Texas governor says state will provide $250 million ‘downpayment’ for border wall
Top Texas officials penned a letter on Wednesday authorizing the transfer of $250 million as a “down payment” for the state’s border wall with Mexico.Republican Texas Gov. Greg Abbott last week announced plans to build a wall on the southern border to help stem the influx of migrants entering the U.S., declaring “While securing the border…
Biden, Putin agree to resume diplomatic operations
June 16 (UPI) — U.S. President Joe Biden said his first summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin showed the prospect for the two countries’ relationship to “significantly improve,” but warned against cyberattacks and violations of human rights. The two had a highly anticipated meeting in Switzerland on Wednesday on the sidelines of a G7 meeting…
China successfully launches Shenzhou-12 manned crew into orbit
The Long March-2F carrier rocket, carrying the Shenzhou-12, takes off from the launch site at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, in the Gobi Desert, Inner Mongolia, near Jiuquan, China, on Thursday. Photo by Roman Pilipey/EPA-EFE June 16 (UPI) — China on Thursday launched three astronauts into space on the Shenzhou-12 craft that will later in…
Will straight-ticket voting upset the midterm dynamic in battle for Senate?
ANALYSIS — Political observers all know the party holding the White House tends to fare poorly during the midterm elections. That is why the combination of redistricting and the midterm dynamic clearly benefits House Republicans next year.But reapportionment and redistricting don’t affect the Senate, and more importantly, a recently developing electoral dynamic — the surge…
Capitol Police teams were lacking in weapons certifications
Posted June 15, 2021 at 7:28pmThe U.S. Capitol Police had potentially deadly training deficiencies on one of the force’s most lethal weapons, yet another issue that has come to light since the Jan. 6 insurrection at the Capitol. The Containment Emergency Response Team (CERT) failed to comply with weapons certifications and the department’s First Responders…
U.S. fed funds futures raise odds of rate hike in early 2023 after Fed statement
FILE PHOTO: Federal Reserve Board building on Constitution Avenue is pictured in Washington, U.S., March 19, 2019. REUTERS/Leah MillisNEW YORK (Reuters) -Futures on the federal funds rate, which track short-term interest rate expectations, on Wednesday raised bets that the U.S. Federal Reserve will tighten monetary policy in early 2023 after Fed projections showed at least…
Republicans introduce bill calling for Dr. Anthony Fauci’s firing
Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., introduced a bill Tuesday calling for Dr. Anthony Fauci to be fired from his role as director of the National Institute for Allergy and Infectious Diseases. Photo by Tasos Katopodis/UPI.. | License Photo June 15 (UPI) — Republicans led by Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene introduced legislation Tuesday to remove Dr.…
U.S. Senator Rubio plans legislation to address Russia cyberattacks -letter
Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL) looks on during a Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee hearing on the nomination of Former Senator Bill Nelson to be NASA administrator, on Capitol Hill in Washington, U.S., April 21, 2021. Graeme Jennings/Pool via REUTERS/File PhotoWASHINGTON, June 15 (Reuters) – The top Republican on the U.S. Senate Intelligence Committee urged…
Columbus police say shooting spree was racially motivated
A 39-year-old man accused of shooting and wounding five people in Alabama and Georgia told police his assaults were racially motivated, and he was targeting...
Study: COVID-19 vaccine booster dose needed, safe for organ transplant patients, others
Some people, including organ transplant recipients, may need a booster dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, according to a new study. File photo by Jim Ruymen/UPI | License Photo June 14 (UPI) — People who have received an organ transplant may need a booster dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, a small study published Monday by the…
No breakthroughs expected from first Biden-Erdogan meeting
U.S. Vice President Joe Biden (L) attends a bilateral meeting with Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan in Washington March 31, 2016. REUTERS/Joshua Roberts/File PhotoU.S. President Joe Biden and Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan will discuss Ankara’s purchase of Russian S-400 missiles during face-to-face talks on Monday but there is little hope they will resolve a bitter dispute…
Biden to pick Cuban-born Navy veteran to be Navy secretary
President Joe Biden announced Friday he plans to tap Carlos Del Toro, a Navy veteran and CEO of a technology company, to be the next Navy secretary.Born in Cuba, Del Toro is a 1983 graduate of the Naval Academy who spent more than two decades in the Navy, including serving as the commanding officer of the…
Woman fails to prove the COVID-19 vaccine made her magnetic during Ohio House hearing
A nurse during an Ohio House hearing on Thursday tried to prove a debunked theory that taking the COVID-19 vaccine makes a person “magnetic.”Joanna Overholt tried to place a key and bobby pin against her body in an effort to prove that both would stick to her skin, though the attempt ultimately failed. Overholt was trying to attest to a conspiracy…
Exceptional western U.S. heat wave to bring days of dangerously high temperatures
The hot pattern could set dozens of new daily record highs through the middle of June. File Photo by John Angelillo/UPI | License Photo The magnitude of the heat expected across the western United States through the coming week will be one for the record books, according to forecasters. And it’s not just how hot it…
G7 leaders to sign anti-pandemic declaration
German Chancellor Angela Merkel (2-L) and U.S. President Joe Biden (2-R) are shown at the beginning of their meeting Saturday on the sidelines of the G7 summit, in St. Ives, Cornwall, Britain. Photo by Guido Bergmann/EPA-EFE June 12 (UPI) — G7 leaders on Saturday plan to sign a Carbis Bay declaration on health to prevent…
U.S. screens 2.02 mln airport passengers Friday
Travelers go through general screening at a security checkpoint at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport in SeaTac, Washington, U.S. April 12, 2021. REUTERS/Lindsey WassonThe U.S. Transportation Security Administration (TSA) said it screened 2.02 million passengers on Friday at U.S. airports, the highest number since March 2020 when the coronavirus pandemic slashed travel demand.It was the first time…
House committee unveils bipartisan Big Tech antitrust agenda
The House Judiciary Committee announced on Friday a bipartisan legislative agenda for regulating dominant technology firms including Amazon, Apple, Facebook and Google.The announcement by Reps. David Cicilline, D-R.I., and Ken Buck, R-Colo., the chairman and ranking member of the Judiciary antitrust subcommittee, brings full circle the efforts by lawmakers over the past two years to investigate…