Skip to Content

Month: April 2021

Washington Post: Trump administration blocked investigation into delayed relief to Puerto Rico for 2017 hurricane

The Trump administration put up barriers that delayed $20 billion in hurricane relief aid to Puerto Rico and blocked an investigation into the delayed funds, The Washington Post reported Thursday, citing a 46-page inspector general report. Access to Housing and Urban Development information was delayed or denied during an investigation into the delayed relief to

Continue Reading

Officers respond to ‘direct action’ event in downtown Portland; suspect who dismantled crosswalk signals sought

Click here for updates on this story     PORTLAND, Oregon (KPTV) — Police are looking for a person they say dismantled crosswalk signals during a demonstration in downtown Portland Wednesday night. The Portland Police Bureau said it learned that a “direct action” event was planned to begin in Chapman Square Park on Wednesday. The bureau said

Continue Reading

After Ellison’s role in Chauvin trial, Democrats hope for investment in attorney general races

The role that Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison played in the conviction of former police officer Derek Chauvin for murdering George Floyd has given Democrats a potent argument for redoubling the party’s investment in state attorney general races for years to come. Democrats have long been seen as under-investing in down ballot races, ceding ground

Continue Reading

Infrastructure negotiations: Republicans to unveil $600 billion framework as Democrats try to iron out issues

The real work of finalizing an infrastructure package that can have widespread Democratic support on Capitol Hill is just beginning as the party must reckon with key differences between progressives and moderates on the scope and cost of the package — as well as GOP lawmakers offering their own alternative. While progressives are losing patience

Continue Reading

Is the US recovery approaching its peak?

Bolstered by strong data, investors are expressing plenty of faith in the power of the global economic recovery. But what if this spring is as good as it gets? What’s happening: Goldman Sachs analysts predict that US economic growth will slow after the April-to-June period this year. Meanwhile, Covid-19 infections are rising dramatically in crucial

Continue Reading

Only 2 ‘breakthrough’ infections among hundreds of fully vaccinated people, new study finds

For fully vaccinated people, the risk of still getting Covid-19 — described as “breakthrough infections” — remains extremely low, a new study out of New York suggests. Among 417 employees at Rockefeller University who were fully vaccinated with either the Pfizer or Moderna shots, two of them or about .5%, had breakthrough infections later, according

Continue Reading

After Ellison’s role in Chauvin trial, Democrats look to invest in attorney general races

The role that Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison played in the conviction of former police officer Derek Chauvin for murdering George Floyd has given Democrats a potent argument for redoubling the party’s investment in state attorney general races for years to come. Democrats have long been seen as under-investing in down ballot races, ceding ground

Continue Reading

Nevada secretary of state finds no ‘evidentiary support’ for GOP election fraud claims

Nevada Secretary of State Barbara Cegavske‘s office told the state Republican Party on Wednesday that an investigation had found no “evidentiary support” for its allegations of widespread voter fraud in the 2020 election. “And while the NVGOP raises policy concerns about the integrity of mail-in voting, automatic voter registration, and same-day voter registration, these concerns

Continue Reading

Can Bolsonaro be taken at his word on protecting the environment? A look at his record

World leaders meet virtually on Thursday to discuss climate issues in a summit convened by US President Joe Biden. Most highly anticipated perhaps is what the leaders of some of the world’s most environmentally consequential countries — including Brazil, China, India — have to say. But critics ranging from Brazilian environmentalists to American celebrities are

Continue Reading

Real Madrid president Florentino Perez insists Super League isn’t canceled, only on ‘standby’

Despite a ferocious backlash and widespread condemnation, Real Madrid President Florentino Perez says the so-called Super League isn’t canceled, only on “standby.” Speaking to Spanish radio station El Larguero on Wednesday night, the 74-year-old insisted the other clubs “haven’t left” the project and they would continue working to make the breakaway competition viable. The Super

Continue Reading

No charges in death of a Tennessee high school student after officer-involved shooting, DA says

No charges will be brought against the officers involved in the fatal shooting of a teenager at Austin-East Magnet High School in Knoxville, Tennessee, the Knox County District Attorney announced Wednesday. Knox County District Attorney Charme Allen, who also released security and body camera footage, said her office has reviewed all the evidence in the

Continue Reading

Protesters across Russia call for Alexey Navalny’s release on same day as Putin’s annual address

Russian security forces rounded up more than 1,000 demonstrators on Wednesday as thousands of people in cities across the country rallied in support of jailed opposition leader Alexey Navalny, according to OVD-Info, an independent monitoring group. The unauthorized marches fell short of the 500,000 protesters that Navalny’s team had aimed to draw, but big crowds

Continue Reading

Oklahoma passes a law that can protect drivers who run over protesters

Oklahoma Governor Kevin Stitt signed a bill Wednesday granting immunity to drivers who unintentionally injure or kill protesters while attempting to flee and which stiffens penalties for demonstrators who block public roadways, according to the Oklahoma State Legislature. The state Senate passed the Republican-sponsored legislation 38-10 last week. The bill makes it a misdemeanor punishable

Continue Reading

Four killed in car bombing outside Pakistan hotel where Chinese ambassador was reportedly staying

A car bomb blast outside a luxury hotel where the Chinese ambassador was reportedly staying in the southwestern Pakistani city of Quetta has killed four people and injured 12, according to local authorities. Quetta is the capital of the province of Balochistan, near the Afghan border. The province has seen a decades-long insurgency by separatists

Continue Reading

FDA report details flaws at Emergent facility making Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine

The US Food and Drug Administration said Wednesday that new production of Johnson & Johnson’s COVID-19 vaccine remains paused at the Emergent BioSolutions facility where millions of potential doses were contaminated, and the agency and the company are working through a list of potential quality issues. The FDA’s inspection of Emergent’s Bayview facility in Baltimore

Continue Reading

Chronic leadership problems have plagued oversight of DHS inspector general’s office, GAO finds

Management and operational challenges plagued the Department of Homeland Security Office of Inspector General for years, hurting its ability to effectively carry out its oversight mission, according to preliminary findings from the Government Accountability Office. Reports had to be recalled, allegations of improper conduct were leveled against senior leadership, and there has been frequent leadership

Continue Reading

Agents seize banned chicken lollipops manifested as men’s sweaters at airport

Click here for updates on this story     DALLAS (KTVT) — U.S. Customs and Border Protection agriculture specialists working at the Dallas Fort Worth International Airport intercepted a shipment of chicken lollipops, which are pet treats banned from coming into America. “Consumers are unaware that some international goods and products are prohibited or restricted because of

Continue Reading

Fact-checking Nancy Mace’s claim that DC wouldn’t ‘qualify’ as a single congressional district

A group of House Republicans spoke out on Tuesday against a Democratic proposal to grant statehood to Washington, DC, which does not have voting representation in Congress. Freshman Rep. Nancy Mace of South Carolina described the statehood proposal as a Democratic power grab. She said at a news conference: “DC wouldn’t even qualify as a

Continue Reading

Harris casts first tie-breaking vote for a Biden nominee after Senate splits on Pentagon pick

Vice President Kamala Harris cast her first tie-breaking vote related to a Biden administration nominee on the Senate floor Wednesday evening, voting to advance the nomination of Colin Kahl to be the Pentagon’s undersecretary for policy. The Senate deadlocked 50-50 on a straight party-line procedural vote to discharge Kahl’s nomination from the Armed Services Committee,

Continue Reading

GOP senator floats compromise on policing legislation as bipartisan talks pick up pace

The lead Senate GOP negotiator over new policing legislation is floating a compromise on a major sticking point that has derailed past efforts to curb excessive force by law enforcement: civil lawsuit protections currently afforded to police officers. The issue of so-called qualified immunity has been a flashpoint in talks over legislation aimed at imposing

Continue Reading