Month: February 2021

New York Governor Andrew Cuomo called on Saturday for an outside review following a report of sexual misconduct allegations against him by a second former aide, compounding problems for one of America’s most well-known Democratic […]

Biden Scores Legislative Win as House Passes $1.9 Trillion COVID Relief Plan

President Joe Biden scored his first legislative win as the House of Representatives passed his $1.9 trillion coronavirus relief package early Saturday, though Democrats face challenges to their hopes of using the bill to raise […]

U.S. Authorizes J&J’s COVID-19 Vaccine, Making It Third Available

The U.S. government on Saturday authorized Johnson & Johnson’s single-dose COVID-19 vaccine, enabling millions more Americans to be vaccinated in the coming weeks and setting the vaccine up for additional approvals around the world, Reuters […]

Dozens of Leading Hong Kong Pro-democracy Campaigners Charged with Subversion

Forty-seven Hong Kong pro-democracy campaigners and activists were charged on Sunday with conspiracy to commit subversion in the largest single crackdown on the opposition under a China-imposed national security law, Reuters informed. Among them was […]

In Iraq, Pope to Visit Mosul Churches Desecrated by Islamic State

In Mosul, adjacent to the Biblical city of Nineveh, four churches representing different denominations occupy a small square surrounded by low-rise houses, testament to the role Iraq’s once flourishing Christian community played, Reuters informed. Today, […]

‘Squad’ Members AOC, Omar Suggest Senate Parliamentarian Could be Removed over minimum Wage Decision

House Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., and Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., lashed out at Senate parliamentarian Elizabeth MacDonough Friday after she rejected a progressive-backed proposal to include a federal minimum wage hike in President Biden’s $1.9 trillion […]

California’s Liberal Ninth Circuit to Tackle Gun Rights, Mull Reinstating High-capacity Magazine Ban

California’s overturned ban on high-capacity magazines could be reinstated on appeal after a federal court’s split-decision found it unconstitutional last year, Fox News informed. The Ninth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in California announced Thursday that […]

Justice Department Announces More than 300 People Have Been Charged in Capitol Riot

The U.S. Justice Department (DOJ) has charged over 300 people in connection with the deadly Jan. 6 Capitol riot by pro-Trump supporters, acting Deputy Attorney General John Carlin told reporters Friday, Fox News informed. The […]

Supreme Court Blocks a California Ban on indoor Church Services

The U.S. Supreme Court handed California churches a victory Friday, granting injunctive relief to a group that had sued over coronavirus lockdown rules that banned indoor services, Fox News informed. The churches will be allowed […]

Ilhan Omar, Other Progressives Question Biden’s ‘Legal Rationale’ for Syria Airstrikes

Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., said Friday she was concerned about the White House’s “legal rationale” for launching airstrikes in Syria a day earlier without congressional approval, Fox News informed. “We in Congress have congressional oversight in engaging […]

U.S. Drops ‘Safe Harbor’ Demand, Raising Hopes for Global Tax Deal

U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen told G-20 officials that Washington had dropped the Trump administration’s proposal to let some companies opt out of new global digital tax rules, U.S. and European officials said on Friday, […]

Cruz Says Trump ‘Ain’t Going Anywhere’ as Conservatives Rally Round Former President

Donald Trump’s hold on the Republican Party was on full display at an annual gathering of prominent U.S. conservatives on Friday as ally Senator Ted Cruz said the former president “ain’t going anywhere” despite violent […]

House Democrats Ready to Push through Biden’s $1.9t COVID-19 Plan

The Democratic-controlled House of Representatives on Friday was poised to push through President Joe Biden’s $1.9 trillion coronavirus aid package, although it looked unlikely to be able to use the bill to raise the minimum […]

AstraZeneca, Sputnik Vaccines Face Hurdles If COVID Shots Become Annual Affair

Vaccines from AstraZeneca, Russia’s Gamaleya Institute and Johnson & Johnson fight the coronavirus with another virus, leaving scientists concerned the shots may lose potency if annual inoculations become necessary to fight new variants, Reuters reported. […]

China Expected to Unveil Hike in Military Budget as Tensions Rise

China is expected to reveal a robust increase in defence spending at the March 5 annual opening of parliament, as its economy rebounds from the COVID-19 pandemic and military tensions rise, Chinese and Western security […]

U.S. Air Strikes Target Iranian-Backed Militia Facilities in Syria

President Joe Biden on Thursday directed U.S. military air strikes in eastern Syria against facilities belonging to what the Pentagon said were Iran-backed militia, in a calibrated response to rocket attacks against U.S. targets in […]

U.S. Senate Referee Says Democrats Cannot Include $15 Minimum Wage in COVID Bill

In a blow to Democrats, the Senate parliamentarian ruled the chamber cannot include President Joe Biden’s proposed $15-an-hour minimum wage in a $1.9 trillion coronavirus bill the party aims to pass without Republican votes, lawmakers […]

Pfizer’s Vaccine Reduces Transmission Significantly after One Dose

Researchers in the U.K. came up with a new study which reveals that one dose of Pfizer’s vaccine can significantly reduce the infection of asymptomatic patients, according to The Hill. This could be very helpful […]

Hawley, Sanders Back Corporate Tax to Get $15 Minimum Wage

Big companies that don’t pay their workers at least $15 per hour will be taxed with the new, alternative minimum wage plan, presented by Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) Friday and supported by Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) […]

Law Enforcement Officials Present Evidence Prooving Capitol Riot was ‘Coordinated’

Testifying before a joint Senate hearing on the January 6 Capitol riot on Tuesday, top current and former law enforcement officials said to the lawmakers that they have evidence pointing to planning and coordination in […]

Twitter Shares Soar after Company Announces Plan to Double Revenue by End of 2023

Twitter said on Thursday it aims to have 315 million monetizable daily active users (mDAUs) by the end of 2023 and to at least double its annual revenue in that year. The announcement was made […]

Trump Tax Returns Are Now in the Hands of the Manhattan District Attorney

Former President Donald Trump’s tax records have been turned over to Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus Vance Jr. following the Supreme Court’s rejection of the ex-president’s last-ditch effort to keep the documents shielded, CNBC reported. A […]

Saudi Arabia Announces Launch of Soudah Development Company

Saudi crown prince and chairman of the Public Investment Fund (PIF), Mohammed bin Salman, announced on Wednesday the launch of the Soudah Development Company (SDC) in the Asir region, Arab News reported. The new entity, […]

Biden CIA Nominee Burns to Focus on ‘Authoritarian Adversary’ China

President Joe Biden’s nominee to be director of the CIA, William Burns, told a Senate committee on Wednesday that he saw competition with China – and countering its “adversarial, predatory” leadership – as the key […]

UK Lowers COVID-19 Alert Status as Pressure on Hospitals Eases

The chief medical officers of the United Kingdom lowered their COVID-19 alert level on Thursday, citing a gradual reduction in pressure on the health service, Reuters reported. “Following advice from the Joint Biosecurity Centre and […]

U.S. Weekly Jobless Claims Decline; Business Spending Appears Solid

Fewer Americans filed new claims for unemployment benefits last week amid falling COVID-19 infections, but the near-term outlook for the labor market is unclear after winter storms wreaked havoc in the South region in the […]

China Denies Requiring U.S. Diplomats to Take Anal Swab Tests

China’s foreign ministry denied on Thursday that U.S. diplomats in the country had been required to take anal swab tests for COVID-19, following media reports that some had complained about the procedure, Reuters reported. U.S. […]

In Boost for COVID-19 Battle, Pfizer Vaccine Found 94% Effective in Real World

The first big real-world study of the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine to be independently reviewed shows the shot is highly effective at preventing COVID-19, in a potentially landmark moment for countries desperate to end lockdowns and reopen […]

World Shares Jump after Powell Nixes Rate Hike Fears

Global stocks jumped on Thursday after U.S. Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell reaffirmed interest rates would stay low for a long time, calming market fears that higher inflation might prompt the central bank to tighten […]

February 24, 2021 Focus Washington

White House to Roll Out Johnson & Johnson Vaccine Doses Next Week, Pending Authorization

The United States expects to roll out three to four million doses of Johnson & Johnson’s COVID-19 vaccine next week, pending authorization from the Food and Drug Administration, White House COVID-19 response coordinator Jeff Zients […]