Time Surf

US Press Secretary Jen Psaki accused of Hatch Act Violation

On Friday October 15, Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW), a watchdog group, filed a Hatch Act complaint against White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki after she made a statement that appears to endorse a Democrat candidate’s run for state office.

Taiwan Emphasizes Democracy and International Friendship during National Day Celebrations

Following a week of tense interactions with Beijing (click here to read more), Taiwan celebrated its Double Ten Day on Sunday, October 10, 2021. The theme of the event was democracy and Taiwan’s role in the world.

The day’s ceremonial event kicked off with a greeting from Taiwan’s legislative president Yu Shyi-kun who welcomed guests and gave a short speech that touched on Covid-19, Taiwanese Olympic Triumphs, economic growth, and historical pursuit of democracy and freedom.

“Taiwan is an important part of the world,” he said. It is “a force for good, a force for democracy, and a friendly presence.”

China’s President Xi Vows to Reunify Mainland China with Taiwan

Tensions between China and Taiwan continue to rise. In a speech on Saturday, Chinese President Xi Jinping vowed to achieve “peaceful reunification” with Taiwan.

This declaration comes after a week in which Beijing dispatched nearly 150 Chinese military flights into Taiwan’s air defense zone.

U.S. Capitol Police: Driver of Suspicious SUV in Custody

On only the second day of the Supreme Court’s new term, the U.S. Capitol Police have issued a warning that a suspicious vehicle has been seen nearby the Supreme Court building where oral arguments begin at 10:00a.m ET.

NOW: We are investigating a suspicious vehicle in front of the Supreme Court along First Street, NE. Please stay away from the area. We will provide more information as soon as we can. pic.twitter.com/j129pfKIMG
— U.S. Capitol Police (@CapitolPolice) October 5, 2021

According to the Capitol Police’s official Twitter feed, attempts were made to talk to the driver of the vehicle. The police ask that citizens avoid the area for the time being.

Facebook Chaos

This week it appears Facebook is having a rough go of it. In addition to a blow to its optics thanks to the Wall Street Journal’s series “The Facebook Files,” and CBS’s 60 Minutes’ whistleblower piece, Facebook and other Facebook-owned sites have gone dark.

According to Reuters, Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp (and as reported by other sites, Oculus) all went down for users across the globe. As of 4:30pm Monday October 4^th, 2021, it appears the media giant is still in the process of trying to restore its services. (Update: As of 5:02p.m., it appears Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp are up and running marking the end of a nearly 6 hour blackout.)