President Obama isn't the only one making a visit to Alaska this week, according to a new report from Pentagon officials. The U.S. military has spotted five Chinese navy ships off the coast of Alaska in the Bering Sea, heading in the direction of the Aleutian Islands. The presence of the Chinese ships, including three combat ships, a replenishment vessel, and an amphibious ship, marks the first time that the U.S. military has reported seeing "any such activity in the area," The Wall Street Journal reports.

Although China's defense ministry could not be reached by the Journal for comment, the presence of Chinese warships close to U.S. territory is likely connected to China's efforts to ramp up its military activity as its economic power expands. "I don't think we'd characterize anything they're doing as threatening," one defense official told The Wall Street Journal.

Other officials theorized that the ships' presence could be due to China's growing interest in using the Northern Sea Route to transport goods, since that route between Asia and the West can be up to several days faster than the Suez Canal route. "It's difficult to tell exactly, but it indicates some interest in the Arctic region," one Pentagon official said. "It's different." Becca Stanek

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President-elect Joe Biden announced Thursday he'll nominate Denis McDonough to lead the Department of Veterans Affairs, and will name Susan Rice his head of the White House Domestic Policy Council. And while both of the nominees have lots of Washington experience, they're receiving criticism for their lack of experience in the departments they've been named to.

McDonough was a chief of staff to former President Barack Obama, and was reportedly chosen for his skill in crisis management and deep experience in government operations, a source familiar with the choice tells Military Times. And while he did handle the aftermath of the Obama administration's VA wait times scandal, McDonough isn't a veteran, and wasn't known for his work in veterans issues under Obama. AMVETS National Executive Director Joe Chenelly told Military Times he was "surprised by this pick," while others were more explicit with their criticism.

Rice was meanwhile ambassador to the United Nations and National Security Adviser under Obama. She was on Biden's vice presidential shortlist, and was also expected to be a top contender for secretary of state. But Rice has long been the target of Republican opposition, perhaps influencing Biden to pick her for a spot that doesn't require Senate confirmation. Still, the decision is surprising considering Rice has spent her career in foreign policy and doesn't have high-level experience in domestic policy roles. Kathryn Krawczyk

Ahead of Time's 2020 Person of the Year announcement, the final four contenders have been revealed.

The magazine on Thursday announced the finalists for Person of the Year, which highlights "the person who affected the news or our lives the most, for better or worse." The first two finalists were President-elect Joe Biden and President Trump. Time previously named Trump the 2016 Person of the Year, while former President Barack Obama earned the title both in 2008 and again in 2012.

The other two finalists, though, are not just one person. Also in the mix is "frontline health care workers and Dr. Anthony Fauci," while the fourth and final contender is the "movement for racial justice" sparked by the killing of George Floyd in police custody.

Last year, Time selected Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg as Person of the Year, while in 2018, the Person of the Year was "The Guardians," a group of journalists including Jamal Khashoggi. Time also went with more than one person for Person of the Year in 2017 by amid the #MeToo movement selecting "The Silence Breakers," those who spoke up about sexual harassment and assault.

Time is set to reveal its Person of the Year pick on Thursday at 10 p.m. Eastern Time on NBC. Brendan Morrow

Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) has long been seen as "the epitome of a female trailblazer in Washington," leading a rush of new female leadership in the Senate and, until recently, heading the powerful Judiciary Committee, Jane Mayer writes in The New Yorker. But recent public and private episodes have raised concerns about her mental fitness, and have some Senate insiders convinced she should step down.

Reflecting a "humiliating" incident where Feinstein asked the exact same question of Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey twice in a row, people familiar with the senator say "her short-term memory has grown so poor that she often forgets she has been briefed on a topic," Mayer writes. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) reportedly had "several serious and painful talks with Feinstein" and tried to get her to "step aside on her own terms." But, problematically, "Feinstein seemed to forget about the conversations soon after they talked," Mayer writes. Even attempts to enlist help from Feinstein's husband didn't help. "It was like Groundhog Day, but with the pain fresh each time," one Senate source said.

Some former Feinstein aides contended "rumors of her cognitive decline have been exaggerated," and recount how other male senators have been allowed to stay in office long past their mental peak, Mayer writes. Feinstein and Schumer's offices declined to comment.

Feinstein did step down from heading the Judiciary Committee in November, after her handling of Supreme Court Justice Amy Coney Barrett's confirmation hearing led to a rise in support for the then-nominee. Ahead of the New Yorker report on Wednesday, Senate Democrats quietly approved rule changes to pave the way for Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) to head the committee, The Washington Post reports. Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.) reportedly wanted the spot, seeing as Durbin is already the party's whip. Kathryn Krawczyk

The latest total of new jobless claims has come in higher than expected, making for the worst week in almost three months.

The Labor Department on Thursday said 853,000 Americans filed first-time jobless claims last week, up 137,000 from the previous week's revised level of 716,000. This was more than the 730,000 claims economists had been expecting, and it was the highest weekly total since Sept. 19, CNBC reports.

The rise came amid a surge in COVID-19 cases in the United States and after the U.S. on Wednesday set a new record for daily coronavirus deaths with more than 3,000 in a single day. The numbers also come after the Labor Department last week released a disappointing jobs report showing that only 245,000 jobs were added in November, whereas economists expected 440,000.

"Last week's [monthly] jobs report showed a rapid deceleration in the recovery in November, and surging UI claims only add to the picture of a slowing recovery this winter," Glassdoor senior economist Daniel Zhao said, CNN reports. "The worsening economic data raises the specter of a double-dip recession. Despite the prospects of widespread vaccine availability by next summer, weak economic data now puts increasing pressure on Congress to extend additional relief to bridge Americans over the next few months." Brendan Morrow

Evidently, just one surprise 2020 album wasn't enough for Taylor Swift.

Swift revealed Thursday she's about to drop another surprise album, her second to be released this year after Folklore. This one is called Evermore, and Swift described it as Folklore's "sister record." It's set to be released at midnight.

"To put it plainly, we just couldn't stop writing songs," Swift tweeted. "To try and put it more poetically, it feels like we were standing on the edge of the folklorian woods and had a choice: to turn and go back or to travel further into the forest of this music. We chose to wander deeper in."

This comes less than five months after the release of Folklore, which dropped on July 24 after Swift announced it just one day earlier. The album went on to become the first of 2020 to sell a million copies in the United States, and Rolling Stone recently named it the best album of the year.

Evermore's standard edition will have 15 tracks, and there will be two bonus tracks on the deluxe physical edition, Swift said. A music video for one of the songs, "Willow," will also be released at midnight. On Twitter, Swift commented on the release of a "sister record" as being unusual for her.

"In the past I've always treated albums as one-off eras and moved onto planning the next one after an album was released," she wrote. "There was something different with Folklore. In making it, I felt less like I was departing and more like I was returning."

Swift added, "I also know this holiday season will be a lonely one for most of us and if there are any of you out there who turn to music to cope with missing loved ones the way I do, this is for you." Brendan Morrow

The Food and Drug Administration has authorized a COVID-19 test kit for use at home with no need for a prescription.

The FDA announced Wednesday it has granted emergency use authorization to LabCorp's Pixel COVID-19 Test Home Collection Kit, which is the first such at-home coronavirus test kit that doesn't require a prescription, CNN and The Washington Post report.

"While many home collection kits can be prescribed with a simple online questionnaire, this newly authorized direct-to-consumer collection kit removes that step from the process, allowing anyone to collect their sample and send it to the lab for processing," Dr. Jeff Shuren, the director of the FDA's Center for Devices and Radiological Health, said.

A nasal swab sample can be self-collected using the kit and sent to LabCorp for testing, with positive results being provided over the phone and negative results being provided either through email or an online portal, the FDA said. Previously, the FDA granted emergency use authorization to the Lucira COVID-19 All-In-One Test Kit, but that requires a prescription, CNN notes.

"With this authorization, we can help more people get tested, reduce the spread of the virus and improve the health of our communities," LabCorp Diagnostics Chief Medical Officer and President Dr.
Brian Caveney said.

LabCorp said the kit is available through its website to adults and that this FDA approval will allow it to "potentially distribute the kit through retail channels" as well. Brendan Morrow