Month: January 2020

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani dismissed on Wednesday a proposal for a new “Trump deal” aimed at resolving a nuclear row, saying it was a “strange” offer and criticizing President Donald Trump for always breaking promises, […]

Beijing Blasts Human Rights Report

China has blasted a report from Human Rights Watch that accused it of constructing a surveillance state at home while seeking to silence critics abroad, The Associated Press reported. Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Geng Shuang […]

WSJ: Ukraine Airliner Hit by a Second Missile Over Iran, Video Shows

Surveillance video from Iran circulating on social media Tuesday appears to show two missiles hitting the Ukrainian passenger jet downed over Tehran, fired approximately 30 seconds apart, providing new information about the tragedy that killed […]

Sanders, Warren Spar Whether a Woman Candidate Could Defeat Trump

Democratic candidates Elizabeth Warren and Bernie Sanders disagreed in a presidential debate on Tuesday over whether he once told her a woman could not win the White House in 2020, underlining an emerging rift between the […]

January 14, 2020 John Ganjei

LUNCHTIME POLITICS: Biden Leads Iowa, New Hampshire – Bolton Testimony – Close General Election

Your Daily Polling Update for Tuesday, January 14, 2020 TRUMP JOB APPROVAL: AVERAGE 44%Down 1 from yesterday RON’S COMMENT: Today’s average is based on five polls, ranging from 43% (Quinnipiac, IBD/TIPP, Reuters, The Economist) to […]

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.

China Makes Strong December Exports as Trade Deal With U.S. Nears

China’s exports rose for the first time in five months in December and by more than expected, signaling a modest recovery in demand as Beijing and Washington agreed to defuse their prolonged trade war, Reuters […]

GOP Senators Will Not Vote to Dismiss Charges Against Trump Ahead of Trial

Republican members of the U.S Senate, poised to begin an impeachment trial against President Donald Trump in the coming days, voiced opposition on Monday to any attempt to dismiss the charges against him without a […]

U.S. Court Brings Verdict Beneficial to Trump Administration on Family Separations at Border

A United States court ruled in favor of the Trump administration claiming that officials were, in fact, acting in their authority when over 900 children were separated from their families at the border, with the […]

Russian Hackers Targeted Ukrainian Company Involved in Impeachment Row

Russian military hackers tried to steal emails from the Ukrainian energy firm where Hunter Biden, the son of Democratic presidential contender Joe Biden, had a seat on the board, a U.S. cybersecurity firm said on […]

Iranian Authorities Claim They Made Arrests Over Plane Disaster

Iranian authorities said on Tuesday they had arrested an undisclosed number of suspects accused of a role in shooting down a Ukrainian airliner, as anti-government demonstrations triggered by the disaster entered the fourth day, Reuters […]

Iraqis Worry Tensions Between Iran, U.S., Could Eclipse Their Protests

Iraqis are worried that the conflict between the U.S. and Iran, which is playing out in part on Iraqi soil, is killing their momentum with the mass protests demanding sweeping political reforms in the country, […]

British Government Secretly Funded Reuters in 1960s, 1970s

The UK government in secret funded Reuters in the 1960s and 1970s, as part of an anti-Soviet propaganda organization connected to MI-6, unclassified documents showed on Monday. According to the documents, the government used the […]

Ex-Dem Staffer on Van Drew: ‘He betrayed our community’

An ex-staffer of the Democratic party, who was defeated by Representative Jeff Van Drew in the 2018 primary in New Jersey, argues that he may be able to defeat the incumbent who since then has […]

Senator Cory Booker Ends Presidential Bid

Senator Cory Booker ended his presidential bid on Monday, due to a lack of funds to continue his campaign for the Democratic nomination. “It was a difficult decision to make, but I got in this […]

January 13, 2020 John Ganjei

LUNCHTIME POLITICS: Iowa Dissected – NFL Players Rated – Job Market

Your Daily Polling Update for Monday, January 13, 2020 TRUMP JOB APPROVAL: AVERAGE 45%Up 1 since Friday RON’S COMMENT: Today’s average is based on three polls, ranging from 43% (Reuters, The Economist) to 48% (Rasmussen). […]

Black Lives Matter Group Interrupts Buttigieg Event in Iowa

South Bend Mayor Pete Buttigieg held an event in Des Moines, Iowa, which was interrupted by protesters of a local Black Lives Matter group. Videos showed demonstrators wearing “Black Lives Matter” shirts being led out by […]

Trump is ‘Impeached for Life’, Nancy Pelosi Says

Nancy Pelosi appeared in an interview where she made a statement that President Donald Trump has been “impeached for life” without regard to the way Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell will handle the upcoming trial […]

European Powers Call on Iran to Stick to Nuclear Deal

Germany, France, and the United Kingdom have called on Iran to uphold the landmark 2015 deal that limits the Islamic Republic’s nuclear program, Deutsche Welle reported. Chancellor Angela Merkel, President Emmanuel Macron and Prime Minister […]

Pelosi: Republicans Will Pay Price for Denying Impeachment Witnesses

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said House Democrats will determine on Tuesday when to send formal impeachment charges against President Donald Trump to the Senate and warned that Republicans will pay a political price for denying […]

Beijing to Continue Pressure on Taiwan after Landslide Victory for Tsai

Chinese President Xi Jinping will most likely continue to tighten the screws on Taiwan, after Taiwanese voters rejected Xi’s policies, giving a landslide victory to President Tsai Ing-wen, Reuters writes. China took center stage in the […]

Russia to Host Meeting of Libya’s Rival Leaders

Russia is set to host a meeting of Libya’s rival leaders Monday, in a mediation effort closely coordinated with Turkey. The Russian Foreign Ministry said that Fayez Sarraj, the head of Libya’s U.N.-recognized government in Tripoli, […]

AP: Iranian Police Shoots at Those Protesting Plane Shootdown

Iranian security forces fired both live ammunition and tear gas to disperse demonstrators protesting against Tehran’s initial denial that it shot down a Ukrainian jetliner, online videos purported to show Monday, The Associated Press reported. Videos […]

Senator Lee Says Problem is with Briefers, not Trump

Utah Senator Mike Lee addressed an issue on Sunday, claiming that his concerns with a briefing on the Trump administration’s decision to kill Iranian General Qassem Soleimani are with the briefers and not with President Trump […]

More than Half of Americans Displeased with Trump’s Handling of Iran Situation

Over 50% of American citizens are displeased and discontent with the way Donald Trump has handled the situation with Iran, arguing that the President’s actions as commander-in-chief have made the U.S. less safe, Newsweek reports […]

Pence Claims Iran’s Missile Attack Was Intended to ‘Kill U.S. Troops’

Mike Pence believes that Tehran’s intention was to kill American troops in the ballistic missile attack on United States forces in Iraq, which is an echo of the nation’s top general, however contradictory to a belief […]

‘I Don’t Like It That Democrats Attack Other Democrat,’ Jill Biden Says

Jill Biden is clapping back at Democrats criticizing her husband, more precisely Bernie Sanders’ latest remarks that Biden has too much “baggage” in his political record that he argues makes it difficult to generate excitement and […]

Trump to Tehran: ‘Stop The Killing of Your Great Iranian People’

President Donald Trump tweeted a message early Sunday morning, urging leaders of Iran to withhold their crackdown on protesters. “To the leaders of Iran – DO NOT KILL YOUR PROTESTERS. Thousands have already been killed […]

January 11, 2020 Focus Washington

Iranian National Armed With 2 Knives Detained Near Trump’s Florida Residence

Palm Beach police have arrested a man armed with a set of knives near President Donald Trump’s Florida resort. US media emphasized he is an Iranian national while bringing up a non-existent $80mn Iranian ‘bounty’ […]

January 11, 2020 Focus Washington

ISIS Praises US Murder of Iranian General Soleimani as ‘Divine Intervention’ that Will Help Them Rise Again

Islamic State terrorists rejoiced at the death of Iranian General Qassem Soleimani at the hands of his American ‘allies,’ according to a weekly newspaper affiliated with the group that once controlled much of Syria and […]

January 11, 2020 Focus Washington

US Balks at UK Extradition Request for Wife of American Diplomat Charged over British Teen’s Death

Washington has rebuked the UK for its extradition request for the wife of an American diplomat over her role in a fatal car crash which killed a British teenager. She has refused to return to […]