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U.S. President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris attended the annual National Christmas Tree Lighting ceremony Thursday night on the Ellipse, south of the White House. “During this season of reflection,” Biden said, “may we continue to seek the light of liberty and love, kindness and compassion, dignity and decency.” The president said the event is a favorite of his wife’s and that she was sorry to miss this year’s event. First lady Jill Biden is in Qatar for her initiative on women’s health. Country singing star Mickey Guyton hosted this year’s event. The tree lighting was launched in 1923 when first lady Grace Coolidge allowed the District of Columbia Public Schools to erect a 48-foot balsam fir on the Ellipse. Three thousand people attended the ceremony that year when President Calvin Coolidge lit the tree, which came from Middlebury College in Vermont. This year’s tree, a 30-foot red spruce from Virginia, is anchored by steel cables after strong winds blew over last year’s tree. Americans from every U.S. state and territory and the District of Columbia create the one-of-a-kind ornaments that adorn the tree as it glows with thousands of lights. Trisha Yearwood, James Taylor, Stephen Sanchez and Trombone Shorty were among the musical guests who performed at this year’s holiday event. The show will be broadcast on December 20 on CBS-TV. …

WASHINGTON — Iran is likely to respond to new attacks from Israel or additional Western sanctions by edging ever closer to crossing the nuclear threshold, according to a just-released U.S. intelligence assessment. The unclassified report, issued Thursday by the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, finds that while Tehran is not currently poised to build a nuclear weapon, it is undertaking activities “that better position it to produce one, if it so chooses.” The report states that since July, Iran has continued to increase its stockpiles of 20% and 60% enriched uranium while also manufacturing and operating a growing number of advanced centrifuges. The U.S. intelligence assessment further warns that Iranian officials have been increasingly willing to “publicly discuss the utility of nuclear weapons.” “Tehran has the infrastructure and experience to quickly produce weapons-grade uranium at multiple underground facilities, if it so chooses,” the report says. “Iranian leaders recognize that this bolsters the credibility of threats to develop nuclear weapons.” The ODNI report estimates that Iran’s existing stockpiles of enriched uranium far exceed what it needs for civilian purposes and that Tehran could build “more than a dozen nuclear weapons if its total uranium stockpile were further enriched.” A U.S. intelligence assessment of Iran’s capabilities issued this past July similarly said that officials in Tehran were becoming more comfortable talking about the use of nuclear weapons. But the new report suggests Tehran is now prepared to push back against Western pressure, attacks or other threats with more nuclear activity. “Iran probably will consider installing or operating more advanced centrifuges, further increasing its enriched uranium stockpile, enriching uranium up to 90 percent, or threatening to withdraw from the Treaty on the Nonproliferation of Nuclear Weapons,” according to the latest ODNI assessment. U.S. officials have previously warned that Tehran could produce a nuclear warhead in as little as one to two weeks, though they have also said the Pentagon has options to stop an Iranian nuclear breakout. The Iranian mission at the United Nations has yet to respond to a request for comment. U.S. intelligence analysts say that their concerns extend beyond nuclear weapons to include Iran’s ballistic missile and drone capabilities. The U.S. assessment says Iran “almost certainly is incorporating lessons learned from its missile and unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) attack against Israel in April and from Russia’s operational use of Iranian UAVs against Ukraine.” U.S. intelligence additionally “expects Tehran will … “Iran more comfortable with nuclear saber-rattling, US intelligence warns” →

WASHINGTON — Washington’s most dangerous adversaries may be working together more closely than ever before, but U.S. intelligence analysts think that for now, they are falling short of forming a tight-knit alliance that could more effectively counter the United States. Concerns among the United States and its allies about growing cooperation among Russia, China, Iran and North Korea have been increasing steadily since Moscow launched its February 2022 invasion of Ukraine — sustained by intelligence showing Beijing, Tehran and Pyongyang providing Russia with technology, missiles, drones and even troops for the war effort. The former commander of U.S. forces in the Indo-Pacific earlier this year went as far as to describe the growing ties between the four U.S. adversaries as a nascent “axis of evil.” Yet U.S. intelligence officials believe the axis, in some ways, has been bogged down by its own shortcomings. “They’re not acting as a bloc,” said Director of National Intelligence Avril Haines, speaking Thursday in Washington at the Council on Foreign Relations. “We don’t see them as a sort of four-part alliance or something along those lines,” she said. “We don’t see them likely as becoming allies in the same way that we are allies with our NATO partners, for example — that kind of level of interoperability and military collaboration.” U.S. intelligence analysts, however, still see the axis as a concern on several fronts. Haines said the increased cooperation among Russia, China, Iran and North Korea has contributed to a further erosion of international norms around weapons of mass destruction. Where Russia and China were once more willing to cooperate with the United States and the West on nuclear counterproliferation, Moscow and Beijing now seem more inclined to give Iran and North Korea additional leeway. “In large part, that’s because Russia is now beholden to some extent to both the DPRK [Democratic People’s Republic of Korea] and to Iran for advanced weapons, for ammunition, for things that they need in the context of their fight with Ukraine,” Haines said. “They’re less likely to push back,” she said. “And of course, we’ve been watching the degree to which they actually, for example, accept DPRK as a nuclear weapon power.” Haines said the increased cooperation among Russia, China, Iran and North Korea has helped all four countries to evade sanctions. And she said there are even some indications that Russia is willing to take action that would allow … “Emerging anti-US axis worrisome but ‘not acting as a bloc’” →

HARTSDALE, NEW YORK — On most days, Mark Lindenberg either drives by or walks over to visit with Boots, his beloved pet cat who died in August 2020 at the age of 17. The New York man had his black-and-white tuxedo cat buried at the Hartsdale Pet Cemetery, a picturesque spot with rolling, grassy hills near the main road. The epitaph on Boots’ tombstone reads, “You taught me how to love and be loved.” Other tombstones are engraved with phrases such as “A truer friend we never had” and “Our beloved queen.” “Human cemeteries are sad,” Lindenberg says. “This is one of the most cheerful places. When you look at the love that goes behind every plot here — the sayings, the toys, the pinwheels — it’s just, I can’t think of a better place.” Hartsdale is America’s oldest working pet cemetery and was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2012. Lindenberg says he paid about $7,000 to bury Boots at Hartsdale. Those costs include the plot, casket, tombstone, burial and site maintenance in perpetuity. “What have I worked for if I’m not going to do the things that matter most, and this mattered most,” Lindenberg says. “I got instant closure the day I decided I was going to bury her here.” Pet burials started in Hartsdale in 1896 when veterinarian Samuel Johnson allowed a client to bury her dog in his apple orchard, a hillside spot located about 30 kilometers north of New York City. Since then, about 70,000 animals have been laid to rest in the 2-hectare cemetery. Most of the pets buried at Hartsdale are cats and dogs, but there are a few more exotic animals. “There’s reptiles that are buried here. Mice,” says Edward Martin III, vice president of the Hartsdale Pet Cemetery. “There’s a lion cub that was buried here in 1912 by a Russian princess. There’s the ashes of Ming, who’s a Bengal tiger that was buried here a few years ago. There are some monkeys.” There’s also Hudson the horse, some birds and singer Mariah Carey’s cat, Clarence. The oldest headstone, dating to 1898, commemorates the life of a dog named Blague. Martin runs the place alongside his father, Edward Martin Jr., who purchased the cemetery in 1974. The younger Martin is a lawyer and certified public accountant, who eventually opted to help oversee the cemetery, where he once worked as … “At America’s oldest pet cemetery, humans spend eternity with faithful companions” →

EUREKA, CALIFORNIA — A strong earthquake was felt widely across Northern California on Thursday, and some residents along its coast were urged to evacuate inland because of the threat of a possible tsunami. The quake struck at 10:44 a.m. local time west of Ferndale, a small city in coastal Humboldt County near the Oregon border, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. It was felt as far south as San Francisco, where residents felt a rolling motion for several seconds. It was followed by smaller aftershocks. The National Weather Service urged residents along the Northern California coastline, including in the San Francisco Bay Area, to move inland because of the tsunami threat. A wave could reach the San Francisco coastline as early as 12:10 p.m. local time, according to Rachel Kennedy, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service’s office that covers the Bay Area. Kennedy said forecasters are waiting to get a report on how high potential waves could be. She called it “a pretty dangerous situation.” The San Francisco Bay Area Rapid Transit District, known as BART, has stopped traffic in all directions through the underwater tunnel between San Francisco and Oakland. The San Francisco Zoo’s visitors have been evacuated as a result of the earthquake, the zoo said in a post on the social media platform X. The animals have been secured and staff has been moved to higher ground. Throughout Northern California phones buzzed with a tsunami warning from the National Weather Service that said: “A series of powerful waves and strong currents may impact coasts near you. You are in danger. Get away from coastal waters. Move to high ground or inland now. Keep away from the coast until local officials say it is safe to return.” At least 5.3 million people in California were under a tsunami warning after the magnitude 7.0 earthquake, the U.S. Geological Survey said in a yellow alert, which predicts localized but minimal damage. More than 1.3 million people lived close enough to the quake that they could have felt it, the USGS estimated. …

DALLAS — A federal judge on Thursday rejected a deal that would have allowed Boeing to plead guilty to a felony conspiracy charge and pay a fine for misleading U.S. regulators about the 737 Max jetliner before two of the planes crashed, killing 346 people. The ruling by U.S. District Judge Reed O’Connor in Texas creates uncertainty around the criminal prosecution of the aerospace giant in connection with the development of its bestselling airline plane. Boeing and the Justice Department could try to negotiate a new plea agreement. The Justice Department and Boeing did not comment immediately. Paul Cassell, an attorney for families of passengers who died in the crashes, called the ruling an important victory for the rights of crime victims. “No longer can federal prosecutors and high-powered defense attorney craft backroom deals and just expect judges to approve them,” Cassell said. “Judge O’Connor has recognized that this was a cozy deal between the government and Boeing that failed to focus on the overriding concerns — holding Boeing accountable for its deadly crime and ensuring that nothing like this happens again in the future.” Many relatives of the passengers who died in the crashes, which took place off the coast of Indonesia and in Ethiopia less than five months apart, have spent years pushing for a public trial, the prosecution of former company officials and more severe financial punishment for Boeing. The deal the judge rejected would have let Boeing plead guilty to defrauding regulators who approved pilot training requirements for the 737 Max nearly a decade ago. Prosecutors did not allege Boeing’s deception played a role in the crashes. The Justice Department first charged Boeing in January 2021 with defrauding Federal Aviation Administration regulators who approved pilot training requirements for the 737 Max. The department simultaneously announced it would drop the charge after three years if the company stayed out of trouble and paid a $2.5 billion settlement — mostly money the company would have paid airline customers anyway due to the FAA grounding the 737 Max fleet for 20 months. Families of the victims were outraged. O’Connor ruled last year that the Justice Department broke a victims-rights law by not telling relatives that it was negotiating with Boeing, but said he had no power to overturn the deal. The 2021 deferred-prosecution agreement was due to expire when a door plug blew off a 737 Max early this year … “US judge rejects Boeing’s plea deal in conspiracy case stemming from fatal plane crashes” →

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Secret Service’s acting director told a U.S. House of Representatives panel on Thursday that he has overhauled the agency’s security practices after a gunman shot President-elect Donald Trump in July. Acting Director Ronald Rowe testified to a House task force consisting of seven Republicans and six Democrats that has been investigating two failed assassination attempts on Trump during this year’s presidential campaign. Things grew heated at times. The panel is expected to vote on the approval of a final report later on Thursday. “It is essential that we recognize the gravity of our failure on July 13, 2024. I personally carry the weight of knowing that we almost lost a protectee and that our failure cost a father and husband his life,” Rowe testified. “This entire incident represents the failure to meet the expectations and responsibilities of the Secret Service.” The Secret Service has faced questions over its staffing levels and communication capabilities following the Trump assassination attempts. A gunman fired eight shots during a Trump campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania in July, wounding Trump in the ear and killing another attendee. The gunman was shot and killed by a Secret Service counter-sniper. Two months later, a man with a gun holed himself up near a Trump-owned golf course in Florida with what prosecutors have said was an intent to kill the then-Republican candidate while he golfed. The suspect, Ryan Routh, has pleaded not guilty to federal charges and is awaiting trial. Rowe earned praise from many Republican lawmakers for cooperating with the investigation, but he erupted at Republican Representative Pat Fallon after the congressman questioned Rowe’s appearance at a ceremony this year commemorating the anniversary of the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks. “Do not invoke 9/11 for political purposes!” Rowe yelled, adding that he responded to the World Trade Center site following the attack and attended the ceremony to represent the Secret Service. “You are out of line, Congressman.” Fallon said he was asking “serious questions” about whether Rowe was there to provide protection for high-level officials at the ceremony. Rowe has said he was “ashamed” of security lapses surrounding the Pennsylvania shooting. He defended the agency’s response in the Florida incident, commending an agent who spotted the gunman before he could open fire. Rowe said he has made a series of changes following the shooting, including increasing training for agents, streamlining communication with local law enforcement … “US Secret Service chief touts reforms after Trump assassination attempts” →

New York City police investigators continue to search for the suspect in the shooting death of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, who was attacked by a gunman who apparently was waiting for him on a New York sidewalk early Wednesday. Police say multiple surveillance cameras captured the shooting and the moments after. In one video taken closest to the shooting at about 6:45 a.m., Thompson, 50, can be seen walking on a sidewalk to UnitedHealthcare’s annual investor conference at a Hilton hotel in midtown Manhattan. A moment later, a figure wearing a hooded jacket, dark glasses and a backpack steps out from behind a parked vehicle and raises a handgun that appears to have a noise suppressor, or silencer, attached and fires several shots. Thompson was transported to a local hospital where he was pronounced dead. Other cameras caught the gunman mounting an e-bike and heading into the city’s Central Park. Police are now investigating whether the vehicle was an unmarked e-bike or one that is part of the city’s Citi Bike share system, as initially reported. Police on Thursday revealed the words “Deny,” “Defend” and “Depose” were printed on the 9-millimeter shell casings found at the scene. Some analysts believe the words may have been a reference to strategies insurance companies use to avoid paying claims. At an initial news conference on Wednesday, New York Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch said that while it was clear the attack on Thompson was premeditated, the motive is unclear. She said the cameras showed that the suspect waited for several minutes for Thompson, and that he had at least some prior firearms training. Thompson had been with Minneapolis-based UnitedHealthcare since 2004 and served as CEO for more than three years. The New York Times reported that the company, which offers insurance to companies and individuals, has a market valuation of $560 billion, making it one of the country’s largest publicly traded companies. The Times also reported the company has come under scrutiny from lawmakers and regulators, who accused it of systematically refusing to authorize health care procedures and treatments. The U.S. Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations released a report in October documenting insurance companies’ refusal to pay for the care of older people who had suffered strokes or medical emergencies. UnitedHealthcare in particular was cited for a surge in denials in post-acute care when it increased to 22.7% in 2022 from 10.9% in 2020. … “Police seek suspect in UnitedHealthcare shooting” →

President Joe Biden was in Angola Wednesday for a tour of Lobito port, the ocean terminal of a U.S.-backed railway redevelopment corridor. The president met with workers and spoke with leaders about what the president called the largest U.S. investment in a train project outside America. VOA’s Anita Powell traveled with the president and has this report. Mayra Fernandes contributed to this report. (Produced by: Rod James) …

Bitcoin catapulted above $100,000 for the first time on Thursday, a milestone hailed even by skeptics as a coming-of-age for digital assets as investors bet on a friendly U.S. administration to cement the place of cryptocurrencies in financial markets. Once it broke $100,000 in Thursday’s Asian morning, boosted by U.S. President-elect Trump’s nomination of pro-crypto Paul Atkins to run the Securities and Exchange Commission, it was soon at an all-time high of $103,619, a surge of about 6% on the day. It was last fetching $102,650. The total value of the cryptocurrency market has almost doubled over the year so far to hit a record just shy of $3.8 trillion, according to data provider CoinGecko. By comparison, Apple AAPL.O alone is worth about $3.7 trillion. Bitcoin’s march from the libertarian fringe to Wall Street has minted millionaires, a new asset class and popularized the concept of “decentralized finance” in a volatile and often controversial period since its creation 16 years ago. Bitcoin has more than doubled in value this year and is up more than 50% in the four weeks since Donald Trump’s sweeping election victory, which also saw a slew of pro-crypto lawmakers being elected to Congress. “We’re witnessing a paradigm shift,” said Mike Novogratz, founder and CEO of U.S. crypto firm Galaxy Digital. “Bitcoin and the entire digital asset ecosystem are on the brink of entering the financial mainstream – this momentum is fueled by institutional adoption, advancements in tokenisation and payments, and a clearer regulatory path.” Trump embraced digital assets during his campaign, promising to make the United States the “crypto capital of the planet” and to accumulate a national stockpile of bitcoin. “We were trading basically sideways for about seven months, then immediately after Nov. 5, U.S. investors resumed buying hand-over-fist,” said Joe McCann, CEO and founder of Asymmetric, a Miami digital assets hedge fund. Bitcoin’s proponents cheered Trump’s nomination of Atkins to the SEC. A former SEC commissioner, Atkins has been involved in crypto policy as co-chair of the Token Alliance, which works to “develop best practices for digital asset issuances and trading platforms,” and the Chamber of Digital Commerce. “Atkins will offer a new perspective, anchored by a deep understanding of the digital asset ecosystem,” said Blockchain Association CEO Kristin Smith. “We look forward to working with him … and ushering in – together – a new wave of American crypto innovation.” A slew … “Bitcoin storms above $100,000 as bets on Trump fuel crypto euphoria” →

BEIJING — China on Thursday urged the United States to “stop sending wrong signals” over Taiwan, after the announcement that Republican U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson held a call with the self-ruled island’s President Lai Ching-te. Lai is currently visiting the American territory Guam during a Pacific tour that has angered China. Taiwan’s Presidential Office confirmed to AFP Thursday that the call had taken place, without elaborating on the discussion. Beijing views Taiwan as part of its territory and has refused to rule out the use of force to bring the self-governed island under its control one day. Beijing’s foreign ministry on Thursday urged Washington to “deliver on the promises of American leaders not to support Taiwan independence, to stop interfering in China’s internal affairs, and to stop sending wrong signals to Taiwan separatist forces.” Spokesperson Lin Jian said the U.S. should “clearly recognize the serious danger that separatist acts of Taiwan independence pose to peace and security across the Taiwan Strait.” “The Taiwan issue is the very core of China’s core interests,” he said at the regular press briefing, adding that China would take “resolute and effective measures” to defend its sovereignty. The United States does not have official diplomatic ties with Taiwan but has an arrangement to provide the island with the means to defend itself. In a separate statement on Thursday, China’s foreign ministry announced sanctions on U.S. companies and individuals for selling arms to Taiwan. The sanctions target 13 firms engaged in the production of drones, unmanned aerial systems, and other military products. They also cover six top executives at companies including Raytheon and BAE Systems. The sanctioned companies will have their assets in China frozen and be banned from trading with Chinese firms, while the executives will also be banned from entering China, including Hong Kong and Macau, the statement said. …

Special session of the state Legislature met this week to prepare for expected legal clashes with the new administration …

State Department — The United States has dismissed Chinese objections to Taiwan President Lai Ching-te’s stopovers in Hawaii and Guam during a Pacific tour, reaffirming that transits through the U.S. by Taiwan’s democratically elected leaders are routine and consistent with long-standing bipartisan U.S. policy.    Amid China’s criticism, Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson and former Democratic Speaker Nancy Pelosi each spoke separately with Lai, underscoring steadfast U.S. support for Taiwan.   Johnson held a call Wednesday afternoon with Lai, who had recently arrived in Guam following a visit to Taiwan’s Pacific ally, Tuvalu, according to sources who spoke with VOA on the condition of anonymity. First call The call marked the first direct conversation between the House speaker and Lai since the latter assumed office in May. Johnson had previously congratulated Lai upon his election in January and renewed the United States’ commitment to the security and democracy of its Indo-Pacific partners.  Lai arrived in Guam on Wednesday night for a brief layover and is set to depart Thursday afternoon for Palau, the final stop on his weeklong Pacific tour. The trip, which began on November 30, also included stops in Hawaii and the Marshall Islands. This marks Lai’s first overseas trip as president. VOA has reached out to Johnson’s office for comment. Bipartisan US policy “Every democratically elected Taiwan president has transited the United States,” a State Department spokesperson told VOA this week.   Guided by the Taiwan Relations Act, the three U.S.-China Joint Communiques, and the Six Assurances, the spokesperson added that U.S. policy toward Taiwan has remained consistent across administrations for 45 years. Senior U.S. officials have also noted that these documents — the foundations of Washington’s “One China” policy — contain no language explicitly prohibiting a Taiwan president from stopping over in a U.S. city. Beijing opposition Beijing, however, accused Washington of interfering in what it calls its “internal affairs.” Chinese officials said they “firmly oppose” any form of official interaction between the U.S. and Taiwan, which it considers a renegade province. “Nothing will deter China from upholding national sovereignty and territorial integrity,” Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson Lin Jian told reporters this week. Taiwan has said China’s threats over Lai’s visit are counterproductive. Garnering US support Lai’s transits through Hawaii and Guam come as he seeks to garner support from the incoming administration of President-elect Donald Trump, who has said Taiwan should pay for U.S. protection. … “VOA Exclusive: US House Speaker Mike Johnson speaks with Taiwan president” →

WASHINGTON — U.S. government agencies held a classified briefing for all senators on Wednesday on China’s alleged efforts known as Salt Typhoon to burrow deep into American telecommunications companies and steal data about U.S. calls.  The FBI, Director of National Intelligence Avril Haines, Federal Communications Commission Chair Jessica Rosenworcel, the National Security Council and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency were among the participants in the closed-door briefing, officials told Reuters.   Democratic Senator Ron Wyden told reporters after the briefing he was working to draft legislation on this issue, while Senator Bob Casey said he had “great concern” about the breach and added it may not be until next year before Congress can address the issue.  Republican Senator Rick Scott expressed frustration with the briefing.  “They have not told us why they didn’t catch it; what they could have done to prevent it,” he said.  Chinese officials have previously described the allegations as disinformation and said Beijing “firmly opposes and combats cyberattacks and cyber theft in all forms.”  Separately, a Senate Commerce subcommittee will hold a December 11 hearing on Salt Typhoon and how “security threats pose risks to our communications networks and review best practices.” The hearing will include Competitive Carriers Association CEO Tim Donovan.  There is growing concern about the size and scope of the reported Chinese hacking into U.S. telecommunications networks and questions about when companies and the government can assure Americans over the matter.  A U.S. official told reporters a large number of Americans’ metadata has been stolen in the sweeping cyber espionage campaign, adding that dozens of companies across the world had been hit by the hackers, including at least eight telecommunications and telecom infrastructure firms in the United States.  “The extent and depth and breadth of Chinese hacking is absolutely mind-boggling — that we would permit as much as has happened in just the last year is terrifying,” Senator Richard Blumenthal said.  Incoming FCC Chair Brendan Carr said Wednesday he will work “with national security agencies through the transition and next year in an effort to root out the threat and secure our networks.”  U.S. officials have previously alleged the hackers targeted Verizon, AT&T, T-Mobile, Lumen and others and stole phone audio intercepts along with a large tranche of call record data.  T-Mobile said it does not believe hackers got access to its customer information. Lumen said there is no evidence customer data was accessed … “US senators vow action after briefing on Chinese Salt Typhoon telecom hacking” →