Year: 2020

The newest person infected with the coronavirus is a U.S. marine in Fort Belvoir, Virginia, the state’s health officials announced Saturday. According to the Department of Defense spokesperson Jonathan Hoffman, the patient is currently being […]

Cruise Ships Taken off Course as Anti-Virus Controls Widen

The spreading new virus, or fears of it, immobilized cruise ships or left them searching for ports on four continents Saturday as the bug that has infected more than 100,000 people shifted its travel patterns, […]

Turkey Says Ceasefire Holds in Syria’s Idlib

Turkish Defence Minister Hulusi Akar said on Saturday there had been no violations of the ceasefire in Syria’s Idlib, as part of an agreement with Russia, while Russia said there have been a few shootings […]

Iran Coronavirus Death Toll Jumps to 145

Iran’s official death toll from the new coronavirus rose by 21 on Saturday, with a lawmaker among the latest fatalities, while the government accused Washington of hampering Tehran’s response to the virus, AFP reported. Health […]

Saudi Arabia Detains Senior Royals for Alleged Coup Plot

Saudi Arabia has detained three senior Saudi princes including Prince Ahmed bin Abdulaziz, the younger brother of King Salman, and Prince Mohammed bin Nayef, the king’s nephew, for allegedly planning a coup, sources with knowledge […]

Financial Regulators Start Contingency Planning as Virus Reaches Washington

U.S. financial regulators are preparing contingency arrangements, including travel restrictions and home-working, to ensure they can effectively oversee the financial markets as the coronavirus closes in on the U.S. capital, Reuters writes. On Friday, U.S. […]

Biden Warns Against ‘Bloodbath’ Fight With Sanders

Democratic presidential candidates Joe Biden and Bernie Sanders will campaign in the Midwest on Saturday, as the two prepare for a showdown in Michigan, Missouri and four other nominating contests next week, Reuters informs. Sanders, […]

32 Dead in Kabul Attack

Gunmen in the Afghan capital of Kabul attacked a ceremony attended by opposition leader Abdullah Abdullah on Friday, killing 32 people and injuring another 58, CNN informs. Women and children were among the dead, Health […]

Sanders Getting 7 Times More Positive Russian Media Coverage than Biden

Democratic presidential hopeful Senator Bernie Sanders has received the most positive coverage of any contender from Russian state-backed new agencies, according to new research from a foreign policy think tank, Newsweek reported. Russia is believed […]

Warren’s Debate Attacks Were Attempts to End Bloomberg Campaign

Presidential hopeful Elizabeth Warren has stated that she was attempting to put the presidential campaign of Michael Bloomberg to an end when she attacked him on several occasions during the Democratic primary debates giving out […]

Trump Presents His Own Coronavirus Numbers and Theories

President Donald Trump on Wednesday night spun a web of theories minimizing the coronavirus’ threat to Americans, accusing the World Health Organization of dispensing inaccurate facts about the outbreak and suggesting that those with the […]

Arab Voters Key to Blocking Netanyahu-Led Hard-Line Majority

A surge in Arab voter turnout was key to depriving Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his nationalist allies of a parliamentary majority in this week’s Israeli election, The Associated Press writes. Undercutting Netanyahu’s ambitions was […]

Russia-Turkey Truce Holds in Syria Despite Minor Violations

Opposition activists and a war monitor reported a complete absence of Russian and Syrian government warplanes in the skies of Idlib and a relative calm in the area Friday morning, following a cease-fire deal brokered […]

Democrats Are Again Rallying Around Biden, Reuters/Ipsos Poll Shows

Just days after Joe Biden’s commanding wins in most of the Super Tuesday primaries, Democrats across the country are again rallying around the former vice president as their best hope for defeating Republican President Donald […]

OPEC Seeks Big Oil Cut in Crunch Talks With Russia Amid Virus Outbreak

OPEC holds crunch talks with its allies on Friday after the group told Russia and others it wanted an additional 1.5 million barrels per day (bpd) of oil cuts until the end of 2020, saying […]

Romney Says U.S. Senate Republican Probe of Biden Appears Political

Senator Mitt Romney, the lone Republican to vote to convict President Donald Trump of abuse of power following his impeachment, said on Thursday a Senate Republican investigation of Democratic presidential front-runner Joe Biden appeared politically […]

NASA Names New Mars Rover Perseverance

NASA on Thursday announced the name of its next Mars rover: Perseverance. It will be the fifth exploratory vehicle on the Red Planet following in the tire tracks of the similarly augustly titled Sojourner, Spirit, […]

LUNCHTIME POLITICS: Coronavirus – Georgia, Arizona, Maine Senate – Stock Market Outlook

March 5, 2020 John Ganjei

Your Daily Polling Update for Thursday, March 5, 2020 TRUMP JOB APPROVAL: AVERAGE 45%Same as yesterday RON’S COMMENT: Today’s average is based on four polls, ranging from 44% (Reuters, The Economist, Politico) to 48% (Rasmussen). […]

Facebook Decides to Take Down Trump 2020 Campaign’s ‘Census’ Ads

Facebook on Thursday removed ads by President Donald Trump’s re-election campaign that asked users to fill out an “Official 2020 Congressional District Census” because the ads violate the company’s policy against misinformation on the government’s […]

U.S. Employment Report Expected to Show Strength Before Coronavirus Spread

U.S. job growth likely slowed in February, but the pace probably remained consistent with a healthy labor market despite the coronavirus outbreak, which stoked financial market fears of a recession and prompted an emergency interest […]

Trump’s ‘Remain in Mexico’ Plan Blocked by Federal Court

A federal appeals court on Wednesday blocked the Trump administration’s “remain in Mexico” plan for asylum-seekers to stay in the country while their case plays out in U.S. courts in California and Arizona, The Hill […]

Congresswoman Demings Endorses Biden’s Bid for WH

Former Vice President Joe Biden won another endorsement for his White House bid from Democratic Congresswoman Val Demings just ahead of the Florida Democratic primary that is set to take place on March 17, The Hill reported. […]

Black Voters Power Biden’s Super Tuesday Success

Joe Biden’s presidential campaign spent the past month on the verge of collapse after disappointing finishes in the overwhelmingly white states that launched the Democratic primary. As he watched the turmoil unfold from Gadsden, Alabama, […]

Virus Outbreak Delays XI’s State Visit to Neighboring Japan

Chinese President Xi Jinping’s state visit to Japan has been postponed so both countries can fight the coronavirus outbreak, Japan’s chief government spokesman said Thursday, The Associated Press reported. The visit had been expected in […]

U.S. House Passes $8.3bn Bill to Battle Coronavirus

The U.S. House of Representatives overwhelmingly approved on Wednesday an $8.3 billion bill to combat the spread of the new coronavirus and develop vaccines for the highly contagious disease, sending it to the Senate for […]

U.S. Defense Linguist Charged With Transmitting Classified Intelligence

The U.S. government said on Wednesday it had charged a Defense Department linguist with transmitting classified intelligence to a foreign national linked to the Lebanese Islamist group Hezbollah, saying she revealed the names of key […]

California Declares Emergency Over Coronavirus as Death Toll Rises in the U.S.

The U.S. death toll from coronavirus infections rose to 11 on Wednesday as new cases emerged around New York City and Los Angeles, while Seattle-area health officials discouraged social gatherings amid the nation’s largest outbreak, […]

LUNCHTIME POLITICS: The Three-Day Turnaround – Texas Senate – North Carolina Governor – Michigan

March 4, 2020 John Ganjei

Your Daily Polling Update for Wednesday, March 4, 2020 TRUMP JOB APPROVAL: AVERAGE 45%Down 1 from yesterday RON’S COMMENT: Today’s average is based on five polls, ranging from 41% (IBD-TIPP) to 48% (Rasmussen). Without these […]

March 4, 2020 Focus Washington

New Jersey Reports First Case of Coronavirus

New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy stated on Wednesday evening that the first suspected case of coronavirus tested positive. According to The Hill, the man is in his 30s, and he has been hospitalized in Bergen […]

March 4, 2020 Focus Washington

New Mars Photo Shows Strange Hole where Alien Life might Be Lurking

Alien life may be lurking within a mysterious caver under the surface of Mars, scientists claim. An eerie crater on the dusty slopes of Mars’ Pavonis Mons volcano was picked out by two space scientists […]