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US-China tensions threaten global climate change efforts

China and the United States both say they are intent on retooling their economies to burn less climate-wrecking coal, oil and gas. But tensions between them threaten their ultimate success (AP Photo/Evan Vucci, File)WASHINGTON – The world’s hopes for curbing climate change hinge on action by two giant nations whose relations are deteriorating: China and the United States. New details of how quickly China plans to reduce carbon emissions will be revealed Friday when Beijing releases its next Five Year Plan. And in April, President Joe Biden is expected to announce the United States' own new targets for emissions cuts. AdThe U.S. and China both have appointed veteran envoys as their global climate negotiators, John Kerry and Xie Zhenhua.

South Carolina mayor leaving office, but maybe not forever

“I feel like we've significantly made our city better; now, it's time to pass the baton.”Benjamin was elected in 2010 as Columbia's first Black mayor. As for higher office, Benjamin — South Carolina’s 2002 Democratic attorney general nominee, beaten in that contest by now-Gov. AdAs was witnessed in Jaime Harrison's unsuccessful 2020 challenge of Republican U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham, a Democratic challenger winning a statewide office in South Carolina — where all such offices are in GOP hands — remains an uphill climb. When asked if that had factored into his decision-making, Benjamin said the outcome had no effect on his ultimate decision. Even out of elected office, Benjamin will likely continue to play an outsized role in the Democratic politics of South Carolina, particularly in the state's first-in-the-South presidential primary.

Kerry aims to talk US back into a lead role in climate fight

Former Secretary of State John Kerry arrives for the 59th Presidential Inauguration at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, Wednesday, Jan. 20, 2021. Kerry’s diplomatic efforts match the fast pace of domestic climate directives by the week-old Biden administration, which created the job Kerry now holds. Kerry is a full-time principal member for climate on the White House's National Security Council. The role acknowledges what climate and military experts say will be growing conflicts around the world as climate change increases competition for natural resources. Kerry is expected to have desks at both the White House and the State Department.

Kerry aims to talk US back into a lead role in climate fight

Former Secretary of State John Kerry arrives for the 59th Presidential Inauguration at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, Wednesday, Jan. 20, 2021. Kerry’s diplomatic efforts match the fast pace of domestic climate directives by the week-old Biden administration, which created the job Kerry now holds. Kerry is a full-time principal member for climate on the White House's National Security Council. The role acknowledges what climate and military experts say will be growing conflicts around the world as climate change increases competition for natural resources. Kerry is expected to have desks at both the White House and the State Department.

Biden moves forward without help from Trump's intel team

As he contests this year's election results, Trump has not authorized President-elect Joe Biden to lay eyes on the brief. National security and intelligence experts hope Trump changes his mind, citing the need for an incoming president to be fully prepared to confront any national security issues on Day One. That's the type of information that might be in the PDB, a daily summary of high-level, classified information and analysis on national security issues that's been offered to presidents since 1946. It is coordinated and delivered by the Office of the National Intelligence Director with input from the CIA and other agencies. Biden is missing out on all counts: More than a week into his transition, Biden doesn't have access to the PDB, the agencies or government resources to help him get ready to take charge.

Republican senators push for Biden to receive intelligence

The Senate Republicans advocated for Biden to receive the classified national security information even as they refused to acknowledge that the Democrat has won the presidential election, citing Trump's baseless claims of fraudulent votes. “At this point at least, I think he should absolutely be getting intelligence briefings," Missouri Sen. Josh Hawley said of Biden. While only a handful of Republicans have called Biden the president-elect, most were comfortable Thursday challenging the Trump administration on withholding intelligence information, which could constitute a national security risk when Biden assumes office. Intelligence agencies have given generalized intelligence briefings — minus information on covert operations and sources and methods — for presidential nominees since 1952. Biden, a former vice president, has decades of experience in foreign affairs and national security.

EXPLAINER: With no outcome yet, why does a candidate talk?

So why did the former vice president decide to talk at all? Biden wanted to rally his supporters and encourage them to “keep the faith.”Such speeches aren't unusual when vote counting becomes a slog. What was unusual Wednesday is that Biden spoke for himself, instead of assigning the task to a campaign aide. Podesta told the crowd that it had been a long night after a long campaign and that they should go home. Immediately after Biden spoke, Trump tweeted: He'd be making a statement, too.

California governor calls for protecting 30% of state land

He directed state agencies to pursue actions that will use the state's lands and waters to absorb climate-warming carbon from the atmosphere. California is the first state to join 38 countries that have made similar commitments, Newsom said. Last month, Newsom directed state regulators to come up with rules to ban sales of new gas-powered passenger cars and trucks by 2035. While more than half of California land is owned by the state or federal government, the U.S. Geological Survey estimates that only 22% of lands is currently considered protected. The state thinks it could reach the 30% goal through further conservation efforts on public lands, according to the California Natural Resources Agency.

Russian hackers targeting U.S. campaigns, Microsoft says

Those efforts reflect a broader increase in targeting of U.S. political campaigns and related groups, the company said. Most of the infiltration attempts by Russian, Chinese and Iranian agents were halted by Microsoft security software and the targets notified, he said. The Biden campaign did not confirm the attempt, although it said in a statement that it was aware of the Microsoft report. The blog post said Iranian state-backed hackers have unsuccessfully tried to log into accounts of Trump campaign and administration officials between May and June of this year. “We are a large target, so it is not surprising to see malicious activity directed at the campaign or our staff," Trump campaign deputy press secretary Thea McDonald said.

Russian spies hacked Ukrainian energy company at center of Trump's impeachment

The Ukrainian natural gas company that prompted President Donald Trump to seek investigations from Ukraine's president over its hiring of former Vice President Joe Biden's son was hacked by Russian spies, security experts said in a report released Monday. The Main Intelligence Directorate of the General Staff of the Russian Army, or GRU, "launched a phishing campaign targeting Burisma Holdings" as early as November, according to the cybersecurity firm Area 1 Security. John Podesta, who was chairman of Hillary Clinton's 2016 presidential campaign, had his emails hacked during the 2016 campaign through phishing. U.S. prosecutors in 2018 indicted 12 people said to be members of the GRU in connection with the hacking of Democratic organizations and Clinton's 2016 campaign. That's about two months after a whistleblower complaint accused Trump of having pressured the Ukrainian president to investigate the Bidens.

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