Raissa's Blog - Best of Sports, Culture, and Entertainment

The fourth presidential impeachment trial in American history is over. Former US President Donald Trump was on Saturday February 13, acquitted for his alleged role of inciting the Jan 6 deadly riot at the US Capitol. His acquittal comes exactly one month and a week after the attack on the Capitol. More senators voted to convict Trump, but failed to reach the majority threshold of two-thirds necessary to convict; the vote fell 10 short, the final vote being 57-43.  Seven Republican senators -  Senators Mitt Romney of Utah, Susan Collins of Maine, Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, Ben Sasse of Nebraska, Bill Cassidy of Louisiana, Richard Burr of North Carolina and Pat Toomey of Pennsylvania - joined the Dems to vote Trump guilty of "incitement of insurrection". "This has been yet another phase of the greatest witch hunt in the history of our Country. No president has ever gone through anything like it, and it continues because our opponents cannot forget the almost 75 million ...

It's been almost four months since the first coronavirus case was confirmed in the US, and over three since the first known virus-related death happened (February 6). In other words, more than 100,000 people have died in 100 days. The virus has claimed lives across all the states in the US. This morning, US President Donald Trump, noted the "very sad milestone" with a tweet: "To all of the families & friends of those who have passed, I want to extend my heartfelt sympathy & love for everything that these great people stood for & represent. God be with you!" An average of approximately 900 Americans have died from Covid-19 since February 6. More than 41% of the deaths in the US have occurred in the states of New York and New Jersey Former US Vice President Joe Biden also tweeted a comforting message to the bereaved families: "There are moments in our history so grim, so heart-rending, that they're forever fixed in each of our hearts as sh...

On Wednesday, May 20, Brazil recorded its highest number of coronavirus and cases - 17,408 new cases and 1,179 new deaths. In the past 24 hours, the state of Sao Paulo recorded 324 deaths. This comes a day after it became the country with the third-highest number of confirmed coronavirus cases in the world, behind the United States and Russia. Since the start of the coronavirus outbreak, Brazil has recorded 17,971 deaths and 271,628 cases.  Despite the havoc caused by the virus in Brazil, her president, Bolsonaro, insists people, including himself, have nothing to fear from the virus, dismissing the risks and comparing Covid-19 to "a little flu". He says quarantines and lockdowns cold have a worse impact on Brazil's economy and continues to call for lockdown measures imposed by local authorities to be lifted. In response to the escalation of the virus in Brazil, POTUS Donald Trump, who Brazil president Bolsonaro has previously described as his "idol", told r...

On Monday, March 16, POTUS Donald Trump, during a press briefing, urged Americans to avoid gathering in public places and avoid traveling. “If everyone makes this change, or these critical changes and sacrifices now, we will rally together as one nation and we will defeat the virus,” Trump said in the White House briefing room. “We’re going to have a big celebration all together.” He also told reporters that the outbreak could continue into July or August. Trump added that he wasn't considering a nationwide lockdown but that he may take such measures for "certain areas" of the country that had large numbers of cases. “At this point, not nationwide,” the president added. "We may look at certain areas, certain hotspots as they call them."

US President Donald Trump had earlier placed a travel ban which applies to Europe's Schengen area, and yesterday extended the ban to Britain and Ireland as the number of new infections in these countries soar. The announcement of the extension of the travel ban was made on Saturday afternoon as Trump spoke at a news conference at the White House. US Vice President Mike Pence confirmed the extension right after Trump spoke, saying the ban would be put in place from midnight eastern time on Monday, following the advice of health officials. "In our taskforce meeting today the president has made a decision to suspend all travel to the UK and Ireland, effective midnight Monday night, eastern standard time," said Pence. "Americans in the UK or Ireland can come home, legal residents can come home... they will will be funnelled through specific airports and processed," he added.

US President, Donald Trump has tested negative for the coronavirus, according to a statement made on Saturday March 15th by the White House physician. In a memo released by the White House, the White House physician Sean Conley wrote: "Last night after an in-depth discussion with the President regarding COVID-19 testing, he elected to proceed. "This evening I received confirmation that the test is negative. "I have been in daily contact with the CDC and White House Coronavirus Task Force, and we are encouraging the implementation of all their best practices for exposure reduction and transmission mitigation." POTUS Trump annouced early on Saturday that he had taken a coronavirus test and was awaiting results. On Friday, Conley had earlier said Trump "remains without symptoms" and testing wasn't needed. "One week after having dinner with the Brazilian delegation in Mar-a-Lago, the President remains symptom-free," said Conley. 

US President Donald Trump earlier on Saturday March 14 - during a White House press conference with Vice President Mike Pence - revealed he has taken a coronavirus test and the results are pending. “I had my temperature taken coming into the room … I also took the test last night. And I decided I should based on the press conference last night,” he said. Trump may have been exposed to the virus given that he received Brazilian government officials last weekend, including Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro. One member of the delegation with whom Trump shook hands and took a photograph began showing coronavirus symptoms three days after the meeting. Another with whom President Trump had dinner, Brazilian Chargé d'Affaires Nestor Forster developed symptoms later in the week and tested positive for Covid-19 on Friday morning. The Trump government also announced that all those who come into contact with President Trump and Vice President Pence will have their temperature...

On Wednesday, March 11th, US President Donald Trump in a national address from the Oval Office announced a 30-day ban on some travel from Europe into the US. He said the travel suspension would begin Friday at 11:59 p.m. The ban excludes the UK, and American travelers who have undergone screenings.  "To keep new cases from entering our shores, we will be suspending all travel from Europe to the United States for the next 30 days," Mr. Trump said. He promised to deliver the "most aggressive and comprehensive effort to combat a virus" in modern history. Mr. Trump accused the European Union of not taking the precautions the U.S. had taken to prevent the spread of Covid-19 from China.  "The European Union failed to take the same precautions and restrict travel from China and other hot spots," Mr. Trump said. "As a result a large number of new clusters in the United States were seeded by travel."