Government

Chuck Schumer Declares Democratic Majority In Senate

Via press release from Sen. Chuck Schumer: It feels like a brand new day. For the first time in six years, Democrats will operate a majority in the United States Senate — and that will be very good for the American people. America is experiencing one of the greatest crises we have ever faced, and the Senate Democratic Majority is …

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Greece Appoints Its First Openly Gay Cabinet Minister

The Independent reports: Greece has appointed its first openly gay minister as part of a cabinet reshuffle. Nicholas Yatromanolakis made history after he was named the new deputy minister of culture on Monday. The 44-year-old was promoted from his role as general secretary of contemporary culture at the same department. The appointment which made him the first openly gay minister …

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FDA On Vaccines: Don’t Mix And Match, No Half-Doses

Via press release from the FDA: We have been following the discussions and news reports about reducing the number of doses, extending the length of time between doses, changing the dose (half-dose), or mixing and matching vaccines in order to immunize more people against COVID-19. These are all reasonable questions to consider and evaluate in clinical trials. However, at this …

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NYC To Open 250 Vaccine Locations By End Of Month

The New York Daily News reports: The de Blasio administration is ramping up COVID vaccination efforts — with a goal of administering 400,000 doses per week by the end of the month — and calling on the state to authorize more groups of New Yorkers to get shots. The city will also provide vaccinations around the clock as the number …

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BREAKING: Nancy Pelosi Reelected US House Speaker

The Washington Post reports: Pelosi was reelected speaker Sunday in a House contest marked by the absences of several lawmakers who have contracted the coronavirus. The 80-year-old California Democrat, the only woman in history to serve as speaker, secured what might be her last two-year term in the top post. She will lead a razor-thin Democratic majority in the House, …

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Israel Leads World In Percentage To Get COVID Vax

Axios reports: Israel has administered more COVID-19 vaccinations than any other nation, with over 1 million people receiving jabs — a rate of 12.59 doses per 100 people, new data from an Oxford University-run tracking site shows. As countries like the U.S. fall behind on immunization goals, Israel has given coronavirus doses to over 10% of its population of 9.2 …

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Pelosi Faces Difficult Vote For House Speakership

The Washington Post reports: House Speaker Nancy Pelosi will embark Sunday on what stands to be her most difficult term yet — thanks to a diminished majority, a potentially fractious corps of left-wing lawmakers, the jockeying of would-be successors and the legislative ambitions of a Democratic president. First, however, she has to get elected. The speaker election will be the …

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Officials Give Vax To Friends After Public Turned Away

Chattanooga’s NBC News affiliate reports: Hamilton County officials say miscalculations led to late-evening vaccinations in the Tennessee Riverpark on New Year’s Eve, long after people were turned away and told there were no more vaccines available. Acting on a tip, Channel 3 returned to the Riverpark after dark to find cars leaving the property. The people in those vehicles told …

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NYC Plans To Vaccinate 1M Residents In January

Politico reports: New York City will launch a campaign to vaccinate a million residents for the coronavirus in January, Mayor Bill de Blasio said Thursday. “This city can do it,” the mayor said. “The amazing health care professionals of this city are ready. We’re going to set up new sites all over the city, on top of the many, many …

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FDA Issues Recall Notice On “Potentially Fatal” Pet Food

Via press release from the FDA: On December 30, 2020, Midwestern Pet Food, Inc. announced a recall of certain lots of Sportmix pet food products after FDA was alerted about reports of at least 28 dogs that have died and eight that have fallen ill after consuming the recalled Sportmix pet food. Multiple product samples were tested by the Missouri …

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Cuomo Cuts Ribbon On New NYC Train Station [VIDEO]

Gothamist reports: Under a soaring vaulted skylight and a massive Art Deco clock, Governor Andrew Cuomo formally unveiled the new Moynihan Train Hall at Penn Station Wednesday with an official—and socially distanced—ribbon-cutting ceremony. “This is a work of art that we don’t build anymore. It’s too breathtaking and ambitious to ask, ‘Can we really do that?’ Many doubters said it …

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McConnell Slams The Door On $2K Stimulus Checks

Politico reports: Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell attacked the House-passed bill increasing stimulus checks to $2,000 on Wednesday afternoon, likely dooming the prospects of boosting direct payments as the 116th Congress comes to an end. The Kentucky Republican said the House’s proposal is too generous for higher earners and “does not align with what President [Donald] Trump has suggested, which …

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Canada To Require Negative COVID Test For Air Arrivals

Reuters reports: Canada will soon require that air travelers test negative for COVID-19 before arrival, federal ministers said on Wednesday, after social media images of maskless tourists prompted a call for stricter measures to curb the virus. “Canada will quickly implement the requirement for all arriving passengers to have a negative PCR COVID test three days before arriving in Canada,” …

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GOP Senators Vow To Object On $2K Stimulus Checks

The Hill reports: Republican Sen. Pat Toomey (Pa.) on Tuesday evening announced he would object to a request to swiftly pass House-approved legislation to increase the amount of direct stimulus checks to $2,000. Toomey is one of several Republican senators who would object to such a request, including Sens. Ron Johnson (R-Wis.) and Rand Paul (R-Ky.), according to a Senate …

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Congressional Staffers Next In Line For COVID Vaccine

Politico reports: Congress’ attending physician informed lawmakers Monday night that two staffers in every House member and senator’s personal offices are now eligible to receive the coronavirus vaccine. In addition, the Office of the Attending Physician is offering the vaccine to four staffers of every committee chair and every ranking committee member. The announcement, a memo from Brian Monahan to …

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Record TX Hospitalizations Spur Business Restrictions

The Dallas Morning News reports: Texas has set a new record for how many of its residents are in the hospital because of coronavirus, with 11,351 as of Monday. The previous high of 10,893 was set on July 22. Twelve of Texas’ 22 trauma regions now have high hospitalization rates, triggering an automatic dial-back of restaurants and businesses to half-capacity, …

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Cuomo Threatens $1 Million Fine After Orthodox Jewish Clinics Are Accused Of “Illegally Obtaining” COVID Vax

Gothamist reports: Health care providers who fraudulently obtain and distribute the coronavirus vaccine could lose their licenses and face up to $1 million in fines, under a new executive order announced Monday by Governor Andrew Cuomo. The threat comes amid a widening fraud investigation into ParCare Community Health Network, a chain of urgent care clinics catering to Orthodox Jews in …

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US House Votes 275-134 For $2000 Stimulus Checks

USA Today reports: The House on Monday approved giving Americans weathering the coronavirus pandemic $2,000 stimulus checks, substantially boosting payments from the $600 checks that were set to be given out as part of a COVID-19 relief package that President Donald Trump signed into law Sunday evening. The bill, which passed in a 275 – 134 vote, needed need support …

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Cuomo Reports “Dramatic” Jump In NY Positivity Rate

The New York Daily News reports: New York’s COVID stats skyrocketed over the weekend, but it remains unclear if the spike is a post-holiday surge or due to a dip in testing, Gov. Cuomo said Monday. The percentage of New Yorkers who tested positive for the virus rose to 8.3% on Sunday, a 3% uptick from two days prior, which …

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New York State To Extend Moratorium On Evictions

The New York Times reports: The New York Legislature is expected on Monday to pass one of the most comprehensive anti-eviction laws in the nation, as the state contends with high levels of unemployment and a pandemic that has taken 37,000 lives statewide. For months, tenants and advocacy groups have been dreading the end-of-year expiration of eviction bans that have …

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