The race director is on the beach, pointing out to sea. “Swim out to the blue boat, turn right round it, back in towards the small white buoy, turn right again and swim along the coast to exit under the arch.” It sounds so simple. But seconds later an animated debate breaks out amongst the small, but enthusiastic, field of competitors over whether he meant the navy blue boat or the sky blue boat.
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It’s an important distinction, as this quirky way of defining the course constitutes the only markers we’re getting – and the two boats are about 100m apart. I should be paying attention, but in honesty I’m only half-listening, as I’m staring out into the beautiful blue sea, feeling the early morning sun on my skin and marvelling at how I’m about to do a non-wetsuit race in the middle of November…
Island life
Such is life at the Nevis Triathlon, one of the smallest and most laid-back, yet stunningly beautiful, races 220 Triathlon have ever had the pleasure of attending. Only 40 competitors are on the start line this year and that encompasses all three events: the full Nevis 74 (1km swim/63km bike/10km run), the half-distance Nevis 37 and the entry-level Try a Tri.
Within that small field is a fantastic range of competitors though – from the youngest racer at 9 years old to the oldest at 85 – from locals doing their first tri to Kona age-group champ Jane Hansom. They’ve had some big names here in the past considering it’s such a tiny race too. This is where Ross Edgley (of great British Swim fame) competed his ‘tree-athlon’ and even Ironman pro Chris McCormack has taken on the course in previous years.
Kona age-group champ Jane Hansom (right) with the race’s oldest competitor, 85-year-old Dr Avery. Image: Ryan Delano
Monkey run club
I arrive on the Wednesday before the Saturday event. This is a last-minute end of year addition to a season blighted by injury (I’ve been the 2018 Queen of the DNS) and although my grumbling achilles means I’m there to complete not compete, I’m just happy to be on a start line.
What a place to compete in, too. Nevis is one of the smallest Caribbean islands and is a true paradise with lush rainforests covering a volcano in the middle, and sandy beaches around the coast. Towns are small and rural but the island is packed with friendly residents and rustic beach bars – put it this way, you’re never far from one of Nevis’s famous rum punches (or a new friend to drink it with) – and if, like me, you’re a fan of getting away from it all and out into nature, then you couldn’t ask for more.
I’m staying at the Hermitage Plantation Inn, a boutique hotel created from one of Nevis’s historical sugar plantations, nestled within the base of the rainforests and dating back to c1670. I’m shown to a magical gingerbread-style cottage, complete with four-poster bed, swimming pool just outside my front door and hammock in the back porch… Considering I’m used to staying in tents or dodgy B&Bs the night before most of my races, it’s fair to say this quite a dramatic upgrade!
Monkeys can be found all over the tiny island and will peek out at you while you’re racing! Image: Helen Webster
On my first morning I’m woken early by a group of the African Green Vervet monkeys that roam around the forests, so I lace up my trainers and head off into the forest roads for a morning run. I keep seeing the little black faces of curious monkeys popping out of the trees as I jog up the winding track past lush green vegetation and trees, while the hotel dog, Tuffy, has come along as my run buddy. It’s a fantastic way to start the day, before heading to breakfast for the Hermitage’s famous pumpkin pancakes and coffee with new local buddies Joel and Tim, who are a lot of fun and seem to have adopted me (you’re never lonely for long on Nevis!).
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Killer Bees & Hardtails
I’m mindful of saving some energy for the race though, so short jogs aside I leave the big-energy activities such as the Nevis Peak Hike until after the race and instead spend some time exploring the island. It’s hard not to get swept along in island life though and I try hard (and fail!) not to eat too much of the amazing island food, mainly accompanied by lethal rum punches. Word to the wise – if someone offers you something called a ‘Killer Bee’ during your pre-race taper, it’s best to say no…
The day before the race arrives and I head to Oualie Beach, on the north of the island. This is where the race will start the next day and I’m keen to recce the swim and collect my bike from the hire shop. Turns out there’s been a small error in communication somewhere along the way though and the hire shop is out of road bikes, meaning my only option is a Trek hardtail… Not being used to a mountain bike and aware it’s a really challenging bike route I’m a bit nervous about this!
Later that evening, a chat with a new friend Tim, who lives on the island, reassures me though. “The roads are pretty broken up in places and there are a few potholes,” he says, considering the course. “Plus it’s meant to rain, so there might be standing water in a few places.” Potholes and wet surfaces? My two least favourite things. I’m suddenly very happy to be on a MTB – and decide tomorrow’s going to be a lot of fun!
Race morning arrives and it’s a 5am start. The Hermitage have kindly made me some homemade carrot and walnut muffins for brekkie and I eat them while poking my nose out of the door and breathing a sigh of relief that the heavy rain forecast hasn’t materialised yet. When it rains here, it rains like it really means it!
Navigating the swim
So we’re back where we started this feature, at Oualie Beach at sunrise and that swim course. It’s now been confirmed that it’s the closer of the two blue boats we need to swim around and quickly afterwards, the klaxon goes and we’re running out into the water.
I’m doing the Nevis 37 which only has a 500m swim, so it barely feels like I’m getting into a rhythm before I’m already turning to head back to the beach. The water’s clear and blue and I’m wishing I’d been able to take on the longer distance and stay in it for longer! The triangular course is easy to follow out as I manage to get on the feet of some of the faster swimmers, then on the way back in I realise the buoy is the same one I’d been using to sight off earlier in the week during practise swims. It’s tiny, so I’m glad I already know that the yellow house behind it is the right place to aim for! Win!
Kona age-group champ Jane Hansom exits the water first. Image Ryan Delano
Transition is across the beach and it’s not my fastest, as I take a minute to chuck a bottle of water over my feet to wash the sand off. Not the pro approach I know, but the thought of racing in 30 degree heat with a load of sand chafing my feet makes the time lost seem worth it.
The Nevis bike course is really simple – it’s either one or two laps of the 32km main road around the island, depending which distance race you’re doing. Being such a small island the roads are pretty free of traffic too and what cars there are seem more curious about what we’re doing than keen to overtake and I have a few locals slowing down and driving alongside me for a chat. Despite my reservations, the neon green Trek is actually a lot of fun and I’m keeping up with a few other competitors and playing cat-and-mouse with an American girl on a racier-looking Specialized. There are a few potholes as predicted and as I speed past her on the bumpy straights while she slows down to dodge them, she laughs and shouts: “you chose the right bike for this course!”
The route takes us past the immaculate grounds of the Four Seasons hotel, then through Charlestown (the island’s centre), where I almost take a wrong turn thanks to a car parked on one of the orange direction arrows spray painted onto the road. Just at the last minute I spot it and haul off left across the junction – to the cheers of a few locals on their morning trip to the shops!
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Just keep spinning…
Soon after Charlestown though, the course comes back to bite me. I’d heard talk of ‘Anaconda Hill’ in the days before the race, but knowing I would be competing on a heavy, unfamiliar, bike I’d tried to ignore them. Well, it was now time to face my nemesis.
Anaconda Hill is on the East of the island and so named because it winds up and up (and up, phew!) until you reach the final sting in the tail – a short, sharp climb that takes you to Zetlands, close to where you start to hike up the main peak (infamously difficult and on my Nevis bucketlist for the days after the race). Today is all about triathlon, not hiking though and with the climb lasting about 2 miles I’m soon in my easiest gear and starting to struggle. My American pal on the Specialized catches me up and speeds past – we both laugh and it’s my turn to tell her she picked the right bike!
There’s nothing for it but to keep spinning my legs and look forward to the inevitable descent on the other side! Luckily it’s still early and the sky is overcast, so at least I’m not baking. Turn after turn I continue up until suddenly I round a bend to find a short, steep section in front of me – surely the final section? Nope. This is the famous false finish of Anaconda Hill and there’s still more to do. Coming to the next crest it’s finally confirmed that it’s over though (hurray!) as someone has sprayed ‘You did it!’ on the road alongside a smiley face, which makes me laugh as I start to speed down the other side.
Helen gets to grips with mountain-biking, Nevis-style! Image: Lizzy Dening
The second half of the bike course is way easier with long, sweeping descents taking me back around to the north of the island. Any kind of PB is way off the table now, so I just enjoy the experience – the greenery whizzes past and I get panoramic views out to sea, while in the towns, I spot wooden houses painted in green, pink, white or yellow. In one there’s a party atmosphere, with people running out to meet me in the road and shouting ‘welcome to Zion’ as I pass through and trying to stop me to give me segments of oranges. Some friends I’ve made on the trip come out in a car to cheer me on too (hugs to Lizzy, Ross and Julie!) too – I’m having a blast now and all too soon I spot the final hill on the course, a short but steep incline up and over and back down to Oualie Beach and the right turn back into transition.
I leave my bike and start the short 5km run course, which takes me back the way I’ve come (over the small nasty hill again!), to the island’s tiny airport and back. I’ll be honest, after 90 minutes of riding an unfamiliar bike over steep hills my legs are pretty tired and with the sun starting to beat down the run conditions are tough – so I’m almost glad my physio insisted I adopt a run/walk strategy to save my dodgy achilles. Hot runs have never been one of my strengths – I’m definitely an ‘out at 5am and head for a forest’ kinda girl in the summer.
Despite my slow bike leg there are quite a few people on the run course and with the sun radiating the full force of its 30 degree heat onto us the remaining athletes are visibly wilting. Given I’m doing 3 minute intervals at race pace and 2 minute walk breaks I’m expecting to be slow anyway, but actually this strategy seems to be quite a good one in the heat and I overtake a couple of people. At the turnaround point the women manning the aid station spray a bottle of water over me (I must look hot!) and I’m into the last couple of kilometres back to Oualie Beach.
Sandy finish line
Turning back towards the beach I’m directed sharp right around transition as the race finish is along the stretch of sand that makes up one of the prettiest beaches on the island. Pretty it might be, but the sand is the soft kind that gives way as soon as you step on it, making it hard to run on with a dodgy ankle!
My friend Jane runs part of the beach with me though in celebration (she finished ages before me to win the race outright, all that Kona training served her well!) and with everyone on the beach cheering, I’m soon across the finish line to be handed a whopping gold finisher medal (if you’re into your bling, this is the race for you!). Then just in time, I head to join everyone in the bar as those predicted thunderstorms hit and the rain starts hammering down.
Male and female winner of the Nevis 37, plus winner of the Nevis 75 2018. Image: Ryan Delano
All in, Nevis was a once-in-a-lifetime experience and I’d thoroughly recommend it to any triathletes looking to combine a fun but challenging race with an amazing holiday and for 2019, a duathlon is being added to the race options as well. That’s a whole year away though, which seems too long as Nevis has utterly stolen my heart – so I’m already plotting how to come back in March for the Nevis to St Kitts Cross-Channel Swim…
Helen flew to St Kitts from London Gatwick with British Airways and then got a water taxi to the island of Nevis. She stayed at the Hermitage Plantation Inn. For more information on the Nevis Triathlon and activities on the island and to sign up for next year, visit the website here.
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Other recommended island activities are: 4X4 island tour with Funky Monkey, visit to Nevisian historical Village, Nevis Peak Hike with Sunrise Tours ane visit to the island botanical gardens. Foodie highlights were breakfast at the Hermitage Plantation Inn (Helen ate far too many pumpkin pancakes on her trip) as well as pig roast night and wood-fired pizza night; dinner at the Golden Rock Hotel and Bananas Bistro and (if you dare) the world-famous Killer Bee cocktails at Sunshine’s.
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Just when David McNamee thought he’d shaken off the dark horse tag for Kona, Alistair Brownlee decides to show up and steal the spotlight. Not that the Scot minds. Despite two third places in Hawaii and an ability to run a marathon in the heat that’s only surpassed by reigning champion Patrick Lange, his demeanour doesn’t change. McNamee just goes about his business and, come October, works his way through the field and onto the podium.
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His success on the Big Island has come as little surprise to two former coaches. “Dave was always somebody who could recover well between sessions and was looking to do more,” says Malcolm Brown, who coached McNamee in Leeds during his ITU days. “To win at ITU level, you really had to commit from the B of the bang, but Dave
wanted to measure his energy expenditure over the race, which I thought was potentially a massive asset at long distance.”
Joel Filliol, McNamee’s coach when he first stepped up to long-course racing in 2015, concurs. “He has a remarkable ability to focus and work consistently for long periods on his own, which lends itself to Ironman-specific training. He’s also physically robust and his steady rhythm – that threshold diesel pace – is perfect for Ironman. Taking the next step is possible. It’s about being closer to the front, off the bike, which is no secret.”
Not least to McNamee himself, and it’s partly why, away from the cameras that follow stronger cyclists such as Australia’s Cameron Wurf and Germany Jan Frodeno at the front of the race, the 31-year-old also retains such a low profile.
RUN TO THE PODIUM
In Ironman South Africa this year McNamee lost 29mins on the bike to eventual champion Ben Hoffman; in Challenge Roth – albeit after suffering a puncture – it was 18mins to winner Andreas Dreitz. The flipside is that both times he ran 2:41hr marathons, a similar pattern to the last two Ironman world champs, where he’s run from outside the top 10 to the podium.
“Ironman South Africa was a bad start to the year, but at least that was me qualified for Hawaii,” he says. “In Roth, the puncture happened 90km into the race. I ride tubeless and the hole sealed eventually, but I lost too much pressure and rode 25-30km on 25psi.”
“The focus now is on bike strength, including gym work, where I’ve been a bit lax in the past. Raising FTP is good, but I need sheer leg strength at the end of an Ironman race. When I’m tired, the cadence drops. I can get away with it at 70.3, but not Ironman. I ride about 95rpm, but keeping it at that level throughout is difficult, especially in Hawaii when my heart rate is already high. In the past few years the cadence has fallen on the way home to 80-85, and that’s when the watts drop off.”
As for his rivals? “Patrick [Lange] rode very strong in Hawaii last year – people overlook that. He’ll run low 2:40s no matter what. I feel like I’m in shape to run 2:42-2:43, so it’s about focusing to stay in the top 10 on bike.
“Jan [Frodeno] changes the race a little because he’s a very strong rider and Seb [Kienle] will be a much bigger threat than he has been in the past couple of seasons. Alistair [Brownlee] has won two Olympic golds, but it’s a very different sport. I think Javier [Gomez] realised that last year. I’m sure he’ll be going to try and win.
After all, you don’t win two Olympic golds and turn up
just to complete.”
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As Brown suggests, McNamee sees his own strength as his ability to recover quickly, even within the race. “Because I’m less of a strength athlete, but more aerobically conditioned, it allows me to go over my limit at times. Performance-wise if I could put myself in a position that after the bike I could win, I’d see that as a success. That would open the possibility of going back for the next six-seven years and having a chance of taking it.
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Two ancient skeletons that have become a symbol of imperishable love have both been identified as men. The two skeletons, known as the “Lovers of Modena,” were found in Italy in 2009. Researchers could not previously determine the sex of the hand-holding deceased, because they were so badly preserved, according to BBC News.
Now, using new technology, the “lovers” have both been identified as male. Scientists used the protein on tooth enamel to reveal the sex of the skeletons, although not much else is known about the skeletons.The two adults lived somewhere in between the 4th and 6th Century AD, according to a study published on Wednesday. They could be siblings, cousins or just soldiers who died together in battle.
What is known about the skeletons is that they were “two Late Antique individuals whose skeletons were intentionally buried hand-in-hand,” according to the study. The skeletons were buried with 11 other individuals, some of whom showed signs of trauma, which could be indicative of death during war. Their gravesite is believed to be an old war cemetery, according to the study.Whoever the real “Lovers of Modena” are, it’s safe to say they’ve been close for about 1,400 years.
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A rare object entered our solar system last month and now astronomers have confirmed it is the second interstellar comet ever detected. It was given the name “2I/Borisov” on Tuesday, but researchers have no idea where it came from.
On August 30, Ukrainian amateur astronomer Gennady Borisov discovered the object from the MARGO observatory in Crimea, temporarily naming it C/2019 Q4. The comet was discovered with a 0.65-meter telescope, built by Borisov himself. Amateur and professional astronomers all over the world helped the IAU confirm details about the object. Observations from the group revealed it has an extremely hyperbolic orbit — meaning it is moving too fast to orbit the sun — confirming its origin as interstellar. “The orbit is now sufficiently well known and the object is unambiguously interstellar in origin; it has received its final designation as the second interstellar object, 2I,” the IAU said in a press release Tuesday. “In this case, the IAU has decided to follow the tradition of naming cometary objects after their discoverers, so the object has been named 2I/Borisov.”
Its visibly short tail and “fuzzy” appearance confirm the object’s status as a comet. Astronomers at the University of Hawaii estimate it to be between 1.2 and 10 miles across and will be closest to the sun on December 7.”The comet’s current velocity is high, about 93,000 mph, which is well above the typical velocities of objects orbiting the Sun at that distance,” said Davide Farnocchia from NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory. “The high velocity indicates not only that the object likely originated from outside our solar system, but also that it will leave and head back to interstellar space.”The comet is still headed towards Earth, but we don’t need to worry about it colliding — it won’t get any closer than 190 million miles, according to NASA’s JPL. Scientists will spend the next few months studying the comet before it returns to the vastness of space.”The object will peak in brightness in mid-December and continue to be observable with moderate-size telescopes until April 2020,” said Farnocchia. “After that, it will only be observable with larger professional telescopes through October 2020.”Astronomers weren’t given that necessary time to study the first-ever interstellar object, 1I/’Oumuamua, when it was discovered leaving our solar system in 2017. Now both amateur and professional astronomers hope to further pinpoint the size, rotation and trajectory of 2I/Borisov before it’s gone forever.
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Buenos Aires, Argentina — Argentina’s Peronists celebrated their return to power after incumbent President Mauricio Macri conceded defeat in a dramatic election that likely swung the country back to the center-left, saw the return of a divisive former president and threatened to rattle financial markets.
As investors nervously eyed Monday’s market opening, thousands of jubilant supporters of Alberto Fernández and his vice presidential running mate, ex-president Cristina Fernández, waved sky-blue and white Argentine flags and chanted “We’re coming back! We’re coming back!””Today, Alberto is the president of all Argentines,” Cristina Fernández told supporters, some of whom brandished tattoos with her image and the image of her late husband and predecessor as president, Nestor Kirchner.
Late Sunday night, authorities said Alberto Fernández had 48.1% of the votes compared to 40.4% for Macri, with almost 97% percent of the votes counted. He needed 45% support, or 40% support with a 10 percentage point lead, over the nearest rival to avoid a runoff vote on Nov. 24. No official winner has yet been declared.The election was dominated by concerns over the country’s economic woes and rising poverty, with voters rejecting austerity measures that Macri insisted were needed to revive the struggling economy.”The only thing that concerns us is that Argentines stop suffering once and for all,” Alberto Fernández told the crowd.The 60-year-old lawyer said he would need the support of Macri’s administration to reconstruct what he called the inherited “ashes” of Argentina.”We’re back and we’re going to be better!” he said.Earlier in the evening, Macri told disappointed supporters that he had called Alberto Fernández to congratulate him and invited him for a breakfast chat Monday at the presidential palace.”We need an orderly transition that will bring tranquility to all Argentines, because the most important thing is the well-being of all Argentines,” Macri said.
Argentina’s inflation rate is one of the highest in the world, nearly one third of Argentines are poor and its currency has plunged under Macri, who came into power in 2015 with promises to boost South America’s second-largest economy and one of the world’s top grains suppliers.When Macri did surprisingly poorly in August party primaries, which are seen as a barometer of candidate popularity, stocks plunged and the peso depreciated on the possibility of a return to the interventionist economic policies of Cristina Fernández, who governed from 2007 to 2015.Observers fear the same could happen Monday.Argentina’s Central bank said early Monday that it would sharply limit the amount of dollars that people can buy amid growing worries of a rapid loss of foreign exchange following Macri’s apparent loss. The bank said dollar purchases will be restricted to $200 a month by bank account and $100 cash until December. The previous amount allowed was $10,000 a month.”The last two years have been brutal in Argentina,” said Benjamin Gedan, an Argentina expert at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars. “Voters have suffered a painful recession, unimaginably high inflation and a debt crisis. No incumbent could survive in these conditions.”Gedan said Fernández is “an untested leader,” whose proposed solutions to Argentina’s daunting challenges remain a mystery and who inherits a ruinous economy and unfavorable international conditions.Sunday’s result would also mark a dramatic return to high office for Cristina Fernández, who opponents say might be the real power behind Alberto Fernández’s throne. The running mates – who are not related – dismiss those concerns.
Alberto Fernández served as chief of staff from 2003 to 2007 for Kirchner. He remained in the position during part of Cristina Fernández’s term as president but left after a conflict with farmers in 2008. Macri’s camp tried but failed to force a runoff by portraying her as a puppet master waiting in the wings.”I’m so happy. We were waiting for this change for a long time. We’re tired of everything that has been happening,” said Fernández supporter Juan Jose De Antonio, 46.For many voters, the Fernández ticket was more palatable because the moderate Alberto Fernández was in the top spot, handpicked – in a shrewd move – by Cristina Fernández, who represents the more radical wing of the Peronist party and enjoys hard-core support of some 30% of Argentines, according to Michael Shifter, head of the Inter-American Dialogue, a Washington-based think tank.”The government of Alberto Fernandez and Cristina Kirchner will feature Peronists of varied political tendencies, but the crucial question is what the dynamic will be between the pragmatic president and more ideological and polarizing vice president,” Shifter said. “The nature of that power struggle will determine the direction of Argentina’s economic, social and foreign policy in coming years.”Shifter said that despite some market fears, a return of the populist policies under Cristina Fernández is highly unlikely.”Today Argentina simply does not have the economic conditions for unchecked spending,” he said. “This will not be a replay of her presidency.”The result would mark a shift leftward for South America, which has seen conservative governments elected in Brazil, Colombia and Chile in recent years. Cristina Fernández was considered part of the “pink tide” of leftist governments that arose in the region in the 1990s and 2000s.
Some of Argentina’s neighbors have experienced social upheaval recently fueled by discontent over corruption, inequality and slowing growth.Prior to Sunday’s election, many Argentines had taken to the streets to protest the loss of purchasing power under high consumer prices and frustrated with cuts in subsidies that have led to rises in utilities and transportation costs.”This thing that happened in Argentina, what has been happening in the sister country of Chile, and recently in Ecuador, must open our minds, not just among political leaders, but all business and social leaders about the unviability of political and economic models based on permanent adjustments,” said Cristina Fernández.Macri retained wide support among the key farming sector in one of the world’s top suppliers of grains. But overall frustration over the economy eroded the popularity of the pro-business former mayor of Buenos Aires and ex-president of the popular Boca Juniors soccer club.Argentina faces tough challenges ahead: Its commodities exports – the backbone of its economy – are vulnerable to a tough global outlook. It has huge foreign debt. The World Bank forecasts that Argentina’s economy will shrink 3.1% this year. More than a third of the country is poor and unemployment is at 10.6%.On the election trail, Fernández criticized Macri’s decision to seek a record $56 billion bailout from the International Monetary Fund, a deeply unpopular institution in Argentina that is blamed for creating the conditions that led to the country’s worst economic meltdown in 2001.”Argentina will be on even more uncertain ground as negotiations with the IMF could go either way,” said Monica de Bolle, senior fellow at the Peterson Institute for International Economics.
On the campaign trail, Macri pleaded for more time to reverse fortunes and reminded voters of the corruption cases facing Cristina Fernández, who has denied any wrongdoing.”It’s important so we don’t go back to the time of the Kirchners, when there was so much robbery, so much embezzlement. That wouldn’t be good for the country,” said Bernarda Nidia Guichandut, who helped her elderly parents into a car to go to vote.Argentines also chose 130 lower house seats and 24 senators in Congress, as well as regional mayors, governors for three provinces and the head of government for the Argentine capital.
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Lego saw an increase in sales last year as more children were confined to their homes due to the coronavirus pandemic and parents purchased the popular blocks to keep them busy.
The company reported that its net profit rose 19 percent to $1.6 billion. Sales also swelled 21 percent, allowing the company to grow in its 12 largest markets, according to The Associated Press.
The toymaker’s chief executive, Niels B. Christiansen, told the AP, however, that the “super strong results” in sales were a result of the company’s shift to online sales.
“This is not COVID-related. This was an evolution that started a while ago,” Christiansen said. “In 2020, we began to see the benefits of these, especially in e-commerce and product innovation.”
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He also noted that the company’s website has seen over 250 million clicks and the growth in sales was strongest in China, the Americas, Western Europe and Asia Pacific, the AP reported.
Online sales helped the company to offset any losses from the closures of stores and factories due to the pandemic.
“We had factories that had been forcefully shut down and shops closed … some have reopened, others are still closed,” Christiansen said. “The past year has shown the importance of having an agile, responsive business built on strong digital foundations. I expect that 2021 will see sales increase.”
The Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee on Wednesday gave its stamp of approval for Shalanda Young to be deputy director of the White House Office and Management and Budget.
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The panel advanced Young’s nomination on a 7-6 vote along party lines. She must also receive approval from the Senate Budget Committee, with a vote scheduled for Wednesday afternoon, before getting a final confirmation vote in the full Senate.
Her nomination for the No. 2 budget post comes amid growing speculation that she may soon get the top position following the withdrawal of Neera TandenNeera TandenWhite House chief of staff: Young a ‘very serious candidate’ for OMB director Overnight Defense: Pentagon chief to press for Manchin’s support on Colin Kahl | House Dems seek to limit transfer of military-grade gear to police Pentagon chief to press for Manchin’s support on key nominee MORE, President BidenJoe BidenDNC beefs up its finance team Pentagon extends National Guard presence at Capitol through May 23 Blinken to appear before Foreign Affairs Committee MORE‘s initial pick to lead the OMB.
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Top Democratic leaders in the House, including Speaker Nancy PelosiNancy PelosiBoebert fundraises off viral hashtag: ‘I’m not going anywhere’ Democrats spar over COVID-19 vaccine strategy Pelosi says GOP will vote against COVID-19 relief and then take credit for it MORE (Calif.), Appropriations Committee Chair Rosa DeLauroRosa DeLauroHouse Democratic leaders back Shalanda Young for OMB after Tanden withdrawal Pro-Choice Caucus asks Biden to remove abortion fund restrictions from 2022 budget Key Democrat unveils plan to restore limited earmarks MORE (Conn.) and the Congressional Black Caucus, are throwing their support behind Young for the OMB director job.
Biden has yet to announce his pick, and other candidates such as former National Economic Council Director Gene Sperling are reportedly under consideration. The White House has said it will appoint Young as acting OMB director as an interim step if she’s confirmed for the deputy role.
The partisan split in the Wednesday morning vote came as somewhat of a surprise after Young received largely glowing reviews from Republicans who had worked with her as staff director for the House Appropriations Committee.
Some GOP senators said they had intended to vote for Young but were “troubled” by her written answer on support for repealing the Hyde Amendment, which bars federal funds from being used for abortions.
“This is one where our country is so deeply divided on abortion, where we’ve been able to come together and decide, at a minimum, let’s not tell people with a deep view based on their conscience on this, that they have to pay taxpayer funds for abortion,” said Sen. Rob PortmanRobert (Rob) Jones PortmanThe Hill’s Morning Report – Presented by the National Shooting Sports Foundation – CDC news on gatherings a step toward normality Blunt’s retirement deals blow to McConnell inner circle Trump ramps up battle with Republican leadership MORE (R-Ohio), the top Republican on the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee.
“I’m reluctantly going to vote no,” he said.
Committee Chairman Gary PetersGary PetersBlunt retirement shakes up Missouri Senate race Senate rejects Cruz effort to block stimulus checks for undocumented immigrants Democratic centrists flex power on Biden legislation MORE (D-Mich.) said the decision by Republicans was confusing given that Young had committed to following current law, including the Hyde Amendment.
Russia announced Wednesday that it is slowing down Twitter’s upload speeds over what it says is a refusal by the social media platform to remove banned content.
Russia’s Federal Communications, Information Technology, and Mass Communications Oversight Service, also known as Roskomnadzor, also threatened to block Twitter completely if it did not concede to the Kremlin’s demands for the content to be taken down.
Roskomnadzor alleged that Twitter has not taken down over 3,000 posts containing the banned content, including information regarding drugs, child pornography and encouraging suicide among minors. The slowdown will impact all mobile devices and 50 percent of desktops in Russia.
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“With the aim of protecting Russian citizens and forcing the internet service to follow the law on the territory of the Russian Federation, centralized reactive measures have been taken against Twitter starting March 10, 2021 — specifically, the initial throttling of the service’s speeds, in accordance with the regulations,” the regulator said.
“If the internet service Twitter continues to ignore the demands of the law, measures against it will continue in accordance with the regulations, up to and including blocking it.”
Twitter did not immediately respond to a request for comment from The Hill. The platform’s user policies already outline a range of prohibited behavior, including posting content that involves child sexual exploitation or promoting suicide or self harm.
The announcement from Roskomnadzor came a day after it rolled out lawsuits against Twitter and four other social media platforms for keeping up posts about February’s protests over the detention of opposition leader Alexei Navalny.
The slowdown and the legal pressure mark an escalation of the Kremlin’s restriction of freedoms in Russia. While protests in the streets have been curtailed by law enforcement, Russia has not implemented extensive restrictions on social media or other online communications platforms.
It was unclear what sparked the sudden crackdown on Twitter and other platforms. It was reported over the weekend that U.S. officials intended to retaliate against Moscow over an extensive cyberattack last year that impacted several government agencies, raising the prospect that the slowdown could be a response to those plans.
Twitter has also been a core mode of communication for protesters who have filled the streets recently to demonstrate against Navalny’s detention. Videos of the demonstrations and subsequent arrests flooded the platform, and opposition leaders maintained robust presences on Twitter. Navalny himself has over 2.5 million Twitter followers.
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Happy Tuesday and welcome back to On The Money, where we’re standing with Major Biden and all other dogs struggling to adapt to pandemic life. I’m Sylvan Lane, and here’s your nightly guide to everything affecting your bills, bank account and bottom line.
See something I missed? Let me know at slane@thehill.com or tweet me @SylvanLane. And if you like your newsletter, you can subscribe to it here: http://bit.ly/1NxxW2N.
Write us with tips, suggestions and news: slane@thehill.com, njagoda@thehill.com and nelis@thehill.com. Follow us on Twitter: @SylvanLane, @NJagoda and @NivElis.
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THE BIG DEAL—House expected to vote Wednesday on COVID-19 package: One day more.
The House is now expected to take a final vote on Wednesday morning to clear the $1.9 trillion COVID-19 relief package.
What happened: Lawmakers had initially been expected to vote on Tuesday and send the legislation to President BidenJoe BidenDNC beefs up its finance team Pentagon extends National Guard presence at Capitol through May 23 Blinken to appear before Foreign Affairs Committee MORE for his signature. But the House just received bill processing papers from the Senate on Tuesday morning, delaying the process. The House will take a procedural vote later Tuesday on the legislation with a final passage vote on Wednesday morning, Majority Leader Steny HoyerSteny Hamilton HoyerOn The Money: COVID-19 relief bill on track for House passage, Biden signature Wednesday | First new checks to go out starting next week Overnight Health Care: Study finds Pfizer vaccine neutralizes Brazilian variant | New CDC guidelines a blow for ailing airline industry | House to vote Wednesday on COVID relief Democrats spar over COVID-19 vaccine strategy MORE‘s (D-Md.) office said. The Hill’s Cristina Marcos has the latest here.
Check Watch: The House’s current timeline means Americans eligible for stimulus checks could start receiving them by the beginning of next week, House Majority Whip Jim ClyburnJames (Jim) Enos ClyburnOn The Money: COVID-19 relief bill on track for House passage, Biden signature Wednesday | First new checks to go out starting next week This week: Congress set to send .9 trillion coronavirus bill to Biden House Democratic leaders back Shalanda Young for OMB after Tanden withdrawal MORE (D-S.C.) said Tuesday.
“I’m very hopeful that by the beginning of next week, some relief can be realized,” he told MSNBC. Clyburn acknowledged that “we’ll be at the mercy of the administrative process” but that he was hopeful checks could begin being sent out next week. The Hill’s Mychael Schnell has more here.
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Whenever you do get your check—if you’re not getting the funds via direct deposit, that is—don’t expect to see Biden’s name on it. White House press secretary Jen PsakiJen PsakiKlain: Biden likely to deliver joint speech to Congress after selling relief package to the public White House chief of staff: Young a ‘very serious candidate’ for OMB director On The Money: COVID-19 relief bill on track for House passage, Biden signature Wednesday | First new checks to go out starting next week MORE said Tuesday that Biden won’t carry on the tradition started by Trump, who had his name affixed to the bottom of past rounds of checks.
“The checks will be signed by a career official at the Bureau of Fiscal Service. This is not about [Biden]. This is about the American people getting relief,” Psaki said. The Hill’s Morgan Chalfant takes us to the briefing room here.
More on the COVID-19 relief bill:
LEADING THE DAY
New CDC guidelines a blow for ailing airline industry: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) this week delivered a tough blow to the airline industry, which is struggling to recover from the coronavirus pandemic.
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While the CDC issued a number of recommendations that allow vaccinated and low-risk people more freedom to gather, CDC Director Rochelle WalenskyRochelle WalenskyOn The Money: COVID-19 relief bill on track for House passage, Biden signature Wednesday | First new checks to go out starting next week Overnight Health Care: Study finds Pfizer vaccine neutralizes Brazilian variant | New CDC guidelines a blow for ailing airline industry | House to vote Wednesday on COVID relief Democrats spar over COVID-19 vaccine strategy MORE said Monday that the agency’s advice on travel remains the same for both vaccinated and unvaccinated Americans: Don’t do it.
But some experts called that guidance confusing and the airline industry, while saying it would continue to work with the CDC, stressed its efforts to prevent coronavirus transmission aboard aircraft and its confidence that its approach is safe. The Hill’s Alex Gangitano breaks it down here.
Consumer bureau to enforce lending protections for LGBTQ individuals: The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) said Tuesday it will enforce a federal ban on sex-based discrimination in lending cases where a customer is spurned because of their sexual orientation or gender identity.
The agency issued a rule Tuesday asserting that the Equal Credit Opportunity Act (ECOA) prohibits banks and lenders from rejecting credit and lending services to individuals because they identify as LGBTQ.
“In issuing this interpretive rule, we’re making it clear that lenders cannot discriminate based on sexual orientation or gender identity,” said Acting CFPB Director David Uejio. “The CFPB will ensure that consumers are protected against such discrimination and provided equal opportunities in credit.” I have more here.
The background: The CFPB is the latest federal agency to announce its intention to crack down on discrimination against LGBTQ individuals following a monumental Supreme Court decision.
“The CFPB will take enforcement action under ECOA to hold financial institutions accountable for their actions that violate ECOA,” the CFPB said Tuesday.
ON TAP TOMORROW:
GOOD TO KNOW
ODDS AND ENDS
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A new bipartisan bill is seeking to reform the royalties that oil and gas companies pay to the government to drill on public lands.
Sens. Chuck GrassleyChuck GrassleyThe Hill’s Morning Report – Presented by the National Shooting Sports Foundation – CDC news on gatherings a step toward normality Blunt retirement shakes up Missouri Senate race Roy Blunt won’t run for Senate seat in 2022 MORE (R-Iowa) and Jacky RosenJacklyn (Jacky) Sheryl RosenRosen to lead Senate Democrats’ efforts to support female candidates Democratic senator demands Rand Paul wear a mask on Senate floor Overnight Defense: New START extended for five years | Austin orders ‘stand down’ to tackle extremism | Panel recommends Biden delay Afghanistan withdrawal MORE (D-Nev.) are introducing legislation in the Senate that would increase the rate oil and gas producers pay to drill on federal lands from 12.5 percent to 18.75 percent.
“Big Oil continues to take advantage of low royalty rates on federal lands. Congress has not addressed this issue for over 100 years and since then, these oil companies have deprived the treasury and the American people of billions of dollars,” Grassley said in a statement.
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“It’s time for my colleagues in Congress to end this oil company loophole, end the corporate welfare and bring oil leasing into the 21st century,” he added.
It’s not clear whether other Senate Republicans will get on board, but a companion House bill has been introduced by Reps. Katie Porter (D-Calif.), Raúl Grijalva (D-Ariz) and Alan LowenthalAlan Stuart LowenthalOVERNIGHT ENERGY: Five things to know about Texas’s strained electric grid | Biden honeymoon with green groups faces tests | Electric vehicles are poised to aid Biden in climate fight Lawmakers briefed on ‘horrifying,’ ‘chilling’ security threats ahead of inauguration OVERNIGHT ENERGY: EPA declines to tighten key air pollution standards | Despite risks to polar bears, Trump pushes ahead with oil exploration in Arctic | Biden to champion climate action in 2021 MORE (D-Calif.), indicating further Democratic support for the measure.
The Biden administration has also indicated it would make changes to the oil and gas leasing program, having temporarily paused new leases on public lands pending “completion of a comprehensive review and reconsideration of Federal oil and gas permitting and leasing practice.”
That order also directed the Interior Secretary to consider whether to adjust royalties for coal, oil or gas from public lands and waters “to account for corresponding climate costs.”
The Rosen-Grassley legislation would also bring other changes to the leasing program. It would hike the rate to rent land from $1.50 per acre for the first five years and $2.00 after that to $3.00 per acre for the first five years and $5.00 thereafter.
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It would also increase the minimum bids on federal lands from $2.00 per acre to at least $10.00 per acre.
The bill would further adjust the rates for inflation at least every four years.
The Congressional Budget Office estimated in 2016 that raising the royalty rate to 18.75 percent would add $200 million in federal revenue over the next 10 years.
“The current federal oil and gas program is broken, and fails to protect our public lands and the American people,” Rosen said in a statement, adding that increased royalties could provide more funds for “critical education, infrastructure, and public health projects.”
The legislation would need the support of more Republicans besides Grassley to evade the threat of a Senate filibuster.
Last year, Grassley and then-Sen. Tom UdallTom UdallOVERNIGHT ENERGY: Haaland courts moderates during tense confirmation hearing | GOP’s Westerman looks to take on Democrats on climate change | White House urges passage of House public lands package Udalls: Haaland criticism motivated ‘by something other than her record’ Senate approves waiver for Biden’s Pentagon nominee MORE (D-N.M.) introduced a similar measure.