Feb 21, 2018

Shulkin blasts "subversion" at VA after travel report exposed

David Shulkin. Photo: Aaron P. Bernstein / Getty Images

Veterans Affairs Secretary David Shulkin blasted “subversive events” at his agency after conservative political appointees openly rebelled against him following the release of an inspector general’s report that found he had improperly brought his wife on a trip last year using a falsified email from his former chief of staff, per Politico. Shulkin paid back any outstanding sums, allowing him to maintain the White House’s political backing for now.

Why it matters: As reported by Politico, the White House has given Shulkin their support to "quash an internal rebellion." Top Trump administration officials — from Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke to former HHS Secretary Tom Price — have faced media scrutiny over their use of travel expenses, but this is the first time that other Trump appointees have used such a controversy to voice their displeasure.

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Global: Total confirmed cases as of 5 p.m. ET: 1,331,032 — Total deaths: 73,917 — Total recoveries: 275,851 — Map.
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Stocks jump 7% despite bleak coronavirus projections

Photo: John Nacion/NurPhoto via Getty Images

The S&P 500 closed up 7% on Monday, while the Dow rose more than 1,500 points.

Why it matters: The huge market surge comes amid rare optimistic signs that the spread of the coronavirus may be slowing in parts of the country, including New York. But government officials say this will be a difficult week, while economists — including former Fed chair Janet Yellen today — warn that the pandemic could have a catastrophic impact on the global economy.

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Boris Johnson moved to intensive care as coronavirus symptoms worsen

Photo: Peter Summers/Getty Images

U.K. Prime Minister Boris Johnson has been taken to the intensive care unit of St. Thomas Hospital in London due to increasingly severe coronavirus symptoms.

The backdrop: Johnson was admitted to the hospital on Sunday for what Downing Street called "routine tests" because his condition had not improved 10 days after he tested positive for the virus. His condition has since "worsened," according to a statement, and Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab will step into his place "where necessary."

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