Biden averts government shutdown after signing spending bill but aid for Israel, Ukraine stalls
The House voted to prevent a government shutdown. Without enough GOP support, new Speaker Mike Johnson had to rely on Democrats. President Biden, meanwhile, has been at the APEC Summit in San Francisco this week to refocus on Asia.
Why hairdressers in US are being trained under CDC-funded programme to push Covid, flu shots
Hairstylists who sign up for a six-month commitment participate in two day-long trainings where they receive tools so they can “feel more confident” talking to their clients about taking vaccines. They will be trained in motivational interviewing, Covid-19 basics, flu basics and long Covid basics
Workers at 200 Starbucks stores walk off job on busy Red Cup Day to protest labour practices
Thursday’s strike was the fifth major labour action by Starbucks workers since a store in Buffalo, New York, became the first to unionise in late 2021. Workers at 110 stores walked out last year on Red Cup Day; most recently, a strike in June protested reports that Starbucks had removed Pride displays from its stores.
Biden’s reference to China’s present Xi as ‘dictator’ draws strong response from Beijing
Xi is considered the most powerful Chinese leader since Mao Zedong, after a decade of consolidating power in policy-making and the military, and stifling media freedoms.
Poisoned beauty: How Johnson & Johnson failed to dodge $9 billion fines using bankruptcy law
J&J said in May 2020 that it would discontinue sales of talc-based baby powders in the US and Canada and replace them with cornstarch-based baby powders. The company said talc powders would “continue to be sold in other markets around the world where there is significantly higher demand for the product.”
50,000 lawsuits expose J&J’s 40 years of deception about asbestos in baby powder
In 2006, IARC classified cosmetic talc as “possibly carcinogenic” when used in the genital area. J&J then “looked for ways to sell more Baby Powder to two key groups of longtime users: African-American and overweight women,” Reuters reported in 2019.
China’s Xi Jinping meets US’ Biden to restore communication, reduce military tension
US Trade Representative Katherine Tai, who with Blinken opened the APEC ministerial session, said the San Francisco meeting came at a time of “great uncertainty and challenges” for the region. She noted increasing geopolitical tensions, fragile supply chains and a worsening climate crisis.
Public relations: Israeli spyware firm mounts charm offensive to repair damaged brand
It is not illegal to register to lobby for two affiliated clients, and powerful law firms doing lobbying work often do so for purposes of efficiency and holding meetings together.
Why Israeli spyware firm NSO wants ‘urgent’ meeting with US Secretary of State Blinken
For NSO, the blacklisting has been an existential threat. The push to reverse it, which included hiring multiple American public relations and law firms, has cost NSO $1.5 million in lobbying last year, more than the government of Israel itself spent.
Republican presidential field thins out as grievance-stricken Trumps looks unassailable
Nikki Haley entered the GOP field early in the race, emerging as one of the first to challenge to Donald Trump. She was once the governor of South Carolina, as well as the US ambassador to the United Nations under Trump. Now, more than six months into her campaign, Haley is still trying to show voters what makes her different from others in the Republican primary field. AP’s Meg Kinnard explains more.
