Year: 2020

The top infectious disease expert Anthony Fauci who is the top public expert on the covid pandemic stated on Friday that he without hesitation accepts President-elect Joe Biden’s offer to serve as his chief medical […]

Pelosi, McConnell Resume Talks as Congress Rushes to Strike a COVID Stimulus Deal

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell spoke Thursday for the first time since at least the 2020 election as Congress scrambles to strike a coronavirus stimulus deal and prevent a government […]

Moderna to Supply up to 125 Million COVID-19 Vaccine Doses Globally in First Quarter

Moderna Inc said on Thursday it expects to have between 100 million and 125 million doses of its experimental COVID-19 vaccine available globally in the first quarter of 2021, Reuters informed. The company said 85 […]

U.S. Congress Defense Bill Defies Trump on Germany Withdrawal, Base Names

U.S. lawmakers unveiled the final version of a massive annual defense policy bill on Thursday that defies President Donald Trump’s plans to withdraw troops from Germany and keep the names of Confederate generals on military […]

Coronavirus Claims 1.5 Million Lives Globally With 10,000 Dying Each Day

Over 1.5 million people have lost their lives due to COVID-19 with one death reported every nine seconds on a weekly average, as vaccinations are set to begin in December in a handful of developed […]

U.S. Expected to Report Slowest Job Growth in Six Months

U.S. employers likely hired the fewest workers in six months in November, hindered by a resurgence in new COVID-19 cases that, together with a lack of more government relief money, threatens to reverse the recovery […]

As Stocks Soar, Government Shutdown Looms Amid Pandemic

Investors worried about whether a looming government shutdown could slow U.S. stocks’ recent surge can take comfort in history: markets have tended to shrug off shutdowns despite their potentially nasty economic impact, Reuters informed. Since […]

Biden Says He Has Asked Fauci to Stay on and Join COVID-19 Team

President-elect Joe Biden has asked top U.S. infectious disease expert Anthony Fauci to continue in his job and serve as Biden’s chief medical adviser and on the COVID-19 team after Biden takes office on Jan. […]

U.S. in Talks With Huawei CFO Meng on Resolving Criminal Charges

U.S. prosecutors are discussing a deal with lawyers for Huawei finance chief Meng Wanzhou to resolve criminal charges against her, a person familiar with the matter said, signaling a potential end to a case that […]

December 3, 2020 John Ganjei

LUNCHTIME POLITICS: Issue Priorities? – Health Care – Keep Electoral College?

Your Daily Polling Update for Thursday, December 3, 2020 TRUMP JOB APPROVAL: AVERAGE 45% RON’S COMMENT: Today’s average is based on five polls. The range is 37% (Reuters) to 50% (The Hill, Rasmussen). Without these […]

Trump Unveils $207 Million Fundraising Haul After Election in Effort to Overturn Result

President Donald Trump’s campaign and the Republican National Committee have raised $207.5 million since Election Day, according to a statement on Thursday, gathering donations to pay for challenges to Democrat Joe Biden’s win in the […]

IBM Reports Hackers Target Vaccine Supply Chain Firms

IBM wrote onThursday a blog post saying that hackers are targeting the COVID -19 vaccine supply chain, which makes sure that vaccines are preserved in temperature-controlled environments while being stored and transported. The company said […]

Pelosi and Schumer Back $900 Billion Coronavirus Stimulus Plan as Basis for Negotiations

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer on Wednesday urged Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell to use a $908 billion bipartisan coronavirus stimulus plan as the basis for relief talks as Congress […]

Ivanka Trump Questioned Under Oath in Lawsuit Over Use of Inauguration Funds

Ivanka Trump, the President’s daughter and adviser, was questioned under oath this week as part of a civil lawsuit alleging misuse of nonprofit funds for Donald Trump’s inauguration four years ago, Reuters writes. District of […]

U.S. States Plan to Sue Facebook Next Week

A group of U.S. states led by New York is investigating Facebook Inc for possible antitrust violations and plans to file a lawsuit against the social media giant next week, four sources familiar with the […]

Biden Promises Help to U.S. Workers Hit by Pandemic, Trump Hints at 2024 Run

President-elect Joe Biden on Wednesday promised a group of workers hit by the raging COVID-19 pandemic that more aid would be on the way, while President Donald Trump hinted he may be ready to begin […]

More U.S.-Listed Chinese Firms Seen Seeking Backup Listings as New Audit Law Looms

The rush by U.S-listed Chinese companies to secure a secondary listing in Hong Kong or China is only set to intensify as the United States readies a new law allowing it to kick firms off […]

CDC Chief Warns Americans Face ‘Rough’ Winter From COVID-19 Surge

The head of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention warned on Wednesday the COVID-19 pandemic, still raging with unprecedented fury nationwide, will pose the country’s grimmest health crisis yet over the next few […]

U.S. Republicans Balk as Trump Uses Defense Bill for Leverage on Big Tech

President Donald Trump’s threat to veto a defense bill if it does not repeal legal protections for social media companies faced stiff bipartisan opposition on Wednesday, setting the stage for a confrontation with lawmakers scrambling […]

Iran Watchdog Passes Law on Hardening Nuclear Stance, Halting U.N. Inspections

Iran’s Guardian Council watchdog body approved a law on Wednesday that obliges the government to halt U.N. inspections of its nuclear sites and step up uranium enrichment beyond the limit set under Tehran’s 2015 nuclear […]

CDC Panel Says Health Workers, Nursing Homes Will Get COVID Vaccine First

A Centers for Disease Control and Prevention panel voted 13-1 on Tuesday to give health-care workers and long-term care facility residents the first coronavirus vaccine doses once it’s cleared for public use, CNBC writes. There […]

Trump Threatens to Veto Defense Bill Unless It Contains Measure to Scrap Law Protecting Social Media Companies

President Donald Trump said on Tuesday he would veto the $740 billion National Defense Authorization Act unless it includes a measure eliminating a federal law protecting tech companies such as Facebook and Twitter, CNBC reported. […]

UK Approves Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine, First in the World

Britain on Wednesday became the first western country to approve a COVID-19 vaccine, jumping ahead of the United States and Europe after its regulator cleared a shot developed by Pfizer for emergency use in record […]

U.S. Says Ready for Immediate Domestic Shipment of COVID-19 Vaccines

The U.S. Transportation Department said Tuesday it has made preparations to enable the “immediate mass shipment” of COVID-19 vaccines and completed all necessary regulatory measures, Reuters reported. The department said U.S. agencies have been coordinating […]

Barr Sees No Sign of Major U.S. Vote Fraud Despite Trump’s Claims

U.S. Attorney General William Barr said on Tuesday the Justice Department has found no evidence of widespread voter fraud in last month’s election, even as President Donald Trump kept up his flailing legal efforts to […]

Biden Claims He Will Not Kill Phase 1 Trade Deal With China Immediately

President-elect Joe Biden will not immediately cancel the Phase 1 trade agreement that President Donald Trump struck with China nor take steps to remove tariffs on Chinese exports, the New York Times on Wednesday quoted […]

U.S. Prosecutors Investigating Potential White House ‘Bribery-for-Pardon’ Scheme

The U.S. Justice Department is investigating a potential crime related to funneling money to the White House in exchange for a presidential pardon, according to court documents unsealed in federal court, Reuters writes. U.S. District […]

U.S. Senate Leader McConnell Urges New COVID-19 Aid in Broad Funding Bill

The U.S. Congress should include a fresh wave of coronavirus stimulus in a must-pass $1.4 trillion spending bill aimed at heading off a government shutdown in the midst of a pandemic, top Senate Republican Mitch […]

December 1, 2020 Focus Washington

Bipartisan U.S. Lawmakers Seek Fast Approval of $908 Billion COVID-19 Relief

A bipartisan group of U.S. lawmakers on Tuesday unveiled a $908 billion COVID-19 relief bill aimed at breaking a monthslong deadlock between Democrats and Republicans over new emergency assistance for small businesses, unemployed people, airlines […]

December 1, 2020 Focus Washington

U.S. Government Releases More Data on Millions of Businesses That Took Pandemic Aid

The Trump administration late on Tuesday released the names of more than 10 million businesses and individuals that took pandemic aid, providing more transparency for the programs which officials say have been plagued by fraud […]