create millions of jobs, turn the climate crisis into an opportunity, and put us on a path to win the economic competition for the 21st Century.

It will create good-paying jobs that can’t be outsourced. Jobs that will transform our transportation system with the most significant investments in passenger and freight rail, roads, bridges, ports, airports, and public transit in generations.

This will make it easier for companies to get goods to market more quickly and reduce supply chain bottlenecks now and for decades to come. This will ease inflationary pressures and lower costs for working families.

The bill will create jobs replacing lead water pipes so every family can drink clean water.

It will make high-speed internet affordable and available everywhere in America.

This bill will make historic and significant strides that take on the climate crisis. It will build out the first-ever national network of electric vehicle charging stations across the country. We will get America off the sidelines on manufacturing solar panels, wind farms, batteries, and electric vehicles to grow these supply chains, reward companies for paying good wages and for sourcing their materials from here in the United States, and allow us to export these products and technologies to the world.

It will also make historic investments in environmental clean-up and remediation, and build up our resilience for the next superstorms, droughts, wildfires, and hurricanes that cost us billions of dollars in damage each year.

I’m also proud that a rule was voted on that will allow for passage of my Build Back Better Act in the House of Representatives the week of November 15th.

The Build Back Better Act will be a once-in-a-generation investment in our people.

It will lower bills for healthcare, child care, elder care, prescription drugs, and preschool. And middle-class families get a tax cut.

This bill is also fiscally responsible, fully paid for, and doesn’t raise the deficit. It does so by making sure the wealthiest Americans and biggest corporations begin to pay their fair share and doesn’t raise taxes a single cent on anyone making less than $400,000 per year. 

I look forward to signing both of these bills into law.

Generations from now, people will look back and know this is when America won the economic competition for the 21st Century.