随笔分类

随笔档案

Source: YouTube@Cindy Sung

Date: 1.11-1.15

The Trump policies Biden plans to overturn first
When he begins his presidency this week,Joe Biden will inherit a collection of crises unlike any in generations--the coronavirus pandemic,economic turmoil,racial strife and the aftermath of the assault on the Capitol. He plans to start his administration with dozens of executive directives in a 10-day blitz meant to signal a turning point for the U.S.
Rescinding the travel ban on several predominantly Muslim countries
Rejoining the Paris climate change accord
Ordering agencies to figure out how to reunite children separated from their families after crossing the border from Mexico
Extending pandemic-related limits on evictions and student loan payments;issuing a mask mandate for federal property and interstate travel

Indonesia's dangerous skies
On Saturday, Sriwijaya Air Flight 182 crashed into the Java Sea a few minutes after taking off in heavy rain. The Boeing 737-500 series passenger jet carrying 62 people,including six crew members,lost more than 10,000 feet in altitude within a minute. The cause of the crash is not yet known. But there is no question that Indonesia's skies remain some of the world's most dangerous,tainted by a history of poor safety regulations that has dogged domestic airlines for years.

Tuesday Briefing:

The health care system in Britain is facing "the worst weeks of this pandemic," the chief medical officer said. Hospitalizations in England have already far surpassed the spring's peak.
Russian scientists have begun a study to determine whether they can speed up the country's vaccination drive by providing only a single dose of its normally two-dose vaccine.

Wednesday Briefing:

A new U.S. president and 400,000 deaths
Joe Biden will become president of the United States on Wednesday in a scaled-back inauguration ceremony. On the eve of his swearing-in,the president-elect will assume the role of mourner in chief during a somber ceremony commemorating the 400,000 people who died from the coronavirus.
Inauguration Day brings with it an awkward transition when one family moves in and another moves out of the White House,made all the more so this year by President Trump's stormy departure.

Why China's currency is booming
China's currency, known as the yuan or the renminbi, has reached its strongest level in more than two years against the dollar and other major currencies, and it shows no signs of stopping.
Beijing has kept a firm hand on the value of the renminbi, keeping it weak to help factories maintain their low prices when they sell goods overseas. But now, it looks like the factories don't need that kind of help: People are still buying, even as the renminbi gets stronger.
This could help relations with the United States.

Thursday Briefing:

A vaccine gift from India
India said on Wednesday that it was starting to supply its locally manufactured version of the AstraZeneca vaccine to nearby countries, even as the government continues its mammoth effort to inoculate hundreds of millions of people at home.
The first doses were expected to be delivered to Bangladesh,Bhutan,the Maldives,Myanmar,Nepal and the Seychelles beginning on Wednesday.

The first U.S. president to be impeached twice
The House of Representatives set itself on a course to impeach President Trump on Wednesday for a history second time. A vote was underway to charge him for "inciting" an insurrection after his supporters stormed the Capitol last week, A small but growing number of Republicans said they supported the efforts.

Friday Briefing:

New mask rules in Europe
Starting this week in Germany, N95 or surgical-grade masks are compulsory for people on public transportation,in office spaces and in shops. The higher-grade mask will also become mandatory in Austria,and France could follow,despite criticism that the more expensive N95 will be out of reach for many low-income earners.