News of the World

[kyonides]

I'm not against Taiwan sovereign existence at all, but this would certainly become a declaration of war against China...

Rep. Tiffany Introduces Resolution Calling for US to Recognize Taiwan Independence

A group of Congressional lawmakers has introduced a measure urging the U.S. administration to end its “One China Policy” and formally recognize Taiwan’s status as an independent nation.

Rep. Tom Tiffany (R-Wis.) led 18 other members of Congress in introducing the resolution on Jan. 15, which calls for the United States to resume formal diplomatic relations with Taiwan.

The resolution also directs the Biden administration to support Taiwan’s membership in international organizations and to negotiate a bilateral U.S.-Taiwan Free Trade Agreement.
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The idea is not new to Tiffany, who brought forward similar resolutions in 2020 and 2021. What is new, he said, is the support that the resolution is receiving.

“A couple years ago, it was me alone,” Tiffany said. “This year we’re going to have 18 original co-sponsors.”
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A 2020 Pew poll found that 66 percent of Taiwanese considered themselves to be a distinct people from the Chinese, with 28 percent considering themselves both Taiwanese and Chinese, and only 4 percent viewing themselves as just Chinese.

That trend is sharply higher among the younger generation, with 83 percent of Taiwanese people under 30 saying that they did not consider themselves to be Chinese.

IRS Alerts Taxpayers They Must Answer a New Question on Tax Forms or Face Consequences

The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) issued an alert to taxpayers on Tuesday, reminding them that they must report all digital asset-related income and answer a new digital asset question on their 2022 federal income tax return or face consequences such as delayed refunds or even penalties.

The IRS said in a Jan. 24 release that a key change on 1040 forms this year is that the agency has replaced the term “virtual currency” with “digital assets,” in addition to some other modifications to the wording.

The “Yes” or “No” question, which was expanded and revised this year to update terminology, reads as follows:

“At any time during 2022, did you: (a) receive (as a reward, award or payment for property or services); or (b) sell, exchange, gift or otherwise dispose of a digital asset (or a financial interest in a digital asset)?”

The question appears at the top of tax forms 1040, Individual Income Tax Return; 1040-SR, U.S. Tax Return for Seniors; and 1040-NR, U.S. Nonresident Alien Income Tax Return.

“All taxpayers must answer the question regardless of whether they engaged in any transactions involving digital assets,” the agency cautioned.

More Documents With Classified Markings Found at Biden’s Delaware Home

The announcement, made late Saturday by Biden’s personal attorney, Bob Bauer, did not specify the exact number of documents with the classification markings.

“DOJ took possession of materials it deemed within the scope of its inquiry, including six items consisting of documents with classification markings and surrounding materials, some of which were from the President’s service in the Senate and some of which were from his tenure as Vice President,” Bauer said. “DOJ also took for further review personally handwritten notes from the vice-presidential years.”

The new findings come after the DOJ searched Biden’s home on Friday. The DOJ had “full access” to the property, including to “personally handwritten notes, files, papers, binders, memorabilia, to-do lists, schedules, and reminders going back decades,” according to Bauer.

These join other classified government records from Biden’s time as vice president that had been previously uncovered.
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Biden and first lady Jill Biden were not present during the search, White House lawyer Richard Sauber said in a separate statement on Saturday.

Schiff, Swalwell, Omar Vow to ‘Stick Together’ As McCarthy Blocks Them From Committees

Reps. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.), Eric Swalwell (D-Calif.), and Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.) vowed to “stick together” on Jan. 25 in response to House Speaker Kevin McCarthy’s (R-Calif.) refusal to allow them assignments on House committees.

On Jan. 24, McCarthy formally rejected House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries’ (D-N.Y.) nominations of Schiff and Swalwell for the House Intelligence Committee, of which both congressmen were members in the last Congress and Schiff chaired.

McCarthy has also promised to keep Omar off the Foreign Affairs Committee, where she previously served.
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Adding that he and his two colleagues had received death threats, Swalwell alleged McCarthy had intended that to be the case.
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Describing McCarthy’s move as a “political stunt,” Omar said she felt it threatened national security and “the integrity of our Democratic institution.”

Schiff, meanwhile, alleged that McCarthy was not acting of his own accord but on the orders of former President Donald Trump.

By "democratic institution" she actually means "controlled by Democrats" instead of caring about Americans or her fellow Africans.

Biden Announces US Will Send M1 Abrams Tanks to Ukraine

The president said during a White House announcement that the United States will send 31 tanks to Ukraine, adding that the “U.S. and Europe are fully united.” He reiterated that the tanks are “not an offensive threat to Russia.”

“That’s what we all want: an end to this war,” Biden said. “Our terms … is to preserve Ukraine’s territorial sovereignty.”

Earlier this week, unconfirmed reports that cited anonymous sources said the United States was poised to send dozens of its top battle tank to Ukraine after saying for months that it wouldn’t be deployed in the country. Since the start of the conflict, Ukraine’s government has asked for battle tanks from Western powers amid protracted fighting in the eastern portion of the country.

Previously, U.S. officials have said that the M1 Abrams’ systems are too complex to operate and maintain, while adding that it would take months to get the tanks to Ukraine. It would also take months to train Ukrainians in using them.
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Germany confirmed Wednesday that it would send 14 of its high-tech Leopard tanks to Ukraine.

“Germany will always be at the forefront when it comes to supporting Ukraine,” Chancellor Olaf Scholz told the German parliament, to applause.