Month: October 2019

Apple’s shares have been on a rollercoaster this year, Market Realist writes. After falling over 30% in the last quarter of calendar 2018, the stock made a strong comeback this year, and now it is […]

Trey Gowdy Backs ‘Closed-Door’ Impeachment Hearings

Former Republican House Oversight Committee Chairman Trey Gowdy said that he agrees 100% with Democrats that the impeachment hearings should be held behind closed doors. Gowdy, who served from 2011 to 2019 as a powerful […]

‘Veterans for Impeachment’ Banners Unwind at World Series

Banners urging Donald Trump’s impeachment were unwound by demonstrators during Game 5 of the World Series, after Trump arrived and was ridiculed by the crowd. According to The Hill, two banners bearing the phrase “Veterans […]

Iran Needs Oil at $195 a Barrel Next Year to Balance Budget, IMF Says

Iran would need oil priced at $194.6 a barrel to balance its budget next year, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) said, Reuters informs. Hurt by tighter U.S. sanctions, Iran – a key member of the […]

Saudi Arabia Brokers Deal Between Warring Sides in South Yemen

A Saudi-brokered agreement has been reached between the warring sides in the south of Yemen, paving the way for wider peace talks to end the five-year civil war, The Guardian informs. The Southern Transitional Council, […]

Baghdadi’s Aide Was Key to His Capture

In their long hunt for Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, Iraqi intelligence teams secured a break in February 2018 after one of the Islamic State leader’s top aides gave them information on how he escaped capture for […]

EU Nations Agree to Postpone Brexit Until January 31

The European Union agreed a 3-month flexible delay to Britain’s departure from the bloc as Prime Minister Boris Johnson pushes for an election after opponents forced him to request an extension he had vowed never […]

California Governor Declares State of Emergency Due to Wildfires

A state of emergency was declared in California on Sunday by Governor Gavin Newsom, after almost 200,000 homes were devastated in wildfires in the north and south of the state. The Kincade Fire spread onto […]

Tech Firms Ramp Up Lobbying as Antitrust Scrutiny Increases

Lobbying expenditures by Facebook, Amazon, and Apple are on pace to hit record highs this year, The Wall Street Journal informed. Facebook increased spending by nearly 25%, to $12.3 million, through the first nine months […]

Proposed Tax on Gun Sales Faces Opposition in Washington State

Tacoma, Washington could soon become one of the few U.S. cities to levy high taxes on gun sales, opening a new front in the battle over how much power local governments have to regulate firearms, […]

October 27, 2019 Focus Washington

Former CIA Spy Flees from Italy to U.S. Fearing for Her Safety

A former U.S. spy, pardoned by Italy in connection with the CIA kidnapping of a terrorism suspect in Milan, has fled from Italy to the United States fearing for her safety, Italian newspaper Il Corriere […]

October 27, 2019 Focus Washington

U.S. Lawmakers Hear ‘Corroborating’ Witness in Trump Impeachment Probe

A senior U.S. diplomat told lawmakers on Saturday he did not know whether President Donald Trump had withheld aid for Ukraine to force an investigation of a political rival, two sources said, even as Democrats […]

October 27, 2019 Focus Washington

ISIS Leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi Killed in Syria, Trump Says

President Donald Trump declared Sunday morning that ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi was dead after a U.S. military raid in northwest Syria over the weekend, CNN reported. “Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi is dead,” Trump said at […]

Obama, Clinton, Praise Cummings at Funeral

Former President Barack Obama during the funeral of Elijah Cummings praised the late Democratic Representative as a “kind” and “honorable” man who treated others well despite his position of power culminating as chairman of the […]

U.S. Restores Trade Benefit to Ukraine

The Trump administration restored a small trade benefit to Ukraine late Friday, two years after the benefits were revoked on grounds that the country wasn’t protecting U.S. intellectual property rights, The Wall Street Journal reported. […]

Russian Woman Convicted by U.S. of Being Spy Returns Home

Russian national Maria Butina, who was jailed in the United States in April after admitting to working as a Russian agent, arrived in Moscow on Saturday, greeted by her father and Russian journalists who handed […]

Comey Criticizes Mueller for Inadequate Transparency

Former FBI Director James Comey on Saturday stated that Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation is a failure due to “inadequate transparency.” “He didn’t succeed in his mission because there was inadequate transparency to the American […]

Turkey Deporting Syrians to Planned ‘Safe Zone’ Region

Turkey is forcibly sending Syrian refugees to an area of Syria near the border where it aims to set up a “safe zone” even though the conflict there has not ended, Amnesty International said in […]

Microsoft Wins Pentagon’s $10bn Cloud Computing Contract

Microsoft has won the Pentagon’s $10 billion cloud computing contract, the Defense Department said on Friday, beating out favorite Amazon, Reuters reports. The contracting process had long been mired in conflict of interest allegations, even […]

Hong Kong Medics Join Anti-government Protests

Hong Kong medical workers plan to rally in the heart of the city’s financial center on Saturday, angry at perceived police brutality during more than four months of sometimes violent anti-government protests, Reuters informs. Pro-democracy […]

October 25, 2019 John Ganjei

LUNCHTIME POLITICS: Trump, Syria, ISIS – Election Threatening Way Of Life – Wisconsin, California, South Carolina

Your Daily Polling Update for Friday, October 25, 2019 TRUMP JOB APPROVAL: AVERAGE 42%Same as yesterday RON’S COMMENT: Today’s average is based on six polls, ranging from 38% (Quinnipiac) to 43% (Rasmussen, The Economist, Emerson). […]

EU Shelves Brexit Delay Decision

The European Union agreed to London’s request for a Brexit deadline extension on Friday but set no new departure date, giving Britain’s divided parliament time to decide on British Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s call for […]

Tesla Starts Car Production in China

Tesla CEO Elon Musk is pushing ahead with global expansion plans after beating his deadline to start making cars in China, CNN reported. The company told investors Wednesday that Tesla’s (TSLA) new Gigafactory in Shanghai […]

Pyongyang Wants Removal of ‘Capitalist’ Mount Kumgang Facilities

Pyongyang has proposed that Seoul discuss the removal of its facilities from the North’s resort of Mount Kumgang, a key symbol of cooperation that Pyongyang recently criticized as “shabby” and “capitalist,” the South’s officials said […]

Venezuelan Opposition Gets Reprieve in Battle to Keep Citgo

The White House on Thursday temporarily shielded Venezuela’s opposition coalition led by Juan Guaido from losing the country’s valuable U.S.-based Citgo refineries, AP/Voice of America reported. The opposition is banking on profits from its Houston-based […]

U.S. to Send Additional Troops to Syria to Protect Oil Fields

A Pentagon official said Thursday that the U.S. is planning to send additional troops into northeastern Syria to protect oil fields from Daesh. The announcement comes as Russia, which has gained new power in the […]

Japan, Saudi Arabia to Renew Crude Oil Storage Deal in Okinawa

Japan and Saudi Arabia have agreed in principle to renew a joint crude oil storage scheme in Okinawa when it expires in October, a move that gives the Middle East supplier quick and easy access […]

Iran Executed Seven Children Last Year, UN Human Rights Expert Says

Iran executed seven child offenders last year and two so far this year even though human rights law prohibits the death penalty for anyone under age 18, a UN independent human rights expert said Wednesday, […]

October 24, 2019 Focus Washington

Kurds Accuse Turkey of Ceasefire Violations, Russia says Peace Plan on Track

The presidents Tayyip Erdogan and Vladimir Putin agreed that the Syrian Kurdish forces are to withdraw more than 30 km (19 miles) from the Turkish border. Russia said it is sending more military policemen and […]

October 24, 2019 Focus Washington

Pence Backs Hong Kong Protesters in China Speech, Slams NBA and Nike

Mike Pence, the U.S Vice President accused China of curtailing “rights and liberties” in Hong Kong and also accused Nike and the National Basketball Association for falling in line with Beijing in a disagreement over […]