Trump’s Anti-China Rhetoric Aimed at Boosting US Leverage

Washington D.C. (AP) The Trump administration is making ever louder pronouncements casting blame on China for the COVID-19 pandemic, aiming to sidestep domestic criticism of the president’s own response, tarnish China’s global reputation and give the U.S. leverage on trade and other aspects of U.S.-China competition. President Donald Trump has vowed to penalize China for…

Missouri Republicans Revive Push to Change Redistricting

Jefferson City, MO (AP) — Missouri’s Republican-led Legislature is taking up a new redistricting plan once again. A House committee on Thursday advanced the proposal. The measure would ask voters yet again to change state redistricting rules. Missourians in 2018 voted to make “partisan fairness” and “competitiveness” top criteria in drawing state House and Senate…

China’s Diplomats Show Teeth in Defending Virus Response

Beijing, China (AP) — Chinese envoys have set off diplomatic firestorms overseas with a combative defense whenever their country is accused of not acting quickly enough to stem the spread of the coronavirus pandemic. They belong to a new generation of “Wolf Warrior” diplomats, named after patriotic blockbuster films starring a muscle-bound Chinese commando killing…