Month: December 2019

Donald Trump on New Year’s Eve tweeted that “phase one” of the long-awaited trade deal between the US and China will be signed in Washington on 15 January. Further talks on phase two will reportedly […]

Iraq Mob Chanting ‘Death to America’ as They Storm U.S. Embassy in Baghdad

President Donald Trump accused Iran of orchestrating the storming of the US embassy in the Iraq capital Baghdad, warning that Tehran would face punishment if Americans are killed. According to The Washington Post, the US […]

Syria’s White Helmets Try to Start New Lives after Years of War

As the civil war in Syria rages on, the White Helmets, an all-volunteer rescue organization, have defied death to rush headfirst toward airstrikes. They served as a beacon to the trapped and desperately wounded that […]

White House Adviser Says China Trade Deal Expected Soon

The White House’s trade adviser on Monday said the U.S.-China Phase 1 trade deal would likely be signed in the next week, but said confirmation would come from President Donald Trump or the U.S. Trade […]

Hanukkah Attacker Researched Hitler Online

A man charged with federal hate crimes Monday in a bloody attack on a Hanukkah celebration had handwritten journals containing anti-Semitic references and had recently used his phone to look up information on Hitler and […]

Schumer Calls Key Trump Admin Officials to Testify in Impeachment Trial

Charles Schumer once again called key Trump administration officials to be witnesses in the Senate impeachment trial following the New York Times report that detailed the White House’s efforts to withhold nearly $400 million in military […]

Giuliani Associate Wants Court to Allow Handing Over Documents from Trump Impeachment

Lev Parnas, an indicted associate of President Donald Trump’s personal lawyer Rudy Giuliani, has asked a court for permission to turn over the contents of Parnas’ phone and other documents to a House of Representatives […]

Federal Judge Dismisses Kupperman Lawsuit, after Subpoena Withdrawal

A lawsuit filed by former security official Charles Kupperman to challenge a House subpoena for him to be the witness in the impeachment inquiry was dismissed by a federal judge on Monday following the withdrawal […]

Oil Price Rise Muted in 2019 Despite Sanctions

Oil prices rose more than 20% this year but there were no sharp spikes and crude futures barely sniffed $70 a barrel despite attacks on the world’s biggest oil producer, sanctions that crippled crude exports […]

North Korea’s Kim to Reveal ‘New Path’ in New Year Speech

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un is set to make a closely watched New Year address on Wednesday which is likely to offer a glimpse of a “new path” he has vowed to take if the […]

Protests Outside U.S. Baghdad Embassy against Airstrikes

Thousands of protesters and militia fighters gathered on Tuesday outside the main gate of the U.S. embassy compound in Baghdad to condemn airstrikes on bases belonging to an Iranian-backed militia in Iraq, Reuters writes. U.S. […]

NASA New Asteroid Tracking Program with Regular Warnings of Near-Earth Objects

Hundreds of asteroids zip past Earth every year, many of which are potentially-hazardous space rocks as categorized by NASA’s Center for Near-Earth Object Studies, that computes asteroid and comet orbits and their odds of hitting […]

December 30, 2019 John Ganjei

LUNCHTIME POLITICS: Special Edition: A Contested Convention for Democrats?

Your Daily Polling Update for Monday, December 30, 2019 A Contested Convention Possible for Democrats? by Ron Faucheux About this time in every presidential nomination contest there is talk of a brokered convention. As if […]

Buttigieg on Biden’s Support of Iraq War: ‘Worst Foreign Policy Decision’

South Bend Mayor Pete Buttigieg slammed former VP Joe Biden for his support of the war in Iraq, deeming it U.S.’s “worst foreign policy decision” of his lifetime. “This is an example of why years […]

Gabbard Believes Impeachment Helps Trump Win 2020 Election

Presidential hopeful Tulsi Gabbard reiterated a point GOP often makes and said that she was convinced that the impeachment of President Donald Trump helps him win reelection and will cost Democrats seats in the House […]

North Korea Urges ‘Positive and Offensive’ Measures ahead of Nuclear Talk Deadline

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un called at a ruling party meeting for “positive and offensive measures” to ensure security ahead of a year-end deadline he has set for denuclearization talks with the United States, state media […]

U.S. Officials Claim Strikes on Iraq, Syria ‘Successful’

Officials said on Sunday that airstrikes in Iraq and Syria against an Iran-backed militia group were successful, but warned that “additional actions” may still be taken in the region to defend U.S. interests, Reuters writes. […]

States Start to Charge More for Electric Cars

The new year will bring new charges for some owners of electric vehicles, as an increasing number of states seek to plug into fresh revenue sources to offset forgone gas taxes, The Associated Press reported. […]

Tesla Delivers First China-made Model 3 Sedans

Tesla has started delivering Model 3 electric cars built at its Shanghai factory in just under a year since it began work on the $2 billion plant, a record for global automakers in China, and […]

Five Stabbed at Hanukkah Celebration in New York

A knife-wielding man stormed into a rabbi’s home and stabbed five people as they celebrated Hanukkah in an Orthodox Jewish community north of New York City, an ambush the governor said Sunday was an act […]

Rep. John Lewis to Undergo Stage 4 Pancreatic Cancer Treatment

Civil rights icon Rep. John Lewis (D-Ga.) said on Sunday that he has been diagnosed with Stage IV pancreatic cancer and will undergo treatment soon, The Hill writes. “I have been in some kind of […]

Huawei Seeks an Alliance with Other Chinese Firms to Push US Giant Out of Asia

Chinese giants Huawei and Oppo plan to create an alternative to Google mobile services and seek cooperation with Indian developers. Their success may spell an end to Android’s market domination in Asia, and possibly beyond, […]

Female US Marine Corps Veteran Reveals What Inspired Her to Run for Congress

Aliscia Andrews decided to join the United States Marine Corps after she learned that her high school friend had been killed while serving in the Army. Veteran of the United States Marine Corps (USMC) Aliscia […]

US Military Contractors Sued for Funding Terrorism in Afghanistan with ‘Protection’ Payments to Taliban

Bribes paid by international military contractors in Afghanistan were used by the Taliban to fund attacks on companies that didn’t make the payments, according to a lawsuit filed by families of those injured or killed […]

US Congress Authorises $5 Mln Prize Competition to Help Pentagon Tackle Deepfakes

The US Congress has approved an annual defence policy bill authorising up to $5 million in cash prizes for a competition to find a way to automatically detect deepfake technology, which allows fabricated images, sounds […]

Wreckage and Remains of 6 Passengers Found from Missing Hawaii Tour Helicopter

The remains of six people were found Friday in wreckage of the tour helicopter carrying seven people that went missing in a remote mountainous region of a Hawaiian island featured in the film “Jurassic Park,” […]

GOP Senators Want to Speed up Acquittal of Trump

GOP Senators are making their way onto the fast acquittal of Donald Trump, strategizing ahead of the Senate impeachment trial, The Hill reports. After weeks of public haggling from within the caucus, GOP senators are […]

MSNBC Anchor Hayes Says McConnell Made ‘Big Tactical Error’

Anchor Chris Hayes of MSNBC has argued that Mitch McConnell is committing a “big tactical error” after telling Fox News he would work with Capitol Hill on the Senate impeachment trial of President Donald Trump. […]

Federal Study Shows Trump’s Trade Tariffs Are Backfiring

The import tariffs which were imposed by the Trump administration and were meant to boost the U.S. economy have led to job losses and higher prices, a new study from the Federal Reserve has found. “We find […]

Scalise Says Pelosi ‘Lost Control of Democratic Party’

A GOP representative said that House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has lost her control over the Democratic Party, as well as congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, claiming that the freshman Democrat is pushing the caucus into radical positions […]