AFN NEWS

Thursday, December 20, 2018　

1) From ABC News, I’m Scott Goldberg. A big swing on Wall Street after the Federal Reserve announces raising interest rates again for the fourth time this year. The Dow went from being up 381 points to down 351 points at the close. Despite pressure from President Trump to keep interest rates the same, Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell says, “Political considerations have played no role whatsoever in our discussions or decisions about monetary policy.” The Fed Chair saying they raise rates another 1/4% to keep inflation low and that presidential tweets didn’t sway them. “Nothing will deter us from doing what we think is the right thing to do.” Andy Field, ABC News, Washington.

2) A U.S. official told ABC News the Trump Administration is pulling all U.S. troops out of Syria within the next 30 days. The decision by President Trump is not a popular one with Democrats or Republican. “Colossal, in my mind, mistake, a grave error.” That’s Marco Rubio from Florida, a Republican. Chris Coons from Delaware, a Democrat. “To abandon the ground that we have gained and the allies who have fought alongside us in Syria, I think it would be a profound strategic mistake.” President Trump tweeted this morning that ISIS has been defeated. That’s despite the Pentagon releasing statement last week saying the fight against ISIS is not over.

3) It looks like the federal government will not shut down on Friday. The Senate’s advancing a stopgap measure kicking the deadline in February.

4) Former Attorney General Loretta Lynch was on Capitol Hill today. “Republicans are just now wrapping up their month-long investigation into the handling of the FBI’s investigation into former Secretary of State and Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton’s use of a private email server. Lynch was criticized during the presidential campaign for speaking with former President Bill Clinton at an airport as Federal investigators reviewed his wife’s use of private email. ABC’s Stephanie Ramos.

5) Federal judges blocked the Trump Administration for denying asylum to immigrants who claimed to be victims of domestic or gang violence. You’re listening to ABC News.

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From the Fox Business Network; markets finishing in the red after the Federal Reserve raised interest rates by 1/4 points. The Dow dropping 352 points, the NASDAQ lost 147 and the S&P 500 closing down 39. Oil futures climbing as supplies decline for the third straight week. The Energy Information Administration reporting domestic crude supplies fell by $1/2 million last week. Futures plunging yesterday to the lowest level in nearly 16 months. // The number of new enrolments in Obama Care exceeding expectations after a Federal judge ruled the Affordable Care Act is unconstitutional. Supporters of Obama Care are certain to appeal. // And Lion Air beefing with Boeing as both sides are steeled with the fallout from the deadly crash two months ago. A new Boeing 737 Max 8 plunged into the Java Sea in Indonesia killing all 189 people on board. A preliminary report saying faulty sensors caused the plane to enter a dive. With the Fox Business Report, I’m Steve __.