No phone call: Some speculate Netanyahu “ghosted” by Biden
February 12th, 20210 WASHINGTON, D.C. — Though it took former President Trump a mere two days after his inauguration to call Israel’s Benjamin Netanyahu, President Biden is yet to do so. Biden has called many world leaders in the first three weeks of his presidency, including leaders of Russia, China, France, Japan and more. Israeli diplomats and...
Blinken stops short of endorsing Trump’s recognition of the Golan Heights as Israel
February 12th, 20210 WASHINGTON, D.C. — On Monday, Secretary of State Antony Blinken stopped short of endorsing the Trump administration’s recognition of the occupied Golan Heights as part of Israel, instead noting that the territory was important for Israel’s security. Former President Trump officially granted U.S. recognition of the Golan as Israeli...
“He can do this again”: Conviction remains uphill battle in Trump impeachment
February 12th, 20210 WASHINGTON, D.C. — On Thursday, Democratic impeachment managers urged Republican Senators to see the danger of a possible second election run by Donald Trump, in the historic second impeachment trial of the former president. Through three days of the ongoing trial, Democrats have run patched-together video evidence to make the case...
Census bureau admits problems arose in 2020 count, but confident in data quality
February 10th, 20210 WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Census Bureau Acting Director Dr. Ron Jarmin recently issued an update about last year’s census count. The update is on the quality of the data procured in the census count. “We cannot (analyze the quality of our data) in detail until we complete the Post-Enumeration Survey later this year,” he said...
Travelers could be fined $1,500 or more for violating mask order
February 9th, 20210 WASHINGTON, D.C. — The U.S. Transportation Security Administration (TSA) says travelers who violate President Biden’s latest mask order for domestic and international travel could be charged $1,500 or more. The TSA recently made an update to its original bulletin regarding Biden’s executive order on promoting COVID-19 safety in...
Dems point to “overwhelming” evidence of Trump’s misconduct ahead of impeachment trial
February 8th, 20210 WASHINGTON, D.C. — In a preview of what could be expected during the second impeachment trial of former President Trump, House impeachment mangers said there was “overwhelming” evidence of misconduct by Trump that led the deadly events at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6. "The evidence of President Trump's conduct is overwhelming,"...
Harvard Law Review elects first Muslim president
February 8th, 20210 BOSTON — The Harvard Law Review has named a Los Angeles-born Egyptian American as what it believes is the first Muslim president in its 134-year history, elevating him to the top of one of the most prestigious U.S. law journals. Harvard Law School student Hassaan Shahawy said he hoped his election represented “legal academia’s...
Paul M. Abbate named FBI deputy director
February 6th, 20210 WASHINGTON, D.C. – FBI Director Christopher Wray has named Paul M. Abbate as deputy director. As deputy, he oversees all FBI domestic and international investigative and intelligence activities. Abbate most recently served as the associate deputy director. Abbate joined the FBI as a special agent in 1996 and was assigned to the...
Biden seeks to raise refugee cap to 125,000
February 4th, 20210 WASHINGTON, D.C. — On Thursday, President Biden said he seeks to raise the annual refugee cap to 125,000, an increase that will take place in the beginning of October. Biden made the announcement during a speech at the U.S. State Department. Biden also said he would approve an executive order that would restore the U.S. refugee...
Lebanese American becomes exec. vice president at Universal Music Group
February 4th, 20210 SANTA MONICA — Lebanese American Will Tanous has gained a prominent promotion in the world’s largest music company, Universal Music Group (UMG). The company announced this week that Tanous will be serving as its executive vice president and chief administrative officer. Through its labels and subsidiaries, UMG manages the...
In retaliation for conspiracy-theorist Greene, some Republicans want Omar removed from committees
February 3rd, 20210 WASHINGTON, D.C. — As House Democrats sought to strip Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) of her committee assignments over a series of racist remarks and promotion of wild conspiracy theories, some Republicans decided to retaliate. House Republican lawmakers attempted to strip U.S. Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN) from her committee...
Time to reset our national approach towards domestic violent extremism
February 3rd, 20211 The past four years in America have been tumultuous regarding the internal security of our republic. Mass shootings, such as ones at a high school in Parkland, Florida and a Pittsburg, Pennsylvania synagogue, horrified Americans across the political spectrum. More recently, an alleged plot to abduct Governor Whitmer, which included a...
DHS: Undocumented immigrants will not be targeted at vaccination sites
February 3rd, 20210 WASHINGTON, D.C. — The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) said this week that federal COVID-19 vaccine sites will be off limits to enforcement actions, such as arrests for deportation. The department and its federal partners have vowed to keep the vaccine sites run by the federal government accessible to undocumented...
‘He invited us’: Accused Capitol rioters blame Trump in novel legal defense
February 2nd, 20210 Emanuel Jackson, a 20-year-old Washington area man, was caught on video using a metal bat to strike the protective shields wielded by police officers as they tried to fend off rioters storming the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6. Jackson, awaiting trial in federal court on assault charges, is now adopting a novel legal defense: Seeking to pin...
Moderate U.S. Republican senators urge Biden to compromise on COVID-19 plan
January 31st, 20210 WASHINGTON, D.C. — On Sunday, a group of 10 moderate Republican U.S. senators urged Democratic President Biden to reconsider his $1.9 trillion COVID-19 relief package, saying they wanted a meeting to discuss a compromise that they said could win swift bipartisan support. In a letter to Biden, Susan Collins (R-ME), Lisa Murkowski......
The “insurrection” and its discontents: “American exceptionalism” revisited
January 31st, 20210 History is being written in the United States today. Even the most pessimistic about the prospects of American democracy have rarely ventured out this far while offering a bleak analysis of America’s future, whether in terms of political polarization at home or global standing abroad. As shocking and, certainly, telling as the images...
“Dead on arrival”: chances of Trump conviction dwindle in Senate
January 28th, 20210 WASHINGTON, D.C. — A test vote on Tuesday showed the unlikelihood of support among Republicans for a conviction in the historic second impeachment trial of former President Trump. The trial is scheduled to begin Feb. 9, but an objection to the constitutionality of the impeachment of the former president was raised by Kentucky......
U.S. Senate aims to pass COVID-19 bill ahead of Trump trial
January 25th, 20210 WASHINGTON, D.C. — The U.S. Senate is aiming to pass COVID-19 relief legislation before former President Trump’s impeachment trial begins in early February, a lawmaker said on Monday, amid growing signs of agreement on the need to speed vaccine distribution. A day after some Republicans pushed back on the size of President...
Trump impeachment trial put off until early February
January 23rd, 20210 WASHINGTON, D.C. — The leaders of the U.S. Senate agreed on Friday to push back former President Trump’s impeachment trial by two weeks, giving the chamber more time to focus on President Biden’s legislative agenda and Cabinet nominees before turning to the contentious showdown over Trump. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer,...
North Carolina attorney becomes first Yemeni American to serve as judge
January 23rd, 20210 NORTH CAROLINA — Yemeni American Rashad Hauter recently recently made history by being appointed district court judge in the Wake County Judicial District Court. The online publication Yemenis of America announced that Hauter is the first Yemeni American to become a judge in the U.S. Hauter was appointed by Governor Roy Cooper...
EnvisionTEC, a Dearborn 3D manufacturer, acquired by Massachusetts company for $300 million
January 23rd, 20210 DEARBORN — Desktop Metal, a Burlington, Massachusetts-based 3D printing solutions company, has acquired the Deaborn-based 3D printing manufacturer EnvisionTEC for $300 million. With this acquisition, EnvisionTEC will operate as a wholly owned subsidiary of Desktop Metal. EnvisionTEC founder and CEO Al Siblani will continue to serve......
House Dems to send Trump impeachment article to Senate Monday
January 22nd, 20210 WASHINGTON, D.C. — Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer announced that the House's article of impeachment will be delivered to the Senate on Monday, as Senate Republicans hope to delay the impeachment trail of former President Trump. The single article accuses Trump of inciting an insurrection on the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6,...
FBI offering $75,000 for information on D.C. pipe bomb suspect
January 21st, 20210 The FBI is offering a public reward for tips that lead to the “location, arrest and conviction” of the person or persons responsible for planting pipe bombs near the U.S. Capitol building in Washington, D.C. on Jan 6. The reward is set at $75,000 and was originally set at $50,000. The FBI’s Washington Field Office posted the......
Biden issues mask, quarantine order for travelers coming to the U.S.
January 21st, 20210 WASHINGTON D.C. — In an executive order issued by President Biden, masks and quarantines will be required for travelers coming to the United States. In the order, Biden is requiring masks be worn in airports, on airplanes, buses and other forms of transportation and people who arrive into the U.S. from other countries are required...
Biden seeks to overcome vaccine shortage with ambitious plan
January 21st, 20210 WASHINGTON, D.C. — After kicking off his first day as president with a slate of executive actions, President Biden turned his attention to boosting supplies of the COVID-19 vaccine with an ambitious plan. Biden signed 10 executive orders as expected on Thursday. These ramp up the purchase and distribution of the vaccine, with......
