By , WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Initial deliveries of the newly approved Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine should start on Tuesday, senior Biden administration officials said on Sunday, saying they hoped to boost lagging vaccination rates among minorities.The officials acknowledged that vaccination rates among Black and brown Americans were “not where we ultimately want them to be”, but said measures had been put in place to boost those numbers, and sought to assure minorities that the vaccines were safe. Federal officials were also closely monitoring distribution to ensure it was equitable,...…By , WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Initial deliveries of the newly approved Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine should start on Tuesday, senior Biden administration officials said on Sunday, saying they hoped to boost lagging vaccination rates among minorities.The officials acknowledged that vaccination rates among Black and brown Americans were “not where we ultimately want them to be”, but said measures had been put in place to boost those numbers, and sought to assure minorities that the vaccines were safe. Federal officials were also closely monitoring distribution to ensure it was equitable,...WW…

By , , WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The White House is losing hope that congressional Republicans will back U.S. President Joe Biden’s $1.9 trillion coronavirus aid bill despite a campaign-style push that has won support from business leaders, local government officials, unions and voters.The administration has heavily promoted the “American Rescue Plan” as crucial to getting millions of unemployed back to work and children back into schools. The House of Representatives will vote on it as soon as Friday.But Republican leaders in Congress are seeking to unify their caucus in opposition to the...…By , , WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The White House is losing hope that congressional Republicans will back U.S. President Joe Biden’s $1.9 trillion coronavirus aid bill despite a campaign-style push that has won support from business leaders, local government officials, unions and voters.The administration has heavily promoted the “American Rescue Plan” as crucial to getting millions of unemployed back to work and children back into schools. The House of Representatives will vote on it as soon as Friday.But Republican leaders in Congress are seeking to unify their caucus in opposition to the...WW…

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By WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Top faith leaders from across the United States on Tuesday urged President Joe Biden to immediately withdraw a lawsuit filed by his predecessor to block $2.3 billion in supplemental income payments to some 300,000 aged, blind and disabled Puerto Ricans.Catholic Archbishop Roberto Gonzalez of San Juan, the head of Catholic Charities USA, and leaders from other churches called on Biden to use executive orders and back congressional action to attract more pharmaceutical and other manufacturing jobs to the Caribbean island, a U.S. territory of 3.2 million people hit...…By WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Top faith leaders from across the United States on Tuesday urged President Joe Biden to immediately withdraw a lawsuit filed by his predecessor to block $2.3 billion in supplemental income payments to some 300,000 aged, blind and disabled Puerto Ricans.Catholic Archbishop Roberto Gonzalez of San Juan, the head of Catholic Charities USA, and leaders from other churches called on Biden to use executive orders and back congressional action to attract more pharmaceutical and other manufacturing jobs to the Caribbean island, a U.S. territory of 3.2 million people hit...WW…

By WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The World Trade Organization’s incoming chief on Monday warned against “vaccine nationalism’ that would slow progress in ending the COVID-19 pandemic and could erode economic growth for all countries - rich and poor.Slideshow Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala told Reuters her top priority was to ensure the WTO does more to address the pandemic, saying members should accelerate efforts to lift export restrictions slowing trade in needed medicines and supplies.The former Nigerian finance minister and senior World Bank executive was appointed on Monday in a consensus process and...…By WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The World Trade Organization’s incoming chief on Monday warned against “vaccine nationalism’ that would slow progress in ending the COVID-19 pandemic and could erode economic growth for all countries - rich and poor.Slideshow Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala told Reuters her top priority was to ensure the WTO does more to address the pandemic, saying members should accelerate efforts to lift export restrictions slowing trade in needed medicines and supplies.The former Nigerian finance minister and senior World Bank executive was appointed on Monday in a consensus process and...WW…

By , WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The White House on Saturday called on China to make available data from the earliest days of the COVID-19 outbreak, saying it has “deep concerns” about the way the findings of the World Health Organization’s COVID-19 report were communicated.White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan said in a statement that it is imperative that the report be independent and free from “alteration by the Chinese government”, echoing concerns raised by the administration of former President Donald Trump, who also moved to quit the WHO over the issue.WHO Director-General...…By , WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The White House on Saturday called on China to make available data from the earliest days of the COVID-19 outbreak, saying it has “deep concerns” about the way the findings of the World Health Organization’s COVID-19 report were communicated.White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan said in a statement that it is imperative that the report be independent and free from “alteration by the Chinese government”, echoing concerns raised by the administration of former President Donald Trump, who also moved to quit the WHO over the issue.WHO Director-General...WW…

By WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. President Joe Biden on Thursday withdrew from consideration Donald Trump’s contentious nomination of Judy Shelton to fill a vacant seat at the Federal Reserve.Trump had hoped to secure Shelton’s confirmation before leaving office, but her nomination stalled after the Republican-controlled Senate failed to muster the required votes to move her nomination ahead in the confirmation process.Trump had re-nominated Shelton and over 30 other individuals for key judgeships and other posts in early January.Shelton’s nomination ran into trouble in November after a...…By WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. President Joe Biden on Thursday withdrew from consideration Donald Trump’s contentious nomination of Judy Shelton to fill a vacant seat at the Federal Reserve.Trump had hoped to secure Shelton’s confirmation before leaving office, but her nomination stalled after the Republican-controlled Senate failed to muster the required votes to move her nomination ahead in the confirmation process.Trump had re-nominated Shelton and over 30 other individuals for key judgeships and other posts in early January.Shelton’s nomination ran into trouble in November after a...WW…

By WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The coup in Myanmar is expected to dampen the interest of U.S. and Western companies in investing in Myanmar, and may prompt some big U.S. companies to pull out, trade experts and analysts said on Monday.Total trade in goods between Myanmar and the United States amounted to nearly $1.3 billion in the first 11 months of 2020, up from $1.2 billion in all of 2019, according to U.S. Census Bureau data.Apparel and footwear accounted for some 41% of total U.S. goods imports, followed by luggage, which accounted for nearly 30%, and fish, which accounted for just over 4%,...…By WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The coup in Myanmar is expected to dampen the interest of U.S. and Western companies in investing in Myanmar, and may prompt some big U.S. companies to pull out, trade experts and analysts said on Monday.Total trade in goods between Myanmar and the United States amounted to nearly $1.3 billion in the first 11 months of 2020, up from $1.2 billion in all of 2019, according to U.S. Census Bureau data.Apparel and footwear accounted for some 41% of total U.S. goods imports, followed by luggage, which accounted for nearly 30%, and fish, which accounted for just over 4%,...WW…

By , WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. Treasury Department is taking steps to resume efforts to put escaped slave and abolitionist Harriet Tubman on the $20 bill, White House and Treasury officials said on Monday, saying the move would reflect U.S. history and diversity.The redesigned bill was initially to be unveiled in 2020, but those efforts were delayed by the Treasury after former President Donald Trump called them an example of “pure political correctness.”White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki said the Treasury was revisiting the effort, which was first announced 2016 under former...…By , WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. Treasury Department is taking steps to resume efforts to put escaped slave and abolitionist Harriet Tubman on the $20 bill, White House and Treasury officials said on Monday, saying the move would reflect U.S. history and diversity.The redesigned bill was initially to be unveiled in 2020, but those efforts were delayed by the Treasury after former President Donald Trump called them an example of “pure political correctness.”White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki said the Treasury was revisiting the effort, which was first announced 2016 under former...WW…

By , WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Joe Biden will take steps on Monday to harness the purchasing power of the United States government, the world’s biggest single buyer, to increase domestic manufacturing and create markets for new technologies, a senior administration official said.Slideshow Biden will sign an executive order aimed at closing loopholes in existing “Buy American” provisions, which structure the $600 billion in goods and services the federal government buys each year, making any waivers more transparent, and creating a senior White House role to oversee the...…By , WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Joe Biden will take steps on Monday to harness the purchasing power of the United States government, the world’s biggest single buyer, to increase domestic manufacturing and create markets for new technologies, a senior administration official said.Slideshow Biden will sign an executive order aimed at closing loopholes in existing “Buy American” provisions, which structure the $600 billion in goods and services the federal government buys each year, making any waivers more transparent, and creating a senior White House role to oversee the...WW…

By Slideshow WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Joe Biden attended a church service in Washington’s Georgetown neighborhood and stopped for bagels at a hot pink shop named “Call Your Mother” on his first Sunday in office.Biden waved at a crowd of cheering supporters near the shop, while his son Hunter waited at the takeout window before returning with a bag of bagels and some beverages.Andrew Dana, 35, one of the shop’s owners, said the Bidens’ visit came as a surprise.“To have the president out and about visiting local business is really encouraging,” Dana told Reuters. “We love the positive...…By Slideshow WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Joe Biden attended a church service in Washington’s Georgetown neighborhood and stopped for bagels at a hot pink shop named “Call Your Mother” on his first Sunday in office.Biden waved at a crowd of cheering supporters near the shop, while his son Hunter waited at the takeout window before returning with a bag of bagels and some beverages.Andrew Dana, 35, one of the shop’s owners, said the Bidens’ visit came as a surprise.“To have the president out and about visiting local business is really encouraging,” Dana told Reuters. “We love the positive...WW…

By , WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Senate Finance Committee unanimously approved Janet Yellen’s nomination as the first Treasury secretary, indicating that she will easily win full Senate approval, but Republicans called for her to work with them in developing economic policies.Yellen’s nomination was approved 26-0 in the evenly split committee, with concerns expressed by Republicans about President Joe Biden’s ambitious plans for massive coronavirus relief spending, infrastructure investment and tax hikes failing to sway them against the former Federal Reserve chair.“There is no question she...…By , WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Senate Finance Committee unanimously approved Janet Yellen’s nomination as the first Treasury secretary, indicating that she will easily win full Senate approval, but Republicans called for her to work with them in developing economic policies.Yellen’s nomination was approved 26-0 in the evenly split committee, with concerns expressed by Republicans about President Joe Biden’s ambitious plans for massive coronavirus relief spending, infrastructure investment and tax hikes failing to sway them against the former Federal Reserve chair.“There is no question she...WW…

By WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Outgoing U.S. Vice President Mike Pence and his wife Karen attended the inauguration of new President Joe Biden on Wednesday after skipping both a farewell ceremony for Donald Trump and the usual protocol of welcoming his successor to his home at the Naval Observatory.Slideshow Pence, whom some of Trump’s supporters during the deadly Jan. 6 assault on the U.S. Capitol had threatened to hang for refusing to try to overturn Biden’s Electoral College win in Congress, applauded the next vice president, Kamala Harris, as she arrived at the U.S. Capitol. Trump skipped...…By WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Outgoing U.S. Vice President Mike Pence and his wife Karen attended the inauguration of new President Joe Biden on Wednesday after skipping both a farewell ceremony for Donald Trump and the usual protocol of welcoming his successor to his home at the Naval Observatory.Slideshow Pence, whom some of Trump’s supporters during the deadly Jan. 6 assault on the U.S. Capitol had threatened to hang for refusing to try to overturn Biden’s Electoral College win in Congress, applauded the next vice president, Kamala Harris, as she arrived at the U.S. Capitol. Trump skipped...WW…

By , JOINT BASE ANDREWS, Md./WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump, facing impeachment on a charge of “incitement of insurrection” on Tuesday denied responsibility for his supporters’ violent invasion of the U.S. Capitol last week and said his remarks before the siege were appropriate.The Republican president told reporters that his speech before Wednesday’s assault - in which he urged supporters to march on the Capitol and fight - had been analyzed by unnamed others, who he said believed it was “totally appropriate.”“If you read my speech ... what I said was totally...…By , JOINT BASE ANDREWS, Md./WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump, facing impeachment on a charge of “incitement of insurrection” on Tuesday denied responsibility for his supporters’ violent invasion of the U.S. Capitol last week and said his remarks before the siege were appropriate.The Republican president told reporters that his speech before Wednesday’s assault - in which he urged supporters to march on the Capitol and fight - had been analyzed by unnamed others, who he said believed it was “totally appropriate.”“If you read my speech ... what I said was totally...WW…

Loading...MarketplaceNewKevin Lamarque, ReutersLoading...JOINT BASE ANDREWS, Md./WASHINGTON (Reuters) — U.S. President Donald Trump, facing impeachment on a charge of "incitement of insurrection" on Tuesday denied responsibility for his supporters' and said his remarks before the siege were appropriate.The Republican president told reporters that his speech before Wednesday's assault — in which he urged supporters to march on the Capitol and fight — had been analyzed by unnamed others, who he said believed it was "totally appropriate.""If you read my speech ... what I said was totally...…Loading...MarketplaceNewKevin Lamarque, ReutersLoading...JOINT BASE ANDREWS, Md./WASHINGTON (Reuters) — U.S. President Donald Trump, facing impeachment on a charge of "incitement of insurrection" on Tuesday denied responsibility for his supporters' and said his remarks before the siege were appropriate.The Republican president told reporters that his speech before Wednesday's assault — in which he urged supporters to march on the Capitol and fight — had been analyzed by unnamed others, who he said believed it was "totally appropriate.""If you read my speech ... what I said was totally...WW…

By , , WASHINGTON/SHANGHAI (Reuters) -The Trump administration is considering adding tech giants Alibaba and Tencent to a blacklist of firms allegedly owned or controlled by the Chinese military, two people familiar with the matter said on Wednesday.Targeting Asia’s two most valuable companies would be U.S. President Donald Trump’s most dramatic step yet in a recent raft of measures unleashed against Chinese companies as he seeks to cement his hardline policy against Beijing during his final days in office.Defense Department officials, who oversee the blacklist designations, have not yet...…By , , WASHINGTON/SHANGHAI (Reuters) -The Trump administration is considering adding tech giants Alibaba and Tencent to a blacklist of firms allegedly owned or controlled by the Chinese military, two people familiar with the matter said on Wednesday.Targeting Asia’s two most valuable companies would be U.S. President Donald Trump’s most dramatic step yet in a recent raft of measures unleashed against Chinese companies as he seeks to cement his hardline policy against Beijing during his final days in office.Defense Department officials, who oversee the blacklist designations, have not yet...WW…

By , , WASHINGTON/SHANGHAI (Reuters) - The Trump administration is considering adding tech giants Alibaba and Tencent to a blacklist of firms allegedly owned or controlled by the Chinese military, two people familiar with the matter said on Wednesday.Targeting Asia’s two most valuable companies, worth a combined $1.3 trillion, would be U.S. President Donald Trump’s most dramatic step yet in a recent raft of measures unleashed against Chinese companies as he seeks to cement his hardline policy against Beijing during his final days in office.Defense Department officials, who oversee the...…By , , WASHINGTON/SHANGHAI (Reuters) - The Trump administration is considering adding tech giants Alibaba and Tencent to a blacklist of firms allegedly owned or controlled by the Chinese military, two people familiar with the matter said on Wednesday.Targeting Asia’s two most valuable companies, worth a combined $1.3 trillion, would be U.S. President Donald Trump’s most dramatic step yet in a recent raft of measures unleashed against Chinese companies as he seeks to cement his hardline policy against Beijing during his final days in office.Defense Department officials, who oversee the...WW…

By , , WASHINGTON/SHANGHAI (Reuters) - The Trump administration is considering adding tech giants Alibaba and Tencent to a blacklist of firms allegedly owned or controlled by the Chinese military, two people familiar with the matter said on Wednesday.Targeting Asia’s two most valuable companies, worth a combined $1.3 trillion, would be U.S. President Donald Trump’s most dramatic step yet in a recent raft of measures unleashed against Chinese companies as he seeks to cement his hardline policy against Beijing during his final days in office.Defense Department officials, who oversee the...…By , , WASHINGTON/SHANGHAI (Reuters) - The Trump administration is considering adding tech giants Alibaba and Tencent to a blacklist of firms allegedly owned or controlled by the Chinese military, two people familiar with the matter said on Wednesday.Targeting Asia’s two most valuable companies, worth a combined $1.3 trillion, would be U.S. President Donald Trump’s most dramatic step yet in a recent raft of measures unleashed against Chinese companies as he seeks to cement his hardline policy against Beijing during his final days in office.Defense Department officials, who oversee the...WW…

By WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Chad and several other countries are already in deep debt distress and more will join their ranks this year, given the severity of the global recession triggered by the COVID-19 pandemic, World Bank Group President David Malpass said.The African oil producer Chad may need a deep reduction in the net present value of its debt, and creditors would need to work with the country to find a viable solution to its debt overhang, Malpass told reporters on Tuesday.“For some countries, it’s a red alert,” he said during a teleconference. “We need to find ways to adjust the...…By WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Chad and several other countries are already in deep debt distress and more will join their ranks this year, given the severity of the global recession triggered by the COVID-19 pandemic, World Bank Group President David Malpass said.The African oil producer Chad may need a deep reduction in the net present value of its debt, and creditors would need to work with the country to find a viable solution to its debt overhang, Malpass told reporters on Tuesday.“For some countries, it’s a red alert,” he said during a teleconference. “We need to find ways to adjust the...WW…

By WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump on Sunday repeated his threat to veto a massive defense policy bill, setting the stage for a major battle with U.S. lawmakers at a time when they are racing to hammer out a compromise on more coronavirus relief.The $740 billion National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) passed both houses of Congress with more than the two-thirds majority needed to override a presidential veto.Passage by the Republican-controlled Senate on Friday sent the measure to Trump, giving him 10 days - minus Sundays - to veto it, sign it or allow it become law...…By WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump on Sunday repeated his threat to veto a massive defense policy bill, setting the stage for a major battle with U.S. lawmakers at a time when they are racing to hammer out a compromise on more coronavirus relief.The $740 billion National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) passed both houses of Congress with more than the two-thirds majority needed to override a presidential veto.Passage by the Republican-controlled Senate on Friday sent the measure to Trump, giving him 10 days - minus Sundays - to veto it, sign it or allow it become law...WW…

By , WASHINGTON (Reuters) -Economic relief and a vaccine drew nearer to reality on Wednesday to counter a coronavirus pandemic that has ravaged the U.S. economy and killed 286,487 people, with year-end holiday gatherings expected to fuel another surge in infections.The U.S. House of Representatives was set to vote on Wednesday on a one-week stopgap funding bill that will buy more time to reach a deal on COVID-19 relief, with a separate aid packages of more than $900 billion on the table.Help is urgently needed as the United States reported an average of 2,259 deaths and 205,661 new cases...…By , WASHINGTON (Reuters) -Economic relief and a vaccine drew nearer to reality on Wednesday to counter a coronavirus pandemic that has ravaged the U.S. economy and killed 286,487 people, with year-end holiday gatherings expected to fuel another surge in infections.The U.S. House of Representatives was set to vote on Wednesday on a one-week stopgap funding bill that will buy more time to reach a deal on COVID-19 relief, with a separate aid packages of more than $900 billion on the table.Help is urgently needed as the United States reported an average of 2,259 deaths and 205,661 new cases...WW…

By , WASHINGTON (Reuters) -President Donald Trump and 17 U.S. states on Wednesday threw their support behind a long-shot lawsuit by Texas seeking to overturn his election loss by asking the U.S. Supreme Court to throw out the voting results in four states.Trump, defeated by President-elect Joe Biden in the Nov. 3 election, filed a motion with the court asking the nine justices to let him intervene and become a plaintiff in the suit filed on Tuesday by Republican-governed Texas against Georgia, Michigan, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin.If the justices let Trump join the lawsuit, it would create...…By , WASHINGTON (Reuters) -President Donald Trump and 17 U.S. states on Wednesday threw their support behind a long-shot lawsuit by Texas seeking to overturn his election loss by asking the U.S. Supreme Court to throw out the voting results in four states.Trump, defeated by President-elect Joe Biden in the Nov. 3 election, filed a motion with the court asking the nine justices to let him intervene and become a plaintiff in the suit filed on Tuesday by Republican-governed Texas against Georgia, Michigan, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin.If the justices let Trump join the lawsuit, it would create...WW…

By , WASHINGTON (Reuters) -The U.S. federal agency that must sign off on the presidential transition told President-elect Joe Biden on Monday that he can formally begin the hand-over process.“I take this role seriously and, because of recent developments involving legal challenges and certifications of election results, am transmitting this letter today to make those resources and services available to you,” General Services Administration chief Emily Murphy wrote in a letter to Biden.U.S. President Donald Trump wrote on Twitter that he was recommending that Murphy and her team “do what...…By , WASHINGTON (Reuters) -The U.S. federal agency that must sign off on the presidential transition told President-elect Joe Biden on Monday that he can formally begin the hand-over process.“I take this role seriously and, because of recent developments involving legal challenges and certifications of election results, am transmitting this letter today to make those resources and services available to you,” General Services Administration chief Emily Murphy wrote in a letter to Biden.U.S. President Donald Trump wrote on Twitter that he was recommending that Murphy and her team “do what...WW…

By , CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (Reuters) - Elon Musk’s rocket company SpaceX launched four astronauts on a flight to the International Space Station on Sunday, NASA’s first full-fledged mission sending a crew into orbit aboard a privately owned spacecraft.SpaceX’s newly designed Crew Dragon capsule, which the crew has dubbed Resilience, lifted off atop a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket at 7:27 p.m. eastern time (0027 GMT on Monday) from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida.“That was one heck of a ride,” astronaut Mike Hopkins said from Crew Dragon to SpaceX mission control about an hour...…By , CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (Reuters) - Elon Musk’s rocket company SpaceX launched four astronauts on a flight to the International Space Station on Sunday, NASA’s first full-fledged mission sending a crew into orbit aboard a privately owned spacecraft.SpaceX’s newly designed Crew Dragon capsule, which the crew has dubbed Resilience, lifted off atop a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket at 7:27 p.m. eastern time (0027 GMT on Monday) from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida.“That was one heck of a ride,” astronaut Mike Hopkins said from Crew Dragon to SpaceX mission control about an hour...WW…

By , CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (Reuters) - Elon Musk’s rocket company SpaceX launched four astronauts on a flight to the International Space Station on Sunday, NASA’s first full-fledged mission sending a crew into orbit aboard a privately owned spacecraft.SpaceX’s newly designed Crew Dragon capsule, which the crew has dubbed Resilience, lifted off atop a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket at 7:27 p.m. eastern time (0027 GMT on Monday) from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida.“That was one heck of a ride,” astronaut Mike Hopkins said from Crew Dragon to SpaceX mission control about an hour...…By , CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (Reuters) - Elon Musk’s rocket company SpaceX launched four astronauts on a flight to the International Space Station on Sunday, NASA’s first full-fledged mission sending a crew into orbit aboard a privately owned spacecraft.SpaceX’s newly designed Crew Dragon capsule, which the crew has dubbed Resilience, lifted off atop a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket at 7:27 p.m. eastern time (0027 GMT on Monday) from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida.“That was one heck of a ride,” astronaut Mike Hopkins said from Crew Dragon to SpaceX mission control about an hour...WW…