Focus Washington by Maja Popovska

9/11 victims cant claim afghanistan central bank assets

Judge Blocks 9/11 Victims from Confiscating Afghanistan Central Bank Assets

August 27, 2022 Maja Popovska

A U.S. judge decided against allowing the 9/11 victims to confiscate billions of dollars worth of property pertaining to Afghanistan’s central bank in order to pay for court judgments they won against the Taliban, Reuters […]

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Consumer Prices Surge 6.3% Despite Slowed Inflation

August 27, 2022 Maja Popovska

As energy costs fell last month, inflation decreased, providing hope that a spike in price hikes may have crested, POLITICO reported. Consumer prices increased by 6.3% from a year earlier in July, following a 6.8% […]

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Republican Super PAC Cancels Arizona Campaign Ads

August 26, 2022 Maja Popovska

Approximately three months before the midterm elections, a Republican super PAC affiliated with Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell is ceasing its advertising in Arizona. This might be a harbinger of difficulties for the Trump-backed GOP […]

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March for Our Lives Group Rallies in Protest against Gun Laws

August 26, 2022 Maja Popovska

Families of the victims of the school massacre in Uvalde, Texas, earlier this year will participate in a gun control demonstration on Saturday in the state capital. The relatives of the victims and survivors of […]

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Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm urged major American oil refiners to increase capacity and decrease exports of refined goods ahead of the winter

Energy Secretary Urges US Refineries to Decrease Exports amid Hurricane Season

August 26, 2022 Maja Popovska

Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm urged major American oil refiners to increase capacity and decrease exports of refined goods ahead of the winter, per The Hill. Granholm stated in the letter she wrote last week that […]

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Ron Johnson Says Parents’ Role in Kids’ Education is “Primary”

August 26, 2022 Maja Popovska

Ron Johnson, a Wisconsin Republican senator, believes that parents ought to play a “primary” role in the education of their children, Fox News reports. Earlier in August at the Wisconsin State Fair, Johnson reportedly made […]

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CDC Head ‘Cautiously Optimistic’ over Monkeypox Outbreak

August 26, 2022 Maja Popovska

In light of early indications that cases are declining both domestically and internationally, Rochelle Walensky, head of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), stated on Friday that she is “cautiously optimistic” regarding the […]

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Dems Gamble with Campaign Ads Featuring Far-right Candidates

August 26, 2022 Maja Popovska

Democrats are gambling with new styles of campaign ads, but not that feature themselves, NYT reports. The new campaign ads are showcasing far-right candidates in this year’s primaries and midterm elections. One ad for example […]

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moderna dues pfizer for patent infringement

Moderna Sues Pfizer/BioNTech for Patent Infringement over COVID Vaccine

August 26, 2022 Maja Popovska

Moderna is suing Pfizer and its German partner BioNTech for patent infringement in the development of the first Covid vaccination approved in the United States, Reuters reported. Moderna claims Pfizer copied technology that they developed […]

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Justice Department to Release Redacted Affidavit on Trump Search

August 26, 2022 Maja Popovska

The U.S. Justice Department is expected to make public today a redacted version of the affidavit that led to the unprecedented FBI raid of former president Donald Trump’s Florida estate Mar-a-Lago, Reuters reports. The move […]

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Texas Judge Overturns State Ban on Young Adults Carrying Guns

August 26, 2022 Maja Popovska

A Texas judge has thrown out the state ban on young adults carrying guns in the first major ruling since the Supreme Court’s landmark decision on weapons rights, The Guardian reported. The Texas federal judge […]

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Trump’s Truth Social Had a Bad Week

August 26, 2022 Maja Popovska

Former President Donald Trump has run into significant setbacks with his social media platform Truth Social, including a financial crisis, a modest following, and the rejection of a trademark application, Business Insider reported. Signs are […]

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Economist Warns of Recession Despite Employment Report

August 7, 2022 Maja Popovska

The rosy jobs report released on Friday was doused in doubt by economist Larry Summers, who claimed the statistics showed the U.S. economy is overheating and most certainly headed for a recession, Newsweek reports. Summers, […]

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Cincinnati Bar Shooting Leaves Nine Injured

August 7, 2022 Maja Popovska

In a shooting early on Sunday in a Cincinnati bar, nine individuals were injured, according to officials. According to Assistant Chief Michael John of the Cincinnati Police Department (CPD), none of the gunshot victims were […]

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Dems in Senate Reject Amendments to Climate, Tax Bills in “Vote-a-rama”

August 7, 2022 Maja Popovska

In a string of votes known as a “vote-a-rama” that began around 11 p.m. on Saturday and will go until noon on Sunday, Senate Democrats are rejecting changes to their climate, tax, and health package, […]

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BA.5 Subvariant Could Get Unvaccinated People “In Trouble,” Fauci Says

August 7, 2022 Maja Popovska

Anthony Fauci, the nation’s leading authority on infectious diseases, acknowledged that people are exhausted after more than two years of the coronavirus pandemic but urged those who had not received their vaccinations to do so […]

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Man Dies in Shooting on CTA Red Line in Chicago South Side

August 7, 2022 Maja Popovska

Early on Saturday morning, a 29-year-old man was shot to death aboard a South Side CTA Red Line train. The 79th Street Red Line station was the place of the incident that took place at […]

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Kansas Abortion Vote to Build Momentum for U.S. Changes

August 6, 2022 Maja Popovska

The White House is attempting to capitalize on the Kansas abortion vote initiative’s shockingly high percentage of pro-abortion votes, The Hill reports. The vote has invigorated pro-choice activists who interpret the victory in a conservative […]

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Monkeypox Misinformation Spreads Harmful Stereotypes about LGBTQ+

August 6, 2022 Maja Popovska

Despite the fact that gay and bisexual men are most likely to contract monkeypox, three months after the first case was reported in the country, harmful stereotypes and monkeypox misinformation about them are still pervasive, […]

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Death Valley National Park Floods Leave 1,000 People Stranded

August 6, 2022 Maja Popovska

Virtually 1,000 people are stuck within California’s Death Valley National Park, which has been forced to temporarily close due to flash floods brought on by a nearly record-breaking downpour on Friday over one of the […]

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U.S. Jobs Surge in July, Defying Recession Fears

August 6, 2022 Maja Popovska

The number of U.S. jobs surprisingly surged in July, pushing it beyond its pre-pandemic level and dispelling worries that the economy was in a recession, Reuters reported. In addition, companies continued to boost salaries at […]

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Some 59% of Americans dislike Biden's job performance, and his average approval ratings dropped six percentage points from last week's 42%.

President Tests Negative after “Rebound” Covid-19

August 6, 2022 Maja Popovska

One week after first testing positive with a “rebound” case of COVID-19, President Joe Biden’s coronavirus test came back negative on Saturday, The Hill reports. Biden “continues to feel very well,” according to a letter […]

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Schumer Defends Removing Carried Interest Tax Loophole

August 5, 2022 Maja Popovska

Sen. Kyrsten Sinema (D-Ariz.) warned that she would obstruct the proposal, but Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) claims he was forced to delete the clause addressing the so-called carried interest tax loophole for money […]

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Study Raises Questions about California Carbon Offset Programs

August 5, 2022 Maja Popovska

According to a new study released on Friday, as reported by Reuters, forests’ ability to provide carbon offsets to offset future emissions from California’s major polluters is quickly running out as a result of disease […]

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Lightning Strike Injures Four People Near White House

August 5, 2022 Maja Popovska

An incident involving lightning in Lafayette Square in front of the White House on Thursday left four persons in serious condition, according to a D.C. fire department spokesman, Reuters reports. According to Vito Maggiolo, a […]

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Four Police Officers Charged with The Killing of Breonna Taylor

August 5, 2022 Maja Popovska

The Department of Justice has finally brought civil rights charges against four current and former Louisville police officers for their roles in the 2020 fatal shooting of Breonna Taylor, a black woman who was killed […]

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Alex Jones to Pay over $4mln over False Sandy Hook Claims

August 5, 2022 Maja Popovska

Far-right conspiracy theorist Alex Jones has been ordered by a jury to pay out more than $4 million for repeatedly making false claims about the tragic Sandy Hook elementary school shooting, The Guardian reported. The […]

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Sen. Sinema Agrees to Move Forward on Democrat Energy/Tax Bill

August 5, 2022 Maja Popovska

Arizona Senator Kyrsten Sinema said she will “move forward” with the Democrats’ massive climate, tax, prescription drug, and spending bill, NPR reported. It comes after Democrats appeared to reach an agreement about Sinema’s concerns with […]

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U.S. Declares Monkeypox a Health Emergency

August 5, 2022 Maja Popovska

The United States has declared monkeypox a public health emergency, Reuters reported. The health secretary announced the declaration on Thursday. The move is expected to free up additional funding and tools to fight the disease. […]

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Brittney Griner Sentenced in Russia to Nine Years

August 5, 2022 Maja Popovska

U.S. basketball star Brittney Griner was sentenced by a Russian court to nine years in prison on drug charges. Griner, 31, was heard saying “I love my family” as she was led out of the […]

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