Month: March 2021

The Federal Reserve on Wednesday repeated its pledge to keep its target interest rate near zero for years to come after projecting a rapid jump in U.S. economic growth and inflation this year as the […]

The footage showing Derek Chauvin kneeling on the restrained Floyd's neck for over eight minutes while the officers were making the arrest sparked worldwide anger and the greatest popular uprising witnessed in the United States in decades.

Two Jurors Dropped From Chauvin Trial After $27m Settlement

A judge on Wednesday dismissed two jurors who had been seated for the trial of a former Minneapolis police officer accused in George Floyd’s death over concerns they had been tainted by the city’s announcement […]

Biden Says Cuomo Should Resign If Probe Confirms Sexual Harassment Claims against New York Governor

President Joe Biden said in a new interview that New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo should resign if an investigation confirms allegations by multiple women that Cuomo sexually harassed them, Reuters reported. And if those claims […]

Biden Says He Supports Reforming, Not Eliminating Filibuster

President Joe Biden on Tuesday backed reforming, rather than scrapping, the filibuster after Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell warned Democrats that ending the long-standing Senate procedure that can block partisan legislation would bring the Democratic […]

U.S. Facing Biggest Migrant Surge in 20 Years

The United States is facing the biggest surge of migrants at its southwestern border in 20 years, the homeland security secretary said on Tuesday as the Biden administration races to handle an influx of children […]

Blinken Blasts Aggressive China; Austin Stresses South Korea Alliance to Counter North Korea

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on Wednesday China was acting aggressively and repressively, and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin called for a stronger alliance with South Korea to better address security concerns over China […]

Russia Calls U.S. Allegations over Putin-Directed Election Meddling ‘Baseless’

Russia on Wednesday described U.S. intelligence allegations that President Vladimir Putin had likely directed efforts to try to swing the 2020 U.S. presidential election to Donald Trump as baseless, Reuters reported. A 15-page American intelligence […]

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.

Top U.S., Japan Officials Say China’s Behaviour Inconsistent with International Order

Senior officials from United States and Japan on Tuesday raised concerns about China’s behaviour in Hong Kong, Xinjiang and other areas and said it was inconsistent with the international order, Reuters reported. A joint statement […]

New York Stays Top in Finance as London Loses Ground, Index Shows

New York kept the top spot in the latest Global Financial Centres Index (GFCI), with London clinging on to second place in the face of competition from Shanghai and other Asian centres, Reuters informed. The […]

White Supremacist Propaganda in U.S. Hit Record in 2020, Group Says

White supremacist propaganda in the United States including racist, anti-Semitic and anti-LGBTQ messages nearly doubled last year to a record level, according to the Anti-Defamation League, Reuters reported. The New York-based advocacy group’s data showed […]

LUNCHTIME POLITICS: Abbott in Texas – Cuomo in New York – Georgia Senate – Tuesday Trivia

March 16, 2021 John Ganjei

Your Daily Polling Update for Tuesday, March 16, 2021 BIDEN JOB APPROVAL: AVERAGE 55%Up 1 from last average RON’S COMMENT: Today’s average is based on five polls, ranging from 52% (Rasmussen) to 59% (Politico). Biden’s […]

China’s XI Jinping Says Regulations Need To Close ‘Loopholes’ as Beijing Cracks Down on Tech

Chinese President Xi Jinping called for the acceleration of laws and rules for so-called “platform” companies, a sign that Beijing will further crack down on the country’s technology giants, CNBC reported. “Some platform companies’ development […]

Elon Musk Has Officially Been Made the ‘Technoking of Tesla’

Tesla has officially given CEO Elon Musk the title of “Technoking of Tesla” in a new regulatory filing on Monday, CNBC informed. Musk will retain his position as chief executive officer, Tesla said. Zach Kirkhorn, […]

Asian Stocks Follow Wall Street Higher Ahead of Fed Meeting

Asian stocks rose on Tuesday, tracking Wall Street’s advance to record highs, as investors anticipated the U.S. Federal Reserve and other central banks meeting this week will keep policies accommodative to help drive a post-pandemic […]

Anger Simmers Over Syria’s Economic Collapse, but Assad Appears Secure

In the back alleys of the old city of Damascus, Yaseen al-Obeid carries sacks of bricks to make some extra cash and supplement his monthly foreman’s salary of $15, Reuters writes. Like many other Syrians, […]

Biden Would Not Raise Taxes on Anyone Making Less Than $400,000

U.S. President Joe Biden remains committed to his campaign pledge that no one earning less than $400,000 should see an increase in their taxes, White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki said on Monday, Reuters reports. […]

Germany, Italy, France Suspend AstraZeneca Shots Amid Safety Fears, Disrupting EU Vaccinations

Germany, France and Italy said on Monday they would suspend AstraZeneca COVID-19 shots after several countries reported possible serious side-effects, but the World Health Organization (WHO) said there was no proven link and people should […]

Biden’s Top Diplomat Calls for Deeper Japan Ties, as China, North Korea Cast Shadow

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Tuesday called for deeper economic and security ties with Japan, as he and Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin seek to use their first trip abroad to strengthen Asian alliances […]

China Rejects Likely EU Human Rights Sanctions, Ambassador Says

China is deeply concerned over the European Union’s likely imposition of sanctions on the country related to human rights, Beijing’s ambassador to the EU said on Tuesday, Reuters reported. “We are against interference in other’s […]

The nation's increasingly polarized politics are instilling new concerns in lawmakers and employees, as seen by Saturday's scheduled Capitol demonstration in support of those jailed on charges connected to the Jan. 6 Capitol disturbance

U.S. Identifies Two Suspects in Chemical Attack on Capitol Officer Who Later Died

The U.S. Justice Department on Monday charged two suspects whom it alleged worked together to spray a chemical irritant on three Capitol Police officers on Jan. 6, one of whom later died, Reuters informed. Julian […]

Biden Reverses Course in U.S. Supreme Court Drug Sentencing Case

President Joe Biden’s administration on Monday told the U.S. Supreme Court that it thinks low-level crack cocaine offenders should be among the beneficiaries of a federal law that reduced certain prison sentences, reversing the position […]

Pelosi Says Unaccompanied Children Arriving at U.S.-Mexico Border Is a ‘Humanitarian Crisis’

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., on Sunday said that the influx of unaccompanied children arriving at the U.S.-Mexico border was a “humanitarian crisis” and the result of the policies of former President Donald Trump, CNBC […]

Fauci Points to COVID Surge in Europe as Warning against Lifting U.S. Restrictions Right Now

White House Chief Medical Advisor Dr. Anthony Fauci warned state leaders on Sunday that the nation’s battle with the coronavirus is still “not in the end zone,” and urged Americans to adhere to public health […]

U.S. Democrats Push to Make COVID-19 Relief Bill Aid to the Poor Permanent

U.S. Senate Democrats will push to make permanent two provisions of President Joe Biden’s COVID-19 relief bill that provide emergency enhanced benefits for the poor through food assistance and child tax credits, two leading lawmakers […]

Iran Says U.S. Should Lift Sanctions, Guarantee Trump’s Mistakes Will Not Be Repeated

Iran’s foreign ministry spokesman said on Monday that the United States should lift sanctions and give guarantees that mistakes made by the administration of former U.S. President Donald Trump will never be repeated, Reuters writes. […]

EU Considers Getting a Vaccine Boost From Russia’s Sputnik

Publicly, the European Union has dismissed Russia’s global coronavirus vaccine supply campaign as a propaganda stunt by an undesirable regime, Reuters informed. Behind the scenes, the bloc is turning to Moscow’s Sputnik V shot as […]

Regular Booster Vaccines Are the Future in Battle With COVID-19 Virus, Expert Says

Regular booster vaccines against the novel coronavirus will be needed because of mutations that make it more transmissible and better able to evade human immunity, the head of Britain’s effort to sequence the virus’s genomes […]

Biden Wants To Await Outcome of Sexual Misconduct Probe of Cuomo

President Joe Biden declined on Sunday to call on New York Governor Andrew Cuomo to resign over sexual misconduct allegations, saying he wanted to await the outcome of an investigation into the matter, Reuters informed. […]

Facebook To Label All Posts About COVID-19 Vaccines

Facebook Inc, which has been criticized by lawmakers and researchers for allowing vaccine misinformation to spread on its platforms, said on Monday it has started adding labels to posts that discuss the safety of the […]

March 14, 2021 Focus Washington

Democrat Abrams Urges Lifting Filibuster for U.S. Election Reform Bill

Stacey Abrams, an influential figure in Democratic circles, called on Sunday for the U.S. Senate to exempt election reform legislation passed by the House of Representatives over Republican opposition from a procedural hurdle called the […]