White House News (白宮消息) | May 13, 2021

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

MAY 12, 2021

White House Daily Briefing
White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki held a briefing with Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg and EPA administrator Michael Regan on the administration’s response to fuel shortages due to the cyberattack on Colonial Pipeline. The administration urged the public not to hoard gasoline and explained steps they are taking to get fuel to needed areas. The press secretary went onto speak about House Republicans ousting Rep. Liz Cheney (R-WY) from her leadership position and talks with congressional leaders on passing legislation.

Cheney ouster points to rough time for Biden after midterm elections

May 13 - ...White House press secretary Jen Psaki said it was "disturbing" to see any political leader attacked for "speaking the truth." Last week, Biden admitted he did not "understand" House Republicans' calculation concerning Cheney.

"The president is no stranger to working with people who he disagrees with, or he has massive fundamental disagreements with," Psaki told reporters on Wednesday. "The facts are on our side, and more than 80 judges across the country threw out lawsuits attempting to overturn the outcome of the election."     quoted from

Statement by Press Secretary Jen Psaki on Restart of Colonial Pipeline and Continued Federal Government Efforts to Mitigate Impacts
MAY 13, 2021

Tonight’s announcement means there’s an end in sight for the supply disruptions that have affected States across the Southeast. As Colonial Pipeline works to safely and fully resume operations over the next few days, we will stay in close contact with the company and will continue to offer any assistance needed—as we have done since the outset of this shutdown on Friday.

As supplies return to normal, we will also continue our whole-of-government effort to mitigate any challenges, including the swift steps we’ve taken to boost gas supply in affected States through actions by the EPA, the Department of Transportation, the Department of Energy, the Department of Homeland Security, and other agencies. Tonight, as part of that effort, the Secretary of Homeland Security announced that he is issuing a temporary and targeted Jones Act waiver to an individual company. This waiver will enable the transport of additional gas and jet fuel between the Gulf Coast and East Coast ports to ease supply constraints.

President Biden and the White House will monitor the situation closely in the coming days, and continue to urge Americans to just purchase what they need, and not hoard fuel, as supply is restored. The President and his team also thank the Governors and State and local leaders throughout the affected region who have moved quickly to address problems in their communities, and will continue to partner closely with them to provide any additional assistance as needed.

Earlier tonight, President Biden signed an executive order to chart a new course to improve the nation’s cybersecurity. This incident demonstrates that Federal agencies and the private sector must work collaboratively to learn the lessons of this incident, strengthen cybersecurity practices, and deploy technologies that increase resilience against cyberattacks.     source from

A ball of fire engulfs a tower block in Gaza City early on Thursday morning as Israel presses forward with its campaign against Hamas. 'The campaign is still far from over,' a cabinet minister said after last night's meeting with Netanyahu. 'Whatever we don't do now, we will have to do in six months or a year from now.'
Netanyahu rejects Hamas ceasefire plea after nine of their commanders were 'neutralised', as Israel prepares for possible Gaza ground invasion and warns: 'We will not stop'

May 13 - Benjamin Netanyahu has rejected a peace offering from Hamas as Israel today pressed ahead with fierce bombardments on the Gaza Strip and readied plans for a possible ground invasion. 

Barrages since Monday have levelled the Islamists' bases and slain nine top commanders including their intelligence chief, their lead missile designer and their terror boss in Gaza City.

Hamas offered a truce last night via the Russian foreign ministry, requesting ceasefire on a 'mutual basis' after they launched more than 1,000 rockets at densely populated towns and cities, killing seven Israeli civilians.

But Netanyahu has vowed his troops are committed to a long operation which will only 'increase in force' despite international outcry at the growing Palestinian death toll – 67 people have been killed, including more than a dozen children.  

'The campaign is still far from over,' a cabinet minister said after last night's meeting with Netanyahu. 'Whatever we don't do now, we will have to do in six months or a year from now.'

He told Israeli news site Ynet: 'When we have hit all our targets and the other side has still not surrendered, we will launch a ground operation even though we do not seek it'...     more

White House News (白宮消息) | May 12, 2021

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

Granholm: No need to hoard gas amid pipeline attack

May 11 - Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm says there may be a gasoline "supply crunch" for a few days as Colonial Pipeline gets up and running again following a ransomware cyberattack but she urged Americans not to hoard gas, insisting there is no need.      source from

---

MAY 11, 2021
White House Daily Briefing
White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki held briefing with reporters. She was joined by Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm and Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas to discuss the Colonial Pipeline ransomware attack. They spoke about increasing the fuel supply to the southeast region by other means and increasing cyber protections for critical infrastructure. 

Press Briefing by Press Secretary Jen Psaki, Secretary of Energy Jennifer Granholm, and Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas, May 11, 2021

MS. PSAKI:  Hi, everyone.  Good afternoon.  We have three guests joining us today: Secretary of Energy Jennifer Granholm, Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas, and Deputy Security of Energy David Turk.

I — since Secretary Granholm and Mayorkas have been here before, I will skip their introductions.  But I do want to note that Deputy Secretary Turk was previously the Deputy Executive Director of the International Energy Agency during the Obama-Biden administration.  He coordinated international technology and clean energy efforts at DOE, and served as Special Assistant to the President and Senior Director at the National Security Council. 

They obviously have a lot on their plates today but have agreed to stay for a few questions.  With that, I will turn it over to Secretary Granholm.

SECRETARY GRANHOLM:  Thank you.  Great.  Thanks, Jen.  So the White House and the Department of Energy have been leading an interagency response to the Colonial Pipeline hack and, fortunately, the interagency response is bringing a lot of expertise and resources and authorities from across the federal government. 

We’ve been working around the clock since Friday to help Colonial — Friday night, when we learned, of course, to hope — to help Colonia return the pipeline to normal operation as quickly and as safely and as securely as possible...      more

aMAY 11, 2021 | PART OF U.S. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVESU.S. House of RepresentativesRepresentative Liz Cheney on Democracy and Rule of LawRepresentative Liz Cheney (R-WY) spoke about the importance of upholding the U.S. Constitution and denounced former President Donald Trump’s claim that the 2020 presidential election was fraudulent, calling it an attempt to undermine the democratic process. She spoke from the House floor a day before House Republicans were set to vote on whether to remove her from her leadership role as conference chair. 

Alejandro Mayorkas, the homeland security secretary, speaks at a news conference in the White House on Tuesday.
Homeland Security announces new efforts to combat violent extremism in the U.S.

May 12 - The Department of Homeland Security on Tuesday dedicated an arm of its intelligence division to target domestic terrorism and opened a new center to help state and local law enforcement combat violent extremists, the latest Biden administration efforts on the problem in the wake of the Jan. 6 siege on the Capitol.

The department said the moves were part of a strategy to “comprehensively combat domestic violent extremism, including violent white supremacy.”

President Biden asked federal intelligence agencies to assess the threat of domestic terrorism shortly after he took office. In March, the administration released a report that warned about the increasing threat from militias and white supremacists, which amplified calls for the need to fight extremism inside the United States.

“Individuals who may be radicalizing, or have radicalized, to violence typically exhibit behaviors that are recognizable to many but are best understood by those closest to them, such as friends, family, and classmates,” the homeland security secretary,

Alejandro N. Mayorkas, said in a statement Tuesday afternoon.

In the aftermath of the deadly Jan. 6 riot by a pro-Trump mob, federal law enforcement was widely criticized for not responding to a threat that was evolving publicly on social media.

On Wednesday, Mr. Mayorkas is set to testify alongside Attorney General Merrick B. Garland before the Senate Appropriations Committee about the current threat posed by domestic extremists.

Mr. Mayorkas emphasized that the department’s new programs were developed to comply with privacy protections required by law. The new center will replace a similar program that was started during the Trump administration.     source from

White House News (白宮消息) | May 11, 2021

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

Impact of Colonial Pipeline shutdown on New Hampshire gas prices expected to be minimal

May 11, MANCHESTER, N.H. --One of the largest gas and fuel pipelines in the United States is hoping to restore services by Friday after a cybersecurity attack forced it to shut down.

The Colonial Pipeline runs from Houston to New Jersey and the closure could soon have an impact on gasoline, diesel and aviation fuel in the Northeast.

AdvertisementOfficials with the company called it a ransomware attack, which is identified as a form of malware programed to encrypt files on a device rendering them unusable. The malicious actors then demand ransom in exchange for decryption of the files.

The FBI has reported the attack originated from a group of hackers in Russia called DarkSide.
Officials in President Joe Biden’s administration have said they are watching the situation closely and as of now there is no concern about supply.

“Right now, there is not a supply shortage. We are preparing for multiple possible contingencies because that’s our job, especially on the homeland security team,” said Elizabeth Sherwood-Randall, U.S. Homeland Security advisor. “Considering what additional steps may be useful to mitigate any potential disruptions to supply.”

Experts worry the attack could contribute to already rising gas prices ahead of the summer travel season. The Department of Transportation is temporarily allowing truck drivers transporting gas to work longer days to maintain supply.

​The Northern New England AAA said New Hampshire is just far enough North that it may not cause a substantial impact.     more

---

MAY 10, 2021
White House Daily Briefing
White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki held a briefing on the Biden administration’s policy agenda. She was joined by Deputy National Security Advisers Elizabeth Sherwood-Randall and Anne Neuberger, who provided an update on the Colonial Pipeline hack

Press Briefing by Press Secretary Jen Psaki, Homeland Security Advisor and Deputy National Security Advisor Dr. Elizabeth Sherwood-Randall, and Deputy National Security Advisor for Cyber and Emerging Technologies Anne Neuberger, May 10, 2021
MAY 10, 2021

MS. PSAKI:  Hi everyone.  Happy Monday.  Today, we are joined by Homeland Security Advisor and Deputy National Security Advisor Dr. Liz Sherwood-Randall and Deputy National Security Advisor for Cyber and Emerging Technologies Anne Neuberger. 
 
I know you all know who they are, so I’m going to skip the introductions so we have more time for questions.  We have very limited time, but we will try to take as many as possible.
 
So, with that, I’ll turn it over to Liz.
 
DR. SHERWOOD-RANDALL:  It’s great to be with you today.  Thank you, Jen.
 
I have an update for you on the Colonial Pipeline and what the Biden administration is doing to provide assistance through a whole-of-government effort.
 
On Friday evening, May 7th, Colonial Pipeline reported that its pipeline system had been subject to a ransomware cyberattack.  Colonial chose to shut down its pipeline operations as a precautionary measure and to ensure that the ransomware could not migrate from business computer systems to those that control and operate the pipeline.  We’ve been in ongoing contact with Colonial, and the President continues to be regularly briefed on the incident and our work.
 
Colonial is currently working with its private cybersecurity consultants to assess potential damage and to determine when it is safe to bring the pipeline back online.  Thus far, Colonial has told us that it has not suffered damage and can be brought back online relatively quickly, but that safety is a priority given that it has never before taken the entire pipeline down.
 
Beginning on Friday night, soon after we learned of the shutdown, the White House convened an interagency team that included the Department of Energy, which is the lead agency for incident response in this case; the Department of Homeland Security’s Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency — or “CISA”; the FBI; the Department of Transportation Pipeline Safety and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration; the Department of the Treasury; the Department of Defense; and other agencies.     more

---

Biden Raises the Minimum Wage for Federal Government Contractors and Subcontractors to $15/Hour Effective January 30, 2022

May 11 - On April 27, 2021, President Biden issued an Executive Order on Increasing the Minimum Wage for Federal Contractors, requiring covered government contractors and subcontractors to pay workers performing work on or in connection with a government contract at least $15.00/hour.

The increase, which is generally effective on January 30, 2022, comes four months after President Biden directed his administration to “start work” to allow him to issue the Executive Order. Currently, covered government contractors and subcontractors have to pay their workers working on or in connection with a government contract or subcontract at least $10.95/hour. The Executive Order states that federal contractors paying their workers at least $15.00/hour will bolster economy and efficiency in federal procurement.

The Executive Order directs the Department of Labor to issue regulations implementing the Executive Order by November 24, 2021. Within 60 days of the issuance of the Department of Labor regulations, the FAR Council is to amend the FAR to include a clause requiring the $15.00/hour minimum wage.

The $15.00/hour minimum wage applies to new solicitations issued on or after January 30, 2022, and new contracts awarded on or after March 30, 2022, that are governed by the Davis-Bacon Act, the Fair Labor Standards Act, or the Service Contract Act. It also will apply to contract extensions and . While the increase in the minimum wage is not required until 2022, the Executive Order strongly encourages the executive agencies to include the $15.00/hour minimum wage in solicitations issued and new contracts awarded before January 30, 2022. Therefore, contractors should carefully review new solicitations and contracts to see if the new minimum wage requirement has been included.

The $15.00/hour minimum wage will be adjusted for inflation annually beginning on January 1, 2023, based on increases in the Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (United States city average, all items, not seasonally adjusted).

The Executive Order also phases out the tipped minimum wage by 2024. The tipped minimum wage will be increased to $10.50/hour starting on January 30, 3022. Thereafter it will be increased to 85% of the adjusted minimum wage until the tipped minimum wage equals the federal minimum wage beginning on January 1, 2024.

​To the extent government contractors and subcontractors currently are paying wages below $15.00/hour, they should be prepared to provide higher wages on future contracts as well as contract options and extensions. It is likely that the new regulations will provide for an equitable adjustment if the contractor or subcontractor is required to pay higher wages for contract options and extensions. Government contractors and subcontractors will need to factor in wage increases for new contracts in their bids and proposals.     source from

White House News (白宮消息) | May 10, 2021

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

2012 June | 謠謠網站 (wpcomstaging.com)

Cyberattack Forces U.S. Energy Pipeline To Go Offline | NBC Nightly News
May 10, 2021

Hackers attacking Colonial Pipeline are linked to Russia, CNN alleges
It was reported earlier that the group of hackers known as DarkSide could be associated with the attack

May 10, NEW YORK - Hackers behind the cyber-attack against the largest US pipeline company Colonial Pipeline can be related to Russia, CNN said on Sunday, citing a former senior cyber official.

It was reported earlier that the group of hackers known as DarkSide could be associated with the attack. The group is allegedly "originating from Russia," CNN reported. "DarkSide typically targets non-Russian speaking countries," CNN said, citing the source.

"The attack has led the White House to form an interagency working group over the weekend to prepare for various scenarios, including whether additional steps need to be taken to mitigate any potential impact on fuel supply," CNN reported, citing a White House official.

Russia repeatedly denied US allegations of malicious behavior in cyberspace. The US groundlessly alleges that Russia makes cyber-attacks against its resources and does not want to cooperate in cyberspace, Secretary of the Russian Security Council Nikolai Patrushev said earlier.     source from

---

Russian warships interfere with U.S.-Ukraine joint naval drills in Black Sea

May 10 - On May 8, Russian warships interfered with joint naval exercises of the United States and Ukraine which were held about 100 nautical miles from Odesa, reported Ukrainian State Border Guard Service on its website.

On Saturday morning, the flagship of the Ukrainian Maritime Guard Grigory Kuropatnikov was joined in the Ukrainian waters by the U.S. Coast Guard ship Hamilton.

It is noted that the American partners arrived in Ukraine on a friendly visit, which will include joint maneuvers at sea, joint trainings to exchange experience in monitoring and assault operations, as well as a meeting of Coast Guard representatives to discuss ensuring safety of navigation.

American and Ukrainian ships practiced coherence of actions working as part of an international tactical group. The Ukrainian State Border Guard Service specified that the drills were tracked by Russian ships.

The Russian ships announced fictitious coordinates of closed areas, demanding that the U.S. and Ukrainian ships leave them. They maneuvered dangerously and tried to reduce area used for the drills of Ukrainian and the U.S. ships. The Russian ships did not respond to any communication through international maritime security channels.

“The audacious violations of international maritime law were carefully recorded and documented by Ukrainian border guards. Today, Grigory Kuropatnikov and USCGC Hamilton remain in the Black Sea, continuing joint exercises. The U.S. ship's visit to the port of Odessa is scheduled for May 10,” the Ukrainian Defense State Border Guard Service said.

On April 27, USCGC Hamilton entered the Black Sea.

On the same day, Russia sent its cruiser Moskva for exercises in the Black Sea.

On May 4, the Russian Federation reported that a Russian corvette followed USCGC Hamilton in the Black Sea.     source from

---

Russian criminal group suspected in Colonial pipeline ransomware attack
The group, known as DarkSide, is relatively new, but it has a sophisticated approach to extortion, sources said.

May 10, WASHINGTON — A Russian criminal group may be responsible for a ransomware attack that shut down a major U.S. fuel pipeline, two sources familiar with the matter said Sunday.
The group, known as DarkSide, is relatively new, but it has a sophisticated approach to the business of extortion, the sources said.

Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo said Sunday that the White House was working to help Colonial Pipeline, the Georgia-based company that operates the pipeline, to restart its 5,500-mile network.

The system, which runs from Texas to New Jersey, transports 45 percent of the East Coast's fuel supply. In a statement Sunday, the company said that some smaller lateral lines were operational but that the main lines remained down.

"We are in the process of restoring service to other laterals and will bring our full system back online only when we believe it is safe to do so, and in full compliance with the approval of all federal regulations," the company said...     more

May 9, 2021
Secretary of Commerce Raimondo on Jobs and President Biden's Infrastructure Plan
On CBS “Face The Nation,” Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo talked about the April 2021 jobs report and President Biden’s infrastructure plan.

---

May 9, 2021
Representative Jim Banks on House Republican Conference Chair Liz Cheney
Representative Jim Banks (R-IN), during an appearance on Fox News Sunday, talked about why he thinks Representative Liz Cheney (R-WY) should be replaced as House Republican Conference chair.

---

May 9, 2021
House Majority Whip James Clyburn on Jobs Report
House Majority Whip James Clyburn (D-SC), during an appearance on CNN’s “State of the Union,” talked about the April 2021 jobs report and getting more people back to work in his state.

White House News (白宮消息) | May 8th, 2021

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

Joe Biden and Vladimir Putin
Biden confirms his readiness to meet with Putin

Biden noted that a specific place and time of the summit is being worked out

May 8 - US President Joe Biden confirmed that he expects to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin in the near future. It was reported by Voice of America.
Biden noted that a specific place and time of the summit is being worked out.

"I am confident that we are able to do this [hold the meeting]. We do not have a specific time or place. This is being worked out," Biden said, answering the question if the summit could take place in June.

Biden also noted that the desire to hold the meeting was not related to the fact of the concentration of Russian troops on the border with Ukraine.

“This did not affect my desire to hold a one-on-one meeting. - But if you noticed that he (Putin) had more troops earlier, he pulled out the troops. The troops are still (in the border area), but they have become much smaller, than a month ago," the US President said.

Meanwhile, head of the President Office of Ukraine Andriy Yermak states that the president of Ukraine and the US are interested in the bilateral meeting.

He stated that the meeting of the presidents was discussed during the visit of US State Secretary Antony Blinken to Ukraine.
According to Yermak, the presidents of both countries are interested in it.

Related Articles:

• Place of possible Putin-Biden meeting not defined, - Peskov
• Zelensky invites Biden to pay official visit to Ukraine

• Invaders violate ceasefire in eastern Ukraine 11 times

Over the past day, May 7, the armed formations of the Russian Federation violated the ceasefire in the Joint Forces Operation area in eastern Ukraine 11 times.

May 8 - "In particular, the Russian occupation forces fired 120mm and 82mm mortars, hand-held antitank grenade launchers, and heavy machine guns at Ukrainian positions near Pisky (11km north-west of Donetsk); 122mm artillery, 120mm mortars, automatic easel grenade launcher, and small arms – outside Shumy (41km north of Donetsk); 120mm mortars – near Novhorodske (35km north of Donetsk); heavy machine guns – not far from Verkhniotoretske (22km north-east of Donetsk) and Nevelske (18km north-west of Donetsk); hand-held antitank grenade launchers – in the area of Avdiivka (17km north of Donetsk); automatic easel and hand-held antitank grenade launchers – outside Novotoshkivske (53km west of Luhansk); under-barrel grenade launchers  – near Vodiane (94km south of Donetsk)," the press center of the JFO Headquarters reports.

In addition, in the area of Pivdenne (40km north-east of Donetsk), the invaders used hand-held antitank grenade launchers to deliver POM-2 mines.

No combat losses among Ukrainian troops were reported over the past day.
The Ukrainian side of the Joint Control and Coordination Center (JCCC) informed the OSCE SMM about the violations committed by the armed formations of the Russian Federation.

As of 07:00 on May 8, two ceasefire violations were recorded. In particular, the enemy opened fire from 122mm artillery and 120mm mortars near Pivdenne, and from small arms – not far from Avdiivka. No combat losses were reported.     source from

美国要军事援助乌克兰？G7搞“小圈子”暴露战略焦虑 20210507 |《今日关注》CCTV中文国际
​May 8, 2021

Benelux countries support Ukraine's sovereignty
Foreign ministers of Belgium, Netherlands, Luxembourg visit Ukraine

May 8, MOSCOW - Foreign ministers of Belgium, the Netherlands, and Luxembourg reiterated their support for Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity.

At a news conference, following a meeting with his counterparts from Belgium Sophie Wilmes, the Netherlands Stef Blok, and Luxembourg Jean Asselborn, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmitro Kuleba thanked them for showing solidarity "in the face of the Russian aggression."

"We discussed the Crimea platform (summit) that will take place. We expect the Netherlands, Belgium, and Luxembourg to take part in it," Kuleba said, noting that the ministers visited the Lugansk region on Friday and received first-hand information about the situation in Donbas.

"I urge all our partners to put more pressure on Russia to be constructive in the talks," Kuleba said, adding that the Normandy format still works but Ukraine wants it to be more active.

For her part, Wilmes noted that this was the first visit of Benelux countries under the presidency of Belgium, which in turn showed Benelux countries' support for Ukraine.

"As ministers, we read reports, but reading reports and meeting people there (in Donbas) face-to-face is very different, from this point of view, the visit was very useful," she said.

"Two issues are important. First, the Minsk agreement is the only reliable way to resolve the crisis, and all parties must adhere to it. Second, dialogue should be the only solution. We also welcome the Crimean platform for Crimea to be on the international agenda," Wilmes said, reiterating Benelux countries' unwavering support for Ukraine's internationally recognized borders and territorial integrity.

Asselborn noted that the Benelux countries would continue to support the independence, sovereignty, and territorial integrity of Ukraine.

He voiced concern over the limitation of the mobility of the OSCE (Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe) Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine from both confronting sides, adding that the implementation of reforms in Ukraine is important, and the political will in this regard is on the right track.

Asselborn also said the issues of the COVID-19 Vaccines Global Access (COVAX) were discussed at the meeting, and added: "The EU has done a lot on this issue, but it is not enough, we must speed up the process so that the whole world, including Ukraine, can get vaccines."

"I also appreciate the cooperation of the Ukrainian government in relation to the downed MH-17 plane (in 2014), a tragedy that struck both countries, it is important to keep it on the agenda for the establishment of justice," Dutch Foreign Minister Blok said, joining the "full support (for) Ukraine's sovereignty" voiced by other ministers.     source from
​