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Biden’s Team Says It Will Use ‘All Available Tools’ to Fight China’s Unfair Trade Practices

March 2, 2021 Focus Washington

President Joe Biden’s team will use “all available tools” to fight China’s unfair trade practices, according to a report outlining the new U.S. administration’s trade agenda, CNBC informed. The document released on Monday did not […]

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UK Rollout Data on AstraZeneca Shot Should Guide Other Countries

March 2, 2021 Focus Washington

Data from Britain’s vaccine rollout on the effectiveness of the AstraZeneca/Oxford University COVID-19 shot in older people should help other countries reassess their use of it, the head of the university’s vaccine research group said […]

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Trump Targets Disloyal Republicans, Repeats Election Lies and Hints at 2024 Run

March 1, 2021 Focus Washington

Former President Donald Trump hinted on Sunday at a possible presidential run in 2024, attacked President Joe Biden and repeated his fraudulent claims he won the 2020 election in his first major appearance since leaving […]

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Fauci Urges Americans to Get Any of the Three COVID-19 Vaccines Available

March 1, 2021 Focus Washington

Dr. Anthony Fauci, the top U.S. infectious disease official, said on Sunday he was encouraging Americans to accept any of the three available COVID-19 vaccines, including the newly approved Johnson & Johnson shot, Reuters reported. […]

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

February 28, 2021 Focus Washington

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 […]

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

February 28, 2021 Focus Washington

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, […]

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

February 26, 2021 Focus Washington

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 […]

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

February 26, 2021 Focus Washington

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 […]

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

February 25, 2021 Focus Washington

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 […]

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

February 25, 2021 Focus Washington

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 […]

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World Shares Jump after Powell Nixes Rate Hike Fears

February 25, 2021 Focus Washington

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 […]

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Senators Revive Bill to Combat Chinese Censorship of U.S. Companies

February 24, 2021 Focus Washington

A bipartisan group of U.S. senators will revive legislation as soon as Wednesday to counter Chinese censorship in the United States, a new effort by Congress to hold Beijing accountable for its growing efforts to […]

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Biden Says U.S., Canada to Work toward Achieving Net Zero Emissions by 2050

February 24, 2021 Focus Washington

U.S. President Joe Biden said on Tuesday that he and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau agreed to work toward achieving net zero emissions by 2050, Reuters reported. “We’re launching a high-level, climate-ambition ministerial and to […]

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U.S. Senate Begins Review of Security Failings Ahead of Deadly Capitol Riot

February 23, 2021 Focus Washington

Two U.S. Senate panels reviewing security failings in the run-up to the deadly assault on the Capitol by supporters of former President Donald Trump are due on Tuesday to interview the top security officials involved […]

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Biden, Trudeau Aim to Move past Keystone Pipeline Disagreement in First Bilateral Meeting

February 23, 2021 Focus Washington

U.S. President Joe Biden and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau will try on Tuesday to move past an early disagreement after Biden blocked the Canadian-backed Keystone XL pipeline and look to reset relations after the […]

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Bells Toll for Lives Lost as U.S. Reaches 500,000 COVID Deaths

February 23, 2021 Focus Washington

The United States on Monday crossed the staggering milestone of 500,000 COVID-19 deaths just over a year since the coronavirus pandemic claimed its first known victim in Santa Clara County, California, Reuters informed. In a […]

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Bitcoin Tumbles 17% as Doubts Grow over Valuations

February 23, 2021 Focus Washington

Bitcoin tumbled 17% on Tuesday, sparking a sell-off across cryptocurrency markets as investors grew nervous at sky-high valuations and leveraged players took profit, Reuters informed. The world’s biggest cryptocurrency suffered its biggest daily drop in […]

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OPEC, U.S. Oil Firms Expect Subdued Shale Rebound Even as Crude Prices Rise

February 22, 2021 Focus Washington

OPEC and U.S. oil companies see a limited rebound in shale oil supply this year as top U.S. producers freeze output despite rising prices, a decision that would help OPEC and its allies, Reuters informed. […]

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China Calls for Reset in Sino-U.S. Relations

February 22, 2021 Focus Washington

Senior Chinese diplomat Wang Yi said on Monday the United States and China could work together on issues like climate change and the coronavirus pandemic if they repaired their damaged bilateral relationship, Reuters reported. Wang, […]

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Oil Drops as Investors Gauge Big Chill Impact on U.S. Refineries, OPEC+ Output Rise

February 19, 2021 Focus Washington

Oil prices slid more than 1% on Friday, adding to overnight declines, on worries that refineries will take time to resume operations after the big freeze in the U.S. South, creating a gap in demand, […]

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Biden to Debut at G7 with Vaccines, Economy and China in Focus

February 19, 2021 Focus Washington

U.S. President Joe Biden will attend his first meeting with Group of Seven leaders on Friday to discuss plans to defeat the coronavirus, reopen the battered world economy and counter challenges posed by China, Reuters […]

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Cutting China off from the U.S. Would Cost America Hundreds of Billions of Dollars, Report Says

February 18, 2021 Focus Washington

The U.S. economy could lose more than $1 trillion worth of production and long-term global competitiveness if the White House pursues a sharp separation with China, according to a report released Wednesday by the U.S. Chamber of […]

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Biden Discusses COVID Relief and Infrastructure With Top Labor Leaders

February 18, 2021 Focus Washington

President Joe Biden told 10 top union leaders on Wednesday that his $1.9 trillion coronavirus relief plan and a separate measure to modernize U.S. infrastructure would boost the U.S. economy and create millions of good-paying […]

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Facebook ‘Unfriends’ Australia as News Pages Go Dark in Test for Global Publishing

February 18, 2021 Focus Washington

Australians woke to empty Facebook news feeds on Thursday, after the social media giant blocked all media content in a surprise escalation of a dispute with the government, which could be a test for the […]

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Trump Lashes Out at McConnell in Deepening Feud between Top Republicans

February 17, 2021 Focus Washington

Former President Donald Trump lashed out at Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell on Tuesday, signaling a growing feud between the two most senior Republican voices after the party lost the White House and control of […]

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Big Tech’s Democratic Critics Discuss Ways to Strike Back With White House

February 17, 2021 Focus Washington

Congressional Democrats have begun discussions with the White House on ways to crack down on Big Tech including making social media companies accountable for the spread of disinformation on matters such as the U.S. Capitol […]

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COVID-19 Bill Would Scale up Ability To Spot Virus Mutations

February 17, 2021 Focus Washington

U.S. scientists would gain vastly expanded capabilities to identify potentially deadlier mutations of the coronavirus under COVID-19 relief legislation advancing in Congress, The Associated Press reported. The U.S. now maps only the genetic makeup of […]

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Saudi Arabia Eyes Dubai’s Crown With HQ Ultimatum

February 16, 2021 Focus Washington

Saudi Arabia has raised the stakes in a competition with freewheeling Dubai for foreign talent and cash, Reuters informed. From 2024, the Saudi government will stop giving state contracts to companies and commercial institutions that […]

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U.S. Oil Wells, Refineries Shut as Winter Storm Hits Energy Sector

February 16, 2021 Focus Washington

A deep freeze across the United States is taking a toll on the energy industry in the largest U.S. crude-producing state, halting Texas oil wells and refineries on Monday and forcing restrictions from natural gas […]

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Biden to Pitch Stimulus Bill in Wisconsin, U.S. State Hard Hit by Pandemic

February 16, 2021 Focus Washington

President Joe Biden will travel to Wisconsin on Tuesday to press his case for a $1.9 trillion pandemic relief bill in the political battleground state that helped secure his victory in last year’s presidential election, […]

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