Today, sexual assault in the Peace Corps. Donovan Slack:Earlier this year, we published our larger investigation about sexual assault in the Peace Corps. We found that the Peace Corps wasn't doing enough to protect volunteers from being sexually assaulted in the first place. We really did a deep dive on the data and analyzed five years worth of data that the Peace Corps had given to us. They said, they're really not happy with the way that the Peace Corps has responded.

The next phase of the U.S. Covid vaccination distribution effort will be challenging, the president of UPS Healthcare told CNBC, as Tuesday marks one year since the initial shipments. UPS and FedEx are the U.S. government partners in Covid vaccine distribution, which began under what was originally called "Operation Warp Speed" in the Trump administration. "The key is flow, it's all about flow," now-retired U.S. Army Gen. Gustave Perna told CNBC, referring to how to sustain the vaccine rollout. Perna was chief operating officer of Operation Warp Speed and continued to serve under the Biden administration before retiring in July. So, you want flow," Perna said.

The air is musty, Buffy the Vampire Slayer is playing on an ancient TV by the door, and Olivia Rodrigo is flipping through racks of slip dresses and flared pants. Halsey sent Rodrigo a cake, Cardi B shouted her out on Twitter, and Taylor Swift offered her props on Instagram. Any questions about whether Rodrigo could repeat the success of “Drivers License” were put to rest when she released Sour on May 21. With moody, confessional lyrics that added chapters to the story told in “Drivers License,” Sour offered something we needed after more than a year of unending distress: an outlet for anger and permission to cry. Together, Nigro and Rodrigo had already made “Drivers License.”Nigro and Rodrigo bonded over shared references: he and her mother are just a few years apart, which meant that his nostalgic favorites were the songs Rodrigo heard at home.

(AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)MISSION, Kan. (AP) — Carolyn Burnett is bracing for her first Christmas without her son Chris, a beloved high school football coach whose outdoor memorial service drew a crowd of hundreds. School administrators tweeted heartfelt condolences, praising his passion in coaching running backs at Olathe East High School. And he was honored with an inspiration award at a ceremony that recognizes the region’s best high school athletes. “Here’s what I’m going to say to COVID: ‘Up yours.’ I’m getting a Zoom call going, and there you have it. You’re going to do what you’re going to do and you’re going to kill this person.

Conflicted Congress banner with the the Capitol Building showing in the backgroundRebecca Zisser/InsiderSen. Cynthia Lummis of Wyoming has invested in cryptocurrency. A staff director for the Senate Republican Communications Center under Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell invests in crypto. Another crypto investor was Scott Sloofman, the staff director for the Senate Republican Communications Center under Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell. The idea of lawmakers and congressional staffers investing in cryptocurrency is exciting, Hammond said. A few days later, House lawmakers quizzed the CEOs of a half-dozen crypto-focused companies about their business practices.

A sign at an IHOP in Alaska said the franchised restaurant was reducing hours because of staff shortages and blamed President Biden's COVID-19 relief programs. "Due to the fact that Biden gave out way too much free money and nobody wants to work anymore, we are forced to reduce our hours during this week," the typed sign posted to the counter at an IHOP in Wasilla, Alaska, reads. "I know we’re just one small family, and we don’t matter, but we can’t eat at a place that condones this," the user wrote. When I see a sign posted by a restaurant door, I am always prepared to turn around and walk away if it’s this kind of entitled, anti-worker non-sense. People are rethinking their priorities and working for min wage minus taxes during a pandemic w no benefits ain’t the lure you might think it is," another user wrote.

The parents and guardians of more than 3.5 million children in New York have qualified for monthly payments of up to $300 a month under the expanded child tax credit, which was included in the coronavirus relief package passed by Congress in March. The plan approved by House Democrats also seeks to lower the income criteria to qualify for the advance monthly payments. Currently most households earning $440,000 or less qualified for some level of the expanded credit and could opt into the monthly payments. The federal government has issued $77 billion in total monthly payments from July to November this year, according to the Treasury Department. The child tax credit has helped families — especially those that have really struggled — to be able to meet the basic needs of their families and the prospect of losing this credit is anxious-making for many."

A registered Republican from a conservative family, Bates and her husband have been fully vaccinated against COVID-19 since April to protect their young son. “I realized pretty quickly that I was on a different side of the issue than my family,” Bates, 31, said. Also clustered in Appalachian counties near Portsmouth, the counties of Brown and Adams are each four COVID deaths away from surpassing the death toll of the first 15 months of the pandemic. Votes predict vaccination ratesPolitical ties to vaccination and death rates mirror national reports and holds true across Ohio. Even age, the single most common factor in deaths, has little influence on predicting community vaccination rates or deaths during the delta surge.

'While Joe takes his afternoon naps and vacations at his beach house, GAS PRICES AND INFLATION ARE SOARING. People took to Twitter to react to Christian Walker's Instagram post which saw him complain about gas prices wearing a $1,295 hoodie. According to online reports, his father, Herschel Walker, 59, has a net worth of approximately $12million. One tweet said: 'Does Herschel Walker’s son Christian Walker, realize that everyone is laughing at him, not with him? Noting that Walker blamed President Biden for the cost of gas prices, one person asked: 'You know the President doesn’t have a magic lever to raise or drop gas prices right?'

It said Russia's demands included stopping NATO from expanding east and the deployment of weapons in neighboring states, including Ukraine. Putin "reiterated the need to immediately launch negotiations with the United States and NATO in order to develop international legal guarantees for the security of our country," the Kremlin said in a readout of the call. Russian President Vladimir Putin told his Finnish counterpart Sauli Niinisto on Tuesday that he wants "immediate" talks with the United States and NATO over security guarantees, the Kremlin said, as tensions mount over Ukraine. Putin has denied the plans, blaming NATO for heightened tensions in the region and seeking promises from the West that the alliance won't expand eastwards. In a video call last week, U.S. President Joe Biden warned Putin of "sanctions like he's never seen" should Russian troops launch an attack.

The direct contracting model was announced publicly in April 2019 and began its implementation phase in October 2020. In May 2019, a calendar alert went out to staff reading “discussion with Landmark on the direct contracting model.” Career staff were appalled. Smith expressed hope for direct contracting as a fix, though the project’s critics note it has the same elements. Smith, able to spot a good business opportunity, launched a health care company, Russell Street Ventures, in June. The latest privatization scheme echoes the Medicare Advantage system, the private-insurer-run version of Medicare currently used by over 40 percent of enrollees.

President Joe Biden, a Democrat, was widely mocked over the weekend after he posted a tweet in which he bragged about how the United States pays its bills on time by taking on more debt. “The United States pays its debts when they are due,” Biden wrote in a tweet that also featured a video. “And that’s what this is all about.”The United States pays its debts when they are due. Totally unsustainable.”, professor: “The US pays off its existing credit card bills by using new credit cards with higher spending limits. Totally unsustainable.” Nick Searcy , actor: “This is like paying off credit card debt by transferring your balance to another card with a higher interest rate and a higher limit.

While Public Advocate USA is one of the most vicious anti-LGBTQ hate groups in the nation, their sense of camp is spot on. They’ve made a video – complete with singing, dancing, and whirling umbrellas that spell out “LMNOP” – that celebrates Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) as a modern-day Wonder Woman. Other signs read “Make the family great again!”The faux Wonder Woman does battle with a woman draped in a Pride flag wearing boxing gloves. Her foe’s gloves have a rainbow stripe on one and a Black Lives Matter sticker on the other. But from the folks standing behind Wonder Marge, there are several who are true believers.

'We can expect more':Did climate change play a role in the deadly weekend tornadoes? More than 10,000 homes and businesses had no water Monday, Kentucky Emergency Management Director Michael Dossett told reporters. How to help Kentucky tornado victims:Donate to relief funds, Red Cross and food distributionJenny Bruce, 65, a former administrator and member of the Dawson Springs Independent School board, was among the dead in Hopkins County, according to the coroner. Before the twister touched down in Mayfield, Stewart said staffers recently moved eight residents out of one of the four wings so construction could take place. – Natalie Neysa Alund, Louisville Courier JournalDid climate change play a role in the deadly weekend tornadoes?

Rising production in the United States, Substantial surpluses of oil could accumulate next year, the International Energy Agency said. Credit... Patrick T. Fallon/Agence France-Presse — Getty ImagesOil production is on the verge of exceeding demand this month, potentially easing pressure on prices, the International Energy Agency said Tuesday. “Much needed relief for tight markets is on the way,” the Paris-based forecasting group said in its Monthly Oil Report. Oil prices have roughly doubled over the past year, leading to higher prices at the pump for refined products like gasoline, which have been large contributors to soaring inflation in the United States and other countries. The group said that the key factor in its improved outlook was rising oil production in the United States, Canada and Brazil.

A sign at an IHOP in Alaska said the franchised restaurant was reducing hours because of staff shortages and blamed President Biden's COVID-19 relief programs. "Due to the fact that Biden gave out way too much free money and nobody wants to work anymore, we are forced to reduce our hours during this week," the typed sign posted to the counter at an IHOP in Wasilla, Alaska, reads. "I know we’re just one small family, and we don’t matter, but we can’t eat at a place that condones this," the user wrote. When I see a sign posted by a restaurant door, I am always prepared to turn around and walk away if it’s this kind of entitled, anti-worker non-sense. People are rethinking their priorities and working for min wage minus taxes during a pandemic w no benefits ain’t the lure you might think it is," another user wrote.

(Photo by Spencer Platt/Getty Images)U.S. stock futures extended Tuesday's decline after another hot inflation report. Following last week's stellar performance, tech stocks were under pressure in the premarket after leading the Nasdaq lower by 1.4% on Monday. The S&P 500, which closed at a record Friday, lost nearly 1% to start the new week. The study has been conducted in the weeks since omicron was first announced in November by scientists in South Africa and Botswana. Democratic Sen. Joe Manchin has signaled he's still not ready to back his party's Build Back Better plan.

President Joe Biden signed the Democrats' Covid relief package on March 11, but it was on March 10 when Republican Sen. Roger Wicker celebrated the American Rescue Plan's beneficial "targeted relief" for restaurants. Republican Rep. Paul Gosar of Arizona, one of Congress' most right-wing members, issued a press release yesterday, touting federal investment in a local airport thanks to the American Rescue Plan. What the press statement neglected to mention is the inconvenient detail: Gosar opposed the American Rescue Plan. Gosar said the relief package was a "Trojan horse for socialism." Or to borrow Gosar's competing assertions, either it's a "Trojan horse for socialism," or it's a relief package that's providing "critical" and "essential" funding to local communities.

Despite his claims to the contrary, then-President Donald Trump lost the 2020 election — but his campaign lawyer Sidney Powell apparently did very well for herself. Since the 2020 election, I have received dozens of email solicitations from Trump or someone writing on his behalf asking for money. Telling someone that Trump won the 2020 election, or that there was enough “election fraud” to flip the results, were false statements, and Powell almost certainly knew as much. Raising money for the purpose of changing the election result was fraud. Lying about nonexistent election fraud to a turbulent crowd ahead of their storming the Capitol and threatening to kill the vice president is incitement of insurrection, which can be criminal.

Enter email address Sign Me Up You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times. Sign up for our California Politics newsletter to get the best of The Times’ state politics reporting and the latest action in Sacramento. Although Northern California saw multiple huge fires, including the 960,000-acre Dixie fire, the state’s second-largest on record, Southern California did not. The Los Angeles Review of Books was conceived more than a decade ago during a dark period for the print literary ecosystem. (Los Angeles Times)In honor of today’s unofficial international Monkey Day, here’s a shot of a monkey caught looting a lunch basket in 1936.

About 200,000 military members owe more than $2.9 billion in student loan debt, the letter stated. Keep reading to learn more about student loan forgiveness for military service members and consider the alternative debt repayment options like refinancing. However, specific details regarding updates to military student loan forgiveness have been scant. If you don't meet the eligibility requirements for the student loan interest waiver or the PSLF program, consider alternative student loan repayment plans such as refinancing. BIDEN CANCELS $5.8B IN STUDENT LOAN DEBT FOR BORROWERS WITH A TOTAL AND PERMANENT DISABILITYHave a finance-related question, but don't know who to ask?

Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti will be questioned on Tuesday by lawmakers weighing his nomination to become the U.S. ambassador to India. Garcetti will appear with two other nominees for diplomatic posts at a morning hearing before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. Garcetti’s nomination has dragged on amid a broader effort by Republican senators that has slowed the confirmation process of dozens of would-be diplomats. California 5 things to know about Mayor Eric Garcetti’s confirmation hearing Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti will have a confirmation hearing for his nomination to be ambassador to India before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee on Tuesday. The mayor said last week that he was “honored to have been nominated by President Biden to serve as the next U.S.

Finally, a Republican leader in Wisconsin stood for democracy. Bernier, of Lake Hallie, eviscerated the partisan review of the 2020 election that Republican Assembly Speaker Robin Vos launched to appease former President Donald Trump. She called Michael Gableman's inquisition exactly what it is — "a charade." The investigation by Gableman, a former state Supreme Court justice, is damaging faith in democracy, she said. She knows far more than Gableman does about the subject — Bernier oversaw elections for 12 years as Chippewa County clerk.

© Alex Brandon/AP President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu attend the Abraham Accords signing ceremony on the South Lawn of the White House, in Washington, Sept. 15, 2020. But Mike Evans, one of Trump’s early evangelical backers, said he was “horrified” by the sentiments and said they would offend significant numbers of evangelical voters. That was one of several times Evans paid to have posters hung around the city, all celebrating Trump’s support for policies favored by Netanyahu and his right-wing allies. Trump’s denunciation of Netanyahu came as a surprise in Israel, where the former prime minister had touted his relationship with Trump as one of his key political and diplomatic assets. The Golan announcement, for example, was made just before the April 2019 election when Netanyahu was trailing in the polls.

The request came amid new tensions between Washington and Jerusalem over how to deal with Iran’s nuclear program. In March, Israel ordered the new KC-46 tankers, which would be used to refuel its bombers in the air, allowing them to reach their targets in Iran and return. The debate over what kind of capability to give to Israel — and how quickly — is an old one in Washington. Iran’s nuclear program seemed under control — largely because it had shipped 97 percent of its nuclear fuel out of the country under the 2015 agreement that Mr. Netanyahu had vociferously opposed. The post Israel Finds Planes That Could Be Key to a Strike on Iran Badly Back-Ordered appeared first on New York Times.

Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping will discuss tensions in Europe and 'aggressive' U.S. and NATO rhetoric during a video call on Wednesday, the Kremlin said. Putin has denied Russia plans to seize territory from Ukraine and has accused Britain and its allies of 'demonising' his country. US intelligence officials estimate that as many as 175,000 Russian troops could launch an attack early next year, with troops, tanks and artillery already massing on the Ukrainian border. Tensions between Moscow and the West are on the rise over Russian troops movements near ex-Soviet Ukraine. US President Joe Biden last week held a virtual summit with his Russian counterpart Putin to voice Western concerns.

Elon Musk said today that Tesla will accept dogecoin as payment for some of its merchandise, sending the 'meme coin' soaring by 33 percent in the space of two hours. Musk had asked users in May if they wanted Tesla to accept dogecoin in a Twitter poll. Elon Musk sold his Silicon Valley estate for $30 million, the last of his seven California homes, and moved to Texas. He also exercised stock options to buy 2.17 million shares of Tesla, according to the filings. Musk's recent purge of his Tesla shares come as whistleblowers say he misled buyers and undermined safety with an Autopilot driving system that was previously blamed for fatal crashes.

The outlet tweeted the article on Sunday evening with the caption, 'Kamala Harris has redecorated the VP’s office. 'When folks said she needed to "reset" her office, they didn't mean to LITERALLY reset her office,' Brand said on Twitter. 'Oh, how about, 'She's going to buy a pot on her way to the airport,' Harris told the Chronicle. In her interview with the Chronicle, Harris brushed off several criticisms of her performance as vice president and reports of a feud between herself and the president. At a time when many users have moved on to the near invisible buds and pods connected through Bluetooth, Harris is frequently to be seen conducting remote television interviews with a cable dangling from her ears.

In Illinois, Bond, Cass, Coles, Effingham, Fayette, Jersey, Macoupin, Madison, Montgomery, Morgan, Moultrie, Pike and Shelby counties are covered. ADVERTISEMENTBoth Tennessee and Illinois were hit by the tornadoes that tore through much of Kentucky in what was described as one of the largest outbreaks that the U.S. has seen. At least 90 people have been confirmed dead due to the tornadoes, with the majority of the deaths in Kentucky. Six deaths have been confirmed in Illinois so far after an Amazon warehouse in Edwardsville collapsed, sparking an Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) probe. On Sunday, Biden approved a disaster declaration in Kentucky, making federal funds available through grants for temporary housing and property loss.

The Air Force gave its forces until Nov. 2 to get the vaccine, and thousands have either refused or sought an exemption. Air Force spokeswoman Ann Stefanek said Monday that these are the first airmen to be administratively discharged for reasons involving the vaccine. The Pentagon earlier this year required the vaccine for all members of the military, including active duty, National Guard and the Reserves. As of last week, a bit more than 97% of the active duty Air Force had gotten at least one shot. But overall the percentage of troops — particularly active duty members — who quickly got the shots exceeds the nationwide numbers.

However, a claim that electric cars require an inordinate amount of oil or coal energy to charge has appeared on social media. “An average electric car takes 66 KWH To charge. “Makes absolutely no sense.”The post included a stock image of an electric car charging. And the actual source of energy used to charge an electric car is dependent on the energy mix in the local electricity grid. And the actual sources of energy for an electric car vary depending on the energy mix in the local electric grid.

Pegasus is a moneymaker for NSO, bringing in around half of its revenue. But it’s also highly controversial. It has been used to target journalists, human rights activists and business executives, an investigation by The Washington Post and 16 media partners found. The U.S. government blacklisted the firm last month, blocking it from receiving U.S. technology, after the Biden administration found that it was used to “maliciously target” academics, activists, government officials and journalists.

Trump, in interviews published this week by Axios reporter Barak Ravid, railed against his onetime ally for congratulating President Biden on his victory once it became clear that the Democrat had won the 2020 election. Trump said the call was a betrayal of their relationship and the several controversial changes in U.S. policy toward Israel that Trump had ordered during his one term, including moving the embassy to Jerusalem.

As 2021 elections are demonstrating, traditional blue-collar, Hispanic, and rural Democratic voters are beginning to abandon the party. Though the new law does not allow illegal immigrants to vote, the arguments being used to justify it will easily apply to them. With Republicans gaining ground in municipal races, special elections and 2021 gubernatorial races, they are projected to take the House in 2022. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APPThe trend in 2021 special elections bears out the bad news. Though states are unlikely to openly permit illegal immigrants to vote, they don't need to.

Embattled CNN boss Jeff Zucker’s liberal network is plagued by scandal, embarrassing headlines and struggles to attract an audience as critics wonder if the TV honcho is on thin ice. The humiliating headlines continue to pour in as Zucker’s network has struggled to attract an audience during the Biden era, indicating his hosts and anchors have problems on and off the screen. "Zucker has managed to simultaneously protect perverts and pedophiles as well as oversee a massive decline in ratings," Athey told Fox News Digital. DePauw university professor and media critic Jeffrey McCall thinks Zucker needs to own "ethical lapses" at CNN. "He ain’t leaving," a CNN employee earlier told Fox News Digital.

Kroger employees put groceries and other goods into plastic totes. Those totes are gobbled up by a grid where robots help retrieve items for customers' online orders. Kroger will eliminate some Covid-19 benefits for unvaccinated employees starting next year, the Wall Street Journal reported on Tuesday, citing a company memo. Kroger will no longer provide two weeks of paid emergency leave for unvaccinated employees who contract Covid-19, unless local jurisdictions require otherwise, and will also add a $50 monthly surcharge to company health plans for unvaccinated managers and other non-union employees, according to the report. The reported push to get more employees vaccinated comes as U.S. President Joe Biden faces setbacks in implementing his vaccine-or-test mandate for private businesses.

State police investigating Statehouse vaccine-or-test enforcementGood Tuesday morning! Phil Murphy refused to even address questions about the State Police’s lack of action during the Assembly Republican Statehouse sit-in. The announcement is the first time the state has revealed how many state employees are fully vaccinated against the coronavirus. Phil Murphy the scare of his short political career on Nov. 2, some lawmakers are not eager to stir up controversy. Among those taking issue with the bill, NJ A5030 (20R), was Assemblymember Gordon Johnson, a top sponsor.

Tensions over Ukraine come as relations between Russia and NATO are at an all-time lowEnlarge this image toggle caption Roman Koksarov/AP file photo Roman Koksarov/AP file photoMOSCOW — A Russian military buildup near Ukraine has raised fears in Kyiv and the West that Moscow might invade its neighbor. The tensions over Ukraine come amid a new low in relations between Russia and NATO, which once were so warm that President Vladimir Putin even floated the prospect of his country joining the military alliance. Putin later said NATO was unwilling to embrace Russia because the West feared its power and independent stance. "NATO's relationship with Ukraine is going to be decided by the 30 NATO allies and Ukraine, no one else," NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said last week. Putin countered NATO's argument by saying that while Ukraine is free to decide its security arrangements, those shouldn't threaten Russia.

Separate laboratory testing shows the drug retains its potency against the omicron variant, the company announced, as many experts had predicted. NFL is requiring COVID-19 booster shots by Dec. 27 — 9:18 p.m.Associated PressThe NFL is requiring players, coaches and other team personnel to receive a COVID-19 booster by Dec. 27. Panic spreads in an instant even if, as with the Omicron variant, the extent of the threat is not yet known. New UK Omicron cases double as country plans daily tests — 10:51 a.m.BloombergThe U.K. confirmed 1,239 new omicron cases on Sunday, almost double the 633 cases reported the day before. Boris Johnson will speak later Sunday about accelerating the U.K.’s vaccine booster program.

As House investigators charge ahead with their probe into the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol, their focus has shifted to a contentious former colleague they increasingly see as a crucial witness: Mark Meadows Mark MeadowsJan. 6 panel votes to hold Meadows in contempt Meadows texts show Hannity, Don Jr. wanted Trump to stop Jan. 6 riot Meadows lawyer argues contempt referral would be contrary to law MORE. Yet Meadows, a former House lawmaker from North Carolina, has refused to appear before the panel to discuss those communications. The Jan. 6 panel said it would have asked Meadows about emails to Justice Department leaders from Dec. 29 to Jan. 1 encouraging probes of suspected voter fraud, claims that had been rejected by federal investigators and the courts. That presentation made its way to Meadows’s email box on Jan. 5, days after Waldron met with Meadows at the White House.

New data from South Africa and Europe hint that Omicron cases are poised to explode in the U.S., where the vast majority of the population isn't well protected against infection. But the variant is less likely to lead to hospitalization in adults than the original version. During the current Omicron wave, the two-dose regimen was 70% effective against severe disease requiring hospital admission. They found children had a 20% higher risk of hospital admission than they did from previous variants. European countries have also been reporting that the variant is spreading rapidly, with cases doubling every two to three days.

The death toll was likely to rise as another 109 people remained missing, Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear said. The tornadoes, which the governor estimated destroyed 1,000 homes, surprised people by striking unusually late in the year during cold weather on Friday. Across Kentucky, neighbors and volunteers worked to house, feed and offer any other assistance to those left homeless by the storm. President Joe Biden will travel to the state on Wednesday to visit hard-hit areas including Mayfield, the White House said. “You go from grief to shock to being resolute for a span of 10 minutes and then you go back,” he said.

Fox News personalities who now dismiss the violence at the US Capitol were begging the White House to do something. "We cannot be satisfied with incomplete answers or half truths," said Cheney, after reading from the text messages. Meadows had reversed course in recent weeks and stopped cooperating with the committee, but not before handing over the text messages and communications committee members used against him Monday. He has also published a memoir that describes being with Trump at the White House during the riot down the street at the Capitol. The committee will seek to create a definitive record of the insurrection, including the original reaction of some Republicans who have tried to move and the Fox News hosts unmasked by their text messages.

"Without swift progress, in light of Iran’s fast-forwarding of its nuclear program, the JCPOA will very soon become an empty shell," they warned. President Joe Biden says the United States is ready to rejoin the JCPOA provided Iran resumes observing the deal's conditions. There has been growing Western concerns over Iran's nuclear advances in its uranium enrichment program, which is a possible pathway to a nuclear bomb. Iranian officials have maintained the country’s nuclear program is for peaceful purposes. The United Nations' nuclear watchdog has repeatedly said it has no indication that Iran currently has a secret nuclear-weapons program.

Less than three months ago, the U.S. reached 700,000 COVID-19 deaths, and public health experts mused over whether the toll would reach a once-unthinkable 1 million. US reaches 700,000 COVID-19 deaths: It's a milestone we never expected to reachExperts cringe at what winter could bring. That could make the "omicron variant in February 2022 more infectious in vaccinated persons than today." A hybrid approach of clinical and of public health practices such as hand washing and face covering remains the most viable method, he said. Such findings highlight "the politicization of public health recommendations,” said Wendy King, associate professor of epidemiology in Pitt’s Graduate School of Public Health and a co-author of the Pitt-CMU study.

It has been a bumpy ride. After tens of millions people were vaccinated early this year, domestic travel surged. But the Delta variant depressed demand for flights this summer and fall. Last month, the Biden administration eased restrictions on foreign travelers, which has led to increased international travel. Now the Omicron variant is threatening to slow the recovery in that part of the business.

Much of the political debate about abortion in America focuses on abortions performed late in pregnancy, but the overwhelming majority of them occur in the first trimester. Forty-three percent of all abortions occur in the first six weeks of pregnancy, and 94 percent in the first 13 weeks. The Mississippi law before the Supreme Court concerns a ban on abortions after 15 weeks. The women who receive later abortions are more likely to be poor or young or to have serious health complications. It may also reflect the growing presence of charities that help poor women pay for abortions in states where public programs don’t.

Tobin and others familiar with the proposals said Biden officials can also draw upon lessons learned from the U.S. effort to resettle more than 70,000 Afghan evacuees through Operation Allies Welcome. While the use of military bases is not likely to be an option for housing asylum seekers, the co-location of federal agencies at a single site and the nondetained status of the Afghans are similar in concept to the reception center model.

It's been less than a month since the new, heavily-mutated omicron Covid strain was detected and designated a "variant of concern" by the World Health Organization. Prior to this, studies had shown that the immunity provided by Covid vaccines waned after around six months — meaning that booster shots are essential to increasing protective antibodies to fight potential Covid infection. But the same studies have indicated that three vaccine doses — the two preliminary shots plus a booster dose — significantly increases the level of protection against omicron. However, it found that a "moderate to high vaccine effectiveness of 70 to 75% is seen in the early period after a booster dose." "The good news is that with the booster dose it increases about a hundredfold.

(The World Health Organization identified omicron as a variant of concern on Nov. 26)Biden’s vaccine mandate, which was set to take effect next month, is currently at a standstill. The mandate would require employers with 100 or more employees to require that workers are fully vaccinated against COVID-19 or test negative on a weekly basis. The remaining share doesn’t fit the criteria for any of the federal vaccine mandates Biden announced. Three in 10 workers say their employers required them to get vaccinated, according to a recent survey from the Kaiser Family Foundation. More than half of employers either have vaccine mandates in place or would require one if Biden’s mandate took effect, according to a recent Willis Towers Watson survey.

Yahoo Finance's Jared Blikre breaks down today's trading trends across markets, highlighting performances by Tesla, Facebook, and crude oil. And for more on all the moves, want to get to Yahoo Finance's chart master, Jared Blikre, who's been watching that for us. JARED BLIKRE: That's right. JARED BLIKRE: That's right. - All right, Jared Blikre bringing us the latest moves there.

That as the UK reported its first death tied to the Omicron variant and says, 40% of COVID cases there are now attributed to the variant. BORIS JOHNSON: Sadly, yes, Omicron is producing hospitalizations, and sadly, at least one patient has now been confirmed to have died with Omicron. - Here with her insight is Suzanne Judd, PhD epidemiologist at the University of Alabama at the Birmingham School of Public Health. I know that there has been a labor crunch, and the pandemic, and these vaccine mandates have just added to it. We've seen some great results with the Pfizer vaccine and the Omicron variant.

The foundation is a main source for funding university research in this nation. President Joe Biden proposed a National Science Foundation budget for next year of more than $10 billion – not nearly enough, but up from the $8.5 billion of the year before. Today, Manchin is the ultimate swing vote in the U.S. Senate – and also a man with millions in coal stock. Yesterday we reached the second anniversary of the emergence of the worst and most lethal virus in known world history. The world has changed, and we can either protect ourselves accordingly, or act stupid and risk death.

He said 109 Kentuckians were still unaccounted for and that the eventual number of confirmed deaths might not be known for weeks. Capitol attack panel recommends Mark Meadows for criminal prosecutionMark Meadows and Liz Cheney, who is vice-chair of the select committee investigating the attack on the Capitol on 6 January. Protesting voting rights activists arrested as Biden meets with ManchinProtesters during a Poor People’s Campaign march near the Capitol in Washington DC. The diverse group of activists came to Washington from around the country and were focused primarily on issues around voting rights and poverty. Meanwhile, voting rights watchdogs have warned of a powerful web of attorneys and groups who have spent millions promoting new and onerous voting laws that many key battleground states have enacted.

All were swept up in tornadoes that tore through Western Kentucky on Friday, carrying residents' belongings as far as Louisville, Southern Indiana and Ohio. Three pictures have since been found by strangers in Crestwood, Kentucky; Mauckport, Indiana; and Laconia, Indiana — all more than 100 miles away. How to help Kentucky tornado victims:Donate to relief funds, supplies and blood drivesKim Tyler of Alabama said she started the Facebook group on Saturday with people like Noffsinger and Owens in mind. Tyler remembers a major tornado striking Alabama in 2011, with reports of pictures and memorabilia being found miles away. Lowery lives with her parents in Moors Camp near Kentucky Lake and said the family's house was flattened by the tornado.

Anyone remember the “carried interest” loophole that lets hedge fund executives and private equity managers – among the wealthiest people in America – pay a tax rate no higher than most Americans? “I don’t know what happened,” said Larry Kudlow, the conservative economist who crafted Trump’s campaign tax plan. The private equity industry spends millions of dollars on lobbyists to fight any effort to change how it is taxed. In 2010, House Democrats squeaked through a tax plan that closed the loophole, but Democrats who controlled Senate wouldn’t go along. But I don’t think there’s any question that the carried interest loophole is unfair to everyone except the fabulously rich who benefit from it.

School teachers duked it out for the one-dollar bills to pay for classroom supplies. Why were public school teachers battling each other at a hockey game for much-needed funding that should be coming from the state and federal governments? Rural states with Republican governors, like South Dakota’s Kristi Noem – a Trump favorite – tend to underfund their public school systems. On a practical level, it’s important too – many public school systems struggle to retain young teachers. Instead, members of Congress could actually consider carving off a large chunk of that cash for the public schools of America.

Those same corporate PACs quietly resumed and later increased their political giving, doling out a total of $2.3 million to GOP election objectors between September and October, the most recent months on record. The Credit Union National Association is the top PAC donor to the election objectors, shelling out nearly $177,000. are the top recipients of corporate PAC cash among the 147 Republicans, taking in nearly $255,000 and $202,000 respectively. That shift is driven by the reality that nearly two-thirds of House Republicans objected to the election results. Corporate PACs have largely stayed away from a small number of Republican lawmakers who have continued to falsely claim that the election was stolen from Trump.

Washington (CNN) The 5th US Circuit Court of Appeals on Monday night ruled against the Biden administration's bid to terminate the Trump-era "remain in Mexico" policy, which requires non-Mexican migrants to stay in Mexico until their US immigration court dates. The Biden administration relaunched the policy last week after a district court order required its revival. The Supreme Court had previously denied a request from the administration that the program's revival remain on hold while the case was appealed. Since the program was reinstated, 86 migrants have been returned to Mexico, according to the International Organization for Migration. On Monday night, the 5th Circuit upheld a district judge's ruling blocking the administration's termination of the program.

The federal agency that measures racial diversity is led mostly by white peopleEnlarge this image toggle caption Claire Harbage/NPR Claire Harbage/NPRIn her three years working at the U.S. Census Bureau, Mónica García-Pérez remembers rarely seeing or hearing people like her. And for outsiders, it's nearly impossible to fully understand the goings-on of this often-overlooked federal agency. The bureau has undercounted people of color for decadesThe Census Bureau declined to make a representative available for an interview about the racial and ethnic makeup of its staff. "I had to advocate for the Census Bureau to look at the full diversity of the Latino population," Vargas says. In June, President Biden directed the bureau and other federal agencies to assess their diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility efforts.

He said the United States, its allies and some South China Sea claimants would push back against any unlawful action. "Let me be clear: the goal of defending the rules-based order is not to keep any country down. Rather, it's to protect the right of all countries to choose their own path, free from coercion and intimidation." China claims almost the entire South China Sea as its own, despite some overlapping claims with other coastal states and a ruling by an international tribunal that its vast claim had no legal basis. In response to Blinken's remarks, China's foreign ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin told a daily briefing in the Chinese capital that the United States should promote cooperation in the region, instead of "drawing ideological lines".

Why would groups that want to end abortion not support the most efficient way to make abortions less common? The answer is that their mission extends beyond abortion and into the regulation of sex, gender roles and the family. Just 11 of those 28 abstinence-stressing states require that students be taught about contraception. A mere 18 states require that sex ed be medically accurate, and only 11 states and Washington, D.C., require teaching students about sexual consent. Abstinence education may not work, but it does conform with a set of conservative political goals.

Blinken is using his three-country swing through Southeast Asia, which will include stops in Malaysia and Thailand, as a means for spelling out the Biden administration’s Indo-Pacific strategy. Beijing has drawn criticism in the region for laying claim to much of the South China Sea, which is disputed by smaller countries in the region such as Vietnam, the Philippines and Malaysia. China has also moved military hardware into the waters and dismissed a 2016 international tribunal decision that refuted its historical claim there.

Share Share Article via Facebook Share Article via Twitter Share Article via LinkedIn Share Article via EmailResearch center says U.S. has done well in raising 'tempo' of diplomacy in Southeast AsiaAshley Townshend of the United States Studies Centre says U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken's visit to Southeast Asia is significant because the Biden administration is in the early stages of rolling out what it says will be a comprehensive Indo-Pacific economic framework.

Russian President Vladimir Putin plans to talk to his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping about tensions with the U.S. and NATO over Ukraine during a virtual summit on Wednesday that is expected to further cement their relationship. The Kremlin said the "aggressive" rhetoric from the U.S. and NATO will be one of the key topics discussed, Reuters reported. Both Russia and China have expressed frustration over what they see as Washington’s unwanted reach into their own regional issues. President Biden warned Putin during a call last week that Russia would face painful sanctions that will do resounding economic harm if it again invaded Ukraine. Last month, Biden Biden and Xi spoke of clear communication as the key to long-term diplomatic relations.

While he performed slightly better than Hillary Clinton did with rural voters in 2016, Biden lost almost every rural county in the state. Millions in federal aid from Democrats' pandemic relief law have already reached small communities in southwest Wisconsin. As in Wisconsin, Brown’s state has pockets of small communities that once voted Democratic but have since turned deep red. Democrats' last hope for holding the district and their remaining footholds in rural America is a small sliver of rural voters whom they still might be able to persuade. “Republicans face a real challenge in rural Wisconsin explaining to people why they oppose delivering results that make a real difference in people’s lives,” said Tammy Baldwin, Wisconsin’s Democratic senator.

President Joe Biden, a Democrat, scrapped his Republican predecessor's policy — often referred to as "Remain in Mexico" — soon after taking office in January this year. Biden decried the policy on the campaign trail and immigration advocates have said migrants stuck in dangerous border cities have faced kidnappings and other dangers. The Biden administration re-issued a memo terminating MPP in the hopes it would overcome the legal challenges. In compliance with the court's order, the administration began sending the first asylum seekers back to Mexico again last week. The number of migrants caught crossing the U.S.-Mexico border has soared to record highs this year, sparking criticism from Republicans.

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken speaks during a press conference in Jakarta, Indonesia on Tuesday, Dec. 14, 2021. (Olivier Douliery/Pool Photo via AP)U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken speaks during a press conference in Jakarta, Indonesia on Tuesday, Dec. 14, 2021. “Without swift progress, in light of Iran’s fast-forwarding of its nuclear program, the JCPOA will very soon become an empty shell.”The accord, sealed in Vienna in 2015, was meant to rein in Iran’s nuclear program in return for loosened economic sanctions. Following the U.S. decision to withdraw and reimpose sanctions on Iran, Tehran has ramped up its nuclear program again by enriching uranium beyond the thresholds allowed in the agreement. Speaking to reporters in Jakarta, Blinken pointed to the frustration expressed by the European powers.

The federal agency that measures racial diversity is led mostly by white peopleEnlarge this image toggle caption Claire Harbage/NPR Claire Harbage/NPRIn her three years working at the U.S. Census Bureau, Mónica García-Pérez remembers rarely seeing or hearing people like her. And for outsiders, it's nearly impossible to fully understand the goings-on of this often-overlooked federal agency. The bureau has undercounted people of color for decadesThe Census Bureau declined to make a representative available for an interview about the racial and ethnic makeup of its staff. "I had to advocate for the Census Bureau to look at the full diversity of the Latino population," Vargas says. In June, President Biden directed the bureau and other federal agencies to assess their diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility efforts.

Just after 4 p.m. Friday, Mayfield Health and Rehabilitation nursing home residents hunkered down inside the small-town Western Kentucky facility for a tornado practice drill. Mayfield's four-wing, one-story nursing facility suffered catastrophic damage and was declared a total loss by insurance agents Monday. 'Divine intervention'Before the twister touched down in Mayfield, Stewart said staffers recently moved eight residents out of one of the four wings so construction could take place. Staff began bringing residents and staff to the center of the building. You may like:After surviving tornado, Mayfield residents anxiously wonder where they go from hereBehind her, Next Level Hospitality Services Regional Director of Culinary Services Sarah Waggoner stood near her two-door Honda Accord.

Close to 8,000 Haitians were eventually expelled from Del Rio to Haiti, U.S. officials say. He got as far as Del Rio – and then was put on a plane to Haiti. Four people expelled from Del Rio told Reuters they were struggling to pay for plane tickets and get visas in order. Some left Chile while awaiting visa renewals, and must now contend with tougher visa rules from 2018. Migrant advocates say visa applications for Haitians in Chile and Brazil are backed up, partly because of the pandemic.

Share this Story: Rex Murphy: Jussie Smollett injured an entire nationRex Murphy: Jussie Smollett injured an entire nation Don’t put him in jail. Try refreshing your browser, or Rex Murphy: Jussie Smollett injured an entire nation Back to video He staged the cretinous “attack” on his Black and homosexual self on the 2 a.m.-streets of “MAGA-country Chicago.” Background. Actor Jussie Smollett heads to trial over alleged attack in 2019 The cable shows were almost suffocating in their support of Smollett and his claims. Jussie Smollett lied. What a miserable citizen Jussie Smollett is.

President Joe Biden on Monday declined to extend a program that suspended student loan payments during the pandemic. White House press secretary Jen Psaki told Forbes:We will engage directly with federal student loan borrowers to ensure they have the resources they need and are in the appropriate repayment plan. The suspension of payments benefitted about 41 million borrowers, the White House added. During Biden’s presidency, the administration has forgiven $12.5 billion of student loan debt for nearly 640,000 students. And as of January 31, 2022, “student loan borrowers will have received $110 billion of student loan cancellation from 22 months of temporary student loan forbearance,” Forbes reported.

NEW ORLEANS — Addressing reporters at a meeting of the Democratic Governors Association, Gov. Roy Cooper of North Carolina gave an emphatic answer when asked whether he expected President Biden to seek a second term — and whether he believed that was in the best interests of his party. “I do and I do,” Mr. Cooper said on Friday, adding, “I fully expect him to seek re-election and I will support him, and in fact we’re going to win North Carolina for him.”But just three minutes later, Mr. Cooper — the only Democratic governor to twice win a state that former President Donald J. Trump carried on the same ballot — was sketching out what could be the makings of a Cooper for President message to primary voters. He trumpeted his repeal of his state’s so-called bathroom bill targeting transgender people, an executive order granting paid parental leave to state employees and another order putting North Carolina on a path to carbon neutrality by 2050. “That’s why Democratic governors are so important,” he said, alluding to next year’s midterm elections.

Time magazine’s decision to make Tesla billionaire Elon Musk its person of the year for 2021 has been criticised because of his attitude to tax, opposition to unions and playing down the dangers of Covid. Elon Musk on the cover of Time’s upcoming issue. Let’s change the rigged tax code so The Person of the Year will actually pay taxes and stop freeloading off everyone else. It’s *TIME* for Elon Musk to pay his fair share in taxes. I held back on saying much about Time selecting Elon Musk as person of the years until I read their reasoning.

Last month, the US government held the largest-ever auction of oil and gas drilling leases in the Gulf of Mexico’s history, offering up more than 80m acres of the gulf’s seabed for fossil fuel extraction. The president’s administration insisted it was obliged to hold the lease sale due to a court ruling in favor of a dozen states that sued to lift a blanket pause placed on new drilling permits by Biden. But a memo filed by the US Department of Justice before the lease sale acknowledges that this judgement does not force the government to auction off drilling rights to the gulf. “They didn’t have to hold this sale and they didn’t have to hold it on this timeline. “Interior had a lot of discretion over whether to hold this lease sale and they chose to do it anyway,” said Brettny Hardy, a senior attorney at Earthjustice.

Last week, the Supreme Court declined to strike down the Texas law banning all abortions that take place six weeks after pregnancy. SB8, as the law is called, is unique in that it allows private citizens to sue anyone who performs or facilitates an abortion. Over the weekend, California governor Gavin Newsom had something to say about this. “SCOTUS is letting private citizens in Texas sue to stop abortion? “If that’s the precedent then we’ll let Californians sue those who put ghost guns and assault weapons on our streets.

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis appeared on "The Ingraham Angle" on Monday to discuss his office's report that more than 70 night-time flights moving migrants from the border landed in Jacksonville since the summer. FLORIDA GOVERNOR: BIDEN ADMIN LANDED DOZENS OF SECRET FLIGHTS IN FLORIDAGOV. They’ve done over 70 flights in the last six months, dump people here. And we had—a few weeks ago—one of those people that Biden dumped, ended up committing a murder in northeast Florida.

It’s unclear if the provision will be included in the Senate’s version of the Build Back Better Act. Biden and other proponents of health care provisions included in the Build Back Better Act argue it will expand medical coverage for the uninsured. The White House touts its plan as "the biggest expansion of affordable health care in a decade." The Senate version of the Build Back Better Act is expected to include notable changes from the House’s version. The White House said the president will travel to Ft. Campbell, Ky. for a storm briefing Wednesday, and to Mayfield and Dawson Springs, Ky. to survey storm damage.

His government experience comprises a couple of years working at the Federal Trade Commission in the late 1990s straight out of law school. Exactly where Kanter stands on these big questions is directionally apparent, but he has so far managed to avoid getting into some crucial specifics. These are not questions that will be as easy to dodge in court filings and courtrooms as they are in roundtables and law journals. Depending on how long this period lasts, an antitrust enforcement program that tries to upend the consumer welfare standard and its focus on lowering costs could prove even harder than it would otherwise already be. Kanter’s ascendance at the DOJ represents the culmination of a long career and the prospect of serious changes.

To save lives, overdose antidote should be sold over-the-counter, advocates argueEnlarge this image toggle caption Aneri Pattani/KHN Aneri Pattani/KHNLouise Vincent figures her group, the North Carolina Survivors Union, saves at least 1,690 lives a year. The harm-reduction and syringe service program in Greensboro, N.C., distributes the opioid overdose reversal medication naloxone to people who use drugs. It has allotted an unprecedented $30 million in federal funds for harm-reduction groups and announced the creation of a model law that state legislatures can pass to improve access. The product has long been deemed safe and effective for community use, harm-reduction groups say, even by the FDA. Harm Reduction Therapeutics, a nonprofit pharmaceutical company, said it plans to apply for an over-the-counter naloxone nasal spray next year, with the goal that it be on shelves in 2023.

(Bloomberg) -- The U.S. made an offer to Japan aimed at resolving disputes over tariffs imposed on Japanese steel and aluminum under former President Donald Trump in 2018, people familiar with the situation said. The metals dispute started in 2018, when Trump imposed duties on steel and aluminum from the European Union, Asia and elsewhere, citing risks to national security. In 2020, inbound steel shipments to the U.S. from Japan totaled 732,158 tons, Census said in a separate report. The steel and aluminum tariffs remain in place on imports from the U.K. Last week, Raimondo and U.K. Secretary of State for International Trade Anne-Marie Trevelyan discussed finding a solution early next year. (Updates with comments from Japanese official in third and ninth paragraphs.)

To do that, we will lean on our greatest strength: our alliances and partnerships,” Blinken said in a speech in Indonesia, outlining the administration’s Indo-Pacific plans. Blinken insisted that Washington was not trying to force countries to choose between the U.S. and China or seeking conflict with Beijing. But he laid out a list of complaints about “Beijing’s aggressive actions” from “Northeast Asia to Southeast Asia and from the Mekong River to the Pacific Islands.”Blinken is in Indonesia on the first leg of a weeklong, three-nation tour of Southeast Asia that will take him next to Malaysia and Thailand. Countering China’s growing aggressiveness in the region, particularly in the South China Sea, in Hong Kong and against self-ruled Taiwan is prominent on his agenda. “We are determined to ensure freedom of navigation in the South China Sea.

It found that 20 countries have moved toward authoritarianism from 2016 through 2021, nearly triple the number that moved toward democracy during that time. Democracy is slow and deliberative, process oriented and, as a result, capable of manipulation by special interests that exploit information asymmetries. And advocates of democracy have done a lousy job of proving the superiority of their system. The real problem may well be that democrats no longer believe in the superiority of their system or the need to protect those rights. It will take more than a summit of democracies to re-instill that faith and that commitment.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken made the remarks during a trip to IndonesiaJakarta (AFP) – The United States is preparing "alternatives" in case efforts to revive a deal to curb Iran's nuclear ambitions collapse, Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Tuesday, as expectations grow that talks will fail. Negotiations restarted on Thursday last week to try to revive the 2015 deal between Iran and world powers, which the United States withdrew from under Donald Trump in 2018. Blinken's remarks came after Biden recently said the United States was preparing "additional measures" against Iran. "Unless there's swift progress... the Iran nuclear agreement will become an empty shell," Blinken said, referring to the statement. The deal ensured sanctions relief for Iran in return for tight curbs on its nuclear programme, which was put under extensive UN monitoring.

(CNN) Sen. Joe Manchin, the most pivotal swing vote in the Senate, indicated on Monday that a significant amount of work remains to be done to earn his support for President Joe Biden's sweeping social safety net expansion, potentially delivering a fatal blow to Democratic leaders' hopes of getting the bill passed in the Senate before Christmas. In a critical moment for the party's agenda, Manchin spoke with Biden on Monday afternoon as the President tries to secure his support for the plan. A spokesperson for the senator said in a statement Monday evening that Manchin and the President "had a productive conversation," and "will continue to talk over the coming days." The concerns that Manchin is raising, however, suggest that he needs to see wholesale changes to the bill, a process that could take weeks or even potentially months if he holds firm. When asked if he thinks the bill can get done this year, he said: "anything is possible" and he's still "engaged" in discussions.

We are in the midst of just one of those news cycles, with The New York Times publishing a big takeout on the potential Biden replacements within the Democratic Party over the weekend. The White House, aware of the whispers, made clear Biden is planning to go for a second term. "The President has every intention of running for reelection," White House press secretary Jen Psaki said on Monday. Below, a look at the most commonly mentioned names for 2024 contenders and a single line on their viability. * Kamala Harris: She's undoubtedly struggled as vice president but she's still the most likely Democrat not named Biden to wind up as the Democratic nominee in 2024.

A contempt of Congress charge carries a penalty of up to a year in jail. Mr. Meadows encouraged members of Congress to object to Joseph R. Biden Jr.’s victory, and he pursued baseless allegations of voter fraud in several states, according to the panel. At one point, an organizer of the rally turned to Mr. Meadows for help, telling him that things “have gotten crazy and I desperately need some direction. The exchanges suggest that Mr. Meadows — who at times expressed personal skepticism about the claims of election fraud and theft pushed by Mr. Trump and his allies — catered to Mr. Trump by seeking evidence to support the president’s allegations. Mr. Meadows was in contact with a broad collection of obscure characters whose sometimes zany plans and theories made their way into the White House at a critical time.

During a briefing where the recommendation was announced, Rep. Liz Cheney of Wyoming read aloud a text conversation in which Donald Trump Jr. begged Meadows to encourage Trump to take stronger action against the rioters. The Capitol Police tweet is not enough," a text sent by Trump Jr. to Meadows read, according to Cheney. (Trump Jr. is likely referring to a tweet from Trump on the afternoon of the insurrection that asked rioters to"remain peaceful" and "please support our Capitol Police and Law Enforcement.") Meadows responded to Trump Jr., writing: "I'm pushing it hard. In a series of follow-up texts, Trump Jr. continued: "We need an Oval Office address.

FLOTUS shuts down 'ridiculous' health attacks on Joe Biden as she dismisses poll dropAdded: 14.12.2021 2:16 | 24 views | 0 commentsFLOTUS Jill Biden slammed "ridiculous" attacks concerning the health of Joe Biden amid falling poll numbers for the US President.

Added: 14.12.2021 3:17 | 14 views | 0 commentsDespite showering voters with hundreds of billions of taxpayer dollars, Biden is discovering that the $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan is not buying him love - or even decent approval ratings.

He’s a visionary who has created such innovative companies as Tesla and Space X when doubters saw only Mission Impossible. Time has some mumbo-jumbo about how we’re in a brave new world and the mercurial Musk somehow matches the post-pandemic moment. But it has to be acknowledged that his rocket company reinvigorated space travel, pioneering the reusable rocket, before Jeff Bezos and Richard Branson got into the game. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APPBut you can see why Musk makes for colorful copy, which proved irresistible to Time. No way Time was going to pick Donald Trump, even with the caveat that the choice is about impact, good or bad.

The moves have prompted election and voting rights watchdogs in America to warn about the suppression of non-white voters aimed at providing Republicans an edge in coming elections. The lawyers and groups spearheading self-professed election integrity measures include some figures who pushed Trump’s baseless claims of fraud after the 2020 election. Among the election lawyers and groups advocating tougher voting laws, Mitchell, a veteran conservative lawyer , boasts the highest profile and has sparked the most scrutiny. Voting rights activists protest against Texas legislators who are advancing new voting restrictions in May. Such complaints have not deterred the legislative blitz by Mitchell with allied lawyers and groups nationwide to change voting laws.

Time magazine on Monday named Tesla chief and space entrepreneur Elon Musk as its person of the year 2021, citing his embodiment of the technological shifts but also troubling trends reshaping people's lives. Advertising Read moreMusk -- who overtook Amazon founder Jeff Bezos this year to become the world's wealthiest person -- wields impact on Earth with his Tesla electric car company and beyond our planet with his SpaceX rockets. Among those trends, Felsenthal listed "the continuing decline of traditional institutions in favor of individuals; government dysfunction that has delivered more power and responsibility to business and chasms of wealth and opportunity." Elon Musk (@elonmusk) is TIME's 2021 Person of the Year #TIMEPOY https://t.co/8Y5BhIldNs pic.twitter.com/B6h6rndjIh — TIME (@TIME) December 13, 2021 Elon Musk is TIME's 2021 Person of the Year'Wealthy, mostly white men'Felsenthal noted Musk's provocative vision is accompanied by a persona which is a "blunt instrument that often seems to revel in division and aggressive mockery as he gives the world access to his id through social media." "To Musk, that is progress, steering capital allocation away from the government to those who will be good stewards of it," Felsenthal wrote.

REUTERS/Lisi NiesnerVIENNA, Dec 14 (Reuters) - Iran on Tuesday accused Western parties to its 2015 nuclear deal of "persisting in their blame game", a day after European diplomats warned the pact would soon be an empty shell if not revived. If there's real will to remedy the culprit's wrongdoing, the way for a quick, good deal will be paved." Failure in the negotiations would carry the risk of a new regional war, with Israel pushing for a tough policy if diplomacy fails to rein in Iran’s nuclear work. The United States has said it would remove curbs “inconsistent" with the nuclear pact if Iran resumed compliance with the deal, implying it would leave in place others such as those imposed under terrorism or human rights measures. But Biden cannot promise this because the nuclear deal is a non-binding political understanding, not a legally binding treaty.

Washington (CNN) Hundreds of millions of devices around the world could be exposed to a newly revealed software vulnerability, as a senior Biden administration cyber official warned executives from major US industries Monday that they need to take action to address "one of the most serious" flaws she has seen in her career. As major tech firms struggle to contain the fallout from the incident, US officials held a call with industry executives warning that hackers are actively exploiting the vulnerability. Big financial firms and health care executives attended the phone briefing. CNN has reached out to CISA for comment on the call. CyberScoop, a technology news site, first reported on contents of the call.

An appeals court on Monday night rejected another attempt by the Biden administration to end the Trump-era policy that requires migrants seeking asylum in the US to await their cases in Mexico. The 5th US Circuit Court of Appeals made the ruling on the so-called “Remain in Mexico” policy that President Biden decried on the campaign trail and suspended just hours after taking office in January. Texas and Missouri sued over the revocation and a federal judge later ruled the policy, formally known as the Migrant Protection Protocols, had to be reinstated. Migrants under the Migrant Protection Protocols (MPP) program walk to Mexico across the Lerdo-Stanton International Bridge after being returned from the U.S. to Mexico to continue their asylum application. Last week, in compliance with the federal judge’s ruling to restore the policy, the Biden administration began sending the first asylum seekers back to Mexico.

Biden approves Tennessee, Illinois emergency declarations after major stormsPresident Joe Biden on Monday declared that an emergency exists in Tennessee and Illinois after the region was battered by a deadly storm system on Saturday. Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee requested federal emergency assistance for nine counties, seeking help with debris removal and emergency protective measures after touring storm damage. Emergency protective measures, including direct federal assistance, will be provided at 75% Federal funding, the statement read. -The Associated Press contributed to this report

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken's trip to Southeast Asia is significant as it sends a strong signal that Washington is keen to strengthen relations with the region at a time of growing tensions with China, according to an expert from a think tank. Simon Tay, chairman of the Singapore Institute of International Affairs, said Blinken's swing through the region this week "must be seen clearly in the context of the Sino-American competition." "It's a big signal that he is coming to the region and starting with Indonesia," he added. This is Blinken's first visit to Southeast Asia since President Joe Biden took office in January. In his first stop in Indonesia on Tuesday, the top diplomat called on U.S. allies and partners in the region to defend the rules-based order.

FILE - U.S. President Bill Clinton raises his glass to toast with Russian President Boris Yeltsin at a dinner reception in Moscow's Kremlin Hall of Facets, May 10, 1995. (AP Photo/Alexander Zemlianichenko, File)FILE - U.S. President Bill Clinton raises his glass to toast with Russian President Boris Yeltsin at a dinner reception in Moscow's Kremlin Hall of Facets, May 10, 1995. Putin later said NATO was unwilling to embrace Russia because the West feared its power and independent stance. While exploring possible NATO membership, Putin also moved to forge closer political and security ties with Washington and its allies. “NATO’s relationship with Ukraine is going to be decided by the 30 NATO allies and Ukraine, no one else,” NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said last week.

During a crucial week for Joe Biden’s agenda that will likely feature a political showdown on his Build Back Better legislation in the Senate, voting rights activists are turning up the pressure in Washington. The diverse group of activists came to Washington from around the country and were focused primarily on issues around voting rights and poverty. Barber and several other voting rights activists have been frustrated by what they view as a lack of focus and from the Biden administration regarding voting rights. Arnwine was referring to the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act. The bill would restore provisions in the Voting Rights Act of 1965 that were removed by the supreme court’s Shelby v Holder decision in 2013.

Toyota Motor Corp. announced on Tuesday that it aims to sell 3.5 million electric vehicles a year globally in 2030 — part of its plan to build momentum in its push for carbon neutrality. Toyota said it will also increase its investment in battery development to ¥2 trillion ($18 billion) from the ¥1.5 trillion previously announced and launch 30 EV models globally by 2030, President Akio Toyoda said at a press briefing. With the announcement, Japan’s largest automaker doubles the number of new EV models: the previous plan proposed 15 models by 2025. Once seen as lagging behind in the U.S., the automaker made news earlier this year with its plans for EVs. Toyota’s push into EVs comes as rivals have made aggressive commitments to electrify their lineups and build out vehicle battery manufacturing infrastructure.

"Like the folks in western Kentucky, I'm not doing so well today and I'm not sure how many of us are," Beshear said. But the governor said fears of a devastating death toll in the collapse of the candle factory in the ravaged town of Mayfield were apparently unfounded. Biden to visit KentuckyPresident Joe Biden said he will visit Kentucky on Wednesday and survey damage in Mayfield. Biden has declared a major disaster in Kentucky, allowing additional federal aid to be channeled into recovery efforts. A massive search effort was underway on Monday at the candle factory, which was left a twisted ruin by the force of the powerful winds.

Russia on Monday vetoed a Security Council resolution formally linking climate change and global security that was supported by a majority of UN member states. China abstained, while India voted against, arguing that global warming was chiefly an issue related to economic development, rather than international security. "We need to better understand this link" between security and climate change, she said. Russia's ambassador to the UN, Vassily Nebenzia, said a resolution would "create confusion and duplication" with other UN forums tackling climate change. "For us, the direct link between terrorism and climate change is far from obvious," he said.

Poor People's Campaign in the nation's capitalMARTINSBURG, W. VA.—After decorating their cars with messages and holiday streamers, hundreds of Poor People’s Campaign activists descended on D.C. today in yet another show of support for President Biden’s Build Back Better social programs expansion legislation. Several days before the car caravan, the five leaders of the West Virginia Poor People’s Campaign—including West Virginia native and longtime union organizer Stewart Acuff–demanded Manchin stop ducking meetings and explain his stands to the PPC face-to-face. There was one “virtual” meeting in February, via zoom, and none since, despite repeated demands, rallies, and town halls in West Virginia. We are the 187,000 children living in poverty in West Virginia and the more than 108,000 people without health insurance. 75% of West Virginia voters see the importance of the job creation potential of the Build Back Better Agenda.

To immediately fill in the gaps, the Wildland Firefighter Foundation did what has become routine: start a GoFundMe. “Without the GoFundMe, the Missoula Smokejumpers, and the Wildland Firefighter Foundation…,” he said before pausing, “there’s absolutely no way I would have made it. Advocates like the Grassroots Wildland Firefighters have long been pushing for Congress to address the low pay and federal bureaucracy that has left wildland firefighters frustrated and at times barely staying afloat. His family also has a GoFundMe going — though Charlie, who donates to every wildland firefighter campaign he sees, didn’t want to set one up for himself. And across GoFundMe, pages ask donors to help wildland firefighters with testicular cancer or mesothelioma.

She said Nancy Pelosi is "increasingly cantankerous" yet is slated to run for an 18th term in Congress. She has real power – whether or not she’s in the majority," Ingraham said. And at age 81, he’s in no mood to give up power," Ingraham said. After listing many of the long-standing politicians in the Democratic Party, Ingraham said, "This is the party of the future? According to Ingraham, the Democrats have made the choice to abandon their principles after a progressive wing entered Congress.

Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., leaves his office moments after speaking with President Joe Biden about his long-stalled domestic agenda, at the Capitol in Washington, Monday, Dec. 13, 2021. Manchin is a pivotal Democratic vote on passage of the president's top legislative priority. Scott Applewhite)Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., leaves his office moments after speaking with President Joe Biden about his long-stalled domestic agenda, at the Capitol in Washington, Monday, Dec. 13, 2021. Manchin is a pivotal Democratic vote on passage of the president's top legislative priority. But his stance underscored that the White House and Senate leaders still must make concessions to nail down Manchin’s support.

FILE - Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., speaks to reporters, at the Capitol in Washington, Tuesday, Sept. 14, 2021. A line from a speech given from the U.S. Senate floor by McConnell before rioters broke into the Capitol on Jan. 6 tops a Yale Law School librarian's list of the most notable quotes of 2021. Scott Applewhite, File)FILE - Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., speaks to reporters, at the Capitol in Washington, Tuesday, Sept. 14, 2021. A line from a speech given from the U.S. Senate floor by McConnell before rioters broke into the Capitol on Jan. 6 tops a Yale Law School librarian's list of the most notable quotes of 2021. “The voters, the courts, and the states have all spoken.” — U.S. Sen. Mitch McConnell, remarks on Senate floor, Jan. 6.

The seven Democratic and two Republican members of the House of Representatives Select Committee approved a report recommending the criminal charge against Meadows by a 9-0 vote. Meadows has been called repeatedly to appear for depositions before the Democratic-led committee and has declined to do so despite being subpoenaed. Asked about the committee decision in a Fox News Channel interview, Meadows said: "Obviously it's disappointing but not surprising." 1/5 White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows speaks to reporters following a television interview, outside the White House in Washington, U.S. October 21, 2020. Meadows could become the third associate of the former Republican president to face a criminal contempt of Congress charge.

Russia on Monday said that it could be forced to deploy nuclear missiles in Europe as a reaction to what it perceives as NATO’s intentions to make similar moves. Intermediate-range ballistic and cruise missiles were banned in Europe as part of a 1987 treaty aimed at addressing Cold War tensions. After years of Russia allegedly violating the pact, the U.S. exited the agreement in 2019, according to Reuters. NATO has said that there would be no new U.S. missiles in Europe and that it would address threats from new Russian missiles with conventional weapons. However, Ryabkov said Russia had a "complete lack of trust" in the military alliance, the news service noted.

Aimal (R), brother of Ezmarai Ahmadi, stands next to the wreckage of a vehicle that was damaged in a US drone strike in the Kwaja Burga neighbourhood of Kabul on September 18, 2021. The U.S. military will not punish any personnel for the drone strike this summer in the capital of Afghanistan that killed 10 civilians, including as many as seven children, NBC reported Monday. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, who previously called the civilian deaths a "horrible mistake," concurred in the decision not to reprimand any personnel for the strike. In a statement, NEI founder and president Dr. Steven Kwon called the decision not to punish anyone for the drone strike "shocking." The strike came during the chaotic withdrawal of U.S. troops from Afghanistan, which President Joe Biden had ordered in April.

New York (CNN Business) All private sector employers in New York City will now be required to implement a Covid-19 vaccine mandate by December 27, the city's mayor Bill de Blasio announced Monday. "It's unclear if the city has authority to issue such a mandate," Wylde said, adding that the city business leaders are "very supportive" of vaccines. For instance, unlike the city, New York State does not have a vaccine mandate for private employers. And the Biden administration's vaccine mandate for employers with 100 or more workers has been held up by court challenges. Wylde said there is concern over a lack of coordination for federal, state and city health policies.

The dwindling number of ships directly offshore can’t be disputed — but the total number of vessels waiting hasn’t gone down because the ports have suddenly sped up operations. The California agencies that regulate air quality said that they were not consulted on the shift before it was announced, though they are cautiously optimistic that it could help improve the situation. “We have not specifically looked at the air quality impacts associated with this change,” Michael Benjamin, chief of the California Air Resources Board’s air quality planning and science division, said in an email. “We do not yet know what the net impact or benefit of these potentially higher emissions would be for our region’s air quality,” agency spokesperson Nahal Mogharabi said. And the ports will probably continue to be a bottleneck for U.S. imports for months to come.

President Joe Biden (AP Photo/Susan Walsh)The most famous quotes Bill Clinton ever uttered as president were whoppers. That’s an additional $3 trillion added to the deficit over 10 years. Democrats purposely included bogus sunsets in the bill for new entitlements involving child care and universal preschool in order to lowball the measure’s true costs. Yet they have publicly proclaimed that they have no intention of ever letting any of these programs expire. Indeed, $5 trillion is a far more accurate spending estimate than the phony, gimmick-laden accounting flimflam that the White House prefers.

Biden is falling short, but gets it that Ukraine is now an advancing democracy and wants to go its own way despite once being the most important part of Russia. Ukraine is already combatting Russia-supported rebels and Biden understands that Hungary, Poland and the Baltic states could be next in line for takeovers. A spokesman said major European nations are on board with Biden about economic sanctions as well as his supplying Ukraine with defensive weaponry. Biden agreed with Putin on no offensive weaponry. Putin wasn’t deterred from much by President Barack Obama’s sanctions after Russia facilitated Crimea’s separation from Ukraine, and Russia can, to some extent, rely more on China and other parts of Asia if Europe gets tough.

Share this Story: Russia warns it will deploy once banned nuclear missiles in Europe if Ukraine joins NATORussia warns it will deploy once banned nuclear missiles in Europe if Ukraine joins NATO Russia's deputy foreign minister said Moscow would turn to the missiles, which could hit European capitals, if NATO did not pledge never to use its nuclear weapons Photo by Brendan Hoffman/Getty ImagesArticle content Russia on Monday threatened to deploy intermediate-range nuclear missiles in Europe, escalating its stand-off with the West over Ukraine. Advertisement Story continues below This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Try refreshing your browser, or Russia warns it will deploy once banned nuclear missiles in Europe if Ukraine joins NATO Back to video Intermediate-range nuclear forces (INF) were banned in 1987 under a treaty signed between Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev and U.S. president Ronald Reagan. Advertisement Story continues below This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Advertisement Story continues below This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.

They're shying away from the topic of former President Donald Trump, after years relying on him to motivate Democratic voters to get to the polls. In Massachusetts, Trump is backing former Republican state representative Geoff Diehl against popular Republican Governor Charlie Baker, before he announced he wouldn't seek a third term. Democrats now see the heavily Democratic state as their most likely pickup. "If one of Trump's candidates is nominated or beats an incumbent Republican governor, I think that's news. After McAuliffe's loss in Virginia, Democrats are also adjusting their approach to education.

The BBBA includes several provisions that would lower prescription drug costs for people with Medicare and private insurance and reduce drug spending by the federal government and private payers. The key prescription drug proposals included in the BBBA would:This brief summarizes these provisions and discusses the expected effects on people, program spending, and drug prices and innovation. The legislation appropriates 10-year (2022-2031) funding of $3 billion for implementing the drug price negotiation provisions. A separate CBO estimate of the same Medicare drug price negotiation provision included in another House bill in the 116th Congress (H.R. The legislation also allows beneficiaries the option of smoothing out their out-of-pocket costs over the year rather than face high out-of-pocket costs in any given month.

White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows speaks to reporters following a television interview, outside the White House in Washington, U.S. October 21, 2020. The seven Democratic and two Republican members of the House of Representatives Select Committee approved a report recommending the criminal charge against Meadows by a 9-0 vote. Meadows has been called repeatedly to appear for depositions before the Democratic-led committee and has declined to do so despite being subpoenaed. Asked about the committee decision in a Fox News Channel interview, Meadows said: "Obviously it's disappointing but not surprising." Meadows could become the third associate of the former Republican president to face a criminal contempt of Congress charge.

Indonesia's President Joko Widodo gestures while speaking with the U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken as U.S. He said United States, its allies and some South China Sea claimants would push back against any unlawful action. Rather, it's to protect the right of all countries to choose their own path, free from coercion and intimidation." China claims almost the entire South China Sea as its own, despite some overlapping claims with other coastal states and an international tribunal that ruled that China's vast claim has no legal basis. Blinken, who will also visit Malaysia and Thailand this week, said the United States would work to strengthen supply chains and close the region's infrastructure gaps, from ports and roads to power grids and the internet.

TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Guatemalan President Alejandro Giammattei says his country will stay by Taiwan's side and has ruled out accepting vaccines from China as that country ramps up its international vaccine diplomacy. Giammattei was interviewed by Reuters Tuesday evening (June 2), ahead of next week's visit by American Vice President Kamala Harris. However, the president dismissed the prospect of importing Chinese vaccines, unlike neighboring Honduras, which reportedly considered pursuing Chinese jabs earlier this year, and El Salvador, which has received several hundred thousand doses of China's Sinovac COVID-19 vaccine. Giammattei pointed to the lower efficacy of Chinese vaccines, adding that Guatemala has no plans to court Beijing and will instead stick to its decades-old alliance with Taiwan. El Salvador switched diplomatic recognition from Taiwan to China in 2018.

Trump ally aims for Rep. Bill Foster's seat Presented by AARPHappy Tuesday, Illinois. TOP TALKERRepublican Catalina Lauf is pivoting her congressional campaign to run in IL-11 in the seat now held by Rep. Bill Foster. We are stronger together in that regard,” Jacob Kaplan, executive director of Cook County Dems, said in an interview. The pledge is only for Cook County candidates, so folks running statewide don’t need to sign the pledge. “I’m a dad and local volunteer who is ready to serve my neighbors on the Cook County Board,” he said in a statement.

After all, Perdue very nearly won in Georgia last year—and so did Trump. ? NH-Gov: Democratic state Sen. Tom Sherman says he's considering a bid against Republican Gov. ? OH-Gov: Republican Rep. Warren Davidson, who first floated the possibility of running against Gov. Obituaries? Bob Dole, the longtime Republican Senate leader and unsuccessful GOP nominee for president in 1996, has died at the age of 98. While the move might have helped keep Reagan at bay, the Ford-Dole ticket lost a close race to Georgia Gov.

And he has been receptive to the prospect of Alabama Senate GOP candidate Lynda Blanchard challenging Alabama Gov. Trump has been "pulling strings behind the scenes and guiding candidates in the right direction," this person said. Pat McCrory, another GOP Senate candidate, and Budd's supporters think that he could gain on McCrory if he doesn't have to split votes with Walker. "It was my honor to be appointed by President Trump to serve as his Ambassador and I will continue to support the President and his America First Agenda," Blanchard said. The National Republican Senatorial Committee and the National Republican Congressional Committee do not support Republican candidates in open primaries, and the Republican Governors Association supports incumbents like Kemp.

WETUMPKA — Lindy Blanchard, a nonprofit director, former ambassador and major financial supporter of former President Donald Trump, entered the gubernatorial race on Tuesday, hitting traditional Alabama Republican issues while sprinkling in the former president's name. Blanchard, who Trump has reportedly encouraged to get into the race, is the second Republican to challenge Gov. James and Blanchard have both hit on themes of being conservative outsiders opposed to the federal government. REDISTRICTING:Montgomery state legislators hope county doesn't lose seats in Alabama redistrictingTim James, a businessman and the son of former Gov. Other Republican candidates for the office include Alabama State Auditor Jim Zeigler; correctional officer Stacy George and Dean Odle, a minister from Wetumpka.

James, said he is entering the race because he believes many conservative voters are “anxious” about the state’s recent political decisions. “This is not who the people of this state are,” James said in a telephone interview Monday. Ivey, while personally encouraging people to get vaccinated, has called the federal vaccine mandates ‘un-American, outrageous overreach.’James said he thought the state should do more, including an outright ban on mandates. Republican Lynda Blanchard, who was former President Donald Trump’s ambassador to Slovenia, has scheduled a Tuesday campaign event in Wetumpka. Blanchard filed to run for U.S. Senate but there has been speculation she could switch to the gubernatorial race.

Rep. Marty Wilde, D-Eugene, told the Capital Chronicle via text that he was considering getting into the race, but hadn’t decided. On the Republican side, Lane County Republican Committee Chair John Large said Alek Skarlatos was the front runner. “The spirit of the corps, the esprit de corps, for Lane County and Lane County Republicans – I’ve never seen it this high,” he said. Lane County Democratic Chair Chris Wig expects the seat will stay with a Democrat. RELATED STORY: After more than three decades, U.S. Rep. Peter DeFazio is done with CongressThis article has been updated to reflect comments from state Rep. Julie Fahey

On Wednesday afternoon, Ohio House Minority Leader Emilia Strong Sykes (D-Akron) announced that she will be stepping down as the Ohio Minority Leader. But we know there’s more work to do, more challenges to meet, and more injustices to address.”In 2019, Rep. Sykes was elected as the minority leader. “Though I am stepping down as Minority Leader, I am not stepping away from service—far from it. I love Akron, I love Summit County and I love Ohio, endlessly. During Leader Syke’s three-year job, she faced unprecedented challenges, including the Dayton shooting, COVID-19 pandemic, economic uncertainty and protests with systematic racism.

WASHINGTON, D. C. -- Broadview Heights Republican Shay Hawkins on Wednesday announced that he’s seeking a newly reconfigured congressional seat that includes Cleveland’s western suburbs, Akron and Medina County. “I am running this race because I am the best person to win the district for Republicans,” declared Hawkins, whose primary opponents will include former White House aide Max Miller of Rocky River. After Miller entered the race, Gonzalez decided against seeking re-election, and the predominantly Republican district was redrawn to lean slightly towards Democrats. Hawkins argues he’s better equipped to win the district and represent it in Congress than any other candidate. He’s an attorney with a Master of Business Administration degree who heads a trade association for funds that invest in Opportunity Zone projects to spur economic growth in low-income communities.

The map would place Democratic Rep. Marcy Kaptur, the longest-serving woman in House history, at serious risk. ? NY-Gov: Data for Progress' new Democratic primary survey for consultant Neal Kwatra, who Politico says is working for an unidentified donor, finds Gov. Dan McKee edging her out just 26-24 in the Democratic primary, with Treasurer Seth Magaziner at 16% and no one else hitting double digits. ? TX-Gov: UT Tyler's newest survey of the March Republican primary for The Dallas Morning News shows Gov. The main event in this constituency is the June Democratic primary between Reps. Sean Casten and Marie Newman.

(About 22% of Gwinnett County, including its more Democratic areas, was assigned to the safely blue 4th District, while the balance went to the dark red 10th District.) Trump outright lost Gwinnett County 50-44, and while he did win the 7th District, his 51-45 showing in 2016 was a big drop from what the GOP was accustomed to. Bourdeaux, a Georgia State University public policy professor, won the Democratic nomination after a crowded primary, and she proved to be a strong fundraiser. Finally, on the Friday before Election Day, Woodall finally went up with his first TV spot. Ultimately, while House Democrats didn’t make the gains in the suburbs they were hoping for, Bourdeaux pulled off a victory.

Justin Fairfax ran for governor) is of particular importance in Virginia because the lieutenant governor can break ties in the state Senate, where Democrats have just a narrow 21-19 advantage (the full state Senate isn't up for election again until 2023). ? PA-Sen, PA-06: Democratic Rep. Chrissy Houlahan announced Tuesday that she would seek re-election rather than enter the primary for Pennsylvania's open Senate seat. Laura Kelly, he took his name out of contention this week by endorsing Attorney General Derek Schmidt in the Republican primary. The field includes Broun, state Rep. Timothy Barr, former Georgia Revenue Commissioner David Curry, and wealthy businessman Matt Richards. ? OH-11: Cuyahoga County Councilwoman Shontel Brown is out with a positive ad ahead of the Aug. 3 Democratic primary.

The Evers-Barnes ticket ousted Walker and Kleefisch 50-48, and chatter quickly began that the now-former lieutenant governor would run in her own right. ? IA-Gov: Democratic state Sen. Pam Jochum says she's considering a bid against Republican Gov. ? IL-Gov: Venture capitalist Jesse Sullivan kicked off a bid for the Republican nomination to take on Democratic Gov. He joins a primary field that includes state Rep. Darren Bailey, businessman Gary Rabine, and former state Sen. Paul Schimpf. House? IL-17: Democratic state Rep. Mike Halpin, who'd been considering a bid for Illinois' open 17th Congressional District, announced this week that he'd instead run for state Senate.

Larry Hogan Thursday vetoed congressional redistricting legislation favored by Democrats. Hogan noted that the Biden administration is suing Texas over its new congressional and legislative redistricting maps and said he will ask DOJ to also challenge Maryland over its new redistricting map. Hogan said he fully anticipates that lawmakers will vote to override his veto sometime before this week’s special legislative session concludes. Hogan said he felt the veto needed to be issued quickly so that legal challenges to the new law could also begin quickly. Wednesday saw Senate Republicans try to get enough signatures to approve a discharge petition to bring the crime legislation to the floor.

The Times also rattles off a long list of Republicans who could potentially run, including state Sens. Meanwhile, the state AFL-CIO has endorsed former state Supreme Court Chief Justice Cheri Beasley's campaign for the Democratic nod. However, state Rep. Bobby DuBose, who finished a distant fifth, won't try a second time. ? IL-13: The Illinois Federation of Teachers, which represents 103,000 member statewide, has endorsed former Obama official Nikki Budzinski in the Democratic primary for the state's open 13th Congressional District. ? TX-01: Republican state Rep. Matt Schaefer, who'd reportedly been considering a bid for Texas' open 1st Congressional District, has instead announced that he'll seek re-election.

Under the proposal, the 1st, which Republican Rep. Nancy Mace flipped last year, would have voted 54-45 for Donald Trump, compared to 52-46 under the present map. Governors? AK-Gov: Freshman state Rep. Christopher Kurka announced Monday that he would challenge his fellow Republican, Gov. Moran has been considering a bid to succeed his fellow Republican, Rep. Louie Gohmert, in this safely red East Texas seat. ? TX-30: Democratic state Rep. Jasmine Crockett on Wednesday launched her bid for this safely blue Dallas seat with an endorsement from her would-be predecessor, retiring Rep. Eddie Bernice Johnson. As a result, Republicans will soon see their majority slip to 5-3 after another Republican seat becomes vacant in January.

Leahy had no trouble winning the Democratic primary, but he faced a very difficult race that fall against Republican Rep. Richard Mallary. Joe Biden would have won a 25-10 majority of seats in the state Senate and a 46-19 majority in the state House. PPP finds Mastriano edging out 2018 Senate nominee Lou Barletta 18-14, with state Senate President Pro Tempore Jake Corman in third with 4%. One person who did take his own name out of contention on Sunday, though, is former state Rep. Caleb Jones. ? NE-01: Democratic state Rep. Patty Pansing Brooks said Monday that she would challenge Rep. Jeff Fortenberry, who was indicted last month for lying to federal investigators.

Almost every congressional district retains its current presidential performance, according to Dave's Redistricting App, including the two most competitive seats, Democratic Rep. Kim Schrier's 8th and Republican Rep. Jaime Herrera Beutler's 3rd. Redistricting? MN Redistricting: Minnesota Republicans, who control the state Senate, have released congressional and legislative proposals; Democrats, who run the House, previously shared maps of their own last month. ? RI Redistricting: Rhode Island's Democratic-run legislature has put out new legislative maps, though lawmakers have not yet released a congressional plan. ? NC-07: Republican state Rep. Jon Hardister, who'd been considering a bid for North Carolina's open 7th District, has announced that he will instead seek re-election. Legislatures? VA State House: A recount in Virginia's 85th State House District certified Republican Karen Greenhalgh as the winner over Democratic Del.

? IN-01: Democratic state Rep. Mara Candelaria Reardon announced on Thursday that she's entering the race for Indiana's 1st Congressional District, which recently became open thanks to Rep. Pete Visclosky's retirement. Casha currently represents Morris County on the New Jersey Republican State Committee. He joins Islip Councilwoman Trish Bergin Weichbrodt in the June GOP primary. The narrator continues, "You don't need to be a rocket scientist to be in Congress, but George is a rocket scientist." It doesn't take a rocket scientist to vote for a rocket scientist."

Nathan Deal ahead of next year's Republican primary. If DeJear decides to enter the race, she would join state Rep. Ras Smith as the second prominent candidate to get in the contest. Brown, who left office following his aborted 2006 run for the Senate, re-emerged on the political stage in 2018 when he launched a primary campaign against then-Gov. Makki finished second in the 2020 Republican primary for this Pinellas County-based district, losing to Anna Paulina Luna 36-28. Attorney Virginia Applebaum is the Democratic candidate taking on former GOP state Rep. April Weaver.

Phil Rizzo, a businessman and pastor who finished second in the Republican gubernatorial primary last June, will take on two-term Rep. Mikie Sherrill (D-Montclair) in New Jersey’s 11th district. That has some Republicans viewing the 11th as potentially competitive in next year’s mid-term elections, depending on how Sherrill fares in redistricting. As a candidate for governor, Rizzo raised just enough to qualify for matching funds but missed the deadline by one day. Sherrill demonstrated early fundraising prowess as a congressional candidate, amassing more than $1.2 million by the end of 2017. In total, Sherrill has raised over $17.3 million since becoming a candidate for Congress in May 2017.

Whaley didn't indicate which office she'd prefer but seemed especially motivated to stop Jordan from representing Ohio in the Senate, saying, "If Jim Jordan decides to run [for Senate], it is highly likely he will win that primary. Senate? AZ-Sen: Republican Attorney General Mark Brnovich was reportedly likely to run for Arizona's governorship, but with Gov. But Yee hasn't committed to a gubernatorial bid, and in fact she's now also surfaced as a possible Senate candidate. Jones made a bid for Senate once before when he was still a Democrat, losing the 2008 primary in a runoff to former state Rep. Jim Martin. Meanwhile, Republican state Sen. Jim Hendren, a nephew of term-limited Gov.

Against this backdrop, Democratic Rep. Sharice Davids was able to wrest this seat from Republicans in the 2018 blue wave; they did little to try to win it back last year. If you haven't done so yet, you'll want to bookmark our complete data set with presidential results by congressional district for all 50 states, which we're updating continuously. In response to Fetterman's new comments, former Republican Rep. Ryan Costello engaged in some Twitter trash-talk, declaring, "If I ran I would smoke Fetterman in the suburbs." We also double-checked and can confirm that Costello is the last person who should be talking smack, because in 2018, he huffily abandoned his bid for re-election after the Pennsylvania Supreme Court undid the GOP's gerrymander and made his 6th Congressional District bluer. Aruna Miller has filed FEC paperwork for a bid in Maryland's 6th Congressional District, but she's not planning to challenge Rep. David Trone, a fellow Democrat.

Bottoms was facing a competitive re-election fight in this November's nonpartisan primary, though she insisted it didn't play a role in her decision not to run. Instead, the AJC writes, "Some City Hall insiders say they believe the looming Reed revival certainly factored into" Bottoms' departure. ? MD-Gov, MD-06: Democratic Rep. David Trone had been considering a bid for Maryland's open governorship next year, but he announced on Friday that he'd seek re-election for a third term instead. Just hours before Jackson announced his departure, the field to succeed him grew when City Councilman Basheer Jones launched a mayoral bid. ? New York, NY Mayor: The June 22 instant-runoff Democratic primary in New York City is fast approaching, and three more candidates for mayor have launched their first TV ads.

Healey’s big hireSCOOP: HEALEY STAFFS UP — State Attorney General Maura Healey has hired veteran Democratic strategist Mindy Myers as a general consultant for her as-yet-to-be-announced 2022 campaign. She worked with Boston Turnout Project's IEPAC in support of Boston Mayor Michelle Wu's campaign and is a partner at MZL Media. Anthony Collins joins as organizing director after a successful run as field director for Kendra Hicks’ Boston City Council campaign. Emily Neckes joins as finance director, the same position she held on Boston City Councilor Andrea Campbell’s mayoral campaign. by Steve Brown, WBUR: "[Baker campaign advisor] Jim Conroy said they are happy to provide refunds to any donors who ask.

‘The most contested’ remap in decades Presented by AARPTGIF, Illinois. It’s probably the most contested and conflicted process in decades,” said Vargas, referring to our recent report that a draft map showed Ald. “We have no reason to be buying flags of our own state that are made in other countries," state Sen. Steve Stadelmen (D-Rockford), said in a statement. Gilbert Villegas (36th) said the club could not reach terms with Chicago Public Schools, the property owner,” by Sun-Times’ David Roeder. Email to [email protected]HAPPY BIRTHDAYToday: former Congressman Luis Gutiérrez, state Sen. Jacqueline “Jacqui” Collins, Ald.

State Supreme Court Elections? NC Supreme Court: North Carolina Supreme Court Justice Robin Hudson announced this week that she would not run for re-election, though even if she'd sought and won another eight-year term, she'd have only been able to serve another year because she'd soon hit the state's mandatory retirement age of 72. J.B. Pritzker signed Illinois' new congressional map on Tuesday, which the state's Democratic-run legislature passed last month. Kevin Stitt signed Oklahoma's new congressional and legislative maps on Monday, following their recent passage along party lines in the state's Republican-run legislature. The legislative maps, meanwhile, replace maps passed earlier this year, prior to the release of 2020 census data, that relied on population estimates. The majority was also unclear as to whether its decision applies only to Wisconsin's legislative maps, or also to its congressional districts.

Hours before Spectrum News' Reuben Jones broke the news of the congressman's departure, Democratic state Sen. Don Davis told The Insider he would be interested in running for an open seat. ? OH Redistricting: Both chambers in Ohio's Republican-run legislature passed the GOP's new congressional map on Thursday, sending it to Republican Gov. Neil Parrott has announced that he'll seek a rematch against Democratic Rep. David Trone "no matter what the map looks like." ? MT-01: Democratic state Rep. Laurie Bishop announced Wednesday that she was ending her congressional campaign in order to run for re-election. Little edged out Labrador 37-33, but the defeated congressman soon rebounded by narrowly winning a 2019 race for state GOP chair.

This includes splitting Democratic Rep. Kathy Manning's home county of Guilford between three districts, stranding her in a dark-red 11th District with GOP Rep. Virginia Foxx. Redistricting? AL Redistricting: Republican Gov. ? DE Redistricting: Democratic Gov. The end-goal is to oust sophomore Democratic Rep. Chris Pappas—either at the ballot box, or by convincing him not to seek re-election. ? TX-37: Democratic state Rep. Gina Hinojosa, who hadn't ruled out a bid for Texas' new 37th District, says she'll run for re-election to the legislature instead.

North Carolina's filing period was set to begin on Monday at 12 PM ET, but a three-judge panel on the state Court of Appeals indefinitely delayed filing for legislative and congressional candidates that morning. Redistricting? Alaska: Officials in Matanuska-Susitna Borough, a fast-growing community of 100,000 residents located north of Anchorage (and often known as "Mat-Su"), have filed a lawsuit in state court challenging the state's new legislative maps. Under state law, the panel was required to produce a new map by Nov. 30 but was unable to do so. Henry McMaster has quickly signed the new state legislative maps passed by the Republican-run legislature with a number of Democratic votes earlier this week. ? Vermont: Vermont's Apportionment Board has advanced proposed legislative maps to state lawmakers, though because the panel is advisory in nature, legislators are not obligated to consider its plans.

Maryland Democrats “should not content themselves with some sort of good-government, everybody-high-five, we-kept-ourselves-pure” attitude, one national Democratic strategist told me. Those Maryland Democrats who staved off an 8–0 Democratic map “should not content themselves with some sort of good-government, everybody-high-five, we-kept-ourselves-pure” attitude, as one national Democratic strategist told me. In the last round of redistricting following the 2010 census, Maryland Democrats went from a 6–2 Democratic map to a 7–1 map. By going for an 8–0 Democratic map, then, Maryland Democrats wouldn’t just be helping the national party offset Republicans’ national redistricting advantage. Had the congressional delegation achieved consensus in favor of an 8–0 map, Democrats might have been able to roll through his opposition.

Their intent here is to target Republican Rep. Yvette Herrell, who first won office last year by ousting Democratic Rep. Xochitl Torres-Small 54-46 in a rematch. He ran in 2002 for what was then the 21st District and lost the GOP primary to none other than Nunes 37-33. State Rep. Julie Fahey, though, quickly took her name out of contention. ? TX-01: Businessman Joe McDaniel has joined the Republican primary for this safely red open seat in East Texas. The office will be on the ballot next year for a full four-year term, and the winner of the September Democratic primary should have no trouble in the general election.

Former state Rep. Tim Kelly raised very little, and Kildee handily beat him 54-42. Veteran Republican Rep. Fred Upton, however, again ran well ahead of the ticket and won his 18th term 56-40. The following year, Ward was selected to run the state Republican Party and quickly brought the organization into disrepute. J.B. Pritzker, Republican Rep. Adam Kinzinger tells Politico, "I never rule anything out." House? CA-08: Republican Rep. Paul Cook resigned Monday to take his spot on the San Bernardino County Board of Supervisors.

? OK Redistricting: Oklahoma’s Republican-run legislature passed new congressional and legislative maps on Friday, sending them to Republican Gov. Josh Green’s allies at 314 Action Fund have released a Public Policy Polling survey that shows him dominating next August’s Democratic primary. ? MA-Gov: YouGov’s poll for UMass Amherst and WCVB again finds Republican Gov. Democratic Gov. : President Joe Biden has appointed Theresa Greenfield, the 2020 Democratic Senate nominee in Iowa, to a U.S. Department of Agriculture post as the state’s director of rural development.

But while there's no escaping that this map is a Democratic gerrymander, it's a half-hearted one at best. The plan would shred the swingy, GOP-held 10th District and make it all but impossible for Democrats to hold the open the 17th District while pushing Democratic Rep. Brendan Boyle into Republican Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick's 1st District. Boyle reacted indignantly to the proposal, with a spokesperson accusing Street, the son of former Philly Mayor John Street, of "conspiring with Republicans to push a gerrymandered Republican map for personal political gain." ? NY-Gov, NY-AG: Attorney General Tish James on Thursday abruptly ended her six-week old Democratic primary campaign against Gov. Hutson's most prominent supporter is District Attorney Jason Williams, whose own victory last year represented a big win for criminal justice reformers.

Redistricting? AK Redistricting: Alaska's redistricting commission agreed on a new state Senate map on Tuesday, with the board's three Republican appointees voting in favor and its two independent members against. Republican Rep. Scott Franklin, who represents the current 15th, would instead find himself in the redder 28th District. ? NH-Sen: WMUR reports that wealthy businessman Bill Binnie, who took a distant third in the 2010 Senate Republican primary, is interested in another try, but there's no word from Binnie himself. Governors? AR-Gov: Former White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders lost her last notable Republican primary foe on Tuesday night when Attorney General Leslie Rutledge announced that she was switching to the race for lieutenant governor. ? IL-17: Two new Democrats announced campaigns for Illinois' revamped 17th Congressional District on Wednesday, former state Rep. Litesa Wallace and former TV meteorologist Eric Sorensen.

— Kyle Griffin (@kylegriffin1) December 13, 2021x Today, President Biden will sign an executive order to bring government services into the digital era for things like renewing passports, applying for Social Security benefits, and getting aid after natural disasters. — Kyle Griffin (@kylegriffin1) December 13, 2021KAMALA HARRISx Vice President Harris: "Women will die" if Roe is overturned or curtailed. — Kyle Griffin (@kylegriffin1) December 13, 2021CDCx 60.8%: The share of all Americans who are fully vaccinated, according to the CDC. https://t.co/K1tCkwDEiv — Kyle Griffin (@kylegriffin1) December 13, 2021TRUMPx Trump in Sept. 2016: "The mob takes the Fifth. — Kyle Griffin (@kylegriffin1) December 13, 2021

WASHINGTON — The House committee investigating the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol released a report on Sunday that laid out its case for a contempt of Congress charge against Mark Meadows, the chief of staff to former President Donald J. Trump, presenting evidence of Mr. Meadows’s deep involvement in the effort to overturn the 2020 presidential election. In the 51-page document, the committee said it wanted to question Mr. Meadows about an email he had sent a day before the attack advising that the National Guard would be used to defend Trump supporters . The panel said it also wanted to ask him about an exchange with an unnamed senator about rejecting electors for Joseph R. Biden Jr.[...]The report comes as the committee is scrutinizing a 38-page PowerPoint document containing plans to overturn Mr. Biden’s victory. That document, which Mr. Meadows provided to the committee, urged Mr. Trump to declare a national emergency to cling to power and included an unsupported claim that China and Venezuela had obtained control over the voting infrastructure in a majority of states. Mr. Giuliani has identified Mr. Waldron as a source of information for his legal campaign.

So Fox dispatched their White House wanker, Peter Doocy, to annoy Press Secretary Jen Psaki. Does the President think that’s good governing?" x Doocy: We’ve seen an arsonist burn down a half a million dollar Christmas tree in New York City back on the streets. Does the President think that’s good governing? Fox News is still obsessing over the torching of their beloved fake Christmas tree by a mentally challenged homeless man.

Groups Never Admit Failure[Naval, via Naked Capitalism 12-9-2021]You get a schism instead. The pandemicHow well masks protect[Max-Planck-Gesellschaft, via Naked Capitalism 12-5-2021]Three metres are not enough to ensure protection. “The Quiet Scandal of College Teaching”Jonathan Zimmerman [Liberties, via Naked Capitalism Water Cooler 12-10-2021]“A majority of college teachers are now adjunct or contract faculty. Recently uncovered software flaw ‘most critical vulnerability of the last decade’[Guardian, via Naked Capitalism 12-11-2021]“Explainer: What caused Amazon’s outage? [Bloomberg, via Naked Capitalism 12-7-2021]Trump’s Next Coup Has Already BegunBarton Gellman, December 6, 2021 [The Atlantic]January 6 was practice.

For me, as after the second shot, not so good (though much better than actual COVID!) Then, also breaking over the weekend, the release of a PowerPoint document called "Election Fraud, Foreign Interference & Options for JAN 6". It was obtained by the U.S. House Select Committee investigating January 6, from Donald Trump's former Chief of Staff Mike Meadows. But the main point is this: Donald Trump and his minions employed a coordinated attempt to steal the 2020 Presidential election. Donald Trump tried to STEAL the 2020 election and this was the "Rosetta Stone" road map for it.

An unforgettable theme song, "Bill, Bill, Bill…" starts ringing in their ears. Manchin will also meet Tuesday with a group of moderate Democrats on voting rights. Voting-rights advocates want to see if Manchin would be open to a ‘carve-out’ to the Senate’s filibuster rule for voting rights legislation. The idea gained more urgency for voting rights advocates after the chamber approved a ‘one-time exception’ to its rules to approve a debt-limit increase by a simple majority vote. The crew of the Overnight News Digest consists of founder Magnifico, regular editors side pocket, maggiejean, Chitown Kev, eeff, Magnifico, annetteboardman, Rise above the swamp, Besame and jck.

With the three visiting judges out and Shahan’s reported pals in, these men can expect continued state detention. One of these groups, Patriots for America, “has claimed it is coordinating with law enforcement,” Human Rights Watch said. While the Texas Department of Public Safety has pushed back on associations with these extremist groups, both Abbott and Lt. Gov. “Abbott said Wednesday that ‘homes are being invaded,’” The Texas Tribune reported in June. The local shelter wouldn’t take people in because they could not help them get out,” Texas Fair Defense Project initially tweeted about Abbott’s order.

“Documents reviewed by OSC prove that officials at Health and Human Services clamped down on damaging information about the severity of COVID-19 and limited the free speech of its scientists,” Freddy Martinez, a policy analyst at Open the Government, told Buzzfeed News. “When creating its press policies, HHS officials disregarded its employees’ important whistleblower rights in favor of secrecy.”While Caputo was only in that role for part of 2020, the Office of Special Counsel previously said that HHS violated federal law on gag rules on three other occasions in 2017 and 2018. And Caputo’s science adviser, Paul Alexander, made a separate effort to censor the Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, an important weekly epidemiological digest from the CDC. I ask it to be stopped now!”Keeping scientists and public health experts from speaking about what was going on was a part of the Trump administration’s COVID-19 response. However, HHS employees are not required to speak to the media.

In the wee hours of the morning last week, a man climbed up and set the Fox News headquarters ’ Christmas Tree ablaze. Fox News spent about 36-straight hours lamenting this terrible blow to Hannukah and freedom and Christianity and America in the War on Christmas. Well, according to reports the fire “caused an estimated $500,000 in property damage.” Maybe Steve Doocy parked his son’s Christmas present under the tree? x Doocy: “We’ve seen an arsonist burn down a half a million dollar Christmas tree … back out on the streets. Psaki reminded Doocy that Graham’s CBO score is about as worthwhile as the notepad Peter Doocy pretends to write notes on.

We’re not the stereotypical hapless millennials the right-wing loves to depict us as; people are literally getting their Social Security checks garnished over student loan debt. https://t.co/RraYkkzijw — Ashley Reese (@offbeatorbit) December 11, 2021x Today is a great day for @JoeBiden to cancel student loan debt. Student loans repayments start January 31st, 2022.”Me: pic.twitter.com/hQvIgcH1KZ — Ken™?? (@__ItsKen_) December 9, 2021x Biden I just got a email about my student loans. They telling me the payment pause on student loans ends at the end of January. I swear you told us you was canceling student loan debt.

“We have teams all over, scouting and bringing meals, and learning what the folks may need,” Andrés continued in the video. I am proud of our @WCKitchen teams bringing meals all over & identifying food needs. #ChefsForKentucky pic.twitter.com/gRJ4p6fbdU — José Andrés (@chefjoseandres) December 13, 2021x Reporting in from Benton, Kentucky with my new friend Marcella, who jumped into action to support her community with meals after the tornadoes! pic.twitter.com/bjByX0L5pp — World Central Kitchen (@WCKitchen) December 12, 2021Journalist Victor Ordoñez also shared a video of a man who drove to Mayfield “with a grill and a truckload of food” to help. x This man drove half an hour with a grill and a truckload of food and parked right in the middle of #Mayfield, Kentucky.

Gosar’s release even included a statement from Kingman Mayor Jen Miles saying how "grateful" the city was for his support. Yeah, let's revisit that spring vote for a second: 219 - 210 in the House, with zero Republicans; and 50-49 in the Senate, with zero Republicans. Gosar was just the latest in a recent rash of Republicans stealing credit for lavishing relief on their constituents. In his statement, Rural Organizing's Hildreth stressed that Democrats need to be clear about who's actually delivering for Americans. Indeed, taking credit is critical for Democrats, who are already facing rough political headwinds heading into next year.

The Supreme Court appears poised to curtail abortion rights, and federal legislation codifying access is unlikely to make it anywhere. But, with 50 years of abortion rights in the balance, many would like Biden to use the bully pulpit to champion the abortion rights valued by the people who worked to elect him and go on the offensive to protect them. Abortion rights activists demonstrate in front of the U.S. Supreme Court as the justices hear arguments in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health. Activists like Bracey Sherman worry that Biden’s reticence on abortion rights undermines efforts to reduce the stigma for people who have had abortions. Biden mentioned “protecting women’s health” in his first joint address to Congress in April but not abortion rights specifically.

The Supreme Court appears poised to curtail abortion rights, and federal legislation codifying access is unlikely to make it anywhere. But, with 50 years of abortion rights in the balance, many would like Biden to use the bully pulpit to champion the abortion rights valued by the people who worked to elect him and go on the offensive to protect them. Activists like Bracey Sherman worry that Biden’s reticence on abortion rights undermines efforts to reduce the stigma for people who have had abortions. Biden mentioned “protecting women’s health” in his first joint address to Congress in April but not abortion rights specifically. What is the vision for ensuring that abortion access is guaranteed?

The House select committee investigating the January 6 Capitol attack has issued a scathing report on Trump’s former Chief of Staff Mark Meadows, asserting that his refusal to testify before the commission requires contempt of Congress charges. Meadows claimed that he couldn’t appear at the deposition because of executive privilege claims made by Trump. Early on, Meadows was one of the few former Trump staffers who was willing to work with investigators after being subpoenaed. But later on, Meadows was threatened with contempt charges for refusing to comply with the commission’s terms for his depositions. The January 6 commission will vote to forward contempt charges to the House of Representatives on Monday; the House is expected to vote on those charges later this week.

Election recall efforts have recently become firmly entrenched in the political playbooks of the right. This year, in Colorado alone, 10 Democratic state legislators are now facing recall efforts. School board members in San Francisco are also facing recall, as is Los Angeles City Council member Mike Bonin. In the country as a whole, Ballotpedia is now tracking recall efforts against more than 200 school board members — an all-time high. Ballotpedia is now tracking recall efforts against more than 200 school board members — an all-time high.

Last Tuesday, another teenager died from COVID-19 in the state of Minnesota, marking the fourth death among teenagers aged 15–19 from the virus in the state and the second in less than a one-week period. This comes in the wake of two Minnesota teachers dying from COVID-19 at the end of last month. The second case of the more infectious Omicron variant of COVID-19 has been confirmed in the state. As of December 13, the seven-day average of hospitalizations in Minnesota from COVID-19 is 1,786, with 338 in intensive care. According to the Minnesota Department of Health, there have been 956,779 total recorded cases of COVID-19 in Minnesota so far, with over 21 percent of COVID-19 cases occurring in people 19 and under.

The New York Times published an article last week under the headline, “Schools are closing classrooms on Fridays. The Times article conceals this fact and tries to paint a picture of working mothers up in arms over the difficulties of making last-minute child care arrangements to protect their jobs. There would be virtual school only. After the article appeared, Detroit parents and educators responded with disgust. It can be done well!”While Heyward excluded any voices of teachers from her article, educators quickly expressed their opinion on the DPSCD page.

The World Socialist Web Site published yesterday a detailed analysis of China’s Zero COVID policy that demands careful study by anyone who wants to understand what must be done to end the pandemic. The “dynamic zero” policy of China is a confirmation in practice of the viability of a policy aimed at eliminating SARS-CoV-2. There is enormous popular support for the Zero COVID policy, which expresses a level of social solidarity and consciousness that does not yet exist in the United States and Europe. The dilemma that China itself confronts is that the effort to maintain a Zero COVID policy in one country is, in the long term, unsustainable. A common reaction that the WSWS has received from the submission by the scientist is surprise at both the success of China’s Zero COVID policy and its broad popular support.

A new report recommending former White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows be held in criminal contempt of Congress for his refusal to comply with a subpoena provides new evidence that the White House was directing the stand-down of the military during the January 6 attack on the Capitol. The stunning revelation that Trump’s chief of staff was intimately involved in directing the response of the National Guard prior to the attack on the Capitol was one of many important details Thompson enumerated. Acting Secretary of Defense Christopher Miller played a key role in delaying the deployment of the D.C. National Guard to the Capitol. Another significant detail revealed in Thompson’s report is that Mark Meadows was in “nonstop” communication with Kashyap “Kash” Patel, Miller’s chief of staff on January 6. This is hurting all of us, he is destroying his legacy,” Fox host Laura Ingraham, texted Meadows, according to Cheney.

Sean Hannity slammed Vice President Kamala Harris for failing to live up to her responsibilities in the White House on "Hannity" Monday. "In fact, no vice president in U.S. history has a lower approval rating than Kamala Harris," Hannity said. "Maybe that's because the vice president is terrible at her job … Ever since she was appointed border czar nine months ago, Harris has done nothing to resolve the crisis." Allegedly, Kamala Harris is such a menace that some are openly referring to her as a soul-destroying bully. The relationships between the Biden-Harris offices are reportedly strained, despite the cordial relationship between the vice president and President Biden .

His report “Murky Waters – the Black Sea and European Security” will be published on January 26. Europe cannot afford to sit out the growing crisis between Russia and Ukraine and leave it to United States President Joe Biden alone to try to prevent a war on its own doorstep. Europeans can also do more to offer security and economic support to Kyiv, while pressing both sides to implement the Minsk peace accords on eastern Ukraine. EU experience in fostering cross-border cooperation and people-to-people contact in the Baltic Sea region should be used to strengthen economic and human connection in the Black Sea. Only by taking collective action can the EU facilitate a sustainable peace in the Black Sea region.

Logan and his company kept a low profile until the 2020 election, when he made clear he viewed the results as fraudulent. He has defended the findings of the ballot review and called for an overhaul to Arizona's voting systems. He dispatched Giuliani and others to help convince Republicans to take action after the 2020 election. THE ENABLERSChristina Bobb: She is the One America News correspondent who is also a lawyer and advocated for fundraising to sustain the ballot review. THE POLITICIANSPaul Boyer: The Glendale Republican state senator prevented the chamber from holding the county supervisors in contempt.

Four students were killed and at least eight others injured in a mass shooting at a suburban high school in Michigan on 30 November. Ethan Crumbley, 15, is seen in his booking photo (AP)Three hours later, surveillance video purportedly showed Mr Crumbley emerging from a bathroom and opening fire on classmates. One of the injured victims is believed to be a teacher at Oxford High and the rest are pupils. Meanwhile, Ms McDonald said that there was a “mountain” of evidence against Mr Crumbley so far. An open letter that Mr Crumbley’s mother Jennifer wrote to Donald Trump in November 2016 also emerged last week.

Time magazine’s decision to make Tesla billionaire Elon Musk its person of the year for 2021 has been criticised because of his attitude to tax, opposition to unions and playing down the dangers of Covid-19. Elon Musk on the cover of Time’s upcoming issue. Let’s change the rigged tax code so The Person of the Year will actually pay taxes and stop freeloading off everyone else. https://t.co/jqQxL9Run6 — Elizabeth Warren (@SenWarren) December 13, 2021It’s *TIME* for Elon Musk to pay his fair share in taxes. The author Kurt Eichenwald said it was the “worst choice ever”.”I held back on saying much about Time selecting Elon Musk as person of the years until I read their reasoning.

Anne Sacoolas, the woman accused of killing 19-year-old British motorcyclist Harry Dunn, will face court proceedings in January, the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) has said. The teenager died after he was struck by a car Ms Sacoolas was driving outside RAF Croughton in Northamptonshire in August 2019. It is thought that Ms Sacoolas will appear by video-link from the US in a case to be heard in Westminster Magistrates’ Court on 18 January. “It is all that we asked for following Harry’s death.”Responding to the news, the recently-appointed foreign secretary Liz Truss tweeted: “Welcome news that Anne Sacoolas will face a UK court. Earlier this year, the Biden administration confirmed that its refusal to extradite Ms Sacoolas to the UK was “final”.

Mr Trump has launched a speaking tour, with five separate stops, appearing alongside disgraced ex-Fox News anchor Bill O'Reilly, who left the broadcaster in 2017. Historically, Mr Trump didn't charge for admission to his political rallies, but on this occasion, fans had to fork out $100 for a ticket, right before the Christmas holidays. Sunday’s event was just the second leg of a tour featuring the former president and Mr O'Reilly, who was one of Fox News’ biggest TV stars only a decade ago. After the opening tour stop, Mr Trump said in a statement that the gathering yielded a “great time,” adding that he hoped to return to the Sunshine State in the “not too distant future”. Mr O'Reilly meanwhile, has generally shied away from public appearances in recent years, after being unceremoniously ousted by Fox News due to allegations of misconduct.

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Tuesday criticized China’s “aggressive actions” in Asia while laying out plans to more closely integrate Washington’s allies and security partners in Asia. He said the Biden administration doesn’t want conflict in Asia, and would ensure competition with China doesn’t veer into a “catastrophic” conflict. Despite the comments, Blinken faces some bruised feelings in Southeast Asia. The administration didn’t invite Singapore — arguably America’s most reliable partner in Southeast Asia — to take part in President Joe Biden’s “democracy summit” last week. That’s left the Biden administration pushing an economic “framework” for the region that so far is short on details.

Even before the withdrawal, Biden had pledged to leave no U.S. citizen behind. "If there's American citizens left, we're going to stay to get them all out," Biden told ABC News' George Stephanopoulos on Aug. 16. The State Department said it is "in touch" with the remaining U.S. citizens who want to leave Afghanistan, are prepared to depart, and have the necessary travel documents. The State Department said it is continuing to relocate more than 2,200 Afghan allies who worked with the U.S. as well as their families. The State Department said those being relocated from Afghanistan go through a "rigorous and multilayered screening and vetting process" before arriving in the U.S.

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit will have its first judge appointed by President Joe Biden after the Senate confirmed Lucy Koh on Monday. Koh, a U.S. District Judge in the Northern District of California, will be the first Korean-American woman to serve as a U.S. federal appeals court judge. Koh said she followed Ninth Circuit precedent in making her decision and the evidence before her was not controversial. Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.) pointed out that Republican appointees on the Ninth Circuit panel upheld Koh’s decision, and that Chief Justice John Roberts wouldn’t have enjoined the restrictions. Koh’s confirmation leaves three Ninth Circuit nominations pending.

Indonesia's President Joko Widodo gestures while speaking with the U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken as U.S. Ambassador to Indonesia Sung Y. Kim, Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi and Indonesian State Secretary Pratikno stand behind during their meeting at the Merdeka Palace in Jakarta, Indonesia, December 13, 2021. Courtesy of Lukas/Indonesia's Presidential Palace/Handout via REUTERSJAKARTA, Dec 14 (Reuters) - U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on Tuesday the United States would advance a free and open Indo-Pacific and deepen treaty alliances and defence and intelligence capabilities with partners in the region. Blinken said the United States was committed to a new regional economic framework, which would include more foreign direct investment and U.S. companies identifying opportunities. The United States and allies would press Myanmar's junta to end violence, free detainees and return to democracy, he added.

REUTERS/Kevin LamarquePETERSON SPACE FORCE BASE, Colo., Dec 13 (Reuters) - The United States is testing satellite resiliency to threats from China and Russia miles above the earth's surface, just weeks after Russia shot down an aging communications satellite. The computer-aided simulations included potential shooting down of U.S. missile-tracking satellites, satellite jamming, and other electronic warfare "effects" that are possible tactics in space warfare. During a visit to Schriever Space Force Base in Colorado, Deputy Secretary of Defense Kathleen Hicks saw the 'Space Flag' simulated space training exercise hosted by U.S. forces. The 10-day-long space war game attempts to simulate the cutting edge of the U.S. capability in space. Register now for FREE unlimited access to reuters.com RegisterReporting by Mike Stone at Peterson Space Force Base in Colorado, Editing by Rosalba O'Brien and Richard PullinOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

WASHINGTON — Israel asked the Biden administration last week to speed up the delivery of refueling tankers that could prove critical to striking Iran’s nuclear facilities, but it was told that the aircraft were back-ordered and it was unlikely that its first one would be ready until late 2024, according to U.S. and Israeli officials. The Israeli defense minister, Benny Gantz, made the request last week when he met with Defense Secretary Lloyd J. Austin III and other senior officials in Washington. Details were reported earlier by Yedioth Ahronoth, an Israeli newspaper. The request came amid new tensions between Washington and Jerusalem over how to deal with Iran’s nuclear program. Since mid-2018, when President Donald J. Trump pulled out of a deal aimed at limiting Iran’s nuclear activities, Tehran has made significant gains in its nuclear fuel production, despite repeated operations by Israeli intelligence services to sabotage uranium-enrichment sites and a factory that produced nuclear centrifuges.

Marine Gen. Frank McKenzie, head of U.S. Central Command, said in an interview with The Associated Press that the departure of U.S. military and intelligence assets from Afghanistan has made it much harder to track al-Qaeda and other extremist groups inside Afghanistan. Speaking at the Pentagon, McKenzie said it's clear that al-Qaeda is attempting to rebuild its presence inside Afghanistan, which was the base from which it planned the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks against the United States. McKenzie said no such strikes have been conducted since the U.S. completed its withdrawal from Afghanistan on Aug. 30. Al-Qaeda is among numerous extremist groups inside Afghanistan. McKenzie declined to provide an estimate of the number of al-Qaeda operatives inside Afghanistan.

President Biden's senior adviser for migration Tyler Moran is leaving the White House at the end of January, despite having only taken over the role in July. The White House said that Moran never intended to stay on for more than the first year, noting that she had been commuting by plane since taking up her post. But the White House made similar statements about the previous person to serve in the role, Amy Pope, after Moran replaced Pope in July. "Amy had always intended to join the Biden Administration for a short time with an expected departure in the mid-summer," the White House said at the time. The White House has yet to name a replacement for Moran, though it expressed confidence six weeks would be sufficient time to find someone to fill the role.

In this photo released by Indonesian Presidential Palace, Indonesian President Joko Widodo, left, walks with U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, second right, as U.S. (Agus Suparto, Indonesian Presidential Palace via AP)In this photo released by Indonesian Presidential Palace, Indonesian President Joko Widodo, left, walks with U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, second right, as U.S. Ambassador to Indonesia Sung Kim, second left, and Indonesian State Secretary Pratikno, right, look on, during their meeting at Merdeka Palace in Jakarta, Indonesia, Monday, Dec. 13, 2021. (Agus Suparto, Indonesian Presidential Palace via AP)JAKARTA, Indonesia (AP) — The United States will expand its military and economic relationships with partners in Asia to push back against China’s increasing assertiveness in the Indo-Pacific, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Tuesday. To do that, we will lean on our greatest strength: our alliances and partnerships,” Blinken said in a speech in Indonesia, outlining the administration’s Indo-Pacific plans.

President Biden and Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., pledged to continue negotiations following what both sides described as a productive phone call regarding the sweeping Democrat-backed social spending bill, according to statements from Manchin and the White House Monday. "Senator Manchin and President Biden had a productive conversation this afternoon. The White House said Biden and Manchin agreed to speak again soon. Manchin and fellow moderate Democratic Sen. Kyrsten Sinema of Arizona are considered key holdouts on Biden’s social spending bill. The Senate version is expected to contain changes, given opposition from Manchin and Sinema.

An index of lithium prices from research firm and price provider Benchmark Mineral Intelligence doubled between May and November and is up some 240% for the year. Lithium Americas hasn’t produced any lithium but has a market value of roughly $4 billion after a recent share-price surge. The Global X Lithium & Battery Tech ETF has risen more than 40% this year, while shares of some lithium producers are up about 70% or more. The challenge for lithium producers is that it takes many years and heavy investment to get projects off the ground, creating mismatches between quickly growing supply and demand. Koch Strategic Platforms has made several similar investments in startups and the battery supply chain.

In the wake of last year’s election, the Trump White House wanted to talk to Arizona Attorney General Mark Brnovich about election fraud, text messages from former Trump chief of staff Mark Meadows reveal. The texts showed efforts to rally support for pro-Trump forces both in public protests as well as in statehouses around the country after Trump’s defeat in the 2020 election, according to Politico. Brnovich, a Republican, is in his final term as attorney general and is running for the GOP nomination for U.S. Senate. As attorney general, he was involved in the certification of the results of the 2020 election, drawing Trump’s condemnation. Brnovich’s office is currently doing a criminal investigation of the 2020 election, in the wake of a ballot review commissioned by the Arizona Senate.

The U.S. made an offer to Japan aimed at resolving disputes over tariffs imposed on Japanese steel and aluminum under former President Donald Trump in 2018, people familiar with the situation said. The metals dispute started in 2018, when Trump imposed duties on steel and aluminum from the European Union, Asia and elsewhere, citing risks to national security. In 2020, inbound steel shipments to the U.S. from Japan totaled 732,158 tons, Census said in a separate report. While the EU responded with retaliatory tariffs on the U.S., Japan took a softer approach. The steel and aluminum tariffs remain in place on imports from the U.K. Last week, Raimondo and U.K. Secretary of State for International Trade Anne-Marie Trevelyan discussed finding a solution early next year.

The House Jan. 6 committee had subpoenaed the records as part of its probe. Several organizers of the Jan. 6 rally near the White House filed a lawsuit Monday against Verizon to prevent the telecommunications giant from sharing cell phone data with the congressional committee investigating the deadly riot at the U.S. Capitol. All the plaintiffs are longtime Republican political operatives, and most worked for Trump since his first presidential campaign in 2015. Earlier this month, each of the plaintiffs received a letter from Verizon informing them that the company had also been subpoenaed by the committee for their respective records. "These witnesses have their eye on the 2022 elections and think they can run out the clock," Comstock said.

The House committee investigating the Jan. 6 Capitol attack voted Monday to hold former White House chief of staff Mark Meadows Mark MeadowsJan. It was a step Trump would not take for more than three hours, and leaders of the select committee seem to be homing in on that detail. 6 panel details case for holding Meadows in contempt ahead of House vote Jan. 6 commission postpones Jason Miller deposition after he engages with committee Appeals court rejects Trump effort to deny records to Jan. 6 panel MORE (D-Miss. ), chairman of the select committee. In a 51-page report released Sunday by the select committee, investigators detailed the types of questions they would have asked Meadows had he appeared before them.

Author Douglas Murray accused President Biden on Monday of politicizing the deadly tornadoes to advance his far-left climate agenda as Democrats rushed to cast blame for the devastating storm. "Natural disasters now are used by Democrats and people on the climate left in particular as just another opportunity to push a particular political ideology," Murray told "Fox News Primetime" host Will Cain. BIDEN USES TORNADO TRAGEDY TO PUSH CLIMATE AGENDAWhile speaking to reporters and virtually assessing the tornado damage from Wilmington, Delaware on Saturday, Biden was asked whether he "could conclude that these storms and the intensity have to do with climate change." "All I know is that the intensity of the weather across the board has some impacts as a consequence of the warming of the planet and climate change," Biden said. "The Democrats never want to dwell on this because they have forgotten that there have always been throughout human history been what we used to call natural disasters," Murray said.

After the unanimous committee vote, the full House could hold Meadows in contempt as early as Tuesday. Cheney said the messages left "no doubt" the White House "knew exactly what was happening" at the Capitol during the riot. Rep. Adam Schiff, D-Calif., read aloud from text messages Meadows received from unnamed GOP lawmakers before and after the riot. "A day after a failed attempt to stop the peaceful transfer of power, an elected lawmaker tells the White House chief of staff, 'I'm sorry nothing worked.' Should the House vote go through, Meadows would become the first former lawmaker to be held in criminal contempt by his former chamber.

Provisions of a state law passed earlier this year prohibiting the possession and sale of unregistered ‘ghost guns’ were struck down by a state district court judge last week. The court’s ruling also noted that Jauregui pointed to Polymer80 as “one of the nation’s largest manufacturers of ghost guns” during a hearing earlier this year. Attorneys for the state appealed the decision to the Nevada Supreme Court in a case that is still pending. In 2019, the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms estimated that law enforcement nationally collected roughly 10,000 home-assembled, nonserialized firearms. AB286 District Court rules ... by Sean Golonka

Tedros succeeded China’s Margaret Chan, who as director-general spent considerable time placing Chinese and China-sympathetic personnel into key positions. World Health Organization Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus won his seat in 2017 as Beijing backed him. Chinese President Xi Jinping is using the United Nations to stomp on nearby adversaries such as Hong Kong and Taiwan. This was anathema to China, which was determined to snuff out any Taiwanese efforts at their first appearance. John Bolton was national security adviser to President Trump from 2018 to 2019 and US ambassador to the United Nations from 2005 to 2006.

Vice President Kamala Harris hosted a roundtable Monday to announce that international businesses have committed $1.2 billion to investing in Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador. "Today we mark an important milestone," Harris said. "Six months ago, we launched a call to action for businesses to invest in Central America. Six months ago, 12 people were around this table. "Six months ago, we had a commitment of $750 million.

Former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert called Donald Trump “pathetic” and “crazy” for profanely attacking Benjamin Netanyahu because he recognized Joe Biden’s presidential victory in November. Netanyahu, who was the Israeli prime minister throughout the Trump administration, did what most world leaders do: He recognized and congratulated the duly elected president of the United States, Olmert suggested in the opening session Monday of the Annual Leadership Dialogue on Israel-UK-Australia Relations. AdvertisementYet Trump reportedly was furious that Netanyahu congratulated Biden after he won the election. He emphasized that he doesn’t like, trust or “believe in [Netanyahu’s] integrity.”AdvertisementNetanyahu was Israel’s prime minister for 15 years, relinquishing the role last June to Naftali Bennett. He served as Israeli prime minister from 2006 to 2009.

After another year of pandemic mitigation measures, vaccine rollouts and health care inequities, Time magazine announced its Person of the Year for 2021. Time’s writeup claims Musk is “easily cast as a hubristic supervillain,” but it argues that such a negative framing doesn’t capture how he’s using his wealth and power. Even though he styles himself as an entrepreneurial, self-made man, Musk and his companies are the products of vast public subsidies. More recently, he said the Build Back Better Act shouldn’t be passed, and he has opposed additional electric vehicle subsidies. Time’s decision could be seen as the continuation of a more than decadelong trend of the media’s building Musk up to be our savior.

HuffPost identified Robert Scott Palmer (center) as a member of the pro-Trump crowd that stormed the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6. In a letter to Chutkan released in connection with his court case, Palmer wrote that he now realizes he was lied to by Trump and his advocates. He continued posting memes about the election he thought had been stolen. “In the event of a Civil War, I’m not afraid of the 81 Million Biden Voters,” he posted on Jan. 12. (In fact, prosecutors say, Palmer wasn’t shot with a less-lethal round until later, when he approached police “screaming obscenities” and then threw a pole “like a spear” at officers.)

As more electric vehicles hit the road, more EV charging stations will be needed. The Biden administration plans to have 500,000 charging stations by 2030, up from only 43,800 today. Here are three things investors need to know.

Committee members said Meadows had no legitimate claim of executive privilege for questions covering the 9,000 documents he's already provided. The House committee scheduled a vote Monday evening to recommend the full House find Meadows in contempt for defying a subpoena for documents and testimony. Terwilliger also argued executive privilege protects the institution of the presidency, rather than a specific occupant such as Trump. The committee report alleged Meadows hasn’t provided any justification for a claim of executive privilege. Meadows has refused to provide the Select Committee with information and testimony that has no conceivable, associated privilege claims,” the committee report said.

General Hospital actor Ingo Rademacher is suing ABC after he was fired from the popular soap opera for refusing to comply with an on-set vaccination mandate. General Hospital actor Ingo Rademacher - who was fired from the soap opera due to his refusal to get vaccinated against COVID-19 - is suing ABC, calling the vaccine mandate put in place for actors unconstitutional. The General Hospital former mainstay also wants the court to label ABC's vaccine mandate as 'unconstitutional' and is seeking damages. 'General Hospital', which takes place in the fictional town of Port Charles, New York has been on the air since 1963. 'I am aware of a transphobic post shared by a fellow General Hospital actor,' James who plays Dr. Terry Randolph on the soap opera, shared on Twitter.

I’m supposed to write about politics, but this isn’t politics. And even Republicans who have written legislation to limit the price of insulin, such as Sens. “This is not health care. (Let alone back to where Otto von Bismarck and Thomas Paine, two advocates of universal health care, were in their own time.) If Senate Republicans challenge the insulin provision, some policy experts say they expect the parliamentarian will determine that the plan to cap insulin costs for privately insured Americans is “merely incidental” to the federal budget.

“It’s focused on what we collectively need, to get off of fossil fuels.”A Grid Alternatives crew installs rooftop solar panels at a home in L.A.'s Watts neighborhood in June. Rooftop solar also doesn’t require paving over undisturbed land, unlike sprawling desert solar farms that can tear up sensitive ecosystems. The Save California Solar campaign, which includes more than 600 organizations, says it delivered 120,000 public comments supportive of net metering to Newsom last week. “That path requires a sustained commitment to growing rooftop solar,” Deehan said in a written statement. Gavin Newsom, urging him to protect the rooftop solar incentive program known as net metering.

It’s important to note, however, that reducing our dependence on fossil fuels wouldn’t just reduce emissions of greenhouse gases. It would also reduce other forms of pollution, notably nitrogen oxides and sulfur, that have negative effects on death rates, illness and crop yields. The most recent important example I can think of is the enactment of the Children’s Health Insurance Program in 1997. I was struck the other day by Elon Musk’s declaration that Build Back Better shouldn’t pass because it would increase the budget deficit. That is, it spent 17 years spending more money than it was taking in, because it was investing in the future.

And like a reckless shopaholic locked in toxic credit-card payments, US taxpayers are mired in astronomical interest payments. The federal government spends more on interest payments than on science, space, technology, transportation and education combined. Congress created the debt ceiling for a reason — to stop Treasury from going outside its executive-branch limits and borrowing too much money. Removing the debt ceiling would give more power to the executive branch — which might be what King Biden wants. They’re calling for America to stop its long-term debt addiction — instead of just giving another immediate payment to our debt pushers.

From the right: A White House Kowtow to Beijing“The White House is cutting video feeds at a “Democracy Summit, lest the Taiwanese representative’s map irk the Chinese,” snarks National Review’s Jim Geraghty: The map showed Taiwan as independent, not a province of China as the mainland claims. “There’s no need for China to censor what our leaders can say to us. Those who can’t adapt, say, by spending money on private security, “are faced with one option: to leave their city and often the state.” How’d this happen? : Back in 2020, Hunter set up a business meeting with his dad and businessman Tony Bobulinski. But “all of this barely touches the surface of Hunter Biden’s” corrupt business dealings.

The shelter sued over the state’s unexplained stonewalling. On Thursday, on the eve of a court hearing, the new license magically materialized. DeSantis then released a confusing new “emergency rule” the following morning, which said existing shelters could continue operating and renewing their licenses for the next 45 days only. After that period, the state will license or re-license care providers only if the Biden administration agrees to onerous and possibly illegal demands, such as giving shelters new obligations usually handled by other federal contractors.

Sen. Tom Cotton, R-Ark., joined "Special Report" Monday calling out President Biden's "pathetic weakness" following reports the White House cut a video feed from a Taiwanese minister during the Summit for Democracy. I don't believe for a minute that it was merely a technical issue. I believe that this is an example of the president and the administration kowtowing to Beijing. What we need to do is stand alongside Taiwan, help secure its autonomy and maintain the status quo across the Strait. But Beijing is the one that is now threatening Taiwan, threatening to change that status quo by force, not by negotiation.

ET): The House's Jan. 6 committee voted unanimously Monday to refer Mark Meadows to the Justice Department for contempt of Congress. Trump’s disapproval could affect Meadows’ book sales with supporters, making appeasement not just a political strategy but a business one. In the suit, Meadows trots out the same tired, unpersuasive claim of executive privilege that Trump has — unsuccessfully — tried to use. The law generally deems that a public disclosure of information waives any legal privilege that information might otherwise enjoy. Luckily, it seems the House select committee remains determined to investigate the insurrection fully and thoroughly.

Once again, the term “Latinx” is trending — and once again, it is all for the wrong reasons. Just like other polls before it, it found Latinx is not a popular term — like "2 percent support" levels of unpopular. “When Latino politicos use the term, it is largely to appease white rich progressives who think that is the term we use. Yes, Latinx is an unpopular term, but it has greater awareness with younger Latina voters. There is no one label that accurately paints U.S. Latino voters, and there will never be one.

Fresh from delivering a stern new warning to Russia over Ukraine, U.S. Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken arrived in Indonesia on Monday to find a top aide to Russian President Vladimir Putin already in Jakarta for security talks. Shortly before Blinken landed, the Russian Embassy in Jakarta announced Patrushev’s visit, saying he would be in the Indonesian capital for the same two days as the top American diplomat. The timing means that Patrushev’s meetings will coincide with a major speech Blinken plans to give Tuesday on the Biden administration’s Indo-Pacific strategy. Nor was there any indication that either would acknowledge the other’s presence in Indonesia, which is the headquarters of the Assn. The Russian Embassy said Patrushev’s main interlocutor in Indonesia would be Law and Security Affairs Minister Mohammad Mahfud.

Ann OliverWalnut CreekLoss of Roe wouldreturn secrecy, dangerI appreciate David Brook’s opinion regarding abortion (“Abortion: Voice of the ambivalent majority,” Page A17, Dec. 5). However, being 80 and importantly a woman, I have had experience on both sides of Roe. Prior laws victimized women through threats, secrecy and shame. After Roe, women had rights to their bodies that had been taken by old, ignorant, White men. As we hit this important milestone, the memory — and awareness — of that brazen attack on America has continued to fade.

Committee members said Meadows had no legitimate claim of executive privilege for questions covering the 9,000 documents he's already provided. The House committee scheduled a vote Monday evening to recommend the full House find Meadows in contempt for defying a subpoena for documents and testimony. Terwilliger also argued executive privilege protects the institution of the presidency, rather than a specific occupant such as Trump. The committee report alleged Meadows hasn’t provided any justification for a claim of executive privilege. Meadows has refused to provide the Select Committee with information and testimony that has no conceivable, associated privilege claims,” the committee report said.

“Renewing our democracy and strengthening our democratic institutions requires constant effort,” President Joe Biden announced at the recent Summit for Democracy. Over the last 10 years, democracy has been in decline across the world, even, as Biden admitted, in the United States. This is an understatement: American democracy is under siege. The attack on democracy is supported by Republican politicians, donors, and party organs at state and national levels. American democracy itself is at risk.

The House select committee investigating the Capitol attack on Monday voted to recommend the criminal prosecution for former Trump White House chief of staff Mark Meadows, punishing Donald Trump’s most senior aide for refusing to testify about the 6 January insurrection. And over the course of a near-hour-long business meeting, the select committee outlined in chilling detail the materials Meadows had turned over to the panel – and how Meadows then promptly refused to testify about those very records. Meadows received more chilling texts, the select committee said, from an unnamed lawmaker, who messaged him the day after the Capitol attack: “Yesterday was a terrible day. “Mr Meadows has shown his willingness to talk about issues related to the select committee’s investigation across a variety of media platforms – anywhere, it seems, except to the select committee,” the panel said in the contempt report. The select committee showed Meadows wrote in his book: “When he got offstage, President Trump let me know that he had been speaking metaphorically about the walk to the Capitol.

Alex Jones has suggested that the devastating tornadoes that wreaked havoc across Kentucky and five other US states last week were actually caused by President Joe Biden wielding government "weather weapons". "So the question is," he asked, referring to Mr Biden’s administration, "did they use weather weapons to cause the tornadoes? Weather weapons that were developed in the Fifties. They’ve got carbon systems they are putting in – big, huge geo-engineering systems, terraforming systems, that are sucking carbon dioxide out of the air when it’s a trace gas that we need." "The technology’s potential to alter weather patterns and benefit certain regions of the world at the expense of other regions could trigger sharp opposition by some nations."

NATIONALPresident Moon Jae-in, who is on a state visit to Australia, answers questions at a press conference for the leaders of South Korea-Australia held at the Supreme Council room in Canberra’s National Assembly building on Monday. “For regional peace, Korea will work closely with Australia. And I think that speaks much to his passion for this goal, and we will continue to support those efforts wherever we can.”“Our objective remains the same. (It is) to ensure that there can be a process that ultimately can see these issues resolved,” he said. “But that resolution can’t come at the cost of unacceptable compromises.

“A smooth transition back into repayment is a high priority for the administration.” The administration is planning to allow the student debt payment pause to expire at the end of January. The Congressional Progressive Caucus called on the White House to take action, saying “45 million Americans are stuck in the student debt trap. But the Biden administration hasn’t just refused to cancel student debt– it’s also lied about the president’s ability to do so. According to recent data, the vast majority of student debt holders are not ready to restart payments. On the other hand, the analysis found that canceling student loans could add over $173 billion to the Gross Domestic Product each year.

Point your wagons WestNew series “1883” — probably when Biden was conceived — is also the name of Paramount’s prequel to its hit show “Yellowstone.”Billy Bob Thornton: “This is about a journey out West. Come to Fort Worth.’ Tim McGraw, Faith Hill and Sam Elliott — who are in it — are all my old friends. Religious leaders repping 930 nonpublic school employees wrote him suggesting he reconsider. The only governor showing leadership in such tragedy is Democrat Andy Beshear of red state Kentucky. So, afterward he says to me ‘Hey, you were really good.’ So what do I say back to him?

Listen To The Full Interview Below:Brit Hume, senior political analyst for Fox News Channel joined the Guy Benson Show to talk about the left’s reaction to WSJ columnist Peggy Noonan’s latest essay criticizing VP Kamala Harris. Hume also weighed in on speculation on whether President Biden will run for reelection and if former President Trump will jump into the 2024 race. Hume reacted to Noonan’s latest Column and the left’s reaction saying,“Well, I wrote, I had a very different reaction to it from the blue checks that you’re describing who, you know, attacked Peggy Noonan. But basically what she was saying was that Kamala Harris should now become the kind of person that Kamala Harris is not and never has been, which I think is is perhaps nice, but highly unrealistic advice. And Kamala Harris, as has sort of identified herself as being lighter than air.

Biden appeared on Jimmy Fallon's "The Tonight Show" Friday and attempted to field questions about his poll numbers. Biden said, facetiously, that he doesn't check his poll numbers anymore, especially after their recent dive into the forties. "Well, not anymore," Biden said. BIDEN TELLS JIMMY FALLON HE DOESN'T FOLLOW POLL NUMBERS 'ANYMORE' ON FIRST LATE-NIGHT APPEARANCE AS PRESIDENTHe went on to blame his low polling numbers on the American people being fed misinformation. They're scared because you scared them."

Autumn Kirks and her boyfriend, Lannis Ward, were working the night shift at the Mayfield candle factory when the deadly tornado struck the area. I don’t know where he ended up," Kirks told Fox News host Neil Cavuto in a heart-wrenching on-air interview Monday. KENTUCKY CANDLE FACTORY OWNER SPEAKS OUT"I don’t know where they found him. It was reported that the candle factory was operating "24/7" to meet demands for the Christmas holiday before the tornado struck the area. The owner of the candle factory has already expressed plans to rebuild and assist the reeling community.

“The biggest challenge for Biden is to convince the American people that the United States is on the right track,” said Ed Mills, Washington policy analyst at Raymond James. Worryingly for Biden and congressional Democrats, Americans see the GOP as better able to handle them, according to the survey. Now see: U.S. inflation rate swells to 39-year high of 6.8% as Americans pay higher prices for almost everythingBiden’s and Democrats’ response? Doubling down on their agenda, namely the still-under-debate Build Back Better social-policy and climate plan. Pivoting to the president’s Build Back Better plan, Psaki said the legislation would “start cutting costs early next year,” including for child care.

but we also know that we are up to the challenge,” Biden said in remarks to close the virtual meeting. Biden has repeatedly taken China and Russia to task for squelching the voices of democratic activists and committing human rights abuses. Both China and Russia fiercely criticized the summit, with their ambassadors writing a joint essay ahead of the gathering. “The United States will take greater responsibility for the digital tools we export,” U.S. Agency for International Development administrator Samantha Power said. Photo illustration: Laura Kammermann“What’s true around the world is also true in the United States,” Biden said.

FILE PHOTO: Signage is seen at the headquarters of the Federal Communications Commission in Washington, D.C.WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Six former chairs of the U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) on Monday urged the Biden administration to quickly resolve a dispute over the planned use of 5G wireless spectrum that the aviation industry says poses an air safety risk. Former FCC chairs Ajit Pai, Tom Wheeler, Julius Genachowski, Michael Copps, Michael Powell and Mignon Clyburn said in a joint letter they were concerned about the Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) recent efforts to revisit the FCC’s 2020 decision to allow use of the C-Band spectrum. The former officials said the agencies should work to "resolve the FAA’s concerns expeditiously, but this debate should not be fought publicly in a way that undermines consumer confidence in the process." (Reporting by David Shepardson; Editing by Chris Reese)

Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti will appear Tuesday morning before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee for his hearing to become President Biden’s ambassador to India. The hearing, scheduled to start at 7 a.m. PST, will see the mayor give a statement to the committee and then take questions from senators. Booker campaigned for Garcetti in South Los Angeles when Garcetti ran for mayor in 2013. Garcetti attended Hunter Biden’s L.A. art show this fall, raising conflict-of-interest issues around whether people would seek out Hunter Biden’s work to align themselves with his father. Smith reported from Los Angeles, McCaskill from Washington.

As we approach the one-year mark of the Biden presidency, what should be unthinkable — a second victory for Donald Trump in 2024 — seems increasingly possible. Today, Joe Biden’s ratings are underwater, and polls show that a Trump vs. Biden election would result in a tie or a narrow victory for Trump — who leads decisively among Republicans. Meanwhile, Trump is no longer the center of attention, and people who aren’t closely following the news are not getting daily reminders of his awfulness. To say that a lot can happen by November 2024 is an understatement. While Biden is certainly not one of the radicals, he is rightly seen as too willing to genuflect to them.

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — The Wisconsin Republican who leads the Senate Elections Committee said Monday that the GOP-ordered review of the 2020 election is riling up people who don’t understand elections and that it needs to end. Bernier and Ginsberg said attacks on the election will hurt Republicans in the long run because their voters will be less likely to cast ballots if they think elections are rigged. Said Ginsberg, “There is a need for an off ramp.”Gableman has claimed without evidence that the election was stolen. Gableman was hired by Republican Assembly Speaker Robin Vos and has a budget of nearly $680,000 in taxpayer money. “There’s a simple explanation for almost every single thing that people accuse election officials of doing.”

Historians, however, will hold Schiff in high esteem, a bright spot in an unusually dark chapter in American history. The extortion plot or, as then national security adviser John Bolton put it, the “drug deal,” was loathsome enough. Perhaps no one understands the danger to America posed by the witches’ brew of demagogues and toadies that comprise the Trump Party better than Adam Schiff. And Schiff was right. “There is a dangerous vein of autocratic thought running through one of America’s two great parties,” Schiff writes, “and it poses an existential danger to the country.”But Schiff refuses to write America off.

Beijing hosted the Summer Games in 2008 and has invested billions to host the 2022 Winter Games after several European candidates dropped out of the competition. For the IOC, the Beijing Games will be the second Olympics in seven months to be marred by calls for the competition not to take place. Estanguet and other Paris organizers are pitching a different Olympic story. He spoke of staging the most accessible Olympics ever in 2024, with a half-million people able to watch the boat parade during the opening ceremony. Also, competitions will take place throughout Paris at some of the city’s landmarks.

The Prime Minister has warned Vladimir Putin that there would be "significant consequences" if Russia invades Ukraine. His call was the latest intervention by western leaders, who are attempting to persuade the Kremlin to draw back amid growing concern at the build-up of Russian troops in the region. "The prime minister emphasised the UK's commitment to Ukraine's territorial integrity and sovereignty and warned that any destabilising action would be a strategic mistake that would have significant consequences." Last week, US President Joe Biden spoke to Mr Putin to warn him of "economic consequences like you've never seen" if he mounted a fresh incursion. The Russian president has in turn been pressing for assurances that NATO will not be expanded to include Ukraine and last week likened the Donbas warzone to "genocide".

First Lady Jill Biden and Second Gentleman Doug Emhoff will travel to Waukesha, Wisconsin on Wednesday to meet victims of last month's Christmas parade tragedy. The first lady and second gentleman will meet with frontline health care workers at the hospital. First Lady Jill Biden (left) and Second Gentleman Doug Emhoff (right) will travel to Waukesha, Wisconsin on Wednesday to meet victims of last month's Christmas parade tragedyAn SUV plows into a crowd of people during a Christmas parade in Waukesha, Wisconsin on November 21They'll also visit with children who just received their COVID-19 vaccinations. Then, the group will travel to nearby Waukesha and meet with families of the victims and first responders at the Waukesha City Hall. The visit will mark the first from administration officials in the aftermath of the Christmas parade attack.

The White House was forced to defend Kamala Harris on Monday, insisting she was still in charge of addressing the 'root causes' of mass migration after the president of Guatemala said he had not heard from the White House since the vice president's visit in June. But during her regular daily briefing, Psaki was asked whether the vice president remained in the role. 'We had many conversations with your ambassador, but [between] my presidency and the White House, no,' he told Fox News. Then we had the visit of Vice President Harris. Despite all this, Harris brushes off criticism of her first year as vice president amid reports of a feud between herself and President Biden.

President Biden's Build Back Better bill contains provisions to make child care more affordable, but could have the opposite effect for middle class families, according to a new study. First, it requires child care providers to be paid 'living wages,' which would be 'equivalent to wages for elementary educators with similar credentials and experience.' Mulligan estimates that 'living wage' provisions would be responsible for 80% of the increase in child care costs. Elementary school teachers earn, on average, $63,930, while child care workers earn only $25,510, according to 2020 figures from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. If a family makes 100% of their state's median income, their child care costs are capped at 2% of income.

Share this Story: Billionaire Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla and SpaceX, named Time's 2021 'Person of the Year'Billionaire Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla and SpaceX, named Time's 2021 'Person of the Year' From hosting Saturday Night Live to dropping tweets on cryptocurrencies and meme stocks that have triggered massive movements in their value, Musk has dominated the headlines Photo by Mark Mahaney/TIMEArticle content Tesla Chief Executive Officer Elon Musk was named Time magazine’s “Person of the Year” for 2021, a year that saw his electric car company become the most valuable carmaker in the world and his rocket company soar to the edge of space with an all-civilian crew. Advertisement Story continues below This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Article content Musk is also the founder and CEO of SpaceX, and leads brain-chip startup Neuralink and infrastructure firm The Boring Company. Advertisement Story continues below This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Share this article in your social networkAdvertisement Story continues below This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.

Biden pledged to forgive $10,000 in student loan debt. They're having to make choices between paying their student loan and paying the rent." On the campaign trail, Biden had pledged to cancel at least $10,000 of student debt per person. While it's not loan forgiveness, Biden extended the pandemic pause on federal student loan payments; that pause is now slated to lift in February. If broad-based student loan forgiveness is going to happen, it makes all the sense in the world to do it before Jan. 31.

Nearly four months after the Taliban reconquered Afghanistan from the Western-backed government, the State Department said Monday that it knows of fewer than a dozen US citizens who wish to leave the war-torn country. The State Department statement did not say how many Afghan allies who wish to leave remain in the country. The State Department said it has funding to support resettlement of up to 95,000 people through the end of September 2022. The State Department insists Afghan refugees go through “a rigorous and multilayered screening” before resettling in the US. While some new arrivals had their applications in the pipeline, others never bothered to fill out the required paperwork, according to the State Department.

We’ve seen an arsonist burn down a half-million-dollar Christmas tree in New York City back out on the streets,” Fox News White House correspondent Peter Doocy asked Psaki during her regular briefing. William C. Lopez Craig Tamanaha is accused of burning down a Christmas tree outside News Corp headquarters in Midtown, Manhattan. White House press secretary Jen Psaki claims President Joe Biden has “taken action” to a growing national trend of retail thefts. The New York Post cover on Dec. 9, 2021 highlighting Craig Tamanaha’s alleged arson on a Christmas tree outside News Corp headquarters. They’re just right back out on the streets.”White House press secretary Jen Psaki insists funding police departments will solve retail theft problems.

Rep. Eric Swalwell, D-Calif., and a handful of other House Democrats have expressed their support for a federal COVID-19 vaccine requirement to be allowed to board airplanes. Swalwell pushed the idea of an air travel vaccine requirement on Twitter Sunday, writing a "prediction" that the country "can go from 60% Americans vaxxed to 80% if we require vaccines to fly." Talks on whether the Biden administration will implement a vaccine requirement for air travel have swirled amid the president’s ban on international travel from several African countries. The White House is set to extend its mask mandate to March 18, adding a doubling of fines if individuals are noncompliant with the requirement. The current mask mandate was slated to expire on Jan. 18 following an extension last August.

The numbers, disclosed in a press release from the State Department, are drastically higher than the estimates President Biden gave regarding the number of Americans left behind in Afghanistan after U.S. forces left the country. Even before the withdrawal, Biden had pledged to leave no U.S. citizen behind. "If there's American citizens left, we're going to stay to get them all out," Biden told ABC News' George Stephanopoulos on Aug. 16. "[W]e believe that about 100 to 200 Americans remain in Afghanistan with some intention to leave," President Biden said on Aug. 31. The State Department said it is continuing to relocate more than 2,200 Afghan allies who worked with the U.S. as well as their families.

When Tucker Carlson parroted Kremlin talking points? He was emblematic of Fox only for non-Fox viewers, who thought of him as a professional oasis in the Fox sewer. He popped up occasionally to provide commentary on other Fox shows, but he was never a franchise face like O’Reilly, Carlson, Hannity or even Baier. By leaving Fox for a competitor, Wallace has picked the opportune time and the opportune place for his break. ******Will the Fox cult grow more extreme now that Wallace has left?

Fox News’s White House correspondent Peter Doocy got into it once again with Jen Psaki, President Joe Biden’s press secretary, as he questioned whether the president supported the crimefighting tactics of New York City leaders. The Fox correspondent ended his questioning of Ms Psaki on Monday with a reference to the burning of the Fox News Christmas tree outside of the network’s NYC headquarters, and asked whether Ms Psaki believed it was “good governance” for the suspect and others to be released ahead of their trials. We’ve seen an arsonist burn down a half-a-million-dollar Christmas tree in New York City back on the streets. Does the president think that’s good governing?” he asked. “We will not let this deliberate and brazen act of cowardice deter us,” Ms Scott said, according to the Times.

“The biggest challenge for Biden is to convince the American people that the United States is on the right track,” said Ed Mills, Washington policy analyst at Raymond James. Worryingly for Biden and congressional Democrats, Americans see the GOP as better able to handle them, according to the survey. Now see: U.S. inflation rate swells to 39-year high of 6.8% as Americans pay higher prices for almost everythingBiden’s and Democrats’ response? Doubling down on their agenda, namely the still-under-debate Build Back Better social-policy and climate plan. Pivoting to the president’s Build Back Better plan, Psaki said the legislation would “start cutting costs early next year,” including for child care.

(Bloomberg) -- China reported its first omicron case, while Hong Kong issued quarantine-free rules for travel to the mainland. U.S. cases of Covid-19 topped 50 million, meaning about 15% of the population has tested positive for the virus. Covid-19 cases in Chicago have been on the rise in recent weeks. Ministers believe the move is logical now that omicron cases in the U.K. are doubling every two to three days, a person familiar with the matter said. China Reports 1st Omicron Case: Global Times (8:06 a.m. NY)The city of Tianjin reported the first case of omicron in mainland China Monday, the Global Times reported, citing the city.

Fox News White House reporter Peter Doocy and White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki. Fox NewsThe Fox News Christmas tree fire came up during Monday's White House press briefing. Fox News reporter Peter Doocy asked about the network's highly publicized Christmas tree fire during Monday's White House press briefing. The exchange between Doocy and White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki was part of a broader question about crime. "We've seen an arsonist burn down a half-million dollar Christmas tree in New York City, back out on the streets," he continued.

Fox News White House correspondent Peter Doocy asked press secretary Jen Psaki on Monday what President Joe Biden is doing to combat crime — like the burning-down of the Fox News Christmas tree. The tree, which sits outside of the network’s New York City headquarters, was burned down in the early hours of Wednesday morning. Fox News reported that when the suspect left the courthouse Wednesday, he told reporters gathered there that he “didn’t do it.” He faces additional charges, including criminal mischief, reckless endangerment and criminal trespass. Per the New York Post, which shares the News Corp building outside of which the blaze took place with Fox News, all of the charges, including arson, are misdemeanors. She expressed gratitude to the New York Police Department and New York Fire Department for responding to Wednesday’s fire “immediately.”

First, the 6.9% consumer price index showed inflation is not 'transitory' and we sure don't need any more government spending. It means permanent. So transformational permanent translates to $5 trillion in more spending and $3 trillion in a larger deficit. BIDEN’S TRILLION DOLLAR SPENDING BILL COULD DOUBLE YOUR CHILD CARE COSTSThat means there will be huge new government spending to push inflation higher, and it also means the bills not paid for. DEM BLASTS US BUDGET OFFICE, SAYS IT’S ‘OUTDATED’ AMID SPENDING BILL BACKLASHGuess you all did want permanent.

“It’s focused on what we collectively need, to get off of fossil fuels.”A GRID Alternatives crew installs rooftop solar panels at a home in L.A.'s Watts neighborhood in June. Two influential consumer watchdog groups, the Utility Reform Network and the state’s Public Advocates Office, have joined the utilities in arguing for reduced incentives for rooftop solar. Guzman Aceves described the $3-billion cost shift estimate as “on the low side” of what California spends on net metering. Gavin Newsom, urging him to protect the rooftop solar incentive program known as net metering. The Save California Solar campaign, which includes more than 600 organizations, says it delivered 120,000 public comments supportive of net metering to Newsom last week.

That planning has been brought on by declining poll numbers for President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris. “Our country is coming out of a massive recession and working to end the pandemic.”The New York Times story went on to say talk of a Pritzker presidential run is “abundant” in private. One Democratic consultant brushed aside Pritzker’s appearance in the New York Times story. “I don’t think there’s any accidents when people make the New York Times political section,” the strategist said. Next year’s election cycle carries a chance of being “high risk and high reward” for Pritzker’s potential plans for the future, the strategist said.

WASHINGTON — Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo on Monday announced 60 finalists for $1 billion in economic development grants tied to the Biden administration's coronavirus relief package and aimed at improving job training and regional industry partnerships. Twelve of the finalists were from places tied to the coal industry. The finalists were predominantly coalitions made up of government, academic and economic partnerships. "This program will bring communities back in regions across America," Alejandra Castillo, assistant commerce secretary for economic development, said in an interview. Among the city-led finalists are: Indianapolis; Newark, New Jersey; Tucson, Arizona; Manchester, New Hampshire; Phoenix; and New Orleans.

Virginia has picked up the pace of extending high-speed internet service to 13 rural localities in central Virginia, including Goochland and Powhatan counties in the greater Richmond area. A $79 million grant from the Virginia Telecommunications Initiative will be used as leverage for an additional $207 million in local government and private investment to expand fiber-optic networks for high-speed broadband services in wide swath of the Piedmont region from the outer Richmond suburbs to the Charlottesville and Lynchburg areas. In addition to Goochland and Powhatan, the grant, which Gov. Mark Warner and Tim Kaine and Rep. Abigail Spanberger, D-7th, announced on Monday, will accelerate expansion of high-speed internet service to the counties of Albemarle, Amherst, Appomattox, Buckingham, Campbell, Cumberland, Fluvanna, Greene, Louisa, Madison and Nelson. The grant was one of 35 by the state to expand broadband communications to nearly all residents of 71 localities by 2024.

Virginia has picked up the pace of extending high-speed internet service to 13 rural localities in central Virginia, including Goochland and Powhatan counties in the greater Richmond area. A $79 million grant from the Virginia Telecommunications Initiative will be used as leverage for an additional $207 million in local government and private investment to expand fiber-optic networks for high-speed broadband services in wide swath of the Piedmont region from the outer Richmond suburbs to the Charlottesville and Lynchburg areas. In additional to Goochland and Powhatan, the grant, which Gov. Mark Warner and Tim Kaine and Rep. Abigail Spanberger, D-7th, announced on Monday, will accelerate expansion of high-speed internet service to the counties of Albemarle, Amherst, Appomattox, Buckingham, Campbell, Cumberland, Fluvanna, Greene, Louisa, Madison and Nelson. The grant was one of 35 by the state to expand broadband communications to nearly all residents of 71 localities by 2024.

Biden President Joe Biden signs an executive order to improve government services, in the Oval Office of the White House, Monday, Dec. 13, 2021, in Washington. “The bottom line is we're going to make the government work more effectively,” Biden said before signing the order in the Oval Office. “The fight to improve government services requires a broad retooling of the bureaucratic wiring and flattening of the hierarchy. Medicare recipients are to be able to access personalized online tools for saving money on drugs and managing their health care. It should become easier to update mailing addresses with the government or change names with the Social Security Administration.

Sen. Rand Paul blasted the Biden administration's Omicron travel bans on Sunday as 'knee jerk' attacks on liberty when the new COVID-19 variant is already present in more than half of U.S. states and in at least 40 countries. 'The travel bans aren't going to work. At the same time, his health secretary floated the idea of lifting new travel restrictions, introduced to stem the spread of Omicron, given the extent of the variant's spread in the U.K. It is not just libertarians like Paul who have chafed at travel bans. The U.S. is currently recording 119,000 new COVID cases every day, a staggering 43 percent increase over the past two weeks.

This week on the podcast:— The leaders of Russia and Turkey meet in Moscow on Thursday in a bid to de-escalate fighting in Syria which has brought the two countries to the brink of direct military confrontation. Financial Times Bureau Chief Henry Foy joins us in the studio to discuss what is at stake for both countries. The episode was recorded and edited at CM Records Studio in central Moscow. Read More:Russia’s Syria gamble under pressure as Turkey attacks in IdlibHawks say Sanders will be weak on Russia. But Putin should fear a President Bernie

President Biden signed an executive order that directs federal agencies to streamline routine government services like renewing a passport or applying for college loans so they are simple tasks instead of time-consuming nightmares. The order includes a checklist of 36 ways to improve “customer experience” when Americans try to claim benefits, save on prescription drugs or file their taxes. Mr. Biden said the bureaucracy is too complicated for Americans who are entitled to federal services and paid for them with their tax dollars. “It’s really a very complicated web for the vast majority of people, whether they have PhDs or high school education,” Mr. Biden said at the signing in the Oval Office. Mr. Biden insisted the executive order was no small thing as he gathered leaders of the departments of Education and Homeland Security and Federal Emergency Management Agency, Small Business Administration and Transportation Security Administration around his desk.

Vice President Kamala Harris said the private investments will help to address the root causes of immigration. Harris issued a call to action in May to assist El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras. PepsiCo said it plans to designate $190 million for investments in Central America, including improving manufacturing plants. Cargill, meanwhile, plans to invest $150 million in farming operations in El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras. Fiscal year 2021, which ended Sept. 30, notched 1.73 million encounters, quadruple the 458,088 from fiscal year 2020, according to Customs and Border Patrol.

Vladimir Putin has told Boris Johnson that he wants immediate talks to secure clear legal agreements that Nato will not expand eastwards. Russia has threatened to deploy intermediate-range nuclear missiles in Europe as a response to what it claims are Nato plans to do the same thing. The missiles were withdrawn after the US and the Soviet Union signed the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) treaty in 1987. Ryabkov told Russia’s RIA news agency that Moscow would deploy nuclear missiles if Nato refused to engage in talks. “And I would note that while US missiles will be conventional, Russia would probably deploy its missiles with nuclear warheads.

Yet the governor’s COVID-fueled political troubles are far from over, as she heads into a 2022 reelection campaign. “Certainly there are still public health dangers from COVID,” says Cornell Belcher, a Democratic strategist. “But the political problem with COVID is this, and you pick it up in focus groups: the uncertainty of it all. “Your political strategy on a health emergency isn’t really political,” says Biden’s pollster John Anzalone. The messaging by this administration going into the midterms is an absolute failure, just the way it was an absolute failure of the Obama administration going into 2010.

Over the summer, as bogus information about COVID and vaccines spread aggressively across social media, President Joe Biden’s irritations with Facebook boiled over. Facebook didn’t invent misinformation and conspiracy theories. Misinformation always existed, but Facebook has helped to amplify it. There have always been conspiracy theories, but Facebook has given them echo chambers in which to flourish. It would be bad enough if Facebook were passively allowing bad actors to run amok.

Josh is currently being held in a county jail in Fayetteville, Arkansas as he awaits his April sentencing hearing. According to a new report from In Touch, Josh is being held in solitary confinement as he awaits his sentencing. We know what you're thinking -- maybe it wouldn't be such a bad thing for Josh to endure a savage beating. As for Anna, insiders say Josh's long-suffering wife is "completely devastated" by the situation, as one might expect. We suppose that's the level of delusion that one needs in order to remain married to Josh Duggar.

The resolution outlines how the President should use executive authority to cancel student loan debt and ensure there is no tax liability for Federal student loan borrowers resulting from administrative debt cancellation. Over 100 community, civil rights, consumer, and student advocacy organizations have already come out in support of using executive authority to cancel student loan debt. Canceling student loan debt would help boost our struggling economy and close the racial wealth gap that has persisted for far too long." "Before the COVID-19 pandemic, millions of Americans were already confronting burdensome student loans, with the national student loan debt at a record $1.5 trillion. - Becky Pringle, President of National Education AssociationOver 325 organizations have called on President Biden to cancel federal student debt using executive action.

In the fall of 2011, the total amount of outstanding student debt in the country had just surpassed nine hundred billion dollars. A group called the Occupy Student Debt Campaign took the stark moral position that all of this debt should be abolished. The amount of student debt in the country surpassed a trillion dollars, then a trillion and a half. The Occupy Student Debt Campaign tried to persuade a million student debtors to default, openly and collectively, on their loans. On April 1st, in an interview with Politico, Ron Klain, Biden’s chief of staff, was asked whether Biden planned to cancel student debt via executive action.

President Biden has asked Education Secretary Miguel Cardona to review whether Biden has the legal authority to cancel student loan debt, White House chief of staff Ron Klain revealed. “He’ll look at that legal authority, he’ll look at the policy issues around that, and then he’ll make a decision. REUTERS/Erin ScottWhen then-candidate Biden gained the Democratic nomination in March last year, the presidential hopeful did not believe a chief executive had the authority to cancel any federal debt without Congress. In February, the president asked the Justice Department to review his legal authority to cancel $10,000 in student loans. “The president continues to call on Congress to cancel $10,000 in debt for student loan borrowers.

The CARES Act, passed on March 27, 2020, paused federal student loan payments through Sept. 30, 2020 and temporarily set the federal student loan interest rate to 0%. A recent survey of 33,703 student loan borrowers by the Student Debt Crisis Center found that even among student loan borrowers with full-time employment, 89% say they're not financially secure enough to begin making payments after Feb 1. And 21% say they will never be financially secure enough to resume payments. "It is clear that payments should not resume until your administration has fully delivered on the promises you made to student loan borrowers to fix the broken student loan system and cancel federal student debt." Moreover, with Omicron spreading, the uncertainty with what happens next demands at least one more extension of the student loan payment pause."

But overhauling that system doesn’t seem to be a high priority for the current administration. The Dash for Cash did happen to coincide, however, with an announcing about what is considered a high priority for Team Biden as far as education is concerned. The announcement of this dash for student cash seemed to strike progressives as not merely in poor taste, but downright offensive. Psaki on the student loan payment pause that expires in Feb- “A smooth transition back into repayment is a high priority for the administration." Perhaps the reason that Biden has chosen not to extend the pause on student loan any further is for the sake of appearances.

AP Top Stories December 13 PHere’s the latest for Monday, December 13: Death toll rises from cluster of Midwest tornados; President Biden travels to Kentucky Wednesday; Former officer may change plea in George Floyd civil rights case; New York state imposes mask mandate.

Prices up, approval down: As inflation continues to surge in the United States, Americans have named it their top concern, surpassing the pandemic. The poll found that 28% of Americans approved of Biden’s handling of inflation, while a majority of Americans, at 69%, disapproved. The committee is scheduled to vote Monday evening to recommend the full House find Meadows in contempt for defying a subpoena. Meadows is not alone: Trump is also fighting a subpoena for his administration's documents at the National Archives and Records Administration. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled against Trump and in favor of the committee receiving the documents because President Joe Biden waived executive privilege.

?No American service members involved in the erroneous August drone strike that killed 10 Afghan civilians as the Biden administration concluded its chaotic military withdrawal from the war-torn nation will face disciplinary action, the Pentagon said Monday. According to Kirby, “there was not a strong enough case to be made for personal accountability” in McKenzie’s and Clarke’s recommendations. “The recommendations were more about procedure and process and the secretary reviewed them and has accepted them,” Kirby said. “And again, most of them are of a classified nature … but there was no overt recommendation made by either specific to accountability and any punishment for anyone.”The brother of Afghan drone strike victim Zemerai Ahmadi surveying the damage of the strike that killed ten innocent people. Kirby cautioned that the recommendation of no discipline did not mean the ?Defense Department ?”?is turning a blind eye to a high standard of conduct and leadership.?”?Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin approved the recommendation that no US troops be disciplined for the drone strike.

“He can be a quiet dude,” Brooks’ Milwaukee neighbor Willie Bates told The Post. Though bordering ultra-Democrat Milwaukee County, Waukesha County is a Republican stronghold. Milwaukee DA John Chisholm’s office released Brooks on $1,000 cash bail. He’s been charged with six counts of intentional homicide and sits in the Waukesha County Jail on $5 million bail. Mike De Sisti/Milwaukee Journal SentinelWaukesha’s charming Main Street, where the parade attack took place, resembles a sort of post-modern Mayberry RFD.

“We had many conversations with your ambassador, but [between] my presidency and the White House, no,” Giammattei said. Then we had the visit of Vice President Harris. White House press secretary Jen Psaki confirmed that Vice President Kamala Harris is still the Biden administration’s border czar after the Guatemalan president claimed that he hasn’t spoken to her since June. Ken Cedeno/CNP/Bloomberg via Getty Images“He said, Vice President Harris, he has not spoken to her,” Doocy persisted. She eventually made a perfunctory visit to the border in June, 94 days after being named the border czar.

Share Share Article via Facebook Share Article via Twitter Share Article via LinkedIn Share Article via EmailBiden unveils plan to build 500,000 EV charging stations across the U.S.President Joe Biden today unveiled a plan to build half a million electric vehicle charging stations across the United States. The initiative is called the 'Biden-?Harris Electric Vehicle Charging Action Plan.' The U.S. will spend $7.5 billion to make it happen as part of the $1 trillion infrastructure bill.

It’s the ministry’s biggest investment amid long-running efforts to help LGBTQ immigrants, said Al Green, the task force’s director. Groups like the Rainbow Railroad in Toronto, Canada, help LGBTQ individuals escape persecution in their home countries. Temporary shelters like Casa de Luz in Tijuana, Mexico, provide safe havens for gay and transgender migrants on the perilous journey across the U.S. southern border. DHS doesn’t track LGBTQ asylum claims, but a study earlier this year from the Williams Institute estimated LGBTQ individuals filed at least 11,400 applications from 2012 to 2017, with more than half of those coming from Central America. Gay and transgender individuals can seek asylum under the same legal category as those persecuted for their race, religion or political opinions.

Negotiations have not gone well: The company announced plans last week to hire permanent replacements for the striking workers. President Joe Biden said Friday that he was "deeply troubled" by reports of Kellogg's plan to permanently replace striking plant workers as the union haggles for a new contract involving 1,400 employees. "Permanently replacing striking workers is an existential attack on the union and its members' jobs and livelihoods. There's some compelling anecdotal evidence to suggest striking workers not only noticed the presidential statement, but also celebrated it. The month before his presidential inauguration, Biden assured workers he'd be "the most pro-union president you've ever seen."

Elon Musk is Time's 2021 Person of the YearEnlarge this image toggle caption Maja Hitij/Getty Images Maja Hitij/Getty ImagesElon Musk has been named Time's 2021 Person of the Year. Musk, the richest person on Earth, is the CEO of the aerospace company SpaceX and electronic car company Tesla. Time gives the title to the person it sees as having the most influence during the past year. Time editor-in-chief Edward Felsenthal described Musk as "a person with extraordinary influence on life on Earth, and potentially life off earth too." Musk hosted Saturday Night Live this year, where he said he was the "first person with Asperger's to host SNL.

The U.S. Supreme Court rejected a bid to block New York state’s requirement that healthcare workers get vaccinated against Covid-19. Monday’s decision, after weeks of deliberation, comes after the Court rejected a similar application by healthcare workers in Maine in October. New York’s vaccine mandate, issued by the Department of Health on Aug. 26, requires healthcare workers who work in close contact with patients, residents or other workers to be vaccinated against Covid-19. The state said healthcare workers could pass coronavirus on to patients or residents, or infect their colleagues and worsen staffing shortages. A federal appeals court has paused Biden’s vaccine mandate in a case that could also wind up before the Supreme Court.

U.S. Cases Top 50 Million (3:10 p.m. NY)U.S. coronavirus cases topped 50 million, according to data compiled by Johns Hopkins University and Bloomberg. Covid-19 cases in Chicago have been on the rise in recent weeks. Ministers believe the move is logical now that omicron cases in the U.K. are doubling every two to three days, a person familiar with the matter said. The U.K. is aiming to counter omicron by accelerating its vaccine booster program, offering an extra shot to every adult before the end of December. A plan to replace self-isolation for contacts of positive Covid-19 cases was hampered when the government website ran out of free at-home rapid lateral flow testsMost Read from Bloomberg Businessweek©2021 Bloomberg L.P.

The expansion comes as COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations rise in Massachusetts, in what experts fear is another surge as winter approaches and people gather inside. Framingham High School sports teams halt practice last week following COVID-19 surge — 2:42 p.m.By Travis Andersen, Globe StaffSeveral sports teams at Framingham High School canceled practices Thursday in light of rising COVID-19 cases throughout the school district, officials said. New Hampshire identifies its first COVID-19 Omicron variant — 2:39 p.m.By The Associated PressNew Hampshire has identified the first case of the COVID-19 omicron variant in the state, health officials said Monday. New UK Omicron cases double as country plans daily tests — 10:51 a.m.BloombergThe U.K. confirmed 1,239 new omicron cases on Sunday, almost double the 633 cases reported the day before. Dan McKee has so far been reluctant to impose even as COVID-19 cases rise and hospitals feel the strain.

First lady Jill Biden and second gentleman Douglas Emhoff are visiting Wisconsin on Wednesday to meet with health care workers as well as victims of the Waukesha Christmas parade and their families. They will also visit with children who just received the COVID-19 vaccine and their families. After the Children's Hospital visit, they're scheduled to head to Waukesha City Hall to visit with families of victims from the parade attack and first responders. Biden, Emhoff and Murthy are expected to make brief public remarks at Children's Hospital and in Waukesha, but the White House said they will meet privately with families and first responders. Their visit comes about three weeks after the parade attack, which left six dead and more than 60 people injured.

Last month, Medicare announced one of the largest increases ever in its “Part B” monthly premium for outpatient care, nearly $22, from $148.50 currently to $170.10 starting in January. “Rather than assessing the current $21.60 per month … premium increase in full, I urge you to reduce the amount,” Senate Finance Chairman Ron Wyden, D-Ore., wrote health secretary Xavier Becerra. But Wyden wrote Becerra that as secretary of Health and Human Services, he has “broad authority” to determine the “appropriate contingency margin” to use in setting premiums. Given that Medicare is still developing its formal policy for covering Aduhelm, Wyden said there is a clear rationale for collecting less up front at this particular time. “Uncertainty” over the drug’s financial impact on Medicare appeared to be driving much of the calculation of the new premium, Wyden noted.

Biden, who has already signed emergency declarations for Kentucky, said he stands ready to do the same for Illinois. He added that he has ordered his administration to make every resource available to local and state officials in Kentucky and the other states impacted by the storms. The president said his message to governors was that the federal government would help them get “Whatever they need, when they need it.”“We’re going to get this done,” Biden added. McConnell said he'll travel “at the end of the week” back to Kentucky — an indication he would not be joining Biden’s trip Wednesday. McConnell earlier Monday thanked Biden in a tweet for his actions to help the state.

Gavin Newsom's prospects of gliding into a second term in 2022 appear as golden as the $23 million he has socked away for his reelection campaign. At this point in the last race for California governor, the field of candidates was wide and two debates had been staged. Republican campaign consultant Tim Rosales said anyone should be sober about the odds of dethroning the "800-pound gorilla" — Newsom. Republican businessman John Cox, who lost to Newsom in 2018, received 4.1% of the vote, and Assemblyman Kevin Kiley (R-Rocklin) won 3.5%. Crime is worse than it was when I was campaigning.... Gavin Newsom oversaw the release of almost 20,000 convicted felons early.

At least 74 people are dead and more than 100 still missing in Kentucky alone after tornadoes ravaged the area, shaken Gov. At the later briefing, Beshear questioned the official number of 109 people still unaccounted for, saying it was “way more. REUTERS/Cheney OrrThe aftermath of a tornado is seen in downtown Mayfield, Kentucky, on December 12, 2021. Salvage and cleanup continues after a tornado ripped through on December 9, 2021. Army Guardsmen with the 301st Chemical Battalion and Air Guardsmen with the 123rd Airlift Wing continue search and rescue missions in Kentucky.

Mexicans are in mourning for Vicente Fernández, the elaborately mustachioed icon of ranchera music, whose ballads of love and loss, golden baritones and singular stage presence captured the raw emotions of a nation. Such was Fernández’s stature that Andrés Manuel López Obrador ended his morning press conference on Monday by playing Volver, Volver. The music of Vicente Fernández created memories for millions … Vicente will be remembered for generations to come.”Vicente Fernández was born 17 February 1940, in the ranching community of Huentitán el Alto. “He made ranchera music popular in the cities and beyond the traditional audiences. Whether performing in big-city stadiums or small-town cockfighting rings Fernández took the stage in elaborately embroidered charro suits, cowboy boots and broad sombreros.

Christian Walker, son of retired NFL player Herschel Walker, went viral for all the wrong reasons when he shared his reaction to high gas prices and tried to blame Democrats. Walker's son recorded himself apparently in shock over having to pay nearly $100 for gas after he filled up his tank with around 20.9 gallons. One tweet read, “Let’s be clear: his dad is Herschel Walker. Another wrote, “$100? That’s 1/13th of your Givenchy hoodie!”“You know the President doesn’t have a magic lever to raise or drop gas prices right?” one person asked.

Jen Psaki was interrupted during today's (Monday) White House press conference by a musical ringtone. The white house press secretary was discussing the administrations' climate policy when a reporters phone rang. "We're getting a little groovy in here, I like it", Ms Psaki said, while dancing slightly. "I was enjoying it thoroughly, we should turn it back on in a few minutes," the press secretary added. Hours ago after it was announced Joe Biden will meet Centrist Senator Joe Manchin as Democrats race to pass the president’s Build Back Better Act.

An unknown group called "Kraken Intel" may have contributed to the PowerPoint presentation used by Donald Trump’s advisers to plot ways of overturning the 2020 election, it has emerged. Yet an editable version seen by The Independent contains the logo of Kraken Intel on the bottom-right corner of one page, hidden behind a white box that can be deleted by the user. The editable PowerPoint appears to be authentic, since other versions show the tip of the Kraken logo peeping out from behind the white box, as if it had been redacted in a hurry. The Kraken Intel logo, featuring a stylised image of a10-armed octopus or squid, appears on page 29 of one version of the document, showing the supposed "true" margins of Mr Trump’s victory once "fraudulent" votes are removed. A spokesperson for Mr Trump did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki scoffed at a call by the Taliban to release $10bn in frozen cash to Afghanistan. Afghan Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi told the Associated Press that it wants a good relationship with other nations and did not have a problem with the United States. “Sanctions against Afghanistan would ... not have any benefit,” Mr Muttaqi told the AP on Sunday. She said the money is not available because the cash is in certain financial institutions that have risk mitigation strategies. “Again, we’re continuing to review but that’s the status and the reason why we have not, there is not any update on that,” Ms Psaki said.

Former President Donald Trump's son-in-law and ex-senior adviser Jared Kushner once screamed at the Israeli ambassador and kicked him out of the White House, a new book claims. We did it because we were serious about peace,' Kushner reportedly screamed in response. 'This will be the biggest mistake you have ever made,' Kushner told his longtime family friend. 'I don't think Bibi ever wanted to make peace,' Trump told Israeli author Ravid. Abbas reportedly told Trump he was eager to make a deal, while Netanyahu told him to wait.

This week, President Joe Biden hopped onto Zoom in an effort to shepherd the world along the path to stronger global democracy, during a two-day summit with other world leaders. He’ll be making his case, however, amid growing concerns about democracy here at home. Whether we like it or not, there is reason to be gravely concerned. But against this backdrop, an interesting debate has broken out about the press’s role in protecting our too-fragile institutions and raveled civic fabric from a Trumpian assault—and whether the media, in an effort to support democracy, must unflinchingly support Biden, as well. Over the weekend, The Washington Post’s Dana Milbank made considerable waves with a column that rather lustily accused the media of offering President Biden worse coverage than President Trump.

Federal student loan payments will resume in less than two months, and experts say you shouldn’t set your strategy based on the perceived likelihood that student loan forgiveness is coming. Why Experts Say Mass Student Loan Debt Cancellation Probably Won’t HappenWe talked to at least a dozen experts throughout the year to better understand the student loan landscape and over the summer even asked some of them to share their student loan forgiveness predictions. Davidson & Co recently surveyed student loan borrowers to better understand their sentiment on student loan forbearance and wide-scale forgiveness. 5 Ways to Prepare for Student Loan Repayment in 2022The repayment break for student loan borrowers ends next month. With student loan forgiveness an increasingly unlikely outcome, here’s how you can prepare to restart payments on your student loans in early 2022.

A cursory glance at his record indicates that he has consistently opposed federal disaster relief measures. On disaster aid, Paul voted against a 2013 bill to aid victims of Hurricane Sandy, and earlier this year blocked accelerated passage of the Gulf Coast Hurricane Aid Act, a measure to aid victims of the storms in Louisiana. That points to a fundamental difference between Republicans and Democrats when it comes to disaster aid. Republican posturing against disaster aid “for thee, but not for me” is a hardy perennial on Capitol Hill. Of those votes, 31 came fromRepublicans who had previously sought disaster aid for their own states.

Teachers in South Dakota scrambled to pick up $1 bills in a hockey game sideshowSchoolteachers grabbed at dollar bills in a "dash for cash" during intermission at a hockey game in South Dakota, sparking controversy for turning teachers' need to pay for classroom supplies into a public spectacle. South Dakota ranks toward the bottom in terms of spending on education. South Dakota is looking to boost teacher payLast week, Gov. Kristi Noem proposed a 6% increase in state aid for public education, a move that the state's teachers union welcomed. But the South Dakota Education Association also notes that if state lawmakers approve the increase in their upcoming session, it will still be up to school districts to choose where and how to use the additional funds.

After a series of deadly tornadoes hit the midwest, Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., requested federal aid for his home state of Kentucky. Twitter users then quickly criticized Paul for his previous opposition to disaster relief. In a letter to President Biden, Paul wrote., "The Governor of the Commonwealth has requested federal assistance this morning, and certainly further requests will be coming as the situation is assessed. However, users on Twitter uncovered several instances where Paul criticized other politicians for requesting disaster relief and even voting against disaster relief bills. Chris Christie of New Jersey requested federal aid for Hurricane Sandy in 2012, Paul criticized Christie for having a "gimme, gimme, gimme," attitude.

Taiwanese Digital Minister Audrey Tang's map was shown for about a minute on Friday before the video feed of her presentation was removed, people familiar with the situation told Reuters. However, it also recognizes the "one China" policy, which asserts that the People’s Republic of China is the sole government of China. Taiwan's Foreign Ministry attributed the video being cut to "technical problems," and the White House did not offer a comment on the matter, Reuters noted. The Hill has reached out to the White House and State Department for comment. “There has been no shift," White House press secretary Jen Psaki Jen PsakiWhite House cut Taiwanese official's video feed over map: report Graham says Democrats must 'quit lying' about Build Back Better, calls for House to revote The Memo: Inflation delivers gut-punch as Biden tries to sell economic record MORE said the next day.

Students used to look at me quizzically when I mentioned the word “inflation,” as if I were reminiscing about the invention of the spinning jenny. But President Biden and Jerome Powell, the chair of the Federal Reserve, need to take action now. The Covid pandemic delivered supply shocks in the form of disrupted workforces and supply chains. Last year, the Federal Reserve, which oversees interest rates and the nation’s banks and monetary supply, instituted a new framework. It proposed that inflation levels of higher than 2 percent, the Fed’s traditional target, could make up for the lower levels of inflation the economy experienced in the years after the 2008 financial crisis but before the Covid-19 pandemic.

Credit... William Widmer for The New York TimesAs the death toll continued to fluctuate from Friday night’s devastating swarm of tornadoes, Gov. Andy Beshear of Kentucky said on Monday that there were 74 confirmed deaths in his state — the hardest hit — though he predicted that the number would rise as crews search the ruins. “We expect that this death toll will continue to grow,” the governor said in an afternoon news conference. The governor told reporters that Kentucky State Police investigators were working through a list of employees provided by the company to confirm the tally given by the company. At least a thousand homes had been damaged or destroyed, officials have estimated, and Mr. Beshear said that state parks were providing free housing to those whose homes were uninhabitable.

The vice president, 57, traveled to Paris in November to meet with French President Emmanuel Macron following a rough patch in U.S. relations with the country. During the four-day trip, Harris highlighted and discussed important issues on behalf of the Biden administration. Meanwhile, the exit of high-profile aides — including senior advisor and chief spokesperson for the vice president, Symone Sanders — have complicated Harris' response to reports of alleged dysfunction inside her office. President Joe Biden, joined by Vice President Kamala Harris, after delivering remarks on the CDC’s updated guidance on mask wearing for vaccinated individuals Thursday, May 13, 2021, in the Rose Garden of the White House. "Quite frankly, the media around this takes away from how effective she is being as vice president," Lee said.

Added: 13.12.2021 13:04 | 30 views | 0 commentsPresident Joe Biden spoke with Sen. Joe Manchin late last week, according to a source familiar with the conversation, as the President works to secure the West Virginia Democrat's vote for his expansive economic and climate bill he wants passed by the end of the year.

Biden signs $1.9T relief bill before speech to nationAdded: 11.03.2021 20:35 | 19 views | 0 commentsSource: www.tovima.grThe signing came hours before Biden delivers his first prime-time address since taking office Marking a year of loss and disruption, President Joe Biden on Thursday signed into law the $1.9 trillion relief package that he said will help the U.S. defeat the coronavirus and nurse the economy back to health. The signing came hours before Biden delivers his first prime-time address since taking office. He’s aiming to steer the nation toward a hungered-for sentiment — hope — as he marks one year since the onset of the pandemic that has killed more than 529,000 Americans. “This historic legislation is about rebuilding the backbone of this country,” Biden said as he signed the bill in the Oval... More in article.wn.com » Economy Tags: President

Added: 12.03.2021 4:42 | 19 views | 0 commentsNew Delhi [India], March 12 (ANI): Quadrilateral Security Dialogue (Quad), a strategic forum comprising India, Japan, Australia and the United States of America, will hold its first-ever head of states meet virtually on Friday. Prime Minister Narendra Modi of India will be meeting virtually with President Joe Biden of the United States, Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga of Japan, and Prime Minister Scott Morrison of Australia. The Quad, mooted by former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in 2007, has met regularly at the working and foreign ministers...

Emmanuel Macron leading EU against Biden as bloc poised to snub US in China rowAdded: 13.12.2021 8:45 | 34 views | 0 commentsEMMANUEL MACRON is leading the EU towards a diplomatic row with the US over the boycotting of the Winter Olympics in China.

College Officials Clamp Down on Student Behavior Over Covid-19 FearsAdded: 20.08.2020 10:27 | 18 views | 0 commentsJoe Biden criticized President Trump’s virus response and outlined a strategy to fight the pandemic. Overburdened health care specialists are finding themselves on the front lines as schools reopen.

Added: 13.12.2021 19:12 | 11 views | 0 commentsNo matter what President Biden does, Republicans will attack his policies as "open borders."

Added: 13.12.2021 19:11 | 14 views | 0 commentsFlorida Gov. Ron DeSantis plans to deport illegal migrants flown secretly into Florida from the southern border by the Biden administration to elite Democrat enclaves.

Added: 13.12.2021 20:26 | 8 views | 0 commentsPresident Joe Biden signed an executive order Monday aimed at rebuilding the public's trust in government by making it easier to do things like renew passports, apply for Social Security benefits and get aid after natural disasters.

Photo: Richard Drew/AP/ShutterstockThe arrival of Omicron in the U.S. looks likely to complicate the country’s exit from a seemingly endless pandemic. Ben: The U.S. is already dealing with about 120,000 COVID infections a day and is now facing a new wave of the Omicron variant. At the end of the day, Wall Street is betting more money than not that COVID is essentially over. There’s also a fatalistic streak in Wall Street’s outlook on Omicron. What’s optimistic about the Wall Street outlook is not that everyone will be happy and healthy.

Democrats are treating this, and the political press is reporting it, as a setback for their efforts. The pushback against Biden’s plan by centrist Democrats reveals the limits of the party’s appetite to tax the wealthy. (Even inflation hawks like Larry Summers say the bill won’t have a detectable impact on prices.) Worse, they will have a stronger incentive to boycott Biden’s childcare and pre-k programs than they did to boycott Obamacare. Manchin, of course, created many of the Democrats’ problems by opposing the tax increases they needed to fund the bill.

Trump and Netanyahu, before Bibi’s betrayal by acknowledging Biden’s election. “I haven’t spoken to him since,” Trump said of the former Israeli prime minister. The final straw for Trump was when Netanyahu congratulated President-elect Biden for his election victory while Trump was still disputing the result. “The first person that congratulated [Biden] was Bibi Netanyahu, the man that I did more for than any other person I dealt with … Bibi could have stayed quiet. What really honked off Trump was that Netanyahu acknowledged the victory at all, particularly at a time when other Trump allies like Vladimir Putin and Jair Bolsonaro were still holding back.

Photo: Alexi Rosenfeld/Getty ImagesIt seems almost certain that the new Omicron COVID variant will soon become dominant in the United States. Travel restrictions were implemented quickly this time and, in many cases, quickly withdrawn again once it became clear how widespread Omicron already was. But even that would be a monumental task given how short the Omicron timeline appears to be. And caseloads of the scale we have today, before Omicron, are already well beyond our capacity for contact tracing. Perhaps Omicron will bring that national decoupling, producing higher rates of growth in case totals than in hospitalizations and deaths.

The House committee investigating the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol released a report on Sunday detailing its case to hold Mark Meadows in contempt of Congress. If it does, as is expected, the House of Representatives is expected to vote on the measure later this week. The report released Sunday adds to some of the tidbits the committee released last week about how Meadows reportedly used his position to advance the effort to overturn the election results. The report does not go into detail about the context surrounding Meadows noting that the National Guard would be on hand to protect Trump supporters, only that it came in an email sent Jan. 5 and pertained to the Guard being present at the Capitol. In a letter informing Meadows’ attorney that the committee had “no choice” but to hold Meadows in contempt, Chairman Bennie Thompson (D-Miss.)

In an interview with Axios correspondent Barak Ravid, Trump said Netanyahu “never wanted peace” with the Palestinians. “I don’t think Bibi ever wanted to make peace,” Trump told Ravid, using a nickname to refer to Netanyahu. Trump before he was even inaugurated announced that his son-in-law, Jared Kushner, would be in charge of crafting a peace deal. '” Trump told Ravid of the decision. Do you?’ And he said, ‘Well, uh, uh uh’ — and the fact is, I don’t think Bibi ever wanted to make a deal.”

Biden looks to streamline gov't services with orderPresident Joe Biden signed an executive order Monday aimed at rebuilding the public's trust in government by making it easier to do things like renew passports, apply for Social Security benefits and get aid after natural disasters.

The Biden administration released a federal strategy Monday to go from 100,000 charging stations for electric vehicles across the country to 500,000 and to bring down the cost of electric cars. Biden’s $2 trillion social and environmental policy bill, now pending in the Senate, includes a $7,500 tax credit to lower the cost of electric vehicles. Electric vehicle savings: How you can save $10,000 on electric vehicles with tax credits, discounts and good timingThe Biden administration wants “to make electric vehicles accessible for everyone,'' Harris said. Another key component of the electric vehicle strategy is to increase domestic manufacturing of EV batteries and components. Even at 2 million, EV sales still would be only about 12% of U.S. new vehicle sales.

White House press secretary Jen Psaki says President Joe Biden is trying to persuade Sen. Joe Manchin to vote for his Build Back Better Act legislation. And this is just a continuation of that.”A group of West Virginians urge Sen. Joe Manchin to pass the Build Back Better Act by his yacht club in Washington, DC on Dec. 09, 2021. “People have been in a hurry for a long time to do something,” the senator told reporters. “The CBO’s not a Republican or Democrat report, the CBO’s the Congressional Budget Office, and they’re non-partisan,” Manchin told reporters. Sen. Joe Manchin warns President Joe Biden’s Build Back Better Act would add trillions to the federal deficit.

An Alaska IHOP is going viral with a savage note blaming President Biden for its lack of staff. “Haven’t been to an IHOP in over 20 years, but now I’ll start,” another person tweeted, while others told the chain the sign had made new customers. The note claimed that Biden gave out too much “free money,” leading to people not wanting to work. They’re quitting because you underpay them,” someone else tweeted the company, calling it “a MAGA chain.”“Don’t eat IHOP’s over-priced, unhealthy, fascist pancakes,” the user wrote with the hashtag #BoycottIHOP. “Quit being greedy and pay your employees,” someone else tweeted, pointing out that IHOP’s revenue in 2020 was an estimated $2.25 billion.

But there are limits to what Mr. Biden can promise with his pen alone. Some 17 million cars, trucks and SUVs are sold in the United States every year, dwarfing the federal fleet. It might be harder than expected to replace all the federal government’s vehicles with cleaner ones or to rebuild special-purpose buildings. Even then, Congress will have to allocate money over the course of decades to see through the transition Mr. Biden has mapped out. President Donald Trump canceled a similar executive order that President Barack Obama issued.

Chicago police recorded another 25 shootings, including four murders, over the past weekend alone, as the city’s police superintendent and others testified Monday before a Senate committee on gun violence. Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., instead of meeting in Washington, D.C., chaired a Senate Judiciary Committee in Chicago Monday dedicated to "Combating Gun Trafficking and Reducing Violence." Among those to testify was Chicago Police Superintendent David Brown, who said more than 700 people have been murdered so far this year in Chicago. Chicago police remain on pace to recover over 12,000 guns this year – the most ever recovered in the history of the Chicago Police Department, Brown said. He sustained gunshot wounds to the left shoulder and neck.

White House press secretary Jen Psaki said Monday that there are a "range of reasons" for the increase in crime and smash-and-grab robberies in cities across the country, dodging a question on whether "soft on crime" policies are to blame. PSAKI SAYS ROOT CAUSE OF ORGANIZED RETAIL CRIME IS THE COVID-19 PANDEMICDuring a White House briefing Monday, Psaki was asked whether she thought cities were experiencing an increase in crime due to its prosecutors and their "soft on crime" approach. Psaki, though, said the White House is focused on "what we can do to address it." "Ending cash bail will not automatically put people charged with crimes on the streets," a White House official told Fox News last month. Meanwhile, as for the spike in crime, Psaki earlier this month said COVID-19 and guns were "root" causes of the increase in organized retail theft.

The new Rivian R1T battery-electric pickup landed one of the auto industry’s most prestigious awards Monday, with Motor Trend magazine naming it Truck of the Year. But the R1T’s win comes barely a month after the influential magazine handed the trophy for Car of the Year to another EV startup, Lucid, and its new Air sedan. 2022 Car of the Year finalist, Lucid Air, takes the stage at the 2021 L.A. Auto Show on Nov. 17, 2021. So far, Rivian and Lucid have delivered only a handful of retail vehicles. The added range, performance and features offered by products like the Lucid Air and Rivian R1T should help, analysts suggest.

Frustrated that you can't schedule an IRS call back? Biden signed an order to do thatEnlarge this image toggle caption Evan Vucci/AP Evan Vucci/APPresident Biden has moved to trim the government red tape that makes dealing with federal agencies and applying for benefits an often complex and frustrating experience. "We're going to make the government work more effectively for American citizens, so its not as confusing and it's straightforward," Biden said as he signed the order. The order includes a commitment to improve 36 "customer service experiences" across 17 federal agencies. Max Stier, head of the nonprofit Partnership for Public Service, lauded the order.

The Senate on Tuesday will vote to raise the U.S. debt limit, Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said. Last week, the Senate advanced a bill that was designed to allow Democrats to raise the debt limit without Republican votes. "The Senate will act tomorrow to prevent default," New York Democrat Schumer said in a speech. The Democratic-controlled House would also need to pass an increase in the government's borrowing limit, before it is sent to President Joe Biden for signature.

The HillHouse Majority Whip James Clyburn (D-S.C.) responded to Democrats itching to replace older lawmakers in leadership roles, saying "if you want my seat, come get it. "Asked by Axios' Alexi McCammond in an interview for "Axios on HBO" when he thinks it will be time for the Democratic Party to "create a path for the next generation," noting that President Biden will be 82 in 2024, Clyburn said "the path is there for the next generation," before...

Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) opposes disaster aid, unless his state is a disaster epicenter. A cursory glance at his record indicates that he has consistently opposed federal disaster relief measures. That points to a fundamental difference between Republicans and Democrats when it comes to disaster aid. Republican posturing against disaster aid "for thee, but not for me" is a hardy perennial on Capitol Hill. Of those votes, 31 came from Republicans who had previously sought disaster aid for their own states.

The Build Back Better legislation Democrats hope to pass by the end of year is Part II of that strategy, with extensions of a new child tax credit and health care subsidies among the bill’s major elements. Just 41% of respondents in a recent NPR/Marist poll said they support the BBB legislation, with 34% opposed and 25% unsure. One obvious problem with the BBB bill is Americans don’t know what it will do. In a letter to his Senate Democrat colleagues on Monday, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said he hopes to pass the Build Back Better legislation by Christmas. A compromise here or there could earn Manchin’s vote, and get the BBB legislation to Biden’s desk.

Still, he sounded skeptical about Democrats' Christmas deadline, which would give the Senate just two weeks to pass a massive piece of legislation. While Democrats have brought down the price tag of the social spending bill to $1.7 trillion from $3.5 trillion, Manchin has his party of using so-called "budget gimmicks" to conceal the true cost of the legislation. But if the measures did not expire in a few years' time, the bill would actually cost about $4.9 trillion, according to the CBO. It relies on $1.95 trillion in new taxes, including a 15% corporate minimum and a surcharge aimed at ultramillionaires. Because Senate Democrats are using a procedural tool known as budget reconciliation to pass the package without any Republican support, the party cannot afford to lose a single vote or they risk imperiling the bill's passage.

Last week’s union victory at a single Starbucks in Buffalo, N.Y., may seem small, but it has huge symbolic importance. The tiny acorn of a union victory in Buffalo could soon become a fast-growing oak in which workers across America’s service sector move toward union membership. That, of course, is the age group of Starbucks workers. The union victory in Buffalo came despite Starbucks’ fierce anti-union efforts, showing how far some corporations will go to keep out unions. But the union victory in Buffalo could help overcome that hesitancy.

“The bottom line is we’re going to make the government work more effectively,” Biden said before signing the order in the Oval Office. That’s a tall order, considering that the federal government has persisted in its lumbering ways despite repeated attempts over generations to make it more nimble. “The fight to improve government services requires a broad retooling of the bureaucratic wiring and flattening of the hierarchy. Medicare recipients are to be able to access personalized online tools for saving money on drugs and managing their health care. It should become easier to update mailing addresses with the government or change names with the Social Security Administration.

Manchin and Biden planned to talk by phone Monday afternoon, said a person who described the plans only on condition of anonymity. Biden told reporters at the White House that when he talks to lawmakers, he tries to “convince them that what I’m proposing makes sense and is not inconsistent with what they believe." Manchin, a moderate, has pushed for months to curb the bill's costs. His support is crucial because Democrats will need all their votes for the 50-50 Senate to approve the legislation. The House approved its version of the bill last month.

Given that Medicare is still developing its formal policy for covering Aduhelm, Wyden said there is a clear rationale for collecting less up front at this particular time. "It is possible that any near-term Medicare coverage for Aduhelm ... could have a limited and narrow scope," he wrote. "Uncertainty" over the drug's financial impact on Medicare appeared to be driving much of the calculation of the new premium, Wyden noted. The Labor Department reported Friday that consumer prices jumped 6.8% over the past year, the biggest inflation increase in nearly four decades. Inflation worries are adding to the political uncertainty for Democrats heading into the 2022 midterm elections.

In the end, however, the games went on, with Black US track star Jesse Owens winning four gold medals. Thus, the 1936 games dealt a blow to Nazi claims of “Aryan” racial supremacy.Fast forward to the upcoming 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing. The White House has announced a diplomatic boycott of the games due to massive Chinese human rights violations. Rather than change Chinese behavior, it would probably have led to a tit-for-tat Chinese boycott of future games in the United States.Yet, there was no way these Olympics could have been treated as normal. The world has still not seen her in person, except in two obviously staged video calls in the company of party minders.

But Putin has been willing to massively invade or mysteriously kidnap and poison to get what he wants. Also, we recall Putin’s planned Sochi Two Step of 2014: To showcase Russia’s global economy potential, Putin planned to host the Sochi Winter Olympics -- and then host the G-8 economic summit in Sochi. But in between, Ukraine sought new economic ties with Europe -- and Putin exploded at having the world see Ukraine rejecting Russia. And last September, The Economist reported the success story that means most to Xi’s China: “Is China already the world’s most dominant economy? But Xi’s China has shamed itself by what the United States has called its “genocide” and abuses against the Uyghur Muslims.

The company fired a female employee who went public with a sexual assault allegation in August. Another man at the dinner (a client of Alibaba) was also accused of assault. The client accused by Zhou was arrested in early September and is reportedly still under investigation regarding the incident. Persistent suppression of high-profile accusationsOriginating in the United States before going global, the #MeToo movement took off China in 2018, when a Beijing college student publicly accused her professor of sexual harassment. Every #MeToo case is one step towards getting justice for all the brave survivors”.

Tariffs do exactly one thing: raise prices. There's probably not much President Joe Biden can do to curb inflation in the short term. But there is one thing Biden could do to immediately provide consumers with relief. Again: The one and only thing that tariffs do is raise prices. To the extent that any of those things occur, they happen because tariffs raise prices.

Biden to tour tornado damage in KentuckyPresident Joe Biden says that he will travel to Kentucky to view damage from devastating tornadoes that killed at least 64 people and displaced thousands. He's scheduled to visit Ft. Campbell and then to hard-hit Mayfield and Dawson Springs.. (Dec. 13)

Since the summer of 2020, mainstream Democrats in Congress have pushed to end cash bail and pretrial detention. Democrats in Congress haven’t passed a bill to end cash bail. A left wing group called "the Bail Project" then paid Williams bail. At the same time, liberal state and local politicians defend groups like the Bail Project, and even send them taxpayer dollars. Americans are worried about crime, and Democrats have responded by standing up for criminals.

"I believe that good policy is good politics," Buttigieg told Fox News. Public opinion polls indicate that the infrastructure law is popular with most Americans. The president made New Hampshire his first stop in showcasing the package on the day after he signed the bill into law. New Hampshire’s congressional delegation joined the president at the event last month, and teamed up with Buttigieg on Monday, where the transportation secretary highlighted a $25 million transportation grant to the city of Manchester. He told Fox News that the infrastructure law is "clearly not about the next election or politics.

Rachel Campos-Duffy, co-host of "Fox & Friends Weekend," criticized President Biden after he said in an interview with Jimmy Fallon that he doesn't look at his poll numbers. On "Outnumbered," Monday, Campos-Duffy said his response was "not funny" and questioned whose lives have actually improved since Biden took office. JOE CONCHA: ‘RED TSUNAMI’ COMING IN 2022 AS BIDEN APPROVAL RATING PLUMMETSRACHEL CAMPOS-DUFFY: It's not funny. He went on to say later in that interview that his job was to make Americans' lives better. … If you can't get safety right, you can't get anything right.

A group of migrants attempted to cross the Rio Grande River on Monday, underscoring the haphazard situation at the southern border. The group of at least a dozen migrants appeared to be held together by a rope while making their way to Eagle Pass, Texas. TEXAS MOTHER, DAUGHTER KILLED AS HUMAN SMUGGLER CRASHES INTO TEAM WHILE EVADING LAW ENFORCEMENT NEAR BORDERMonday's video came amid a surge in illegal encounters and concerns over whether Customs and Border Protection (CBP) could cope with the influx. One sector of the southern border had seen more than 100,000 illegal encounters since Oct. 1, which represented a 163% increase from the same time period in 2020. AZ MAYOR DECLARES EMERGENCY AFTER BORDER CHAOS: ‘HUMANITARIAN CRISIS’ COULD BE DEVELOPINGLast week, Agent Jason D. Owens tweeted: "130+ in 1 group.

The San Francisco Chronicle spotlighted Vice President Kamala Harris' office redecorating project this weekend as she continues to battle with poor public perception. "The office where Harris hosted The Chronicle for a recent interview has been overhauled since photographs were released of it early this year showing sparse decoration and navy blue walls. The room is warmer, painted a light shade of blue, and the patterned couches have been swapped for a nearly white set. Harris is the first woman, woman of color, Black woman and first graduate of a historically Black university or college to be vice president," she continued. "I love people, and there’s so much that we are doing that is directly impacting and with the people in mind," Harris told the Chronicle.

Rep. Madison Cawthorn, R-N.C., slammed Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg’s husband, Chasten Buttigieg, for complaining about the Biden administration restarting student loan payments. The freshman congressman tore into the transportation secretary’s spouse over the recent Instagram story that saw Buttigieg make headlines. "Chasten Buttigieg's personal responsibility seems to be lost in Pete Buttigieg's supply chain crisis," Cawthorn told Fox News in a Monday statement. "Chasten, your student loan payments restart after January 31, 2022," the notice read, according to a screenshot tweeted by Politico’s Michael Stratford. "A good reminder that the left’s ‘cancel student loan debt’ goal would overwhelmingly help financially comfortable people."

Aimal (R), brother of Ezmarai Ahmadi, stands next to the wreckage of a vehicle that was damaged in a US drone strike in the Kwaja Burga neighbourhood of Kabul on September 18, 2021. The U.S. military will not punish any personnel for the drone strike this summer in the capital of Afghanistan that killed 10 civilians, including as many as seven children, NBC reported Monday. That recommendation came after a Pentagon investigation found that the strike did not violate the laws of war. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, who previously called the civilian deaths a "horrible mistake," concurred in the decision not to reprimand any personnel for the strike. The strike came during the chaotic withdrawal of U.S. troops from Afghanistan, which President Joe Biden had ordered in April.

Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., a key vote on President Joe Biden's domestic spending agenda, tells reporters he's late for a hearing and can't talk, at the Capitol in Washington, Thursday, Dec. 2, 2021. Manchin seems poised to force removal of the bill's four weeks of paid annual leave, a $200 billion item prized by progressives. Manchin seems poised to force removal of the bill's four weeks of paid annual leave, a $200 billion item prized by progressives. Scott Applewhite)WASHINGTON (AP) — Democrats should curb the cost of their $2 trillion social and environment bill by choosing their top priorities, Sen. Joe Manchin said Monday, as he and President Joe Biden prepared to discuss how to advance the long-stalled package. Manchin, D-W.Va., criticized Democrats’ decision to make many of the measure’s initiatives temporary to limit the bill’s price tag.

Ahead of panel vote, Meadows' attorney says contempt referral runs contrary to lawEnlarge this image toggle caption Patrick Semansky/AP Patrick Semansky/APHours before a House select committee was set to vote for Mark Meadows' referral for criminal contempt, the former Trump White House chief of staff said through his attorney that the effort was unwise, unfair and contrary to law. However, President Biden waived executive privilege in Meadows' case, which supersedes any other claims, the committee argues. Executive privilege is also at the center of a Trump lawsuit, which could get taken up by the Supreme Court. The committee said Meadows refused to provide testimony on the documents and a long list of interests for the panel. In all, the panel said Meadows missed three scheduled deposition dates, in October, November and December.

Russia on Monday said that it could be forced to deploy nuclear missiles in Europe as a reaction to what it perceives as NATO's intentions to make similar moves. Intermediate-range ballistic and cruise missiles were banned in Europe as part of a 1987 treaty aimed at addressing Cold War tensions. Meanwhile, Ryabkov said there were "indirect indications" that NATO intended to redeploy intermediate-range missiles, such as the recent restoration of the 56th Artillery Command, which housed missiles with nuclear capabilities during the Cold War, Reuters added. NATO has said that there would be no new U.S. missiles in Europe and that it would address threats from new Russian missiles with conventional weapons. However, Ryabkov said Russia had a "complete lack of trust" in the military alliance, the news service noted.

Are tornados linked to climate change, similar to how devastating heat, wildfires, droughts and floods have intensified with a warming Earth? I fear we are poking the climate beast,” said Jennifer Marlon, a climate scientist at the Yale School of the Environment, in a tweet. President Biden was asked on Saturday if he can link climate change to the weekend devestation. “All I know is that the intensity of the weather across the board has some impacts as a consequence of the warming of the planet and climate change,” Biden said. “The link between tornadoes and climate change is currently unclear.

Fifty-one percent of employers with 100 or more employees who responded to the survey indicated they will hold off on vaccination policy decisions until the legal challenges are settled. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)The mandate was quick to draw legal challenges that are now stalling its implementation. Seventy-three percent said the legal challenges made implementation difficult, while 65% said the rule poses challenges for managing employee morale. Separately, on Nov. 30, a federal judge in Kentucky blocked enforcement of the administration’s vaccination requirements for federal contractors and subcontractors. On Dec. 9, a federal judge in Georgia issued a similar injunction.

BIDEN PITCHES REVAMPED MILLIONAIRES TAX, GLOBAL MINIMUM TO FUND SPENDING BILLIt shows that child care costs could increase by up to 102% – and as much as 122% – for some Americans under Biden's signature economic agenda, which would cap child care costs at no more than 7% of parents' income for those earning their state's median income. About half of families using non-parental child care would fall into that category, according to the analysis. The left-leaning Center for American Progress estimated that families' costs could soar by an average of $13,000 if Biden's bill becomes law, largely due to mandated higher wages for child care workers. That could push the overall cost of child care centers to about $28,970. "Normally people who quit jobs to take care of their kids do so in order to save the money they’d have to spend on child care.

A cursory glance at his record indicates that he has consistently opposed federal disaster relief measures. On disaster aid, Paul voted against a 2013 bill to aid victims of Hurricane Sandy, and earlier this year blocked accelerated passage of the Gulf Coast Hurricane Aid Act, a measure to aid victims of the storms in Louisiana. That points to a fundamental difference between Republicans and Democrats when it comes to disaster aid. Republican posturing against disaster aid “for thee, but not for me” is a hardy perennial on Capitol Hill. Of those votes, 31 came from Republicans who had previously sought disaster aid for their own states.

Experts say the foreign agent laws of Central America undermine the Biden administration’s strategy to work with these groups to reduce the underlying causes of migration. Other Central American countries, including Guatemala and Honduras, have recently passed similar laws. The laws offer governments of those countries more power to monitor and control businesses, organizations and people receiving international funding. The Foreign Agents Registration Act was passed in 1938 to counter Nazi propaganda and, later, lobbying and interference in elections from foreign governments. But Central American governments, he said, have played on the history of U.S. involvement in the region to justify their actions.

The expansion comes as COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations rise in Massachusetts, in what experts fear is another surge as winter approaches and people gather inside. Framingham High School sports teams halt practice last week following COVID-19 surge — 2:42 p.m.By Travis Andersen, Globe StaffSeveral sports teams at Framingham High School canceled practices Thursday in light of rising COVID-19 cases throughout the school district, officials said. New Hampshire identifies its first COVID-19 Omicron variant — 2:39 p.m.By The Associated PressNew Hampshire has identified the first case of the COVID-19 omicron variant in the state, health officials said Monday. New UK Omicron cases double as country plans daily tests — 10:51 a.m.BloombergThe U.K. confirmed 1,239 new omicron cases on Sunday, almost double the 633 cases reported the day before. Dan McKee has so far been reluctant to impose even as COVID-19 cases rise and hospitals feel the strain.

A controversial plan to poison rodents on the Farallon Islands is coming up for a key vote after years of debate. Critics — including Sierra Club California and Leon Panetta, the former California congressman and U.S. defense secretary — said the plan could kill other wildlife. Fish and Wildlife Service biologists — say it is the only way to save the birds and unique species on the islands. Staff at the California Coastal Commission say rodent eradication methods have largely worked on other islands, with about 700 of 1,200 attempts worldwide being successful. While opponents say that there are potential contraceptives that could be developed for mice, plan backers say these are still in development with no guarantee they will ever be approved or even effective at eradicating the Farallon Islands mice.

Their constant complaints about the election could ultimately hurt Republicans if they don't believe results can be trusted, she said. At another point, she said: "These made-up things that people do to jazz up the base is just despicable and I don't think any elected legislator should ever play that game." Some Republicans have called for the resignations of members of the bipartisan Wisconsin Elections Commission and its nonpartisan director, Meagan Wolfe. Wisconsin election officials have faced a string of threats over the last year over how they did their jobs. For instance, people this year have threatened to hang, shoot or jail Claire Woodall-Vogg, the director of the Milwaukee Election Commission.

In July, Bayer said a Supreme Court ruling in its favor would “effectively and largely end” U.S. Roundup litigation, while at the same time setting aside $4.5 billion in case the court rejected the appeal. The Supreme Court action prompted Bayer to say in a statement it won’t take part in any further settlement discussions with lawyers who represent a substantial number of plaintiffs. The company said it was “encouraged” by the request and “believes there are strong legal arguments to support Supreme Court review and reversal.”The court directed its request to U.S. Pesticide LawAt the Supreme Court, Bayer argues that Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act shields the company from liability. The Supreme Court interpreted that provision in 2005 to allow failure-to-warn suits under state law as long as the state requirements are “genuinely equivalent” to those under FIFRA.

Outside the arena, the scene was less bustling than a typical Trump rally, with only a few stands selling “Let’s go Brandon” and “Trump/DeSantis 2024? merchandise. But Trump equivocated, saying, “I think that people are going to be very happy with what I do. But Trump surprisingly received heavy boos when he answered a question on whether he would investigate Biden’s son Hunter. Jeff Sonkson from Longwood wanted to hear that Trump was running again in 2024, but unlike some others didn’t want DeSantis as his running mate. She has three flag shirts, three pairs of flag pants, and nine flag dresses.

The statement came after President Joe Biden spoke to Putin in a video call last week and said he had made clear that a Russian invasion of Ukraine would have “devastating” consequences for Russia's economy. Moscow denies having any plans to attack Ukraine and accuses Kyiv of its own allegedly aggressive designs. It was not immediately clear if Patrushev's presence on Indonesia would change that. In Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand, Blinken is aiming to highlight the importance of ensuring freedom of navigation in the South China Sea, on which many of China’s neighbors have accused Beijing of encroaching. In his meeting with Widodo, Blinken “expressed support for Indonesia’s leadership in the Indo-Pacific as the world’s third-largest democracy and a strong proponent of the rules-based international order,” the State Department said.

Biden, who has already signed emergency declarations for Kentucky, said he stands ready to do the same for Illinois. He added that he has ordered his administration to make every resource available to local and state officials in Kentucky and the other states impacted by the storms. The president said his message to governors was that the federal government would help them get “Whatever they need, when they need it.”“We’re going to get this done,” Biden added. “I worry quite frankly about the mental health of these people,” he said. He said his administration was working to help people with “peace of mind” so that that can “actually put their head on a pillow, lie down and be able to know their kids are going to be okay.”

Manchin and Biden planned to talk by phone Monday afternoon, said a person who described the plans only on condition of anonymity. Biden told reporters at the White House that when he talks to lawmakers, he tries to “convince them that what I’m proposing makes sense and is not inconsistent with what they believe." Manchin, a moderate, has pushed for months to curb the bill's costs. His support is crucial because Democrats will need all their votes for the 50-50 Senate to approve the legislation. The House approved its version of the bill last month.

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden signed an executive order Monday aimed at rebuilding the public's trust in government by making it easier to do things like renew passports, apply for Social Security benefits and get aid after natural disasters. The idea is to put the public and customer service at the center of federal operations, saving time, energy, frustration and potentially money by offering better and more efficient services for the millions of routine interactions people have with the government. “The bottom line is we're going to make the government work more effectively,” Biden said before signing the order in the Oval Office. That’s a tall order, considering that the federal government has persisted in its lumbering ways despite repeated attempts over generations to make it more nimble. President Bill Clinton famously pledged in 1993 to “reinvent government” with an interagency task force.

Fox News’s White House correspondent Peter Doocy got into it once again with Jen Psaki, President Joe Biden’s press secretary, as he questioned whether the president supported the crimefighting tactics of New York City leaders. We’ve seen an arsonist burn down a half-a-million-dollar Christmas tree in New York City back on the streets. Does the president think that’s good governing?” he asked. Doocy: We’ve seen an arsonist burn down a half a million dollar Christmas tree in New York City back on the streets. The Fox Christmas tree was set ablaze last week in an incident that did not result in any injuries; police later arrested a 49-year-old man with a history of drug use arrests who they said may be experiencing homelessness as well.

A video of Mr Finch by reporter Victor Ordoñez posted on Twitter had reach more than 3.4m views by afternoon on Wednesday. Mr Ordoñez tweeted that Mr Finch “drove half an hour with a grill and a truckload of food and parked right in the middle of Mayfield, Kentucky”. “Jim wore a smile the whole morning, we laugh when I asked if he had a restaurant,” Mr Ordoñez added. We got hamburgers, chicken, I got sausage, eggs,” Mr Finch said. “Just real simple stuff you can have and not worry about making a mess, grab and go type of food.”Twitter users praised Mr Finch for his efforts.

'I don't think Bibi ever wanted to make peace,' Trump told Israeli author Barak Ravid, it was revealed Monday. Abbas reportedly told Trump he was eager to make a deal, while Netanyahu told him to wait. Former President Trump claimed his promise of peace between Israel and Palestine fell through because Benjamin Netanyahu was not interested in peace'I thought he was terrific,' Trump said of Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas (above). Trump during the 2016 presidential campaign repeatedly said he had been told peace was not possible between Israel and Palestine. 'I got angry and I stopped it because that was really going too far,' Trump told Ravid.

The presentation also made it to Meadows, whose lawyer confirmed he has provided information to the House Jan. 6th Committee. Retired Army Col. Phil Waldron says he met with former White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows eight to ten times. He circulated a 38-page PowerPoint memo recommending a 'national security emergency''The presentation was that there was significant foreign interference in the election, here's the proof,' Waldron said, pointing to a web of unverified information claiming foreign election interference. A person familiar with the matter told the Post Meadows met with Waldron at the White House in December. 'VP Pence rejects the electors from States where fraud occurred causing the election to be decided by remaining electoral votes.

United Nations (United States) (AFP) – Russia on Monday vetoed a Security Council resolution formally linking climate change and global security that was supported by a majority of UN member states. China abstained, while India voted against, arguing that global warming was chiefly an issue related to economic development, rather than international security. "We need to better understand this link" between security and climate change, she said. Russia's ambassador to the UN, Vassily Nebenzia, said a resolution would "create confusion and duplication" with other UN forums tackling climate change. "For us, the direct link between terrorism and climate change is far from obvious," he said.

Witness Kansas Sen. Roger Marshall -- and this exchange he had with "Meet the Press" moderator Chuck Todd on Sunday:Todd: Do you believe you were elected fair and square in 2020? I think Kansas has some of the tightest election laws in the land. We went back and looked at that to make sure that it was a safe and fair election. Just really proud of how Kansas could do it. Todd: And do you believe that Joe Biden was elected fair and square?

Such developments explain a recent global survey that found nearly half of people consider the United States a threat to their democracies, more than both Russia and China. And if the United States is unwilling to agree to any limits on its foreign meddling, then why would any other country? In any case, this was still only one of three factors that simply “exacerbated” a preexisting loss of faith in democracy, according to Biden. “There is no perfect system of democracy in the world, nor is there a political system that fits all countries,” the report states. It’s not a great sign for Biden that his supposed rival seems to have a better idea than he does.

Thanks to them, the White House has issued a ban on travel from eight countries in southern Africa. Travel bans can slow—but not stop—the emergence of the virus in certain circumstances: where outbreaks are detected early and where the travel bans are tied to a set of broader public health interventions, as one study analyzing travel bans on China in early 2020 found. Punishing South Africa and its neighbors could have other serious side effects. “Today, I spent a big part of my day talking to genomic and biotech companies as soon we will run out of reagents as airplanes are not flying to South Africa!” he tweeted. The notion that we can erect a Fortress America to withstand SARS-CoV-2 based on travel bans and boosters at home is a deadly delusion.

Andy Beshear of Kentucky, the hardest-hit state, told President Joe Biden over the telephone. “More unpredictable weather can be expected countrywide as rising temperatures result in unseasonable–and unprecedented–weather patterns,” AP and CNN reported. But research hasn’t advanced far enough to link specific storms to global warming, scientists cautioned. “The specific impact on these specific storms, I can’t say at this point. There were fewer twisters in Texas, Oklahoma, Colorado and Kansas and more in Illinois, Missouri, Mississippi, Alabama, Arkansas, Tennessee and Kentucky.

A farmer’s daughter, she worked eighteen years in the printing business before returning to the farm life that her dad ultimately relinquished. Dairy farmers have their own special hell with what’s called “monopsony”—having only a single powerful buyer in their region to process their perishable raw milk. This ugly little farce has played out in the National Organic Program’s power politics. In a powerhouse exposé, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported that in 2016 just six of these suspect organic dairy farms in Texas produced almost 25 percent more milk than all of Wisconsin’s 453 organic dairy farms combined. So the Real Organic Project is fighting to both fix the National Organic Program and advance an even more rigorous organic standard.

Poor People's Campaign in the nation's capitalMARTINSBURG, W. VA.—After decorating their cars with messages and holiday streamers, hundreds of Poor People’s Campaign activists descended on D.C. today in yet another show of support for President Biden’s Build Back Better social programs expansion legislation. Several days before the car caravan, the five leaders of the West Virginia Poor People’s Campaign—including West Virginia native and longtime union organizer Stewart Acuff–demanded Manchin stop ducking meetings and explain his stands to the PPC face-to-face. There was one “virtual” meeting in February, via zoom, and none since, despite repeated demands, rallies and town halls in West Virginia. We are the 187,000 children living in poverty in West Virginia and the more than 108,000 people without health insurance. 75% of West Virginia voters see the importance of the job creation potential of the Build Back Better Agenda.

Right wing Ukrainian troops patrol areas in the eastern part of the country held by rebels fighting the central government. | Morning StarLithuanian Foreign Minister Gabrielius Landsbergis called for Western powers to prepare an “unprecedented” response to any Russian attack on Ukraine at an EU foreign ministers’ summit today. The German leader said he was hopeful that “a very good, pragmatic solution” to the standoff was imminent. EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said the bloc was on “deter mode” over reports of a Russian troop build-up near Ukraine. Russia denies any hostile intent, pointing out that its troops are within its own territory while tens of thousands of U.S. troops are stationed in Germany, Poland, and Lithuania.

Students used to look at me quizzically when I mentioned the word “inflation,” as if I were reminiscing about the invention of the spinning jenny. But President Biden and Jerome Powell, the chairman of the Federal Reserve, need to take action now. The Covid pandemic delivered supply shocks in the form of disrupted workforces and supply chains. Last year, the Federal Reserve, which oversees interest rates and the nation’s banks and monetary supply, instituted a new framework. It proposed that inflation levels of higher than 2 percent, the Fed’s traditional target, could make up for the lower levels of inflation the economy experienced in the years after the 2008 financial crisis but before the Covid-19 pandemic.

The New York Times editorial board wrote Saturday that it didn't believe the coronavirus pandemic would be going away in the near future, and that Americans "paralyzed" with fear needed to learn to live with the reality of the virus in their lives. NEW YORK TIMES SAYS RUBIO'S QUESTIONS ON ‘WITHHOLDING’ INFORMATION ABOUT UYGHUR GENOCIDE ‘RECKLESS AND WRONG’"Nearly two years into the pandemic, it is clear that the coronavirus is not going to disappear anytime soon," the board wrote. "Too many Americans are still paralyzed with doubt and fear over each new uncertainty, as trust in government and other institutions to manage the virus ranges from shaky to nonexistent." WILL NEW YORK TIMES, WASHINGTON POST RETURN PULITZER FOR MISLEADING RUSSIA COLLUSION STORIES? "Even as we remain vigilant against the coronavirus, we need not remain in a state of paralyzing hypervigilance.

Former Trump adviser Kellyanne Conway discussed President Biden's dwindling approval rating on crime, especially among suburban women and independents. BIDEN'S APPROVAL RATING ON CRIME TANKS AMID RISE IN SMASH-AND-GRAB ROBBERIESKELLYANNE CONWAY: [Democrats] don’t seem to understand the error of their ways. They are out of sync with what most Americans are saying about crime, drugs, 100,000 overdose deaths, fentanyl pouring over the border, and they’re out of touch with the way people are just looking at basic public safety. That’s not because of COVID, that’s because of the schools, and it’s because of public safety. Women particularly.

President Biden will travel to Kentucky on Wednesday to survey the damage following tornadoes and unseasonal extreme weather across the Midwest that left dozens dead. The White House said the president will travel to Ft. Campbell, Ky. for a storm briefing Wednesday, and to Mayfield and Dawson Springs, Ky. to survey storm damage. Over the weekend, Biden approved an emergency declaration providing federal funds to Kentucky, and said he would deploy federal resources to the storm ravaged areas. Approximately 300 National Guard members went house to house, checking on residents and helping to remove debris. And Mayfield Mayor Kathy Stewart O’Nan warned Monday in an appearance on NBC’s "Today" that the town could be without heat, water and electricity for a "long time" as authorities continue to survey tornado damage from Friday.

As House Democrats push to finally vote for their massive reconciliation spending bill before Thanksgiving, budget watchdogs are arguing their estimates are systematically undercounting how much the bill will cost taxpayers. THESE FIVE DEMOCRATS ARE KEY TO WHETHER PELOSI CAN PASS BIDEN'S MASSIVE SPENDING PLAN BEFORE THANKSGIVING"The number we have is 125 [billion]," Goldwein told FOX Business. Expanded child tax credit, earned income tax credit will only last one yearDemocrats' reconciliation bill also extends a set of changes to the earned income tax credit (EITC) and child tax credit (CTC) that were included in the ARP — but each of those only lasts one year. The earned income tax credit, meanwhile, would cost an additional $120 billion for a total of $135 billion. But Democrats' reconciliation bill, that would be delayed until 2026, costing $5 billion according to the CRFB.

The Biden administration released an ambitious federal strategy Monday to build 500,000 charging stations for electric vehicles across the country and bring down the cost of electric cars with the goal of transforming the U.S. auto industry. The law also provides an additional $2.5 billion for local grants to support charging stations in rural areas and in disadvantaged communities. Biden’s $2 trillion social and environmental policy bill, now pending in the Senate, includes a $7,500 tax credit to lower the cost of electric vehicles. Currently, the U.S. market share of plug-in electric vehicle sales is one-third the size of the Chinese EV market. Even at 2 million, EV sales still would be only about 12% of U.S. new vehicle sales.

In times of crisis — or to create one — Russia's Putin turns to his militaryEnlarge this image toggle caption Mikhail Metzel/AP Mikhail Metzel/APWhen Vladimir Putin came to power in 1999, he immediately called on the Russian military. The Russian troops eventually subdued the rebel fighters in Chechnya, a region inside southern Russia. Putin didn't invade, but the episode led to a summit between Putin and President Biden in Geneva, Switzerland, in June. Enlarge this image toggle caption AP via Maxar Technologies AP via Maxar TechnologiesFrye distinguishes between what were two separate Russian military operations in Ukraine in 2014. "If President Putin fell off his horse tomorrow, we would still be dealing with this for years to come," said Hodges.

President Joe Biden will lobby Sen. Joe Manchin (D.-W.Va.), whose vote is critical to passing Biden’s nearly $2 trillion social spending bill, but who hasn’t committed to supporting it. Manchin hasn’t commented since Friday’s report that the consumer-price index rose 0.8% in November from the prior month and 6.8% year over year. Biden will speak with Manchin on Monday afternoon on a range of legislative priorities, including the social spending initiative, the White House said on Monday. The administration has been engaging with Manchin to assuage his inflation concerns, press secretary Jen Psaki said in a daily press briefing. “The president looks forward to speaking directly with Sen. Manchin about making the case for why the president feels this legislation should move forward,” Psaki said.

The Biden administration is planning to announce nominees for positions on the Federal Reserve "soon," White House press secretary Jen Psaki said Monday. "Certainly that is something that we're looking to get done soon and hopefully before the president and everyone leaves for time with their families over the holidays," Psaki told reporters at a briefing. Biden has three more candidates to nominate, including a banking regulator, after announcing the re-nomination of Chairman Jerome Powell and elevating Lael Brainard to vice chair.

Inflation will need to be tamed at the same time that asset-price and credit-market bubbles are to be found both at home and abroad. Today, the U.S. economy is suffering from a twin good-and-services inflation and asset-price inflation problem of meaningful proportions. It could do so in the time-honored way of raising interest rates by an amount sufficient to bring aggregate demand back in line with aggregate supply. The big fly in the ointment with a Fed go-it-alone approach, however, is that unduly raising interest rates would risk bursting asset-price bubbles both at home and abroad. It is also the case considering the highly compromised emerging-market economic fundamentals in the wake of the pandemic and the mountain of emerging-market debt.

Trump fans sitting in the nosebleed section of the FLA Live Arena were told that they were being “upgraded” to the lower levels, according to the newspaper. Trump appeared with former Fox News personality Bill O’Reilly, who was bounced from the network after accusations of sexual harassment. ... Big crowds!” He signed it “President” Trump. Story continuesPeople on TikTok boasted that they had made fake reservations for the Tulsa rally as Trump organizers boasted that more than a million people had signed up to attend. Womp WompDonald Trump's event with former Fox News host Bill O'Reilly on Saturday had so many empty seats that organizers closed the top bowl of the stadium.

The governor said 105 people remain unaccounted for, and that it will likely be weeks before officials have an accurate number for the fatalities. Searchers look for victims in the wreckage from a tornado in Mayfield, Ky., on Sunday. “I’m not doing so well today,” Beshear said at one point during the press conference. “And I’m not sure how many of us are.”The governor did offer one glimmer of good news. The president himself will visit Kentucky Wednesday to survey the damage in tornado-ravaged Mayfield and Dawson Springs.

ReutersPresident Joe Biden is expected to speak with Senator Joe Manchin as soon as Monday as Democrats struggle to overcome stubborn differences on a $1.75 trillion spending package while Congress prepares to wrap up its work for the year. Months of disagreement have held up the "Build Back Better" bill, which aims to bolster the social safety net and fight climate change, leading the chair of Congress' large progressive Democratic caucus to voice exasperation on Monday at what she said were deliberate misrepresentations of the bill. U.S. Representative Pramila Jayapal criticized an analysis of the bill released on Friday by the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office at the request of Senate Republicans, which found that the bill would add $3 trillion to the federal budget deficit over the next decade if all its programs ran that long.

ReutersThe U.S. Senate Commerce Committee on Thursday is set to hold a confirmation hearing on President Joe Biden's nominee to head the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), an agency without a permanent leader for nearly five years. The Democratic president's nominee is Steven Cliff, a former California Air Resources Board official who since February has served as NHTSA's deputy administrator. Cliff has been a key figure in the Biden administration's proposed rewrite of vehicle fuel economy standards through 2026 and is overseeing its safety investigation of electric car maker Tesla Inc.

While Time's choice for Person of the Year is never without controversy, Elon Musk is not going down particularly well on Twitter ( (TWTR) - Get Twitter, Inc. Report). On Monday, the popular publication announced that it had named the Tesla ( (TSLA) - Get Tesla Inc Report) and SpaceX founder is its 2021 Person of the Year. Musk was chosen, the Time editors wrote, for pushing the boundaries of electric cars and commercial space exploration. After the organization claimed that 2% (roughly $6 billion) of Musk's wealth would solve world hunger entirely, Musk pushed back and asked for how exactly it could do that. "Congratulations to Elon Musk's very well paid army of publicists," wrote activist Charlotte Clymer.

Washington — The Biden administration announced a federal strategy Monday shaping the roll-out of $7.5 billion for electric vehicle charging approved through the bipartisan infrastructure bill. The White House also will issue guidance for states and cities to deploy the network by mid-February and charger standards by mid-May. "Our nation's ability to manufacture, charge and repair electric vehicles will determine many things. Harris said the biggest barrier to consumers buying electric vehicles is concern over where they would charge it, which the administration's plan hopes to address. "We need to make the shift faster and make sure it is driven by the United States."

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden said Monday that he will travel to Kentucky on Wednesday to view damage from last week's devastating tornadoes that killed at least 64 people and displaced thousands more. Biden announced the upcoming trip following a briefing with homeland security and disaster response officials in the Oval Office to discuss what more the federal government can do to support those affected by the natural disaster. The White House said he would visit Ft. Campbell, Kentucky for a briefing on the response operations, and then to hard-hit Mayfield and Dawson Springs to survey the damage. Biden said he was developing the itinerary in consultation with local officials to ensure that his presence doesn't distract from the ongoing emergency response.

Watch live as the White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki holds a briefing. It comes hours after it was announced Joe Biden will meet Centrist Senator Joe Manchin over the next couple of days, as Democrats race to pass the president’s Build Back Better Act before the end of the year. If Democrats fail to pass the bill before the end of the year, the extension of the expanded child tax credits, which have become a life-saving benefit for many American families, will be jeopardized. Sign up to our newsletters.

The Dr Oz Show will come to an end on January 14, 2022 after 13 seasons as Dr Mehmet Oz prepares to run for Senate in Pennsylvania. The television personality's long-running, syndicated show will be replaced by a spinoff titled The Good Dish, hosted by his own daughter Daphne Oz. The Good Dish will premiere in 90% of markets three days after the Dr. Oz Show airs its final episode. The Good Dish executive producer Amy Chiaro and co-executive producer Stacy Rader said, 'There is no better time for a show like The Good Dish. Father/daughter: Daphne, 35, is Dr. Oz and his wife Lisa's oldest child.

Advertisement Story continues below This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Try refreshing your browser, or Putin laments end of 'historical Russia,' decrying hardships that resulted after fall of U.S.S.R. Back to video “It was a disintegration of historical Russia under the name of the Soviet Union,” Putin said of the 1991 breakup, in comments aired on Sunday as part of a documentary film called “Russia. Advertisement Story continues below This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Advertisement Story continues below This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Share this article in your social networkAdvertisement Story continues below This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.

The 2020 election wasn’t the first election Mark Meadows tried to overturn, multiple sources have told The Independent. The sources, all of whom spoke to The Independent on condition of anonymity for fear of retaliation from Mr Meadows, Mr Trump or their allies, are veterans of North Carolina politics who have been allies with Mr Meadows in the past. According to one veteran North Carolina operative, Mr Meadows had initially pledged to remain neutral while Mr Trump, Mr Cruz, and the 15 other major candidates battled it out during the lengthy 2016 primary process. A spokesperson for Mr Trump did not immediately respond to a request for comment from The Independent. Spokespersons for Mr Cruz and the North Carolina Republican Party did not immediately respond to requests for comment from The Independent.

“I appreciate the Administration’s quick work to speed resources to help deal with this crisis,” McConnell said. Thank you @POTUS for your rapid approval of Kentucky’s Major Disaster Declaration. Andy Beshear’s (D) request for a major disaster declaration for the state. Biden approved one, ordering federal aid to supplement recovery efforts in the areas affected by severe storms, winds, flooding and tornadoes, the White House announced late on Sunday. Tornadoes ravaged Kentucky and five other states over the weekend, killing at least 80 people.

(CNN) The Biden administration is taking steps to make government services easier, more accessible and streamlined for Americans across agencies through an executive order President Joe Biden is slated to sign Monday afternoon. The efforts, led by the Office of Management and Budget and impacting agencies across the government, will work to eliminate a variety of hassles for the public. It is coming to fruition at the President's request. "This work really stems from the President's interest, whether it's in legislation or for the work of the federal government, he's always focused on ensuring that programs are working. OMB's Deputy Director for Management, Jason Miller, told reporters the executive order will direct over 30 specific actions by 17 different federal agencies that are expected to be completed in the "near term," starting in the coming months but finished within one year.

After deadly tornadoes devastated parts of Kentucky, Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) asked President Biden for federal aid. However, the senator has a history of opposing aid for disaster victims.

“Everyone has to choose basically what we can sustain,” Manchin told reporters in a message to fellow Democrats. The CBO said Friday that if the provisions in Democrats' bill were extended, it would add $3 trillion to the deficit. “We're going to talk about exactly what happened on Friday with the CBO score and inflation reports,” Manchin said. He said he wants to hear directly from Biden about “where he's at and what his concerns may be.”It doesn't sound like Biden shares Manchin's concerns at the moment. Manchin believes Democrats should assume those programs will be extended, which would increase the actual cost of the bill over time.

The executive order focuses on 'greatest points of friction' for people. People would be able to claim Social Security benefits online under the executive order..WASHINGTON – President Joe Biden will sign an executive order Monday intended to improve basic government services such as renewing a passport, claiming Social Security benefits, filing taxes and getting through airport security. Enabling retirees to claim Social Security benefits online. For tax filers, reports by the National Taxpayer Advocate show the challenge faced in improving customer services. Tanden said the directive focuses on the "greatest points of friction" for people – such as dealing with the IRS, claiming Social Security benefits and getting through airport security.

WASHINGTON – President Joe Biden will visit Kentucky on Wednesday to survey the damage from a series of deadly tornadoes that ravaged the state late Friday and early Saturday. Biden will visit Ft. Campbell, Kentucky for a storm briefing, and he will also survey storm damage in Mayfield and Dawson Springs, Kentucky. “We’re going to get this done," Biden told reporters after meeting with Department of Homeland Security and FEMA officials. More than 30 tornadoes ripped across Kentucky and four other states over the weekend, leaving dozens dead, devastating homes and demolishing entire towns. Biden’s announcement that he will travel to Kentucky came as the president met with top officials from DHS and FEMA who surveyed the damage in Kentucky on Sunday.

Penguin Random House, the largest book publisher in the United States, said in a court filing on Monday that its plan to buy a competitor, Simon & Schuster, would be a boon for the industry, benefiting authors, booksellers and readers. Last month, it sued to stop the $2.18 billion acquisition, as the Biden administration takes a more skeptical view of corporate consolidation across industries. It documented several bidding wars between Penguin Random House and Simon & Schuster that went into six and seven figures and argued that if the proposed merger goes through, those authors wouldn’t have received such lucrative advances. By focusing on authors’ pay, the Justice Department signaled that it is taking a more sweeping view of antitrust law. But in its suit to block Penguin Random House, the government does not claim that the prices for books will rise for readers or for booksellers, but instead argues that if Penguin Random House gets even larger, it will have more leverage over authors.

President Biden announced Monday that he will go to Kentucky to survey the aftermath of devastating tornadoes that left dozens dead and thousands without electricity and other utilities. The White House press office said Biden will visit the Army installation at Fort Campbell, Ky., for a briefing on the storm before visiting Mayfield and Dawson Springs to inspect the damage. REUTERS/Adrees LatifSo far the death toll for the tornadoes sits at 64 will over one hundred people are still missing. REUTERS/Adrees LatifAttorney Bo Neeley (Right) and his son Carson Neeley (Left) salvage what they can from their law office after a tornado on December 10, 2021. The precise death toll is unknown due to widespread wreckage in residential and manufacturing areas of the region.

Thousands of migrants clashed with Mexican police Sunday as they approached Mexico City on their northward trek through the Central American country. The migrants had been walking along the highway connecting Mexico City with Puebla before they were stopped. A migrant holds a shield as members of the migrant caravan clash with police, who are preventing them from passing on the Mexico-Puebla highway on December 12, 2021. Members of the migrant caravan carry a fellow migrant who was injured when a crowd pushed against the police. As the migrants continue their trek north, the Biden administration has reimplemented the Trump-era “Remain in Mexico” policy after several failed attempts to end it.

Eventually, scientists suspect the rise and fall of coronavirus infections could shift into a more typical seasonal pattern. As of Thursday, the US is averaging 121,084 new Covid-19 cases each day, according to data from Johns Hopkins University. Though Covid-19 cases and hospitalizations in the United States dropped off at the tail end of a summer surge , they've risen over the past few weeks. Scientists -- including Jalal of the University of Pittsburgh -- have warned that the United States is likely entering another winter surge of Covid-19 right now. As Covid-19 transitions into an endemic disease, any seasonal patterns the virus might follow warrant discussion, Freeman added.

At a news conference earlier Monday in the state capital of Frankfort, Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear said there have been 64 confirmed deaths to date but “undoubtedly, there will be more” reported over the coming days. Beshear said the tragedy has weighed on him emotionally but vowed to continue overseeing the lengthy response effort. “Like the folks in western Kentucky, I’m not doing so well today, and I’m not sure how many of us are,” said the governor, who was elected in 2019. “And we are really grateful for it.”Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell also praised Biden for acting quickly.

WASHINGTON — President Joe Biden said Monday that he planned to travel to Kentucky this week to survey the damage from the deadly tornadoes that tore through the state over the weekend, leaving dozens dead, towns destroyed and thousands without power. Biden approved a major disaster declaration for Kentucky on Sunday and the federal government is providing aid to at least eight counties. Thousands in the region have also been left without power, and spotty cell service in the area has left family members struggling to check in on loved ones. While Kentucky — where Biden is expected to travel on Wednesday — was the hardest hit state, several people were also killed in Illinois, Tennessee and Arkansas. In Illinois, at least six people were confirmed dead after an Amazon warehouse in Edwardsville was destroyed.

(AP Photo/David Zalubowski, File)FILE - Travelers queue up at the south security checkpoint Nov. 23, 2021, at Denver International Airport in Denver. The White House released details about the order on Monday, ahead of a planned afternoon signing by Biden. The order comes at a critical juncture for Biden to show that he can deliver results. “The fight to improve government services requires a broad retooling of the bureaucratic wiring and flattening of the hierarchy. It should become easier to update mailing addresses with the government or change names with the Social Security Administration.

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken arrives at the international airport in Jakarta on Monday, Dec. 13, 2021. Blinken arrives in Indonesia on his first stop of a three-nation tour across Southeast Asia. (Olivier Douliery/Pool Photo via AP)U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken arrives at the international airport in Jakarta on Monday, Dec. 13, 2021. Blinken arrives in Indonesia on his first stop of a three-nation tour across Southeast Asia. The Russian embassy said Patrushev’s main interlocutor in Indonesia would be Law and Security Affairs Minister Mohammad Mahfud.

President Joe Biden participates in a briefing on the federal response to tornado damage, in the Oval Office of the White House, Monday, Dec. 13, 2021, in Washington. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)President Joe Biden participates in a briefing on the federal response to tornado damage, in the Oval Office of the White House, Monday, Dec. 13, 2021, in Washington. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden said Monday that he will travel to Kentucky on Wednesday to view damage from last week’s devastating tornadoes that killed at least 64 people and displaced thousands more. The White House said he would visit Ft. Campbell, Kentucky for a briefing on the response operations, and then to hard-hit Mayfield and Dawson Springs to survey the damage. Biden, who has already signed emergency declarations for Kentucky, said he stands ready to do the same for Illinois.

Without further action, the monthly premium increase would swallow up a significant chunk of seniors’ 5.9% cost of living increase. But Wyden wrote Becerra that as secretary of Health and Human Services, he has “broad authority” to determine the “appropriate contingency margin” to use in setting premiums. Given that Medicare is still developing its formal policy for covering Aduhelm, Wyden said there is a clear rationale for collecting less up front at this particular time. “Uncertainty” over the drug’s financial impact on Medicare appeared to be driving much of the calculation of the new premium, Wyden noted. The Medicare premium increase would hit first.

'We will fight for our independence,' says Ukraine's ambassador to the U.S.MARY LOUISE KELLY, HOST:We begin this hour with what could prove a major foreign policy headache for President Biden early in 2022. President Biden, as you know, says the U.S. has your back. MARKAROVA: Well, first of all, we believe it was very important that there was a direct call between President Biden and President Putin and that President Biden has been, we are positive, very clear about this, talking directly to President Putin. And you saw a clear statement from President Biden that he has informed President Putin what would be the consequences. So we are not asking the United States or Americans to fight for us on the ground, but we are asking the U.S. firmly support us in helping us fight this fight.

President Joe Biden will speak on Monday afternoon with West Virginia Sen. Joe Manchin, a centrist West Virginia Democrat who hasn't endorsed Biden's roughly $2 trillion social-spending bill. "The president looks forward to speaking directly with Sen. Manchin about making the case for why the president feels this legislation should move forward," said White House press secretary Jen Psaki. Democrats are aiming to finish the Build Back Better bill by Christmas, though that timeline faces challenges amid Manchin's reservations about the legislation. The bill, which has passed the House, would need support of all 50 Democratic senators to pass in their chamber.

(Adds locations in Kentucky that Biden will visit)WASHINGTON, Dec 13 (Reuters) - President Joe Biden said on Monday he will visit hard-hit Kentucky https://www.reuters.com/markets/commodities/least-64-people-confirmed-dead-kentucky-after-barrage-tornadoes-2021-12-13 on Wednesday to survey damage from deadly tornadoes that devastated a broad swath of the state. Biden spoke after getting an update on the tornado relief effort from his top advisers. The White House said Biden would travel to Fort Campbell, Kentucky, for a storm briefing, and to Mayfield and Dawson Springs, Kentucky, to survey storm damage. Biden vowed the federal government would provide "whatever they need when they need it." At least 64 people, including six children, lost their lives in Kentucky, with power still out for thousands and strangers welcoming survivors who lost everything into their homes.

The $22.8 million project is expected to be completed by the end of 2023, the state Department of Transportation said in a news release. State officials on Dec. 3 awarded a contract to DeFoe Corp. of Mount Vernon to rebuild the bridge, Zeldin said in a news release. No funds from the federal infrastructure bill signed in November by President Joe Biden will be needed for the Hospital Road project, Zeldin spokesman Jacob Murphy said. Long Island Community Hospital president Richard T. Margulis said officials there were "grateful" for the project. Since then, state and Brookhaven Town officials have developed designs and acquired additional land needed to expand the bridge, officials have said.

Telsa and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk has been named Time magazine’s Person of the Year. “Person of the Year is a marker of influence, and few individuals have had more influence than Musk on life on Earth, and potentially life off Earth too,” Time editor-in-chief Edward Felsenthal wrote. Since 1927, the magazine has named a wide range of figures, including Adolf Hitler, John F. Kennedy, The Computer, Barack Obama, Donald Trump, Martin Luther King Jr. and Pope Francis. In 2017, the magazine named “The Silence Breakers,” highlighting the #MeToo movement of victims coming forward to report sexual misconduct. Time previously announced finalists for Person of the Year, but did not reveal a shortlist for this year’s announcement.

“The future of transportation in our nation and around the world is electric,’’ Vice President Kamala Harris said at an EV charging facility in suburban Maryland. Biden’s $2 trillion social and environmental policy bill, now pending in the Senate, includes a $7,500 tax credit to lower the cost of electric vehicles. The two departments also will launch an advisory committee on electric vehicles that officials hope will be up and running early next year. Currently, the U.S. market share of plug-in electric vehicle sales is one-third the size of the Chinese EV market. Even at 2 million, EV sales still would be only about 12% of U.S. new vehicle sales.

Last month, Medicare announced one of the largest increases ever in its “Part B” monthly premium for outpatient care, nearly $22, from $148.50 currently to $170.10 starting in January. Without further action, the monthly premium increase would swallow up a significant chunk of seniors’ 5.9% cost of living increase. But Wyden wrote Becerra that as secretary of Health and Human Services, he has “broad authority” to determine the “appropriate contingency margin” to use in setting premiums. “Uncertainty” over the drug’s financial impact on Medicare appeared to be driving much of the calculation of the new premium, Wyden noted. The Medicare premium increase would hit first.

The Detroit NewsWashington – President Joe Biden said Monday that he will travel to Kentucky on Wednesday to view damage from last week’s devastating tornadoes that killed at least 64 people and displaced thousands more. Biden announced the upcoming trip following a briefing with homeland security and disaster response officials in the Oval Office to discuss what more the federal government can do to support those affected by the natural disaster. The White House said he would visit Ft. Campbell, Kentucky for a briefing on the response operations, and then to hard-hit Mayfield and Dawson Springs to survey the damage. Biden said he was developing the itinerary in consultation with local officials to ensure that his presence doesn’t distract from the ongoing emergency response. Biden, who has already signed emergency declarations for Kentucky, said he stands ready to do the same for Illinois.

Elon Musk has been named Time magazine's 2021 Person of the Year. Earlier this month, Musk sold 'last remaining house', selling his Silicon Valley estate for $30 million. Elon Musk sold his Silicon Valley estate for $30 million, the last of his seven California homes, and moved to Texas. He has sold shares worth nearly $12 billion since. Musk sold 934,091 shares after exercising options to buy $2.1billion worth of the stock on November 15.

"We will welcome him here, we will thank him for his help and sadly, we'll show him the worst tornado damage imaginable, certainly the worst in our history." Live updates on Kentucky tornadoes:Beshear confirms Kentucky tornado death toll at 64, with 100+ unaccounted forThe White House has not confirmed the trip but is expected to release more details Monday. Biden issued an emergency declaration Saturday in the immediate aftermath of the storm to get federal resources to Kentucky more quickly. How to help Kentucky tornado victims:How to help Kentucky tornado victims: Donate to relief funds, supplies and blood drivesFor Kentuckians:Was your home damaged by tornadoes? Three other smaller tornadoes are believed to have hit the state, causing mass damage in other areas of Kentucky.

He said that 105 Kentuckians were still unaccounted for, and that the eventual number of confirmed deaths might not be known for weeks. Kentucky was the worst hit of eight states where dozens of tornadoes whirled through in massive nighttime storms that leveled whole communities. One stayed on the ground in Kentucky for at least 200 miles, devastating anything in its path. Speaking from a shelter beside her son and granddaughter, Johnson said: “They tell me we don’t have a town. Aid agencies have set up similar facilities in churches, school gymnasiums and community halls across Kentucky and elsewhere to provide warmth, food and clothing.

Ukrainian officials have been pleading with the United States and its Allies for support ahead of what they claim is an imminent Russian invasion. The Biden Administration can no longer withhold lethal aid to the Ukrainian military with the hope of “not provoking” Putin,' Waltz wrote on Twitter. He called out Western and NATO governments' warnings of crippling economic penalties if Russia invades Ukraine in favor of more immediate action. But since the presidents' call Biden officials have ruled out deterrence measures such as putting troops on the ground in Ukraine to unilaterally confront Russia. On the foreign policy front, it appears that many Americans are wary of whether Biden can stand up to Russian President Putin

Tesla chief executive Elon Musk, the world's richest person, has been named 2021 person of the year by Time magazineWashington (AFP) – Time magazine on Monday named Tesla chief and space entrepreneur Elon Musk as its person of the year, citing his embodiment of the technological shifts but also troubling trends reshaping people's lives. Advertising Read moreMusk -- who overtook Amazon founder Jeff Bezos this year to become the world's wealthiest person -- wields impact on Earth with his Tesla electric car company and beyond our planet with his SpaceX rockets. Among those trends, Felsenthal listed "the continuing decline of traditional institutions in favor of individuals; government dysfunction that has delivered more power and responsibility to business and chasms of wealth and opportunity." In October, Musk's electric car company's valuation soared above a trillion dollars, and SpaceX has teamed up with US space agency NASA to launch various missions including a test run of protecting Earth from an asteroid. "To Musk, that is progress, steering capital allocation away from the government to those who will be good stewards of it," Felsenthal wrote.

Lipstadt has thus far not even been offered a hearing by the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. "Our Republican colleagues have refused to give her a hearing before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee," Committee Chairman Bob Menendez, a Democrat from New Jersey, told CNN. "I wouldn't say we're holding it up," said Republican Sen. Jim Risch, the ranking member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, adding they are waiting on additional materials from Lipstadt. In one tweet from March 14, Lipstadt reacted to comments from Republican Sen. Ron Johnson of Wisconsin, who sits on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, writing, "This is white supremacy/nationalism. Rosenberg told CNN the stalled nomination is "a much broader effort to stall Biden's nominees and prevent their confirmations."

© Provided by NBC NewsElon Musk, the CEO of Tesla and SpaceX, has been named Time magazine’s "Person of the Year" for 2021. “He is reshaping life on Earth and possibly life off Earth as well,” Edward Felsenthal, Time's Editor-In-Chief, said on the "TODAY" show Monday. In Time's profile of Musk, Felsentahl wrote: “Person of the Year is a marker of influence, and few individuals have had more influence than Musk on life on Earth, and potentially life off Earth too." “In 2021, Musk emerged not just as the world’s richest person but also as perhaps the richest example of a massive shift in our society,” he said. For nearly a century, the magazine has annually selected a Person of the Year.

Hide Caption 16 of 33 Photos: Deadly tornadoes hit central and southern US People stand among the debris in Mayfield. Hide Caption 18 of 33 Photos: Deadly tornadoes hit central and southern US A birthday card lies among the debris in Mayfield. Hide Caption 28 of 33 Photos: Deadly tornadoes hit central and southern US Heavy damage is seen in downtown Mayfield. Hide Caption 29 of 33 Photos: Deadly tornadoes hit central and southern US People search through rubble in Mayfield. Hide Caption 30 of 33 Photos: Deadly tornadoes hit central and southern US Damage is seen in Dickson County, Tennessee.

Ron DeSantis released his new budget proposal late last week, which includes a request for millions of dollars to remove illegal immigrants from the state. “In yesterday’s budget, I put in $8 million for us to be able to transport people here illegally out of the state of Florida,” DeSantis said during a Friday press conference. This proposal is the latest action by Florida’s governor to combat the failing immigration policies of the Biden administration. In September, DeSantis signed an executive order prohibiting all state agencies from facilitating illegal immigrants into Florida and requires the collection of information from state officials on the costs of illegal immigration. The order was also accompanied by a lawsuit filed by Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody against the Biden administration, which challenges the federal government’s “catch and release” policy.

REUTERS/Thomas Peter/Pool/FilesSummary Comments raise stakes in East-West standoffMinister says Russia has complete lack of trust in NATORussia working on proposals after Putin-Biden callMOSCOW, Dec 13 (Reuters) - Russia said on Monday it may be forced to deploy intermediate-range nuclear missiles in Europe in response to what it sees as NATO's plans to do the same. "That is, it will be a confrontation, this will the next round, the appearance of such resources on our side. NATO says there will be no new U.S. missiles in Europe and it is ready to deter new Russian missiles with a "measured" response that would only involve conventional weapons. But Ryabkov said Russia had a "complete lack of trust" in NATO. Ryabkov said Russia would present its follow-up proposals to the United States, and possibly also to other NATO countries, in the coming weeks.

Here is an example of a Western power directly intervening to spread the tyrannical rule of Saudi Arabia over other Arab countries, writes As`ad AbuKhalil. Macron secured bilateral political deals with both Lebanon and Saudi Arabia. Macron evidently had secured certain concessions from the crown prince prior to his arrival in Saudi Arabia. Miqati is a typical representative of the corrupt Lebanese political class. The Arab people know full well that the West favors tyrannical rule because it serves western political and economic interests.

The Rube Goldberg Machine Congress Used To Raise The Debt Limit. As described above, the procedures limit debate, waive points of order, and prohibit amendments with regard to the raising of the debt limit. - S.610 — Debt Limit Procedure — This whole ”procedure” for raising the debt limit cobbled together mainly by Schumer and McConnell is truly bizarre. + VP) and send it to the President for signature, all to happen next week before the current debt limit is reached on December 15. How is this really any different than voting “yes” on a procedural motion to limit debate on the actual debt limit Bill?

De-Worming Paste (with apologies to "O Christmas Tree") De-worming paste, De-worming pasteYou are so very yummyDe-worming paste, De-worming pasteThere's two pounds in my tummy They say it cures the covid, tooSo why am I in ICU? De-worming paste, De-worming pasteYou are so very yummy. JEERS to keeping track of America’s fugliest numbers. On a dark night, near the peak of the shower, you can often catch 50 or more meteors per hour. -Today's Shameless C&J Testimonial ”Bill in Portland Maine’s Cheers and Jeers is the demonstration that, when it comes to families, children, and family education, he doesn’t understand a thing.” —Mary Avola-

Today, I am going to be looking at three more Texas state house districts: HD 52, HD 54, and HD 115. TX HD 52TX HD 52 is currently located in Williamson County (just north of Austin), covering the community of Round Rock. Under the new boundaries, Trump would have now carried the district by a little more than 4 points in 2020. TX HD 54TX HD 54 is located in the central part of the state (a bit north of Austin) and currently contains all of Lampasas County and the southwestern part of Bell County. TX HD 115TX HD 115 is located in the northwestern corner of Dallas County.

Our President in action- I can’t remember other Presidents acting so fast! Spread the word! “Before the federal declaration was issued, The White House said in a release that President Biden has directed the Federal Emergency Management Agency and other federal agencies to provide quick assistance to impacted communities.”Read more at: https://www.kentucky.com/news/politics-government/article256511971.html#storylink=cpyWASHINGTON -- FEMA announced that federal disaster assistance has been made available to the Commonwealth of Kentucky to supplement state and local recovery efforts in the areas affected by severe storms, straight-line winds, flooding and tornadoes beginning Dec. 10, 2021 and continuing. The President's action authorizes FEMA to coordinate all disaster relief efforts to alleviate the hardship and suffering caused by the emergency on the local population, and to provide appropriate assistance, to save lives, to protect property, public health and safety and to lessen or avert the threat of a catastrophe in Breckenridge, Bullitt, Caldwell, Fulton, Graves, Grayson, Hickman, Hopkins, Lyon, Meade, Muhlenberg, Ohio, Shelby, Spencer and Warren counties.”www.fema.gov/...

And in that battle – whose centrality and urgency is now increasingly widely recognized – President Biden has largely been MIA. A Wartime LeaderBiden needs to transition into being a wartime leader, because this central political drama is truly a war. As the wartime leader for this political war, President Biden’s task is to defeat fascism in the arena of public opinion. in the 2022 elections -- the Republicans gain control of both Houses of Congress, it may be “game over” for American democracy. For starters, Biden can refrain, when suitable, from saying anything about “Republicans.” Biden can frame his denunciations in terms of the fundamental American values that he is defending against an assault (from wrong-doers who happen to be Republicans).

The Trump Care bill was drafted behind closed doors by GOP party bosses and lobbyists. Bacon voted for a bill that would have kicked 20 million people off insurance and gutted pre-existing condition protections. Trump Care was so bad that Bacon voted to exempt himself from it. In opposing the American Rescue Plan, Bacon voted against the largest middle class tax cut in history, vaccinations and money to open schools. Bacon is a loyal GOP party solider and he has a history of running deeply dishonest and vicious re-election campaigns.

GEO Group appealed the decisions, of course. But in a testament to the amoral nature of private prison companies, GEO Group also shut down the work program at NWIPC. The company had been under court order to pay detained immigrants the state’s minimum wage (or higher) for their labor. GEO Group is facing a number of other similar challenges in other states—and Washington’s decision could have serious implications there. Combined, these could mean even more significant financial losses for private prison companies.

In a rare Friday decision, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that Texas abortion providers can sue the state’s “executive licensing officials” to block S.B. 8, the state’s six-week abortion ban. Critically and horribly, the Court refused to put a stay on the law blocking its enforcement in Texas while the litigation plays out. Please help Daily Kos fundraise so that West Fund, Fund Texas Choice, Frontera Fund, The Bridge Collective, Clinic Access Support Network, Lilith Fund, Texas Equal Access Fund, Jane’s Due Process, and Support Your Sistah at the Afiya Center can continue to ensure people can access the care they need—and protect their own staff and volunteers from legal threats. You can also contribute to these abortion funds that provide financial assistance to people seeking abortion care in hostile states.

The order went into effect Monday, leaving asylum-seekers in Mexico in the lurch and sending shelter providers that were already at capacity scrambling to accommodate individuals and make space without proper funding. Under the Trump administration, many asylum-seekers still had to wait months and sometimes years for a final decision to be made in their case. Under the Trump administration, only 521 people were granted asylum out of the 70,000 that were placed into the first iteration of MPP. Many legal service providers say they refuse to be complicit with this inherently unfair policy, and will not take the cases anymore. “I don’t think there’s any indication that the Biden administration can actually finish these cases in six months, there just isn’t the logistical capacity or staffing to carry that out,” says Kizuka.

Since February 2020, Trump has declared at least 38 times that Covid-19 is either going to disappear or is currently disappearing. It’s going to be just fine.” And at a White House meeting on February 27, he said, “It’s going to disappear. One day — it’s like a miracle — it will disappear.” Trump contracted Covid-19; it was so serious that officials thought he would need a ventilator. After his hospitalization, he appeared on the White House balcony, ripped off his mask and while gasping for breath, proclaimed the virus is nothing to fear. It is not coincidental that Trump won 17 of the 18 states with the lowest adult vaccination rates.

In that spirit, I’d like to lob seven throw-weighty questions — some with multiple “warheads” — in the general direction of the Pentagon budget. It’s almost as if, in some twisted sense, the Pentagon budget itself were now being “Made in China.”3. A “general” nuclear exchange would end the lives of most of humanity, given the dire impact the ensuing nuclear winter would have on food production. Forty years ago, after Ronald Reagan became president, I started writing in earnest against the bloating of the Pentagon budget. Doing More With LessWhat would real oversight look like when it comes to the defense budget?

This just up on my LinkedIn feed here:www-wsj-com.cdn.ampproject.org/…Some of the largest U.S. hospital systems have dropped Covid-19 vaccine mandates for staff after a federal judge temporarily halted a Biden administration mandate that healthcare workers get the shots. Hospital operators including HCA Healthcare Inc. and Tenet Healthcare Corp. as well as nonprofits AdventHealth and the Cleveland Clinic are dropping the mandates. A comment on the LinkedIn post said:It was just a matter of time before they blinked.....shutting out 30% of your labor force is a non-starter. This is just mind boggling — maybe hospitals are right to cancel all elective surgery — come in for a surgery, stay for the COVID. Sigh — personally, I just think is a way for hoospitals to avoid having to raise pay with a side benefit of higher usage rates.

x I think we may need to recalibrate our idea of typical case numbers as Omicron takes off. Government scientists say there could be between 1,000 and 2,000 daily admissions to hospital within weeks. Perhaps it has something to do with the fact that he utterly and repeatedly failed to protect American citizens. “We need to shift the narrative and stop calling this a pandemic of the unvaccinated,” Furr-Holden said. And if Republicans themselves won’t tell the voters about their agenda, then it’s incumbent on political journalists to do it for them.

John Fetterman has publicized a poll from Data for Progress that shows him outpacing TV doctor Mehmet Oz 44-42 in a hypothetical general election. Governors? GA-Gov: In a thoroughly unsurprising development, former Speaker Newt Gingrich is backing his fellow Trump sycophant, ex-Sen. David Perdue, in next year's Republican primary. 3,200), has joined the Republican primary to take on Democratic Rep. Josh Gottheimer. Also in the running are former state Rep. Dennis Smith and attorney Lynne Torgerson. ? TX-AG: EMILY's List is backing Rochelle Garza, who is a former ACLU attorney, in next year's Democratic primary.

“I just can’t imagine how this decision could be made knowing kids can’t speak for themselves, they need to be protected.” Most unaccompanied children coming to the U.S. already have a relative here. Asylum-seeking children have been placed in facilities in the state for years, including during the previous administration. Nor did DeSantis say anything at that time about the very routine flights bringing these children to facilities in the state. He is issuing an emergency order that bars state licenses for shelters that care for unaccompanied migrant minors in Florida. “He is issuing an emergency order that bars state licenses for shelters that care for unaccompanied migrant minors in Florida.

Fish, “Mind Games.”By Chris Hedges / Original to ScheerPostLet us name Julian Assange’s executioners. Let us acknowledge that the goal of these executioners, who discussed kidnapping and assassinating Assange, has always been his annihilation. That Assange, who is in precarious physical and psychological health and who suffered a stroke during court video proceedings on October 27, has been condemned to death should not come as a surprise. 74, given to the court on February 5, 2021, which offered “assurances” that Assange would be well treated, overrode the lower court’s conclusions. The video, known as the Collateral Murder video, was leaked in 2010 by Chelsea Manning to Assange.

(CNN) President Joe Biden this week has confronted escalating tensions with China and Russia, testing his ability to manage antagonistic leaders and forcing other countries to pick sides. The White House insists Thursday's democracy summit isn't meant as a challenge to any single country or leader, even if some appear to be interpreting it that way. China's state council released a paper over the weekend titled "China: Democracy that works," despite the country not holding elections for its leaders and banning opposition political parties. "Things we did not do in 2014, we are prepared to do now," Biden told Putin, according to Sullivan. Since then, Biden and his team have strived to bring the relationships with Russia and China into more predictable terrain, including by arranging summits between Biden and their leaders.

Steven Sahiounie (SS): There will be an upcoming meeting in Turkey between President Zelensky of Ukraine and President Putin of Russia. In your opinion, will this tension convert to a military conflict between the two? However, some type of military conflict may nonetheless transpire, given the constant provocations from NATO and from Ukraine itself. SS: President Putin of Russia meet with President Modi of India and delivered the S-400 defense system. SS: President Putin of Russia and President Biden of the US meet via video on Tuesday.

And all of that turns out to be pretty standard for the losing military commanders of our war-on-terror years. I think you could say accurately, in fact, that that was the moment when each of them finally "turned a corner" triumphantly. TomThe U.S. Military Budget as a Mushroom CloudWhy It's Time to Make Deep Cuts at the PentagonBy William AstoreWhere are you going to get the money? In that spirit, I'd like to lob seven throw-weighty questions some with multiple "warheads" in the general direction of the Pentagon budget. So, here goes and hold on tight (or, in the nuclear spirit, duck and cover!

Stella Moris, the fiancee of Julian Assange, reiterated demands for his freedom as she revealed Saturday that the WikiLeaks founder suffered a mini-stroke in October. “Julian Assange suffered a stroke on the first day of the High Court appeal hearing on October 27th,” Moris said in a tweet. BREAKING: Julian #Assange suffered a stroke on the first day of the High Court appeal hearing on October 27th. Even the High Court upheld district judge's conclusions, and Biden DOJ is pushing him toward death. His lawyer, Edward Fitzgerald, said Assange “doesn’t feel able to attend the proceedings.” Assange’s partner, Stella Moris, said outside court that she was “very concerned for Julian’s health.

While speaking to host Laura Ingraham, Trump said he has “nothing to hide” from the House select committee investigating the attack. In fact, Trump is expected to appeal to the Supreme Court soon, in yet another attempt to prevent those materials from being released to the committee. I wasn’t involved in that [the Capitol attack] and if you look at my words and what I said in the speech, they were extremely calming, actually,” Trump said. “The insurrection took place on November 3, which was election day,” Trump said. Trump’s fictionalized account of the day’s events— including his claim that his speech before the attack was not incendiary — is not new.

The year-long recall campaign against Seattle Councilwoman Kshama Sawant, a member of Socialist Alternative, is coming to a close. The latest results from recall election, which ended December 7, show Sawant with a narrow lead of 50.3 percent opposing the recall. Kshama Sawant [Photo: Seattle City Council]The reversal in the vote count has been attributed largely to late votes coming in from younger voters. Socialist Alternative is itself entirely oriented toward the Democratic Party. Socialist Alternative represents sections of the upper-middle class, not the working class, and thus depends on its relationships with the union bureaucracies and Democratic Party.

During discussion, attendees voted unanimously to support the Global Workers’ Inquest into the COVID-19 Pandemic, which has been initiated by the World Socialist Web Site. The Omicron variant has been sequenced in over 68 countries with known community transmission in many major countries including the US. The spread of Omicron not only means continued mass infection, death and long-term illness, but also the ability for the virus to further mutate. The latest data from the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) shows 133,000 official COVID-19 cases among children were reported in the week ending December 2. This is why we, the West Coast Educators Rank-and-File Safety Committees, join in the international support of the Global Workers’ Inquest into the COVID-19 Pandemic, an important initiative led by the WSWS.

Striking Kellogg’s workers remain defiant in the face of mass firing threats by the company, following their rejection last week of a concessions contract brokered by the Bakery, Confectionary, Tobacco Workers and Grain Millers International Union (BCTGM). Striking Kellogg's workers stand outside the Omaha, Neb., cereal plant Thursday, Dec. 2, 2021. “I don’t know how much weight that will carry.”Picket sign outside Kellogg's plant in Battle Creek, Michigan (source: WSWS Media)Another worker chimed in on the defense of the younger generation. “They’re also trying to get the lower tier here in the US so it’s cheaper here. They’re the lower tier that Kellogg’s been building up, driving a wedge between us and Mexican workers.

A Workers United unionization drive at three Starbucks coffee shops in and around Buffalo, New York succeeded in establishing the first union at a company-owned Starbucks in the US last Thursday. Starbucks workers had complained of severe problems with understaffing, overwork and faulty machinery even before the pandemic began. Starbucks workers, whom the company patronizingly calls “partners,” have clashed with corporate management throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. The unionization vote was hailed as “historic” by a number of high-level Democratic Party politicians. The SEIU, the parent organization of Workers United, has played a particularly nefarious role in betraying workers’ struggles.

A foreign ministers summit of the G7 imperialist powers in Liverpool, Britain, ended yesterday with the issuing of a bellicose communiqué threatening both Russia and China. Over the last weeks, US intelligence agencies have issued wildly varying claims, ranging from 94,000 to 175,000 for the number of troops Russia is supposedly amassing near the Ukrainian border. The Liverpool summit communiqué served to align the G7 with the violent war propaganda coming from Washington and the NATO alliance, especially against Russia. As COVID-19 deaths mount in the G7 countries, currently running at around 2,500 each day, the denunciations of Russia and China become ever more hysterical and unhinged. In Liverpool Sunday, UK Foreign Secretary Liz Truss boasted that the G7 was united around such threats against Russia.

LONDON — A British court ruled on Friday that Julian Assange can be extradited to the United States to face charges that could result in decades of jail time, reversing a lower-court decision in the long-running case against the embattled WikiLeaks founder. The ruling was a victory, at least for now, for the Biden administration, which has pursued an effort to prosecute Mr. Assange begun under the Trump administration. Mr. Assange will seek to appeal the decision to Britain’s Supreme Court, according to his legal team. The Justice Department’s decision to charge Mr. Assange under the Espionage Act in connection with obtaining and publishing secret government documents has raised novel First Amendment issues and alarmed advocates of media freedom. But because he has been fighting extradition, those questions have not been litigated and his transfer to the United States could set off a momentous constitutional battle.

Trump White House chief of staff Mark Meadows said in an email the day before the Jan. 6 riot at the US Capitol that the National Guard would ?be on the scene to “protect pro Trump people,” according to a report released late Sunday by the House select committee investigating the events of that day. If the report is approved, as expected, the full House is expected to vote on referring Meadows to the Justice Department for potential prosecution as soon as Tuesday. The 51-page report details ?questions the committee would have asked Meadows had he appeared for a scheduled deposition last week. J. Scott Applewhite/APThe report goes on to describe a message Meadows received from a person described only as a “former White House employee” who said: “You guys have to say something. “You guys have to say something,” a former White House employee reportedly pleaded to Mark Meadows about the riot.

At least 64 people are dead and more than 100 still missing in Kentucky after tornadoes ravaged the area, Gov. The death toll in hardest-hit Kentucky is likely to grow in the coming days, Beshear warned. REUTERS/Cheney OrrThe aftermath of a tornado is seen in downtown Mayfield, Kentucky, on December 12, 2021. Homes and businesses are destroyed after a tornado ripped through town the previous evening on December 11, 2021. Army Guardsmen with the 301st Chemical Battalion and Air Guardsmen with the 123rd Airlift Wing continue search and rescue missions in Kentucky.

Teachers in South Dakota scrambled to pick up $1 bills in a hockey game sideshowSchool teachers grabbed at dollar bills in a "dash for cash" during intermission at a hockey game in South Dakota, sparking controversy for turning teachers' need to pay for classroom supplies into a public spectacle. South Dakota ranks toward the bottom in terms of spending on education. South Dakota is looking to boost teacher payLast week, Gov. Kristi Noem proposed a 6% increase in state aid for public education, a move that the state's teachers' union welcomed. But the South Dakota Education Association also notes that if state lawmakers approve the increase in their upcoming session, it will still be up to school districts to choose where and how to use the additional funds.

The Biden administration is set to release a plan on Monday it thinks can help “fast track” the uptake of electric-vehicle use in the U.S. by building 500,000 charging stations across the country. Vice President Kamala Harris will make the announcement at a government facility in Maryland, extending the Biden team’s news last week that it will push for greener energy throughout federal buildings and in vehicle fleets.

The Biden administration released a plan on Monday it thinks can help “fast track” the uptake of electric-vehicle use in the U.S. by building 500,000 charging stations across the country. The announcement is part of the $1 trillion infrastructure law Biden signed last month, which authorizes the charging stations and sets aside $5 billion for states, with a goal to build a national charging network. The law also provides an additional $2.5 billion for local grants to support charging stations in rural areas and in disadvantaged communities. Right now, the U.S. market share of plug-in EV sales is one-third the size of the Chinese EV market. The administration has set an ambitious target of a 50% EV sale share of auto buying in the U.S. by 2030, but fast and reliable charging remains a wrinkle.

The Biden administration released a plan on Monday it thinks can help “fast track” the uptake of electric-vehicle use in the U.S. by building 500,000 charging stations across the country. The announcement is part of the $1 trillion infrastructure law Biden signed last month, which authorizes the charging stations and sets aside $5 billion for states, with a goal to build a national charging network. The law also provides an additional $2.5 billion for local grants to support charging stations in rural areas and in disadvantaged communities. Right now, the U.S. market share of plug-in EV sales is one-third the size of the Chinese EV market. The administration has set an ambitious target of a 50% EV sale share of auto buying in the U.S. by 2030, but fast and reliable charging remains a wrinkle.

Elon Musk and his eligible children are vaccinated against COVID-19. But Musk told Time he's against vaccine mandates: "People do risky things all the time," he said. "The science is unequivocal," Musk said in an interview with Time published on Monday in conjunction with him being named as the magazine's 2021 Person of the Year. When California forced nonessential businesses to close, Musk fought publicly with officials and eventually reopened Tesla's California factory in defiance of their rules. After taking heat for doubting the vaccine, Musk clarified his view in an April tweet: "To be clear, I do support vaccines in general & covid vaccines specifically.

Driving an electric vehicle cross country could get a lot easier soon as the Biden administration prepares to unveil the federal strategy for a cross-country electric vehicle charging station network. The plan to build 500,000 charging stations coast to coast will be funded in part by the $1 trillion infrastructure law the U.S. president signed into law in November. Currently, Tesla (TSLA) - Get Tesla Inc Report has the country's most extensive charging apparatus with its supercharger network. Last week, the president signed an executive order that commits to making the U.S. federal government carbon-neutral by 2050. Electric vehicle makers were mixed Monday with Tesla falling more than 1.5%.

(CNN) — Time magazine has named Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla and SpaceX, as Person of the Year. In 2020, Joe Biden and Kamala Harris were picked together as of Person of the Year. Some of Musk’s online behavior has gotten him into trouble and at times distracted from his accomplishments. “The statistics that I think are at this point unequivocal that far more accidents off Autopilot than on Autopilot,” Musk said. Time announced Person of the Year on its own YouTube channel, produced by its own video division, Times Studios.

A coalition led by the Port of Portland is among 60 finalists vying for $1 billion in economic development grants tied to the Biden administration’s coronavirus relief package and aimed at improving job training and regional industry partnerships. If selected, the coalition says the federal funds would allow it to design and prototype modular housing made from mass timber products. Oregon has pushed mass timber as a way to boost the state’s flagging timber and manufacturing industries. But it’s been slow to launch, and the failure of mass timber panels during the construction of a showpiece building on the Oregon State University campus demonstrated the technical precision required. The finalists for the federal grants were predominantly coalitions made up of government, academic and economic partnerships.

Senate Republicans repeatedly declined to comment on whether they would use the "Byrd rule" - which governs legislation enacted through the budget process - to knock out part of Biden's insulin plan. And even Republicans who have written legislation to limit the price of insulin, such as Sens. Democrats' planned price cap applies to insulin co-pays and, therefore, doesn't extend to uninsured Americans, who face the highest sticker prices when trying to purchase drugs. The White House subsequently amped up its promotion of the insulin plan on Twitter and in speeches this month. Diabetic patients say they've grown frustrated with drug price politics and are desperate for a solution that ensures low insulin costs for all.

The White House released details about the order on Monday, ahead of a planned afternoon signing by Biden. The order comes at a critical juncture for Biden to show that he can deliver results. The new executive order should bring government services into the digital era, said Bill Sweeney, senior vice president of government affairs for AARP, an association for older Americans. “The fight to improve government services requires a broad retooling of the bureaucratic wiring and flattening of the hierarchy. Medicare recipients are to be able to access personalized online tools for saving money on drugs and managing their health care.

At least 64 Kentuckians in nine counties have died after tornadoes ripped through the state over the weekend, destroying thousands of homes homes, Gov. Tornadoes also touched down in the Bowling Green area, Taylor County and Ohio County, according to the National Weather Service. More:Kentucky tornadoes: What to know about damage, death toll, how to help and moreMayfield, in Graves County, suffered severe damage. Kentucky Emergency Management Director Michael Dossett said about 28,531 homes are without power and 8,000 power poles are down. The Team Western Kentucky Tornado Relief Fund has now raised more than $4 million to assist people in the affected areas.

The death toll from devastating tornadoes in Kentucky has risen to 64 - including six children - with at least 105 people still missing. Governor Andy Beshear provided an update on search efforts from Friday night’s storms at an emotional press conference on Monday morning. The governor has previously said he believes the death toll statewide will top 100. Fighting back tears, Gov Beshear told viewers: “I’m really sorry. Warren County coroner Kevin Kirby said the death toll from the storms in and around Bowling Green grew by one on Sunday to 12.

Nancy Pelosi is planning to run for reelection next year and has not ruled out attempting to keep her leadership role after the 2022 midterms, as Democrats prepare for elections that could see them lose their grip on Congress. It means House Speaker Pelosi, 81, is looking for her 18th full term. When she was nominated again as speaker last year she suggested she would not be seeking a full term again. 'Speaker Pelosi always comes through. She was the heart of our effort to pass infrastructure through the House, and there's just no one like the speaker.'

'I don't think Bibi ever wanted to make peace,' Trump told Israeli author Barak Ravid, it was revealed Monday. Abbas reportedly told Trump he was eager to make a deal, while Netanyahu told him to wait. Former President Trump claimed his promise of peace between Israel and Palestine fell through because Benjamin Netanyahu was not interested in peace'I thought he was terrific,' Trump said of Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas (above). Trump during the 2016 presidential campaign repeatedly said he had been told peace was not possible between Israel and Palestine. 'I got angry and I stopped it because that was really going too far,' Trump told Ravid.

It will touch on such activities as renewing passports, applying for Social Security benefits and getting aid after natural disasters. It all comes with Biden's poll average stuck at 43 per cent in a FiveThirtyEight survey average. I think people are accustomed to that now and they’re demanding that government keep up as well.”The goal is to implement most of the order’s changes across 17 federal agencies within the next year. For retirees and the nearly 4 million Americans who turn 65 each year, the order requires that they be able to claim Social Security benefits online more easily. It should become easier to update mailing addresses with the government or change names with the Social Security Administration.

Kyanna Parsons-Perez was among the 110 employees working the night shift at the candle factory during the busy Christmas rush. In further developments:Mayfield candle factory workers: Dakota, left with girlfriend Brandy, called her to say he thought he was going to die. Only 40 of the workers were rescued aliveCANDLE FACTORY, MAYFIELD, KENTUCKY: Search are rescue crews work at the Mayfield Consumer Products candle factory Sunday morning. Lora Capps was also on her tenth day at the job at the candle factory on Friday. The missing at the candle factory included Janine Denise Johnson Williams, a 50-year-old mother of four whose family members kept vigil at the site Saturday.

This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Tesla's Elon Musk named Time's 2021 'Person of the Year' Magazine hands automaker CEO the accolade for "embodying the possibilities and the perils of the age of tech titans" Photo by Mark Mahaney for TIME / Handout via ReutersArticle content Tesla Chief Executive Officer Elon Musk was named Time magazine’s “Person of the Year” for 2021, a year that saw his electric car company become the most valuable carmaker in the world and his rocket company soar to the edge of space with an all-civilian crew. Advertisement Story continues below This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Article content Musk is also the founder and CEO of SpaceX, and leads brain-chip startup Neuralink and infrastructure firm The Boring Company. Advertisement Story continues below This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.

Residents of Wingo, Kentucky, comfort each other at a shelter on December 12, 2021, after a tornado ripped through the region. Beshear said this morning 8 people in the factory died and 8 are unaccounted for. pic.twitter.com/E1Pp1KyOiZ — Adam K. Raymond (@adamkraymond) December 13, 2021The storm destroyed not only the candle factory but also the police and fire stations in Mayfield. David Norseworthy, a 69-year-old builder in Mayfield, said the storm blew off his roof and front porch while the family hid in a shelter. People "come with pictures, birthmarks – they talk now about using DNA samples to identify those who have been lost," he said.

Today, the Biden-Harris-Administration is releasing an EV Charging Action Plan to outline steps federal agencies are taking to support developing and deploying chargers in American communities across the country. Together, this is the largest-ever U.S. investment in EV charging and will be a transformative down payment on the transition to a zero-emission future. This guidance will look at where we already have EV charging and where we need—or will need—more of it. This guidance will look at where we already have EV charging and where we need—or will need—more of it. in competitive grants for battery minerals and refined materials aimed at accelerating the development of the North American battery supply chain.

Summit for Democracy/YouTube; InsiderA Taiwanese minister displayed a map showing Taiwan and China in different colors at Biden's democracy summit. Several minutes later, when she spoke again, video feed of her presentation was cut. A Taiwanese minister was cut from a video feed of President Joe Biden's democracy summit minutes after she presented a map showing her country as separate from China. When the moderator returned to Tang about 20 minutes later, she was heard only on audio, with a visual placeholder reading "Minister Audrey Tang, Taiwan." Later that month, China told Biden that inviting Taiwan to his democracy summit was a "mistake."

Hide Caption 9 of 33 Photos: Deadly tornadoes hit central and southern US Destruction is seen in Mayfield, Kentucky, on Saturday, December 11. Hide Caption 16 of 33 Photos: Deadly tornadoes hit central and southern US People stand among the debris in Mayfield. Hide Caption 28 of 33 Photos: Deadly tornadoes hit central and southern US Heavy damage is seen in downtown Mayfield. Hide Caption 29 of 33 Photos: Deadly tornadoes hit central and southern US People search through rubble in Mayfield. Hide Caption 30 of 33 Photos: Deadly tornadoes hit central and southern US Damage is seen in Dickson County, Tennessee.

In the hard-hit small town, the tornado destroyed not only the candle factory but also the police and fire stations. 1/5 A water tower for the town is seen destroyed in the aftermath of a tornado at sunrise in Mayfield, Kentucky, U.S. December 13, 2021. REUTERS/Adrees Latif Read MoreKentucky's emergency management director, Michael Dossett also at the briefing, said 28,000 homes and businesses remained without power. Biden on Sunday declared a major federal disaster in Kentucky, paving the way for additional federal aid, the White House said. Register now for FREE unlimited access to reuters.com RegisterReporting by Gabriella Borter in Mayfield, Kentucky; Additional reporting by Brendan O'Brien in Chicago and Susan Heavey in Washington; Writing by Daniel Trotta and Maria Caspani; Editing by Robert Birsel and Lisa ShumakerOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

WASHINGTON – A lawyer for former White House chief of staff Mark Meadows urged the House committee investigating the Jan. 6 Capitol insurrection not to pursue criminal contempt charges for his defiance of the panel’s subpoena. The committee is scheduled to vote Monday evening to recommend the full House find Meadows in contempt for defying a subpoena. The House committee scheduled a vote Monday evening to recommend the full House find Meadows in contempt for defying a subpoena for documents and testimony. “The criminal contempt of Congress statute was originally passed as a supplement to Congress’s inherent contempt powers, specifically to allow imprisonment of a contemptuous witness when the legislative session ended,” Terwilliger said. Terwilliger also argued executive privilege protects the institution of the presidency, rather than a specific occupant such as Trump.

Wyden could push for the tax again next year as Democrats are searching for ways to pay for extending the child tax credit, according to the person familiar with the discussions. The current bill includes only a one-year extension of the credit and Biden has pledged to pay for any future extensions — which means Democrats are likely to be scrambling for revenue again next year.

"Low-income homes spend cash quicker and have less cash to burn through, while higher-income households spend but still have room to save. American war veteran and talk-show radio host Bryan Suits also mocked Krugman, knocking him by writing a headline over his remarks. Low income households CONSUME a far greater proportion of their income than high income households," Vembu wrote on Twitter. Just last week, the Labor Department released data indicating consumer prices spiked 6.8% in November, reach a 39-year-high. This has many Republicans and other critics concerned over the price tag's potential impact on already sky-high consumer prices across the board.

Share Share Article via Facebook Share Article via Twitter Share Article via LinkedIn Share Article via EmailSen. Rick Scott on Build Back Better: There's a day of reckoning for all this debtSen. Rick Scott (R-Fla.) joins CNBC's 'Squawk Box' to discuss Democrats' Build Back Better bill and why Scott thinks "nothing's happening right now" with the Biden administration.

GM said 15 Bolt fires have been confirmed, and the company is replacing the battery cells in each car. GM GM officials insist that the Bolt isn't going anywhere any time soon. The Bolt also had the highest " conquest rate " of any Chevrolet car, with about 70% of the Bolt buyers switching to GM from other automakers. If the Biden administration's Build Back Better legislation passes, GM EV buyers would be eligible for federal tax credit on purchases of most other automakers' plug-in offerings. So no matter how damaged the Bolt may be in the eyes of EV buyers, GM will almost certainly start making it again.

Washington’s cybersecurity wish list for 2022 Presented by ManTechQuick Fix— Cyber incident reporting legislation and bolstering the cyber workforce top former officials and industry leaders’ wish list in the new year. David Kris, former head of DOJ’s national security division and current founder of Culper Partners, put this legislation at the top of his list. Liska told MC he wants to see the AmeriCorps program expand to include cybersecurity professionals. — Building on the foundation: For some, they want to see the Biden administration build on the cybersecurity policy and regulatory foundation it built in 2021. Rob Joyce, the NSA’s director of cybersecurity, also said the agency’s open source tool to reverse engineer cyberattacks, called GHIDRA, was affected.

Newsom borrows Texas abortion law’s logic Presented by Our Health CaliforniaTHE BUZZ — BACK AT YOU: Gov. The Democratic governor situated his decision squarely in the context of Texas’ ‘abortion bounty’ law. A message from Our Health California: Every person deserves access to high-quality, affordable health care when they need it. Our Health California is sponsored by hospitals, health systems, and the California Hospital Association. Our Health California, a grassroots advocacy community of more than 1 million people, is dedicated to building a healthier society.

—The Education Department’s negotiated-rulemaking committee on Friday wrapped up its work after months of debate over the Biden administration’s proposals. —Looking ahead: The Education Department is now bound, with some exceptions, to move forward with the regulatory proposals on which negotiators agreed. — The new timeline for releasing the proposed Title IX rules was included as part of a biannual government-wide regulatory agenda released on Friday. The new Title IX target of April, though not binding for the Education Department, is a month earlier than the agency’s previous estimate of May. — Advocacy groups have been complaining for months that the Biden administration is taking too long to reverse Trump-era Title IX policies.

It's obviously a problem that Team Trump prepared and disseminated anti-election memos in the wake of the 2020 presidential election. Less than a week before the Jan. 6 attack, John McEntee, a White House aide, prepared his own anti-election memo, complete with unfortunate historical inaccuracies. As it turns out, however, the list of anti-election memos doesn't stop there. Politico reported late last week that Ellis actually prepared more than one of these documents. As for the bigger picture, I continue to believe we've arrived at a bizarre point in American history: When the political debate turns to Team Trump's anti-election memo, we now have to ask, "Which one?"

Democrats are struggling to sell Biden's agenda. Just 41% of the survey's respondents said they support the Build Back Better bill, the roughly $2 trillion bill currently being negotiated in Congress. Nearly three-quarters of all Democrats said the support the bill but only 36% of independents and 13% of Republicans agreed. But the survey respondents were less optimistic about the in-process Build Back Better legislation. Senate Democrats aim to pass the Build Back Better bill by Christmas, a rapidly approaching goal.

It is worrisome that the protectionist policies all three countries have now signed onto could hinder economic development and supply-chain resiliency in North America. The value for North America would be transformative, going beyond trade. To recap, the USMCA signed by President Donald Trump is different from its predecessor NAFTA, signed by President Bill Clinton in 1993. Third, increased use of rail freight within North America could help to reduce greenhouse gas emissions created by jumbo container ships. The USMCA can be a catalyst for three leaders to build a much stronger North America that can create transformative value for all three countries.

ReutersAt least 64 people lost their lives in Kentucky after a raft of tornadoes tore through six states, Governor Andy Beshear said on Monday. On Monday, he said officials were working to confirm that eight people had perished when the factory in Mayfield, a town of about 10,000 in the southwestern corner of Kentucky, was hit in the storm. Rescue workers resumed combing through debris on Monday in the scant hope of finding more survivors from a battery of deadly tornadoes that tore through six states. President Joe Biden on Sunday declared a major federal disaster in Kentucky, paving the way for additional federal aid, the White House said.

At least eight Republican lawmakers sent fundraising emails containing a brazen distortion of a potential settlement with migrants separated from their families during the Trump administration. The emails reviewed by the Times illuminate how ubiquitous misinformation has become among Republicans, fueled in large part by former President Donald Trump. And the misinformation is not coming only, or even primarily, from the handful who get national attention for it. In many cases, candidates used anger-inducing misinformation directly in their requests for a donation. Thorson said what concerned her more was that — unlike much of the misinformation on social media — these claims came from people with authority and were being spread repetitively.

But as North Korea’s first millennial dictator marks a decade in rule this Friday, he may be facing his toughest moment yet, as crushing sanctions, the pandemic and growing economic trouble converge. If the nuclear issue doesn’t get resolved, the economy doesn’t get better, and that opens the possibility of disquiet and confusion in North Korea’s society,” Park said. South Korea’s spy agency recently told lawmakers that North Korea’s annual trade with China declined by two-thirds to $185 million through September 2021. “North Korea is not going to surrender its nuclear weapons, no matter what,” said Andrei Lankov, a professor at Seoul’s Kookmin University. “Instead of growth, North Korea will have stagnation, but not an acute crisis,” Lankov said.

Tornadoes are whirling, vertical air columns that form from thunderstorms and stretch to the ground and travel with ferocious speed. As that happens, an updraft is created when the warm air rises. Scientists have been wary of attributing the frequency and intensity of convective storms that can produce tornadoes to climate change, in part because historical and observational data around tornadoes is relatively limited. “Making the connection to tornadoes is the hardest of all.”In a recent paper, Future Global Convective Environments, the authors looked at the atmospheric ingredients necessary to produce extreme weather that could in turn produce tornadoes. Jennifer Francis, a senior scientist at Woodwell Climate Research Center, said climate change was “making some of the ingredients needed to create an outbreak like this more likely”.

A total of 64 people have now been confirmed dead in Kentucky and another 105 are unaccounted for following a surge of devastating tornadoes. Suddenly, she saw sky and lightning where a wall had been, and Mr Ward had vanished. Later in the day, Ms Kirks received the news that Mr Ward had been killed in the storm. Finally, Mr Shreve broke through into the living room. "It sounded like a train came through the building.

New economic numbers released Friday morning show inflation is rising at rates not seen in 39 years. Shortly after the data was published, President Joe Biden released a statement attempting to spin the situation, deflect responsibility and call form even more spending. "Today’s numbers reflect the pressures that economies around the world are facing as we emerge from a global pandemic -- prices are rising. "Independent economists have projected that this plan will save a typical family of four $7,400 every year — while easing long-run inflationary pressures on our economy. It is not true that an additional $2 trillion in government spending would ease inflationary pressures.

President Joe Biden continues to get poor ratings from the American people on his presidency, prompting the president to blame misinformation and coronavirus anxiety. A CNBC poll released Friday showed Biden with only a 41 percent approval rating with Americans giving him only a 46 percent approval rating on handling the coronavirus, and only 37 percent approving of his handling of the economy. Biden laughed off his poor approval numbers during a virtual appearance with Tonight Show host Jimmy Fallon, joking that he did not even look at them anymore. “They’re being told that Armageddon is on the way.”He also spoke about Americans experiencing fear about their family members contracting coronavirus. The White House claimed Friday Biden’s numbers on the economy were so bad because of the “psychology” that came with the coronavirus pandemic.

The announcement, though seemingly bureaucratic, indicates the Biden administration has succeeded in at least one of its goals for the high-profile encounter : moving heightened tensions in the Washington-Moscow relationship away from Putin’s provocative military action around Ukraine and instead toward matters of broader mutual concern. “Let’s hope it works.”Indyk was responding to a press briefing by national security adviser Jake Sullivan held shortly after the virtual summit ended. And there, too, Sullivan demurred when asked specifically if the U.S. is willing to send new troops to the region if Russia invaded Ukraine. “It may not be too late for the Biden administration to seize the diplomatic initiative and broker arrangements to avert a war. But to do this, it should rethink the basic carrot-and-stick formula that has characterized America’s approach thus far.”

MAYFIELD, Ky., Dec 13 (Reuters) - At least 64 people lost their lives in Kentucky after a raft of tornadoes tore through six states, Governor Andy Beshear said on Monday. "It may be weeks before we have counts on both deaths and levels of destruction," Beshear told reporters. 1/5 A water tower for the town is seen destroyed in the aftermath of a tornado at sunrise in Mayfield, Kentucky, U.S. December 13, 2021. In the hard-hit small town, the tornado destroyed not only the candle factory but also the police and fire stations. Register now for FREE unlimited access to reuters.com RegisterReporting by Gabriella Borter in Mayfield, Kentucky; Additional reporting by Brendan O'Brien in Chicago; Writing by Daniel Trotta and Maria Caspani; Editing by Robert Birsel and Lisa ShumakerOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

She told Reuters symptoms of the omicron variant were "very mild" and could be treated at home. How serious is omicron?It will take weeks to understand new COVID-19 variant, experts say. A person in California became the first in the U.S. to have an identified case of the omicron variant. He said the person was a traveler who returned from South Africa on Nov. 22 and tested positive on Nov. 29. U.K. Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Monday reported the first known death from the omicron variant after saying the country faces a "tidal wave" of omicron cases.

The twisters tore through parts of Arkansas, Illinois, Kentucky, Missouri, Mississippi and Tennessee Friday night into Saturday morning. In an interview with Jake Tapper, FEMA head Deanne Criswell said that storms like the one in Kentucky are the new normal due to climate change. Scott Olson/Getty ImagesElsewhere, at least 14 people were killed by the storms in Illinois, Tennessee, Arkansas and Missouri. “You know, there’s going to be a lot to learn from this event and the events that we saw through the summer. We’re seeing more intense storms, severe weather, whether it’s hurricanes, tornadoes, wildfires.

New York’s new mask mandate goes into effect Monday, with Gov. NYC MAYOR DE BLASIO ANNOUNCES COVID-19 VACCINE MANDATE FOR PRIVATE SECTOR WORKERSThe state defined indoor public places as "any indoor space that is not a private residence." The mandate comes as state officials reported a 43% increase in the statewide seven-day average case rate since Thanksgiving—with COVID-related hospitalizations increasing by 29%. That mandate takes effect on Dec. 27, and will apply to roughly 184,000 businesses. The Biden administration last month unveiled the Labor Department’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration COVID-19 vaccine rule, which required employers with more than 100 employees to ensure that all workers are either fully vaccinated or subject to weekly testing and mask wearing.

Critics flamed the Los Angeles Times editorial board over the weekend for arguing that California's last remaining nuclear power plant needed to be closed in the name of doing even more to fight climate change. "It’s our planet at stake, and California’s leaders must ensure the sunset of nuclear power is not followed by a damaging rise in greenhouse gases," it added. Critics took to social media to blast the board, with some arguing that being against nuclear power meant they weren't serious about fighting climate change, and others suggesting that it was denying science to argue against the use of nuclear power to fight climate change. Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks, R-Iowa, argued that there wasn't actually a better way to fight climate change as the board suggested. LIBERALS USE DEADLY TORNADOS TO ATTACK REPUBLICANS ON CLIMATE CHANGE

So you might think he'd support the federal government funding electric vehicle charging stations. Today there are about 45,000 charging stations in the US. The infrastructure bill allocates $7.5 billion for charging infrastructure, which the Biden administration hopes will reach its goal of 500,000 charging stations. Tesla's charging stations in the US can currently only be used by Tesla vehicles. New charging stations will likely be immediately more accessible and affordable for non-Tesla owners.

WASHINGTON — The Biden administration is releasing a federal strategy Monday to implement an ambitious plan to build 500,000 charging stations for electric vehicles across the country and ultimately transform the U.S. auto industry. The law also provides an additional $2.5 billion for local grants to support charging stations in rural areas and in disadvantaged communities. “President Biden, American families, automakers, and autoworkers agree: the future of transportation is electric,? the White House said in a statement. Currently, the U.S. market share of plug-in electric vehicle sales is one-third the size of the Chinese EV market. The two departments also will launch an advisory committee on electric vehicles that officials hope is up and running early next year.

WASHINGTON — Vice President Kamala Harris on Monday announced $1.2 billion in commitments from international businesses to support the economies and social infrastructure of Central American nations, as she works to address what the White House terms the “root causes” of migration to the United States. Harris was tapped in March by President Joe Biden to work to counter the social, economic and political forces that drive migrants and asylum seekers to the U.S., including many who cross the U.S.-Mexico border illegally. In May, Harris appealed to the private sector to invest in El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras in an effort to improve stability and opportunity in the Central American countries. Monday’s announcement builds on that “call to action,” as she announces new commitments and encourages other companies to continue their investment. Follow NBC Latino on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

Elon Musk, the CEO of Tesla and SpaceX, has been named Time magazine’s "Person of the Year" for 2021. “He is reshaping life on Earth and possibly life off Earth as well,” Edward Felsenthal, Time's Editor-In-Chief, said on the "TODAY" show Monday. In Time's profile of Musk, Felsentahl wrote: “Person of the Year is a marker of influence, and few individuals have had more influence than Musk on life on Earth, and potentially life off Earth too." “In 2021, Musk emerged not just as the world’s richest person but also as perhaps the richest example of a massive shift in our society,” he said. For nearly a century, the magazine has annually selected a Person of the Year.

MOSCOW — President Joe Biden and Russian President Vladimir Putin have agreed to hold more talks amid tensions over a Russian troop build-up near Ukraine, the Kremlin said on Sunday, and Putin would like to meet in person at some stage too. The Kremlin said Putin and Biden had agreed to hold more talks during a video call on Dec. 7 that focused on East-West relations, which have sunk to their lowest level since the end of the Cold War and are currently strained by the Russian troop build-up near Ukraine. Putin on Dec. 7 told Biden that Russian troops were on Russian territory and did not pose a threat to anyone, Peskov said. However, he said the two leaders had agreed to hold another round of talks, maybe by video link, a format the two presidents liked. "(We will) definitely see each other, I would really want that to happen," Putin told Biden, according to a short video released on state TV channel Rossiya 1.

The country has seen a strong economic rebound as coronavirus relief programs sent money directly to Americans. The new executive order should bring government services into the digital era, said Bill Sweeney, senior vice president of government affairs for AARP, an association for older Americans. I think people are accustomed to that now and they’re demanding that government keep up as well.”The goal is to implement most of the order’s changes across 17 federal agencies within the next year. Medicare recipients are to be able to access personalized online tools for saving money on drugs and managing their health care. It should become easier to update mailing addresses with the government or change names with the Social Security Administration.

Computer Security Stocks RetreatMeanwhile, the IBD computer security group advanced 35% at one point this year. Some cybersecurity stocks now trade below their 50-day moving averages after selling off on earnings reports. The ransomware battle presents a host of challenges for cybersecurity stocks as well as small businesses, large corporations, hospitals, colleges, government and others. Here's Where To Find Cybersecurity Stocks To Buy And Watch"Those questions are really going to change the future of how ransomware affects organizations," Beyer told IBD. Some cybersecurity stocks prioritize data backup and recovery, aiming to have the ability to just say no to ransomware demands.

Nearly 60% of young people surveyed said they were “very” or “extremely” worried about climate change, and 45% said their feelings about climate change negatively affected their daily life and functioning, according to a study published Thursday in the science journal The Lancet Planetary Health. At its root, our climate anxiety comes from this deep-set feeling of betrayal because of government inaction. “Our children’s anxiety is a completely rational reaction given the inadequate responses to climate change they are seeing from governments,” Caroline Hickman of the University of Bath said in a release. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) has found that emissions from fossil fuels are the dominant cause of global warming, with about 89% of those emissions coming from traditional energy sources and industry. Those talks still failed to energize noted global teenage activist Greta Thunberg, who said the Glasgow conference takeaway was only more “Blah, blah, blah…”Read: Greta Thunberg on next move in climate-change fight: ‘COP26 is over, blah, blah, blah… We will never give up’

Nearly 60% of young people surveyed said they were “very” or “extremely” worried about climate change, and 45% said their feelings about climate change negatively affected their daily life and functioning, according to a study published Thursday in the science journal The Lancet Planetary Health. At its root, our climate anxiety comes from this deep-set feeling of betrayal because of government inaction. “Our children’s anxiety is a completely rational reaction given the inadequate responses to climate change they are seeing from governments,” Caroline Hickman of the University of Bath said in a release. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) has found that emissions from fossil fuels are the dominant cause of global warming, with about 89% of those emissions coming from traditional energy sources and industry. Those talks still failed to energize noted global teenage activist Greta Thunberg, who said the Glasgow conference takeaway was only more “Blah, blah, blah…”Read: Greta Thunberg on next move in climate-change fight: ‘COP26 is over, blah, blah, blah… We will never give up’

Then-White House chief of staff Mark Meadows speaks with reporters outside the White House on October 26, 2020. AP Photo/Patrick Semansky, FileMark Meadows said it was "infuriating" when Fox News called Arizona for Biden on election night. "I'm surprised I didn't crack the screen of my iPhone," the former Trump aide wrote in his new book. To the Republicans present at the White House, Trump's reelection to a second term seemed nearly assured, according to the former presidential aide's new book. "It may well be that President Trump loses Arizona," Meadows replied.

(Reuters) - Tesla Chief Executive Officer Elon Musk was named Time magazine's "Person of the Year" for 2021, a year that saw his electric car company become the most valuable carmaker in the world and his rocket company soar to the edge of space with an all-civilian crew. Musk is also the founder and CEO of SpaceX, and leads brain-chip startup Neuralink and infrastructure firm The Boring Company. "For creating solutions to an existential crisis, for embodying the possibilities and the perils of the age of tech titans, for driving society's most daring and disruptive transformations, Elon Musk is TIME's 2021 Person of the Year," the magazine's editor-in-chief, Edward Felsenthal, said. From hosting Saturday Night Live to dropping tweets on cryptocurrencies and meme stocks that have triggered massive movements in their value, Musk has dominated the headlines and amassed over 66 million followers on Twitter. Last year, U.S. President-elect Joe Biden and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris were jointly given the "Person of the Year" title.

Vaccines induce lower antibody levels against Omicron in study — 6:11 a.m.By BloombergTwo doses of the Pfizer Inc. and AstraZeneca Plc. vaccines induced lower levels of antibodies against the omicron variant, increasing the risk of COVID-19 infection, according to researchers from the University of Oxford. McKee reported on Saturday the state’s first case of the omicron variant of coronavirus in an adult who recently had traveled out-of-state. New UK Omicron cases double as country plans daily tests — 10:51 a.m.BloombergThe U.K. confirmed 1,239 new omicron cases on Sunday, almost double the 633 cases reported the day before. There are 55 omicron variant cases in the state, after 10 were confirmed overnight, and more are expected as results of genomic testing are confirmed, the government said.

For example, though Biden should be applauded for assembling a bipartisan commission to analyze potential reforms to the Supreme Court, the commission consists of an extraordinarily narrow constituency: The 36 commissioners consist of former federal judges, law professors and law scholars. Biden all but ensured that foundational questions would not be explored; that deliberations instead would circle around narrow, procedural concerns; and that the country, when all was said and done, would still lack anything approximating a road map or mandate for systemic change.

The owner of a pastry business in Massachusetts has had to reduce his product offerings and personally absorb higher costs. A grocery chain executive in Connecticut said he’s splitting his higher costs with his suppliers so he doesn’t have to raise prices across the board. Across the United States, in homes and in businesses, the highest inflation in a generation is heightening financial pressures and forcing people to adapt to a new reality. Though Americans’ overall income has also increased since the pandemic, a new poll found that far more people are noticing higher inflation than higher wages. Outside the U.S., too, surging inflation is squeezing households and businesses.

Josh BoakAssociated PressWashington – Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo on Monday announced 60 finalists for $1 billion in economic development grants tied to the Biden administration’s coronavirus relief package and aimed at improving job training and regional industry partnerships. The finalists were predominantly coalitions made up of government, academic and economic partnerships. “This program will bring communities back in regions across America,” Alejandra Castillo, assistant commerce secretary for economic development, said in an interview. There are also economic partnerships and industry-specific organizations such as the Wisconsin Paper Council. White House senior adviser Gene Sperling, who is overseeing coronavirus relief, said interest far exceeded the expected 150 applicants.

In yet another round of incoherent appearances last week, Dementia Joe once more laid out his strategy on how you too can become a booster person. “Get the booster shots at CVC.” OK, probably more Americans had considered going to CVS, but whatever you say, Mr. President. All kidding aside, Dementia Joe, nobody thinks you’re president. Is she by any chance related to Amy Klobuchar, who ran for president against Dementia Joe last year? Remember, to become a booster person, you must get vaccillated — at your nearest CVC.

Many House Democrats are more eager than ever to see the California Democrat go and give way to younger leadership. Her grip on House Democrats may be looser than it was, but whoever comes after her won't have anywhere near that control. President Joe Biden walks with Pelosi as he arrives to meet with House Democrats at the Capitol in October. House Democrats are tired of the aging leadership of long-serving icons, but they don't yet trust anyone else to hold them together. Rep. Hakeem Jeffries of New York, the chair of the House Democratic Caucus, is the fifth-highest ranking member of leadership.

After making his fortune with PayPal, Musk’s SpaceX, Tesla, The Boring Company and Neuralink have all produced incredible advancements in energy, health and travel both here on Earth and in space. In 2017 Tesla announced that the three cars in their Model 3 series were going to be called Model S, Model E and Model X. Musk later revealed on 60 Minutes that he really didn’t know what he was doing with the joint. However, even she appeared to be a bit confused as Musk later corrected her. Inventing tunnelsAside from SpaceX and Tesla, Musk’s other big venture right now is The Boring Company which he believes will be the future of inner-city travel by car.

Those were Elon Musk’s words when the tech exec was forced to respond to a claim by Texas governor Greg Abbott that he supported the state’s anti-abortion laws. So what does Elon Musk really believe? Instead, let's put Mr Musk's money where his mouth is and look at his political donations. View moreThe way Mr Musk explains it, these donations do not really signal much about his own personal beliefs. Where Mr Musk has supported Mr Biden, that too was connected to carbon.

Elon Musk is Time’s Person of the Year. It also noted in its announcement that Mr Musk “also likes to live-tweet his poops”, thought to be a first for a Time “Person of the Year”. The profile said that Mr Musk “bends governments and industry to the force of his ambition”. It did however point to criticisms of Mr Musk, both in his personal life and business. The same is true of Mr Musk now, it said.

Kamala Harris is announcing Monday $540 million in new private industry investments in Central America as the vice president continues to brush off criticism of her first year in office. Despite all this, Harris brushes off criticism of her first year as vice president amid reports of a feud between herself and President Biden. Harris twice wouldn't directly answer a question whether she wished she'd done anything differently in her year as vice president. The biggest new investment comes from PepsiCo, which plans to spend $190 in Northern Central America through 2025. Harris' approval rating dipped below her disapproval in early June, around the time she traveled to Guatemala and Mexico.

President Joe Biden will plead with Senator Joe Manchin this week to support his $1.8 trillion Build Back Better package of social safety net programs as the West Virginia Democrat continues to raise concerns about its price tag. The two men will talk this week - possibly as early as Monday - as Biden acknowledges reality: his program can't pass the evenly-divided Senate without Manchin's vote. No Republican senator is expected to support Biden's bill, which contains funding for education programs, paid family medical leave and to fight climate change. President Joe Biden will plead with Senator Joe Manchin this week to support his $1.8 trillion Build Back Better package of social safety net programsThe Senate, which passed legislation to avoid a government shutdown and approved the annual defense-policy bill, is expected to begin debate on the Build Back Better legislation this week. This, however, is only about half what the Biden administration says better tax enforcement could raise.

A Bloomberg article has been mercilessly mocked for advising people to 'spend their pay checks immediately' and 'borrow lots of money' to cope with inflation. The article has been savaged by commentators who claim it is hopelessly out of touch with Americans facing the highest rate of inflation rate in 40 years. 'If you have the money to pay for that sofa now, do it,' the article says. The US inflation rate has hit its highest level in nearly 40 years, adding woes for consumers and compounding the issue as a political liability for Biden. Oil prices rose by more than $1 per barrel.

Biden claimed he was against the Afghanistan war from the 'beginning' despite voting to allow it in 2001President Joe Biden defended the United States' widely-criticized withdrawal operation from Afghanistan this past summer, claiming that he was against the invasion 'from the beginning' in a new interview - though his past Senate voting record says otherwise. The president, 79, made the comments during a brief appearance in CBS correspondent Rita Braver's profile of First Lady Dr. Jill Biden. While discussing the need for bipartisan unity Biden was asked if he was 'willing to lose his presidency' over 'sticking with' his beliefs. 'For example, Afghanistan - well, I've been against that war in Afghanistan from the very beginning. The president's claim that he was against the war in Afghanistan from the beginning also doesn't appear to be reflected in his voting record.

Share this Story: How Canada will fight its next trade war with the United StatesHow Canada will fight its next trade war with the United States Expect a petty and vindictive trade war designed to maximize harm to the U.S. auto sector Photo by Lars Hagberg/Kevin LamarqueArticle content It looks like Canada may once again be marching off to trade war with the United States. Advertisement Story continues below This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Article content Now, Canada is threatening the same against a proposed tax credit on U.S.-made electric vehicles. Advertisement Story continues below This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Article content This is particularly true of EVs, the class of vehicle the Biden Administration is hoping to target with its tax credit.

Ukraine's war with pro-Russia separatists has dragged on since 2014, when they seized the Donetsk and Lugansk regions shortly after Moscow annexed the Crimean peninsula. The conflict has simmered in recent years but over the past few weeks fears have mounted that Russia could launch a large-scale attack. US President Joe Biden has warned his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin of "sanctions like he's never seen" should Russian troops massed on Ukraine's border launch an attack. Oleksandr welcomed high-level talks on the conflict, after Putin and Biden held a virtual two-hour summit focused on Ukraine last week. The conflict has seen 64 Ukrainian soldiers killed since the start of the year, while the separatists have reported about 40 deaths.

Share this Story: FIRST READING: Hating Quebec's hijab ban is suddenly okay againFIRST READING: Hating Quebec's hijab ban is suddenly okay again Trade war! Advertisement Story continues below This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Try refreshing your browser, or FIRST READING: Hating Quebec's hijab ban is suddenly okay again Back to video Ottawa’s politicos are suddenly very, very angry about Bill 21 , the two-year-old Quebec law that bans public employment for anyone who wears religious garb such as kippahs, turbans, hijabs or crucifixes. Advertisement Story continues below This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. “I don’t agree with the secular tenets of Bill 21 but it is a question for Quebec to decide,” he said Thursday .

In August, the Biden administration issued one more "final extension" of the federal student loan payment pause to January 31, 2022. More than 42 million people had federal student loans of some form as of fall 2021, amounting to nearly $1.6 trillion in student loan debt, according to Education Department data. Federal student loan interest rates are fixed, so they will not change from rates prior to the pandemic. Soon after taking office, Mr. Biden said that Congress would need to act to cancel student loan debt. But in the spring, the president asked the Education Secretary to outline his legal authority to cancel student loan debt.

(CNN) A federal judge on Friday upheld the Justice Department's decision to use a felony obstruction law against US Capitol rioters, a major victory for prosecutors who have used the statute to charge hundreds of Donald Trump supporters who were involved in the January 6 insurrection. Several other defendants have challenged the law, and many of those challenges are still pending. But Friday's ruling means the Justice Department's strategy for charging the Capitol rioters has survived a key test. "The Joint Session thus has the trappings of a formal hearing before an official body," Friedrich wrote. Accordingly, the congressional certification at issue here is a 'proceeding before the Congress.'"

(Screengrab via Grabien) During an appearance on Fox News, Utah Rep. Chris Stewart called for a U.S. boycott of the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics to push back against China. During a Sunday night guest appearance on Fox News Channel, Rep. Chris Stewart was asked by former congressman Trey Gowdy whether the U.S. should boycott the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing. President Joe Biden announced a diplomatic boycott of the Games to protest China’s human rights abuses, which means no U.S. government representatives will attend the Games, which begin in February. The diplomatic boycott does not prevent athletes from competing. Stewart seemed to be suggesting a total boycott of the Games to stand up to China.

Q: Former President Trump has been undermining the 2020 election result for most of this year; you know, he puts out statements, various releases. And I wonder why President Biden has not used his bully pulpit to push back on the misinformation coming from former president Trump, just given that democracy is such a top concern? MS. PSAKI: Why does President Bid — sorry, just so I understand your question: Why does President Biden not debate or lift up President Trump and his statements? Q: I don’t think that — no, I don’t think that’s what I was saying. Q: Why isn’t President Biden pushing back on the misinformation that the former President is putting out?

New York (CNN Business) Time magazine has named CEO of Tesla and SpaceX Elon Musk as Person of the Year. "In 2021, Musk emerged not just as the world's richest person but also as perhaps the richest example of a massive shift in our society." It was indeed a banner year for Musk, who garnered attention for becoming the richest person in the world in part due to the rise instock price. With SpaceX, Musk launched the first-ever mission to Earth's orbit with a crew of only tourists and no professional astronauts. "The statistics that I think are at this point unequivocal that far more accidents off Autopilot than on Autopilot," Musk said.

On the face of it, Stillwright Point looks like a poster child for the bipartisan infrastructure bill that President Biden signed into law earlier this year. The largest tranche of money in the bipartisan bill goes toward so-called “hard” transportation infrastructure such as roads, highways, bridges, and public transit. Projects funded by the infrastructure bill will only be as useful and as forward-looking as the state officials who disburse the money. There is no guarantee that the states responsible for disbursing the new infrastructure bill funds will deal with these vulnerabilities rather than build new projects. The Senate version of the infrastructure bill, cobbled together by a bipartisan group of lawmakers who by and large do not sit on the relevant committees involving infrastructure, scrapped all these provisions , to the disappointment of House progressives such as Peter DeFazio (D-OR), who had spearheaded the earlier version.

New York(CNN Business) Time magazine has named CEO of Tesla and SpaceX Elon Musk as Person of the Year. "In 2021, Musk emerged not just as the world's richest person but also as perhaps the richest example of a massive shift in our society." It was indeed a banner year for Musk, who garnered attention for becoming the richest person in the world in part due to the rise in Tesla's (TSLA) stock price. With SpaceX, Musk launched the first-ever mission to Earth's orbit with a crew of only tourists and no professional astronauts. "The statistics that I think are at this point unequivocal that far more accidents off Autopilot than on Autopilot," Musk said.

Tesla CEO Elon Musk gestures as he visits the construction site of Tesla's Gigafactory in Gruenheide near Berlin, Germany, August 13, 2021. Patrick Pleul/Pool via ReutersDec 13 (Reuters) - Tesla (TSLA.O) Chief Executive Officer Elon Musk was named Time magazine's "Person of the Year" for 2021, a year that saw his electric car company become the most valuable carmaker in the world and his rocket company soar to the edge of space with an all-civilian crew. Musk is also the founder and CEO of SpaceX, and leads brain-chip startup Neuralink and infrastructure firm The Boring Company. Register now for FREE unlimited access to reuters.com Register"For creating solutions to an existential crisis, for embodying the possibilities and the perils of the age of tech titans, for driving society's most daring and disruptive transformations, Elon Musk is TIME's 2021 Person of the Year," the magazine's editor-in-chief, Edward Felsenthal, said. Last year, U.S. President-elect Joe Biden and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris were jointly given the "Person of the Year" title.

“Individual humans” are to blame for spreading misinformation on Facebook, a top executive at the company said in a new interview Sunday. Bosworth joined Facebook in 2006 and has worked on a litany of key initiatives, including boosting advertising revenue. In May, Facebook reversed a decision to flag posts claiming that COVID-19 was man-made. Richard Drew/APNotably, Facebook has weighed in on what it felt was misinformation earlier in the pandemic. Andrew Bosworth joined Facebook in 2006 and is expected to take on the role of chief technology officer of Meta next year.

Since taking office, Biden has repeatedly emphasized his desire to show that government can work for its citizens. Monday’s order will be among the most concrete actions he has taken to seek to deliver on that pledge.

Fox News contributor Joe Concha predicted there will be a "red tsunami" during the 2022 midterm elections as President Biden's approval nosedives to new lows among various topics. Concha joined "Fox & Friends First" on Monday, arguing the Biden White House does not want to "answer the tough questions" and American voices "will be heard" during the elections next year as a result. We're at a time [when] homicides are skyrocketing in cities from Philadelphia to Chicago to Austin to Los Angeles, and dozens in between. Nor she, as a former district attorney and attorney general in California, can be bothered to address crime in any way, shape or form. This is an administration who believes they could ignore a problem or lie about it, and it will eventually go away.

But few races may be as hotly contested – or expensive – as the open seat in Texas' 15th Congressional District. GOP candidate Monica De La Cruz, who nearly upset Gonzalez in 2020, is running again in a cycle that's expected to be even more favorable for Republicans. De La Cruz was part of the first round of non-incumbent endorsements from the GOP PAC Winning for Women (WFW). Besides the Garza challenge, De La Cruz faces some other headwinds as she seeks to improve on her 2020 election performance. De la Cruz said in a tweet last month her divorce was related to "mental health issues in our family" and asked for privacy.

New York (CNN Business) Time magazine has named CEO of Tesla and SpaceX Elon Musk as Person of the Year. "Person of the Year is a marker of influence, and few individuals have had more influence than Musk on life on Earth, and potentially life off Earth too," Time editor-in-chief Edward Felsenthal wrote . "In 2021, Musk emerged not just as the world's richest person but also as perhaps the richest example of a massive shift in our society." In 2020, Joe Biden and Kamala Harris were picked together as of Person of the Year. For example, Adolf Hitler was named Man of the Year in 1938.

Only some small-scale workforce skills and the allocation of transportation funds toward apprenticeship programs. Onlysome small-scale workforce skills measures were included , such as digital trainingand theallocation of transportation funds toward apprenticeship programs. A little more than half of infrastructure workers have a high school diploma or less as compared to nearly 32% of all workers, according to the Brookings Institution. "Mammas didn't want their babies to grow up to be construction workers." Construction workers stand in front of wind turbine blades at a wind farm in Encino, New Mexico.

Pritzker’s name pops up in presidential plan B Presented by AARPHappy Monday, Illinois. In a story by The New York Times about what “plan B” might be if President Joe Biden doesn’t run, Pritzker’s name popped up. Foxx’s office is working with the Cook County Regional Crime Task Force to address those crimes. — ENDORSEMENTS: Kari Steele has won the endorsement of four unions representing more than 50,000 workers in her bid for Cook County assessor. — Dan Balanoff has secured endorsements in his bid for a judicial circuit court seat in Cook County.

When it comes to the investigation into the Jan. 6 attack, former White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows has been a little indecisive in recent weeks. This is among the revelations from a 51-page document released yesterday by the House select committee, in advance of today's vote on holding Meadows in contempt. Politico's report added:In other messages described by the committee, Meadows appears to have asked members of Congress to help connect Trump with state lawmakers shortly after his defeat in November.... It's worth emphasizing for context that Meadows, before his latest reversal, did provide the bipartisan committee with some relevant information. If Meadows was up to his waist in the scandal before, the level has now reached his shoulders.

An Interview with Mayor Michelle WuFROM THE HUB — Michelle Wu has been mayor of Boston for almost a month now. Wu hosts a press conference at 9 a.m. at the Boston Public Works Yard on winter-weather preparations. – “Sonia Chang-Díaz: Trust over balance on Beacon Hill,” by Amy Sokolow, Boston Herald: “Now that Republican Gov. This time it’s the city’s chief financial officer, Mary Sahady.”– "Kentucky deadly tornadoes: Massachusetts first responders on the way to help with recovery efforts," by Rick Sobey, Boston Herald: "Massachusetts Gov. HAPPY BIRTHDAY – to Boston City Councilor Lydia Edwards and Nancy Jane Fitzpatrick.

MOSCOW (Reuters) -Russia said on Monday it may be forced to deploy intermediate-range nuclear missiles in Europe in response to what it sees as NATO's plans to do the same. "That is, it will be a confrontation, this will the next round, the appearance of such resources on our side. NATO says there will be no new U.S. missiles in Europe and it is ready to deter new Russian missiles with a "measured" response that would only involve conventional weapons. But Ryabkov said Russia had a "complete lack of trust" in NATO. Ryabkov said Russia would present its follow-up proposals to the United States, and possibly also to other NATO countries, in the coming weeks.

At this point in the last race for California governor, the field of candidates was wide and two debates had been staged. Enter email address Sign Me Up You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times. Sign up for our California Politics newsletter to get the best of The Times’ state politics reporting and the latest action in Sacramento. Support our journalism Subscribe to the Los Angeles Times. (Los Angeles Times)This year marked the 90th edition of the Virgen de Guadalupe procession in East Los Angeles.

Gavin Newsom’s prospects of gliding into a second term in 2022 appear as golden as the $23 million he has socked away for his reelection campaign. At this point in the last race for California governor, the field of candidates was wide and two debates had been staged. Republican campaign consultant Tim Rosales said anyone should be sober about the odds of dethroning the “800-pound gorilla” — Newsom. Crime is worse than it was when I was campaigning.... Gavin Newsom oversaw the release of almost 20,000 convicted felons early. And I think people are calming down a little bit more about the coronavirus now.”Still, Elder is not sure if he’ll challenge Newsom in 2022.

"Gila River is the one tribe that has a large entitlement, that in times of shortage is not 100% firm," he said. The tribe was deprived of its Gila River water for more than a century, but a historic 2004 water settlement restored senior water rights. Lewis told The Republic that Gila River Farms, the tribal-owned farm, would begin fallowing land to conserve water. Hauter, who is also a Gila River tribal member, said the farm would be asked to fallow up to 4,000 acres. Many of Arizona's tribal water settlements are funded through the Lower Colorado River Basin Development Fund.

Time magazine has named CEO of Tesla and SpaceX Elon Musk as Person of the Year. "Person of the Year is a marker of influence, and few individuals have had more influence than Musk on life on Earth, and potentially life off Earth too," Time editor-in-chief Edward Felsenthal wrote. "In 2021, Musk emerged not just as the world's richest person but also as perhaps the richest example of a massive shift in our society." For example, Adolf Hitler was named Man of the Year in 1938. Keep scrolling to see every Time "Person of the Year" since 1927

Democrats are worried they could be losing their electoral grip on Hispanics, the country's second-largest voter bloc by ethnicity. Democrats lost the states of Florida and Texas in the 2020 presidential race, and they were disappointed with some of their results from Hispanic voters. The various figures suggest Democrats should not take a large edge with Hispanic voters for granted, and Zapien said that whichever party can communicate best with Hispanic voters while “figuring out what’s on their mind” is likely to increase their share of the Hispanic vote going forward. “Hispanic voters are splitting their support more evenly between the two parties, a new WSJ poll finds. “I don’t think that there’s a magic wand or a particular issue that is going to assure you some sort of long-term fidelity by ‘the Hispanic vote.’ Or even segments of the Hispanic vote,” Zapien said.

"Mr. Meadows sent an email to an individual about the events on January 6 and said that the National Guard would be present to 'protect pro Trump people' and that many more would be available on standby," investigators said. Attorneys for Meadows have insisted that he cannot be made to testify in front of Congress since he is a former White House staffer. In Sunday's report, Thompson shot down this argument, writing that even though Meadows is a former White House staffer, he is not entitled to absolute testimonial immunity. "All courts that have reviewed this issue have been clear: even senior White House aides who advise the President on official government business are not immune from compelled congressional process. A vote on holding Meadows in contempt is expected this week.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has revealed he moonlighted as a taxi driver to make ends meet following the collapse of the Soviet Union. 'After all, what is the collapse of the Soviet Union? It was a disintegration of historical Russia under the name of the Soviet Union,' Putin said, speaking in the documentary called 'Russia, Recent History' and reported by state-run news agency RIA Novosti. Russia was the centre of the Soviet Union that expanded to include 15 republics, reaching from the Baltics in the west to Central Asia. US intelligence officials estimate that as many as 175,000 Russian troops could launch an attack early next year, with troops, tanks and artillery already massing on the Ukrainian border.

A Bloomberg article has been mercilessly mocked for advising people to 'spend their pay checks immediately' and 'borrow lots of money' to cope with inflation. The article has been savaged by commentators who claim it is hopelessly out of touch with Americans who are facing the highest rate of inflation rate in 40 years. 'If you have the money to pay for that sofa now, do it,' the article says. The US inflation rate has hit its highest level in nearly 40 years, adding woes for consumers and compounding the issue as a political liability for Biden. Oil prices rose by more than $1 per barrel.

Inflation and Covid-19 are two big problems that federal money can’t fix. NRPLUS MEMBER ARTICLE A merica has a message for Joe Biden: Your money is no good here. Americans like Joe Biden, personally. A small majority of Americans even say — against a superabundance of contrary evidence — that Joe Biden is honest. But in the same survey, a majority of Americans also say that they do not believe the president to be “mentally sharp.” And other polls bring even …

How did we get to this ugly state of affairs, where partisan interests trump our national interest? Although neither of our political parties has clean hands, the Republican Party is primarily responsible for today’s slash-and-burn political partisanship. GOP lawmakers must have supported Trump’s Putinophilia because we heard nary a peep of disapproval from them during Trump’s tenure. The GOP has done an about face on Putin and Russia since Joe Biden became president. There are many other instances where GOP extremism has damaged the national interest.

(CNN) President Joe Biden spoke with Sen. Joe Manchin late last week, according to a source familiar with the conversation, as the President works to secure the West Virginia Democrat's vote for his expansive economic and climate bill he wants passed by the end of the year. During their conversation, Biden made clear to Manchin what is an obvious reality: he needs the senator's vote on this bill. Biden and Manchin are expected to speak again soon, and CNN's Lauren Fox reports that call could happen as soon as Monday. But Manchin has publicly raised a number of concerns about the legislation, which passed the Democrat-controlled House last month. He is also seeking changes to some of the provisions in the tax portion of the bill.

Canadians should “prepare for the worst” if U.S. lawmakers decide to greenlight President Joe Biden’s protectionist Build Back Better Act with the inclusion of the contentious electric vehicle tax credit, says International Trade Minister Mary Ng. Biden’s tax credit would give consumers up to $12,500 if they purchase a U.S. union-made electric vehicle. It states that the tax credit as proposed, violates the American’s obligations under the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) and is equivalent to a 34 per cent tariff on Canadian-assembled electric vehicles. “The prime minister was very clear and communicated that to the president. The deputy prime minister, myself, my ministerial colleagues have communicated that to the Americans.

After another tough year, TIME has chosen who will be given the honor of being named ‘Most Influential’ in 2021. The 2021 TIME Person of the Year is….Elon Musk. Every year, the magazine picks the most influential person, persons or group of the year to recognize. For the first time in the poll’s history, the winner for Person of the Year was announced on YouTube. In 2019, it was environmental activist Greta Thunberg who was named Person of the Year.

But as North Korea's first millennial dictator marks a decade in rule this Friday, he may be facing his toughest moment yet, as crushing sanctions, the pandemic and growing economic trouble converge. South Korea's spy agency recently told lawmakers that North Korea's annual trade with China declined by two-thirds to $185 million through September 2021. "North Korea is not going to surrender its nuclear weapons, no matter what," said Andrei Lankov, a professor at Seoul's Kookmin University. Kim may benefit, however, from the Washington-Beijing confrontation, which increases North Korea's strategic value to China, Lankov said. "Instead of growth, North Korea will have stagnation, but not an acute crisis," Lankov said.

Over the last year, our adversaries around the world have watched the Biden-Harris administration stumble from one blunder to the next. Should Ukraine fall to Russian control, what’s to stop Putin from making incursions into Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia or Georgia? Capitulation to the now-complete NordStream II pipeline has already given Russia a firm grasp over European energy supplies. Instead of fly-swatters, the Biden-Harris administration must send Ukraine bear traps in the form of lethal military assistance. Now is not the time for the Biden-Harris administration to flinch in the face of Putin’s ambitions.

Rep. Gerry Connolly, D-Va., made a gloom prediction for the Democratic Party's electoral future Monday as he implored the moderates and progressives within the party to come together and bridge the stark divide between them. WILL THE DEMOCRATS' DIVIDE BE THEIR DOWNFALL? "Somebody has to explain how a ten percentage election margin of Joe Biden one year ago evaporated last Tuesday here in Virginia," Connolly told former Democratic Missouri Senator turned MSNBC analyst Claire McCaskill. And we've got to understand the old adage: If we don’t hang together, we most assuredly will hang separately," he said. And it's one that if it's replicated nationwide would spell enormous trouble for us in the midterms.

The United States passed another grim COVID-19 milestone Monday, as more than 800,000 Americans have now died from the virus that's plagued the country for nearly two years. There have been at least 800,156 confirmed deaths traced to the coronavirus, according to a rolling tally by NBC News. That's more than in any other nation in the world, and a total larger than the population of Boston, Washington, D.C. or Seattle. When President Joe Biden took office on Jan. 20, the COVID-19 death toll was at 403,596. About 64% of those age 5 and older have received two doses of either the Moderna or Pfizer vaccines or one dose of the single-jab Johnson & Johnson.

The United States passed another grim Covid-19 milestone Monday, as more than 800,000 Americans have now died from the virus that's plagued the country for nearly two years. There have been at least 800,156 confirmed deaths traced to coronavirus, according to a rolling tally by NBC News. That's more than in any other nation in the world, and a total larger than the population of Boston, Washington, D.C. or Seattle. When President Joe Biden took office on Jan. 20, the Covid-19 death toll was at 403,596. About 64 percent of those age 5 and older have received two doses of either the Moderna or Pfizer vaccines or one dose of the single-jab Johnson & Johnson.

But their new partnership has also been powered by shared worries about their regional neighbor and Israel’s arch enemy: Iran. Indirect negotiations between the U.S. and Iran in Vienna appear to have stalled in recent weeks. Secretary of State Anthony Blinken said earlier this month Iran “does not seem to be serious” about the talks. The UAE and other Arab states had previously offered Israel diplomatic relations only in return for an end to the occupation. But the 2020 peace deal went ahead without concessions to the Palestinians, sparking accusations from Palestinian leaders of a betrayal by the UAE.

President Joe Biden is not in favor of real Supreme Court reform, and he formed a commission to all but ensure that none is forthcoming. President Joe Biden is not in favor of real Supreme Court reform. At the moment when we most need genuine, structural changes to the Supreme Court, we won’t get them. When President Biden was candidate Biden, it was clear he had little appetite for talking about, let alone committing to, real Supreme Court reform. By forming the commission, Biden can truthfully say he asked some of the most accomplished legal minds in the country to take a look at recommendations to reform the Supreme Court.

President Joe Biden speaks during a visit to the General Motors Factory ZERO electric vehicle assembly plant, Wednesday, Nov. 17, 2021, in Detroit. The $1 trillion infrastructure law President Joe Biden signed last month authorizes the charging stations and sets aside $5 billion for states, with a goal to build a national charging network. The law also provides an additional $2.5 billion for local grants to support charging stations in rural areas and in disadvantaged communities. Currently, the U.S. market share of plug-in electric vehicle sales is one-third the size of the Chinese EV market . The two departments also will launch an advisory committee on electric vehicles that officials hope is up and running early next year.

President Joe Biden’s administration was concerned that the map would contradict Washington’s “one-China” policy, which avoids taking a position as to whether Taiwan is part of China, the sources said. The US has maintained the “one-China” policy since switching its recognition to the People’s Republic of China (PRC) in 1979. “We valued Minister Tang’s participation, which showcased Taiwan’s world-class expertise on issues of transparent governance, human rights, and countering disinformation,” a spokesperson said. Washington complained about the presentation to Taipei, which in turn was angry that Tang’s video had been cut. Sources said the incident could signal that US support for Taiwan may not be as “rock solid” as Washington has repeatedly stated.

Up to 70 people at the factory had been believed dead, but that number could be revised down to 16 or fewer, a company spokesman said, raising the possibility the governor's death toll estimate could come down significantly. "There were some early reports that as many as 70 could be dead in the factory. It was unclear how many factory workers Beshear was counting in his estimated death toll, which he formulated on Saturday and said on Sunday remained unchanged - at least for now. If so, it may be a better situation and the miracle we were hoping for," Beshear told a news conference earlier on Sunday evening. One twister tore across 227 miles (365 km) of terrain, almost all of that in Kentucky, Beshear said.

"That is, it will be a confrontation, this will the next round, the appearance of such resources on our side. NATO says there will be no new U.S. missiles in Europe and it is ready to deter new Russian missiles with a "measured" response that would only involve conventional weapons. Story continuesBut Ryabkov said Russia had a "complete lack of trust" in NATO. Russian President Vladimir Putin and U.S. President Joe Biden held two hours of talks last week on the Ukraine crisis and Moscow's demand for what it calls legally binding security guarantees from the West. Ryabkov said Russia would present its follow-up proposals to the United States, and possibly also to other NATO countries, in the coming weeks.

The $1 trillion infrastructure bill signed by President Joe Biden in mid-November provides billions of dollars for the nation's roads, bridges, ports and power lines, in addition to water infrastructure. The Bureau estimates Wisconsin will receive $347 million in clean water and $522 million in safe drinking water loan funds over the next five years. The funding includes a minimum of $95 million in grants to address emerging contaminants such as "forever chemicals" and $225 million to replace lead service lines. The Milwaukee Water Works estimates that 30% to 40% of the laterals in need of replacement are located within the city. "The scale of the cost of water contamination demonstrates the importance of having strong environmental protections that prevent water pollution before it occurs."

Russia should be in no doubt that further military aggression against Ukraine would have massive consequences and severe cost in response,” the statement said. Moscow denies having any plans to attack Ukraine and accuses Kyiv of its own allegedly aggressive designs. Truss said the G-7 was “considering all options” when it came to economic sanctions. In the U.S., reporters asked President Biden on Saturday about the possibility of sending combat troops to Ukraine, and he said that idea was never considered. “Are you ready to send American troops into war and go into Ukraine to fight Russians on the battlefield?” he said.

Suddenly, she saw sky and lightning where a wall had been, and Mr Ward had vanished. Later in the day, Ms Kirks received the news that Mr Ward had been killed in the storm. Finally, Mr Shreve broke through into the living room. "It sounded like a train came through the building. They made us shelter in place until we left - it was at least two and a half hours in there."

Incredible aerial photos reveal the extent of the devastation as the catastrophic aftermath of the storms leaves dozens sorting through rubble amidst the disaster. Eight of the 110 workers who were there are confirmed dead and another eight remain missing‹ Slide me › KENTUCKY: An overview of downtown Mayfield, Kentucky. Only 40 of the workers were rescued aliveKENTUCKY: Tornado damage in Bowling Green, Kentucky. Two people have so far been confirmed dead from the tornado outbreak in the stateARKANSAS: A damaged home which neighbours the Monette Manor nursing home. The tornadoes swept through the trees, houses and infrastructureARKANSAS: A damaged uprooted tree is seen leaning against Monette Manor nursing home.

The Senate Finance Committee released an unfinished version of Biden’s tax plan as Democrats race to meet an end-of-year deadline to pass a roughly $2 trillion tax and spending package. The measure didn’t include the Senate’s plan to expand the state and local tax, deduction, despite weeks of talks. of Biden’s tax plan as Democrats race to meet an end-of-year deadline to pass a roughly $2 trillion tax and spending package. Its release precedes a chamber vote on the broader tax and spending bill that encompasses much of Biden’s economic and social spending agenda. Its release precedes a chamber vote on the broader tax and spending bill that encompasses much of Biden’s economic and social spending agenda.

Biden's declaration clears the way for federal funding to be made available to people in Caldwell, Fulton, Graves, Hopkins, Marshall, Muhlenberg, Taylor and Warren counties. The declaration came shortly after Kentucky Gov. According to Beshear, more than 100 people are likely dead due to the storms and over a thousand homes may have been destroyed. Biden on Saturday said he planned to visit Kentucky soon to survey the damage caused by the tornadoes. We're going to get through this together and the federal government is not going to walk away," Biden said during a press conference.

FILE - In this April 15, 2012, file photo, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un waves from a balcony at the end of a military parade at Kim Il Sung Square in Pyongyang, North Korea. But as North Korea’s first millennial dictator marks a decade in rule this Friday, he may be facing his toughest moment yet, as crushing sanctions, the pandemic and growing economic trouble converge. South Korea’s spy agency recently told lawmakers that North Korea’s annual trade with China declined by two-thirds to $185 million through September 2021. “North Korea is not going to surrender its nuclear weapons, no matter what,” said Andrei Lankov, a professor at Seoul’s Kookmin University. “Instead of growth, North Korea will have stagnation, but not an acute crisis,” Lankov said.

The company said in a filing with Hong Kong’s stock exchange that it “remains committed” to completing a listing but did not offer a new timetable. The New York Times reported in 2019 that SenseTime’s A.I. technology had been used as part of an effort to identify and track Uyghurs using facial recognition. Several months later, the U.S. Commerce Department under President Donald J. Trump placed SenseTime and other Chinese technology companies on a blacklist for their role in developing China’s security systems. On Friday, the U.S. Treasury Department added SenseTime to a list of Chinese companies that American investors can’t buy shares in.

Even before the pandemic, all of us were simmering in crisis, struggling to figure out how to afford child care or elder care. Because at some point in their lives, everyone has needed care or will need care. Care workers, child care workers, produce human potential. Economists are predicting that by the year 2030, care jobs, if you take child care — all direct care jobs and child care jobs together, they could be the largest occupation in the entire U.S. economy. What are some lessons about organizing, about power building with some of the least respected, least protected, least well-paid women, women of color, immigrants, in the economy?

American politics these days can often seem fairly normal. But American politics today is not really normal. An anti-democratic movement, inspired by Donald Trump but much larger than him, is making significant progress, as my colleague Charles Homans has reported. It has justified the changes with blatantly false statements claiming that Biden did not really win the 2020 election. Most leading Republican politicians have either looked the other way or supported the anti-democratic movement.

“could force the whole investigation to end early.”But Republicans included misinformation far more often: in about 15 percent of their messages, compared with about 2 percent for Democrats. In addition, multiple Republicans often spread the same unfounded claims, whereas Democrats rarely repeated one another’s. At least eight Republican lawmakers sent fund-raising emails containing a brazen distortion of a potential settlement with migrants separated from their families during the Trump administration. But the payments, which are not final and could end up being smaller, would be limited to that small fraction of migrants. The relatively small number of false statements from Democrats were mostly about abortion.

Twenty years ago, the People’s Republic of China (PRC) joined the World Trade Organization (WTO). For many of our nation’s economic elites, this symbolized the dawn of a utopian era of peace, prosperity and openness. But to regain American strength and standing in the world, we must recognize why that consensus was – and still is – deeply flawed. Forging a path toward a pro-American capitalism that protects our nation’s interests and serves the common good will not be easy. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APPBut charting a new way forward is the only way forward.

One Arizona sergeant is sounding the alarm on a coronavirus vaccine requirement for all county employees who work with vulnerable populations, which includes corrections officers. ARIZONA COUNTY COULD 'REDUCE' JAIL POPULATION IF MORE CORRECTIONS OFFICERS DON'T GET VACCINATED"Our current staffing situation is terrible. And as of right now, I believe we're sitting at approximately 365 corrections officers available," Dominguez said. Chris Nanos, the sheriff of Pima County told Fox News that the county is prepared to handle the termination of correction officers. "The Pima County Sheriff’s Department is well prepared to handle the dismissal of 158 correctional officers if the need arise.

But just a few days later, two Senate Democrats, Jon Tester of Montana and Joe Manchin of West Virginia, supported a resolution that would invalidate Biden's vaccine mandate for businesses. Democrats' biggest agenda items – their massive reconciliation spending bill and the infrastructure bill – are where these divisions are exposed the most. But progressives demanded that the bill be held up until the Senate passed a social spending reconciliation bill up to their standards. Moderates countered that the infrastructure bill should be swiftly ushered to President Biden's desk. Progressives said they didn't trust the moderates to act in good faith once the infrastructure bill was law.

(AP Photo/Carlos Osorio, File)Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo on Monday is announcing 60 finalists for $1 billion in economic development grants tied to the Biden administration’s coronavirus relief package and aimed at improving job training and regional industry partnerships. The finalists — often coalitions made up of government, academic and economic partnerships — received $500,000 each to help plan for the next round, with applications due in March. ADVERTISEMENT“This program will bring communities back in regions across America,” Alejandra Castillo, assistant commerce secretary for economic development, said in an interview. There are also economic partnerships and industry-specific organizations such as the Wisconsin Paper Council. White House senior adviser Gene Sperling , who is overseeing coronavirus relief, said interest far exceeded the expected 150 applicants.

Rescuers continued to search for survivors Monday after deadly tornadoes tore through Kentucky and neighboring states over the weekend, decimating entire towns and leaving dozens dead. Download the NBC News app for breaking news and politicsOfficials were struggling to count the dead due to the "level of devastation" in the area, Kentucky Gov. In Illinois, at least six people were confirmed dead after an Amazon warehouse in Edwardsville was decimated. In Arkansas, at least two people were confirmed dead, including one person at a nursing home in Monette. And he said he hoped Americans would see in Kentucky "a state that cares" about each other.

FILE - Vice President Kamala Harris and Guatemala's Minister of Foreign Affairs Pedro Brolo wave at her arrival ceremony in Guatemala City, Sunday, June 6, 2021, at Guatemalan Air Force Central Command. Harris was tapped in March by President Joe Biden to work to counter the social, economic and political forces that drive migrants and asylum seekers to the U.S., including many who cross the U.S.-Mexico border illegally. In May, Harris appealed to the private sector to invest in El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras in an effort to improve stability and opportunity in the Central American countries. Monday’s announcement builds on that “call to action,” as she announces new commitments and encourages other companies to continue their investment. Among the new initiatives announced Monday are a push by Nespresso to support coffee-growing in Honduras and El Salvador, a Microsoft initiative to connect millions of people to the Internet and a $100 million commitment to the region by Mastercard to promote digital payments and e-commerce.

The presentation showed a color-coded map that ranked global openness to civil rights. When the video was cut, the screen showed a caption that said "Minister Audrey Tang Taiwan." Taiwan's Foreign Ministry attributed the video being cut to "technical problems," and the White House did not offer a comment on the matter, Reuters noted. Story continuesThe Hill has reached out to the White House and State Department for comment. "There has been no shift," White House press secretary Jen Psaki said the next day.

President Joe Biden’s administration was concerned that the map would contradict Washington’s “one-China” policy, which avoids taking a position as to whether Taiwan is part of China, the sources said. The US has maintained the “one-China” policy since switching its recognition to the People’s Republic of China (PRC) in 1979. “We valued Minister Tang’s participation, which showcased Taiwan’s world-class expertise on issues of transparent governance, human rights, and countering disinformation,” a spokesperson said. Washington complained about the presentation to Taipei, which in turn was angry that Tang’s video had been cut. Sources said the incident could signal that US support for Taiwan may not be as “rock solid” as Washington has repeatedly stated.

Dollar Tree: Dollar Tree flipped two fingers at its new activist investor Mantle Ridge on Sunday (Mantle owns about 5.7% of outstanding shares, a position it disclosed in mid-November). “Dollar Tree’s Board of Directors and management team maintain an ongoing dialogue with shareholders and welcome input about the Company’s strategy and performance. Family Dollar has been an anchor on Dollar Tree's fundamental performance ever since. Meanwhile, the fact is Dollar Tree's stock has meaningfully underperformed Dollar General (see chart below) the last five years. These are essentially the same companies, that disparity should not exist and says a lot about Dollar Tree's execution or lack thereof.

Hong Kong-based SenseTime protests its inclusion on the Chinese Military-Industrial Complex Companies List, which is compiled by the U.S. Treasury Department. U.S. citizens and entities are barred from owning any securities offered by companies on the Treasury Department list. Separately, it took the action against SenseTime, the only company to be added to the Chinese Military-Industrial Complex Companies List. The Treasury Department says SenseTime's inclusion is due to the "malign use" of technology to enable human rights abuses. So anything the Chinese Communist Party says, goes...SenseTime's wholly-owned mainland subsidiary, Shenzhen SenseTime Technology, has developed facial-recognition software that can target people based on ethnicity.

President Biden asked Harris in March to help curb migration from the region by addressing the so-called root causes, which include poverty, corruption, crime and natural disasters. Harris and experts on Central American migration have said her efforts are unlikely to yield quick results. But the large increases in migration have created political problems for Harris, even if she is not directly responsible for border enforcement or processing migrants. Administration officials hope investments from big companies will create more transparent business practices — including getting more people access to digital credit — and that will make it harder to hide bribes and other black market activity. They also hope the companies’ promises to pay higher wages will give people more reason to avoid the risky journey north.

Two senior White House officials confirmed details of the executive order, speaking on the condition of anonymity before the announcement. The order is aimed at reducing the current bureaucratic runaround, under which people often have to visit offices, endure long phone calls or struggle with the delays of mail and fax machines when trying to contact federal agencies. The goal is to implement most of the order's changes across 17 federal agencies within the next year. Medicare recipients are to be able to access personalized online tools for saving money on drugs and managing their health care. It should become easier to update mailing addresses with the government or change names with the Social Security Administration.

The goal is to implement most of the order's changes across 17 federal agencies within the next year. Officials said that existing funds should be enough for agencies to pay for improvements and that better service and efficiency would ultimately save the government money. Biden plans to sign the order Monday afternoon. Medicare recipients are to be able to access personalized online tools for saving money on drugs and managing their health care. Taxpayers will be able to schedule callbacks with the IRS instead of waiting on hold or having to manage issues through letters and faxes.

Almost three months later, nuclear-armed Pakistan seemingly caved into two terrorist groups, TLP (a gang of religious fanatics that hitherto was legally proscribed) and TTP (the Pakistani version of the Taliban). Islamabad’s capitulation has not brought terrorists into power in Pakistan – at least, not yet. Earlier this year, during America’s impending withdrawal from Afghanistan, Islamabad was abuzz with an expected call from President Joe Biden to Prime Minister Imran Khan. If terrorists get close to power in Pakistan, Washington must act quickly and decisively. The world can handle terrorists in power in Afghanistan, but no terrorist should be in the proximity of power in a nuclear-armed country.

In further developments:Mayfield candle factory workers: Dakota, left with girlfriend Brandy, called her to say he thought he was going to die. Only 40 of the workers were rescued aliveCANDLE FACTORY, MAYFIELD, KENTUCKY: Search are rescue crews work at the Mayfield Consumer Products candle factory Sunday morning. Their fears were amplified after a tornado killed the Edwardsville workers. Kentucky State Trooper Sarah Burgess said on Sunday rescue crews were using heavy equipment to remove rubble at the candle factory. The missing at the candle factory included Janine Denise Johnson Williams, a 50-year-old mother of four whose family members kept vigil at the site Saturday.

Hide Caption 5 of 28 Photos: Deadly tornadoes hit central and southern US Destruction is seen in Mayfield, Kentucky, on Saturday, December 11. Hide Caption 12 of 28 Photos: Deadly tornadoes hit central and southern US People stand among the debris in Mayfield. Hide Caption 23 of 28 Photos: Deadly tornadoes hit central and southern US Heavy damage is seen in downtown Mayfield. Hide Caption 24 of 28 Photos: Deadly tornadoes hit central and southern US People search through rubble in Mayfield. Hide Caption 25 of 28 Photos: Deadly tornadoes hit central and southern US Damage is seen in Dickson County, Tennessee.

LOS ANGELES — Peter Nichols has lived for 22 years in a two-bedroom Cape Cod in the Fairfax District, in the flat, bungalow-lined midsection between the east and the west sides of Los Angeles. Homicides in his area have risen from one in 2019 to more than a dozen this year, according to the Los Angeles Police Department. Shaped by backlash to the East Coast machine politics of the early 1900s, Los Angeles is famously ambivalent about power and institutionally diffuse. Yet Los Angeles mayors are often held responsible for vast quandaries like homelessness and port backups. “All you have to do is look at the encampments in every neighborhood in Los Angeles.

It follows a formal request from the Kentucky governor, Andy Beshear, who said the tornadoes were the most destructive in the state’s history. Yes, this latest event was very unusual coming in December, when colder weather normally limits tornadoes, said Victor Gensini, an extreme weather researcher. Fauci urges Americans to get Covid booster as US nears 800,000 deathsDr Anthony Fauci in the White House last week. Naomie Harris says ‘huge star’ groped her during auditionNaomie Harris at the world premiere of No Time to Die at the Royal Albert Hall in London in September. “What was so shocking about it was the casting director was there and the director, and of course no one said anything because he was – he is – such a huge star.

Canada and the United Kingdom joined the United States in imposing sanctions related to human rights abuses in Myanmar, while Washington also imposed the first new sanctions on North Korea under President Joe Biden’s administration and targeted Myanmar military entities, among others, in action marking Human Rights Day. MYANMAR, NORTHKOREAThe Treasury said it was imposing sanctions on two Myanmar military entities and an organization that provides reserves for the military. Canada imposed sanctions against four entities affiliated with the Myanmar military government, while the United Kingdom imposed fresh sanctions against the military. North Korea has long sought a lifting of punishing U.S. and international sanctions imposed over its weapons programs and has denounced U.S. criticism of its human rights record as evidence of a hostile policy against it. The Biden administration has repeatedly called on North Korea to engage in dialogue over its nuclear and missile programs, without success.

In this June 17, 2019 photo, French President Emmanuel Macron appears with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky at the Élysée presidential palace in Paris. President Emmanuel Macron on Friday confirmed France's determination to help Ukraine preserve its sovereignty and territorial integrity during a phone call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. The pledge came as the European Union warned Russia it would face consequences if it invaded Ukraine after amassing troops on the border with its southwestern neighbour. The conflict has caused more than 13,000 deaths in eastern Ukraine since 2014. Nord Stream 2 pipeline: 'a source of friction'Meanwhile the EU on Friday warned Russia that it would face consequences if it invaded Ukraine.

Advertisement“Look, I’m always going to stand up for election integrity,” Marshall said, adding that he would continue to fight for more “safety valves” and “higher levels of integrity” in American elections. “Do you believe you were elected fair and square in 2020?” Todd asked. “And do you believe that Joe Biden was elected fair and square?” Todd added. I called him Mr. President since the day he was ... sworn in,” Marshall said, failing to answer the question. And although the vote was more than a year ago, and scores of audits and lawsuits affirmed the results, polls continue to show that a majority of Republicans believe Biden was not legitimately elected.

“Our response will be military” if the Western military bloc does not guarantee an end to its eastward expansion, Ryabkov told the state-run RIA Novosti news agency. Deputy Foreign Ministry Sergei Ryabkov’s threat follows Moscow’s complaints over NATO weapons deployment in Eastern Europe and Western warnings of Russia’s imminent invasion of Ukraine. Russia will respond “militarily” to what it perceives as NATO’s encroachment on its western borders, a senior diplomat said Monday. On Friday, Russia’s Foreign Ministry demanded that the U.S. formally close the door to NATO membership to the ex-Soviet republics of Ukraine and Georgia. The Foreign Ministry also demanded that the Western military bloc guarantee the non-deployment of weapons threatening Russia’s security on its western borders.

Opinion Debate Will the Democrats face a midterm wipeout? write that "only a broader course correction to the center will give Democrats a fighting chance in 2022" and beyond. write that the Virgina loss should "shock Democrats into confronting the powerful role that racially coded attacks play in American politics." Ezra Klein speaks to David Shor, who discusses his fear that Democrats face electoral catastrophe unless they shift their messaging. speaks to David Shor, who discusses his fear that Democrats face electoral catastrophe unless they shift their messaging.

They are also worried that Biden’s Build Back Better bill will only make matters worse, despite Biden’s non-credible assertions to the contrary. Some in the White House treated the issue as frivolous. Unhappily, the ideologues running the White House will not consider suspending the Jones Act or confronting unionized longshoremen to improve the efficiency of our ports. Instead, Biden and his Democrat colleagues will plow forward with Build Back Better. The reality is that the giant push toward a socialist society will not buy love, or Build Back Biden.

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) on Capitol Hill Nov. 29, 2021. “I have faith that Sen. Schumer can get Joe Manchin to yes,” Gillibrand said in an interview. Lately he’s implied that Schumer can put the social spending bill up for a vote and simply see where the chips fall. Plus, the expanded child tax credit expires at the end of year without action on Biden’s domestic spending bill, threatening to cut off payments to families in the middle of the winter. Sensing the burden on Schumer, Republicans are beginning to predict he can’t deliver a victory on time.

So we have one colleague we're continuing to work with, and he's been successful and making a number of changes. But the Build Back Better legislation is a rare political bright spot for Democrats: It remains popular among Americans. Republicans have sought to sway Manchin by requesting a Congressional Budget Office estimate of a revised version of the Build Back Better bill. Manchin's concernsThe House passed the Build Back Better Act last month, but the Senate will have to change it to win the votes of all 50 Democratic-voting senators. The Build Back Better Act would extend them for one more year.

North Korea's Kim at a critical crossroads a decade into his ruleEnlarge this image toggle caption AP APSEOUL, South Korea — Too young. South Korea's spy agency recently told lawmakers that North Korea's annual trade with China declined by two-thirds to $185 million through September 2021. "North Korea is not going to surrender its nuclear weapons, no matter what," said Andrei Lankov, a professor at Seoul's Kookmin University. Kim may benefit, however, from the Washington-Beijing confrontation, which increases North Korea's strategic value to China, Lankov said. "Instead of growth, North Korea will have stagnation, but not an acute crisis," Lankov said.

Sandra Lindsay got the first U.S. COVID jab. Within minutes, images and video footage of her getting the jab began circulating in media outlets around the globe. But over the past year, Lindsay says she has most been passionate about encouraging people to get vaccinated – especially those who may be hesitant. Influence those around youDespite continued hesitancy (72% of adults in the U.S. are now fully vaccinated), Lindsay believes there's been progress. But after seeing Lindsay on TV, the woman told her, "we all went and made an appointment.

Two senior White House officials confirmed details of the executive order, speaking on the condition of anonymity before the announcement. ADVERTISEMENTThe order is aimed at reducing the current bureaucratic runaround, under which people often have to visit offices, endure long phone calls or struggle with the delays of mail and fax machines when trying to contact federal agencies. The White House hopes that improving the public’s experiences with federal agencies will help to renew faith in government and democracy itself at time when deep political polarization has eroded trust in U.S. institutions. I think people are accustomed to that now and they’re demanding that government keep up as well.”ADVERTISEMENTThe goal is to implement most of the order’s changes across 17 federal agencies within the next year. It should become easier to update mailing addresses with the government or change names with the Social Security Administration.

The Biden administration has said it supports Jerome Powell as the chair of the U.S. Federal Reserve for a second term. We'll answer questions about the specter of rising inflation, currently at a 31-year high, and talk about ways to address it. Office Hours, Barron's and MarketWatch journalists take questions from readers

Inflation rocketed by 6.2% in the 12 months through October 2021, the fastest pace since 1990, and retirees on fixed incomes are feeling the painful pinch. The grim inflation outlook aheadSadly, the outlook is getting grimmer for prices to settle back down anytime soon. Yes, Social Security will offer a 5.9% cost of living adjustment (COLA) increase in 2022; the highest in 40 years. To assist retirees on fixed incomes grappling with higher expenses, the Senior Citizens League is urging Congress and the Biden administration to issue $1,400 stimulus checks to Social Security recipients. Consider investing in Treasury inflation-protected securities (TIPS) or U.S. savings bonds known as I bonds.

Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland is the first Native American to hold the post. Like other marginalized communities, Native Americans were disproportionately affected by Covid-19, dying from the virus at twice the rate of white Americans. Health infrastructure in Native American communities, provided through the Indian Health Service, often is substandard , with hospitals and other medical centers generally under-resourced and understaffed, said Arce. Economic challenges such as poverty – affecting one out of three Native Americans – and high rates of unemployment are also chronic concerns in Native American communities, said Arce. Climate change will also affect Indigenous communities, Arce said, with its effects differing by region.

Last month, the US government held the largest-ever auction of oil and gas drilling leases in the Gulf of Mexico’s history, offering up more than 80m acres of the gulf’s seabed for fossil fuel extraction. The president’s administration insisted it was obliged to hold the lease sale due to a court ruling in favor of a dozen states that sued to lift a blanket pause placed on new drilling permits by Biden. But a memo filed by the US Department of Justice before the lease sale acknowledges that this judgement does not force the government to auction off drilling rights to the gulf. “They didn’t have to hold this sale and they didn’t have to hold it on this timeline. “Interior had a lot of discretion over whether to hold this lease sale and they chose to do it anyway,” said Brettny Hardy, a senior attorney at Earthjustice.

President Joe Biden declared a major federal disaster in Kentucky, paving the way for additional federal aid, the White House said. Up to 70 people at the factory had been believed dead, but that number could be revised down to 16 or fewer, a company spokesman said, raising the possibility the governor’s death toll estimate could come down significantly. It was unclear how many factory workers Beshear was counting in his estimated death toll, which he formulated on Saturday and said on Sunday remained unchanged – at least for now. If so, it may be a better situation and the miracle we were hoping for,” Beshear told a news conference earlier on Sunday evening. One twister tore across 227 miles (365 km) of terrain, almost all of that in Kentucky, Beshear said.

Tang’s presentation included a color-coded map from South African NGOCIVICUS, ranking the world by openness on civil rights. “They choked,” the source said of the White House reaction. A second source directly involved in the summit said the video booth operator acted on White House instructions. They also said it could signal that the administration’s support for Taiwan was not as “rock solid” as it has repeatedly stated. “It was clearly not to distinguish sovereignty, but the degree of democratic expression,” said Douglas Paal, a former unofficial U.S. ambassador to Taiwan.

By Humeyra PamukJAKARTA – U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken arrived in Indonesia on Monday, kicking off a visit to Southeast Asia aimed at strengthening ties in a region that has become a strategic battleground between Washington and Beijing. In his first Southeast Asia trip since U.S. President Joe Biden took office in January, Blinken will be in Malaysia and Thailand this week after visiting Indonesia’s capital Jakarta, where he will meet President Joko Widodo and will deliver a speech on U.S. Indo-Pacific strategy on Tuesday. Southeast Asia is a key stage for a rivalry between the United States and China, the world’s two biggest economies, with a heated battle for influence as the Biden administration seeks to reconnect with a region to which U.S. commitment was questioned under President Donald Trump. China claims almost the entire sea as its own, and has rejected U.S. actions as meddling by an outside power. The administration has yet to spell out what exactly Biden’s envisaged economic framework will entail.

Over the past three decades, that's pretty much been the norm, regardless of which political party claims the White House. President Joe Biden has a meeting in the Roosevelt Room of the White House on Nov. 15, 2021. AP Photo/Susan WalshThat's the message Taifa delivered to the Biden White House. In the meeting, White House staff appeared to agree, Taifa said. And the opposition party has been eager to pin blame on the White House, despite the trend beginning under its previous inhabitant.

White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows speaks to reporters following a television interview, outside the White House in Washington, U.S. October 21, 2020. The U.S. House of Representatives committee investigating the deadly riot recommends in the report that Meadows be prosecuted for refusing to fully cooperate with its inquiry. "Rather, Mr Meadows has failed to comply and warrants contempt findings because he has wholly refused to appear to provide any testimony." A House member before joining the Trump administration, Meadows could become the third associate of the former Republican president to face a criminal contempt charge. The Justice Department, at the House's request, has already brought similar charges against Trump's former chief strategist, Steve Bannon.

Two senior White House officials confirmed details of the executive order, speaking on the condition of anonymity before the announcement. AdThe order is aimed at reducing the current bureaucratic runaround, under which people often have to visit offices, endure long phone calls or struggle with the delays of mail and fax machines when trying to contact federal agencies. I think people are accustomed to that now and they’re demanding that government keep up as well.”The goal is to implement most of the order's changes across 17 federal agencies within the next year. Medicare recipients are to be able to access personalized online tools for saving money on drugs and managing their health care. It should become easier to update mailing addresses with the government or change names with the Social Security Administration.

To recover $7T in taxes over the next decade, the Biden administration is seeking access for the IRS to gross transactions for bank accounts over $600. State financial officials sent Biden and his Treasury Sec'y a letter of protest. Source: CNN

In Florida and Ohio, Democrats are preparing to file legal challenges at the mercy of the state courts. The justices handed a win to state Republicans when they said they would only make minimal changes to the existing maps, which were drawn in 2011 to aggressively favor the GOP. The Pennsylvania state Supreme Court sent a clear message, she said, telling the GOP: "Your maps are palpably unconstitutional, palpably gerrymandered. But there have also been stinging defeats, like then-state Supreme Court Chief Justice Cheri Beasley's 400-vote loss in North Carolina last fall. Laura Kelly’s veto, the justices could step in to shield Democratic Rep. Sharice Davids from political annihilation.

He could wash it away with more alcohol ink, and then once he was done, he could wash that away too. Hunter Biden recounted it all, in his own words and on his own terms, in a memoir released this past spring, less than three months after his father took office. There is surely no version in which Hunter Biden would be able to or want to slink away into the hills. About 95% of the people in the room were people he knew, Hunter told me that night. The New York Times was not cruel.

Ghislaine Maxwell is on trial, but the case has always been about more than her. Which is why it’s shocking—and tragic—that the prosecution’s case against Maxwell appears far weaker than many people expected. High-profile coconspirators have not yet been called to testify about Maxwell’s alleged role in Epstein’s child sex trafficking operation. In one heartbreaking moment, Carolyn broke down and said, “my soul is broken” because of Maxwell’s alleged abuse. Pagliuca noted that Carolyn didn’t mention Maxwell’s name once during her first interview with the FBI in 2007.

“Hey, Jimmy, how are ya, man?”That’s how President Joe Biden responded to his big welcome from Jimmy Fallon as the main guest on Friday’s episode of The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon. Biden also said it would provide better internet connection all over the country and create millions of jobs. This point led to a conversation about bipartisanship and how it has frayed in the post-Donald Trump environment. “A lot of Republicans and Democrats used to get on really well together,” Biden, who first came to the Senate in 1973, reminisced. “We’re movin’,” Biden said, applauding the (mostly) American companies that have provided vaccines and boosters.

“The Court should have put an end to this madness months ago, before [Senate Bill 8] first went into effect. But it is overshadowed by the decision to allow the ban to stay in place in the meantime. Gorsuch’s opinion did not focus on the merits of the Texas law, which makes no exception for instances of rape or incest, and leaves the door open to challenges against it. By foreclosing suit against state-court officials and the state attorney general, the Court effectively invites other states to refine SB8’s model for nullifying rights. — Trump’s Capacity to Steal the 2024 Election Is Only Growing— From the Archive: Twitter’s Constant State of Turmoil— Not a subscriber?

In a Friday ruling that may lead to Julian Assange facing criminal charges in the U.S., a London appellate court opened the door for the WikiLeaks founder’s extradition. “It is also a blow for all those who wish to protect the freedom of the press.”“Doesn’t matter whether Assange is a journalist—this case will have far-reaching implications for press freedom,” tweeted Jameel Jaffer, director of the Knight First Amendment Institute at Columbia University. Barry Pollack, an attorney representing Assange, released a statement confirming his plans to appeal the ruling. “It is highly disturbing that a U.K. court has overturned a decision not to extradite Julian Assange, accepting vague assurances by the United States government. — Trump’s Capacity to Steal the 2024 Election Is Only Growing— From the Archive: Twitter’s Constant State of Turmoil— Not a subscriber?

One wants to change the world with movies; the other wishes the world would just leave him alone. An exclusive peek behind the stories. Content This content can also be viewed on the site it originates from. — Trump’s Capacity to Steal the 2024 Election Is Only Growing— From the Archive: Twitter’s Constant State of Turmoil— Not a subscriber? Join Vanity Fair to receive full access to VF.com and the complete online archive now.

President Joe Biden and his administration have tried to keep the focus on those positive indicators while downplaying inflation—sometimes at the peril of appearing out of touch. According to Consumer Price Index numbers released Friday, inflation soared by 6.8% in November over the previous year—the fastest rate in 39 years. The numbers also present problems for Biden, whose poll numbers have suffered amid attacks from the GOP on inflation and whose agenda could be further complicated by the issue. “We just can’t continue to flood the market as we’ve done.” Armed now with alarming CPI numbers, Manchin could further drag out talks over BBB. The challenge for Biden is that polls suggest many voters are blaming him for the rising prices.

As it turns out, this is not how claiming executive privilege works. Navarro must comply with requests for documents and other information, Clyburn wrote, and appear for a deposition on December 15. As a former president, Trump “does not have ultimate authority to assert executive privilege over the records and information you possess,” Clyburn argued. Since convening last year, Clyburn’s panel has for months been interviewing officials who were part of Trump’s pandemic response, according to the Washington Post. The White House, she said, was “distracted” by the 2020 election and ignored recommendations from public health experts.

No one, probably himself included, knows if Donald Trump is going to run for president again in 2024. I had so many things going...this is more work than in my previous life,” he told Reuters in 2017. And according to wildly disturbing reports, he’s laying the groundwork to ensure he has friends in high places—the kind who could help sway an election in his favor— when, and if, he does. Why it matters: If most or all of Trump’s candidates win, he will go into the 2024 election cycle with far more people willing to do his bidding who run the elections in key states. Trump is also going after the few congressional Republicans who have defied him.

Reem Acra has had a busy few months. Acra didn’t skimp on red-carpet glamour for pre-fall, though it was more restrained than usual. Among the gem-encrusted numbers that Acra’s dedicated clientele tend to opt for were a fully embroidered clingy minidress and a glittering floor-length, strapless gown. A magenta gown with bishop sleeves and cutouts had a refreshing retro touch—likewise a wrap dress with bejeweled sleeves that felt plucked out of the ’70s. One of the standouts was a ’60s caftan crafted from canary yellow mikado silk that fit loosely but remained body conscious.

Her husband, Josh Duggar, was convicted of receiving and possessing child pornography. Witnesses say Anna betrayed little emotion as the verdict was announced. A source tells In Touch that Josh told Anna he loved her as he bailiffs ushered him from the courtroom. Her family has been torn apart, but she knows it’s not just her family that’s been hurt,” the insider says. “[Michelle Duggar] and [Jim Bob Duggar] are trying to stay strong, praying for Josh, Anna and their grandkids.

advertisementadvertisementThe map is part of a series of aerial surveys that also revealed methane leaks in Utah, New Mexico, and other parts of California, all picked up by his team’s airborne infrared cameras. According to Lyon’s research, oil and gas companies in the U.S. emit more than 13 million metric tons of methane each year. With ultra-sensitive sensors, it can track even small methane leaks from space; CEO Stephane Germain says he plans to launch eight more satellites by the end of 2022. In New Mexico, scientists have developed machine-learning codes that, paired with sensors, can use the direction of wind currents to trace methane emissions to their sources. Different solutions snap together into a multitiered approach.”advertisementTo Duren, the Global Methane Pledge could be an exciting path for lowering methane emissions.

Without further congressional action, the child tax credit will revert back to $2,000. "It is time for the Senate to act before the expanded Child Tax Credit payments expire at the end of December," DelBene said. If you received monthly child tax credit payments in 2021, remember to claim the other half of the money when you file your income taxes next spring. Community tax Relief provides a full menu of tax relief services to help clients get out from under the yoke of tax debt. Get StartedMore from Money:Missed the Final Child Tax Credit Deadline?

Once predominantly women, today's family caregivers are almost equally split, with 55% women and 45% men, Barg says, and they're not a young group. Meanwhile, the soaring costs of long-term care insurance have priced out many families; only 8.1 million Americans have it, according to the American Association for Long-Term Care Insurance. We pay so much attention to the 8% of the population that doesn't have health insurance, says Jeff Smedsrud, president of insurance at HealthCare Insurance Services. "When you look at long-term care, it's 75% who will need care and don't have a plan for coverage." If you have it, long-term care insurance will pay for home care after a waiting period of up to 90 days.

2021 Changes to the Child Tax Credit Before getting into the differences between the proposed 2022 child tax credit and the 2021 credit, it's probably best to go over the enhancements for the 2021 credit enacted by the American Rescue Plan Act. More Monthly Child Tax Credit Payments Now let's get to the differences between the 2021 child tax credit and the 2022 credit as proposed in the latest version of the Build Back Better Act. Fewer People Getting Monthly Child Tax Credit Payments If the IRS thought you would qualify for a 2021 child tax credit, you qualified for monthly payments. To determine your 2021 advance payment amount, the tax agency generally had to estimate your 2021 child tax credit based on information from your 2020 tax return. Under the president's plan, your estimated 2022 child tax credit would still generally be based on your most recent tax return.

How might these changes affect your future income tax bills if the Build Back Better Act ultimately becomes law? This surtax only applies if you're a single or head-of-household filer with a modified AGI over $200,000, a joint filer with a modified AGI over $250,000, or a married person filing a separate return with a modified AGI over $125,000. Extending the Earned Income Tax Credit Enhancements The Build Back Better plan doesn't just focus on rich people. Extending Child Tax Credit Enhancements and Monthly Payments President Biden also wants to extend enhancements to another popular tax credit for American families – the child tax credit. Extending Premium Tax Credit Enhancements The American Rescue Plan made temporary improvements to the premiums tax credit, too.

For married couples who file a joint tax return, both spouses must opt-out if you want to completely shut down your monthly child tax credit payments. If you want to opt-out, use the IRS's online Child Tax Credit Update Portal to unenroll from monthly payments. For more on the payback requirements, see Warning: You May Have to Pay Back Your Monthly Child Tax Credit Payments. The Future of Monthly Child Tax Credit PaymentsIf you opt-out of the monthly child tax credit payments now, you won't have to worry about them for the rest of the year. In the meantime, you can read up on all the changes for this year's credit at Child Tax Credit 2021: How Much Will I Get?

As experts consider the best stocks to buy for 2022, they are ever mindful that "black swans," by definition, are impossible to predict. And so when it comes to picking the best stocks to buy for 2022, the experts are bullish ... but also realistic. Here, then, are the 22 best stocks to buy for 2022. That, and a share lull in late 2021, has DIS poised to be one of the best stocks to buy for 2022. Financials in general could be among the best stocks to buy for 2022 given the potential for interest rates to rise.

If global travel becomes harder – and it is, with various governments reintroducing tougher restrictions after a brief period of loosening – then of course that’s going to hit oil demand. Well, the longer run still looks rather more conducive to higher oil prices. The oil price has crashed in two weeks It’s been a tough few weeks for oil. First we had US president Joe Biden co-ordinating a release of oil from America’s strategic reserve with other partners around the globe. Finally, oil cartel Opec+ hasn’t followed through on threats to adjust its own production to account for the strategic reserves releases.

Here's what you need to know as you start your day …Kentucky candle factory owner speaks out on FEMA rescue mission after devastating tornadoes"Sunday Night in America" spoke with Mayfield candle factory owner Troy Propes, whose factory was destroyed after deadly tornadoes hit the U.S. and pushed through approximately six states. Fox News host Trey Gowdy spoke with one factory owner about the conditions on the ground. It was reported that the candle factory was operating "24/7" to meet demands for the Christmas holiday before the tornado struck the area. On Sunday, the candle company said at least eight people were confirmed dead and eight remained missing, according to the Associated Press. In other developments- Spokesman: 8 factory workers dead, 8 missing from tornado- Indiana woman finds Kentucky family photo that traveled over 150 miles from where tornado hit- Kentucky tornado death toll climbs to over 80, including children, Gov.

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken arrives at the international airport in Jakarta on Monday, Dec. 13, 2021. Blinken arrives in Indonesia on his first stop of a three-nation tour across Southeast Asia. (Olivier Douliery/Pool Photo via AP)U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken arrives at the international airport in Jakarta on Monday, Dec. 13, 2021. Blinken arrives in Indonesia on his first stop of a three-nation tour across Southeast Asia. The Russian embassy said Patrushev’s main interlocutor in Indonesia would be Law and Security Affairs Minister Mohammad Mahfud.

It’s too early to tell, scientists say, but it’s a timely reminder to double down on social measures to help slow the spread of COVID-19. Two years into the pandemic, COVID-19, the disease caused by the new virus SARS-CoV-2, has killed 793,937 Americans. Unvaccinated are five times more likely to get COVID-19 compared with fully vaccinated 35-64 year-olds, according to the Washington State Department of Health. President Joe Biden wants to make at-home COVID-19 testing kits widely available—and free — this winter as the Omicron variant emerges. As one reader told MarketWatch about his parents: “They refuse to get vaccinated against COVID-19.

The expansion comes as COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations rise in Massachusetts, in what experts fear is another surge as winter approaches and people gather inside. Health care workers arrive in New Hampshire to help an ICU — 1:21 p.m.Associated PressMore health care workers arrived in New Hampshire this weekend to help relieve pressure at a hospital with an overwhelmed intensive care unit. New UK Omicron cases double as country plans daily tests — 10:51 a.m.BloombergThe U.K. confirmed 1,239 new omicron cases on Sunday, almost double the 633 cases reported the day before. — 3:31 a.m.By BloombergA little more than two weeks since Omicron’s discovery a lot has been learned about the latest coronavirus variant. Dan McKee has so far been reluctant to impose even as COVID-19 cases rise and hospitals feel the strain.

The Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline will not go ahead in the event of Russian “escalation” over Ukraine, Germany has confirmed for the first time. “In the event of further escalation this gas pipeline could not come into service,” Annalena Baerbock, the foreign minister, told German television on Sunday night. Ms Baerbock’s comments appeared to confirm reports the US has secured a commitment from Germany to abandon the £8bn pipeline if Russia attacks Ukraine. She said the position had been agreed at talks between Germany and the US last week. The US has brought intense pressure to bear on Olaf Scholz’s new German government over the pipeline, including talks just hours before he was sworn in as chancellor last week.

By tradition, the first foreign visit by a new German chancellor is always to Paris. After the campaigning, the vote, the coalition building and the handover ceremonies, Olaf Scholz is at the French presidential palace. Emmanuel Macron is expected to hit the campaign trail for re-election next spring while France takes on the rotating presidency of the European Union. Over in the US, in keeping with a promise made by Joe Biden after January's Capitol riots, the man who beat Donald Trump hosted a virtual democracy summit on Thursday. Invited were most of the US's traditional allies; out in the cold were China, Russia and Turkey.

“Our response will be military” if the Western military bloc does not guarantee an end to its eastward expansion, Ryabkov told the state-run RIA Novosti news agency. Deputy Foreign Ministry Sergei Ryabkov’s threat follows Moscow’s complaints over NATO weapons deployment in Eastern Europe and Western warnings of Russia’s imminent invasion of Ukraine. Russia will respond “militarily” to what it perceives as NATO’s encroachment on its western borders, a senior diplomat said Monday. On Friday, Russia’s Foreign Ministry demanded that the U.S. formally close the door to NATO membership to the ex-Soviet republics of Ukraine and Georgia. The Foreign Ministry also demanded that the Western military bloc guarantee the non-deployment of weapons threatening Russia’s security on its western borders.

The existential threat of our lifetime is running, again, into the political realities of our democracy. That the clock is ticking to address climate change has been broadcast on repeat, with increasing intensity. Every day is a dizzying onslaught of headlines drowning out the perpetual threat of climate change until a severe weather event like this weekend's resurfaces the discussion. "The effects that we're seeing from climate change are the crisis of our generation." Getting around the SenateDemocrats want to cram their massive climate change and safety net bill into law using budget rules.

White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows speaks to reporters following a television interview, outside the White House in Washington, U.S. October 21, 2020. The U.S. House of Representatives committee investigating the deadly riot recommends in the report that Meadows be prosecuted for refusing to fully cooperate with its inquiry. "Rather, Mr Meadows has failed to comply and warrants contempt findings because he has wholly refused to appear to provide any testimony." A House member before joining the Trump administration, Meadows could become the third associate of the former Republican president to face a criminal contempt charge. The Justice Department, at the House's request, has already brought similar charges against Trump's former chief strategist, Steve Bannon.

CNN's Matthew Chance looks at how Russian state TV is reacting to Fox News host Tucker Carlson's coverage of President Joe Biden and the build up of Russian military along the Ukrainian border.

The U.S. military says it flew a B-52 bomber over the Persian Gulf in a show of force "to deter potential aggression" amid fears that heightened tensions with Iran could result in attacks on U.S. or allied targets in the region. It was the third such mission this year and the first since President Joe Biden took office on January 20. U.S. Central Command said the bomber carried out a round trip from Barksdale Air Force Base in Louisiana that ended on January 27. Biden has stated a desire to return to the deal if Iran honors the agreement’s limits on its nuclear program. Iran has called on Biden to remove the sanctions first before any further steps can be taken.

Duterte said at the summit that Philippine democracy was a work in progress, “but the Filipino is free. The Philippines is free.”“Today, we have a vibrant democracy and an open and diverse society. Vibrant democracy? “How can Duterte speak of a vibrant democracy when his regime has robbed the Filipino people of their democratic rights and freedoms?” Fabro asked. Fabro said that instead of addressing the needs of Filipinos, Duterte waged a war on drugs, which she said was also a war against the poor.

A number of these works are being shown by the London-based gallery White Cube, in a digital exhibition that runs through December 26th. August 17, 2021 (2021) Art work by Fred Tomaselli / Courtesy James Cohan Gallery and White CubeHoled up in Williamsburg, Tomaselli, who is sixty-five, tinkered, gardened, biked, boogie-boarded, fly-fished, and birded. Page A17.”March 17, 2020 (2020) Art work by Fred Tomaselli / Courtesy James Cohan Gallery and White CubeTomaselli’s birding-life list, which he’s kept since the nineties, has about four hundred species. And then the mandarin duck became a thing, in the news, and I was, like, that duck is fake! They’re, like, ornamental ducks you can have in your ornamental pond in your back yard in Connecticut.” ?

MOSCOW (The Borowitz Report)—Vladimir Putin thinks that negotiating with the United States would be “so much easier” if he possessed a pee tape of President Joe Biden, the Russian leader has confirmed. Speaking to reporters about his lengthy phone conversation with Biden regarding Ukraine, Putin said, “I kept thinking to myself, I wish I had a pee tape of this guy.”After hanging up with the U.S. President, Putin ordered Russian intelligence officials to scour their archives for a Biden pee tape, but they came up empty. “They mainly found a lot of footage of him saying things he didn’t mean to say,” Putin said. “Nothing great.”The Russian President said that the absence of a Biden pee tape will make Russia’s dealings with the United States “more challenging.”“It is what it is,” he said wistfully.

That’s a jump of more than thirteen per cent, or roughly six per cent after inflation. “If you look out to next year, twelve months from now, you are likely going to see much lower goods-price inflation and somewhat higher services-price inflation,” Daco said. “In the December inflation report, you are going to see disinflation in energy prices,” Daco said. “We think the peak in the headline rate of inflation is now.” By February, Oxford Economics forecasts, the inflation rate will edge down to 6.3 per cent. The forecast shows the “core” inflation rate, which excludes volatile energy and food prices, moving in the same direction, though a bit more slowly.

In the rest of Afghanistan, the war would continue, and, if the Taliban attacked Afghan units, American forces could intervene. For years, Afghan forces had relied on U.S. bombers and artillery to back up their ground attacks, and to strike Taliban encampments and supply lines. When it was noted that Ghani was unhappy with the deal, Trump said, “Why are you wasting your time going to talk to Ghani? In the aftermath of these prisoner releases, Pompeo told Khalilzad to try to re-start peace talks. Yet they continued to attack Afghan forces, costing hundreds of Afghan lives.

Illustration by João FazendaAn early sketch of the Omicron variant is coming into focus. In mid-November, South Africa recorded an average of three hundred coronavirus cases a day; only about two per cent of tests returned positive. But Omicron hasn’t overwhelmed the South African health-care system, even in Gauteng Province, where it first started to spread. They specialize in preventing infection, while T cells, which appear undiminished in the face of Omicron, focus on terminating it. This could mean that, though Omicron may cause many more breakthrough infections, vaccines will still help our immune systems avert serious illness.

Jimmy Fallon and Joe Biden discussed the host's new Christmas song about getting a COVID vaccine booster, and the president reminded viewers of the importance of the message behind itJoe Biden Makes First Late-Night Appearance Since Taking Office on The Tonight Show with Jimmy FallonJoe Biden met up with Jimmy Fallon for the president's first late-night talk show appearance since taking office. Fallon thanked the president for tweeting about his new Christmas song with Ariana Grande and Megan Thee Stallion, which features lyrics about masking up and getting boosters. Elsewhere in their chat, Biden spoke to Fallon about both his signed infrastructure bill, as well as his next proposed "Build Back Better" bill. It's been a while since a sitting president made the late-night rounds. Though President Barack Obama joked around with Fallon, Jimmy Kimmel, Stephen Colbert, Samantha Bee and others, his successor steered clear of their couches during his presidency, preferring to call into cable news networks after dark.

Multiple tornadoes tore through parts of the lower Midwest late on Friday night leaving a large path of destruction and unknown fatalities. Multiple tornadoes tore through parts of the lower Midwest late on Friday night leaving a large path of destruction and unknown fatalities. Over 70 people are believed to be dead in Kentucky following an outbreak of tornadoes late Friday evening into early Saturday morning, according to Governor Andy Beshear. Interior view of tornado damage to Emmanuel Baptist Church on December 11, 2021 in Mayfield, Kentucky. Multiple tornadoes tore through parts of the lower Midwest late on Friday night, leaving a large path of destruction.

"We're not used to people waiting on us," President Joe Biden told Jimmy Fallon of his and First Lady Jill Biden's life in the White HouseJoe Biden Says He and Jill Make Their Own Breakfast in the White House: 'Well I Don't, Jill Does'President Joe Biden says he's still a man of the people. We both are college graduates who worked like hell ... anyway, the end result was that we're not used to people waiting on us," Joe explained. "And so in the White House, there's somebody to make your breakfast or someone to pack your clothes or someone to carry your bag." When Fallon, 47, asked if the POTUS makes his own eggs, Joe clarified: "Well I don't, Jill does." RELATED VIDEO: President Joe Biden Honors 'Great Friend' Bob Dole as Senator Lies in State"My daughter was being interviewed when she was about, I don't know, 9, 10 years old.

"I think it's going to be the longest and deadliest tornado event in U.S. history," said Governor Andy Beshear on CNN's State of the Union on SundayOver 80 Dead in Kentucky After State's 'Deadliest Tornado Event,' Death Toll Likely to Exceed 100: GovernorOver 80 people have been confirmed dead in Kentucky after the "deadliest tornado event" in the Commonwealth's history, according to Governor Andy Beshear. "This is the deadliest tornado event we have ever had," Beshear told host Jake Tapper on Sunday. "I think it's going to be the longest and deadliest tornado event in U.S. Multiple tornadoes touched down in several Midwest states late Friday evening causing widespread destruction and leaving an estimated 70-plus people dead. Multiple tornadoes tore through parts of the lower Midwest late on Friday night, leaving a large path of destruction.

Gavin Newsom wrote of the Texas abortion ban that was left in place this weekCalifornia Gov. Gavin Newsom is using the recent controversial abortion ban in Texas to justify private lawsuits against gun manufacturers in his own state. It is now the most restrictive abortion law in the country. Essentially eliminating the rights of Roe v. Wade, the bill prohibits abortions after six weeks of pregnancy, which is before most people know they're pregnant. RELATED VIDEO: Woman Whose Conception Sparked Roe v. Wade Case Breaks Silence: 'I'm Keeping a Secret but I Hate It'

On ‘Tonight Show,’ Biden talks of political friendships and making breakfastAdded: 11.12.2021 22:17 | 90 views | 0 commentsHis chat with Jimmy Fallon marked his first appearance on late-night television since becoming president.

Biden says he is days away from picking a running mateAdded: 10.12.2021 19:17 | 69 views | 0 commentsJoe Biden says he is close to choosing his running mate. Some of his picks are among a group of women including well-known names like Senators Elizabeth Warren and Kamala Harris. Ed O'Keefe reports.

2020 Daily Trail Markers: Biden says many Americans "view me as the antithesis of Trump"Added: 10.12.2021 18:17 | 30 views | 0 commentsSome state polls show a majority of Biden's current support comes from people who are "mainly voting against Mr. Trump rather than for him.

How Joe Biden became the presumptive nominee — polling analysisAdded: 10.12.2021 19:17 | 54 views | 0 commentsAn exit poll analysis of the Democratic primaries — how Biden beat Sanders.

Biden signs $1.9T relief bill before speech to nationAdded: 11.03.2021 20:35 | 32 views | 0 commentsSource: www.tovima.grThe signing came hours before Biden delivers his first prime-time address since taking office Marking a year of loss and disruption, President Joe Biden on Thursday signed into law the $1.9 trillion relief package that he said will help the U.S. defeat the coronavirus and nurse the economy back to health. The signing came hours before Biden delivers his first prime-time address since taking office. He’s aiming to steer the nation toward a hungered-for sentiment — hope — as he marks one year since the onset of the pandemic that has killed more than 529,000 Americans. “This historic legislation is about rebuilding the backbone of this country,” Biden said as he signed the bill in the Oval... More in article.wn.com » Economy Tags: President

Added: 12.03.2021 4:42 | 35 views | 0 commentsNew Delhi [India], March 12 (ANI): Quadrilateral Security Dialogue (Quad), a strategic forum comprising India, Japan, Australia and the United States of America, will hold its first-ever head of states meet virtually on Friday. Prime Minister Narendra Modi of India will be meeting virtually with President Joe Biden of the United States, Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga of Japan, and Prime Minister Scott Morrison of Australia. The Quad, mooted by former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in 2007, has met regularly at the working and foreign ministers...

Joe Biden approval rating nosedives: US President losing voters on three key issuesAdded: 12.12.2021 15:25 | 38 views | 0 commentsECONOMY, crime and Covid in the US has led to a major approval rating nosedive for Joe Biden, a new poll has discovered.

China threatens 'heavy attack' against Joe Biden and the US should they rescue TaiwanAdded: 12.12.2021 14:58 | 45 views | 0 commentsJOE BIDEN has been warned by Chinese state media that Beijing will not hesitate to strike US forces should they try to intervene in plans to reunite Taiwan with the mainland.

Biden and Germany to block Nord Stream 2 if Russian 'escalation' with Ukraine continuesAdded: 13.12.2021 2:03 | 36 views | 0 commentsJOE BIDEN and his German counterparts have said they will block Nord Stream 2 if Russian "escalation" with Ukraine continues.

College Officials Clamp Down on Student Behavior Over Covid-19 FearsAdded: 20.08.2020 10:27 | 31 views | 0 commentsJoe Biden criticized President Trump’s virus response and outlined a strategy to fight the pandemic. Overburdened health care specialists are finding themselves on the front lines as schools reopen.

Emmanuel Macron leading EU against Biden as bloc poised to snub US in China rowAdded: 13.12.2021 8:45 | 9 views | 0 commentsEMMANUEL MACRON is leading the EU towards a diplomatic row with the US over the boycotting of the Winter Olympics in China.

Added: 09.12.2021 19:16 | 72 views | 0 commentsThe Biden administration has said it supports Jerome Powell as the chair of the U.S. Federal Reserve for a second term. We'll answer questions about the specter of rising inflation, currently at a 31-year high, and talk about ways to address it. Office Hours, Barron's and MarketWatch journalists take questions from readers

Video: What you need to know about expanded Public Service Loan ForgivenessAdded: 09.12.2021 17:17 | 81 views | 0 commentsThe Biden administration announced that they would be expanding a major loan forgiveness program for public servants. We answer questions about the expansion and talk about ways to access it. Office Hours, Barron's and MarketWatch journalists take questions from readers

Added: 13.12.2021 3:56 | 18 views | 0 commentsAs concerns mount over the future of free and fair elections, a debate has broken out about whether the media must protect Biden to save the republic.

Emmanuel Macron leading EU against Biden as bloc poised to snub US in China rowAdded: 13.12.2021 8:45 | 6 views | 0 commentsEMMANUEL MACRON is leading the EU towards a diplomatic row with the US over the boycotting of the Winter Olympics in China.

The Biden administration is reportedly expected to announce a diplomatic boycott of the 2022 Beijing Olympics, according to CNN's Kaitlan Collins. The move would ensure that no U.S. government officials would attend the Games, while still allowing American athletes to compete. The announcement is expected to come later this week as a protest to China's human rights abuses. The last time the U.S. did a complete boycott of the Olympics—including athlete participation—was at the 1980 Moscow Games, where 66 countries did not attend to protest the Soviet-Afghan War. The 2022 Games are slated to begin on Feb. 4.

He really loves telling this storyAnyone still watching the final minutes of the Patriots-Falcons dud on Thursday Night Football might have been scratching their head at a cryptic conversation between Joe Buck and Troy Aikman. “Been part of a longer one that happened in Milwaukee, but I’m not gonna talk about that,” Buck replied after a long silence. What the hell happened in Milwaukee, and why is Buck so sheepish about it? But plenty of people watching probably knew exactly what he was talking about, because Buck usually doesn’t shy away from discussing that fateful day in Milwaukee. He really needed to pee, and there was no way he was getting to the bathroom with only 30-second commercial breaks remaining.

Jerry Lai/USA TODAY SportsEditor’s note: This story contains descriptions of sexual assault. If you or someone you know is a survivor of sexual assault, contact the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-4673 or at https://www.rainn.org. "We're at a crossroads with our relationship obviously with China and operating our business over there," Simon said. The recently retired tennis star accused a former high-ranking member of the Chinese Communist Party of sexual assault. The news in that release, including the allegation of sexual assault, is not true."

Jerry Lai/USA TODAY SportsEditor’s note: This story contains descriptions of sexual assault. If you or someone you know is a survivor of sexual assault, contact the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-4673 or at https://www.rainn.orgRep. Jim Banks (R., Ind.) penned a letter to President Joe Biden, Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Special Presidential Envoy for Climate John Kerry, calling for them to "suspend any high-level dialogues with China until China respond satisfactorily to our inquiries about Peng Shuai’s safety." "I have a hard time believing that Peng Shuai actually wrote the email we received or believes what is being attributed to her," Simon said in a statement. "Peng Shuai displayed incredible courage in describing an allegation of sexual assault against a former top official in the Chinese government.

Jerry Lai/USA TODAY SportsEditor’s note: This story contains alleged accounts of sexual assault. Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) chair and chief executive Steve Simon said in a statement Saturday that "this video alone is insufficient." The photos and video were published as concern for Shuai's safety and whereabouts have continued to grow across the globe. This is not the first time a Chinese state-affiliated media outlet has released information concerning Shuai. The news in that release, including the allegation of sexual assault, is not true."

Editor’s note: This story contains descriptions of sexual assault. The WTA has 10 events scheduled in China for 2022, including the Finals. Retired tennis star Peng Shuai said Nov. 2 in a post on Weibo, a Chinese social media platform, that a former high-ranking member of the Chinese Communist Party of sexual assault. The WTA has been clear on what is needed here, and we repeat our call for a full and transparent investigation—without censorship—into Peng Shuai’s sexual assault accusation. More on Peng Shuai:

Editor’s note: This story contains descriptions of sexual assault. Video footage and transcripts have not been released for either of the video calls, the second being on Dec. 1. Per the IOC's statement the next day, Peng and the body "have already agreed on a personal meeting in January." The retired tennis star's allegations are the first public accusation of this nature against a senior Communist Party official. "If powerful people can suppress the voices of women and sweep allegations of sexual assault under the rug, then the basis on which the WTA was founded—equality for women—would suffer an immense setback.

Businesses with at least 100 employees just got more time to comply with President Biden's federal vaccine mandate. On Thursday, the Biden administration announced that public and private entities have until January 4, 2022 to ensure their employees are fully vaccinated against Covid-19 or submit to testing weekly. The extension may provide businesses time to iron out their plans, encourage any hesitant workers to get vaccinated, and give businesses dealing with strikes and walkouts time to negotiate. Starting after the January deadline the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), a federal agency that oversees workplace health and safety, will conduct workplace inspections to ensure compliance with the mandate. Violations could result in fines ranging from $13,653 for each serious violation, and as high as $136,532 for any employer who deliberately disregards the mandate.

President Biden on Tuesday announced his plan to address the nation's ongoing supply-chain disruptions, as part of the $1 trillion infrastructure bill, now awaiting his signature. Shipping and logistics companies are facing huge pileups of shipping containers, taking up space that should go to new containers unloaded from ships offshore. To combat this, starting November 15, ocean carrier companies will be charged fines for any shipping containers left lingering at ports--$100 per container, per day. Still, once it becomes law, the infrastructure bill should start to break the logjam. And another $5 billion goes to a separate grant program, which funds projects that improve the safety, efficiency, and reliability of intercity passenger and freight rail.

The Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals won a "lottery," which means that they will hear the additional challenges to the ETS. The Sixth Circuit is expected to give a ruling more in line with the previous one than preserving the ETS. Lawrence Gostin, a law professor at Georgetown University, told The Hill: "Overall, the Sixth Circuit may not be as hyper-conservative as the Fifth Circuit, but it is among the country's most conservative circuits. Requiring businesses to have a Covid-safety plan is reasonable and may withstand the challenges, even if the details change. Requiring businesses to have a Covid-safety plan is reasonable and may withstand the challenges, even if the details change.

New York City's Bill de Blasio on Monday became the first big-city mayor in the nation to mandate vaccines for all private employers; it likely won't be the last. For many employers, this edict won't be too burdensome, as they've already taken steps to get their workers vaccinated. The new citywide measure in New York will affect an additional 184,000 businesses, says de Blasio. There, employers or hosts at a gathering must ensure proper ventilation and those present must be vaccinated and have no recent Covid-19 exposures, according to city officials. "We gotta get vaccines out as universally as possible," says Dr. Bruce Hirsch, an infectious disease expert at Northwell Health.

A new variant of the Coronavirus is making it's way around the globe and President Biden has a new plan to combat it. The plan includes helping people get booster shots, expanding free at-home testing, and additional protections in the workplace. Make at-home testing free. To help employers manage this testing requirement, Biden wants to ensure that more at-home testing is available. The at-home tests will be distributed through key community sites, such as health centers and rural clinics.

It also gives the Small Business Administration greater oversight of the federal government's buying strategies--a move that could give small business a stronger hand in federal procurement policies. Raising the stakes for small disadvantaged businessesIn 2022, the Small Business Administration will begin negotiating contracting deals in hopes of achieving an 11 percent federal contracting goal for SDBs. Big businesses in 2020 snagged three-quarters of federal contracting dollars, or nearly $420 billion, compared with the record spending--$145.7 billion--among small businesses last year. The fiscal year 2020 disaggregated data, analyzed by the SBA, shows that Native American-owned businesses received around $15.1 billion in eligible dollars; Hispanic-owned businesses got $10 billion; Black-owned small businesses received $9.4 billion; Subcontinent Asian American-owned small businesses netted $8.7 billion; and Asian-Pacific American-owned small businesses got $6.9 billion. Small businesses falling under the broader "other" category landed $87.6 billion in federal contracts, while other minority-owned small businesses nabbed around $2.7 billion.

Tim Blake Nelson amid the squid. Illustration: Ryan InzanaIf it feels like Tim Blake Nelson is everywhere, that’s because he is. My wife, Lisa, went to the theater, so Eli and I ate alone — pasta with chicken sausage, as he requested. Over breakfast, I called a friend in Oklahoma about the Oklahoma coaching situation. Last night, our friend JD gave us meats and produce from our local farmers’ market, including duck bacon from Hudson Valley Duck Farm.

The WNBA made a PSA for women’s-basketball fans, and Darius Rucker made one for … the opposite of women’s-basketball fans. None of this was enough to convince about 20 percent of New Yorkers over the age of 60 to follow through. The 30-second PSA could be a Schoolhouse Rock segment from some dystopian mirror world or maybe a retro Sesame Street interstitial. Rampage is clearly a graduate of Miss Gritty’s Finishing School for Ragamuffin Mascots, all cute pointy teeth and splotchy viral appendages. True, Rampage does tell New Yorkers to talk to their doctors — assuming they have doctors, which is not a given — but why should I trust a talking coronavirus?

Photo: Courtesy of PantoneWhenever Pantone has released Color of the Year, as the color standards company has done annually since 2000, it has plumbed its library of hues to find something that represents a cultural forecast for the year ahead. But for 2022, the brand did something a little different — it launched an entirely new color: PANTONE 17-3938, also known as Very Peri. Again, an older trend, but one that would have evoked some of the excitement Pantone claims Very Peri represents. This year’s muted blue is like a toning down of expectations yet again, a liminal color for another year of purgatory. Dopamine Dressing — and all of its raucous reds, electric greens, and highlighter colors — would like to have a word.

Backups at the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach mean that ships idle offshore for days, and the fumes are making the nearby neighborhoods unlivable. Golden says he doesn’t understand how the port, which uses a sophisticated system to schedule arrivals, got into this mess. It’s the reason that Los Angeles is shaped the way it is, with a narrow ribbon of trucking corridors dangling directly south from L.A.’s downtown to San Pedro Bay. “In most communities in and around the port, it was 60 percent higher than the rest of Los Angeles County,” he says. The pollution from port operations is like having 6 million more cars driving around every day, and it’s estimated to cause 1,300 premature deaths in Los Angeles and Long Beach each year.

And the cost of heating your home with fuel oil is going to cost 59 percent more than it did last holiday season. That is, if there’s less money to go around, then people won’t be so willing to buy all the stuff that’s getting more expensive by the month. “Our analysts who are looking at that sector still see another six months more or less of kind of stickiness and congestion in the supply chain,” Gruenwald added. It shows that even if one snarl in the supply chain loosens up, another problem — say, a shortage of truckers — could still weigh things down. There’s more money in the system and consumers have done what they do best — buy stuff, price and supply chain be damned.

In many Asian and European countries, at-home COVID-19 tests are cheap and easy to find in stores. Rapid tests can quickly identify around 98 percent of infectious COVID cases; they’re not as sensitive as PCR tests, which can catch even noninfectious cases but need to be sent to a lab for processing. These tests are mostly done in a lab and are considered the “gold standard” for diagnosing COVID, as they are more accurate than rapid tests. An anonymous HHS official also offered Politico an illogical answer on whether there’s much demand in America for at-home rapid tests. That means that sometime in December, American consumers should have access to 200 million rapid at-home tests per month.

After all, the ubiquity of Christmas in American life is self-evident; everybody has heard the cliché that Christmas decorations, music, sales, movies, and so on begin earlier every year. He saved Christmas,” prompting Trump to repeat his boast that he had indeed preserved the holiday from extinction (“You know, when I was running, 2016, Christmas was, like, you couldn’t say the word,” he said. And I said we’re going to bring back Christmas, and we’re going to be saying ‘Christmas’”). The War on Christmas has had a place in Trump’s regular spiel since his candidacy began. You do know who the enemy is that is supposedly waging the War on Christmas, right?

Photo: Jack Taylor/Getty ImagesA British high court ruled on Friday that Julian Assange may be extradited from the U.K. to the U.S. to stand trial on espionage charges related to his work as the leader of WikiLeaks. Assange’s legal team has fought the request on the grounds that prison conditions in America would endanger his mental health. Assange’s partner Stella Morris said he plans to appeal the decision to the British Supreme Court, a process that could take months. (Yahoo News reported recently that Trump officials had also discussed the possibility of kidnapping Assange from London after he leaked CIA hacking tools in 2017.) The Biden administration has continued to pursue the charges against Assange.

Mike Pence chairing the January 6 joint session of Congress governed by the Electoral Count Act of 1887. For starters, a Democratic vice president will be presiding over the Senate when the Electoral College votes are opened. You cannot talk about fixing the Electoral Count Act without talking about what happened on January 6. First, he claimed, its provisions for counting electoral votes violate the 12th Amendment’s unconditional grant of authority to the vice president to deal with electoral votes however they want. Perhaps Trump will surprise us by at least staying out of the way of Electoral Count Act reform efforts.

Though the exact link between tornadoes and climate change remains uncertain, climate scientists say there is growing evidence a warming world could make spates of intense tornadoes like Friday’s more common or more intense. As the warm air rises, it creates an updraft with gusts of wind jostling that rising air in various speeds and directions — a condition called wind shear. Less than 10 percent of severe thunderstorms produce tornadoes, which makes finding the climate link — if there is any — tricky. “It’ll be some time before we can say for certain what kind of role climate change played in an event like [Friday’s],” Gensini said. Even the severity and the amount of time this tornado or these tornadoes spent in the ground is unprecedented.”

Trump campaign lawyer Jenna Ellis wrote a memo dated the day before the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol arguing that then-Vice President Mike Pence should refuse to count presidential electors from states won by Joe Biden. Accordingly, Ellis wrote that the vice president “should … simply stop the count” when the time came for Arizona’s electors to be accepted. He should then, Ellis wrote, declare that Arizona and several other states Biden did not uphold their end of the requirement for certifying their own electors. Pence, she wrote, “should … not open any of the votes” from six key states won by Biden. This new memo from Ellis, when considered alongside the the memo from John Eastman, is yet another stunning example of how desperate Trump and his circle were to prevent Biden from taking office

Major law firms in Washington have resumed donations to those Republicans whose support for election-fraud theories and refusal to certify posed a grave threat to American democracy. The law firms in question made the donations through their in-house political action committees. “Law firms, especially these big high-powered firms in and around D.C., play a critical role in the fundraising system here,” says Robert Maguire, research director for CREW. Yet the firm has donated $30,000 to the two main Republican party committees. Fred Wertheimer, president of the clean-government group Democracy 21, says it’s “perfectly predictable” that law firms, just like big corporations, reverted back to donating to lawmakers who’d imperiled democracy and to the political committees that back those politicians.

Former President Donald Trump denied riling up the crowd at his Stop the Steal rally that preceded the insurrection at the Capitol on Jan. 6. “I have nothing to hide,” Trump told Fox News host Laura Ingraham on Friday night. “I wasn’t involved in that and if you look at my words and what I said in the speech, they were extremely calming, actually.”Trump: I have nothing to hide. Trump has made the claim that executive privilege protects his communications and records from being subpoenaed. And he has bullied his allies into stonewalling the committee with those same executive privilege claims or by invoking their Fifth Amendment right not to self-incriminate.

“This is going to be our new normal,” FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell said on CNN’s State of the Union. “At this point we have transitioned to search and recovery,” the chief told The Times. President Joe Biden declared a federal emergency in Kentucky to help the state respond to the tornadoes. He also called on the Environmental Protection Agency to investigate how the climate crisis may have contributed to the unusual intensity of the tornadoes. I’m going to be asking the EPA and others to take a look at that,” Biden said at a Saturday briefing.

In specific circles (i.e., theater kids), there is perhaps no celebrity couple more vaunted than Anthony Ramos and Jasmine Cephas Jones. The two met when they were cast in the original Broadway production of Hamilton, with Ramos playing the role of John Laurens and Philip Hamilton and Cephas Jones playing Peggy Schuyler, the sister of Alexander Hamilton’s wife. And as both of their stars have risen — Ramos starred as Usnavi in In the Heights earlier this year, and Cephas Jones is the star of the critically acclaimed series Blindstopping — it seemed the couple was unstoppable. Last week, however, a TikTok video posted by the celebrity gossip account @dearjane1 claimed that Ramos had been spotted at a strip club canoodling with a woman who wasn’t Cephas Jones. The account also posted receipts in the form of surveillance video appearing to show Ramos and the woman.

As Xi eschews diplomatic travel, the administration of Fumio Kishida has a golden opportunity to rekindle the momentum garnered by Abe’s leadership in the international arena to ingratiate itself in the core hubs of the Indo-Pacific region. Prioritizing the immediate stakeholders in the Indo-Pacific region should not come at the expense of Japan’s relationship with Washington. Japan has much to gain from eschewing zoom-diplomacy for a return to leadership-level, face-to-face diplomacy. Whether Kishida will seize the moment to accrue invaluable diplomatic and political capital in the Indo-Pacific is yet to be determined. What is clear thought that Xi’s diplomatic absence its Kishida’s opportunity to shift the diplomatic dynamics in the Indo-Pacific region to favor Japan and like-minded countries’ interest.

President Joe Biden will award the Medal of Honor next week to three U.S. soldiers who fought in the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, the White House said Friday. 1st Class Alwyn Cashe, 35, who suffered fatal injuries in Iraq while rescuing fellow soldiers from a burning vehicle in 2005. President Joe Biden ((pictured) is set to award the Medal of Honor next week to three U.S. soldiers, two of them post-humorously, who fought in Afghanistan and IraqThe Medal of HonorThe Medal of Honor is the United States' highest award for military valor in action. Cashe will become the first Black U.S. service member to receive the Medal of Honor for actions since Vietnam, according to the White House. He is currently serving with the 1st Special Forces Group at Fort Lewis, Washington.

Some 30 countries around the world have already legalised gay marriage, but just a handful of them are in Latin America. They include Brazil, Colombia, Argentina, and now Chile can be added to that list. People there celebrated this week as the Chilean Congress voted to legalise same-sex marriage and adoption. But federal courts ordered a reboot of the so-called Migrant Protection Protocols, which require asylum seekers to wait in Mexico for US immigration hearings. It's now releasing more than half of that stock, in order to avoid what might have been a very sticky situation.

South Korea: End to Korean War agreed to in principle Published 4 hours agoImage source, Getty Images Image caption, South Korea's president Moon Jae-in has made engagement with the North a cornerstone of his presidencyNorth and South Korea, the US, and China agree in principle to declare a formal end to the Korean War which ended in an armistice, says the South's President Moon Jae-in. The Korean War, which lasted from 1950 to 1953, split the peninsula into two. North and South Korea have technically been at war ever since - backed by China and the US respectively - and locked in a tense relationship. North Korea consistently objects to the presence of US troops in South Korea; the joint military drills held every year between the US and South Korea; as well as US-led sanctions against North Korea's weapons programme. But the US has repeatedly said that North Korea must first abandon its nuclear weapons before any sanctions can be lifted.

A government insider told Playbook they were “throwing the kitchen sink” at the effort. How they’ll try to do it: Playbook is told the booster expansion will be focused on walk-ins rather than bookings. Labour MP Yasmin Qureshi told Times Radio last night: “Let’s face it, Labour are never going to win North Shropshire. One told Playbook they expect to lose. SUBSCRIBE to the POLITICO newsletter family: Brussels Playbook | London Playbook | Playbook Paris | EU Confidential | Sunday Crunch | EU Influence | London Influence | AI: Decoded | Digital Bridge | China Direct | D.C. Playbook | All our POLITICO Pro policy morning newsletters

LIVERPOOL, England (AP) — The Group of Seven economic powers told Russia on Sunday to “de-escalate” its military buildup near the Ukrainian border, warning that an invasion would have “massive consequences” and inflict severe economic pain on Moscow. Russia should be in no doubt that further military aggression against Ukraine would have massive consequences and severe cost in response,” the statement said. “Are you ready to send American troops into war and go into Ukraine to fight Russians on the battlefield?” he said. Devastating.”Truss said Biden had made clear to Putin that the U.S. stance “carries the support of the G-7 countries as a whole. Getting a unified response to global crises from the G-7, a group of countries with disparate interests, has often proved tough.

The State Department said "confusion" over screen-sharing resulted in Tang's video feed being dropped, calling it "an honest mistake." "We valued Minister Tang's participation, which showcased Taiwan's world-class expertise on issues of transparent governance, human rights, and countering disinformation," a spokesperson said. When the moderator returned to Tang a few minutes later, there was no video of her, just audio, and a screenshot captioned: "Minister Audrey Tang Taiwan." Washington complained to Taiwan's government, which in turn was angry that Tang's video had been cut. A second source directly involved in the summit said the video booth operator acted on White House instructions.

None of this, however, prevents Mayor Pete, a bizarre and unsettling documentary no one asked for, from proceeding as though its hardscrabble protagonist triumphed against all odds to win, if not the election, then the future. Instead, through various scenes, Moss shows the concerted effort to burnish the Mayor Pete brand. Or so the film wants the viewer to think. Mayor Pete lays the groundwork for an extended cinematic universe of the Buttigieg clan. Regardless of whether you want it, Mayor Pete lays the groundwork for the chipmunk’s inevitable next presidential run (2024?

The Politics of Protection The Politics of Protection In The Great Recoil, Paolo Gerbaudo argues that the left needs to speak to people’s fears and connect them to hope. Political theorist Paolo Gerbaudo explores those questions in his new book, The Great Recoil: Politics After Populism and Pandemic. Politics, both right-wing and left-wing, is dealing with new social demands that are different from those dominant in the neoliberal era. On the right, control is individual; it’s about property and defending one’s own space, and it is articulated at a national level through a politics of territorial control and power. Think about policing, about COVID-19 policies, and how we articulate different visions of what state control over people should be.

How the Hart–Celler Act Changed America How the Hart–Celler Act Changed America The 1960s effort to end discriminatory quotas sowed the seeds of the political conflicts over immigration that are still with us today. In another compromise, IRCA provided amnesty to about 3 million unauthorized immigrants, even as it dramatically increased funding for border enforcement. For example, increased border enforcement was supposed to stop the flow of unauthorized immigrants, but instead it had the opposite effect. Two years after that vote, Clinton signed the Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act (IIRIRA) into law. Efforts to broker what came to be called “comprehensive immigration reform” (CIR) in the aughts uniformly ended in failure.

(The proposal is referred to as a TRIPS waiver, a reference to the WTO Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights.) Even if we got rid of all intellectual property rules tomorrow, this would do little to boost immediate global vaccine supply. Pfizer and Moderna, both of which produce mRNA vaccines, have been purveyors of this narrative, warning of the laborious and time-intensive process of developing the ability to produce mRNA vaccines specifically. Some of the facilities are already producing other vaccines, or testing or making their own mRNA vaccines. In just one example, Sen. Mike Crapo (R?Idaho), ranking member of the Senate Finance Committee, has been criticized for significant donations from the pharmaceutical industry.

Most troubling, the reports take the ravages of climate change as a given, and merely focus on how to protect U.S. ?“national security” in light of that inevitability. It’s not concerned with finding a cure (reversing climate change) or engaging in equitable treatment (paying meaningful reparations to poor countries harmed by climate change). At minimum, any climate policy must be housed in civilian institutions: The U.S. national security apparatus is fundamentally opposed to the solidarity and internationalism needed to combat the climate crisis. They can revoke permits that were issued without adequate consideration of their dangers.”Vows to pursue a ?“national security” response are not an alternative to such policies. ?“Just because climate change is recognized as a problem doesn’t mean the solution will be equitable.

And, against all odds, we are now on the precipice of maybe, just maybe, getting a wealth tax on billionaires signed into law. If, in fact, the current version of the wealth tax does make it into the final bill, it will be something that should make progressives smile. The reason to tax billionaires is not to pay for social programs. The reason to tax billionaires is not to produce income for the federal government. The reason to tax billionaires is that billionaires should not exist.

Congratulations to everyone who signed the Harper’s letter on the election of Glenn Youngkin as governor of Virginia. In the 1960s, politicians could stand up and rail against integration and successfully channel America’s racism for their own political benefit. Now, it is ?“critical race theory,” the latest acceptable format for Americans to express their racism in a public forum. Moral panic is a wonderfully effective political strategy. They have chin-stroked themselves right into validating the idea that any of this bullshit is A Real Thing, just like their ancestors did when the best and brightest minds of last century validated Joe McCarthy’s moral panic then.

How good is the budget deal framework put forward by the Biden White House last week? While Republicans like Mitt Romney decry this deficit spending, Biden’s proposed deficit of eight percent of GDP for 2022 pales in comparison to Donald Trump’s deficit of 15 percent of GDP in Fiscal Year 2020. Summing up, in advance of next year’s budget, we are already ahead of the game in terms of social spending. It should be noted that inflation has been warned of as a negative consequence of deficit spending since the 1930s. This has resulted in the shrinking in proposed spending from $3.5 trillion to the current level of $1.85 trillion.

Brown’s political future now hinges on whether Walton can repeat her June success and drive up turnout from disaffected parts of the city long neglected by City Hall. Will Tuesday end this state of affairs, or be one more Houdini-like escape in the career of Byron Brown? After only two years, one Buffalo resident summed up the feelings that many came to have about Buffalo’s mayor: ?“Overall, he’s a giant disappointment. It’s also a testament to the kind of city Brown has built over his mayoral career. The judge who controversially allowed Brown to run as a write-in candidate is the brother of a major developer and Brown donor.

“Unions in four states have already demonstrated the power of a worker-led transition to a renewable energy future,” Alvarez and Devaney write. The climate movement, for the most part, is still far too isolated from the labor movement. Relatedly, the working class itself is far too unorganized, with fewer than 11% of workers in unions in the United States. And the climate movement has not won as much as it has intended to, nor as much as it desperately needs to. To show workers these goals are winnable — and can improve their lives — they need to actually win them.

), who has deep fossil fuel industry ties and is himself a coal baron, is hell-bent on preserving fossil fuel subsidies and gutting the proposed Clean Electricity Payments Program. That would mean ending all fossil fuel subsidies, including subsidies for green-washed fossil fuels such as carbon capture—something more than 500 organizations have signed an open letter calling for. This standard must define renewable energy carefully to exclude harmful, polluting energy sources such as nuclear energy, waste incineration, and biomass combustion. Federal climate legislation should increase funding for public transit by an order of magnitude to make up for decades of intentional underfunding. First, the president has a tremendous amount of executive power on climate, especially in the arena of fossil fuel supply.

Inflation is a continuous increase in prices, more or less across the board. A temporary price increase can generate a permanent loss of customers. Purely for the sake of argument, let’s concede that the recent increase in energy prices is a problem. A serious response to an undesirable increase in energy prices would do something about…energy. All things considered, this new inflation scare is one of dumbest turns in what passes for economic thinking since voodoo economics.

Three days after Hurricane Ida hit, I drove home to south Louisiana beneath a pall of oily smoke. Photo by Isabelle GuzmanColonization changed not only where people lived on the Louisiana coast, but how they lived. When R. Eugene Turner took his first flight over the Louisiana coast in 1974, he looked down and saw the makings of a disaster. Since 1932, the Louisiana coast has lost around 2,000 square miles of land. Though the state of Louisiana officially recognizes the United Houma Nation, the tribe has never been granted federal recognition and has no federally guaranteed reservation land.

At a 2019 Democratic primary debate, candidate Joe Biden pledged to stop U.S. arms sales to Saudi Arabia. This would be the first Senate vote on the Yemen war during the Biden administration, and would force Democrats — who opposed the war under former President Donald Trump but have been less legislatively aggressive under the Biden administration — to publicly state their positions. But, upon closer examination, the distinction between ?“offensive” and ?“defensive” Saudi weapons begins to disappear. Of course, the United States shouldn’t be selling weapons to Saudi Arabia in the first place. And we know this because the Biden administration isn’t telling Saudi Arabia to stop the war.

The UN climate talks (Conference of the Parties, or COP26) in Glasgow, Scotland, concluded in mid-November with deeply disappointing results. The Indian government’s actions must also be viewed against the backdrop of global inequalities in income, energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions. Before pointing fingers at India, observers in the United States should consider a fundamental question of fairness. Literally no one other than the oil and gas industry — and major oil and gas producing countries such as the United States. While the United States also produces coal, our coal production is in terminal decline because of competition from cheap natural gas.

On November 26, as news of the new Omicron variant of Covid-19 stoked alarm around the world, the White House released a statement calling on countries to support an intellectual property waiver for Covid-19 vaccines. Global health advocates say that the Biden administration merely referring back to its previous statement is insufficient for passing an intellectual property waiver with the urgency it demands. The measure is called a TRIPS waiver, a reference to the WTO TRIPS agreement, which sets international rules around patents. ?“They should support the waiver as-is,” she says, referring to the proposal put forward by India and South Africa. The effort to pass a TRIPS waiver has taken on fresh urgency in light of the new Covid-19 variant known as Omicron.

It is fair, however, to look at what the Democrats are doing from the very top — where the agenda is set, and where symbolism matters. Imagine how meaningful it would have been if Barack Obama had publicly supported the Amazon union drive in Alabama. But he will have a ?“plaza” paid for by the guy who has become richer than Rockefeller by crushing Amazon workers. There is another inspiring union drive now happening at Starbucks, which began in Buffalo and is spreading across the country. I’m with the union.”We aren’t likely to see a Democratic president like that any time soon.

A weapons industry trade group that represents companies including Lockheed Martin and Raytheon is thrilled about President Joe Biden’s nominee for the role of lead weapons buyer for the U.S. military. By moving from government to industry, then back to government (should the Senate confirm him), all while the weapons industry cheers, LaPlante has spun through a well-trodden revolving door — a career trajectory that is entirely routine, but nonetheless scandalous. Punaro isn’t the only weapons industry representative happy about LaPlante’s nomination. (Weapons companies often fund think tanks that advance industry policy objectives, through a more academic and seemingly ?“above the fray” approach.) But the fact that the next prospective one is drowning in military industry largesse, reveals a great deal about what keeps this institution growing — and who benefits.

Originally, it would’ve expired in 2019, but the majority of ballots cast by ILWU members favored the extension in exchange for a wage and pension increase. During contract negotiations in 2014, West Coast ports faced slowdowns as the ILWU’s fifteen thousand waterfront members expressed displeasure with employer foot-dragging, and the Obama administration ultimately got involved. Twenty ILWU members have died of COVID-19, and as for automation, it has long been a key area of bargaining. So the pile of import containers grows, and the only players with the power to remove the empty shipping containers to free up space — the shipping companies — have little incentive to do so expediently. There’s no better time for ILWU members to address problems they’ve spent years waiting to negotiate.

Hopes were high back in June, when the World Health Organization (WHO) helped establish an mRNA vaccine technology transfer hub in South Africa. Five months later, the transfer hub is still unable to access vaccine technology, since neither Pfizer-BioNtech nor Moderna have shared their intellectual property. The Joe Biden administration could have resolved the delay months ago by sharing vaccine technology with the WHO. The White House’s refusal to act is emblematic of the administration’s unwillingness to share vaccine information that might interfere with corporate profits, even in the face of a global crisis. “Unlimited Rights” Despite the ongoing global pandemic, the Biden administration claims it is powerless to share the Moderna vaccine recipe with the world.

And newly released exhibits and testimony from the New York attorney general’s investigation into former governor Andrew Cuomo’s allegations of sexual harassment show it was something else, too: a potential model for other embattled politicians to bat away allegations of their own. “Pull what Biden said when he was accused during campaign,” Lever wrote to her colleagues. Like Cuomo later would, Biden cast the allegations as a case of misinterpreted friendliness and changing social mores. Other testimony suggests Cuomo’s team took note of the Biden camp’s framing. Biden wasn’t the only figure Cuomo’s team learned from.

In 2013, with the politics of abortion changing rapidly and for the worse, the most recognizable voice for abortion rights in the country chose to change the conversation about abortion. In an imaginary moment when abortion rights were not threatened, a linguistic shift to infuse nuance and compassion into a politically and emotionally fraught subject, might be welcomed, even wise. The gradual erosion of abortion rights in the United States had intensified to an all-out landslide. But the abortion rights movement’s national leadership seems intent on ignoring the lessons of the last decade and incapable of mounting the kind of all-out offensive strategy needed to protect abortion rights in the United States. The abortion rights movement’s rhetorical turn to a vague and veiled message, full of caveats and asterisks, has come at a cost: by decentralizing abortion in the conversation, abortion as a common experience has lost legitimacy.

At a White House briefing earlier this week, Joe Biden’s press secretary Jen Psaki was asked an extremely straightforward question by NPR’s Mara Liasson: Why doesn’t the United States government simply make COVID-19 testing free or even mail tests to every American household? Though some at-home tests will be set aside for those without insurance, it’s as yet unclear whether there will be adequate supply and merely underscores, yet again, the absurdity of tying health insurance to employment. Psaki: I would say, first, we have eight tests that have been approved by the FDA here. Whether or not all those tests would meet that standard is a question for the scientists and medical experts, but I don’t suspect they would. Liasson: All I know is that other countries seem to be making them available in greater quantities for less money.

A weapons industry trade group that represents companies including Lockheed Martin and Raytheon is thrilled about President Joe Biden’s nominee for the role of lead weapons buyer for the US military. By moving from government to industry, then back to government (should the Senate confirm him), all while the weapons industry cheers, LaPlante has spun through a well-trodden revolving door — a career trajectory that is entirely routine, but nonetheless scandalous. Punaro isn’t the only weapons industry representative happy about LaPlante’s nomination. (Weapons companies often fund think tanks that advance industry policy objectives, through a more academic and seemingly ?“above the fray” approach.) But the fact that the next prospective one is drowning in military industry largesse, reveals a great deal about what keeps this institution growing — and who benefits.

The Biden administration, as it turns out, is a perfect example of this: every policy solution they propose involves some sort of corporate giveaway. The situation will continue to drive health care disparities and pad profits in a health care sector that helped finance Biden’s presidential campaign. Customers can generally purchase a two-pack of Abbott tests at chain pharmacies for $23.99 or $11.99 per test. Meanwhile, in Europe, a ten-pack of the same Abbott tests sells for $44.40, or about $4.40 apiece. Psaki said Monday that under this scenario, “150 million Americans will be able to get free tests.”

According to Channel 12 news in Israel, Israeli officials are urging the United States to take military action against Iran, either by striking Iran directly or by hitting an Iranian base in Yemen. Regardless of the negotiations’ outcome, Israel says that it reserves the right to take military action against Iran. Had Iran retaliated proportionately, the United States might have backed up Israel, with the conflict spiraling into a full-blown US–Middle East war. Iran described the action as “nuclear terrorism.”American officials recently warned their Israeli counterparts that the attacks on Iranian nuclear facilities are counterproductive. One would think that Israel, which receives $3.8 billion annually from the United States, would feel obligated not to drag the United States and their own people into such a disaster.

Look it up and you’ll find next to no coverage in the US media about top Israeli officials visiting Washington this week to push for military strikes against Iran, raising the risk of sparking war. Hence the need to sell Biden officials on the idea. Then, just before the Iranian elections, it reportedly refused to commit for the rest of Biden’s term to not re-renege on the deal, Trump style, if the deal is restored and Iran stays compliant. Israel, which is known to have at least dozens of nukes and has long rejected any regional antinuclear agreement, is not. Yet that’s not considered scandalous by the establishment press, even if it could be leading us into war.

Such a move would also be in keeping with Biden’s obvious ease with Trump’s Middle East policy. So it is first imperative that the United States and Israel disabuse themselves of their warmongering disposition towards that country. The aggression coming from Israel and the Trump and Biden administrations has only shrunk the space for diplomacy with Tehran. What does it mean for expectations of Israel, at home and abroad, if structurally it is finally becoming one with the despotic Gulf states? Perhaps the best example of an increasingly brutal regime already in lockstep with the Gulf despots is Israel’s other ally, Egypt.

In 2020, when the coronavirus disrupted industrial food systems, causing widespread backlogs and shortages, local co-ops, farm collectives, food hubs that aggregate and distribute food, and other distribution projects found fresh relevance. We had just taken over a small urban farm in Los Angeles when the city shut down and clients of Lauri’s gardening business started asking us for farm box deliveries. The quest for racial justice and equity in our food system is a key part of the appeal of these collective projects. “My idea is I get these families profitable living on the farm; [then] their kids stay on the farm. As Biden said when he announced the order, “Big Ag is putting a squeeze on farmers….

Despite existential threats posed by catastrophic climate change (which Biden and other world leaders inadequately addressed at COP26) and an ongoing global pandemic, Biden’s new normal seems ominously leaning to a revival of Cold War politics. While dangerous, a cold war face-off between democracies and authoritarian states, anchored by China and Russia, is the establishment’s sweet spot. Current Issue View our current issueThe costs of going back to the Cold War are immense, however. A new cold war will reinforce the nationalist and militarist factions in all countries. Before America chose to lead any kind of “Summit for Democracy,” and before “America is back” to a new cold war, the country urgently needs a more serious discussion about its real security priorities—and the real challenges it faces.

This is serious, and it is frightening.”Clardy said he could sense a white backlash building on the very day Barack Obama was sworn in as president. A Kentucky delegate to the 2016 Democratic national convention, he was in the crowd on Jan. 20, 2017. “While we’re celebrating here in Washington, folks back home are seething,” he said to a woman standing near him. Clardy is hardly alone in begging the Democrats to fight back harder against Trump and Trumpian Republicans, who dominate the party. “The country is sleepwalking its way into an authoritarian overthrow of democracy,” warned Slate’s Amanda Marcotte.

The Republic of Congo received just over 300,000 doses of the COVID vaccines through the COVAX Facility in August 2021. | UNICEF/Aimable TwiringiyimaGENEVA, Switzerland—Nurses unions worldwide want to end curbs on distributing anti-coronavirus vaccines around the globe. The Canadian nurses unions signed the joint complaint but did not issue their own statements. As long as this situation persists, none of us is safe.”WHO’s chief agrees with the Global Nurses United’s demand. But when Biden backed the patent waiver demand in May, to get more vaccines to people in the world’s developing nations, the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers Association refused.

The Local Journalism Sustainability Act was first introduced last spring with widespread bipartisan sponsorship and support. Strict provisions are needed to ensure that the use of tax credits is not abused. Smaller newspaper chains, as well as non-profit and cooperative media companies, would be able to benefit proportionately greater from using tax credits. The best way to accomplish this is for activists to support local journalism by promoting alternatives to traditional, corporate-owned media such as non-profit, cooperative, and collectively-owned media outlets. This is what the Local Journalism Sustainability Act is supposed to facilitate and support.

| David Zalubowski/APWASHINGTON —The U.S. unemployment rate dropped 0.4% in November, to 4.2%, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported. But BLS, the Economic Policy Institute, and the Institute for Women’s Policy Research all noted mixed numbers behind that positive decline. The number of unemployed declined by 542,000, to 6.877 million, BLS said. And even with the recent gains, women are still in a “she-cession,” IWPR says. “Overall, payroll job gains were 210,000 in November seasonally adjusted,” EPI Senior Analyst Elise Gould tweeted.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky plays soldier while wearing combat fatigues in the Donbas region, eastern Ukraine, on April 9, 2021. A requirement of the anti-Russia campaign inside Ukraine is that the Russian language be suppressed and extreme Ukrainian nationalism be promoted. Former Soviet republics, like Belarus, that refuse NATO control or incursions, end up heavily sanctioned. Imagine what the U.S. would do if there were Russian military bases in Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean, and other places. The world cannot afford to allow NATO and the U.S. to push their dangerous campaign against Russia.

These laws are designed to undo the gains made by people of color since the end of the Second World War. In the United States, our government reflects the power of the capitalist class (the industrialists and financiers). There is, however, a second type of democracy existing today, “proletarian” or “working-class democracy,” which is practiced in the socialist countries of China, Cuba, and Vietnam, among others. Democracy in socialist countries, when it functions as intended, comes directly from the people and reflects the aspirations, dreams, and hopes of everyday life. We must defend democracy in every way possible while working to broaden it in ways beyond what it is today.

Interior Department on Wednesday, Nov. 17, 2021, is auctioning vast oil reserves in the Gulf of Mexico estimated to hold up to 1.1 billion barrels of crude. “It’s basically a giveaway to the industry of millions of acres of the Gulf of Mexico so they can lock in production for years, at a time when we need to be shifting away from fossil fuel development,” said Earthjustice attorney Brettny Hardy. The Gulf of Mexico accounts for about 15% of total U.S. crude production and 5% of its natural gas. Biden campaigned on pledges to end drilling on federally owned lands and waters, which includes the Gulf. “The need absolutely continues for continued competitive leases in the U.S. Gulf of Mexico,” said Shell spokesperson Cindy Babski.

The U.S.' record on supporting democracy in other nations has more than a few dark spots. Of the 110 supposedly willing participants in this “democracy summit,” many are host to U.S. military bases and troops. There’s a much deeper issue underpinning U.S. “democracy” and all its contradictions, and it’s one Marxists have known about for some time. To quote Lenin again: “Democracy for an insignificant minority, democracy for the rich…that is the democracy of capitalist society. There are other aspects of what China terms its “whole-process democracy” that could, and should, be addressed in greater detail.

Visitors take photos near the headquarters of the Beijing Organizing Committee for the Olympic Games (BOCOG), Nov. 18, 2021. The U.S. is staging what it calls a 'diplomatic boycott' of the Winter Games. The boycott does not extend to U.S. athletes, and Washington said it would be supporting them as normal. Japan’s Chief Cabinet Secretary Hirokazu Matsuno, however, said he wasn’t sure what a “diplomatic boycott” of the sporting event would even mean. The Biden administration has accused China of “genocide” in Xinjiang directed against the autonomous region’s Uyghur Muslims.

Heidi Shierholz, Economic Policy Institute | video screenshotWASHINGTON—Why can’t workers get ahead? Headquarters controls everything and is responsible for nothing, including workers’ wages and working conditions. “There are a variety of ways to make work more competitive,” for workers, Boushey argued. Doing so would not only benefit individual workers, but the economy as a whole, by unleashing more earning power of workers who previously suffered. “Provide reliable child care, too,” so she has the freedom to work, Boushey noted.

As The New York Times reported on November 13, 2021, a U.S. attack jet unleashed its payload on the civilian encampment. The New York Times article also noted that the Pentagon failed to keep track of the numerous reports of civilian casualties and usually failed to follow through with investigations. New technologies have made bombing far more accurate than in World War II, the Korean War, or the Vietnam War. During those wars, the United States regularly engaged in carpet bombing of major urban areas—at the cost of hundreds of thousands of civilian lives. For example, Congress has passed a series of resolutions defending Israel’s attacks on civilian areas in the Gaza Strip, the West Bank, and Lebanon, which have attempted to exonerate the U.S.-backed Israeli armed forces for thousands of civilian casualties.

Her testimony before Congress fueled calls for the breakup of Big Tech companies. In October 2020, following a sixteen-month investigation, the House Judiciary Committee released a 400-page report on the challenges posed by Big Tech companies. “The Big Tech giants are all creations of those shifts,” Stoller told Politico. But Khan’s FTC has only a limited number of tools that can be deployed against Big Tech. Or she could follow the advice of Stacy Mitchell—co-director of the Institute for Local Self-Reliance—and try to break up Amazon, Google, or Meta along business lines.

Since April, the United States and its allies have been stepping up their military support for Ukraine. Some of these red lines clearly lie in the creeping U.S. and NATO military presence in and around Ukraine, including in the Black Sea. Increasing U.S. and NATO military support for Ukraine may be dangerously close to crossing yet another one. If push comes to shove, Ukraine is simply more important to Russia than to the United States. Therefore, it makes no sense for the United States to risk triggering World War III over Ukraine, unless it actually wants to trigger World War III.

The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act that President Joe Biden just signed into law allocates $1.75 billion toward making public transportation more accessible for disabled folks. As of 2019, nearly 20 percent of all transit stations in the United States were not ADA accessible. But according to the Federal Transit Administration, as of 2019, nearly 20 percent of all transit stations in the United States were not ADA accessible. And transit entities have repeatedly shown that unless they are required to spend money making stations accessible, they won’t. But now, $1.75 billion will be available for the asking transit entities to make accessible stations that have fallen through the cracks of the ADA.

One group committed to the preservation of the integrity of electoral politics is Democracy North Carolina. Republicans in North Carolina are seeking to revoke that protection, which would inevitably create the potential for thousands of nullified votes. In 2016, North Carolina state Republican officials were shameless enough to boast of lowering Black turnout in the presidential election by 8.5 percent. Before the same election, North Carolina also closed twenty-seven polling places—most of them in Black and Latinx neighborhoods and on college campuses. The National Redistricting Action Fund, the ACLU of Wisconsin, and Democracy North Carolina are fighting for the survival of the democratic system.

There is no compelling evidence that national standards improve education. “The federal government is blocked from setting nationwide education standards,” Duncan and Bryant note. In other words, it would be much harder to pass any kind of national standards now because the last time it was attempted it went very badly. There is no compelling evidence that national standards improve education, nor is there reason to think that standards imposed top-down on a national level would be helpful. There is plenty of room to argue whether or not attacking public education was a winning stance in Virginia.

Most knew nothing about the Superfund site or the ongoing health threat. Like many communities of color, it’s near a landfill, multiple industrial facilities—and the Superfund site. An EPA aerial image shows the proximity James Fannin Middle School is to the Superfund site. On any given weekday around 3 p.m., students can be seen outside the school on the football and soccer field framed by the Superfund site. Molina hadn’t heard anything about the Superfund site, even though he’s lived in Grand Prairie his entire life.

“Texas’ population grew by 4 million people from 2010 to 2020, and 95 percent of that growth came from minority populations,” Gupta added. Decade after decade, since Congress passed the Voting Rights Act in 1965, federal courts have ruled that Texas lawmakers discriminated against minority voters with restrictive election laws and racist political maps. The Texas Legislature’s sprint through the map-drawing process this year is the state’s first round of redistricting in decades without a safety net. U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland also pressed for action from federal lawmakers in his comments announcing the DOJ lawsuit on Monday. “I want to again urge Congress to restore the Justice Department’s preclearance authority,” Garland said.

Months before Texas’ near-total abortion ban went into effect in September, officials succeeded in their years-long effort to kick Planned Parenthood out of the state’s Medicaid program. While Texas officials argued Planned Parenthood patients would be able to easily find a new Medicaid provider, in reality many struggled. And in 2013, they excluded Planned Parenthood and other abortion affiliates from the state’s Medicaid-funded women’s health program, booting 50,000 low-income patients from receiving care at their preferred provider. Planned Parenthood previously served 40 percent of patients in Texas’ women’s health program. “It is evident that Texas invented a host of bogus charges to push Planned Parenthood out of the program,” she says.

In a highly anticipated 8-to-1 decision issued this morning, the U.S. Supreme Court failed to block Texas’ draconian abortion law, Senate Bill 8. However, in a very small victory for clinics, the Court did allow abortion providers to challenge the ban in lower courts. “It’s disappointing that SB 8 is so blatantly cruel and unconstitutional and the court has decided not to grant us relief. It has been in effect since the U.S. Supreme Court refused to halt the extreme measure in September, inflicting irreparable damage on hundreds of Texans seeking reproductive health care. “The Court should have put an end to this madness months ago, before SB 8 first went into effect.

That’s really hard.”Sadat, a former linguist for the US and British governments, is one of about 53,500 Afghan evacuees staying at eight US military installations across the country. Thousands are still navigating this limbo without a clear end date, living in barracks or outfitted tents, awaiting the resettlement process. Many had built relationships with local partners such as landlords, employers, and churches, which would help in the resettlement process. Imam Ammar Amonette, who leads the Islamic Center of Virginia, said his congregation helped donate electric tea kettles to Afghans at bases in Virginia. These military bases may be a landing pad for Afghan evacuees well into 2022.

At the Group of 20 summit, the United States and its allies said they were “convinced that it is possible” to bring everyone back into compliance with the Iran nuclear deal. The JCPOA appeared to be achieving its goal of curtailing Iran’s nuclear program. But in 2019, Iran started breaching the agreement, and has since intensified its nuclear program, exceeding limits on its stockpile of low-enriched uranium and other provisions. For Iran, it may have dillydallied on coming back to negotiations to try to build its leverage by continuing to push its nuclear program along. Opposition to the Iran deal persists, especially among Republicans; as Sen. Ted Cruz recently tweeted of the Iran deal: “it is a 100% certainty that any future Republican president will tear it up.” This issue of US credibility is a real challenge, as it’s not something the US can easily deliver on, even if the Biden administration would like to do so.

After the US refugee program hit historic lows during Donald Trump’s administration, President Joe Biden attempted to revive the program by raising the annual cap on admissions to 125,000. In fiscal year 2021, which ended in September, the US resettled the lowest number of refugees in the history of its refugee program. Given that there is no guarantee that the next administration will prioritize the US refugee program in the same way, the Biden administration can’t afford to squander that chance. “I think that there is an opportunity to improve the system.”Refugees and refugee agencies need more assurance from the federal governmentTo meet Biden’s refugee cap, immigration officials and refugee agency staff need stability. “The way the refugee program is set up with a lot of authority given to the executive branch has proven in the last few years to be very unstable for refugee resettlement organizations,” Soerens said.

Early evidence suggests that the omicron variant is highly contagious, possibly more so than the delta variant. “I don’t think there’s any possibility that [the omicron variant] could completely evade any protection by vaccine,” Fauci said. Fauci says the Omicron variant hasn't been detected in US but he wouldn't be surprised if it's already here. “The question is: Can you slow it down?”While there are still many unknowns about the omicron variant, experts agree that it’s a troubling development in the Covid-19 pandemic. There are a lot of features here that have me and many of us concerned about this.”What do we know at this point about the omicron variant of the coronavirus?

The United Nations climate change conference, known as COP26, has already been one of the buzziest meetings of its kind. International conferences are opportunities for major progress in limiting climate change. However, lawmakers are still negotiating the Build Back Better plan that would allocate even more money to slowing climate change. The good news is COP meetings aren’t the only kind of global climate action, as was evident in the past four years. And some governments have concluded that the costs of leaving climate change unchecked far exceed the costs of reducing emissions.

Inflation moved back up, so that means off of the high level of prices, we have moved up, again, pretty notably. We look at lower inflation and say, “Yay, this is a good thing.” But lower jobs is bad. The American Rescue Plan [the stimulus bill signed into law by President Joe Biden earlier this year] was the absolute best policy, particularly in an environment with high inflation. There’s a trope about inflation that the Fed’s behind the curve; inflation hawks say the same thing over and over again. And sometimes it’s really good — half a million jobs really good.

Vaccines aren’t distributed equally: Rich countries have about twice the population of low-income countries, yet they have received about 50 times as many Covid-19 vaccine doses, according to an October report from the People’s Vaccine Alliance. How to speed up international Covid-19 vaccine distributionThe World Health Organization has so far granted emergency approval of eight Covid-19 vaccines for international distribution. All these hurdles get higher in countries that are unable to produce their own Covid-19 vaccines and have weaker health care systems. If you add the stark inequities in global Covid-19 vaccine distribution, you end up with a deadly combination. So scaling up manufacturing even further is crucial to getting more Covid-19 vaccines to low-income countries.

Share All sharing options for: What the world did and didn’t accomplish at COP26GLASGOW, Scotland — The high-stakes COP26 climate change talks in Glasgow concluded on Saturday evening with the strongest government commitments to fighting climate change in history. In fact, greenhouse gas emissions continued to rise in the years since. Greenhouse gas concentrations in the atmosphere are still rising, which will trap more heat for years to come. Coal-fired power plants produce one-third of global greenhouse gas emissions. The process is slow, but it still accounts for the biggest strides in mitigating climate change.

All of a sudden, it seems a lot of people are getting Covid-19 booster shots. The big argument for booster shots is that the protection from vaccines appears to wane to some extent. This is a problem to be solved upstream by policymakers, not individuals with personal boycotts of booster shots. Is the Johnson & Johnson vaccine an exception? We’re going to need extra doses of both as the world figures out what to do about booster shots.

The child care plan in President Joe Biden’s Build Back Better Act is arguably the bill’s most ambitious proposal. The bill would also steer an influx of federal cash to boost wages for child care workers and spur the opening or expansion of child care facilities. There isn’t enough licensed child care to meet demand in some areas, leading to many waiting lists and difficulty securing slots. Here’s the basic issue: It’s already quite difficult and expensive to find child care in much of the country. Still, those considering expanding or setting up new child care businesses might be wary about those federal funds being set to vanish.

Though coronavirus cases have risen across the mainland in recent weeks, Puerto Rico has avoided a spike, with cases and hospitalizations even trending downward. So, how was Puerto Rico able to insulate itself from political polarization around the virus and outpace the rest of the country on vaccinations? “The island has developed an expertise around addressing public health emergencies,” said María Fernanda Levis-Peralta, a consultant in Puerto Rico working on improving systems for public health delivery. In November 2020, before the vaccines were available to the public, the Puerto Rico Public Health Trust conducted a study in partnership with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Puerto Rico Department of Health that found that only 57 percent of Puerto Ricans wanted the jab, Rodríguez-Orengo said. Puerto Rico made it easy — and for many, mandatory — to get the vaccineImportantly, Puerto Rico made it simple to get the vaccine for free, even for people who face mobility challenges or are in medically underserved areas.

In a November 2 post on Chinese social media app Weibo, Peng accused former vice premier Zhang Gaoli of sexual assault. Several dubious videos released by Chinese state media also failed to assure most of the international community that all was well. High-profile figures have disappeared in China beforeAlthough Peng’s disappearance sparked an international outcry, it’s far from the first time China has disappeared public figures. BREAKING: WTA announces decision to suspend its tournaments in China due to the ongoing Peng Shuai situation. Even Biden cannot do anything.”But expecting a case like Peng Shuai’s, explosive as it is, to create systemic change in China, Lü said, is missing the point of the feminist movement.

“It’s the honor of a lifetime to be designated to serve as FCC chair,” Rosenworcel said in a statement. It’s best known as the rule that forces internet service providers, or ISPs (Comcast, Verizon, and AT&T, for instance), to treat all of the data that travels across their networks equally. The term net neutrality was coined by Tim Wu, who, incidentally, is currently serving as Biden’s adviser on technology and competition policy. Net neutrality opponents believe the rule stifles innovation and discourages internet service providers from investing in their networks. The pandemic made it obvious that broadband internet access was no longer a luxury, it is an essential service.

It’s the first known incident of the technology being used against American officials, although it’s not yet known which of NSO Group’s clients hacked the devices. Among other incidents, Pegasus was allegedly used to surveil Saudi dissident and Washington Post columnist Jamal Khashoggi before his murder in October 2018. In November, NSO Group was placed on the Commerce Department’s “entity list,” which severely restricts the export of American technologies that could be used by NSO Group to support Pegasus and similar projects. “There is overwhelming evidence that Pegasus spyware has been repeatedly used by abusive governments to clamp down on peaceful human rights defenders, activists, and perceived critics,” Deborah Brown, a senior digital researcher and advocate for Human Rights Watch, said. International opprobrium isn’t NSO Group’s only problem, either: According to recent reports, the firm is $500 million in debt and risks defaulting.

Last May, Texas Instruments started construction on a $3.1 billion chip plant near its Dallas headquarters and may finalize plans for another facility soon. President Joe Biden is eager to bolster the resilience of the country’s chip supply, which government officials believe is critical to national security. Whether a new wave of chip manufacturing could help the US expand its role as a global high-tech manufacturing center is unclear. These subsidies may be critical to preventing the US’s share of global chip manufacturing from declining even further. Right now, only 12 percent of the world’s chip production occurs in the US, a steep drop from the 37 percent share of chip manufacturing that took place in the US in 1990.

Critical equipment, like shipping containers and truck chassis, is unavailable, causing distribution centers to develop deep backlogs. Even changing the US Department of Transportation’s age- and drug-testing rules for truck drivers could make taking these jobs easier. Recode asked more than a dozen supply chain leaders and experts how to fix US logistics in the coming months. To fix these shortages and delays, companies across the supply chain need to work together, and the government needs to step in where it can. After all, the pandemic isn’t the first supply chain disruption ever, and it probably won’t be the last.

The announcement marks a change in Apple’s repair policies and a big step forward for the right-to-repair movement. At the same time, the new program shows how Apple still wants these self-service repairs to happen on its own terms. At the beginning of the program, Apple will sell more than 200 different parts or tools for fixing its iPhone 12 and 13 lineups. Apple has also suggested that the security and privacy of its devices could be compromised by non-authorized repairs. By controlling the parts marketplace, Apple can also decide when devices go obsolete.”This is not the first time Apple has adjusted its strategy to get ahead of potential regulations or legal action.

So what can be done to fix Facebook? In each, Recode asked, “How would you fix Facebook?” Each expert defined on their own what they believe are Facebook’s biggest problems, as well as how they would fix them. “If we want Facebook and Instagram to be responsible and safer, then I don’t think you can have [Zuckerberg] and the current leadership team leading the company”How would you fix Facebook? Roger McNamee, early Facebook investor and member of “the real Facebook oversight board”Roger McNamee is an early Facebook investor and former adviser to Mark Zuckerberg. It can’t be voluntary any longer; it does not work.”How would you fix Facebook?

As extreme weather caused by climate change becomes the new normal, it’s clear the US’s power infrastructure needs fixing more than ever. The grid, briefly explainedSometimes called the largest machine in the world, the American power grid is a sprawling behemoth of interconnected systems, strung together over thousands of miles, that mishmashes technologies old and new. One way to make that happen, Baker explains, is to make the grid smart. Grid hardening and building out a smart grid in the US would work hand in hand, and replacing infrastructure to make it more resilient is the ideal opportunity to add the kinds of sensors that could make the smart grid a reality. “We’re in the Motorola Razr stage of the smart grid transition right now,” Baker said.

Then there’s the question of how to measure what an effective pre-K program actually is: The proposal doesn’t lay out specifics on how to measure the quality of pre-K programs. Expanding high-quality early childhood education, namely pre-K programs, has been offered up as one way to close these gaps. Washington, DC’s universal pre-K program helped lead to a 10 percentage-point increase in labor force participation for women with young children. Plus, the cost of establishing or expanding universal pre-K could vary widely from state to state: Some states may have extra space to house pre-K programs, for example, while others may need to build from scratch. But in states like Georgia and Oklahoma, the pre-K programs experienced dramatic year-on-year increases in pre-K enrollment when they rolled out their programs.

A troubling buildup of Russian troops on the Ukrainian border has Kyiv, Washington, and pretty much everyone else asking if Russia is about to invade Ukraine — again. These troop buildups had intensified fears that Russia would invade Ukraine, throwing the region into conflict and the European continent into deep crisis. Russia could keep Ukraine on edge because of constant unrest in eastern Ukraine, and Ukraine could get aid and attention from Western countries because of Russia’s aggression. “Step by step, Ukraine was dragged into a dangerous geopolitical game aimed at turning Ukraine into a barrier between Europe and Russia, a springboard against Russia,” Putin wrote. Russia could ultimately outmatch Ukraine’s military, but it would not be a bloodless fight.

This diplomatic boycott isn’t a full-on protest of the games, and won’t prevent athletes from participating in the 2022 Olympics. All of this makes the US diplomatic boycott “more symbolic than substantial,” Zhiqun Zhu, a professor of political science and international relations at Bucknell University, wrote in an email. Republican Sen. Tom Cotton called the diplomatic boycott “a half-measure,” and wanted to pull athletes, too. But France, for example, has said it will not do the diplomatic boycott. In lots of ways, the back-and-forth around the boycott shows the challenges of responding meaningfully to China’s human rights abuses.

The man known by many as the “father of environmental justice” went to Scotland last month to attend and take part in COP26, the United Nations conference on climate change. It’s a term that I feel like people might understand instinctively, but as the father of environmental justice, I figure it’d be good to have you explain it. Environmental justice is nothing more than this whole principle: people have the right to a clean, healthy, sustainable environment without regard to race, color, national origin. Our principles of environmental justice may have been developed in the US, but they traveled well. And that’s how our environmental justice movement has been able to create more individuals that are practitioners that can do this work.

This is a decent metaphor for the current American approach to democracy where it counts the most — at home. In theory, the Summit for Democracy is supposed to be the crown jewel of Biden’s global democracy agenda. In the United States, we are experiencing failures on both the elite and mass public level. It doesn’t look like this.”There’s a similar asymmetry on the mass public level. The party leadership has chosen a political strategy that deprioritizes democracy reform, making partisans less likely to care about the issue.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has been tweaking its guidelines for testing throughout the pandemic, and recently added more details about Covid-19 testing for travelers. “The great thing with the rapid tests is that they save time, you get results immediately, they’re actionable,” said Greninger. To catch potential infections early, researchers say it’s worth stocking up and keeping some rapid tests on hand, if feasible. If you test negative but still have symptoms of Covid-19, your initial test could have been a false negative — particularly if the negative test was a less-accurate rapid test. The Biden administration recently announced that it is paying nearly $2 billion for 280 million rapid Covid-19 tests.

In Washington, there’s sharp disagreement about what exactly is responsible for surging inflation, and what the government can — or should — do about it. Biden painted a relatively optimistic picture Friday, telling reporters he believes inflation has reached its peak. “I think you’ll see it change sooner, quicker, more rapidly than people think,” Biden said. “I don’t think [inflation] is changing very much any time soon,” Jason Furman, the former chair of the White House Council of Economic Advisers, told MSNBC Friday. Beyond monetary policy, though, the other massive piece of the puzzle is the supply chain — and that’s something politicians and policymakers have much less control over.

“What Apple realized is that if they could control the App Store, they really control the rest of the game,” Daniel Hanley, senior legal analyst at Open Markets Institute, an anti-monopoly advocacy group, told Recode. That’s how much control Apple has over its devices and, by extension, a considerable part of the global economy. Apple, the app store pioneer, was the one that set that 30 percent app store commission rate in the first place. Apple does have a monopoly on app stores on Apple devices, but there’s nothing necessarily illegal about that. They could prefer or trust the security and privacy protections in the App Store over those of, say, a Facebook app store.

The following, in no particular order, is a look at some of the most noteworthy moments in 2021 when people stood up for the afflicted. While not exhaustive, these photos demonstrate what can happen when a collective is courageous enough to support the least powerful among us. The protests, called some of the largest in world history, began in 2020 but continued into early 2021. The years-long battle was aided by mental health and women's rights activists who used Spears' experiences as an example of the coercive, often abusive, state of mental health care for women. Britney's supporters and mental health advocates came out in force outside the Los Angeles courthouse.

“It is central,” Senate Majority Leader Charles E. Schumer (N.Y.) said Monday in an interview with MSNBC, saying he agrees with Biden that pursuing a bold environmental agenda will also be good for the economy. “One of the things that’s always pained me is that so many working people think climate [action] will leave them out, when it actually will increase the number of good-paying jobs, as long as we make sure it’s American jobs.”

That was almost three times EPA’s action level, which would normally have required an investigation and cleanup. That was almost three times EPA’s action level, which would normally have required an investigation and cleanup. Here is a breakdown of the worst cases, by state, using EPA’s adjusted annual averages:Louisiana had five refineries with benzene over the EPA action level in 2020. Texas had three refineries with benzene over the action level in 2020. Air Alliance Houston is a non-profit advocacy organization working to reduce the public health impacts of air pollution and advance environmental justice.

The result is an unparalleled view of how toxic air blooms around industrial facilities and spreads into nearby neighborhoods. Our analysis found that ethylene oxide is the biggest contributor to excess industrial cancer risk from air pollutants nationwide. In predominantly Black census tracts, the estimated cancer risk from toxic air pollution is more than double that of majority-white tracts. Dow is the single biggest contributor to hot spots of toxic air pollution in the nation, according to our analysis. But 187 other dangerous chemicals, now known as hazardous air pollutants or air toxics, never got this level of attention.

Trump has had a similarly fraught relationship with Wray. The Post reported last month that the president was considering firing the FBI director over frustrations that federal law enforcement officials were not delivering a last-minute boost to his campaign as they did in 2016 when they reopened a probe into Hillary Clinton’s emails. Trump, The Post reported, had hoped the FBI would announce a similar last-minute announcement of an investigation into Biden and son Hunter.

In November, anonymous users interrupted a virtual panel discussing the oppression of the Uyghurs Muslim minority group in Xinjiang, China. Because his account was not linked with Brandeis, Grinis explained, Information Technology Services was unable to identify those responsible for the attack, including whether they were Brandeis students. She spoke to the Justice on Dec. 14 about the panel, which Asat said she did not expect to be disrupted. Asat also received emails from three different students telling her that they had seen Brandeis students planning this Zoom-bombing on WeChat. The students apologized for not having the courage to try to stop the disruption of the panel, Asat said.

Utah is the most charitable state in the nation, according to an analysis by WalletHub.com. The state ranked No. 5 in charitable giving (trailing New York, Georgia, Virginia, Colorado), which made for an overall No. The WalletHub analysis also found that, overall, blue states are typically more generous than red states. Most charitable states in America1.

The Real Estate Roundtable continued to weigh in with lawmakers with concerns on a number of Biden administration tax proposals as the House Ways and Means Committee prepared to mark-up tax measures early next week that may potentially affect commercial real estate. ( , August 24) Ways and Means Chairman Richard Neal (D-MA) expects to release details on his revenue proposals over the weekend. ( , Sept. 9) Ways and Means member Stephanie Murphy (D-FL) stated this week she will vote against the committee’s measures unless more time is available to review the proposals. Employers coalition, which wrote to Ways and Means Chairman Neal on Sept. 8 about new Biden tax proposals affecting individually- and family-owned businesses. Roundtable members are encouraged to contact the Ways and Means Committee directly about the Biden tax proposals.

The Biden budget, if enacted, would stifle investment and cause a precipitous decline in US production of affordable, clean, and reliable energy. Changes to Current IDC Tax Policy Would be Detrimental to America:When an operator drills a well, approximately 15 percent of the costs are tangible (pipe, controls, etc.) Intangible drilling costs (IDCs) allow oil and natural gas companies to recover their intangible costs more quickly, freeing funds up to reinvest in development, resulting in more jobs. Additionally, most manufacturing assets are eligible for bonus depreciation, which also allows for an immediate tax deduction. About the American Exploration and Production Council:AXPC is a national trade association representing the largest independent oil and natural gas exploration and production companies in the United States.

Four years later, independent medical researchers say they’ve heard virtual radio silence from Soon-Shiong’s initiative. Hodson declined to disclose details about plans for the presentation, or to answer questions more broadly about Soon-Shiong’s initiative. Soon-Shiong’s moonshot serves as a reminder of how ambitious promises in medicine can raise hopes and generate publicity — but often fail to result in meaningful progress for patients. “Every time someone offers [cancer patients] hope, and that hope isn’t realized, it’s almost a slap in the face,” Agus said. “One doesn’t release cancer data and cancer results at the J.P. Morgan conference,” Agus said.

In response to the complaints, OSHA conducted two remote inspections, done via phone calls and emails. Hernandez herself became one of those cases in March, when she got COVID-19 and spent six weeks in the hospital. Following those complaints, OSHA issued citations for four violations, all of which the Postal Service has contested. The nurses are responsible for interviewing sick workers, doing contact tracing to identify exposed workers and clearing people to come back to work. He works for a PPE engineering company and said his employers always sent alerts when there were COVID-19 cases among workers.

Illinois’ Child Welfare Agency Continues to Fail Spanish-Speaking Families Two years after a ProPublica investigation, the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services still is not complying with a federal court order to better serve Spanish-speaking families. Early last year, the Cook County public guardian grew worried that Illinois’ child welfare agency once again was failing the Spanish-speaking families whose children were in its care. For 10 months, lawyers from his office counted the number of new cases that involved Spanish-speaking families. All of the assignments of Spanish-speaking caseworkers and services and placements are supposed to flow from this initial form. The court order, known as Burgos, requires the agency to serve Spanish-speaking families in their preferred language and place children in homes where Spanish is preserved.

The very next minute, Burr’s brother-in-law, Gerald Fauth, called his broker. DonateProPublica previously reported that Fauth, a member of the National Mediation Board, had dumped stock the same day Burr did. The precise amount of his stock sales, more than $1.6 million, is also a new detail from this week’s SEC filings. Burr defended his actions, saying he relied solely on public information, including CNBC reports, to inform his trades and did not rely on information he obtained as a senator. Burr participated in the stock market based on public information and he did not coordinate his decision to trade on Feb. 13 with Mr. Fauth.”

ProPublica found more than 1,000 toxic air hot spots across the country, and determined Black residents were disproportionately at risk. DonateIn an interview, Regan told ProPublica that he appreciated the urgency that the newsroom’s reporting brings to the EPA’s ongoing efforts to address environmental inequities. “It’s just not credible in this day and time to pretend that industry hasn’t taken many communities hostage and surrounded some communities,” Regan told an audience in Houston. “I want you to imagine what it was like when it was really Mossville,” Peters told Regan. “All of this is still Sasol,” Peters told Regan, as they traveled along another fence line.

This was the problem that quick, cheap COVID-19 tests were supposed to help fix. But not for people in Britain, who get free rapid tests delivered to their homes on demand. The test had compared favorably with Abbott’s rapid test, and received European Union approval in June. It hasn’t worked perfectly or averted lockdowns, but advocates argue it’s better than the U.S. alternative of rapid tests being nearly impossible to find. In September, the White House announced that Walmart, Amazon and Kroger would sell COVID-19 tests at cost for the following three months.

And because he reported negative income, he didn’t pay a nickel in federal income taxes over those 10 years. Carve-outs for real estate and oil and gas have withstood sporadic efforts at reform by Congress in part because there has been widespread support for investment in housing and energy. The commercial real estate and fossil fuel breaks have enabled some of the wealthiest Americans to escape federal income taxes for long stretches of time. New York-area real estate developer Charles Kushner, the father of Trump’s son-in-law, Jared Kushner, also avoided federal income taxes for long stretches of time. First, commercial real estate investors can avoid paying taxes on their gains by rolling sale proceeds into similar investments within six months.

The committee revealed the information in a letter to Meadows’ lawyers informing them of their intent to move forward with contempt proceedings. Meadows' attorneys argue the subpoenas violate executive privilege and lack legislative power in an attempt to delegitimize the congressional committee. Meadows could be the third Trump ally to be slapped with criminal contempt charges for defiantly refusing to cooperate with the committee’s investigation. Steve Bannon said Trump's lawyers directed him to claim executive privilege over communications leading up to and during the insurrection. Trump also sought to use executive privilege to block the National Archives from turning over information to the committee.

Charles Chiu, the director of the UCSF-Abbott Viral Diagnostics and Discovery Center and the scientist who sequenced the first confirmed Omicron case in the US. The Biden administration is expected to announce on Thursday that it will require all international travelers to test negative for COVID-19 within one day of their departure to the US. The Biden administration international travel requirement announcement came as part of a winter COVID-19 strategy released on Thursday morning. The fact that the person has mild symptoms and is improving "is a testimony to the importance of the vaccinations," said California Health and Human Services Agency Secretary Mark Ghaly. "We recognize that everyone is exhausted, and the news of a new variant can be overwhelming," California and San Francisco health officials said in a joint statement.

On Nov. 28, Francois Balloux, director of the University College London Genetics Institute, tweeted : “The omicron variant could be less, as much, or more transmissible and/or virulent than prior SARSCoV2 lineages in circulation. To answer this question, scientists will first conduct lab tests to see whether the Omicron variant is able to partially evade neutralizing antibodies. On Nov. 26, Moderna announced that it is testing three existing vaccine booster candidates against Omicron. The company is right now testing blood serum from its booster study participants to measure vaccine effectiveness against the Omicron variant. Oral antiviral drugs from Merck and Pfizer — which appear to be very effective at treating COVID-19 — are expected to work well against disease caused by the Omicron variant.

A border operation launched by Texas Gov. Since Operation Lone Star started in March, state authorities have arrested hundreds of undocumented immigrants on state crimes for trespassing. However, some people arrested under Operation Lone Star have not only been able to stay in the US but also file asylum applications. "Operation Lone Star is ironically allowing some of our clients to access asylum proceedings that Title 42 robbed them of." "I don't think [Operation Lone Star] is going to be an effective deterrent in the way they're envisioning it," Renteria said.

Federal investigation records obtained by BuzzFeed News show how one of the most pivotal mistakes of the pandemic fell on an overburdened CDC lab with only three full-time employees. They delivered them to the respiratory virus lab the afternoon after Lu’s request, at 12:51 p.m. Eastern time on Jan. 14. That meant the CDC test newly authorized by the FDA was aimed at too small a pool of people to actually spot an outbreak. “N3 failed to verify in 36 of 48 labs that tried,” his interview notes said. Pohl did not respond to BuzzFeed News’ offer to him to review the interview notes.

And these numbers mask huge disparities across African nations. By mid-August, COVAX had delivered about 200 million vaccine doses across some 140 countries, rather than the 600 million it had planned. Meanwhile, some rich nations have chosen to give vaccine doses through agreements with individual countries. Local difficultiesDifferences in African nations’ own planning and logistics have also played a part in the vast disparity in vaccine rollout across the continent. Elsewhere, a combination of local obstacles and late-arriving donations have forced nations to return or destroy vaccine doses.

Tornadoes also lashed Arkansas, Illinois, Mississippi, Missouri, and Tennessee, killing several people, wrecking buildings, and causing hundreds of thousands of people to lose power . More than 100 people may have died in Kentucky after multiple tornadoes tore through the state overnight, causing damage in more than a dozen counties and destroying entire towns, the governor said. Heavy damage is seen downtown after a tornado swept through the area in Mayfield, Kentucky. "We have half of some of our towns here in western Kentucky that are just gone," Beshear told CNN. In Tennessee, three people were killed, according to the Tennessee Emergency Management Agency — two in Lake County and one in Obion County.

Hong Kong (CNN Business) SenseTime is postponing its big stock market debut after once again getting caught up in tensions between the United States and China. The Chinese artificial intelligence startup announced Monday that it would delay its widely anticipated initial public offering in Hong Kong, where it had planned to raise up to $767 million. It was set to start trading as soon as this week. On Friday, the US Treasury Department placed the firm on a list of "Chinese military-industrial complex companies," in which US President Joe Biden has banned Americans from investing. The US Treasury said that SenseTime was sanctioned because of the role its technology plays in enabling human rights abuses against the Uyghurs and other Muslim minorities in Xinjiang — accusations that SenseTime has strongly denied.

WASHINGTON — President Biden this week will lobby Sen. Joe Manchin, the centrist West Virginia Democrat, in an attempt to lock in a deal on a roughly $2 trillion social-policy and climate bill that Democrats hope to finish by Christmas. Washington Watch: Biden redoubles Build Back Better push as Republicans claim inflation rate demonstrates Democrats’ ‘incompetence’Passage hinges largely on the support of Manchin, who hasn’t endorsed the legislation. He has repeatedly raised concerns about the cost of the bill and the potential effect of new government spending on inflation. Messrs. Biden and Manchin plan to talk early this week, a Senate aide said. Sen. Joe Manchin leaves an October meeting in Sen. Kyrsten Sinema’s office at the Capitol.

"Everybody had more than enough opportunity to get vaccinated," Polis told Colorado Public Radio on Friday. At this point, if you haven't been vaccinated, it's really your own darn fault." Photo by BRENDAN SMIALOWSKI/AFP via Getty Images"Those who get sick, it's almost entirely their own darn fault," he continued. Public health [officials] would say to always wear a mask because it decreases flu and decreases [other airborne illnesses]. The governor’s comments follow new restrictions instituted in several Denver metro area counties, including a "vax or mask" mandate, which requires businesses to either mandate masks indoors or require customers to provide proof of vaccination.

Cherie Jones, Virden’s girlfriend of 13 years, told the New York Post on Sunday that her boyfriend’s last text to her was almost 16 minutes before the tornado hit the facility. She said Virden had “20 minutes to get home” because the tornado did not touch down until 8.39pm that night. When asked by the Post if she thought Amazon was responsible for Virden’s death, Ms Jones said: “Not really. About 150 yards of the Amazon facility in Illinois collapsed as a result of the tornado. If they institute the no cell phone policy, I am resigning,” an unnamed Amazon worker at a nearby facility told the business news portal.

Satellite images of the tornadoes that swept through six states in the US show the extent of damage and destruction they left in their wake. Hundreds are feared to be dead across the midwest and the southern US following the string of strong nocturnal tornadoes overnight between Friday and Saturday. The winter storm began in the early hours on Friday and tore through tore through Arkansas, Illinois, Kentucky, Mississippi, Missouri and Tennessee. Images provided by Colorado-based space technology firm Maxar Technologies showed the destruction of the warehouse in Edwardsville, and before the tornado on 24 September 2021. It has also been noticed that the tornado alley in the Great Plains — where most tornadoes occur — appear to be moving eastward.

At least 70 people are feared dead in the US state of Kentucky after tornadoes tore through several midwestern states. The tornado hit a factory in Mayfield, Kentucky where 110 people were at the time, the governor said. Meanwhile, at least one person died after severe weather struck an Amazon facility in Edwardsville, Illinois, police Chief Mike Fillback told reporters on Saturday. Rescue efforts in Bowling Green and elsewhere were hampered by debris strewn across roads. Ward said numerous apartment complexes in Bowling Green had major structural damage, and some factories had collapsed during the storms.

Lora Capps was also on her tenth day at the job at the candle factory on Friday. 'Our Mayfield, Kentucky facility was destroyed December 10, 2021, by a tornado, and tragically employees were killed and injured,' CEO Troy Propes said in a message on the company website. That shatters the prior record for the deadliest tornado in Kentucky history, set in 1890 when a twister killed 76 in the Louisville area, according to National Weather Service records. The missing at the candle factory included Janine Denise Johnson Williams, a 50-year-old mother of four whose family members kept vigil at the site Saturday. Search and rescue crews work through the night at the Mayfield Consumer Products candle factory early Sunday in MayfieldEmergency response workers dig through the rubble of the Mayfield Consumer Products candle factory in Mayfield on Saturday.

South Korea: End to Korean War agreed to 'in principle' Published 2 hours agoImage source, Getty Images Image caption, South Korea's president Moon Jae-in has made engagement with the North a cornerstone of his presidencyNorth and South Korea, the US, and China have agreed in principle to declare a formal end to the Korean War, says the South's President Moon Jae-in. The Korean War, which lasted from 1950 to 1953, ended with an armistice and not a peace treaty. North Korea consistently objects to the presence of US troops in South Korea; the joint military drills held every year between US and South Korea; as well as US-led sanctions against North Korea's weapons programme. But the US has repeatedly said that North Korea must first abandon its nuclear weapons before any sanctions can be lifted. A bloody stalemate ensued and an armistice was signed between the US and North Korea in July 1953.

The star Fox News anchor Chris Wallace announced on Sunday that he was leaving for CNN, stripping the Rupert Murdoch-owned network of its most decorated down-the-middle journalist as stridently conservative hosts like Tucker Carlson have increasingly set the channel’s agenda. The network has pulled far ahead of CNN and MSNBC in the ratings with an expanded slate of right-wing commentary that denounces President Biden and defends former President Donald J. Trump. But some members of its newsroom have been unnerved by programming that has given weight to vaccine skeptics or amplified conspiracy theories about the Jan. 6 Capitol riot. The anchor’s objections, first reported by NPR, were confirmed on Sunday by two people who requested anonymity to share private discussions. He will host an interview program starting next year on CNN+, a new digital streaming platform.

The Biden administration’s efforts may not gain much traction if more countries don’t follow suit. But the international showing so far — hardly overwhelming — also underscores the risk that Washington would have seen even fewer countries participate in a full boycott, potentially embarrassing the United States as much, if not more, than China. Voice of America noted that winter sport powerhouse Norway will not join the United States in a diplomatic boycott, nor will NATO allies France and Italy. Eastern European governments like Poland and Hungary, with weak track records on human rights and an eagerness to court China as an economic partner, are also ignoring the boycott.

The White House Historical Association's 2021 Christmas tree ornament that honors President Lyndon Johnson hangs on a tree in the St. Regis Hotel in Washington, Friday, Dec. 10, 2021. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh)The White House Historical Association's 2021 Christmas tree ornament that honors President Lyndon Johnson hangs on a tree in the St. Regis Hotel in Washington, Friday, Dec. 10, 2021. Those memories and more come rushing back when Luci Baines Johnson looks at this year’s annual Christmas tree ornament from the White House Historical Association. Johnson’s wife, Lady Bird, had commissioned the watercolor for that year’s White House Christmas card. The 2019 White House Christmas ornament is one of those that depicts the White House, specifically the south side, to honor President Harry Truman.

At the candle factory, rescuers had to crawl over the dead to get to the living at a disaster scene whose aroma was of scented candles. Kentucky’s governor, Democrat Andy Beshear, attends a vaccination even in April at the University of Louisville football stadium. “We’re going to grieve together, we’re going to dig out and clean up together, and we will rebuild and move forward together. “It was indescribable,” Pastor Joel Cauley said of the disaster scene. Debris from destroyed buildings and shredded trees covered the ground in Mayfield, a city of about 10,000 in western Kentucky.

Ante la muerte de Vicente Fernández, Joe Biden, presidente de Estados Unidos, envió condolencias a su familia y a todos los que lo amaban, considerando que el mundo de la música pierde un icono. Puntualizó, que “El Gran Charro de Huentitán” será recordado por generaciones veniderasNOTA RELACIONADA:Fallece Vicente Fernández, 'El Gran Charro de Huentitán'“El mundo de la música ha perdido un icono. La música de Vicente Fernández creó recuerdos para millones. Vicente será recordado por las generaciones venideras”. The music of Vicente Fernández created memories for millions.

(AP Photo/Matt Slocum)Please, please don’t ever drop syndicated columnist Susan Estrich from your Opinion page. Yes, she is a liberal, progressive Democrat. And she’s also reasonable, adult and practical in her assessment of where we are as a nation. See her Tuesday column on “the Biden malaise.”I’d probably cross the aisle and vote for her. I like Ms. Estrich’s thought process and communication skills very much.

Spy agencies needed data scientists to process the intelligence, biologists to put it into context, and Mandarin Chinese speakers to help translate it. It was a high-profile example of a growing challenge within the intelligence community. The CIA is hiring over 100 language and science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) experts who can work with its newly formed China and technology mission centers. The CIA argues that joining the intelligence agency is an opportunity to serve the country and work with cutting-edge classified technology. There’s a lot of research going on,” he said in remarks broadcast to the intelligence community workforce.

The stickers — with Biden pointing to the $3.50 a gallon gas price and saying “I did that!” — are part of a Republican guerrilla campaign to undermine the Democratic administration. A 100-pack of the stickers is going for just six bucks on Amazon. You might see the derisive stickers up in New Hampshire, the swing state Biden is set to visit on Tuesday to promote his $1.2 trillion infrastructure package that just passed Congress. The gas pump stickers are similar tactics to what Democrats did to Republican presidents like Trump. Biden is also planning to spend some quality time in the little middle class enclave of Nantucket over the Thanksgiving holiday.

But according to new accounts and books about Trump’s last months in office, Pence simply would not say no to his boss. War with Iran, China fearedNine days after the November election, Trump asked advisers about launching airstrikes to take out Iran’s entire nuclear program. Just before the election, Milley took the unusual step of calling his Chinese counterpart to offer reassurances. “We are not going to attack or conduct any kinetic operations against you.”Beijing’s worries resurfaced after the Jan. 6 riot, and Milley called Li again. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi called Milley to ask how an “unhinged president” could be prevented from ordering a nuclear strike.

NATIONALPresident Moon Jae-in, who is on a state visit to Australia, answers questions at a press conference for the leaders of South Korea-Australia held at the Supreme Council room in Canberra’s National Assembly building on Monday. (Yonhap)President Moon Jae-in said during a state visit to Australia Monday that the Korean government is not considering a diplomatic boycott of next year’s Beijing Winter Olympics during a joint press conference with Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison on Monday.When a reporter asked whether Moon’s visit to Australia could give China a bad signal while Australia is in conflict with China and has announced a diplomatic boycott of the Olympics, Moon said, “We have not received any recommendations to participate in (the boycott) from any country, including the US, and the Korean government is not considering it.”Moon added, “The issue of the AUKUS (UK-Australia-US tripartite partnership) is a matter for Australia to decide independently as a sovereign country, and South Korea respects the decision.”The UK and Australia joined the US diplomatic boycott of Beijing Winter Olympics last week.He said Australia was striving for peace and prosperity in the India-Pacific region and does not want regional conflicts and disputes. “For regional peace, Korea will work closely with Australia. The state visit to Australia has nothing to do with (Korea’s) position on China.”“South Korea regards the alliance with the US as the cornerstone of diplomacy and security, but economically, relations with China are also very important,” Moon said. “China’s constructive efforts are required for peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula and the denuclearization of North Korea.”Korea is trying to maintain a harmonious relationship with China while building on a solid alliance with the US, he added.In response to a question related to the declaration of the end of the war with North Korea, Moon said, “The relevant countries, the US, China and North Korea, a

President Moon Jae-in said during a state visit to Australia Monday that the Korean government is not considering a diplomatic boycott of next year’s Beijing Winter Olympics during a joint press conference with Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison on Monday.When a reporter asked whether Moon’s visit to Australia could give China a bad signal while Australia is in conflict with China and has announced a diplomatic boycott of the Olympics, Moon said, “We have not received any recommendations to participate in (the boycott) from any country, including the US, and the Korean government is not considering it.”Moon added, “The issue of the AUKUS (UK-Australia-US tripartite partnership) is a matter for Australia to decide independently as a sovereign country, and South Korea respects the decision.”The UK and Australia joined the US diplomatic boycott of Beijing Winter Olympics last week.He said Australia was striving for peace and prosperity in the India-Pacific region and does not want regional conflicts and disputes. “For regional peace, Korea will work closely with Australia. The state visit to Australia has nothing to do with (Korea’s) position on China.”“South Korea regards the alliance with the US as the cornerstone of diplomacy and security, but economically, relations with China are also very important,” Moon said. “China’s constructive efforts are required for peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula and the denuclearization of North Korea.”Korea is trying to maintain a harmonious relationship with China while building on a solid alliance with the US, he added.In response to a question related to the declaration of the end of the war with North Korea, Moon said, “The relevant countries, the US, China and North Korea, all expressed their support in principle.”“However, since North Korea is demanding that the US withdraw its hostile policy against the North as a prerequisite, dialogue has not yet begun.” He added, “We will make efforts to resume dialogue betw

South Korea: End to Korean War agreed to 'in principle' Published 1 hour agoImage source, Getty Images Image caption, South Korea's president Moon Jae-in has made engagement with the North a cornerstone of his presidencyNorth and South Korea, the US, and China have agreed in principle to declare a formal end to the Korean War, says the South's President Moon Jae-in. The Korean War, which lasted from 1950 to 1953, ended with an armistice and not a peace treaty. North Korea consistently objects to the presence of US troops in South Korea; the joint military drills held every year between US and South Korea; as well as US-led sanctions against North Korea's weapons programme. But the US has repeatedly said that North Korea must first abandon its nuclear weapons before any sanctions can be lifted. A bloody stalemate ensued and an armistice was signed between the US and North Korea in July 1953.

Facebook executive Andrew Bosworth said in an interview aired Sunday that the burden of misinformation spreading on the social media platform fell on individual users. He softened his criticism days later, pointing the blame at the most prolific spreaders of vaccine misinformation. "Facebook isn’t killing people, these 12 people are out there giving misinformation. That cannot be the democratic answer," Bosworth said, noting "the onus is and should be, in any meaningful democracy, on the individual." Overall, 55 percent of people said they blamed the way “some people use Facebook” and 45 percent said they blamed “the way Facebook itself is run.”

Unbeknownst to many, we are already knee deep in the Second Troll War. Russian trolls, Fox and other private American propaganda firms all worked to defeat Hillary Clinton and elect the Demagogue. In that respect, the Demagogue, Putin and his trolls are on the very same page. And so we find ourselves in the midst of the Second Troll War. If our voters can learn these two lessons in time, we just might survive, if not win, the Second Troll War.

Also, more and more people will announce getting PSLF forgiven on a daily basis on twitter. Biden’s competence at natural disaster management, omicron management, vaccination/booster management, plus BBB being passed will boost his approvals to 45% by this Friday. Omicron variant will continue to show it is extremely mild and be relatively contained in this country. I am optimistic he will decide to broadly forgive $50,000 on Friday plus announce drastic reforms to existing non PSLF repayment plans for remaining debt owed. This week is the start of great things to come!

The Korean War, which lasted from 1950 to 1953, ended with an armistice and not a peace treaty. In September Kim Yo-jong, the powerful sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, signalled that her country could be open to talks, but only if the US dropped what she called a "hostile policy" against them. On Monday, Mr Moon said that North Korea had set this demand as a pre-condition to discussions. The UNODC has calculated that the opium business will have generated between $1.8 billion and $2.7 billion (€1.6 billion and €2.4 billion) in Afghanistan in 2021, about one-tenth of Afghanistan's economic output. The agency said the Taliban takeover in August 2021, and the resulting protracted economic uncertainty, drove opium prices in August and September to new highs.

On Monday, November 29, the parties involved in negotiations considering a new nuclear deal with Iran, the so-called '5 plus 1', will meet in Vienna. Steven Sahiounie (SS): Nov 29 is the date of the new round of negotiations on the Iranian nuclear deal between Tehran and the West. SS: The Zionist lobby in USA, AIPAC and others, are pressuring the White House to not sign a new nuclear deal with Iran. The issues against Iran, with the nuclear program, are split into two units. Each step that we take with the nuclear program corresponds with a civil technical program, not a military program.

The first to follow the US, like clockwork, was Prime Minister Scott Morrison’s Liberal-National government in Australia on December 7. It includes France, whose President, Emmanuel Macron, dismissed the boycott as “insignificant,” and Italy. With the US Olympics boycott call flagging globally, Dutton further ratcheted up the confrontation with China last Friday. The full “Americanisation” of the Australian military is proceeding apace. This bipartisan line-up on both the boycott and the military buildup is a warning of the plans underway for a disastrous war.

Ron DeSantis, who plans to deport illegal migrants flown secretly into Florida from the southern border by the Biden administration. A plane with immigrants from the southern border arriving early in the morning in White Plains, New York on October 15, 2021. Unlike New York authorities who ignored the story, DeSantis snapped into action and enacted laws to “protect Floridians from the Biden Border Crisis.”“You’re having 200,000 people illegally enter every month. A group of immigrants waiting to board a bus after arriving in New York from the southern border. But illegal migrants keep flooding over the southern border — 1.8 million this year at last count.

Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Sunday warned that there will be "massive consequences" if Russia invades Ukraine or continues to show aggression on their border. "And we’ve made clear as well that there would be massive consequences if Russia commits renewed acts of aggression against Ukraine?." BLINKEN ATTENDS G7 MEETING IN UNITED FRONT AGAINST ‘HOSTILE ACTORS’ AMID CONCERNS OF RUSSIA, UKRAINE TUSSLE"I think what people need to understand is that Ukraine is important, and we are resolute in our commitment to its sovereignty, its territorial integrity," Blinken said. Todd followed up by pressing Blinken on why "Russia amassing troops and terrorizing Ukraine" didn't trigger a response from the United States to "punish" Russia. U.S. officials maintain that Putin has not made a decision whether he will invade Ukraine, but the U.S. has warned against "high impact" economic consequences should he negate Ukraine’s sovereignty.

Press play to listen to this article Voiced by Amazon PollyJust in time for a global pandemic, cancel culture came for science. Social media companies took down legitimate discussion about public health measures. The Science Media Centre has run over 200 briefings for reporters on COVID-19, but there’s never been one about the lab leak debate. Put online just weeks ahead of the U.S. election, the declaration played into a raging political debate. Nazi doctorsThe pushback against coronavirus science isn’t restricted to one side of the spectrum.

By Alexander Ratz and Humeyra PamukLIVERPOOL, England (Reuters) -Russia faces massive consequences and severe costs if President Vladimir Putin attacks Ukraine, the Group of Seven warned in a statement on Sunday. U.S. intelligence assesses that Russia could be planning a multi-front offensive on Ukraine as early as next year, involving up to 175,000 troops. Moscow says the expansion of NATO threatens Russia and has contravened assurances given to it as the Soviet Union collapsed in 1991. In 2014 Russia seized the Black Sea peninsula of Crimea from Ukraine, prompting the West to impose sanctions on Russia. "We call on Russia to de-escalate, pursue diplomatic channels and abide by its international commitments on transparency of military activities," the G7 said.

Amy Coney Barrett told senators during her Senate confirmation hearing that laws could not be undone simply by personal beliefs, including her own. “I support Roe,” Collins said as she ducked into an elevator shortly after Wednesday’s arguments at the court. Market Pulse (September 2020): McConnell says a Trump pick to replace Ginsburg on Supreme Court would get Senate voteMurkowski declined a hallway interview Thursday at the Capitol and has not provided further public comment. Kavanaugh repeatedly told the senators under grilling from Democrats and Republicans that the women’s right to an abortion has been affirmed. Yet during this week’s court hearing Kavanaugh read from a long list of court cases that have upturned past precedents and questioned why the court couldn’t now do the same with abortion.

Russia's President Vladimir Putin gets into a car after a summit with US President Joe Biden at the Villa La Grange. Sergei Bobylev\TASS via Getty ImagesVladimir Putin said on Sunday he used to work as a taxi driver after the Soviet Union collapsed. He lamented the 1991 fall of the USSR, saying it was a tragedy for Russians. Russian President Vladimir Putin lamented the fall of the Soviet Union and said he worked an extra job as a taxi driver after its collapse to make ends meet. "Sometimes I had to earn extra money," Putin said.

Stocks with a link to EVs – especially to vehicle manufacture or charging networks – can be expected to gain on their political value. Bearing this in mind, we used TipRanks’ database to find two compelling EV stocks, according to Wall Street analysts. Both tickers boast a Moderate or Strong Buy consensus rating, and bring considerable growth prospects to the table. Wallbox’s products include the Pulsar home EV charging system, and several business, commercial, and semi-public systems, including the Copper charger with a universal plug and the Commander with a touchscreen for intuitive user interfacing. Looking ahead, the company expects to meet its guidance of $79 million in total annual revenue for 2021.

The expansion comes as COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations rise in Massachusetts, in what experts fear is another surge as winter approaches and people gather inside. Health care workers arrive in New Hampshire to help an ICU — 1:21 p.m.Associated PressMore health care workers arrived in New Hampshire this weekend to help relieve pressure at a hospital with an overwhelmed intensive care unit. New UK Omicron cases double as country plans daily tests — 10:51 a.m.BloombergThe U.K. confirmed 1,239 new omicron cases on Sunday, almost double the 633 cases reported the day before. — 3:31 a.m.By BloombergA little more than two weeks since Omicron’s discovery a lot has been learned about the latest coronavirus variant. Dan McKee has so far been reluctant to impose even as COVID-19 cases rise and hospitals feel the strain.

South Korean President Moon Jae-in said Monday during a visit to Australia that his government was “not considering” the boycott. (Bloomberg) -- South Korea broke from its US ally and won’t be joining the American-led diplomatic boycott of the Beijing Winter Olympics, citing a need for China’s help in denuclearization on the Korean Peninsula. Moon has made reconciliation with North Korea one of his key policy objectives and, if he wants to make progress before his term in office ends next year, he will likely need Beijing’s help. But China’s “constructive efforts” are required for the denuclearization of North Korea, and for the “peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula,” Moon said at a joint news conference. But North Korea was barred by the International Olympic Committee’s Executive Board from participating after Pyongyang pulled out of the Tokyo Olympics earlier this year, citing Covid concerns.

The Detroit NewsBeijing — China and U.S. had a “very good year” for collaboration on dealing with climate change, but Washington is still pushing Beijing to adopt more ambitious carbon reduction goals, the top U.S. diplomat in China said. China, the world’s largest energy consumer and biggest producer and consumer of coal, emits 27% of the world's carbon dioxide, the most of any country. China has at times appeared to indicate it would tie cooperation on climate change to other issues between the countries. While “no country is where we need to be" on carbon reduction, China plays an outsize role because of its heavy dependence on coal, Meale said. In an address this year to the United Nations, Chinese leader Xi Jinping said China would not build new coal-fired plants overseas.

Representatives of a candle factory in Kentucky destroyed by a tornado said far fewer people may have died than previously feared. Among the 110 people who were at the candle factory, eight have been confirmed dead and eight others remained missing, said Bob Ferguson, a spokesperson for Mayfield Consumer Products, which owns the factory. An aerial photo shows the destruction of the Mayfield Consumer Products candle factory Photograph: Tannen Maury/EPAIt was unclear how many factory workers Beshear was counting in the latest death toll estimates. “We’re still getting information in on the candle factory. Homes and business are reduced to rubble in Mayfield, Kentucky Photograph: Scott Olson/Getty ImagesShe became very scared upon learning that she was buried under.

It's just so upsetting, you know, to know that the town that you grew up in and everything, you know, memories, is all gone." Image: Kentucky's governor pledged help and moneyEven the buildings which are still standing here have lost their roofs. Kentucky's governor Andy Beshear was here today for a second day to support the community and pledge help and money. The rebuild he's pledged will take time, it will cost money, and all of this will stir the fractured politics here too. President Biden has pledged help and support.

South Korea broke from its U.S. ally and won’t be joining the American-led diplomatic boycott of the Beijing Winter Olympics, citing a need for China’s help in denuclearization on the Korean Peninsula. South Korean President Moon Jae-in said Monday during a visit to Australia that his government was "not considering” the boycott. Moon has made reconciliation with North Korea one of his key policy objectives and, if he wants to make progress before his term in office ends next year, he will likely need Beijing’s help. But China’s "constructive efforts” are required for the denuclearization of North Korea, and for the "peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula,” Moon said at a joint news conference. But North Korea was barred by the International Olympic Committee’s Executive Board from participating after Pyongyang pulled out of the Tokyo Olympics earlier this year, citing COVID concerns.

US emergency workers searched Sunday for survivors of ferocious tornadoes that killed dozens of people across several states and left towns in ruins, but the governor of hard-hit Kentucky warned that cadaver dogs were still finding bodies. David Norseworthy, a 69-year-old builder in Mayfield, said the storm blew off his roof and front porch while the family hid in a shelter. Still, she told NBC on Sunday, "there's always hope" of finding survivors among the missing. 'New normal'Reports put the total number of tornadoes across the region at around 30. Biden said he planned to soon travel to the affected areas, once his presence would not infringe upon relief efforts.

It began with a confab in Schumer’s car and continued long enough for McConnell to clear the way for Democrats to raise the debt ceiling Thursday afternoon. The war between House Minority “Leader” Kevin McCarthy and Speaker Nancy Pelosi remains hot. Since neither McConnell nor McCarthy has a beating heart, and only one has a brain, it’s hard to tell how much the congressional leaders don’t like each other. To the stoic McConnell, 79, McCarthy, 56, is a whippersnapper who worked in the district office of a Bakersfield congressman when McConnell was swiftly ascending the slippery pole to Majority Leader. That’s why McConnell speaking to the opposition and “caving” on the debt ceiling, as Trump saw it, is significant.

(CNN) Russian President Vladimir Putin told his US counterpart Joe Biden he would "really like" to meet for more talks, according to a video clip released by Russian state TV on Sunday from the leaders' virtual call on Tuesday. In a short video clip released on Russia 1, Putin told the US President: "We will definitely meet, I would really like that." Biden and Putin had tasked their respective teams with following up on their discussions about Ukraine when they spoke last week. Ahead of Putin and Biden's phone call, a White House National Security Council spokesperson told CNN the administration "will not hesitate" to address Russia's actions. The date and format of this possible meeting are not yet set, according to the Kremlin.

In the 51-page document, the committee said it wanted to question Mr. Meadows about an email he had sent a day before the attack advising that the National Guard would be used to defend Trump supporters. The committee, which is controlled by Democrats, is slated to vote on Monday to recommend a contempt of Congress charge against him for his refusal to cooperate with its subpoena. That charge carries a penalty of up to a year in jail. Before coming to loggerheads with the panel, Mr. Meadows provided more than 9,000 pages of records to the committee. The information they contained raised additional questions, the panel said.

A logo of SenseTime is seen during 2021 China Content Broadcasting Network Exhibition at China International Exhibition Center on May 29, 2021 in Beijing, China. Chinese artificial intelligence start-up SenseTime Group will withdraw its $767 million Hong Kong initial public offering (IPO) on Monday and update its prospectus after being placed on a U.S. investment blacklist, two sources told Reuters. The sources, who have direct knowledge of the situation but could not be named as the information was not yet public, said an official announcement would be made to the Hong Kong Stock Exchange shortly. SenseTime, which was placed on a U.S. investment blacklist on Friday by the Biden Administration, did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Three sources confirmed SenseTime's decision to pull the IPO in its current form, while two of those people added the company would update the risk factors in its prospectus with the aim of relaunching the IPO process.

(Updates throughout with more detail on the blacklisting)By Kane Wu and Scott MurdochDec 13 (Reuters) - Chinese artificial intelligence start-up SenseTime Group will withdraw its $767 million Hong Kong initial public offering (IPO) on Monday and update its prospectus, two sources told Reuters, after being placed on a U.S. investment blacklist. The sources, who have direct knowledge of the situation but could not be named as the information was not yet public, said an official announcement would be made to the Hong Kong Stock Exchange shortly. SenseTime, which was placed on a U.S. investment blacklist on Friday https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/us-issues-human-rights-related-sanctions-adds-sensetime-blacklist-2021-12-10 by the Biden Administration, did not immediately respond to a request for comment. However, instead of setting its listing price on Friday, as scheduled, it found itself in urgent talks with the Hong Kong Stock Exchange and its lawyers over the future the deal. (Reporting by Kane Wu and Scott Murdoch; editing by Jane Wardell)

Oil prices rose on Monday, extending gains from last Friday, helped by growing optimism that the Omicron coronavirus variant's impact will be limited on global economic growth and fuel demand. Brent futures climbed 53 cents, or 0.7%, to $75.68 a barrel by 0100 GMT, after rising 1% on Friday. They have recovered more than half the losses suffered since the Omicron outbreak on Nov. 25. Booster COVID-19 shots significantly restore protection against mild disease caused by the Omicron variant, the UK Health Security Agency said on Friday. Still, investors remained cautious on the U.S.-led coordinated release of crude reserve by oil consuming countries as well as tensions between Russia and Ukraine.

YUMA, Ariz. — Yuma Mayor Doug Nicholls says an emergency situation in the southwestern Arizona border city has eased with federal officials moving in additional personnel in response to thousands of migrants. “As it sits today, people are not waiting along the border wall for very long,” Nicholls said Friday, the Yuma Sun reported. Nicholls’ emergency declaration cited reports of over 6,000 migrants crossing from Mexico into the United States traveling through the Yuma area. Ducey on Tuesday demanded that President Joe Biden’s administration do more to secure the border. Ducey said the piecemeal implementation led migrants to rush to other parts of the border and cross into the U.S. before the policy is rolled out more widely.

In the current circumstances, deeper integration with the United States is profoundly contrary to Canada’s long-term interests, writes Dimitri Lascaris. On November 30, at Oxford High School near Detroit, Michigan, the United States suffered its 29th school shooting since the beginning of 2021. Of the 25 wealthiest countries in the world, the United States remains the only one that does not provide universal healthcare. As a result, the United States is, and has been for many years, the world’s largest military spender by far. A 2014 study by Princeton University Professor Martin Gilens and Northwestern University Professor Benjamin Page concluded, in essence, that the United States is now an oligarchy.

Liberal: Democrats’ Hispanic Voter Problem“The Democrats are steadily losing ground with Hispanic voters,” observes Ruy Teixeira at Liberal Patriot. “It’s not as bad as you think, it’s worse”: “In the most recent Wall Street Journal poll, Hispanic voters were split evenly between Democrats and Republicans in the 2022 generic congressional ballot. And in a 2024 hypothetical rematch between [Donald] Trump and [Joe] Biden, these voters favored Biden by only a single point. This is among a voter group that favored Biden over Trump in 2020 by 26 points.” Why? Right now, that’s not the Democrats.

"Sunday Night in America" host Trey Gowdy told President Biden to "switch parties" and experience what "nonstop negative press looks like" if he's unsatisfied with the current media coverage of his administration. WHY TARGETING TRUMP BY GOING EASY ON BIDEN IS INSANE FOR JOURNALISTS: KURTZ"Democrats complaining about media coverage? "Apparently, they believe that mainstream media is too critical when it comes to reporting on Joe Biden," Gowdy added, emphasizing the brazenness of their request. "I guess you could write a story where the headline was ‘murder cases soar all across the United States but Joe Biden is not a suspect in any of them,’ Gowdy said. "I guess you could write a headline that says ‘supply chain issues resolved in time for Christmas of 2024.’"If Joe Biden Kamala Harris really want to know what nonstop negative press works like," he said, "just switch parties."

Iran appears to be preparing for a space launch as negotiations continue in Vienna over its tattered nuclear deal with world powers, according to an expert and satellite images. The U.S. military, which tracks space launches, did not respond to requests for comment. Iran's civilian space program has seen a series of setbacks and fatal explosions plague it in recent years. Meanwhile, the Guard in April 2020 revealed its own secret space program by successfully launching a satellite into orbit. Lewis said he expects to see the space program accelerate given Raisi's interest.

Federal Emergency Management Agency Administrator Deanne Criswell laid blame on climate change for the deadly tornado outbreak over the weekend, claiming such disasters will be the "new normal" from now on. "The effects we are seeing of climate change are the crisis of our generation," Criswell said. FEMA IN ‘LIFE-SAVING, SUSTAINING’ MODE COMBING FOR SURVIVORS IN TORNADO DEVASTATIONCriswell's comments come after a tornado outbreak terrorized parts of the Midwest on Friday and Saturday, with more than 100 people feared dead and leaving thousands without power throughout much of Kentucky, Illinois, and Arkansas. I think there is still hope, and we should continue to try to find as many people as we can." Criswell's comments come after President Biden said it was too early to tell whether climate change could have played a role in the outbreak, saying he would have the Environmental Protection Agency assess the possibility.

Demonstrators protest in front of the White House in Washington, DC, on November 14, 2021, urging US President Joe Biden to support Human Rights. Canada and the United Kingdom joined the United States in imposing sanctions related to human rights abuses in Myanmar, while Washington also imposed the first new sanctions on North Korea under President Joe Biden's administration and targeted Myanmar military entities, among others, in action marking Human Rights Day. The North Korean mission at the United Nations and the Washington embassies of Myanmar and Bangladesh did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Myanmar, North KoreaThe Treasury said it was imposing sanctions on two Myanmar military entities and an organization that provides reserves for the military. Canada imposed sanctions against four entities affiliated with the Myanmar military government, while the United Kingdom imposed fresh sanctions against the military.

And the Omicron variant threatens to put renewed pressure on supply chains. That is encouraging given that unprecedented stress on supply chains has contributed significantly to historic levels of inflation in the United States. 'Trucking, trucking, trucking'Others are less optimistic. "For us, it's really about trucking, trucking, trucking. "Covid laid bare that we had really weak supply chains," said Fazili.

FILE - In this April 15, 2012, file photo, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un waves from a balcony at the end of a military parade at Kim Il Sung Square in Pyongyang, North Korea. But as North Korea’s first millennial dictator marks a decade in rule this Friday, he may be facing his toughest moment yet, as crushing sanctions, the pandemic and growing economic trouble converge. South Korea’s spy agency recently told lawmakers that North Korea’s annual trade with China declined by two-thirds to $185 million through September 2021. “North Korea is not going to surrender its nuclear weapons, no matter what,” said Andrei Lankov, a professor at Seoul’s Kookmin University. “Instead of growth, North Korea will have stagnation, but not an acute crisis,” Lankov said.

But as North Korea’s first millennial dictator marks a decade in rule this Friday, he may be facing his toughest moment yet, as crushing sanctions, the pandemic and growing economic trouble converge. If the nuclear issue doesn’t get resolved, the economy doesn't get better, and that opens the possibility of disquiet and confusion in North Korea’s society,” Park said. South Korea’s spy agency recently told lawmakers that North Korea’s annual trade with China declined by two-thirds to $185 million through September 2021. “North Korea is not going to surrender its nuclear weapons, no matter what,” said Andrei Lankov, a professor at Seoul’s Kookmin University. “Instead of growth, North Korea will have stagnation, but not an acute crisis,” Lankov said.

The White House offered no formal comment, but the State Department said "confusion" over screen-sharing resulted in Tang's video feed being dropped, calling it "an honest mistake." Tang's presentation included a color-coded map from South African NGO CIVICUS, ranking the world by openness on civil rights. Story continuesWhen the moderator returned to Tang a few minutes later, there was no video of her, just audio, and a screenshot captioned: "Minister Audrey Tang Taiwan." "They choked," the source said of the White House reaction. A second source directly involved in the summit said the video booth operator acted on White House instructions.

Sen. Tom Cotton, R-Ark., walks to a policy luncheon on Capitol Hill, Thursday, Oct. 7, 2021, in Washington. AP Photo/Alex BrandonDick Durbin apologized to Tom Cotton in order to confirm five US attorney nominees. Cotton disliked that Durbin interrupted him during a hearing on a Department of Justice nominee. While Durbin apologized to Cotton, he said Republicans attempted to block a vote on the nominee. Last week, Sen. Tom Cotton, R-Ark., refused to confirm the Biden administration's US attorney nominees in Democratic states until Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., apologized for interrupting him during a committee hearing in March.

Bay State first responders are on the road to help with the massive recovery efforts in the Midwest after historic deadly tornadoes ripped through many states and destroyed several communities. The question is if somebody is in the rubble of thousands upon thousands of structures. Kentucky is receiving a lot of help with response and recovery efforts, but the rescue efforts are a challenge because of the massive widespread damage, Beshear said. The two people on their way to the region from the Massachusetts team are a logistics specialist and a communications specialist. Charlie Baker on Saturday said the Bay State is ready to help with the response and recovery efforts.

The aftermath of a string of deadly tornadoes in Kentucky should be declared a major federal disaster by the US government, the state's governor is reported to have told Washington officials. Democrat Andy Beshear has formally made the request, according to Deanne Criswell, the head of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), which responds to disasters in America. Kentucky officials fear more than 100 people have been killed after twisters destroyed homes and businesses on Friday. Kentucky was the worst-hit state by far, but at least 14 people were killed in four other states. Image: Emergency services sift through debris near an overturned school bus in Mayfield, Kentucky, in the aftermath of tornadoes.

A video feed of a Taiwanese minister was cut during U.S. President Joe Biden’s Summit for Democracy last week after a map in her slide presentation showed Taiwan in a different color to China, which claims the island as its own. Tang’s presentation included a color-coded map from South African NGO CIVICUS, ranking the world by openness on civil rights. “They choked,” the source said of the White House reaction. Taiwan Digital Minister Audrey Tang | REUTERSA second source directly involved in the summit said the video booth operator acted on White House instructions. “It was clearly not to distinguish sovereignty, but the degree of democratic expression,” said Douglas Paal, a former unofficial U.S. ambassador to Taiwan.

An iHop in Arkansas hit out at Joe Biden in an in-store notice, which blamed his Covid-era unemployment policies for 'nobody want(ing) to work anymore'. A customer at a Wasilla iHop restaurant posted a snap of the sign, which blamed Biden for the restaurant having to cut back hours, and shared their disappointment at the chain's political stance. 'Hey, iHop my family and I genuinely enjoy going to your restaurants,' they posted on Twitter. The sign read: 'Due to the fact that Biden gave out way too much free money and nobody wants to work anymore. The sign was posted as the Biden administration said employers had added just 210,000 jobs in November.

A U.S. fast-attack, nuclear-powered submarine arrived in San Diego on Sunday with visible surface damage following a collision earlier this year in the South China Sea. It is pictured in a file photoWarshipCam posted a photo on Twitter of the USS Connecticut submarine returning to US soil Sunday, more than two months after it was damaged in the South China SeaUSS Connecticut The Connecticut is a Seawolf-class nuclear-powered fast attack submarine. On the day the USS Connecticut struck the underwater mountain there were soaring tensions with China after 39 warplanes breached Taiwanese airspace. 'The investigation determined USS Connecticut grounded on an uncharted seamount while operating in international waters in the Indo-Pacific region,' a spokesman said. It is pictured in a 2016 file photoThree people were fired following the USS Connecticut crash 'due to lack of confidence,' the US 7th Fleet said in a November 4 statement.

But according to new accounts and books about Trump's last months in office, Pence simply would not say no to his boss. War with Iran, China fearedNine days after the November election, Trump asked advisors about launching air strikes to take out Iran's entire nuclear program. Just before the election, Milley took the unusual step of calling his Chinese counterpart to offer reassurances. Beijing's worries resurfaced after the January 6 riot, and Milley called Li again. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi called Milley to ask how an "unhinged president" could be prevented from ordering a nuclear strike.

White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki is seen answering questions in a daily press briefing at the White House in Washington on Monday in this image captured from the website of the White House. (Yonhap)The United States will diplomatically boycott the Beijing Winter Olympics over China's human rights abuses, White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki said Monday. The US diplomatic boycott of the Beijing games, slated to be held between Feb. 4-Feb. 20, may further undermine South Korea's efforts to restart denuclearization talks with North Korea. The International Olympic Committee (IOC) earlier suspended North Korea's national Olympic committee for failing to take part in the Tokyo Olympic Games held earlier this year, which will effectively ban North Korea's official participation in the Beijing Winter Olympic Games. The IOC has said the participation of any North Korean athletes at the Beijing Olympics will be decided in the future when and if any North Korean athletes qualify for the games.

(CNN) Democratic governors are facing a messaging conundrum: they say American democracy may hinge on their elections in 2022, but they're not sure they can get most voters to care. Jay Inslee, who chaired the Democratic Governors Association in the flush Democratic 2018 campaign year, has a different horseman in mind. "Democratic governors believe that every single vote should be counted and that the results should be the results," said North Carolina Gov. As attorney general of Pennsylvania, Josh Shapiro is still in court fighting challenges to the 2020 results. There is no evidence of widespread election fraud in the 2020 election.

"The DPRK Central Public Prosecutors Office and court system reportedly are used to prosecute and punish persons for political wrongdoing in a legal process involving fundamentally unfair trials. The DPRK stands for the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, North Korea's official name. North Korea's Ministry of Social Security is a policing organization monitoring not only North Koreans but also foreign residents. The sanctions were the first U.S. sanctions targeting North Korea since U.S. President Joe Biden took office. The Biden administration extended a travel ban in September and retained North Korea in the list of countries of particular concern regarding religious freedom last month, but those were not additional sanctions.

In an article titled, "For Americans Shocked by Inflation, Argentines Have Some Advice" was written by Bloomberg reporters Patrick Gillespie and Ignacio Olivera Doll which included the suggestion that Americans spend their paycheck right away and borrowing more. If you can get a loan at a rate below inflation -- something that’s possible for many Americans today -- go for it. Twitter users soon reacted to the idea of spending more in the middle of rising inflation rates. "Bloomberg next week –‘Some of the advice on how to cope with rising inflation includes: Stop using cash and switch to bartering,'" Sen. Ted Cruz advisor Omri Ceren tweeted. As inflation continues to hurt Americans, some media figures have chosen to either ignore or insist that inflation is not an issue.

Dozens are feared dead after tornadoes and severe storms ravaged homes, a factory, a nursing home and entire towns Friday night and Saturday morning in multiple states, including Kentucky, Illinois, Tennessee and Arkansas. The White House said Biden spoke on Saturday with Beshear and the governors of Arkansas, Illinois, Tennessee and Missouri. We’re all Americans.”SEE THE DAMAGE:Tornado that tore through KentuckyTORNADO HITS CANDLE FACTORY:'A dire situation' unfolds in Mayfield, Kentucky after tornado, governor saysNational Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration satellite imagery shows many tornadoes were reported across six states. About 110 people were in the facility at the time of the tornado, Beshear said. Just over 70 in Kentucky were killed by an outbreak of tornadoes across several states in 1974.

No CPAC invitation will be in the offing anytime soon, but Vladimir Putin has picked up admirers on the populist right here and abroad that he doesn’t deserve. With Putin threatening to invade Ukraine, the Russian dictator will again become a top-of-mind concern. They think he has the right enemies, namely the same establishment that also scorned Donald Trump. Russian President Vladimir Putin sits during his talk with US President Joe Biden regarding Russian forces building up at the Ukraine border. Likewise, just because Putin is pursuing his self-interest in Ukraine, it doesn’t mean we can’t pursue ours.

At least 90 people were feared dead — most of them in Kentucky — after a series of tornadoes tore through the Midwest and Southeast, according to state and local officials. The rescuers are Derrick Starks, left, Chris Buchanan, center, and Niki Thompson. (Mark Humphrey / Associated Press)Destruction in Mayfield, Ky. (Brendan Smialowski / AFP-Getty Images)Tamara Yekinni hugs a friend outside a shelter in Wingo, Ky., after residents were displaced by the tornado. (John Amis / AFP-Getty Images)Emmanuel Baptist Church in Mayfield, Ky. (Brett Carlsen / Getty Images)Emergency workers dig through the rubble of the Mayfield Consumer Products candle factory. (Timothy D. Easley / Associated Press)The sun sets over tornado damage in Dresden, Tenn. (George Walker IV / Associated Press)A destroyed factory in Mayfield, Ky. (Gerald Herbert / Associated Press)

Satellite image © 2021 Maxar Technologies Satellite image © 2021 Maxar Technologies ? Slide ? Left : Russian forces in Soloti, near the border with Ukraine, on Sept. 7. Satellite image © 2021 Maxar TechnologiesKYIV — Tanks and other menacing self-propelled artillery. Satellite image © 2021 Maxar Technologies Satellite image © 2021 Maxar Technologies ? Slide ? Left : A closer view of the forces in Soloti on Sept. 7. Satellite image © 2021 Maxar TechnologiesThis weekend, Russia’s military held live-fire tank exercises with 1,500 soldiers in those areas and others nearby. Satellite image © 2021 Maxar Technologies A closer view of the Russian training area in Opuk on Nov. 26

“I can listen to her speak about equity, and walk away smarter,” said Miguel Cardona, the education secretary. Ms. Pringle is seeking to position her union at the forefront of the social justice movement — a tall order, some believe, for an organization whose membership is more than 70 percent white, with a large number of members living in purple and red states. Her success, she believes, is tied to having Mr. Biden as a partner. “It is not lost on me that I’m a Black leader in this moment, pushing this,” she said. Joe Biden talking about racial justice is no small thing.”

Denzel can do everythingDenzel Washington’s earned nine Oscar noms, two Oscar wins, Golden Globes, Tonys, Obies, SAGs, NY Film Critics, LA Film Critics etc., etc., and if downtown Madagascar digs up an award he’ll grab that too. Sony’s newie “A Journal for Jordan,” starring Michael B. Jordan and Chanté Adams, premiered at AMC Lincoln Square and even brought out our mayor the temp. Since George Washington whacked that cherry tree we’ve had killings, shootings and every war story possible, so why’s Denzel producing and directing another about a soldier in battle? Denzel: “It’s NOT a war story. “Listen, this movie didn’t come about like any quick TV film.

From President Joe Biden on down, the usual suspects are already rushing to suggest that last week’s deadly tornados are yet another reason the world needs to do more about climate change. Yet no science supports the claim that tornados or any other form of humanity-threatening extreme weather is on the upswing, let along links the supposed threat to global warming. — gets flogged as a reason for climate action, even though the worldwide death toll from extreme weather has been dropping steadily for decades. It’s just a false talking point that activists push because people buy it, and that the media hype because it racks up clicks. There is no indication that tornadoes are occurring more frequently due to the climate change.

First lady Jill Biden dismissed concerns about President Biden 's mental acuity as "ridiculous," during an interview with "CBS Sunday Morning." Touching on the president's plummeting poll numbers, CBS correspondent Rita Braver noted to the first lady: "Quite a few Americans have some questions about the president’s current mental fitness." "I think that’s ridiculous," Jill Biden responded. And, you know, we talk about what's going on every day and what's going on with our lives. Jill Biden said she believes that public opinion will "turn around" when they comprehend what the president is attempting to accomplish.

During an interview with CBS News Correspondent Rita Braver, Biden brought up Afghanistan, claiming that he opposed the war from the beginning and shifting responsibility for the disastrous withdrawal. Well, I've been against that war in Afghanistan from the very beginning," Biden said. Biden has repeatedly touted his opposition to then-President Barack Obama's "surge" of additional troops into Afghanistan when Biden was vice president in 2009. President Biden also twisted the criticism over his withdrawal from Afghanistan. "If there's American citizens left, we're gonna stay to get them all out," Biden told ABC News' George Stephanopoulos on Aug. 16.

Emergency response continues in Kentucky after deadly tornadoes in South and MidwestEnlarge this image toggle caption Brendan Smialowski/AFP via Getty Images Brendan Smialowski/AFP via Getty ImagesSearch and rescue efforts remain in effect throughout western Kentucky after multiple tornadoes decimated parts of the state on Friday evening and Saturday morning, leaving many communities destroyed. In that time frame, dozens of tornadoes moved across six states: Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas, Illinois, Missouri and Mississippi — including one massive storm that tore through more than 200 miles. Beshear declared a state of emergency Saturday morning. Hours later, President Biden approved emergency federal assistance for the state. Mayfield and Dawson Springs both fall near a storm path that barreled through six states in addition to Kentucky, including Tennessee, Arkansas, Illinois, Mississippi and Missouri.

The small Baltic nation of Lithuania has provoked China’s wrath by agreeing, among other things, to open a trade office with Taiwan under its own name. Nicaragua has broken diplomatic relations with Taiwan in favor of China, further reducing the number of countries that still recognize the self-governing island as a sovereign nation. As recently as 2017, Taiwan’s president, Tsai Ing-wen, visited Nicaragua, where President Daniel Ortega vowed to help build international support for the island democracy. Now, only 13 nations and the Vatican still recognize Taiwan, down from 21 in all at the beginning of 2017. Nicaragua ended diplomatic relations once before, in 1985, after Ortega first came to power, but reversed that decision five years later, under President Violeta Chamorro.

The expansion comes as COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations rise in Massachusetts, in what experts fear is another surge as winter approaches and people gather inside. New UK Omicron cases double as country plans daily tests — 10:51 a.m.BloombergThe U.K. confirmed 1,239 new omicron cases on Sunday, almost double the 633 cases reported the day before. There are 55 omicron variant cases in the state, after 10 were confirmed overnight, and more are expected as results of genomic testing are confirmed, the government said. The U.K. recorded 58,194 coronavirus cases on Friday, the highest number since January, though what portion were the omicron variant is unclear. Boosters provide 70% to 75% protection from Omicron, UK study finds — 12:54 p.m.By BloombergCOVID vaccine boosters improve protection to as much as 75% against the rapidly spreading Omicron variant, based on preliminary UK data.

After meeting with Ukrainian and Russian officials, Donfried will go on to Brussels on to talk with NATO and European Union allies. AdvertisementAttempting to rally unity among disparate the G-7 club of wealthy nations, Truss said that “free democratic nations” must wean themselves off Russian gas and Russian money to preserve their independence. Britain, which is not very dependent on Russian gas, is a critic of the pipeline. Truss also invited ministers from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations to the Liverpool meeting, though many were joining remotely because of the pandemic. AdvertisementThe U.K. chose a setting steeped in British history and culture for the G-7 event.

Deb Haaland visited Las Vegas on Sunday to promote water efficiency and recycling programs, rural water projects and grants while recognizing work ahead. Tanya Trujillo, assistant secretary for water and science for the U.S. Department of the Interior, left, holds hands with U.S. (Rachel Aston Las Vegas Review-Journal)Interior Secretary Deb Haaland addresses the media at a press conference to discuss the recently signed $1.2 trillion infrastructure package at Springs Preserve in Las Vegas, Sunday, Dec. 12, 2021. Rachel Aston Las Vegas Review-JournalInterior Secretary Deb Haaland addresses the media at a press conference to discuss the recently signed $1.2 trillion infrastructure package at Springs Preserve in Las Vegas, Sunday, Dec. 12, 2021. What’s in the lawThe infrastructure law, signed last month by President Joe Biden, contains $8.3 billion for Western water infrastructure.

LIVERPOOL, England — The Group of Seven economic powers told Russia on Sunday to “de-escalate” its military buildup near the Ukrainian border, warning that an invasion would have “massive consequences” and inflict severe economic pain on Moscow. Russia should be in no doubt that further military aggression against Ukraine would have massive consequences and severe cost in response,” the statement said. Truss said the G-7 was “considering all options” when it came to economic sanctions. In the U.S., reporters asked President Biden on Saturday about the possibility of sending combat troops to Ukraine, and he said that idea was never considered. “Are you ready to send American troops into war and go into Ukraine to fight Russians on the battlefield?” he said.

This week on the podcast:— The leaders of Russia and Turkey meet in Moscow on Thursday in a bid to de-escalate fighting in Syria which has brought the two countries to the brink of direct military confrontation. Financial Times Bureau Chief Henry Foy joins us in the studio to discuss what is at stake for both countries. The episode was recorded and edited at CM Records Studio in central Moscow. Read More:Russia’s Syria gamble under pressure as Turkey attacks in IdlibHawks say Sanders will be weak on Russia. But Putin should fear a President Bernie

HCL did not invent nor pioneer the exploitation of H-1B program; its exploitation of the H-1B program is standard industry practice, not an outlier. HCL did not invent nor pioneer the exploitation of H-1B program; its exploitation of the H-1B program is standard industry practice, not an outlier. These two protections work in tandem to ensure that U.S. workers are not undercut or adversely impacted by the employment of H-1B workers, and to ensure that H-1B workers are paid fairly. HCL employs the H-1B workers, with Disney laying off its U.S. workers and replacing them with HCL’s H-1B workers. U.S. Department of Labor, Wage and Hour Division, H-1B Labor Condition Application; H-1B Visa Reform Act, 2004 Amendments, INA § 212(n), 8 U.S.C.

The poll found that 69 percent of Americans disapprove of how Biden has handled inflation, while only 28 percent said they approve. When it came to the economic recovery, 57 percent said they disapprove of Biden's performance so far. ADVERTISEMENTABC News noted that Biden's approval ratings also dropped when it came to crime and gun violence, with 36 and 32 percent of those surveyed approving of his handling of those issues. These new approval ratings come as inflation rates continue to soar. It does affect families when you walk into a grocery store and you're paying more for whatever you're purchasing — it matters," Biden told CNN's Kaitlan Collins.

The High Court has ruled that Julian Assange can be extradited to the U.S. (Screenshot via YouTube)In a blow to journalism and free speech, the U.S. has won its appeal against the decision not to extradite Julian Assange. The recent journalistic disclosure, repeated graphically by defence counsel before the High Court in October, that the CIA had planned to murder Julian in London — even that was ignored. It is this institutional lying and duplicity that Julian Assange brought into the open and in so doing performed perhaps the greatest public service of any journalist in modern times. During these long years, I have sat in many courts as the United States has sought to manipulate the law to silence him and WikiLeaks. Who among us is prepared to stand up rather than remain mere bystanders to an epic travesty such as the judicial kidnapping of Julian Assange?

Satellite image ©2021 Maxar Technologies Satellite image ©2021 Maxar Technologies ? Slide ? Left : Russian forces in Soloti, near the border with Ukraine, on Sept. 7, 2021. Satellite image ©2021 Maxar TechnologiesKYIV — Tanks and other menacing self-propelled artillery. Those are merely some of the Russian forces and materiel seen in videos posted to social media heading toward the Ukrainian border in the past week alone. Satellite image ©2021 Maxar Technologies Satellite image ©2021 Maxar Technologies ? Slide ? Left : A closer view of the forces in Soloti on Sept. 7, 2021 | Right : The same view on Dec. 5, 2021 Satellite image ©2021 Maxar TechnologiesThis weekend, Russia’s military held live-fire tank exercises with 1,500 soldiers in those areas and others nearby. Satellite image ©2021 Maxar Technologies A closer view of the Russian training area in Opuk, Crimea, on Nov. 26, 2021.

The statement, representing countries with a hawkish outlook on Russia, such as the United States and Britain, and more dovish ones, such as Italy and France, is the latest effort by the Biden administration to rally international support for Ukraine as U.S. intelligence finds that the Kremlin has planned out a potential multi-front offensive in Ukraine involving up to 175,000 troops. Russia has denied having any such plans.

The plan puts the U.S. far behind other wealthy countries, several of which have for months offered free, rapid, home Covid-19 tests to residents. in other countries you can walk into a pharmacy and get a rapid test for free or less than $5 but here we have to pay $25 and…file for reimbursement? “Making testing free is clearly a good idea.”Britain and Singapore both deliver free rapid tests to people’s homes, and Germany began offering all residents free rapid tests in March. The White House has yet to say whether it will cap the amount that insurance companies will have to cover for rapid over-the-counter tests. “[The] federal government should make testing affordable for everyone.”Ocasio-Cortez suggested the insurance reimbursement plan offers the latest argument in favor of Medicare for All, including #M4A in her tweet about the issue.

Espionage Act under which Assange is charged is descended from the 1889 British Official Secrets Act. The Espionage Act replaced the 1911 U.S. Defense Secrets Act , which was based on Section 1 of Britain’s legislation, the Official Secrets Act of 1889 . The language of this section of the Defense Secrets Act is in places nearly identical with the Official Secrets Act. The 1889 British Official Secrets Act says:While the 1911 U.S. Defense Secrets Act says:1889 Official Secrets ActThe 1889 Official Secrets Act was enacted in the midst of continuing unrest in Ireland and British tension with Russia over Afghanistan, hyped by exaggerated press reports of Russian designs on British India. Just three paragraphs long, the language contained in the Defense Secrets Act is closely aligned with the Official Secrets Act.

“What we expect from the world is that the world will stiffen up in the spine a little,” Prystaiko said. The Azov battalion, now a regiment in the Ukrainian army, is known as one of the fiercest fighting forces­ in the pro-Kiev operation. It was, after all, the Russians who broke the back of Nazism in World War II as Hitler sought to subjugate Europe and destroy Western civilization as we know it. The fanaticism is present at the center of the Kiev regime, including its deputy foreign minister who speaks casually about a “full-scale war” with nuclear-armed Russia. The late investigative reporter Robert Parry broke many of the Iran-Contra stories for The Associated Press and Newsweek in the 1980s.

Completely reversing the roles of the United States and Russia might help Westerners understand how the Russians see 2014 events that reverberate today. The following pretend scenario, putting those exact events inside Canada, instead of Ukraine, and exchanging the Russian and U.S. roles, may help Westerners better understand what happened then and the roots of the crisis today. The Island