Tag: District of Columbia

Washington Mayor Declares State of Emergency, Reinstates Mask Mandate

Washington’s mayor has declared a state of emergency over COVID-19. Mayor Muriel Bowser, a Democrat, on Monday also reinstated an indoor mask mandate and announced a stricter COVID-19 vaccine mandate for city workers. Bowser said she imposed the restrictions because of the emergence of the Omicron variant of the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus. The CCP…


US Auto Safety Nominee Hopes to Wrap Up Tesla Investigations ‘Soon’

WASHINGTON—The Biden administration’s nominee to serve as the top auto safety regulator said Thursday he hopes the agency can complete its investigations into electric car maker Tesla soon. Steven Cliff, deputy administrator of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and nominated for the top job, was asked about the agency’s probes into Tesla and he…


Surging Inflation Is Forcing People and Businesses to Adapt

WASHINGTON—A warehouse worker in Tennessee is running up against price increases that far exceed her modest pay raise. The owner of a pastry business in Massachusetts has had to reduce his product offerings and personally absorb higher costs. A grocery chain executive in Connecticut said he’s splitting his higher costs with his suppliers so he…


George Washington University Mandates COVID-19 Booster Shots Amid Omicron Concerns

George Washington University now requires a COVID-19 vaccine booster shot for all eligible members of the campus community, citing recently detected cases of Omicron variant in Washington D.C. All students, faculty, and staff in university-operated facilities have to get a dose of the COVID-19 booster by Feb. 1, 2022, or be subject to weekly testings…


D.C. Board of Elections Sued for Keeping Voter Data Secret

A good-government group is suing the District of Columbia in federal court for refusing to allow the inspection of voter list maintenance records as federal law requires. The D.C. Board of Elections claims it cannot provide these voter list maintenance documents because of its contract with the Electronic Registration Information Center (ERIC), a nonprofit that…


DC Board of Elections Sued for Keeping Voter Data Secret

A good-government group is suing the District of Columbia in federal court for refusing to allow the inspection of voter list maintenance records as federal law requires. The D.C. Board of Elections claims it cannot provide these voter list maintenance documents because of its contract with the Electronic Registration Information Center (ERIC), a nonprofit that…


Omicron Variant Likely to Usher Growth Downgrades: IMF’s Georgieva

WASHINGTON—Global economic growth projections from the International Monetary Fund will likely be downgraded due to the emergence of the Omicron variant of the coronavirus, IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva said on Friday. “A new variant that may spread very rapidly can dent confidence, and in that sense, we are likely to see some downgrades of…


Biden Helps Light National Christmas Tree Near White House

WASHINGTON—President Joe Biden helped light the National Christmas Tree on Thursday while remembering those lost to the COVID-19 pandemic and crediting the American people for his optimism. Biden also paid tribute to service members, thanking them for their sacrifices. “We are a great nation because of you, the American people,” Biden said, joined on stage…


Former Spokesman for Democratic DC Mayor Switches Parties Over Biden’s Leadership

A former spokesman for Washington D.C. Democratic Mayor Muriel Bowser says Joe Biden’s presidency has led him to switch political parties. He also voted for GOP businessman Glenn Youngkin, who defeated Terry McAuliffe last month to become Virginia’s next governor. “The reason I switched parties is because of everything that’s going on in the country…


Stocks Roar Higher as Traders Park COVID-19 and Fed Jitters

LONDON—Stock markets roared higher on Wednesday, reversing much of the previous session’s losses, as investors used the dip in prices to bet the latest COVID-19 variant would not derail the economic recovery. The EUROSTOXX rose 1.1 percent in early trading while Britain’s FTSE 100 rallied 1.3 percent and Germany’s DAX 0.75 percent. Wall Street futures…