Open power

Sens. Joe Manchin Joseph (Joe) Manchin Overnight Defense: Capitol Police may ask National Guard to stay | Biden's Pentagon policy nominee faces criticism | Naval Academy midshipmen moved to hotels Progressives won't oppose bill over limits on stimulus checks Senate votes to take up COVID-19 relief bill MORE (D-W.Va.), Kyrsten Sinema (D-Ariz.) and other centrist Democrats increasingly are in control of the fate of President Biden Joe Biden Trump State Department appointee arrested in connection with Capitol riot FireEye finds evidence Chinese hackers exploited Microsoft email app flaw since January Biden officials to travel to border amid influx of young migrants MORE ’s COVID-19 relief package — and perhaps broader pieces of his agenda. In a Senate where both parties hold 50 seats, a single defection by a Democrat can sink legislation, giving the centrists significant influence. Just this week, several Democratic moderates worked behind … [Read more...] about Democratic centrists flex power on Biden legislation

Presented by Facebook Welcome to The Hill’s Morning Report. Today is Friday! We get you up to speed on the most important developments in politics and policy, plus trends to watch. Alexis Simendinger and Al Weaver are the co-creators. Readers can find us on Twitter @asimendinger and @alweaver22. Please recommend the Morning Report to friends and let us know what you think. CLICK HERE to subscribe! Total U.S. coronavirus deaths reported each morning this week: Monday, 513,091; Tuesday, 514,657; Wednesday, 516,608; Thursday, 518,453; Friday, 520,356. Senate Democrats voted by the narrowest margin on Thursday to take up a sweeping $1.9 trillion coronavirus bill, teeing off what's expected to be a sprint through the weekend to help millions of struggling Americans. President Biden Joe Biden Trump State Department appointee arrested in connection with Capitol riot FireEye finds evidence Chinese hackers exploited Microsoft email app flaw … [Read more...] about The Hill’s Morning Report – Presented by Facebook – Virus relief bill headed for weekend vote

U.S. lawmakers and rights groups welcomed the release Wednesday of four journalists and media workers in Ethiopia’s Tigray region, and highlighted the important role the press plays in covering unrest. The BBC confirmed the release of Girmay Gebru, a reporter for its language service, who was detained Monday, and said it was “seeking a full explanation.” Translators with the French news agency Agence France-Presse (AFP) and Britain's Financial Times and a journalist working with The New York Times were also released, Abebe Gebrehiwot Yihdego, deputy head of Tigray's interim administration, told Reuters . U.S. Representative Michael McCaul, the top Republican on the House Foreign Affairs Committee, described their release as “a positive development,” but told VOA the arrests “never should have happened in the first place.” “There must be full access to journalists and independent investigators to look into these disturbing reports,” said McCaul, of Texas. Gimray … [Read more...] about Ethiopia Releases BBC Journalist, Others Detained in Tigray

Presented by ExxonMobil To view past editions of The Hill's 12:30 Report, click here: http://bit.ly/1M1mIfw To receive The Hill's 12:30 Report in your inbox, please sign up here: http://bit.ly/1Tt4hqN --> A midday take on what's happening in politics and how to have a sense of humor about it.* *Ha. Haha. Hahah. Sniff. Haha. Sniff. Ha--breaks down crying hysterically. The Hill’s 12:30 Report: Increased security on Capitol Hill amid QAnon’s March 4 date | House leaves early | Sights and sounds | House passes election reform bill | Summer could be ‘normal,’ but experts warn that US risks delaying that | Urge remaining vigilant in the homestretch |  Biden’s COVID-19 bet | Dolly Parton gets vaccine | Leslie Jones on Steve Kornacki’s election coverage HAPPENING TODAY 00 Days Since The Last Big Threat Of Violence To The US Capitol ... ^ we had been doing SO well: Via The Hill’s Cristina Marcos and Rebecca Beitsch , “Alarming revelations of … [Read more...] about The Hill’s 12:30 Report – Presented by ExxonMobil – Increased security on Capitol Hill amid QAnon’s March 4 date

Australia’s finance minister has suggested that a “desperate” European Union is “tear[ing] up the rule book” after the European Commission backed Italy’s request to block a shipment of coronavirus vaccines. Media reported on Thursday that the European Commission, the bloc’s powerful unelected executive arm, headed by former German defence minister Ursula von der Leyen, backed Rome’s request to ban the shipment of 250,000 doses from its Anagni plant because of the “continuing shortage of vaccines in the EU and in Italy and delays in supplies from AstraZeneca to the EU and Italy,” according to the Italian foreign ministry. The seized doses are expected to be redistributed across the EU27. The Australian government signalled on Friday that it would not affect the country’s overall rollout, as it had doses expected from other plants. The country’s finance minister, Simon Birmingham, appeared to give a veiled criticism of the EU, however, telling Sky News Australia: “The world is in … [Read more...] about Aussie Govt: Desperate EU ‘Tearing Up Rule Book’ by Blocking Vaccine Shipment