Month: February 2019

SpaceX has filed a protest challenging the nearly $150 million contract that NASA recently awarded to its chief rival, a joint venture between Lockheed Martin and Boeing, the latest salvo in an ongoing war between […]

Former U.S. Air Force Intelligence Specialist Charged with Spying for Iran

The Justice Department said on Wednesday that Monica Witt, a former U.S. Air Force sergeant who defected to Iran, has been charged with spying for the Middle Eastern country and revealing the identities of her […]

US and China will meet for the first time at a high level since Russia's attack on Ukraine as Biden tries to get Beijing's help with the war.

Top Chinese, U.S. Officials Meet Ahead of Tariff Deadline

Chinese Deputy PM Liu He met with top U.S. officials in Beijing on Thursday for negotiations to avert a worsening of the countries’ trade war, ahead of a U.S. deadline for raising tariffs on Beijing’s […]

Senator Says Trump ‘Violated Law’ in Defense of Saudi

President Donald Trump has been accused of violating the law and attempting to conceal Saudi Arabia’s de facto leader and his alleged connection in the murder of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi. Members of the Senate […]

Manafort Lied to Special Counsel After Plea Deal

Former Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort may be facing a more severe prison sentence after a federal judge ruled Wednesday that he had lied to the special counsel after signing a plea deal with him. […]

NASA’s Rover Opportunity Declared Dead after 15 Years of Exploring Mars

NASA‘s longest-running rover on Mars, Opportunity, has been announced dead after 15 years of exploring the red planet although the vehicle was built to operate for just three months. However, the rover kept going and […]

For First Time in 100 Years Black Panthers Spotted in Africa

Very rare black panthers were discovered in Laikipia County, Kenya, which is close to the setting of Marvel’s Oscar-nominated “Black Panther.” “Our researchers spotted rare black leopards–sometimes called black panthers–in Laikipia County, Kenya,” the San […]

Senators Prepare Massive New Russia Sanctions Bill

A bipartisan group of U.S. senators has proposed a far-reaching bill aimed at punishing Russia for its “broad spectrum of bad behavior” that will for the first time force the Trump administration to assess whether […]

U.S. North Korea Envoy Warns of Gap in Nuclear Talks Before Summit

The U.S. envoy to North Korean nuclear talks said it would be hard to resolve remaining disputes before President Donald Trump’s upcoming summit with Kim Jong-un, according to a South Korean lawmaker, in a sign […]

U.S. House of Representatives Passes a Resolution Stopping Involvement in Yemen War

The House of Representatives passed a resolution Wednesday calling for the end of any US military support for the Saudi-led war in Yemen, which was deemed the world’s worst humanitarian crisis last year by the […]

February 13, 2019 Lisa Clayton

LUNCHTIME POLITICS: Rating Harris at Home – California – New Jersey – Early Primary Trial Heat

Your Daily Polling Update for Wednesday, February 13, 2019 TRUMP JOB APPROVAL: AVERAGE 46% Up 1 from yesterday RON’S COMMENT: As we get new polls, it shows President Trump’s approval rating rising in the aftermath […]

EU, USA Preparing New Sanctions on Russia over Ukraine

The European Union and the United States are close to an agreement on new sanctions against Russia following the capture of 24 Ukrainian sailors off the coast of Crimea late last year, Russia Business Today […]

Democratic Presidential Candidate Andrew Yang Gives $1,000 to Families as a Test for Universal Basic Income

Andrew Yang, who is the youngest Democratic presidential candidate, is giving $1,000 a month to two families as a way to show that a universal basic income, a government-funded policy for all American adults with […]

McConnell to Force Senate to Vote on Green New Deal

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said Tuesday that he would force the Senate to vote on the sweeping climate change and economic overhaul proposal introduced last week by Democratic Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Massachusetts Senator […]

Burr Criticizes Cohen for Postponing Hearing Again

The chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee Chairman, Richard Burr, said Tuesday that “any goodwill” between his committee and the President’s former lawyer Michael Cohen is gone. “I can assure you that any goodwill that […]

Trump Claims Crime at El Paso Went Down with Border Wall

President Donald Trump held a rally in Texas on Monday where he rejected statistics and official statements from El Paso city authorities regarding the reports of crime at the U.S.-Mexico border, Newsweek reported. “I don’t care […]

President’s Former Lawyer Says Trump Incapable of Interviewing with Mueller

President Donald Trump’s former lawyer John Dowd said in a podcast Tuesday that he advised his former client not to sit for an interview with special counsel Robert Mueller because he believed Trump was incapable […]

Pompeo Says Putin Poses Threat to Democracies Worldwide

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo made a statement on Tuesday that Russia’s President Vladimir Putin is a threat to democracies worldwide, Newsweek reported. “For a decade and a half, or a little bit more, too many […]

Trump ‘not Happy’ with Border Deal, Doesn’t Believe Second Shutdown Is Likely

President Donald Trump expressed dissatisfaction with the border security deal reached by congressional negotiators but noted that a second government shutdown was unlikely to happen. He also didn’t immediately commit to signing the agreement reached […]

February 12, 2019 Lisa Clayton

LUNCHTIME POLITICS: Tuesday Trivia – Mueller Investigation – Governing the Country

Your Daily Polling Update for Tuesday, February 12, 2019 TRUMP JOB APPROVAL: AVERAGE 45% Same as yesterday RON’S COMMENT: Today’s average is based on four polls, ranging from 38% (Reuters) to 52% (Rasmussen). Without these […]

Pentagon to Request $270mn for Space Force Headquarters

The Defense Department is expected to request approximately $270 million in its fiscal year 2020 budget to stand up a Space Force headquarters, a Space Development Agency and U.S. Space Command, according to draft documents, […]

Utah Governor Signs Limited Medicaid Expansion

The governor of Utah defied voters on Monday by signing only a limited Medicaid expansion plan, despite their having approved a full expansion several months ago. Republican Governor Gary Herbert’s move immediately provoked protests by […]

Pentagon Warns of Foreign Laser Threats to U.S. Satellites in New Report

The Pentagon has released a new report warning of Chinese and Russian threats to American satellites, saying that the two countries are developing capabilities, including lasers, to threaten the U.S.’ preeminent position. “China and Russia, […]

Astronaut Mark Kelly Launches Campaign for Senate

Retired astronaut Mark Kelly, who rocketed to the national spotlight when his Congresswoman wife Gabrielle Giffords was shot in a failed assassination attempt, announced Tuesday he’s running to finish John McCain’s last term in the […]

Beto O’Rourke Opposes Trump on Border Wall

Former El Paso Congressman Beto O’Rourke challenged President Donald Trump on Monday in a public event which took place at the same time as the President’s 2020 campaign rally, saying that walls are not what […]

Agreement ‘in Principle’ Reached to Avoid Second Shutdown

Lawmakers on Capitol Hill said Monday night that they had reached an agreement “in principle” to avert a second government shutdown in two months that would happen after federal funding lapses on Saturday. “We’ve had […]

Trump Blasts Iran on Revolution’s Anniversary in a Tweet Written in Persian

President Donald Trump in a tweet written in Persian criticized Iran and it’s leadership on the 40th anniversary of the Iranian revolution. “40 years of corruption. 40 years of repression. 40 years of terror. The […]

Pompeo and His Russian Counterpart to Discuss Venezuela Situation on Tuesday

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo will discuss the situation in Venezuela later on Tuesday by phone, Reuters reports, quoting Lavrov. Russia and the United States have backed opposing […]

Trump Attacks ‘Green New Deal,’ O’Rourke in 2020 Rally

Monday marked the beginning of President Donald Trump’s 2020 campaigning season, which he started by attacking the Green New Deal and socialism. Speaking in El Paso, Texas, Trump told the crowd that he had skipped […]

Trump Says Warren Needs to Focus on her Heritage, Instead of Investigating his Business

President Donald Trump on Monday stated that Democratic Senator Elizabeth Warren needs to focus on her heritage instead of investigating his finances. “I got one [letter] from Pocahontas today where it said that ‘Donald Trump, […]