Month: January 2019

The world’s largest diamond company, Russia’s Alrosa, has appointed Rebecca Foerster as president of its U.S. operations, a role in which she will work on developing the miner’s polished sales in the country, the company said, […]

Report Finds Another Undisclosed North Korea Missile Site; Trump Could Meet Kim in Vietnam

With a second U.S.-North Korea nuclear summit looking increasingly likely in February, researchers have discovered a secret ballistic missile base in North Korea – one of as many as 20 undisclosed missile sites in the […]

VP Pence Compares President to Martin Luther King Jr

Mike Pence made a surprising comparison between Donald Trump to Marin Luther King Jr. over the weekend and claimed that both leaders were an inspiration to people across the United States, Newsweek reported. The Vice […]

Rep. Cheney Calls Steve King’s Comments ‘Abhorrent’; Suggests he ‘Find Another Line of Work’

Rep. Liz Cheney, R-Wyo., the third-ranking House Republican, on Sunday continued her criticism of Iowa Rep. Steve King – calling her fellow Republican’s recent remarks “abhorrent” and “racist,” Fox News informed. King, a nine-term congressman, […]

Trump Thanks Federal Workers Awaiting Paychecks, Calling them ‘Great Patriots’

President Donald Trump thanked the federal workers who are set to face another federal pay period without paychecks, for their service and dedication and also called them “great patriots,” Fox News informed. “To all of […]

Trump’s Attorney Says President May Have Spoken to Cohen, ‘So What?’

Rudy Giuliani, President Donald Trump’s personal lawyer, has said that there is a possibility Trump talked to his former lawyer Michael Cohen, prior to his testimony in Congress. “Which would be perfectly normal,” Giuliani said […]

Israel Admits Striking Iranian Forces in Syria

Israel took the unusual move on Monday of announcing an attack on Iranian-linked forces in Syria, hitting targets including a training camp, munitions storage depots and a site at the Damascus International Airport, Washington Post […]

Japanese Refiners Resume Iranian Oil Imports

Japanese refiners have loaded Iranian oil onto a tanker, resuming imports after halting purchases because of sanctions by the United States, a spokesman for a Japanese refinery and an Iranian official said on Monday, Reuters […]

Ocasio-Cortez Fires Back at Sorkin

Democratic Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez on Sunday responded to Aaron Sorkin’s remarks that the young Democrats in Congress should “stop acting like young people.” “News Flash: Medicare for All & equal rights aren’t trends,” 29-year-old Ocasio-Cortez, […]

Giuliani Says Trump Talking to Cohen Before Congress Testimony is Perfectly Normal

President Donald Trump lawyer Rudy Giuliani stated on Sunday that it’s “possible” the President spoke to his former attorney, Michael Cohen, ahead of his congressional testimony. “Which would be perfectly normal,” Giuliani said on CNN’s […]

George Conway Mocks Trump after Giuliani Remarks on Cohen Testimony

George Conway, the husband of White House counselor Kellyanne Conway, stated on Sunday that it would be “insane” if President Donald Trump did talk to his former lawyer Michael Cohen about his congressional testimony before […]

Employee at U.S. Consulate Indicted by Turkish Authorities

An employee at the U.S. consulate in Istanbul was indicted by Turkish prosecutors for being linked to Turkish cleric Fethullah Gülen. According to The Associated Press, the employee, Metin Topuz, was originally arrested in 2017 […]

January 19, 2019 Focus Washington

Mueller Team Disputes BuzzFeed Report Claiming Trump Told Cohen to Lie

Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s office on Friday made an announcement where they dispute a news report by BuzzFeed that claimed President Donald Trump directed Michael Cohen to lie about the timing of discussions over a […]

Tesla Cuts Workforce, Sending Stock Plummeting

Investors punished Tesla on Friday after embattled CEO Elon Musk announced thousands of layoffs and admitted the company’s electric cars are overpriced, sending the stock down 13 percent to $302 by the end of the […]

Sheremetyevo International Airport’s Alexander Ponomarenko Talks Future Plans, Infrastructure Development and Construction Projects

By Lisa Clayton The Sheremetyevo International Airport (JSC SIA) Board of Directors met at the end of last year to approve multiple phases of the new Master Development Plan – a crucial tool for the […]

January 18, 2019 Lisa Clayton

LUNCHTIME POLITICS: Rating Presidents – Shutdown – Border Wall Polling

Your Daily Polling Update for Friday, January 18, 2019 TRUMP JOB APPROVAL: AVERAGE 42% Same as yesterday RON’S COMMENT: Today’s average is based on four polls, ranging from 39% (Pew) to 45% (The Economist). Without these […]

House Votes to Keep Russian Sanctions

The House of Representatives overwhelmingly voted to keep the sanctions on three Russian companies tied to oligarch Oleg Deripaska, in what appears to be a protest against the Treasury Department’s decision to lift the financial […]

U.S. Refiners Scramble as Washington Reconsiders Harsher Venezuela Sanctions

American refiners are bidding up prices for scarce types of crude oil needed for their most sophisticated plants as Washington reconsiders harsher sanctions on Venezuela that could further reduce imports of the country’s oil, CNBC […]

Trump’s Border Mission Could Cost $170mn More than Pentagon Announced

The deployment of National Guard Forces and U.S. troops to the border between the United States and Mexico, as proposed by the President, might end up costing at least $470 million in 2019, latest estimates […]

Beijing Offers Tehran $3bn Oil-Field Deal

China’s state-run energy giant is making a new approach to clinch a $3 billion deal for more development of an Iranian oil field, seeking to take advantage of waivers allowed under U.S. sanctions as two […]

Law Firm Tied to Manafort’s Ukraine Work Reaches Settlement with Justice Department

A prominent law firm related to former Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort’s work for pro-Russian politicians in Ukraine has settled to pay $4.6 million and retroactively register as a foreign agent, the Justice Department announced […]

President’s Former Lawyer Says He Directed Him to Pay for Poll Rigging

Michael Cohen, the president’s ex-lawyer and “fixer,” said Thursday that he was directed by President Donald Trump to pay the head of a small technology company thousands in 2015 to rig online polls “for the […]

Trump Cancels Davos Trip Due to Shutdown

On Thursday, the White House canceled its delegation’s planned trip to the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, Press Secretary Sarah Sanders said. She cited the partial government shutdown, which ended its 27th day Thursday, as […]

January 17, 2019 Lisa Clayton

LUNCHTIME POLITICS: Polls in 2018 House Races – Trump and Russia – 2020 GOP Primaries – Shutdown, Wall

Your Daily Polling Update for Thursday, January 17, 2019 TRUMP JOB APPROVAL: AVERAGE 42% Up 1 from yesterday RON’S COMMENT: Today’s average is based on four polls, ranging from 39% (Pew) to 45% (The Economist/YouGov). Without […]

Apple to Slow Down Hiring after Weak iPhone Sales

Apple plans to slow down its hiring in some divisions after holiday iPhone sales came in lower than expected, Bloomberg reports. Even though that’s not quite as severe as a full-blown hiring freeze and far […]

American CEO Who Avoided 9/11 Among Victims in Kenya Terrorist Attack

An American CEO who narrowly avoided the September 11 terror attacks was among at least 14 people killed in an attack on a hotel and shopping complex in Nairobi on Tuesday, TIME informs. Jason Spindler, […]

Pelosi Urges President to Postpone State of the Union Address Until Govt Reopening

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi requested President Donald Trump to postpone the State of the Union address since the partial government shutdown has reached its 26th day. Pelosi cited security concerns, adding that the president address can […]

American Soldiers Killed in IS-Claimed Suicide Bombing in Syria

At least four American soldiers have been killed in an apparent suicide bombing in northern Syria claimed by the Islamic State (IS) group, the U.S. military has said, BBC reported. The terrorist organization said a […]

Steve King Defiant after House Disapproval Resolution, Says Censure ‘Not Going to Happen’

Iowa Republican Rep. Steve King stated that a motion for censure was “not going to happen”, one day after the House of Representatives formally voted to rebuke him for his “white supremacy” comments, Fox News […]

Giuliani Says Trump Campaign Aides May Have Colluded with Russia

President Donald Trump’s personal lawyer Rudy Giuliani said Wednesday that although the President himself never colluded with Russia during the 2016 presidential campaign, campaign aides may have done so. The former New York mayor made […]