January 1, Biden’s Approval Rating Plummets

Hello again Americans,

President Joe Biden’s approval rating in Iowa has diminished over the last number of months. Biden is currently sitting at 43% approval and 52% disapproval, according to a recent poll. Vice President Kamala Harris saw similar numbers, with a 42% approval rating and 50% disapproval. According to the same poll, Iowans are the most dissatisfied with the president’s handling of immigration and criminal justice.

Pop star Billie Eilish came under fire after an old video of her mouthing a racial slur went viral on the social media platform TikTok. Eilish, 19, took to Instagram to address the criticisms. “I mouthed a word from a song that at the time I didn’t know was a derogatory term used against members of the Asian community,” said Eilish.

The state of California is pursuing a $5.2 billion plan to pay off the entirety of unpaid rent of low-income tenants who fell behind during the pandemic. This would constitute the largest-ever rent relief program in the US. Approximately 900,000 renters in California owe an average of $4,600 in back rent. As of now, the federal eviction protections are set to expire at the end of the month.

The US government seized dozens of website domains linked to Iran. National security officials say the domains are connected to disinformation efforts. “The US Admin. Blocked Websites of Several News Agencies & TV Channels, Including Press TV, Al-Masirah, Al-Alam & Al-Maalomah, on Tuesday in A Flagrant Violation of The Freedom of The Press,” said Iran’s Far News Agency via Twitter.

Background checks prevented a record number of over 300,000 people from buying guns during 2020’s surge of sales, according to new records. Approximately 42% of those denials stemmed from the would-be buyers having felony convictions on their records. The research, completed by Everytown for Gun Safety, found that 16% of would-be buyers last year were prohibited by state law. Another 12% were related to domestic violence.

Finally, flight attendants are at their wits end with unruly passengers. Reports of verbal abuse, non-compliance with mask mandates, and even assault are on the rise. The Federal Aviation Administration says they’ve received a record number of about 3,000 reports of unruly behavior on planes since the beginning of the year. The agency implemented a zero-tolerance policy and fines of up to $35,000 following a series of politically motivated incidents around the time of the US Capitol riot on January 6.

Be well,

Fraser Dixon

Sources

• Biden’s approval rating plummets in Iowa: poll
• Billie Eilish Says She Is Sorry After TikTok Video Shows Her Mouthing A Racist Slur
• California has a $5.2bn plan to pay off unpaid rent accrued during the pandemic
• US government seizes dozens of US website domains connected to Iran
• Background checks blocked a record high 300,000 gun sales
• ‘It’s out of control.’ Airlines, flight attendants want stiffer penalties for unruly passengers