Coming soon – Sumeet Sud writes about recent events
Monday (12-16-2019): For impeachment trial of President Donald Trump, Senate Democrats are seeking four new witnesses including Jim Bolton National Security Advisor and Mick Mulvaney Acting Chief of Staff, Democrats want to hear from new witnesses for a trial to begin on Jan 7, 2020. The house will vote on the impeachment on Wednesday Dec 18, 2019 after spending past three months investigating the President’s dealings in Ukraine.
Wednesday (12-18-2019): House of Representatives voted late Wednesday to impeach President Trump for abuse of power and obstruction of Congress. After 11 hours of fierce arguments on the house floor between Democrats and Republicans, Trump is impeached. President Trump becomes the third president in US history to face trial in the Senate – a proceeding that will determine whether he is removed from the office. The Senate trial begins on Jan 7, 2020. The Senate is widely expected to acquit Trump since conviction and removal would require 67 votes in a chamber where Democrats and their allies hold 47 seats.
Saturday (12-21-2019): Boeing’s new Starliner capsule launch ended up in the wrong orbit after lifting off on its first test flight. This is a blow to the company’s effort to launch astronauts for NASA next year. NASA cancelled the Starliner’s docking with the international space station. The Starliner will parachute into its landing site in New Mexico desert. It was a major setback for Boeing, which had been hoping to catch up with Space X, NASA’s other commercial crew provider that successfully completed a similar demonstration last March.
Tuesday (12-24-2019): Chief Justice John Roberts will make a short trip from the supreme court to the Senate to preside over Donald Trump’s impeachment trial.
Tuesday (12-24-2019): Saudi court sentences five to death in Khashoggi murder case, and three were sentenced to the prison.
Wednesday (12-25-2019): Merry Christmas! Democrats in swing districts plan to focus on drug costs. The high costs of health care are the driving force animating House Democrats in the swing districts that will decide control of Congress next year….
Friday (12-27-2019): Trump prepares steep tariff on French wines in 2020. The glass of champagne being raised to welcome New Year is about to get a lot more expensive. The Trump administration is preparing to raise tariffs on a host of French products – including chesses, wines and champagne by mid January. That move might result in a 100% tax increase on France’s key exports in response to a pending digital tax imposed by Paris.
Saturday (Jan 10, 2020): After maintaining for days that there was no evidence to show that one of Iran’s missiles shot down Ukrainian airliner and killing 176 people, the Iranian military now admits that it was an accident caused by human error. A military statement by Iranian states that the plane was mistaken for “hostile target” after it turned towards a sensitive military center of the Revolutionary Guard.
Friday (Jan 24, 2020): House Democrat prosecutors finished their opening arguments in President Trump’s impeachment trial. They argued that his conduct towards Ukraine reflected a dangerous reflex towards political expediency and a lack of character that will backfire on Republicans if they do not help remove him from the office.
Wednesday (Feb 5, 2020): President Trump’s four-month-long impeachment saga is over. He was acquitted by the Senate on Wednesday (Feb 5, 2020) on both charges, abuse of power and obstruction of Congress. Trump will forever have an asterisk next to his name as the third president to be impeached by the house, but he will remain in office. Now we will see a president for the first time in modern history seek reelection while carrying that asterisk.