After US, now Japan is increasingly getting closer to Taiwan. A delegate from Japan, made a visit to the self-governing island. Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen met a senior member of Japan's ruling liberal Democratic party. President has pledged deepen security cooperation with Tokyo to ensure freedom in the Indo-Pacific.

Japan lawmaker visits Taiwan; Tokyo, Taipei reaffirm relations

After the US and Russia, China is the new space power. Beijing is steadily working to conquer the final frontier and Washington is wary of the Chinese plans. The head of the US space command said, "China is building capabilities that put most US assets at risk".

China's 'heavenly palace' space station; US space command says 'Our space assets at risk'

President Joe Biden&nbsp;is set to play host to dozens of African leaders in Washington this week as the White House looks to narrow a gaping trust gap with Africa — one that has grown wider over years of frustration about America’s commitment to the continent.

In the lead-up to the three-day&nbsp;US-Africa Leaders Summit&nbsp;that begins Tuesday, Biden administration officials played down their&nbsp;increasing concern&nbsp;about the clout of&nbsp;China&nbsp;and&nbsp;Russia&nbsp;in Africa, which is home to more than 1.3 billion people. Instead, administration officials tried to put the focus on their efforts to improve cooperation with African leaders.

“This summit is an opportunity to deepen the many partnerships we have on the African continent,” White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said when asked about the shadow that China and Russia cast on the meetings. “We will focus on our efforts to strengthen these partnerships across a wide range of sectors spanning from businesses to health to peace and security, but our focus will be on Africa next week.”

To that end, White House officials said that “major deliverables and initiatives” — diplomatic speak for big announcements — will be peppered throughout the meetings. The White House previewed one&nbsp;major summit<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-g-20-summit-africa-us-national-security-council-united-states-government-ecbff4ac4c0051cecd7d1c1e8fe451bf"> </a>announcement&nbsp;on Friday, saying that Biden would use the gathering to declare his support for adding the African Union as a permanent member of the&nbsp;Group of 20&nbsp;nations.

The summit will be the biggest international gathering in Washington since before the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. Local officials are warning residents to brace for road blocks and intensified security as 49 invited heads of states and leaders — and Biden — whiz around the city.

Talks are expected to center on the coronavirus, climate change, the impact of&nbsp;Russia’s invasion of<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine"> </a>Ukraine&nbsp;on Africa, trade and more, according to White House officials. Biden is set to deliver remarks at a U.S.-Africa business forum, hold small group meetings with leaders, host a leaders’ dinner at the White House and take part in other sessions with leaders during the gathering.

Biden has spent much of his first two years in office trying to assuage&nbsp;doubters on the international stage<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-united-nations-general-assembly-taiwan-biden-health-9b1b11a721705d0ea3d3c85141f2f968"> </a>about American leadership&nbsp;after four years of Donald Trump’s&nbsp;“America First” foreign policy. With this summit — a follow-up to the first such gathering held eight years ago by President Barack Obama — Biden has an opportunity to assuage concerns in Africa about whether the U.S. is serious about tending to the relationship.

Biden’s effort to draw African nations closer to the U.S. comes at a complicated moment, as his administration has made plain that it believes that Chinese and Russian activity in Africa is a serious concern to U.S. and African interests.

In its&nbsp;sub-Saharan Africa strategy&nbsp;unveiled in August, the Biden administration warned that China, which has pumped billions into African energy, infrastructure and other projects, sees the region as an arena where Beijing can “challenge the rules-based international order, advance its own narrow commercial and geopolitical interests, undermine transparency and openness.”

The administration also argues that Russia, the preeminent arms dealer in Africa, views the continent as a permissive environment for Kremlin-connected oligarchs and private military companies to focus on fomenting instability for their own strategic and financial benefit.

Still, administration officials are emphasizing that concerns about China and Russia will not be central to the talks.

“The United States prioritizes our relationship with Africa for the sake of our mutual interests and our partnership in dealing with global challenges,” Molly Phee, assistant secretary of state for African affairs,&nbsp;told<a href="https://www.state.gov/digital-press-briefing-with-u-s-department-of-states-bureau-of-african-affairs-assistant-secretary-molly-phee-and-national-security-council-senior-director-for-african-affairs-judd-devermont/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"> </a>reporters before the summit.&nbsp;“We are very conscious, again, of the Cold War history, we’re conscious, again, of the deleterious impact of colonialism on Africa, and we studiously seek to avoid repeating some of the mistakes of those earlier eras.”

The administration has been disappointed that much of the continent has declined to follow the US&nbsp;in condemning the Russian invasion of Ukraine, but Biden is not expected to dwell on differences publicly.

The president is expected to participate with leaders in a session on promoting food security and food systems resilience. Africa has been disproportionately impacted by the global rise in food prices that has been caused in part by the drop in shipments from major grain exporter Ukraine.

“One of the unique aspects of this summit is the collateral damage that the Russian war has inflicted on Africa in terms of food supply and the diversion of development assistance to Ukraine. The opportunity costs of the invasion have been very high in Africa,” said John Stremlau, a visiting professor of international relations at the University of the Witwatersrand in Johannesburg.

Four countries that were suspended from the African Union — Guinea, Sudan, Mali and Burkina Faso— were not invited to the summit because coups in those nations led to unconstitutional changes in power. The White House also did not invite the East African nation of Eritrea; Washington does not have full diplomatic relations with the country.

Biden’s decision to invite several leaders to the summit who have questionable records on human rights and democracy is looming large ahead of the gathering.

Equatorial Guinea was invited despite the State Department stating that it held&nbsp;“serious doubts”&nbsp;about&nbsp;last<a href="https://apnews.com/article/africa-equatorial-guinea-malabo-government-and-politics-teodoro-obiang-nguema-mbasogo-f221186f2e29fc68e4371a13835e1918"> </a>month’s election&nbsp;in the tiny Central African nation. Opposition parties “made credible allegations of significant election-related irregularities, including documented instances of fraud, intimidation, and coercion,” according to the department. Election officials reported that President Teodoro Obiang’s ruling party won nearly 95% of the vote.

Zimbabwe, which has faced years of U.S. and Western sanctions over poor governance, human rights abuses and widespread corruption, also was invited.

President Emmerson Mnangagwa, who seized power from longtime ruler Robert Mugabe in 2017, has sought to cast himself as a reformer, but local and international human rights campaigners accuse him of repression that is just as bad or even worse than Mugabe’s.

Although Mnangagwa enjoys cozy relations with China and Russia, as did Mugabe, he has also sought to make friends with the U.S. and other Western countries in an effort to bolster his legitimacy.

In a national address that he delivered in November in a new Chinese-gifted multimillion-dollar parliament building, Mnangagwa held out the invitation to the U.S.-Africa summit as a sign of his administration’s success. He said the southern African country welcomed the invitation, but he also called for the “unconditional” removal of sanctions that he blames for Zimbabwe’s debilitating economic woes.

“Emphasis remains on dialogue,” Mnangagwa said.

Ethiopia received an invitation even though Biden late last last year announced he was&nbsp;cutting out the country<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-business-africa-united-states-global-trade-a3e49884bef0edb51bb9d8020f2b899b"> </a>from a US&nbsp;trade program,&nbsp;known as the African Growth and Opportunity Act, over Ethiopia’s failure to end a war in the Tigray region that led to “gross violations” of human rights. A peace deal was signed last month, but implementation faces major challenges such as the continued presence of troops from neighboring Eritrea.

Analysts say that African leaders will be looking for Biden to make some major commitments during the summit, including announcing his first presidential visit to sub-Saharan Africa, efforts to bolster the continent’s economy through private sector investment and trade and more.

Perhaps most importantly, it could be an opportunity for Biden to demonstrate that Africa is more than a battleground in its economic and military competition with Beijing and Moscow.

“I do strongly believe that the United States is still seen as a superpower from the African perspective, but most African leaders do not want to align with its promotion of democracy,” said Abraham Kuol Nyuon, a political analyst and associate professor of political science at the University of Juba in South Sudan. “They need the support of America but not the system of America.”

WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

<iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/live-tv/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe>

President Joe Biden is set to play host to dozens of African leaders in Washington this week as the White House looks to narrow a gaping trust gap with Africa — one that has grown wider over years of frustration about America’s commitment to the continent.

President Joe Biden is set to play host to dozens of African leaders in Washington this week as the White House looks to narrow a gaping trust gap with Africa — one that has grown wider over years of frustration about America’s commitment to the continent. In the lead-up to the three-day US-Africa Leaders Summit that begins Tuesday, Biden administration officials played down their increasing concern about the clout of China and Russia in Africa, which is home to more than 1.3 billion people. Instead, administration officials tried to put the focus on their efforts to improve cooperation with African leaders. “This summit is an opportunity to deepen the many partnerships we have on the African continent,” White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said when asked about the shadow that China and Russia cast on the meetings. “We will focus on our efforts to strengthen these partnerships across a wide range of sectors spanning from businesses to health to peace and security, but our focus will be on Africa next week.” To that end, White House officials said that “major deliverables and initiatives” — diplomatic speak for big announcements — will be peppered throughout the meetings. The White House previewed one major summit announcement on Friday, saying that Biden would use the gathering to declare his support for adding the African Union as a permanent member of the Group of 20 nations. The summit will be the biggest international gathering in Washington since before the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. Local officials are warning residents to brace for road blocks and intensified security as 49 invited heads of states and leaders — and Biden — whiz around the city. Talks are expected to center on the coronavirus, climate change, the impact of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine on Africa, trade and more, according to White House officials. Biden is set to deliver remarks at a U.S.-Africa business forum, hold small group meetings with leaders, host a leaders’ dinner at the White House and take part in other sessions with leaders during the gathering. Biden has spent much of his first two years in office trying to assuage doubters on the international stage about American leadership after four years of Donald Trump’s “America First” foreign policy. With this summit — a follow-up to the first such gathering held eight years ago by President Barack Obama — Biden has an opportunity to assuage concerns in Africa about whether the U.S. is serious about tending to the relationship. Biden’s effort to draw African nations closer to the U.S. comes at a complicated moment, as his administration has made plain that it believes that Chinese and Russian activity in Africa is a serious concern to U.S. and African interests. In its sub-Saharan Africa strategy unveiled in August, the Biden administration warned that China, which has pumped billions into African energy, infrastructure and other projects, sees the region as an arena where Beijing can “challenge the rules-based international order, advance its own narrow commercial and geopolitical interests, undermine transparency and openness.” The administration also argues that Russia, the preeminent arms dealer in Africa, views the continent as a permissive environment for Kremlin-connected oligarchs and private military companies to focus on fomenting instability for their own strategic and financial benefit. Still, administration officials are emphasizing that concerns about China and Russia will not be central to the talks. “The United States prioritizes our relationship with Africa for the sake of our mutual interests and our partnership in dealing with global challenges,” Molly Phee, assistant secretary of state for African affairs, told reporters before the summit. “We are very conscious, again, of the Cold War history, we’re conscious, again, of the deleterious impact of colonialism on Africa, and we studiously seek to avoid repeating some of the mistakes of those earlier eras.” The administration has been disappointed that much of the continent has declined to follow the US in condemning the Russian invasion of Ukraine, but Biden is not expected to dwell on differences publicly. The president is expected to participate with leaders in a session on promoting food security and food systems resilience. Africa has been disproportionately impacted by the global rise in food prices that has been caused in part by the drop in shipments from major grain exporter Ukraine. “One of the unique aspects of this summit is the collateral damage that the Russian war has inflicted on Africa in terms of food supply and the diversion of development assistance to Ukraine. The opportunity costs of the invasion have been very high in Africa,” said John Stremlau, a visiting professor of international relations at the University of the Witwatersrand in Johannesburg. Four countries that were suspended from the African Union — Guinea, Sudan, Mali and Burkina Faso— were not invited to the summit because coups in those nations led to unconstitutional changes in power. The White House also did not invite the East African nation of Eritrea; Washington does not have full diplomatic relations with the country. Biden’s decision to invite several leaders to the summit who have questionable records on human rights and democracy is looming large ahead of the gathering. Equatorial Guinea was invited despite the State Department stating that it held “serious doubts” about last month’s election in the tiny Central African nation. Opposition parties “made credible allegations of significant election-related irregularities, including documented instances of fraud, intimidation, and coercion,” according to the department. Election officials reported that President Teodoro Obiang’s ruling party won nearly 95% of the vote. Zimbabwe, which has faced years of U.S. and Western sanctions over poor governance, human rights abuses and widespread corruption, also was invited. President Emmerson Mnangagwa, who seized power from longtime ruler Robert Mugabe in 2017, has sought to cast himself as a reformer, but local and international human rights campaigners accuse him of repression that is just as bad or even worse than Mugabe’s. Although Mnangagwa enjoys cozy relations with China and Russia, as did Mugabe, he has also sought to make friends with the U.S. and other Western countries in an effort to bolster his legitimacy. In a national address that he delivered in November in a new Chinese-gifted multimillion-dollar parliament building, Mnangagwa held out the invitation to the U.S.-Africa summit as a sign of his administration’s success. He said the southern African country welcomed the invitation, but he also called for the “unconditional” removal of sanctions that he blames for Zimbabwe’s debilitating economic woes. “Emphasis remains on dialogue,” Mnangagwa said. Ethiopia received an invitation even though Biden late last last year announced he was cutting out the country from a US trade program, known as the African Growth and Opportunity Act, over Ethiopia’s failure to end a war in the Tigray region that led to “gross violations” of human rights. A peace deal was signed last month, but implementation faces major challenges such as the continued presence of troops from neighboring Eritrea. Analysts say that African leaders will be looking for Biden to make some major commitments during the summit, including announcing his first presidential visit to sub-Saharan Africa, efforts to bolster the continent’s economy through private sector investment and trade and more. Perhaps most importantly, it could be an opportunity for Biden to demonstrate that Africa is more than a battleground in its economic and military competition with Beijing and Moscow. “I do strongly believe that the United States is still seen as a superpower from the African perspective, but most African leaders do not want to align with its promotion of democracy,” said Abraham Kuol Nyuon, a political analyst and associate professor of political science at the University of Juba in South Sudan. “They need the support of America but not the system of America.” WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

Biden aims to narrow trust gap with US-Africa leaders summit

Twitter is all set to launch a revamped version of its subscription service called Twitter Blue. Now, under the new version, the users could subscribe to the revamp service that will allow subscribers to edit tweets, upload videos and get a blue check mark post account verification.

US: Twitter to relaunch Twitter Blue at higher price for Apple users

A high-level US delegation is traveling to China this week. The visit comes as a follow-up on US President Joe Biden's recent talks with his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping.

Two US officials to visit China, South Korea, Japan; visit comes as a follow-up to Biden-Xi meet

US relations with Russia and China are taking some pretty twisted turns due to the ongoing conflict in Ukraine and also the tensions in the Taiwan Straits. Now, reports say that the US plans to impose fresh sanctions against Russia and China as supported by the Washington Journal.

US plans sanctions on Russia & China, says reports; sanctions to include drones, illegal fishing

American NBA star and two time Olympic-champion Brittney Griner is released from a Russian prison and has been welcomed by her fellow athletes and also the sporting community. However, many still wait behind bars. Watch this report

The debate over prisoner swap: Griner freed, many wait behind bars

Former cop gets 3.5 years over George Floyd charges for taking away his civil rights and using excessive force that led to his death. Floyd was killed by police in May 2020.

US: Former cop who knelt on George Floyd's back faces imprisonment

Is Russia changing its nuclear doctrine amid the ongoing Ukraine war President Putin mulls adopting a 'Washington-like' concept. In this video, have a look at the US & its policy of 'calculated ambiguity'.

What is Russia's 'Nuclear Doctrine'? How is Russia's strategy different than US?

Arizona Senator Kyrsten Sinema has left the democratic party and switched to the independent. White House say defection does not change the Democratic Senate control.

US: Kyrsten Sinema leaves the democratic party and switches to independent

The United States has blacklisted six Pakistani firms. India and US have warned about nuclear activities. These firms' access to software and tech will now be restricted.

The Pakistani 'nuclear underworld': US blacklists six Pakistani firms

Russia has said that Viktor Bout has returned home to Russia, according to the state media. The prisoner exchange with US Basketball star Brittney Griner was completed successfully at Abu Dhabi's airport on Thursday. The US administration said that Griner is safe and that the prisoner exchange is successful.

BREAKING: Brittney Griner released by Russia, US Pres Biden says, 'Griner safe and on her way home'

Brittney Griner is free! Russia releases US Basketball player

The Biden-administration is reported to have held a high-level meeting to discuss how to engage with the new Israeli government and the question of whether to meet directly with some of its ultra-nationalist ministers. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is expected to form a coalition government which will include the religious Zionism.

US decides on how to handle new Israeli govt; Netanyahu-Biden relations face differences

Ukraine will soon get a USD 275 million military aid package from the US. The package would enable Ukraine to acquire new capabilities to defeat drones and strengthen air defenses

As per reports, the package could be announced as early as Friday (December 9).

It is also expected that the Pentagon may include rockets for High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS) launchers made by Lockheed Martin Corp, 155mm ammunition, Humvee military vehicles and generators.

The $275 million will be covered by Presidential Drawdown Authority (PDA) which allows the United States to transfer defence articles and services from stocks quickly without congressional approval in response to an emergency.

Russia's surge in missile strikes in Ukraine is partly designed to exhaust Kyiv's supplies of air defences and achieve dominance of the skies above the country, a senior Pentagon official said in November.

To counter these attacks, the United States has sent sophisticated anti-aircraft NASAMS systems to Ukraine which have been running for a few weeks.

Washington previously announced it was sending four Avenger short-range air defense systems that use Stinger missiles, made by Raytheon Technologies Corp, and HAWK interceptor missiles.

US allies have also been sending air defence systems.

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us <a href="https://www.wionews.com/content-contribution-registration-form">here</a>.

WATCH WION LIVE HERE

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="350" loading="”lazy”" src="https://www.wionews.com/live-tv/embed?autoplay=1&amp;mute=1" width="100%"></iframe></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

&nbsp;

Ukraine will soon get a USD 275 million military aid package from the US. The package would enable Ukraine to acquire new capabilities to defeat drones and strengthen air defenses As per reports, the package could be announced as early as Friday (December 9).

Ukraine will soon get a USD 275 million military aid package from the US. The package would enable Ukraine to acquire new capabilities to defeat drones and strengthen air defenses As per reports, the package could be announced as early as Friday (December 9). It is also expected that the Pentagon may include rockets for High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS) launchers made by Lockheed Martin Corp, 155mm ammunition, Humvee military vehicles and generators. The $275 million will be covered by Presidential Drawdown Authority (PDA) which allows the United States to transfer defence articles and services from stocks quickly without congressional approval in response to an emergency. Russia's surge in missile strikes in Ukraine is partly designed to exhaust Kyiv's supplies of air defences and achieve dominance of the skies above the country, a senior Pentagon official said in November. To counter these attacks, the United States has sent sophisticated anti-aircraft NASAMS systems to Ukraine which have been running for a few weeks. Washington previously announced it was sending four Avenger short-range air defense systems that use Stinger missiles, made by Raytheon Technologies Corp, and HAWK interceptor missiles. US allies have also been sending air defence systems. (With inputs from agencies) You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here. WATCH WION LIVE HERE ×

Ukraine to soon get $275 million military aid package from US

Finally, after 65 years, the&nbsp;Philadelphia police were able to identify the boy who was found dead in a box. The police revealed his name.&nbsp;The four-year-old was identified as Joseph Augustus Zarelli through investigation and DNA analysis, CNN reported.&nbsp;

The traumatic decades-old incident dates back to February 25, 1957, when Joseph's body was discovered wrapped in a blanket inside a cardboard box. The child was originally buried in a potter's field in the city till 1998.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/lawsuit-against-saudi-prince-over-khashoggi-murder-dismissed-in-us-540730">Also read |&nbsp;Lawsuit against Saudi prince over Khashoggi murder dismissed in US</a>

The unsolved case&nbsp;attracted immense public interest.&nbsp;

As per police officials, the mystery remained unsolved as no one came forward to claim Joseph as their child.&nbsp;

City's Police Commissioner Danielle Outlaw at a press conference said, "For sixty-five years, the story of America’s Unknown Child has haunted this community, the Philadelphia Police Department, our nation, and the world."

He added that techniques used in Joseph's case will help the department in assisting cold cases and that there will be no unidentified victims in the city.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/over-50-students-suffer-mysterious-poisoning-in-mexico-523827">Also read |&nbsp;Over 50 students suffer mysterious poisoning in Mexico</a>

As per the city's homicide unit Captian Smith, the boy was "severely beaten" and had multiple bruises on his body. He added that the child had multiple abrasions, contusions and a subdural haemorrhage.&nbsp;

Though the officials are celebrating Joseph being identified, the mystery still remains half solved as the investigation into who was responsible still continues.&nbsp;

Police refused to identify Joseph's parents who are dead, but stated that he has siblings who are alive.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

WATCH WION LIVE HERE

<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="350" loading="”lazy”" src="https://www.wionews.com/live-tv/embed?autoplay=1&amp;mute=1" width="100%"></iframe>

Finally, after 65 years, the Philadelphia police were able to identify the boy who was found dead in a box. The police revealed his name. The four-year-old was identified as Joseph Augustus Zarelli through investigation and DNA analysis, CNN reported.

Finally, after 65 years, the Philadelphia police were able to identify the boy who was found dead in a box. The police revealed his name. The four-year-old was identified as Joseph Augustus Zarelli through investigation and DNA analysis, CNN reported. The traumatic decades-old incident dates back to February 25, 1957, when Joseph's body was discovered wrapped in a blanket inside a cardboard box. The child was originally buried in a potter's field in the city till 1998. Also read | Lawsuit against Saudi prince over Khashoggi murder dismissed in US The unsolved case attracted immense public interest. As per police officials, the mystery remained unsolved as no one came forward to claim Joseph as their child. City's Police Commissioner Danielle Outlaw at a press conference said, "For sixty-five years, the story of America’s Unknown Child has haunted this community, the Philadelphia Police Department, our nation, and the world." He added that techniques used in Joseph's case will help the department in assisting cold cases and that there will be no unidentified victims in the city. Also read | Over 50 students suffer mysterious poisoning in Mexico As per the city's homicide unit Captian Smith, the boy was "severely beaten" and had multiple bruises on his body. He added that the child had multiple abrasions, contusions and a subdural haemorrhage. Though the officials are celebrating Joseph being identified, the mystery still remains half solved as the investigation into who was responsible still continues. Police refused to identify Joseph's parents who are dead, but stated that he has siblings who are alive. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE

‘America’s unknown child’: Philadelphia police identify boy found dead in a box 65 years ago

American NBA star and two time Olympic-champion Brittney Griner is released from a Russian prison and has been welcomed by her fellow athletes and also the sporting community. It's been nearly about 300 days since 32-year-old Griner was arrested at an airport in Moscow.

Brittney Griner returns home, athletes celebrate her homecoming

American basketball player Brittney Griner has landed in the United States after serving 10 months in a Russian prison. Griner was exchanged for Russian arms dealer Viktor Bout.

Brittney Griner arrives in the US after Russia prisoner exchange

In the United States, the house committee investigating the January 6 Capitol Riots is considering holding criminal referrals for at least four individuals. According to the reports, the panelists planning to hold criminal referrals for former White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows and three others.

US: DoJ to hold former President Donald Trump in contempt of court

Taiwanese chipmaking giant TSMC is building a second U.S. facility in the southwest state of Arizona, highlighting the Biden Administration’s push to bring more of the semiconductor supply chain to the United States. But are there enough trained workers there to meet the demand? Michelle Quinn has our story from Arizona, where they are ramping up training for workers and students at all levels.

WION-VOA Co-Production: US President Joe Biden plans 'Make in America' chips at TSMC plant

A new poll by Reuters shows that a large majority of economists said that the United States economy is headed for a short and shallow recession sometime in the coming year. This comes as the country is witnessing soaring inflation, which was at a four-decade high, prompting the Federal Reserve to announce several interest rate hikes since the beginning of this year in a bid to combat it.

What is a recession and a shallow recession?

A recession can occur in varying degrees and leave a significant impact on the economy; typically when an economy faces two consecutive quarters of negative gross domestic product (GDP), it could be said that a country is witnessing a recession. However, there are various additional formulas and complexities surrounding the discussion.&nbsp;

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/fueling-recession-fears-the-us-economy-shrank-again-in-second-quarter-501488">Fueling recession fears, the US economy shrank again in second quarter</a>

For example, in the context of the US economy, the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/pandemic-effect-us-economy-set-to-outpace-china-first-time-since-1976-481005">COVID-19-induced recession</a> only lasted for two months, which is one of the shortest cycles on record, after the economic activity plunged in April 2020. Furthermore, the official call that an economy is witnessing a recession is taken by a panel of economists convened by the National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER).

Among other indicators, the NBER accounts for non-farm payrolls, retail sales and industrial production, however, the private non-profit research group also said that there are “no fixed rules” about measures and indicators that contribute information to the process or how they are weighted in their decisions.&nbsp;

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/jeff-bezos-sounds-warning-bell-on-us-economy-as-he-asks-people-to-avoid-going-on-spending-spree-535758">Jeff Bezos sounds warning on US economy, urges people to avoid going on spending spree</a>

The group's definition of a recession is a “significant decline in economic activity that is spread across the economy and that lasts more than a few months.” It also believes that the depth, diffusion and duration of this downturn need to be met individually. Additionally, “extreme conditionals revealed by one criterion may partially offset weaker indications from another,” said the NBER.&nbsp;

Notably, the official call indicating that an economy is witnessing a recession is made at least a year or more after the downturn event has already occurred. Therefore, another approach, more focused on determining the onset of a recession, is the employment-based Sahm rule which says that when the three-month rolling average of the unemployment rate rises half a point from its low, an economy has entered a recession.&nbsp;

ALSO WATCH |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/fitch-inflation-and-fed-hikes-to-drive-us-economy-into-recession-526566">Fitch: Inflation and fed hikes to drive US economy into recession</a>

The rule was created by and named after a former Fed economist Claudia Sahm&nbsp;and used to determine the onset of a recession, which is quicker than official calls. In contrast to the aforementioned example of the COVID-19-induced recession, some other recessions can be deeper and scarring for the economy like the Great Recession or the Depression whose impact was so adverse that it reportedly took a decade or more to revive the labour market.&nbsp;

The speculations of the US economy entering a <a href="https://www.wionews.com/business-economy/us-recession-not-inevitable-economy-on-right-track-yellen-541427">“shallow recession”</a> have been around for quite a few months now, it is where the economic growth contracts only marginally and for a limited time. This comes after consecutive increases in interest rates by the Feds amounting to an overall hike of 375 basis points, since its first one in March, earlier this year which has sparked worries about an impending recession.&nbsp;

Reuters poll: Most economists expect a shallow and short recession

Reuters polled 84 economists between December 2 and 8 who unanimously expect the Feds to raise the interest rate by 50 basis points on December 14&nbsp;as the rate of inflation is running well above the central bank's two per cent target. However, after raising the interest rates by 75 basis points for the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/business-economy/us-federal-reserve-raises-interest-rate-by-075-again-in-a-bid-to-combat-inflation-530687">fourth consecutive time</a>, the economists believe that it will be a “slightly softer” hike of 4.25 per cent to 4.50 per cent this time around.&nbsp;

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/business-economy/dollar-gains-broadly-as-upbeat-us-data-muddles-fed-rate-hike-views-540382">Dollar gains broadly as upbeat US data muddles Fed rate hike views</a>

Economists who as a group can be slower with their forecast of recessions, as mentioned earlier, have also said that the probability of a recession in the upcoming year or two is at least 70 per cent which is up seven per cent from the last poll, said the report. Furthermore, 35 out of 48 economists said that the recession would be shallow and short, while eight economists said it would be long and shallow and four said there won’t be any recession.&nbsp;

Inflation is expected to stay over the Fed’s target until at least 2026, said the report, and while the<a href="https://www.wionews.com/economy/us-hiring-remains-robust-in-november-adds-263000-new-jobs-despite-soaring-inflation-539572"> labour market remains strong</a>, the bigger risk was that the rates would peak higher and later than expected. While some economists are expecting the fed funds rate to peak early next year at 4.75 per cent to five per cent, at least 24 of the 72 said that they believe it will go higher.&nbsp;

ALSO WATCH |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/us-economy-heading-into-a-shadow-recession-poll-541472">US economy heading into a shallow recession: Poll</a>

This comes amid signs of a slowing economy, particularly the housing market which was the epicentre of the 2008 recession in the US. Reportedly, home sales have decreased for nine months straight. Additionally, 27 of 45 economists who provided quarterly (GDP) forecasts estimate a contraction in economic growth for two consecutive quarters or more in the coming year.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

A new poll by Reuters shows that a large majority of economists said that the United States economy is headed for a short and shallow recession sometime in the coming year.

A new poll by Reuters shows that a large majority of economists said that the United States economy is headed for a short and shallow recession sometime in the coming year. This comes as the country is witnessing soaring inflation, which was at a four-decade high, prompting the Federal Reserve to announce several interest rate hikes since the beginning of this year in a bid to combat it. What is a recession and a shallow recession? A recession can occur in varying degrees and leave a significant impact on the economy; typically when an economy faces two consecutive quarters of negative gross domestic product (GDP), it could be said that a country is witnessing a recession. However, there are various additional formulas and complexities surrounding the discussion. ALSO READ | Fueling recession fears, the US economy shrank again in second quarter For example, in the context of the US economy, the COVID-19-induced recession only lasted for two months, which is one of the shortest cycles on record, after the economic activity plunged in April 2020. Furthermore, the official call that an economy is witnessing a recession is taken by a panel of economists convened by the National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER). Among other indicators, the NBER accounts for non-farm payrolls, retail sales and industrial production, however, the private non-profit research group also said that there are “no fixed rules” about measures and indicators that contribute information to the process or how they are weighted in their decisions. ALSO READ | Jeff Bezos sounds warning on US economy, urges people to avoid going on spending spree The group's definition of a recession is a “significant decline in economic activity that is spread across the economy and that lasts more than a few months.” It also believes that the depth, diffusion and duration of this downturn need to be met individually. Additionally, “extreme conditionals revealed by one criterion may partially offset weaker indications from another,” said the NBER. Notably, the official call indicating that an economy is witnessing a recession is made at least a year or more after the downturn event has already occurred. Therefore, another approach, more focused on determining the onset of a recession, is the employment-based Sahm rule which says that when the three-month rolling average of the unemployment rate rises half a point from its low, an economy has entered a recession. ALSO WATCH | Fitch: Inflation and fed hikes to drive US economy into recession The rule was created by and named after a former Fed economist Claudia Sahm and used to determine the onset of a recession, which is quicker than official calls. In contrast to the aforementioned example of the COVID-19-induced recession, some other recessions can be deeper and scarring for the economy like the Great Recession or the Depression whose impact was so adverse that it reportedly took a decade or more to revive the labour market. The speculations of the US economy entering a “shallow recession” have been around for quite a few months now, it is where the economic growth contracts only marginally and for a limited time. This comes after consecutive increases in interest rates by the Feds amounting to an overall hike of 375 basis points, since its first one in March, earlier this year which has sparked worries about an impending recession. Reuters poll: Most economists expect a shallow and short recession Reuters polled 84 economists between December 2 and 8 who unanimously expect the Feds to raise the interest rate by 50 basis points on December 14 as the rate of inflation is running well above the central bank's two per cent target. However, after raising the interest rates by 75 basis points for the fourth consecutive time, the economists believe that it will be a “slightly softer” hike of 4.25 per cent to 4.50 per cent this time around. ALSO READ | Dollar gains broadly as upbeat US data muddles Fed rate hike views Economists who as a group can be slower with their forecast of recessions, as mentioned earlier, have also said that the probability of a recession in the upcoming year or two is at least 70 per cent which is up seven per cent from the last poll, said the report. Furthermore, 35 out of 48 economists said that the recession would be shallow and short, while eight economists said it would be long and shallow and four said there won’t be any recession. Inflation is expected to stay over the Fed’s target until at least 2026, said the report, and while the labour market remains strong, the bigger risk was that the rates would peak higher and later than expected. While some economists are expecting the fed funds rate to peak early next year at 4.75 per cent to five per cent, at least 24 of the 72 said that they believe it will go higher. ALSO WATCH | US economy heading into a shallow recession: Poll This comes amid signs of a slowing economy, particularly the housing market which was the epicentre of the 2008 recession in the US. Reportedly, home sales have decreased for nine months straight. Additionally, 27 of 45 economists who provided quarterly (GDP) forecasts estimate a contraction in economic growth for two consecutive quarters or more in the coming year. (With inputs from agencies)

Poll shows that the US economy is headed for a shallow recession: Here’s what it means

US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen became the latest Treasury secretary to sign US currency and the first woman Treasury secretary to have her signature on a US banknote. She was joined at the site by US Treasury Chief Lynn Malerba, the first Native American to serve in that role.

WION Fineprint: U.S. prints first banknotes with women's signatures

Japan, UK and Italy are merging their next generation fighter jet projects. According to reports, it's a groundbreaking partnership spanning Europe and Asia that is Japan's first major industrial defence collaboration beyond the US since World War II.

Japan, UK & Italy to build fighter jet together; PM Sunak says 'Deal will keep UK safe from threats'

The era of the Boeing 747 aircraft has come to an end. The last one took flight from Boeing's u.S. Factory in Washington state. Molly Gambhir tells you more.

Gravitas: Last Boeing 747 rolls off the production line

us-1

Us, News on Us, stories on Us, articles on Us, Us stories at Wion, Us news, Us latest news

us 1