Month: January 2020

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has taken to Twitter to praise the country’s new ambassador to Russia, who he was “thrilled to swear in” on Friday after the diplomat was initially tapped for the […]

Governor Abbott Opts Texas Out of Trump 2020 Refugee Resettlement Program

Texas Governor Greg Abbott said in a letter to US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo that his state would not participate in the Trump administration’s 2020 refugee resettlement programme, The Texas Tribune reports. “At this […]

Sultan Qaboos bin Said of Oman, Dies at Age 79, Marking Longest Reign by Arab Ruler

Sultan Qaboos bin Said of Oman, the longest-reigning leader in the Arab world, died on Friday at age 79. The Sultan died after an almost 50-year rule and a hard battle with what was speculated […]

Iran Says Unintentionally Shot Down Ukranian Jet

Iran announced on Saturday, local time, that they had “unintentionally” shot down the Ukrainian jet over Tehran earlier this week that resulted in all 176 passengers and crew dead. According to The Associated Press, the […]

Trump Denied Request to Reject Defamation Lawsuit

President Donald Trump’s request to have a defamation lawsuit dismissed was denied by a Supreme Court Judge of the State of New York. The lawsuit was filed by writer E. Jean Carroll, who is accusing […]

Trump Uses Rally to Tout Soleimani Killing as ‘American Justice’

President Donald Trump made the killing of Iranian general Qassem Soleimani a theme of his re-election campaign on Thursday, drawing cheers from thousands at a rally when he said the death saved lives and delivered […]

Tehran Wants to Handle Black Box after Plane Crash Blamed on Missile

Tehran said it wanted to download black box recordings itself from a Ukrainian airliner that crashed, killing all 176 people aboard, after Canada and others said the plane was brought down by an Iranian missile, […]

China Trade Deal May be Signed after January 15, Trump Claims

President Donald Trump, who announced last month that the Phase 1 trade deal with China would be signed on January 15, said on Thursday the agreement could be signed “shortly thereafter”, Reuters reported. In an […]

U.S. Criticized for Pulling out of Iran Nuclear Deal, ‘Made a Big Mistake’, Says French FM

If Iran carries on with violating the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), it could have nuclear weapons within a year or two, said France’s top diplomat Jean-Yves Le Drian in a statement for French […]

Canada Mourns, Iran and U.S. Step Back from Brink of War

The worst had passed, it seemed, and the United States and Iran no longer appeared poised at the edge of war, The Associated Press writes. “All is well!” President Donald Trump tweeted Tuesday night, days […]

Trump on Ukrainian Airplane Crash: ‘Somebody Could’ve Made a Mistake’

President Donald Trump hinted on Thursday that “somebody could’ve made a mistake” as some reports said that Iran may have shot down the Ukrainian airplane that exploded shortly after taking off. According to The Hill, […]

AP: Australians Leave Homes as Heat, Winds Escalate Fire Danger

Thousands of people fled their homes and helicopters dropped supplies to towns at risk of nearby wildfires as hot, windy conditions Friday threatened already fire-ravaged southeastern Australian communities, The Associated Press writes. The danger is […]

Trump Proposes NATO Expansion into Middle East

President Donald Trump on Thursday proposed expanding NATO’s membership to include Middle Eastern nations in light of recent U.S. tensions in the region with Iran, POLITICO informs. Trump’s suggestion came one day after he issued […]

Stocks Rise Higher as Middle East Tensions Ease

World stocks set new record highs on Friday and the prices of safe-haven assets such as gold pulled back as investors cheered an apparent de-escalation in U.S.-Iran tensions and looked instead to prospects of improved […]

U.S. Job Growth Slows Down in December

Job growth likely slowed in December, but the pace of hiring probably remains more than enough to keep the longest economic expansion in history on track despite a deepening downturn in a manufacturing sector stung […]

Boeing Employees Ridicule 737 MAX in Internal Messages

Boeing has released hundreds of internal messages that contained harshly critical comments about the development of the 737 MAX, including one that said the plane was “designed by clowns who in turn are supervised by […]

Iran Directed Militias Not to Attack U.S. Target

Vice President Mike Pence stated on Wednesday that there is information showing that Iran has directed its associated militias not to attack U.S. targets in the week after Gen. Qassem Soleimani’s death, The Hill reported. […]

Gov. Cuomo to Legalize Marijuana in NY in 2020

New York Democrat Andrew Cuomo said on Wednesday night that he is vowing to make marijuana legal in New York by the end of 2020. The NY Governor had said his agenda in 2019 was prioritizing […]

Feinstein, Manchin Join Democrats Pressuring Pelosi to Send Impeachment Articles to Senate

More Democrats are calling on House Speaker Nancy Pelosi to send the articles of impeachment against President Donald Trump to the Senate so a trial can get underway, Fox News informed. The list inlcludes Sen. […]

Omar Claim of PTSD ‘Offensive’ to U.S. Veterans, Indiana Congressman Says; Squad Member Responds

An Indiana congressman who served as part of the Navy Reserve in Afghanistan spoke out on behalf of America’s military veterans Wednesday after U.S. Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., claimed she suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder, […]

Graham Says Senate to Kick off Impeachment Proceedings Next Week

Senator Lindsey Graham is claiming that the Senate will kick off its impeachment process next week, which would signal an end to the deadlock over the articles which have sat in the House since December. “Hats […]

Biden Says Trump Needs to Stop ‘Blaming President Obama for his Failures’

Former Vice President Joe Biden urged President Donald Trump to stop accusing former President Barack Obama for his failures after Trump alleged that the missiles that hit two U.S. military bases in Iraq in a […]

LUNCHTIME POLITICS: Iran – New Mexico Senate – GOP Loyalty Test – Sanders leads New Mexico

January 8, 2020 John Ganjei

Your Daily Polling Update for Wednesday, January 8, 2020 TRUMP JOB APPROVAL: AVERAGE 46%Down 1 from yesterday RON’S COMMENT: Today’s average is based on four polls, ranging from 43% (The Economist) to 48% (Rasmussen). Without […]

Potential Jurors Expected in New York Court for Weinstein Rape Trial

Potential jurors are expected to appear in a Manhattan court on Wednesday for former Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein’s rape trial as lawyers try to find impartial New Yorkers to decide his fate, Reuters informed. Jury […]

Oil Price Spike Clouds Corporate Profit Outlook

The spike in oil prices due to the escalating conflict between the United States and Iran is causing investors to worry that U.S. corporate earnings will be crimped by rising energy costs, Reuters writes. While […]

Johnson Aims to Deliver a ‘European Response’ to Iran Situation

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Wednesday dismissed as “fiction” accusations he is more interested in a close relationship with President Donald Trump than he is with the security of the Middle East, POLITICO reported. […]

U.S. Steps Up Pressure on UK ahead of Huawei Decision

The United States is making a final pitch to Britain ahead of a UK decision on whether to upgrade its telecoms network with Huawei equipment, amid threats to cut intelligence-sharing ties, people with knowledge of […]

Saudi Arabia Keen to Avoid Regional Escalation

Saudi Arabia’s foreign minister hopes all actors involved in the recent Middle East flare-up take steps to avoid escalation, Bloomberg reported. “We are very keen that the situation in the region doesn’t escalate any further,” […]

Commercial Airlines Reroute Flights amid Increased U.S.-Iran Tensions

Commercial airlines on Wednesday rerouted flights crossing the Middle East to avoid possible danger amid escalating tensions between the United States and Iran, The Associated Press informed. The flight restrictions reflected fears that the conflict […]

Thunderstorms Bring Relief, but also Danger to Australian Wildfires

Thunderstorms and showers brought some relief for firefighters battling deadly wildfires across Australia’s drought-parched east coast on Wednesday, but also raised concerns that lightning will spark more fires before dangerous hot and windy conditions return, […]