Focus Washington by Bojan Stojkovski

African Leaders Highlight Vaccine Inequity in UNGA Speeches

September 25, 2021 Bojan Stojkovski

There is a global inequity of the Covid-19 vaccine distribution, something that came into sharp focus at the UN General Assembly this week. World leaders spoke about the global vaccine availability, with leaders of African […]

Follow

Boris Johnson Speaks on Climate Change at UNGA

September 25, 2021 Bojan Stojkovski

UK prime minister Boris Johnson gave a speech at the UN General Assembly urging leaders to take climate change seriously. Johnson said that the upcoming climate summit, to be held in 40 days, will be […]

Follow

Women’s Rights Activist Tells Leaders at UNGA Not to Let the Taliban Fool Them

September 25, 2021 Bojan Stojkovski

Sonita Alizadeh, now a rapper and activist, fled Afghanistan with her family the last time the Taliban took over more than two decades ago. Under the previous Taliban rule, women were banned from work and […]

Follow

Beijing Names Reasons for Deteriorating Relations with the US

September 24, 2021 Bojan Stojkovski

Chinese Ambassador to the United States Qin Gang named the reasons for the deterioration of relations between Beijing and Washington. In a videoconference hosted by the George W. Bush Foundation and the Jimmy Carter Center, […]

Follow

Responding to a request from President Joe Biden, Secretary of State Antony Blinken revealed on Saturday that he had approved $200 million in military aid for Ukraine

Blinken: It Will Take Time to Restore Relations with France

September 24, 2021 Bojan Stojkovski

The US will “demonstrate in practice” its desire to restore relations with France, US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken stated. Relations between the two countries deteriorated after the United States, Australia and the United Kingdom […]

Follow

US Urges Iran to Return to Nuclear Deal Negotiations

September 24, 2021 Bojan Stojkovski

Washington urges Iran to return to negotiations on a nuclear deal as soon as possible, US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken stressed. Blinken said the US is running out of patience, and the fact that […]

Follow

Saudi Arabia Looks to Buy Israel’s Iron Dome Missile Defense System

September 24, 2021 Bojan Stojkovski

Riyadh is looking at the possibility to purchase the Iron Dome missile defense systems, manufactured by the Israeli defense technology company Rafael Advanced Defense Systems and Israel Aerospace Industries. According to Israeli media, the Israeli […]

Follow

US House Approves Major Defense Policy Bill

September 24, 2021 Bojan Stojkovski

On Thursday, the US House of Representatives approved the draft defense budget for the next fiscal year (starting in the country on October 1), worth $778 billion. The initiative was supported by 316 lawmakers, while […]

Follow

US Vaccine Slump Worries Experts as European Countries Surpass US Vaccination Rates

September 10, 2021 Bojan Stojkovski

When the Covid vaccination rollout began, the U.S. was ahead of nearly every country in vaccination rates. However, over the summer, America’s vaccine rate was surpassed by other countries, especially in Western Europe and Scandinavia. […]

Follow

Seven States with the Lowest Covid Vaccination Rates Being Hit Hardest by the Delta Variant

September 10, 2021 Bojan Stojkovski

In Idaho, Wyoming, Mississippi, West Virginia, North Dakota, Louisiana and Tennessee, less than 50 percent of the population has received their first dose of the vaccine. These seven states make up the lowest Covid vaccination […]

Follow

Saudi Arabia Looks to Purchase Almost 400 Thousand Tons of Wheat

September 10, 2021 Bojan Stojkovski

Saudi Arabia’s state food procurement agency SAGO has announced a tender for the import of 360,000 tonnes of random wheat, Saudi media reported. According to the terms of the tender, the delivery to the grain […]

Follow

Emma Raducanu is Making History at the US Open

September 10, 2021 Bojan Stojkovski

Emma Raducanu has made history by becoming the youngest British tennis player to reach the US Open semi finals in the Open era. The 18-year-old from Bromley reached the last 16 at Wimbledon and is […]

Follow

Virginia Removes Confederate Gen. Lee Statue from Richmond’s Monument Avenue

September 10, 2021 Bojan Stojkovski

Virginia removed the statue of Confederate Gen. Robert E Lee from Richmond’s famous Monument Avenue this week, more than a year after the order from Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam. The massive 12-ton, six-story monument was […]

Follow

Afghanistan’s Resistance Movement Urges International Community Not to Recognize Taliban Regime

September 10, 2021 Bojan Stojkovski

Anti-Taliban forces in Afghanistan are asking the international community not to recognize the new government announced by the Taliban this week, stating that the cabinet of exclusively Taliban leaders or their associates is “illegal.” The […]

Follow

Fighting Texas Abortion Law Could Be Tough for Federal Government

September 10, 2021 Bojan Stojkovski

Those fighting against the new Texas abortion law that effectively bans the majority of abortions have been looking to the federal government to knock down the new law. However, it is not that simple, legal […]

Follow

Texas Governor Defends Abortion Bans; Claims He Will “Eliminate” Rapists

September 10, 2021 Bojan Stojkovski

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott has defended his abortion ban, including the fact that it provides no exceptions for victims of rape and incest. The crushingly restrictive law outlawed abortion as we know it, in what […]

Follow

Bataclan Trial Begins in Paris

September 10, 2021 Bojan Stojkovski

The trial of 20 men accused of orchestrating the Paris terror attacks in November 2015 began on Wednesday. The trial marks France’s biggest criminal trial in history. The trial has begun almost six years after […]

Follow

In Post-Hurricane New Jersey, Biden Speaks on Realities of Climate Change

September 9, 2021 Bojan Stojkovski

President Biden spoke this week about the reality of climate change and called for action. The president traveled to New York and New Jersey to see the devastation caused by Hurricane Ida, which swept across […]

Follow

U.S. Looks to Solar Power

September 9, 2021 Bojan Stojkovski

The Biden administration is looking to increase the country’s use of solar power energy. In a report released Wednesday, Biden’s administration outlined how solar energy can help decarbonize the U.S. power grid and help achieve […]

Follow

Saudi Arabia Reports 123 Percent Rise in June Oil Exports

August 25, 2021 Bojan Stojkovski

The value of Saudi Arabia’s oil exports increased by 123.2 percent in June 2021 compared to the same month in 2020, the Oil Price information portal said on Tuesday. According to the Saudi Arabia General […]

Follow

Saudi Arabia Attracts Industry Investments Worth $18.6bn

August 25, 2021 Bojan Stojkovski

Investment in Saudi Arabia’s industrial sector equaled $18.6 billion in the first seven months of 2021, Saudi Industry and Natural Resources Minister Bandar Ibn Ibrahim Ibn Abdullah Al-Khorayef said in a tweet. The Saudi Minister […]

Follow

Israeli PM Announces Intention to Create Arab Coalition against Iran

August 25, 2021 Bojan Stojkovski

In an interview with The New York Times ahead of his visit to Washington, Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett announced his intention to create a coalition of Arab countries seeking to limit Iran’s influence in […]

Follow

Russia Calls on Iran, US to Agree on Nuclear Deal

August 25, 2021 Bojan Stojkovski

The Russian Foreign Ministry called on Iran to do everything so that the so-called nuclear deal does not cease to exist, in an official statement made by Russian Foreign Ministry representative Maria Zakharova. Commenting on […]

Follow

US Preparing Contingency Plan If Iran Deal Falls Through

August 20, 2021 Bojan Stojkovski

The State Department is preparing several contingencies in case the US fails to restore the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) for the Iranian nuclear program, US special envoy for Iran, Robert Malley, said in […]

Follow

Saudi Arabia Remains China’s Main Oil Supplier

August 20, 2021 Bojan Stojkovski

Last month, Saudi Arabia increased oil supplies to China by 24% year on year, while Russian supplies decreased by 10%, Reuters reported, referring to data from China’s General Administration of Customs. China’s largest oil suppliers […]

Follow

Qatar Appoints Ambassador to Saudi Arabia after Years of Rift in Diplomatic Relations

August 13, 2021 Bojan Stojkovski

The Emir of Qatar, Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani has appointed the first ambassador to Saudi Arabia after a four-year break in relations between the two countries. Qatar appointed Bandar Muhammad Abdullah al-Attiyah, who previously […]

Follow

Pentagon Threatens with Sanctions over Supply of Weapons from Russia and China to Iran

August 13, 2021 Bojan Stojkovski

US authorities may impose sanctions to prevent the supply of weapons to Iran from Russia and China, Dana Stroul, assistant to the head of the Pentagon for the Middle East said. Speaking at a hearing […]

Follow

Israel Maintains Direct Contacts with Saudi Arabia to Combat Iran, Minister Says

August 11, 2021 Bojan Stojkovski

Israel is directly engaged in dialogue with Saudi Arabia and other Gulf states to combat Iranian influence in the region, Israeli Minister for Regional Cooperation Issawi Frej said on Tuesday, local media reported. “When it […]

Follow

Saudi Arabia Wants to Replace Patriot Air Defense with Russian-Made Abakan System

August 11, 2021 Bojan Stojkovski

Several sources related to the Russian defense-industrial complex suggested that Saudi authorities are showing interest in the Russian Abakan anti-aircraft missile system – the world’s first specialized system for combating high-speed high-altitude targets with ballistic […]

Follow

Iran Must Respect Protesters’ Rights, Rouhani Says

July 23, 2021 Bojan Stojkovski

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani stressed the need to respect the right of people to protest against the harsh living conditions caused by “droughts and intense heat”, Iranian media reported. Rouhani ordered the Governor-General of Khuzestan […]

Follow