Year: 2019

A federal appeals court in Washington has issued a stay blocking, for the moment, on the release of redacted grand jury material from Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s Russia election interference investigation, Fox News informed. The […]

Ilhan Omar Demands Acknowlegement of Slave Trade and Slaughter of Native Americans

Democratic Representative Ilhan Omar is facing criticism after she refused to give support for the House vote on the recognition of the early 20th-century Armenian Genocide, which passed the chamber by 405 to 11 votes […]

Pelosi Drug Price Bill Sparks Disagreement among House Dems

Democrats have clashed after House Speaker Nancy Pelosi proposed a new signature plan for lowering drug prices. Several centrists, including Representative Stephanie Murphy who serves as co-chairwoman of the moderate Blue Dog Coalition, are warning the […]

Top Democrat Calls Facebook’s Political Ad System ‘Ludicrous and Short-Sighted’

Senator Mark Warner has slammed Mark Zuckerberg on his company policy regarding political advertising, and called the system of Facebook’s policy “ludicrous” and “short-sighted.” Senate Intelligence Committee’s top Democrat Warner suggested that Facebook should apply […]

Michelle Obama Says Whites ‘Still Running’ Away from Minorities, Immigrants

White Americans are “still running” elsewhere when minorities and immigrants move into their communities, Michelle Obama said on Tuesday, Fox News informed. The former first lady commented at the Obama Foundation Summit, held at the […]

U.S. Sanctions Force Rusal to Mine Bitcoins in Closed Factory

A plant which Russian aluminum giant Rusal had to close as a result of U.S. sanctions will be used by another company as a hub for bitcoin mining, RBC reports. The Nadvoitsy Aluminum Plant in […]

Trump Administration Could Soon Start Sending Asylum Seekers to Guatemala

The Trump Administration is allegedly coming close to closing down a deal to start deporting asylum seekers to Guatemala. Citing three people with knowledge of the plan, The Washington Post reported that deportations to Guatemala could begin as […]

FCC Grants SpaceX Permission to Build Mega-Constellation in Earth’s Orbit

SpaceX got the green signal from FCC for its Satellite-based Starlink broadband network last year. Ever since then, the company has been working to get the infrastructure ready for launching the service. Earlier this week, […]

October 29, 2019 John Ganjei

LUNCHTIME POLITICS: Louisiana – Biden Holds Lead – Favorability Ratings – Special Impeachment Report – Tuesday Trivia

Your Daily Polling Update for Tuesday, October 29, 2019 TRUMP JOB APPROVAL: AVERAGE 42%Same as yesterday RON’S COMMENT: Today’s average is based on seven polls, ranging from 38% (Quinnipiac) to 46% (Rasmussen). Without these extremes, […]

Moscow Court Denies Bail, Michael Calvey Stays in House Arrest

A Moscow has denied bail to Michael Calvey and ruled to extend the house arrest of the U.S. investor and his partner, French citizen Philippe Delpal, until January 13, Echo Radio reported. Calvey and several other executives […]

Pelosi Urges Congress to Pass Resolution Backing Two-State Solution to Israel-Palestine Conflict

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi bolstered Congress on Monday to go on record supporting a two-state solution to the Israeli Palestinian conflict – a move that would revive a stalled resolution among House Dems over worries […]

Trump Calls ICE Officials ‘Warriors’

President Donald Trump praised agents of the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, calling them “warriors” during a speech at a conference of police chiefs of Chicago, Newsweek reported. Trump spoke at the International Association of Chiefs […]

Judge Schedules Hearing with Former Trump Aide Who Refused to Testify in Impeachment Inquiry

A former aide to President Donald Trump was scheduled to appear for a hearing on Thursday, after he refused to show up to a testimonial on Monday House’s impeachment inquiry, The Washington Post reported. Charles Kupperman, […]

Saudi Aramco Could Begin Planned IPO on November 3

Saudi Aramco aims to announce the start of its initial public offering (IPO) on November 3, three people with direct knowledge of the matter told Reuters, after delaying the deal earlier this month to give […]

Technology

Air Force’s X-37B Space Plane Lands After Mystery Mission

The U.S. Air Force’s unpiloted X-37B space plane landed back on Earth Sunday (October 27) after a record 780 days in orbit, racking up the fifth ultra-long mission for the military’s mini-shuttle fleet, Space writes. The […]

Mnuchin Vows Additional Economic Sanctions on Iran

Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin pledged Monday to increase sanctions against Iran, saying the Trump administration’s “maximum pressure campaign” is halting alleged Iranian aggression in the Middle East, ABC News reported. Mnuchin met Monday in Jerusalem […]

Unrest Erupts in Chile Despite Pinera’s Cabinet Reshuffle

Chilean President Sebastian Pinera replaced his Cabinet Monday following days of violent protests that have paralyzed the country, seen the military return to the streets, and led to the deaths of at least 20 people, […]

After Baghdadi Death, a New Candidate to Lead Daesh Emerges

What remains of Daesh is yet to acknowledge the death of its leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi who died in a raid by US forces in northern Syria on Saturday, CNN writes. At this time, it’s not clear […]

October 28, 2019 John Ganjei

LUNCHTIME POLITICS: Mulvaney Rating – Institutional Confidence – Measuring Trump’s Traits

Your Daily Polling Update for Monday, October 28, 2019 TRUMP JOB APPROVAL: AVERAGE 42%Same as Friday RON’S COMMENT: Today’s average is based on six polls, ranging from 38% (Quinnipiac) to 43% (Rasmussen, The Economist, Emerson). […]

Apple Stock Rises on iPhone and Services Optimism

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 […]