Month: May 2020

European stock markets rose on Monday and oil prices climbed to their highest in more than a month as a loosening of coronavirus shutdowns boosted market sentiment, even as the deadly outbreak has yet to […]

Huawei Calls U.S. Move to Curb Chips Supply ‘Arbitrary’

Huawei Technologies in its first official response to the Trump administration’s move to curb its access to global chip supplies called it “arbitrary” and said its business would be impacted, Reuters reported. “We expect that […]

US and China will meet for the first time at a high level since Russia's attack on Ukraine as Biden tries to get Beijing's help with the war.

U.S. Considers Paying Companies, Tax Breaks to Pull Supply Chains From China

U.S. lawmakers and officials are crafting proposals to push American companies to move operations or key suppliers out of China that include tax breaks, new rules, and carefully structured subsidies, Reuters informs. Interviews with a […]

U.S. Auto Industry to Begin Reopening Plants

The U.S. auto industry is slowly returning to life, with vehicle assembly plants scheduled to reopen on Monday and suppliers gearing up in support as the sector that employs nearly 1 million people seeks to […]

Fed Chief Optimistic About Recovery

Global stock markets and U.S. futures rose Monday after the chief American central banker expressed optimism the American economy might start to recover this year from the coronavirus pandemic, The Associated Press reported. London and […]

May 17, 2020 Focus Washington

Trump’s Firing of Steve Linick an ‘Unlawful Act of Retaliation’ for Pompeo Inquiry, Democrats Say

President Donald Trump fired the State Department Inspector General Steve Linick on Friday in a move Democrats condemned as an “unlawful act of retaliation” for starting an investigation into Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, Newsweek […]

May 17, 2020 Focus Washington

Susan Rice’s Vice Presidential Hopes Hamstrung by Benghazi and ‘Unmasking’ Controversy

Susan Rice wants to be Joe Biden’s running mate. The question is whether the presumptive 2020 Democratic presidential nominee wants her on his ticket, Washington Examiner writes. “I certainly would say yes,” Rice told PBS […]

May 17, 2020 Focus Washington

Trump Planning to Partially Restore Funding to WHO

US President Donald Trump will partially restore funding to the World Health Organization, a month after he ordered a freeze as he accused the Geneva-based body of “mismanaging” the coronavirus pandemic according to a draft […]

May 16, 2020 Focus Washington

FDA Puts Bill Gates COVID-19 Testing on Hold

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) halted a coronavirus testing program promoted by billionaire Bill Gates and Seattle health officials pending reviews, The Hill reported. The program sought to send test kits to the homes […]

May 16, 2020 Focus Washington

Texas Supreme Court Halts Issuing Mail-in Ballots to Voters Afraid of Virus

The Texas Supreme Court issued a stay Friday evening to keep county election officials from allowing voters who are afraid of catching coronavirus to vote by mail, CNN reported. Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton asked […]

May 16, 2020 Focus Washington

Trump Fires State Department Inspector General

President Donald Trump fired State Department Inspector General Steve Linick Friday evening, making him the latest government official to be removed from his post, The Hill reported. A State Department spokesperson confirmed to The Hill […]

Trump Says he Allowed Officials to Choose to Wear Masks or not at Rose Garden Event

On Friday, President Trump said that he gave the officials an option to wear masks during a Rose Garden ceremony which is focused on the development of coronavirus vaccine. During the ceremony, Trump was not […]

Oil Companies Received $1.9B in Tax Benefits Under Coronavirus Stimulus

A Bloomberg analysis shows that companies that are connected to the oil industry received somewhere around $1.9 billion in tax benefits under federal coronavirus stimulus legislation. After reviewing the Securities and Exchange Commission filings, the […]

Senate Democrats Introduce Legislation to Bolster Nonprofit Workforce as Coronavirus Reduces Resources

Several Senate Democrats brought up a bill Friday to support nonprofits by giving them grants to boost hiring efforts as they work with reduced resources due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, CNBC informed. Sens. Amy Klobuchar […]

White House Confident in Abbot COVID-19 Test Despite New Study

The White House administration stated that they are still confident in the COVID-19 test that is used to test President Trump and staff daily despite a new study from New York University showing it may […]

McConnell Admits He Was Wrong About Obama Not Leaving Pandemic ‘Game Plan’

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell on Thursday apologized and acknowledged that he made a mistake when he said earlier this week that the Obama administration didn’t leave behind a “game plan” for a pandemic. “I […]

Trump Nominee’s Nonprofit Probed by DC Attorney General

Michael Pack, President Donald Trump’s nominee to run the U.S. Agency for Global Media, is probed by the Washington, D.C., attorney general for potential self-dealing, CNBC informed. Pack, who was selected by Trump to run the U.S. Agency for […]

White House Would Support a New Round of Stimulus Checks, Sources Say

The White House would most probably support another round of stimulus checks, CNBC informed citing two senior administrative officials. The White House did not provide further comment except to release a statement which said: “As […]

Pelosi Looks to Negotiate $3T Coronavirus Relief Bill as White House Threatens Veto

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi acknowledged Thursday that the Democrats’ $3 trillion coronavirus relief legislation does not have a good chance of becoming law and suggested the massive bill could be a starting point for talks […]

Trump Wants FBI’s Original ‘302’ Report on Flynn Case, Says Former Adviser ‘Persecuted’

President Donald Trump late Thursday night inquired about the fate of the FBI’s “302” report on the Michael Flynn case that officials say disappeared after the President’s first national security adviser met with federal agents in January 2017, Fox News informed. […]

Biden Doesn’t Remember Tara Reade, Tells Women They ‘Probably Shouldn’t Vote for Him’ If They Believe Her Claims

Former Vice President Joe Biden stated on Thursday that he does not recall Tara Reade, the former Senate staffer who came forward in March with a 1993 sexual assault allegation and added that those who happen to […]

Susan Rice ‘Would Say Yes’ to Becoming Biden’s Running Mate

Former national security advisor Susan Rice on Thursday said she “certainly would say yes” if former Vice President Joe Biden wants her to be his running mate in the presidential election, Fox News informed. “I’m humbled and honored to be […]

Ramadan Gatherings Cause COVID-19 Cases Among Saudi Children, Women to Soar

Cases of the killer coronavirus disease (COVID-19) among Saudi children were on Thursday reported to have shot up by 125 percent during Ramadan, health officials revealed, Arab News reported. And a “dangerous” rise of 100 […]

Saudi Arabia to Re-Impose Coronavirus Curfew as Cases Surge

Saudi Arabia’s government will re-impose a 24-hour curfew across the entire country during the five-day Eid Al-Fitr holiday at the end of May in a bid to contain a resurgent coronavirus epidemic. It will be […]

Senator Burr Steps Aside as Committee Chair as FBI Probes Stock Trades

U.S. Senator Richard Burr will step aside as chairman of the powerful Senate Intelligence Committee, after the FBI seized his mobile telephone in a major escalation of a probe of his stock trades before the […]

LUNCHTIME POLITICS: Electoral Vote Count – Wisconsin – Re-Open: Partisan Split – China

May 14, 2020 John Ganjei

Your Daily Polling Update for Thursday, May 14, 2020 TRUMP JOB APPROVAL: AVERAGE 45%Same as Tuesday RON’S COMMENT: Today’s average is based on five polls, ranging from 41% (Reuters) to 47% (Economist, Rasmussen). Without these […]

NASA Astronauts Will Drive a Tesla Model X out to Their SpaceX Rocket

Later this month, two of NASA’s finest will drive a sleek white Tesla Model X out to a launchpad before embarking on a history-making mission with SpaceX, the rocket company founded by Elon Musk, who’s […]

Trump Considers Fauci Remarks on Risks to Reopening Economy Unacceptable

President Donald Trump on Wednesday described as not acceptable a warning given by top U.S. infectious disease expert Anthony Fauci this week about the dangers of reopening the economy and schools too quickly, Reuters reported. […]

Southern Californians Return to Beaches

Los Angeles beaches reopened on Wednesday after weeks of coronavirus closure, drawing Californians out for a glimpse of the sun one day after learning that sweeping stay-at-home orders could remain in place all summer, Reuters […]

Republicans Hit ‘Pause’ on New Coronavirus Aid

Businesses are going belly up, tens of millions have been laid off and, by some measures, the U.S. seems headed for another Great Depression. But Republicans surveying the wreckage aren’t ready for another round of […]