Dec 29, 2017

Jim Mattis didn't visit U.S. troops for the holidays

Defense Secretary James Mattis at a news conference in August 2017 at the State Department in Washington. Photo: Jacquelyn Martin / AP

"For only the second time since 9/11, America's defense secretary didn't visit U.S. troops in a war zone during December, breaking a long-standing tradition of personally and publicly thanking service members in combat who are separated from their families during the holiday season," per the AP.

When asked why he wasn't going to Iraq or Afghanistan, Mattis told the AP said he didn't want to discuss his travel.

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Axios
Updated 24 mins ago - Politics & Policy

Coronavirus dashboard

Illustration: Aïda Amer/Axios

  1. Politics: Chris Christie: Wear a mask "or you may regret it — as I did" — Senate Democrats block vote on McConnell's targeted relief bill.
  2. Economy: Why the stimulus delay isn't a crisis (yet).
  3. Health: The pandemic is getting worse again — New York reports most cases since May —Many U.S. coronavirus deaths were avoidable.
  4. Education: Boston and Chicago send students back home for online learning.
  5. World: Spain becomes first nation in Western Europe to exceed 1 million cases — France becomes the second.
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Axios
41 mins ago - Politics & Policy

Biden says he will appoint commission on Supreme Court reform

Photo: Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images

Joe Biden told CBS' "60 Minutes" this week that if elected, he would put together a bipartisan commission to study the federal court system and make recommendations for reform.

Why it matters: Biden has come under pressure to clarify his position on court packing after some Democrats suggested expanding the court if Senate Republicans confirm President Trump's Supreme Court nominee Amy Coney Barrett.

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Dion Rabouin, author of Markets
55 mins ago - Economy & Business

Wall Street still prefers bonds

Illustration: Aïda Amer/Axios. Photo: Sunset Boulevard/Getty Contributor

Investors' return on U.S. corporate bonds has been falling since its August peak, but buying has only accelerated, especially in investment grade bonds that are offering historically low yields.

The state of play: Since hitting its 2020 high on Aug. 4, the benchmark Bloomberg Barclays U.S. bond aggregate has delivered a -2.2% return. (For comparison, the S&P 500 has gained 3.9% during the same time period.)

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