Focus Washington November 2017

Rodrigo Duterte Would Tell Trump to ‘Lay Off’ If He Raises Human Rights Issue

November 9, 2017 Focus Washington

Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte is prepared to tell President Donald Trump to “lay off” if he raises the issue of human rights. Trump will be in Manila on the last leg of his 12-day Asian […]

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Mulvaney Says White House Won’t Sign Bill Raising Taxes for Middle Class

November 9, 2017 Focus Washington

The Director of the Office of Management and Budget, Mick Mulvaney said on Wednesday that the president would not sign a tax bill that raised taxes for the middle class. “If our numbers here at […]

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U.S. Accuses Iran of Supplying Missiles to Yemen

November 8, 2017 Focus Washington

The United States accused Iran of supplying Yemen’s Houthi rebels with advanced weapons. Previously, Saudi Arabia made the same accusations. Washington blames Iran that it supplied the rebels with a ballistic missile that struck Saudi […]

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Senators Threaten to Oppose Defense Bill if Pentagon Drug Policy Stays

November 8, 2017 Focus Washington

There is a big resistance in Congress over Pentagon’s plan to approve drugs and medical products without Food and Drug Administration’s involvement. Pentagon is facing the resistance before the finalization of a defense policy bill […]

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Following Texas Massacre Lawmakers Question Military’s Reporting System

November 8, 2017 Focus Washington

After the mass church shooting in Texas, lawmakers have expressed concerns regarding the military’s crime reporting system, which they believe may have a serious systematic problem. Devin Kelley who killed 26 people and wounded another […]

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Exit Polls Show Trump Lost in Virginia

November 8, 2017 Focus Washington

As Democrats won gubernatorial races in Virginia and New Jersey on Tuesday, exit polls showed there was an obvious adverse response to President Donald Trump, Politico reports. Most of the voters in these states disapproved […]

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Trump Not Invited to Upcoming Climate Change Summit in France

November 8, 2017 Focus Washington

President Donald Trump is reportedly not invited to the climate change summit that will be held later this year in France, The Hill reports. An official in French President Emmanuel Macron’s Cabinet said Trump is […]

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Charles Schumer: Trump Won’t Veto Spending Bill If DACA is Included

November 8, 2017 Focus Washington

According to Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer, President Donald Trump will sign a spending package in December if a permanent fix to the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program is included, Newsmax reports. “Here’s the […]

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Senate Committee Subpoenaed Former Yahoo CEO Marissa Mayer

November 8, 2017 Focus Washington

A Senate committee moved last month to force former Yahoo CEO Marissa Mayer to testify in a hearing Wednesday about corporate data breaches, The Wall Street Journal reports. The Senate Commerce Committee’s authorization of the […]

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Democrats Win Big Year after Devastating Presidential Election

November 8, 2017 Focus Washington

Democrats claimed big victories in races up and down the ballot and across the country and even the most optimistic party stalwarts were surprised. Republicans lost races for the governorship in Virginia and New Jersey, […]

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Senate Armed Services Speeds up Pace on Pentagon Nominees

November 8, 2017 Focus Washington

The Senate Armed Services Committee on Tuesday in a unanimous voice vote approved Mark Esper to be Army secretary, Robert Wilkie to be Defense undersecretary for personnel and readiness, Joseph Kernan to be undersecretary for […]

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California Could Use Armored Cars to Transport Marijuana Earnings

November 8, 2017 Focus Washington

California could use armored cars to transport the hundreds of millions of dollars the state anticipates making in tax from marijuana sales, Newsweek writes. According to California treasurer John Chiang, the problems anticipated from the […]

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Trump Issues Warning to North Korea

November 8, 2017 Focus Washington

President Donald Trump warned North Korea on Wednesday during a speech to South Korea’s National Assembly. He said the U.S. will oppose the nuclear aggression of Pyongyang and promised the United States will defend itself and […]

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Senator Chris Coons Wants to Know Why Dana Boente Was Asked to Quit

November 8, 2017 Focus Washington

Democratic Senator Chris Coons, who is a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, wants to know why a career prosecutor was asked to resign several days before a special counsel unveiled the first criminal charges in […]

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Mike Pompeo Met with Former Intelligence Official on Trump’s Urging

November 8, 2017 Focus Washington

CIA Director Mike Pompeo was reportedly urged by President Donald Trump to meet with a conspiracy theorist who claims Russia didn’t hack the DNC in 2016. The former intelligence official was among those whose assertions […]

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Melvin Carter Is First African American Mayor of St. Paul

November 8, 2017 Focus Washington

Melvin Carter is the first African American mayor in the city St. Paul, Minnesota, after he won the race and received 59.89 percent of the vote. Carter is a member of the Democratic-Farmer-Labor party, just […]

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Trump First Foreign President to Dine in Forbidden City

November 8, 2017 Focus Washington

President Donald Trump will become the first U.S. president who has dined in the Forbidden City since the formation of modern China. This honor will be granted to him as part of his official visit […]

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Egyptian President Praises Trump for His Foreign Policy

November 7, 2017 Focus Washington

The President of Egypt, Abdel Fattah al-Sisi praised President Donald Trump for his effective foreign policy, saying that he is helping improve the precarious situation in the Middle East. The Egyptian president is considered to […]

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GOP Changes Adopted by House Tax Panel

November 7, 2017 Focus Washington

A House tax panel approved on Monday Republican tax changes after a day of debating whether these changes would really help the middle class. Lawmakers reinstated the tax exemption for parents who receive child care […]

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Trump Blames Church Mass Shooting on ‘Mental Health Problems’

November 7, 2017 Focus Washington

When asked on Monday about U.S. gun control measures, President Donald Trump said domestic gun laws were not the cause for the Texas church shooting, but rather “mental health problems.” He denied there was a […]

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House Intel Committee to Question Trump’s Former Bodyguard

November 7, 2017 Focus Washington

The House Intelligence Committee is set to question President Donald Trump’s former longtime bodyguard and intimate confidante, Keith Schiller on Tuesday afternoon, The Hill reports. According to multiple committee members, Schiller’s interview is part of […]

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House Freedom Caucus Supports Bill to End Green Card Lottery

November 7, 2017 Focus Washington

The House Freedom Caucus will support a bill to end the diversity visa lottery, The Hill reports. The conservative group of lawmakers joined President Donald Trump’s call to end the program in the wake of […]

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Mnuchin Says GOP Tax Plan Aims to Help Middle Class

November 7, 2017 Focus Washington

According to Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, the GOP tax proposal is aimed at the middle class and could encourage businesses to bring back as much as $5 trillion to the United Sates, Newsmax reports. “This […]

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Kerry: Trump’s North Korea Threats Have ‘Crossed the Line’

November 7, 2017 Focus Washington

President Donald Trump’s rhetoric on North Korea has “frankly stepped over the line”, former Secretary of State John Kerry said on Monday, Newsweek reports. “It’s given North Korea a reason to say, ‘Hey, we need […]

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Paul Manafort Will Remain under Home Confinement

November 7, 2017 Focus Washington

A federal judge said on Monday that for the time being Paul Manafort, the former Trump campaign chairman, and his associate Rick Gates will not be released from home confinement. The judge, Amy Berman Jackson, […]

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Weinstein Hired Private Investigators to Track and Spy on Actresses

November 7, 2017 Focus Washington

Disgraced Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein last year hired private investigators to track actresses and journalists, in an attempt to thwart allegations that he sexually assaulted or harassed women, Newsweek reports. According to the The New […]

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DHS Ends Protective Status for Nicaraguans

November 7, 2017 Focus Washington

About 5,300 Nicaraguans will lose their protected immigration status and will be forced to leave the U.S. by January 2019, as the Department of Homeland Security announced on Monday. It extended the humanitarian status for […]

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Rand Paul Could Delay Return to Senate Due to Extent of Injuries

November 7, 2017 Focus Washington

Senator Rand Paul faces an extended absence from the Senate as he recovers from serious injuries he suffered on Friday after he was attacked by a neighbor, The Wall Street Journal writes. According to an […]

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U.S. Military Failed to Inform FBI about Kelley’s Conviction Record

November 7, 2017 Focus Washington

The U.S. military failed to submit the conviction record of Texas church gunman Devin Patrick Kelley to the FBI following a 2013 court-martial conviction, The Wall Street Journal reports. This mistake by the U.S. military […]

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U.S., Turkey Partially Resolve Visa Feud

November 7, 2017 Focus Washington

The United States partially resumed issuing visas in Turkey after getting “assurances” about the safety of staff at its missions following a number of detentions. The Turkish embassy in Washington stated that it would match […]

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