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Wikileaks. Brazil's President Lula defends Assange: "Instead of blaming someone who has disclosed these documents, those who wrote them should be blamed"
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Whats Wrong with Being the Worlds Most Peaceful Country?
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RIDICULOUS! SECRET SERVICE Investigating “Possible Threat” On Hillary By Former Trump AdviserAre they kidding? This was even a lead story on FOX News tonight! A former Trump adviser made a very general comment against Hillary Clinton and the Secret Service jumped all over him. You WILL NOT believe what he said! He stated that, Hillary Clinton should be put in the firing line and shot for treason Does that sound like a credible threat to you? No, that s total BS! The things that have been said against Trump are unbelievable and yet nothing happens to those who threaten violence that s much more specific than Mr. Baldasaro s statement. Might we also mention Farrakhan who s constantly spewing hate speech and violent threats. The Secret Service is investigating a Donald Trump adviser who said in a radio interview that presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton should be shot for treason on a firing line. Al Baldasaro, a New Hampshire representative who serves on Trump s veterans coalition and as a Trump delegate at the Republican National Convention in Cleveland, said in an interview with a Boston talk radio host that Clinton should pay for the 2012 Benghazi attack. She is a disgrace for any, the lies she told those mothers about their children that got killed over there in Benghazi, he said on the Jeff Kuhner Show Tuesday. She dropped the ball on over 400 emails requesting back up security. Something s wrong there. Hillary Clinton should be put in the firing line and shot for treason Via: abc7ny
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Three NATO personnel killed in Kabul suicide car bomb: NATO
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Russia deploys advanced S-400 air-defence missile system in Syria after Turkey downed one of its jets
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Trump’s First Stab At Hispanic Outreach Is Tweeting This Awful Picture Of Him Eating A TacoTrump s first week as the Republican nominee is off to a hilariously bad start.Perhaps reading the latest polls that found a staggering seventy-seven percent of Hispanic Americans have a negative opinion of Trump (and that s putting it lightly), Trump did the only thing a man of his unchecked narcissism could think of: He bought a taco from the lobby of Trump Tower. Yikes.Happy #CincoDeMayo! The best taco bowls are made in Trump Tower Grill. I love Hispanics! https://t.co/ufoTeQd8yA pic.twitter.com/k01Mc6CuDI Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 5, 2016Trump s version of Hispanic outreach is reducing a Mexican holiday to a stereotype and plugging the Trump Tower Grill in a tweet. In case you re wondering how authentic his taco was, the Trump Tower Grill probably has the highest proportion of white people of any place in the country. It s so white, that it s nearly impossible to find a single person of color in any of its promotional materials.via Trump Tower NYNeedless to say, this bit of shameless pandering to a group he launched his political career on labeling drug dealers and rapists has not gone over well..@realDonaldTrump this tweet is useless without a sombrero and black mustachehttps://t.co/S5zuo9K8in David Burge (@iowahawkblog) May 5, 2016@realDonaldTrump Mexico hates you Mayo De Cinco (@SinnerlnSecret) May 5, 2016No, I didn't predict that the Republican Party would lose its fucking mind. https://t.co/THHsGoBuBh Nate Silver (@NateSilver538) May 5, 2016Meanwhile, Trump s fans managed to remind the rest of us why Hispanics don t love Trump. @realDonaldTrump They will come here legally! Born Conservative (@BornToBeGOP) May 5, 2016@realDonaldTrump Thank You! LEGAL immigrants are welcome Jesse #Trump2016 (@EaglesJesse) May 5, 2016Trump is positioned to lose the election by numbers not seen in decades. Having swept the primaries by appealing to the Republican base, his chances of winning in the general are projected to hover slightly above zero. Thanks to his racism, xenophobia, sexism, and hate-crime advocacy, Trump may have a lot of friends in the conservative movement, but he s turned off nearly everyone else.Posing for pictures with a taco sums up exactly why he is so universally reviled. It s not just that he doesn t get it , he doesn t seem to even care.Featured image via Twitter
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U.S. lobbyist Tony Podesta leaves firm amid Manafort probeWASHINGTON (Reuters) - Prominent Washington lobbyist Tony Podesta has stepped down from his lobbying firm Podesta Group as investigators’ examine his company’s ties to U.S. President Donald Trump’s indicted former campaign manager, a source familiar with the matter said on Monday. Podesta stepped down on the same day federal investigators probing Russian interference in the 2016 U.S. election campaign charged former Trump campaign manager Paul Manafort and a business associate, Rick Gates, with money laundering. Manafort, a longtime Republican operative, and Gates pleaded not guilty to a 12-count indictment with charges ranging from money laundering to acting as unregistered agents of Ukraine’s former pro-Russian government. The indictment against Manafort and Gates listed two unnamed firms as “Company A” and “Company B” that lobbied several lawmakers on behalf of Ukraine at Manafort’s request. The indictment did not name Podesta Group. A spokesperson for the Podesta Group said after Podesta stepped down on Monday that it had been in contact with investigators on special counsel Robert Mueller’s team and was fully cooperating with the probe. The spokesperson also said the Podesta Group fully complied with the law in disclosing its lobbying on behalf of the European Centre for a Modern Ukraine, a group linked to Manafort and named in the indictment. Podesta Group filed lobbying disclosures with the Department of Justice in April and August saying it did work in 2012 for the same pro-Russian Ukrainian group for which Manafort had worked. Podesta Group work alongside another Washington lobbying firm, Mercury LLC, which also said on Monday that it was cooperating with Mueller’s team. No charges were filed against anyone with Podesta Group or Mercury. Tony Podesta did not respond to requests for comment on Monday. Podesta was the head of the firm that bore his name. It did $10.7 million in lobbying in the first nine months of 2017, according to disclosures the firm filed with the U.S. Congress. He is the brother of John Podesta, who served as chairman of the presidential campaign of Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton, and as a senior White House adviser to Democratic former President Barack Obama. Mueller’s team has been investigating alleged Russian meddling in the 2016 campaign, but neither Trump nor the campaign were mentioned in the indictment against Manafort and Gates. While Podesta Group is seen as a mainly Democratic lobbying firm, Mercury is viewed as mainly a Republican shop. Mercury is a subsidiary of Omnicom Group and does public relations work in addition to lobbying. Omnicom did not reply to a request for comment. Podesta is listed as a lobbyist on several of the firm’s largest accounts including Wells Fargo, Lockheed Martin, Oracle, Wal-Mart, Textron and General Dynamics. Wells Fargo, Wal-Mart, Oracle, General Dynamic and Lockheed Martin all declined to comment. Textron did not respond to a request for comment.
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Images reveal scale of North Korean political prison camps
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COLLECTING THE MONEY FOR THE WALL? MEXICO STARTS CHARGING AMERICANS A FEE TO ENTERDon t you just love the absolute boldness of the Mexican government in this move to charge people coming across their border in Tijuana? Unreal!Walking into Mexico at the nation s busiest border crossing with the United States is no longer an uninterrupted stroll for foreigners.Starting late Wednesday, pedestrians going to Tijuana from San Diego at the San Ysidro crossing must choose between a line for Mexicans who get waved through, and a line for foreigners who must show a passport, fill out a form and if staying more than a week pay 322 pesos, or roughly $20, for a six-month permit.About a dozen foreigners stood in line Wednesday night, directed by English-speaking agents to six inspection booths where they got passports stamped. It took about 10 minutes from start to finish.Travelers have long followed similar protocol at Mexican airports, but the new border procedure marks a big change at land crossings that weren t designed to question everyone. Pedestrians and motorists have generally entered Mexico unencumbered along the 1,954-mile border with the United States. This is about putting our house in order, said Rodulfo Figueroa, Mexico s top immigration official in Baja California state, which includes Tijuana.
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Australia to fit warships with anti-missile defense systemsSYDNEY (Reuters) - Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull said on Tuesday nine war ships set for construction in 2020 will be fitted with long-range anti-missile defense systems to counter the threat of rogue nations. Australia s proposed frigates will use Aegis combat systems, produced by Lockheed Martin, in conjunction with SAAB Australia technology, Turnbull said. Tensions in the region have spiked considerably in recent months as North Korea conducted a series of tests of its medium- and long-range ballistic missiles, some of which flew over Japan, as well as its sixth nuclear test on Sept. 3. Pyongyang, which ultimately wants to target the U.S. mainland with a nuclear-tipped ballistic missile, has said its missiles could strike Australia. Recent events in our region have proven that Australia s future frigates must be equipped to defend Australia from the threat of medium- and long-range missile attacks, Turnbull said in a speech in Sydney. Work on the frigates is set to begin in 2020, with BAE Systems, Navantia and Fincantieri all competing for the A$35 billion ($27.39 billion) contract. Turnbull said the decision to award the missile defense system contract allows the three bidders enough time to incorporate Aegis technology into their bids. Australia is expected to announce the winner of the frigate contract in early 2018. The decision to fit the frigates - also a cornerstone of Australia s plan to counter an expected rise in submarine activity in the region - suggests Canberra will use the ships in a dual capacity. The missile defense will protect Australia s forward based forces and in a coalition scenario, said Euan Graham, director of the national security program at the Lowy Institute, an Australian think-tank. Countering submarines requires vessels that move freely in the region, in contrast to static vessels used for detecting missiles. The decision to use the Aegis ballistic missile defense systems brings Australia in line with U.S., Japanese and Korean vessels, allowing international cooperation, Vice Admiral Tim Barrett, Australia s navy chief, told reporters in Sydney. The choice of the Aegis system allows Australia to plug into the U.S. alliance. They will be able to share data from vessels and potentially aircraft, said Graham. The frigates will be the next major component of Australia s plan to increase defense spending by A$30 billion to be worth A$195 billion, or 2 percent of GDP, by 2021-2022 as Canberra seeks to protect its strategic and trade interests in the Asia-Pacific. Australia selected French naval contractor DCNS last year to build its fleet of 12 submarines, ahead of other offers from Japan and Germany, one the world s most lucrative defense contracts.
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US Navy shifts guided missile destroyer in wake of North Korea missile threats
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U.S. marine accused of drunk driving after Japanese man dies in crashTOKYO (Reuters) - A Japanese man was killed in a truck collision involving a 21-year-old U.S. marine who was well over the legal alcohol limit for driving, police said of a case that was likely to stoke resentment over the U.S. military presence on the southern island of Okinawa. In response to the Sunday s fatal accident, U.S. forces in Japan banned, until further notice, all personnel in the country from drinking of alcohol. The Defence and Foreign Ministries have lodged a stern representation to the U.S. forces in Japan and the U.S. embassy in Japan, asking for the enforcement of discipline, prevention of recurrence and sincere response to the bereaved, Japanese Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga told a regular news conference on Monday. U.S. Ambassador to Japan William Hagerty expressed his condolences and offered an apology, Suga said. The accident occurred at an intersection in the city of Naha early Sunday morning. The marine was driving a military truck, and the 61-year-old crash victim was in a light truck. The Japanese man was later pronounced dead, while the U.S. serviceman, who was arrested for the fatal accident and driving under the influence of alcohol, suffered scratches, a police official in Naha said. The official said a breath test showed the marine was as much as three times over the legal limit for alcohol. When our service members fail to live up to the high standards we set for them, it damages the bonds between bases and local communities and make it harder for us to accomplish our mission, a statement from the U.S. forces in Japan said. Last year, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe protested to then-U.S. President Barack Obama about the killing of a young woman in Okinawa, for which a U.S. base worker had been charged. Obama, who was visiting Japan for a Group of Seven summit, expressed deepest regrets. The case is under trial. Residents in Okinawa, a reluctant host to the bulk of U.S. bases in Japan, believe that they shoulder an unfair burden in supporting the U.S. military presence in Japan.
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The UK is trying a new road surface that charges your electric car as you drive.
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2016 Campaign Coverage WRECKS ‘Liberal Media Bias’ MythIf there is one thing the 2016 election has shown, it s that there is no such thing as a liberal media bias. From free air time for Donald Trump to ridiculous, over sensationalized bad press for Hillary Clinton, the media conglomerates have shown there is a preferred candidate, and it certainly isn t the liberal one.Not only has broadcast media shown itself to be completely inept and biased in favor of Donald Trump, but print and digital media, which younger voters rely on more heavily than anyone else, has shown its true colors as well. It is not liberal, but it does have a bias, and it certainly isn t in favor of Hillary Clinton.It all stems from when the Associated Press released shock waves through the political establishment when it reported on the Clinton Foundation s alleged pay-for-play, hinting that Hillary Clinton used her power as Secretary of State to give preferential, special treatment to donors and heads of state involved with her family foundation. Similarly, the New York Times and Boston Globe picked up the story with eerily similar tones, calling on the Clinton Foundation to be shutdown, Clinton herself investigated, and castes doubts on her ability to be ethical. Not surprisingly, Republicans pounced on the story. But even liberal hacks like Vice s Michael Tracey and IBT s David Sirota, who are openly to the left of Mrs. Clinton s political leanings, were calling for the secretary s head on a silver platter. Once again, the seeds of distrust among liberals were sown.Well, then the truth came out and it turns out the AP botched the story. As pointed out by AMERICAblog News editor John Aravosis the AP incorrectly reported that half of those who met with Clinton as cabinet secretary gave money to the Clinton Foundation. The Associated Press gave the number as 85 out of 154 people.It doesn t take a genius to see the one glaring giveaway: does anyone really think that Clinton, who was secretary of state for four years and had the record travel mileage and country visitation, met with only 154 people during her tenure? The fact is this: Clinton met, personally, with over 1,700 people as secretary of state, of which then only 85 were foundation donors, which equals a measly 5 percent.Aravosis also points out that the AP blew their smoking gun claim when referring to Muhammed Yunus, a major donor of the Clinton Foundation who was able to meet with Secretary Clinton herself. Considering Yunus has won an Nobel Peace Prize for his tireless efforts to reduce global poverty, and banking empowerment for poor people, it would seem almost normal for him to meet with Clinton (who made global poverty alleviation a staple in her smart diplomacy agenda at the State Department).My God, Hillary Clinton, whose job it is to work with other countries to tackle global issues (which includes alleviating poverty) met with a world renowned philanthropist who happened to give to her foundation (which also works to alleviate poverty)? Unheard of!Optics has apparently taken over true investigative journalism.So even with these shoddy examples provided by the Associated Press, that didn t stop the other liberal outlets like the New York Times from telling Clinton to sever ties with her foundation, and Boston Globe from calling on the foundation to be shutdown outright.And while all this was going on, it was actually discovered that only one candidate running for President of the United States was found to have engaged in an actual pay-for-play scheme with their foundation: Donald Trump.According to reports, Donald Trump s foundation illegally bribed Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi with $25,000 to drop a lawsuit pertaining to Trump University. The IRS fined the Trump foundation $2,500 for the act.Yet can anyone recall hearing about it? Which was blasted more all over the news? The alleged pay-for-play from Clinton that is not based on evidence, or the one where the IRS fined Trump for actually engaging in pay-for-play?Did the New York Times call on Trump to shutdown his foundation? Did the Boston Globe call on Trump to sever ties with it? Did anyone, from CNN to Fox News cast any doubt on Trump s unethical (and illegal) behavior of bribing an elected official?No, they did not. Even though the evidence is concrete, mainstream media will still use the word allegedly when pertaining to Trump, but will continue to call on Clinton to be investigated even with no evidence.And with that, the New York Times, Associated Press, Boston Globe, and other media elites should apologize to Clinton, denounce Trump, and move on unless any new evidence contradicts Clinton s claims (so far, nothing has).Featured image via Justin Sullivan/Getty Images
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Osama Bin Laden Aided by Rogue or Retired Elements of Pakistani Intelligence, Government Official Says
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Russia tells two U.S. news outlets they may be affected by new 'foreign agent' law: agenciesMOSCOW (Reuters) - Russia s Justice Ministry has notified Voice of America and a Russian unit of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty that they might be affected by a new foreign agent media law, Russian news agencies cited a ministry source as saying on Wednesday. Russia s lower house of parliament gave preliminary approval earlier on Wednesday to a law giving Moscow the power to designate foreign media operating in Russia as foreign agents required to disclose where they get their funding and how they spend it. A Prague-based spokeswoman for Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty said she was not aware of any such notification. Voice of America did not immediately respond to a request for comment, while calls to their office in Moscow went unanswered. The Justice Ministry did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
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Factbox: Countdown to Brexit breakthrough?BRUSSELS (Reuters) - British Prime Minister Theresa May failed to secure a breakthrough in Brexit talks on Monday with European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker. Here is a timeline of the coming 10 days that will determine whether Britain avoids further costly delays in giving business assurances of a smooth exit from the European Union and of free trade with its biggest market in the future: May wants the EU to open the second phase of Brexit negotiations concerning relations after Britain s withdrawal on March 30, 2019. The EU will only do that if there is sufficient progress in agreeing divorce terms, notably on three key issues: a financial settlement, guaranteed rights for EU citizens in Britain and a soft border with Ireland. A deal on money is effectively done, EU officials said last week. There are indications of agreement on citizens rights. But opposition from key allies in Northern Ireland to treating the province differently from the mainland in a bid to maintain on open EU land border with Ireland scuppered a deal on Monday. As part of the choreography for a political deal, the EU set May an absolute deadline of Monday to provide new offers in time for the other EU leaders to approve a move to Phase 2 at a summit of the EU-27 on Friday, Dec. 15. Now, however, that has been pushed back by a few days, EU officials have conceded. May is pushing for a simultaneous, reciprocal guarantee from the EU of a soft transition and future trade deal, which she may use to show Britons what her compromises have secured. The EU wants to have firm British offers which the 27 can discuss before leaders commit. The result is some complex dance steps: Tuesday, Dec. 5 EU summit chair Donald Tusk, having canceled a visit to Jerusalem, had expected to call around EU leaders to discuss common guidelines for launching trade negotiations with Britain. This and a series of other steps are now on hold. Monday, Dec. 11 EU-27 sherpas meet to prepare the summit. Tuesday, Dec. 12 EU affairs ministers of EU-27 meet to prepare summit. Thursday, Dec. 14 4 p.m. - May attends routine EU summit in Brussels. Defence, social affairs, foreign affairs and migration are on the agenda. Friday, Dec. 15 After May has left, EU-27 leaders hold Brexit summit. They could take one comprehensive decision on Phase 2 or break it down into separate ones on the transition and future ties. If May delays a divorce agreement until the summit, perhaps to show voters at home her resolve, this may delay opening trade talks. January - Outline of EU transition offer may be ready, under which Britain retains all rights except voting in the bloc, and meets all its obligations until the end of 2020. February - After agreeing their negotiating terms, EU-27 may be ready to open talks with London on a free trade pact that Brussels likens to one it has with Canada. The EU estimated at some 60 billion euros ($71 billion) what Britain should pay to cover outstanding obligations on leaving. EU officials say there is now agreement after Britain offered to pay an agreed share of most of the items Brussels wanted, especially for committed spending that will go on after 2020. Both sides say there is no precise figure as much depends on future developments. British newspaper reports that it would cost up to 55 billion euros sparked only muted criticism from May s hardline pro-Brexit allies who once rejected big payments. Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar said on Saturday that London would be paying the EU 60 billion euros on Brexit. Barnier is still seeking a commitment that the rights of 3 million EU citizens who stay on in Britain after Brexit will be guaranteed by the European Court of Justice, not just by British judges. May has said the ECJ should play no more role in Britain. But the issue could be vital to ensure ratification of the withdrawal treaty by the European Parliament. EU diplomats say a compromise may let British courts refer cases on citizens rights to the Luxembourg-based ECJ on a voluntary basis. Irish premier Leo Varadkar said London agreed on Monday that Northern Ireland would remain in regulatory alignment with the EU, and hence the Irish Republic, to ensure there was no hard border with police and customs checks that could disrupt peace. However, a hostile reaction from May s pro-Brexit and pro-London allies the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP), on whom she depends for her slim parliamentary majority, caused May to hold off agreeing the package deal with Juncker. The DUP and many in May s own party fear that means separating the province from the British mainland - or forcing EU rules onto the whole of the UK. Leaders of mainland regions Scotland, Wales and London leapt on the deal to demand similar freedom to perhaps remain in the EU customs union or single market, giving May a new headache. Varadkar said he is willing to see changes in the text but not that would change its actual meaning.
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U.S. attorney general still deciding whether to impose reforms on Chicago policeWASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions said on Monday the Justice Department was still deciding whether it would seek to impose reforms on the Chicago police force, which was the subject of a critical report by the former Obama administration. In a report issued on Jan. 13, a week before President Donald Trump took office, the Justice Department said Chicago police routinely violated the civil rights of people. It cited excessive force, racially discriminatory conduct and a “code of silence” to thwart investigations into police misconduct. Chicago and federal officials signed an agreement in principle to create a court-enforced consent decree addressing the issues revealed by the probe when the report was released. The consent decree must be negotiated, then approved by a federal judge. Sessions has not committed to entering into negotiations with the department to determine what reforms, if any, should follow. “I have not made a decision about that, but I am really worried about Chicago,” Sessions said told reporters at a briefing. Sessions said police officers in Chicago were arresting people less frequently, which he speculated may be out of fear their interactions could be recorded and spread on the internet. Trump has regularly singled out Chicago’s failure to curb violence, most recently saying the city was “totally out of control,” in a Twitter message. Police in Chicago, New York, Ferguson, Missouri, and elsewhere have come under fire for using excessive force, primarily against black men, in incidents recorded on cellphones and shared online. Sessions said he had seen summaries of both the Chicago report and the report that the Obama Justice Department completed on police in Ferguson. “Some of it was pretty anecdotal and not so scientifically based,” Sessions said.
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Egyptian military says Mubarak under house arrest
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China decides to ban Time Travel.
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‘Bathroom Police’ Law Sets South Carolina GOP Governor Into Panic Mode: ‘We Didn’t Ask For This!’Nikki Haley, South Carolina s Republican governor, is hyperventilating with fear at the thought of the state Republican legislature sending her a brand new anti-transgender bathroom police law. The law would re-segregate our restrooms and force the state to impose restrictions on what bathrooms transgender individuals are allowed to use.The bill would require public restrooms to direct people to use the bathroom that aligns with their birth sex, and it would bar local governments from letting trans individuals choose which bathroom to use on their own.Let s pause for a moment and think about the first portion of that law. To enforce this law, you would need to staff public bathrooms with at least one security guard, who would require a birth certificate and visual inspection of the genitals of an individual before allowing them to use any restroom open to the public. That is literally the only way a law like this would actually be enforceable.This begs the question; what is the criminal penalty going to be for using the bathroom? Would it be a monetary fine, jail time or would it be a combination of both?Can you imagine the headlines? Local resident busted in bathroom sting by law enforcement, gets 6 months in jail for peeing.Despite Nikki s reluctance to sign this bill, the unfortunate part is that this isn t about new Republican support for transgendered individuals. There is no reason to think this has to do with anything other than money corporate money, to be exact. North Carolina is seeing the massive corporate fallout from the passage of their own anti-LGBT legislation. Big money is pulling out of North Carolina now, and Nikki Haley is terrified of the same thing happening in her state.Governor Haley tried to sound benevolent about it, suggesting that protecting religious freedom and our public bathrooms were not necessary: This is not a battle that we ve seen is needed in South Carolina. It s not something that we see that citizens are asking for. When we look at our situation, we re not hearing of anybody s religious liberties that are being violated, and we re again not hearing any citizens that are being violated in terms of freedoms. Like it or not, South Carolina is doing really well when it comes to respect and when it comes to kindness and when it comes to acceptance. For people to imply it s not, I beg to differ. Source: TPMIt s as if Nikki Haley forgot what party she belongs to. She actually is implying protections of religious freedom are not necessary. Republicans will hate her for this one.As usual, the Republicans pushing for the bill say it s all about public safety, with the implication being that adult sexual predators would enter women s restrooms to prey on people s young daughters.Here s a context in which to view this whole thing. Republicans want to pass an anti-LGBT law that restricts the rights of lawful citizens, because of the actions of potential criminals.When it comes to gun control, Republicans whine constantly about how wrong it is to restrict the rights of lawful citizens, because of the actions of potential criminals. They also say no laws ever stop criminals from doing bad things. It s good to know that the only time restricting rights and preventing crime can happen is when it comes to bathrooms, and not guns.The hypocritical pretzel-twisting that Republicans are having to put themselves into over this issue, and its associated negative consequences, would be hilarious if they were not trying to hurt people in the process. They have to answer to their corporate owners who hold the money bags, yet they also have to answer to their hateful bigoted voter base. It has to be increasingly embarrassing to be a part of their party.Featured image via YouTube screen capture
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WOW! FOX REPORTER GOES OFF On SEIU Thug For Telling Black Protester She Wasn’t Allowed To Speak! [Video]Wow! @FoxBusiness @JeffFlock just WENT OFF on white @SEIU operative for telling black protester she wasn t allowed to speak! #Fightfor15 pic.twitter.com/9aiv8x3YIq Andrew Marcus (@ImAndrewMarcus) November 29, 2016
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South Africa will relax some of its tough rules on genetically modified crops so it can ramp up maize imports from the United States and Mexico to avert a potential food crisis amid a severe drought.
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I guess some Ex-Presidents can be held accountable for their actions. Ex-President of Isreal convicted of Rape
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Israeli Arab reporters banned from campaign meet of Lieberman's far-right party (Jewish and foreign journalists who had not been invited were allowed to enter and cover the event)
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REPORTS: Charlottesville Fallout Was The Final Nail In Bannon’s CoffinWhite House Chief Strategist Stephen K. Bannon has long been a controversial figure. Prior to joining Donald Trump s campaign, he was the head of Breitbart News, a racist website that Bannon said was the platform for the alt-right. The alt-right, is, of course, nothing more than a rebranded name for white supremacists. Ever since Trump made Bannon his Chief Strategist, there have been calls for his removal from the White House. Now, in the wake of Trump s disgraceful response to the violent and murderous gathering of white supremacists in Charlottesville, Virgnina, it is being reported that Bannon is finally being pushed out.Of course, Trump is a coward, though, so it will be public humiliation, like what was suffered by former Republican National Committee head turned White House Chief of Staff Reince Priebus, that will be the technique to get rid of Bannon. However, as is par for the course with this White House, Bannon aids and allies are saying that Bannon had already decided to leave Team Trump, and that it just hadn t been announced yet. From the New York Times:The president and senior White House officials were debating when and how to dismiss Mr. Bannon. The two administration officials cautioned that Mr. Trump is known to be averse to confrontation within his inner circle, and could decide to keep on Mr. Bannon for some time.As of Friday morning, the two men were still discussing Mr. Bannon s future, the officials said. A person close to Mr. Bannon insisted the parting of ways was his idea, and that he had submitted his resignation to the president on Aug. 7, to be announced at the start of this week, but it was delayed in the wake of the racial unrest in Charlottesville, Va.Methinks there s a lot of lying on both sides going on here. Trump has clearly been afraid of dismissing Bannon, for fear of the obvious ability of Bannon to turn all of the far-right media and thus crucial parts of his base against him, via the very influential far-right publications he holds such enormous sway over. On Bannon s part, he didn t want to go anywhere, because his stated goal has always been to, quote, destroy the administrative state. Either way, it s a good thing that the head of the modern white supremacist movement will be reportedly leaving the White House. Now, we just have to get rid of the rest of the Nazis, and we ll really be in business.Featured image via Mario Tama/Getty Images
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Switzerland demands release of Swiss woman abducted in SudanZURICH (Reuters) - Switzerland on Sunday called for the quick release of a Swiss woman reported abducted in Sudan s troubled Darfur region where rebels have been fighting the government for more than a decade. The Foreign Ministry is aware of the case of a Swiss woman kidnapped in Darfur, a ministry spokesman said by email. Local representation is in contact with Sudanese authorities. Efforts to clarify the situation are in progress. Switzerland is calling for a rapid and unconditional release of the abducted person. The ministry did not give details about when the woman had been abducted or other details about her. Swiss newspapers reported the woman was an aid worker. Sudan will extend a unilateral ceasefire with rebels until the end of December, state news agency SUNA reported on Sunday, just days after the United States lifted 20-year-old sanctions tied to progress on resolving ongoing conflicts. The conflict in Darfur began in 2003 when mainly non-Arab tribes took up arms against Sudan s Arab-led government.
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Massive gang shooting spree on Vancouver's west side injures 10 people
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UK MPs: Chavs 'should not get benefits'
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UN report says Australia's treatment of asylum seekers breaches torture convention
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berlusconi immunity 'overturned'
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Pastor Who Prayed At Trump’s Inauguration Takes DACA Decision To The WoodshedDonald Trump s decision to punish 800,000 young people who came to the U.S. as children, and subject them to deportation, isn t going down well. It s almost as if he didn t think before he decided to end the Obama-era Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, also known as DACA.Even a reverend who offered one of the prayers at Donald Trump s inauguration called on Tuesday for Congress to act in the wake of the former reality show star s decision to end the DACA program. Hundreds of thousands of Hispanic young people will be overcome with fear and grief today, the Rev. Samuel Rodriguez, president of the National Hispanic Christian Leadership Conference, said in a statement, according to The Hill. Simultaneously, a multi-ethnic coalition of tens-of-millions of law-abiding, U.S. citizens will begin to put unrelenting pressure on members of Congress to provide a permanent solution for DREAMers, whose fate is in question by no fault of their own, he continued, referring to recipients of DACA.Rodriguez blasted politicians in the statement, saying that Hispanic people in this country have been the political bargaining chips of our powerful politicians for far too long. This is an affront to the sanctity of life, it is inhumane, and the Hispanic community will stand for it no longer, he said.Rodriguez then targeted Congress, saying lawmakers expressed concern for the country s Hispanic community but have chosen to do nothing. We will not distinguish between Republicans and Democrats but between those who stand for righteousness and justice and those who do not, he added.Statement from Rev. Samuel Rodriguez, who prayed at Trump's inauguration: pic.twitter.com/HgXwAoPMTZ Betsy Woodruff (@woodruffbets) September 5, 2017Trump, too cowardly to announce his decision to end DACA, had Attorney General Jeff Sessions (R-Racist) do his dirty work for him on Tuesday.Watch Rodriguez s prayer at Trump s inauguration:After the decision was announced, Trump tweeted, I look forward to working w/ D s + R s [SIC] in Congress to address immigration reform in a way that puts hardworking citizens of our country 1st. Good luck on getting Democrats (or Democrat s, as he put it) to work with you, Mr. Trump, after creating another hot mess. We need to hear from more Christians, especially the pro-life ones, on Trump s decision to kick 800,000 young, hardworking, taxpaying people out of the country.Image via screen capture.
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At least 30 Burundian refugees die in clashes with Congolese security forcesKINSHASA (Reuters) - At least 30 Burundian refugees have been killed in clashes with Congolese security forces over plans to send some of them home, a Reuters witness and local activists said on Saturday. Police and soldiers opened fire as the refugees protested over the plan in the town of Kamanyola in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo on Friday, the activists told Reuters. Congo s government spokesman Lambert Mende denied that those killed were refugees, saying that the clashes broke out when assailants from an unidentified armed group attacked an office belonging to the national intelligence agency. Five soldiers and 20 of the attackers were killed in the fighting, Mende said. More than 400,000 refugees have fled Burundi - including 40,000 to neighboring Congo - since violence erupted in April 2015 when President Pierre Nkurunziza said he would seek a third term in office, a move his opponents said was unconstitutional. Wendo Joel, an activist from a Congolese pro-democracy and human right group, said the refugees had seized a weapon and killed a soldier as they tried to free some of their arrested compatriots. The soldiers first fired in the air but there were many refugees, Joel told Reuters. I have counted 32 bodies. There are also about 100 wounded. Reuters TV footage showed more than 30 bodies covered by sheets on the roadside in Kamanyola, with many more wounded also lying in the street. A U.N. spokeswoman confirmed that at least 18 Burundian asylum seekers had been killed but said the toll was likely to rise. Many others had taken shelter at the U.N. peacekeeping mission s nearby base, she added. According to a spokesman for the U.N. refugee agency, more than 2,000 Burundian refugees live in Kamanyola with host families. In a statement, Burundi s main opposition grouping, CNARED, accused Burundian army troops and members of the ruling CNDD-FDD s youth group Imbonerakure of carrying out the killings with the Congolese army. Burundian officials could not be immediately reached for comment, but Burundi s foreign minister Alain Aime Nyamitwe wrote on Twitter: My heart sinks as I learn of the shootings in Eastern #DRC. Clarifications are needed on the shootings & circumstances around, he added. The violence in Burundi has killed over 700 people and a U.N. commission said last week there were reasonable grounds to believe authorities had committed crimes against humanity. The government rejected the commission s findings as propaganda .
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Tony Blair says politicians are underpaid
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Saudi Arabia "Outraged" At Obama's Peace Overtures With Syria, Iran
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India is home to 14 million modern slaves.
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Five of the six biggest countries in the EU have called for a radical overhaul of European foreign and defence policy
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Majority of Finns reject NATO membership
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WATCH: WIFE OF NFL PLAYER Admits RAIDERS “All-Black Offensive Line Allowed” QB Dereck Carr “To Get Injured” As Payback For Not Supporting Anthem ProtestsThe Oakland Raiders have been in the news quite a bit lately, and unfortunately, for NFL football fans, it has little to do with football, and everything to do with an anti-cop social justice movement, and a certain player s bad behavior. The Raiders team made the news when most of the members of the team kneeled for the national anthem. On October 1, 2017, running back Marshawn Lynch entered the Sports Authority stadium wearing an Everybody vs Trump t-shirt before the Oakland Raiders game against the Denver Broncos. Lynch then sat during the playing of the national anthem. While Lynch sat for the October 1st game, most of his teammates knelt.Raiders RB Marshawn Lynch wearing an "Everybody vs Trump" T-shirt: pic.twitter.com/7aiCUbjLUD Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) October 1, 2017According to Miko Grimes, wife of Tampa Bay Buccaneers cornerback Brent Grimes, the Oakland Raiders offensive line actually stood down and allowed Derek Carr to get hurt because he didn t agree with, nor did he join the team s anthem protests.Here is the play Miko Grimes was referring to when Oakland Raiders quarterback Dereck Carr was hit in the back while his offensive line allegedly stood by and watched, as a punishment for not joining the team in their Black Lives Matter-inspired protest of our flag:Derek Carr suffers back injury. #Raiders pic.twitter.com/kqDhq9cCmY Peter Joe (@RaiderPosts) October 1, 2017Miko Grimes made an appearance on The Breakfast Club where she emphatically claimed the star quarterback s views on the anthem protests led to his offensive line allowing him to get crushed. A lot of people don t know, but the reason Derek Carr got injured was because the Raiders offensive line allowed him to get injured, Miko explained as she launched into her story. Daily CallerWatch Grimes incredible allegation about how the Raiders allowed their quarterback to be injured as a sick payback because he was against his team s anti-cop social justice movement. Grimes was quick to point out that the Oakland Raiders has the only all-black offensive line in the NFL. She also mentioned that they had a fight in the locker room prior to the game and before the players went out to play the game that Carr was injured in, the players already had a plan in place to ensure that he would be left unprotected..@iHeartMiko shares little know allegation about Derek Carr's injury. #TheBreakfastClub pic.twitter.com/7XF54oh3U7 REVOLT TV (@RevoltTV) November 7, 2017On October 20, 2017, Oakland Raiders running back and national anthem kneeler, Marshawn Lynch, was ejected after he left the sidelines to physically attack a referee with whom he disagreed with.
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Silvio Berlusconi may have screwed Europe not just Italy
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Iran will not tolerate Kurdish independence, ISIS and Israel benefit only
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China says will keep talking to Myanmar over stalled dam schemeBEIJING (Reuters) - China said on Wednesday it will continue to talk to Myanmar about a controversial stalled dam project, after Myanmar s new energy minister cast doubt over the scheme. Valued at $3.6 billion, the Myitsone dam project in the north of the former Burma has been a sticking point between the two countries since the previous military-backed government suspended work in 2011. Reuters reported in April that officials in China and Myanmar were discussing alternative options that would allow Myanmar to scrap the massive project amid environmental concerns. Big hydropower dams are not a priority in Myanmar s strategy to tackle chronic power shortages, Energy Minister Win Khaing told Reuters on Tuesday. Speaking in Beijing, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said China s position on the Myitsone dam had not changed, which was that China had always upheld deepening cooperation with Myanmar on a mutually beneficial basis. The Myitsone hydropower station is a commercial cooperation project both sides have already agreed upon, and has already been through a complete approval process, Hua told a daily news briefing. We will continue to maintain communication with the Myanmar side and proactively and appropriately handle the problems or difficulties which arise during cooperation on the project, to allow relevant cooperation to continue to develop healthily and stably, she added. The proposed dam, on the upper reaches of the Ayeyarwady river in Kachin state, would have sent most of its power across the border to China s Yunnan province, which now has an oversupply of electricity as it switches to less energy-intensive industries amid an economic slowdown. A government panel set up in August 2016 was still reviewing the dam, Myanmar s energy minister said, adding the government was in dialogue with the Chinese operator, State Power Investment Corp subsidiary Yunnan International Power Investment.
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No deal: bridge is not a sport, EU rulesLUXEMBOURG (Reuters) - Bridge is not a sport, the European Union s top court ruled on Thursday, thwarting a gambit by a British players to avoid sales tax on the grounds that sitting around playing cards is not a physical activity. The English Bridge Union asked to have the same exemption from value added tax as sports associations for tournaments of duplicate bridge. An EU directive lets governments waive VAT on some services closely linked to sport or physical education . However, the European Court of Justice found that despite the contention that competitive bridge promotes physical and mental health, the definition of sport for purposes of the tax directive must include a not negligible physical element . The ECJ, however, left a possible opening for British bridge fiends to exploit. Cultural activities can also apply for VAT exemptions, they said, if their practice, history and traditions are part of the social and cultural heritage of the country .
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Coffee catastrophe beckons as climate change threatens arabica plant - Study warns that rising temperatures pose serious threat to global coffee market, potentially affecting livelihoods of small farmers & pushing up prices
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Some 2,000 migrants tried to enter the Channel Tunnel terminal in Calais on Monday night in an attempt to reach the UK, operator Eurotunnel has said
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China says it welcomes all efforts to ease tension on Korean peninsulaBEIJING (Reuters) - China s Foreign Ministry on Wednesday said it welcomed all efforts to ease tension on the Korean peninsula after U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson offered to begin direct talks with North Korea without pre-conditions. Ministry spokesman Lu Kang made the comment at a daily news briefing in the Chinese capital.
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Trump backs Republican healthcare plan: U.S. health secretaryWASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Donald Trump maintains his support of Republican House leaders’ healthcare plan, U.S. Health Secretary Tom Price said on Friday, adding that the proposed measure tackles key issues important to the president. “The president’s very supportive of this plan, thinks that it addresses his priorities,” such as the coverage of patients with pre-existing medical conditions, among others, Price told reporters at a news conference.
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FLASHBACK…UNDERCOVER VIDEO SHOWS HILLARY Telling Top Donor She Stopped Using Email Because Of So Many Investigations: “Why would I want to do email? Can you imagine?”This is a shocking story of corruption and collusion even for a Clinton. Hillary should ve been locked up for this one but instead, her campaign finance director takes the fall. How ironic that Hillary would admit to a top donor that she doesn t do emails because of being under so many investigations. That must be a badge of honor for a Democrat .No matter the size of the scandal, Hillary and Bill always find some magical way to escape prosecution. The scandal seen in the undercover video below shows movie producer Peter Paul discussing emails with Hillary Clinton. Paul claims he spent $2 million to produce a major fundraising event for Hillary. Peter Paul admits he hosted the event in order to gain access to the Clintons. The campaign laws that were in effect at that time limited campaign gifts to $2,000.Watch Peter Paul s stunning story below:Peter Paul s whistleblower site explains the timeline and the significance of the smoking gun video.After [Paul] began to blow the whistle in March, 2001, to four US prosecutors on Hillary s role in the false FEC reports filed by her campaign that hid more than $1.2 million in his expenditures, the Attorney General[ s office ] launched a four year investigation leading to the indictment and trial of Hillary s finance director, David Rosen, in May 2005, for election law fraud. Rosen was solely indicted for providing information that only he knew was false, to Hillary s treasurer for reporting to the FEC The Federal Judge, Howard Matz, (appointed by the Clintons in 1998) who officiated over the subsequent trial of Rosen in Los Angeles, made ethically questionable statements to the jury, prior to the commencement of the trial, stating unequivocally that Hillary Clinton was not involved in any direct way whatsoever in the illegal fundraiser On Fox News in 2005, Doug Schoen, a former Clinton adviser, said that, The prosecutors and defense attorneys said she is not involved Prosecutors made the decision that Mr. Rosen should be tried, it s a fact-based case. It has nothing to do with Senator Clinton. The video appears to directly counter these assertions and instead links Hillary and her aide to the planning of the fundraiser. Hillary Clinton is not a part of this case In fact, if Clinton participated in the planning of the fundraising event, it: would make Paul s substantial contributions a direct donation to her Senate campaign rather than her joint fundraising committee, violating federal statutes that limit hard money contributions to a candidate to $2,000 per person. Knowingly accepting or soliciting $25,000 or more in a calendar year is a felony carrying a prison sentence of up to five years In the tape, Clinton is heard via speakerphone thanking Paul, business partner Stan Lee and other colleagues for their efforts in putting together the fundraiser She also describes the role of longtime aide Kelly Craighead as assisting in day-to-day involvement in preparation for the event as her liaison with Paul and his producers Craighead, Clinton says, talks all the time with Paul, so she ll be the person to convey whatever I need. The aide s hands-on role is significant, because the law also implicates a candidate if any of his or her agents are involved in coordinating expenditures with a donor In another portion of the tape, Clinton is heard discussing her direct solicitation of a large contribution from the entertainer Cher. Paul s legal team, the U.S. Justice Foundation, argues the value of Cher s performance alone vastly exceeded the FEC limits The Hillary Clinton Felony Video The video itself is fascinating. The preface to the tape states that it shows Hillary Clinton in the process of committing at least four or five felonies under federal election law -Via: Doug Ross JournalPeter Paul filed and won a civil suit against the Clinton s in 2010. The segment below is from the Supreme Court precedent setting film Hillary The Movie by Citizens United, shows the polygraph test taken by Hillary s largest donor, Peter Paul, corroborating his claims the Clintons promised to have Bill Clinton work with his public company in exchange for Paul paying more than $1.2 million to elect Hillary to her first political office. This video supports the allegations in the civil fraud suit filed by Paul in 2003 and settled with the Clintons in 2010.
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House lawmakers propose $1 billion in aid for struggling coal countryWASHINGTON (Reuters) - The chair of the House of Representatives appropriations committee introduced a bill on Wednesday that would channel $1 billion to revitalize battered coal-producing communities. House Appropriations Chair Hal Rogers, a long-serving Kentucky Republican, said the RECLAIM Act would provide support to coal-producing communities hit by the decline of the industry to redevelop their economies. Under the bill, which he introduced with both Democrats and Republicans from Virginia, West Virginia and Pennsylvania, $1 billion would be released from the government’s Abandoned Mine Lands (AML) program to help communities generate new economic activities. “Many coal communities in Appalachia simply do not have the resources to reclaim the abandoned mine sites within their borders,” said Rogers, who represents eastern Kentucky’s coal-mining counties. “This bill allows these communities to be proactive in restoring these sites and utilize them to put our people back to work.” The bill comes after months of talks with the Obama administration, which last year proposed the POWER+ Plan, a multibillion-dollar strategy to support the revitalization of coal country using unused funds from the AML, which consists of fees on coal companies collected over the years. Republican lawmakers had initially been reluctant to support the administration’s plan because they blamed its policies, including regulations forcing power plants to cut carbon emissions tied to burning coal, for the contraction in the coal industry that has seen some of its companies go bankrupt. The bill reflects a few modifications to the White House proposal, including measures to compensate Western states. Wyoming pays the most into the AML because it is still an active low-sulfur coal producer, yet most federal money would likely flow to older coal mining regions like Appalachia. A White House official said the RECLAIM Act is consistent with the administration’s proposal. “The legislation introduced today would bring $1 billion in much needed investment to support abandoned mine land reclamation linked with economic development in struggling coal communities that badly need both,” the official said. Representative Matt Cartwright, a Pennsylvania Democrat, said the bill will create new opportunities “for the families that depended on mining jobs, benefits, and pensions that have disappeared as coal companies have closed their operations.” Local communities welcomed the bill and urged its swift passage. “This is what we’ve been waiting on. This bill, and the money that could come from the bill into our local economies, could give us a little more security,” said Kimberly Shepherd, a member of grass-roots group Kentuckians For The Commonwealth.
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Obama administration offers $66 million to aid coal communitiesWASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Obama administration released $65.8 million on Thursday to help communities that are struggling from the decline of the coal industry and bankruptcies of major producers of the fuel. The funds announced by the federal Appalachian Regional Commission and the Economic Development Administration will support projects that help coal-dependent communities in places like West Virginia and Kentucky diversify their economies, retrain the workforce and attract new investment. The funds are coming through the Obama administration’s Partnerships for Opportunity and Workforce and Economic Revitalization Initiative, which helps coal-reliant regions cope with market forces, air pollution regulations and other factors. “Many communities across Appalachia – from coal mines to Main Streets – are being impacted as the world changes the way it produces and consumes electricity,” said ARC Chairman Earl Gohl. The grant comes the day after Peabody Energy Corp, the largest U.S. coal producer, said it might have to seek bankruptcy protection. Peabody would become the latest in a line of major coal miners, including Arch Coal Inc, to file for bankruptcy as demand for coal plummets both domestically and in global markets like China and amid competition from natural gas. The plight of coal communities, particularly in the Appalachian region of the eastern United States, has gained importance in the 2016 presidential campaign, where economic frustration of white working-class voters has become a major theme. Last week, Democratic front-runner Hillary Clinton triggered critical comments from Republican lawmakers in Kentucky when she told a CNN town hall meeting: “We’re going to put a lot of coal miners and coal companies out of business” when explaining her $30 billion economic transition plan for coal-dependent regions. Her plan expands on Obama’s broader POWER+ Plan, a set of investments in coal-dependent communities outlined in his 2017 budget. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, a Republican, called Clinton’s comments callous and said “it underlines the need to stand up for hard-working, middle-class coal families.” Clinton campaign spokesman Brian Fallon said McConnell and other critics “twisted Clinton’s words to suggest she showed a disregard for coal workers and their livelihoods.” Meanwhile, New York real estate mogul Donald Trump, the Republican front-runner, said at a recent campaign stop in Ohio: “We have to protect your coal industry which is being decimated” by the Obama administration’s environmental regulations.
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House Armed Services chairman: Trump budget not enough for U.S. militaryWASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Republican chairman of the House Armed Services Committee said on Thursday President Donald Trump’s 2018 budget proposal does not include enough funds to rebuild the nation’s military. “It is clear to virtually everyone that we have cut our military too much and that it has suffered enormous damage,” Representative Mac Thornberry said. “Unfortunately, the administration’s budget request is not enough to repair that damage and to rebuild the military as the president has discussed.”
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First Human-Neanderthal Hybrid Found
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‘STRANGER THINGS’ – Hollywood MK Ultra Goes Full OccultJay Dyer 21st Century WireThe popular 80s pastiche series Stranger Things begins with a familiar scene of E.T. nostalgia, centering around Dungeons & Dragons. The scene is particularly familiar to me, since I played D&D back in the day, but learned very quickly this nefarious practice was like kryptonite to all things female. Oddly enough, the series appears to reflect a new trend amongst Hollywood A-listers, where nerd culture has revived the ancient 80s practice of playing D&D. The Hollywood Reporter explains the trend and its connection to acting and role-playing: Vin Diesel plays it. So do Dwayne Johnson, Drew Barrymore, Stephen Colbert, Mike Myers and Jon Favreau, among other bold-face names. Some even built their careers by playing it The decades-old role-playing game in which participants roll multisided dice while pretending to be mystical creatures such as elves and dwarves finally is coming out of the closet (or, in this case, Mom s basement). There s a huge resurgence of nerd culture, especially with the tech boom, says Silicon Valley s Martin Starr, a longtime D&D enthusiast. If nerds were still poor and living at their mothers , nobody would be paying any attention to Dungeons & Dragons. But nerds rule the world, and D&D is making a big comeback and I m excited about it. While this certainly relates to a furtherance of one s improv skills, it also relates to the occult side of Hollywood, though I don t take the ridiculous evangelical view that D&D is inherently evil. Rather, the notion of role-playing is synonymous with the ancient view of acting as dramaturgy, or ritual invocation of the gods. Comparative religion scholar Dudley Young writes: The earliest gods were invoked by ritual act (dromenon = the thing done) such as a sacrificial dance, commemorating the fact that our life begins and ends when they call upon us. Subsequently the thing was said (legomenon) as well as done, and the dromenon was on its way to becoming the drama. Once speech within the temple precincts has been endowed with the power of word-magic, we have the invocation properly so called. (Dudley Young, Origins of the Sacred: The Ecstasies of Love and War, pg. 413)Set in the fictional small town of Hawkins, Indiana in 1983, we will see the accidental dramaturgical invocation where the D&D simulacrum appears to actually be related on a deeper level to the occult phenomena that begin to occur. The disappearance of young Will Byers sparks a series of events that take Hawkins down a black rabbit hole of every conspiracy theory ever, melded with the opening of the inter-dimensional gates from every John Carpenter film. Originally slated to be titled Montauk, the series echoes the dubious accounts of Project Montauk, where purportedly time and space were altered in government-sponsored PsyOps and time travel experiments with famed UFO researcher Jacques Vallee commenting the experiments were related to the Philadelphia Experiment. For more information and speculation on this topic, I interviewed Dr. Farrell on his views here.D & D invokes the entities in E.T.. The stories of Montauk appear to originate in a book series by Preston Nichols, who claims to have discovered repressed memories of the event. This laughable scenario immediately smacks of PsyOps, making the original connection to large-scale deception all the more appropriate. Even Vallee alleges the experiment is a hoax, suggesting an experiment in seeing what you can get people to believe, as opposed to some real space-time warping experiment. Vallee writes: I hypothesized that the experiments had to do with a radar countermeasures test. Indeed a Raytheon advertisement published thirteen years ago suggested that the corresponding technology was now out in the open (Raytheon, 1980). This hypothesis, however, failed to explain a few of the facts that highlighted the story. In particular it did not account for the observed disappearance of the destroyer from the harbor, for the mysterious devices brought on board under extreme security precautions, or for the alleged disappearance of two sailors from a nearby tavern. While it may be the case that the Navy altered space-time, does Vallee not consider the possibility this is all bullshit, as so many military whistleblowers and generals so often leak ? Rather, as is so often the case, all the evidence for these events relies on some retired Navy man with all the credentials of the Navy man from the Village People. This is also why the Montauk tale mixes aliens and other nonsense in with the notion of the Apollo Mission being staged disinformation. Vallee himself was a high up government operator with an interest in occultism and Rosicrucianism, and is represented in Spielberg s Close Encounters by the character of Claude Lacombe (played by Francois Truffaut).Through the dimensional gate: the Demogorgon saps energy and hatches incubus style demon-babies in Ridley Scott form. .Thus, all of this functions as the spirit behind Stranger Things, as well as myriad other influences, such as Star Wars, Alien, Goonies, H.P. Lovecraft, Evil Dead, X-Men, Stephen King, and John Carpenter. That said, I consider the series as accurately showing some aspects of the spiritual realm, couched in scientistic mysticism, where our initial suspicion of extra-terrestrial alien manipulation is revealed to be both terrestrial and demonic. The Demogorgon inhabits a realm that is the upside down, the negative or demonic dark side of our world, which matches up to the Kabbalistic notion of the Qilphoth or the Abyss of Da at at times, as Crowley claims: This doctrine is extremely difficult to explain; but it corresponds more or less to the gap in thought between the Real, which is ideal, and the Unreal, which is actual. In the Abyss all things exist, indeed, at least in posse, but are without any possible meaning; for they lack the substratum of spiritual Reality. They are appearances without Law. They are thus Insane Delusions Now the Abyss being thus the great storehouse of Phenomena, it is the source of all impressions. Spoiler alert, but the missing children are not only part of MK Ultra, but are being used in top-secret testing that includes LSD, sensory deprivation and the development of Men Who Stare at Goats (or Kids Who Stare at Kittens)-type mental powers. Interestingly, the abducted super-soldier kid named 11 and El is specifically told to kill a kitten which is rumored to be an aspect of trauma-based mind control. Basically, all the rumors of hardcore child abuse and mind control are rolled into the series with the character El, who is able to remote view the spiritual realm and spy on Soviets (as well as Demogorgons).Like the simulacrum in Spielberg films, the spirits communicate across the void through the Kabbalistic principle of esoteric symbology and linguistics, as I showed in my Close Encounters analysis.. Oblivious to the dangers of such programs, Mr. Man in Black Shadow Government from the Dept. of Energy persists in hunting down his escaped daughter El (hinting at sexual abuse), who finds her way into the Goonies gang of Mike, Will and Lucas (I m assuming you ve seen it). Most interesting is the biblical and occult notion of the opening of gates through such scientific experiments, which are in fact occult rituals involving child adduction and sacrifice under the guise of cancer research (MK Ultra). Could this be a hint at what the cancer complex is really involved in? Genetic and psychological experimentation with children for the greater good ? Certainly there have been numerous cases of missing children in the US, as well as small towns experimented on by the shadow government. It would seem that Stanger Things is obliquely referencing these themes, as well as the possibility of actual murders and abductions, as author William Ramsey argues here.Given blood and sacrifice bring the demon and open the gate, we can assume the references are to the goetia, where demons are invoked through sigils. . Two notions that occurred to me I have not seen tacked yet in the series is the strange reference to the loss of father and God, as we see no strong male figures. Hop the cop, like a horny rabbit, hops from girl to girl having lost his daughter, while Will s father is a deadbeat. In Mike and Nancy s household, the ineffectual, sterile father character of Mr. Wheeler remains ever clueless while arguing to Mrs. Wheeler the government is on our side, and would never lie.Set in the Cold War, the fear and panic of the ridiculous Russian Threat in the background of the series allows the shadow state to develop the explicitly-named Star Wars Defense Program, where lasers and space weapons are being made to destroy the Russkies. Amazingly accurate in this insight, this is a point JaysAnalysis has been highlighting the last few years with the hype of the Cold War deception allowing for the rise of the dark military industrial complex which seems to have a penchant for human sacrifice. Note that I have argued many times that Mk Ultra was not merely a mind control experiment, but was about the entire biosphere, under the Department of Energy.Cop Hop discovers the advanced weapons lab facility is involved in MK Ultra something I have discussed many times. . The sacrifice of the youth for the dark designs of the shadow government is the ultimate conspiracy in the series, but what is more remarkable than this is the explanation by the Man in Black Dr. Brenner (Matthew Modine) that the sacrifice of sons and daughters for the gorgodemon is for the good of America. In other words, we are given the impression our villain knows the real source of the dark power in Hawkins, the demonic, and that the sacrifice of humans and blood draws it nearer and nearer. Foolishly assuming this dark energy can be harnessed for U.S. supremacy, Dr. Brenner is behind both MK Ultra and the SDI program that requires the sacrifice of America s sons and daughters ! This spiritual dimension is the accurate and insightful aspect of the series, but the message is not all good.Dr. Brenner demands more demonic channeling from El. Note her similarity of appearance to the Princess in The Never Ending Story.. The flip side, as mentioned, is that El as an androgynous, yet dominantly feminine archetype, is a form of the incarnation of the goddess. We have seen this of late in pop fiction more times than I can count, in examples like Hanna, Hunger Games, Lucy, Ex Machina and Jupiter Ascending, where the gnostic perspective of exalting the opposing force to the male is assumed to bring a cosmically needed balance to the war hawk patriarchy. A perennial myth of liberal fantasies, the feminist archetype will in no way bring peace and balance, only more destruction as gender roles continue to be confused. Feminism is part of that very destruction, and the fact that El shouts out in the aether God, Dad and Gone, suggests her association with Dr. Brenner as her dad and Father God s lack of answer to her call, means the solution to the spiritual problems of man can be found in a Luciferian evolution of humans beyond the traps of gender and evil patriarchal deities. In occultist Edmund Spenser s Faerie Queen, we read:Downe in the bottome of the deepe Abysse Where Demogorgon in dull darknesse pent, Farre from the view of Gods and heauens blis, The hideous Chaos keepes, their dreadfull dwelling is. (Book IV, Canto ii, stanza 47)In the process of becoming cruciform, the sacred feminine pistis Sophia incarnate destroys the patriarchal non-God. . Indeed, El annihilates the cruciform Demogorgon as if it were a demiurge that has imprisoned the town spiritually. This is precisely the Luciferian view Jesus and/or God the Father are demiurges who have imprisoned humans in this dimension and sap their energy as vampires, requiring blood sacrifice. Of course, none of that is true, as the Logos is the salvation of the human race, reconciling them to God by becoming Incarnate and destroying Death. In the gnostic scheme the roles are reversed, where El becomes the Luciferian dark hero rescuing the town through her sacrifice to destroy the cruciform demon-god. And, as you probably guessed, that is why her name is El, recalling the old Canaanite term for the gods who warred against Jehovah in the Bible. In fact, the Demogorgon is generally traced back to the demiurge.The series also uses numerology frequently, such as 11 and 77 suggesting the demonology of Crowley and references to 9/11 as a ritual initiation. Interestingly, light is mentioned several times in the series as both a means of communication and symbol of enlightenment. As you can see in the above image, photosynthesis is placed behind El as she dissolves the Demogorgon, suggesting the dissolution of Traditional Religion by enlightenment, perfectly consonant with the message of Gnosticism and Luciferianism.The gateways have been opened through mass human sacrifice of America s sons and daughters the new man is a dark, half-androgynous goddess who will destroy the genocidal patriarchal religions and bring a new Amerikan aeon of the crowned and conquering girl-child, a Luciferian world order.READ MORE HOLLYWOOD NEWS AT: 21st Century Wire Hollywood FilesTo hear Jay s full podcasts, see more information and learn how you can become a subscriber to JaysAnalysis.Jay Dyer is the author of the forthcoming title, Esoteric Hollywood: Sex, Cults and Symbols in Film from Trine Day. Focusing on film, philosophy, geopolitics and all things esoteric,JaysAnalysis and his podcast, Esoteric Hollywood, investigates the deeper meanings between the headlines, exploring the hidden aspects of our sinister synthetic mass media matrix.
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Watchdogs slam Israel law making boycott calls illegal
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Harry Reid Calls For FBI Head To Be Investigated Following Russian BombshellsSen. Harry Reid is calling for FBI Director James Comey to be investigated after Friday revealed bombshell after bombshell regarding Russia s interference in the U.S. election. Reid put the head of the FBI on blast Saturday morning following the release of a secret CIA assessment that concluded Russia had meddled in the presidential election with the intent of helping to get Donald Trump into the Oval Office. I think [Comey] should be investigated by the Senate, he should be investigated by other agencies of the government, including the security agencies, Reid told MSNBC. You look at the accounts we have just in the press the last few days its stunning, stunning, the conclusions reached by the press. Thank goodness we ve got them still around this is not fake news, okay? he added.The CIA report found that Russia had hacked the DNC, as well as the RNC. However, we all know whose information made it onto Wikileaks and whose didn t. This tidbit of information lends credence to the theory of U.S. intelligence agencies who believe that Russia interfered for one reason: to get Trump elected.Reid is convinced that Comey knew Russia was screwing around with the presidential election, but chose to withhold this information from the American public until after Election Day. I am so disappointed in Comey. He has let the country down for partisan purposes, Reid added, calling for the FBI director to step down.Reid also took the opportunity to praise Sen. Lindsey Graham for his efforts to lead an investigation into Russia s election meddling. I believe Lindsey Graham is a voice of concern, Reid said.Graham, along with Sen. John McCain, is heading up efforts to launch a wide-ranging probe into Russia s hacking and interference. President Obama has also ordered a full review of Russian interference in November s election, which is to be completed before he leaves office in January.Watch more on Reid s call for an investigation into Comey, here;.@SenatorReid says FBI Director James Comey should be investigated in wake of CIA revelations. RETWEET 2AGREE #AMJoy https://t.co/Xu9THTOOfz AM Joy w/Joy Reid (@amjoyshow) December 10, 2016Featured image via Alex Wong/Getty Images
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WATCH: Sarah Silverman Hilariously Demolishes Trump On ConanAdolf Hitler isn t enthused about being compared to Republican front runner Donald Trump, according to comedian Sarah Silverman, who dressed up as the Nazi dictator and made an appearance on Conan. After being introduced, Silverman-as-Hitler said: Wow, look at that! I have to say, that s more applause than I expected. Don t get me wrong, Conan. I agree with a lot he says a lot. Like 90 percent of what he says, I m like, this guy gets it, but I don t like the way he says it. It s crass. In reference to a recent GOP debate when Rubio poked fun of Trump s hands and implicitly referred to the size of his penis, Silverman-as-Hitler had this to say: What kind of person talks about his penis size on national television? Oh yeah, I m so sure Donald Trump has a big penis. I famously have a micro penis. That s what makes a tyrant. Anyway, all these comparisons to Trump, it s like, it bums me out. You know what I mean? Sometimes I watch him and I m like, Is that how people see me?' Watch the clip here:Trump has received a barrage of criticism, some comparing him to the notorious dictator including Louis CK, who said, he is dangerous. Mexican President Enrique Pe a Nieto said Trump s campaign had similarities to the rise of the Nazi leader.In an interview with Good Morning America, Trump said of the comparisons:It s a terrible comparison. I m not happy about that, certainly. I don t want that comparison. But you know we have to be strong, and we have to be vigilant. People agree with that. We don t want to lose our jobs to China. And we don t want to lose our jobs to Mexico and Japan, If Trump doesn t want such comparisons, then he should stop propagating in ways that remind the world of the notorious Nazi dictator.
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Sacked by text, the Indian workers who built Dubai
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UK wants to set rules 'right for our situation' after leaving EU: May's spokesmanLONDON (Reuters) - Prime Minister Theresa May told her cabinet on Tuesday Britain s objective in leaving the EU should be a deal that enables it to set rules suited to its situation, her spokesman said after a cabinet meeting to establish long-term goals for exit talks. Having secured a deal to move European Union departure negotiations to the next stage last week, Tuesday s discussion marked the start of May s next battle over Brexit: what kind of long-term relationship will Britain have with the bloc? In making that decision, May must manage deep divisions at home, including among senior ministers, over whether to align Britain s economic future with the EU, or diverge from the bloc and seek a more global role. She will then have to go out and strike a deal in Brussels, where the EU is adamant that Britain cannot enjoy the full benefits of membership after leaving, wary of the need to deter others members from following suit. The PM said it was clear what the cabinet s objective is: a deal which secures the best possible trading terms with the EU, enables the UK to set rules that are right for our situation and facilitates ambitious third-country trade deals, the spokesman said. The meeting lasted almost two hours and saw 25 ministers speak on a subject at the heart of the country s fraught debate over leaving the EU. It was the first time cabinet has tackled the so-called end state of the negotiations since the referendum vote to leave in June last year. Further cabinet talks are expected early next year to firm up the best means of achieving May s goals - the stage of the discussion most likely to push ideological differences between hard and soft Brexiteers out into the open. Asked whether there was agreement on May s key aims, the spokesman said: Yes, it s clear what we want to achieve. It was set out in a good, clear, detailed discussion in which there were contributions from a large majority of the cabinet. On the eve of the meeting, EU chief negotiator Michel Barnier offered a reminder of the difficult talks that also lie ahead in Brussels, repeating the bloc s position that London s huge financial sector would not be given special treatment. May s spokesman said she had ruled out a final economic partnership with the EU modeled on the European Economic Area - whose members allow free movement in exchange for full access to the EU s single market - and her aim was to get a more ambitious deal than the one signed between Canada and the EU last year. The Brexit Secretary (David Davis) and the prime minister were clear that Britain would be seeking a bespoke deal. Before talks resume in Brussels, May must maintain a delicate balancing act to keep hardline Brexit ministers like foreign minister Boris Johnson behind her, without alienating those like finance minister Philip Hammond who believe Britain should be more wary of diverging from EU norms and standards. May needs the full backing of her cabinet after a misjudged snap election in June stripped her Conservative Party of its majority in parliament, weakening her authority both at home and in Brussels. Should she stumble, opposition Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn says he is ready to take her place, predicting another national election in 2018 in an interview with Grazia magazine. The veteran socialist led Labour to unexpected gains in the June 8 vote, and has promised to deliver a Brexit more focused on protecting jobs and workers rights. That has been interpreted as meaning preserving ties with the EU in many areas. But, May has outlasted many of the dire prognoses offered after her June election flop. That is partly due to fears that fresh elections would put Corbyn in charge, and partly because few Conservative rivals want the task of delivering a decision which remains unpopular with large swathes of the electorate. A poll on Saturday showed 51 percent of Britons would now keep EU membership while 41 percent want to leave the bloc. The shift was mostly among those who did not vote in last year s referendum, while around nine in 10 leave and remain voters were unchanged in their views.
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NYTimes: Georgia Fired Inaccurate Cluster Bombs, Often Bombing Their Own Cities And Killing Their Own Civilians
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Google sees 'alarming' level of government censorship: Web giant says it received more than 1,000 requests from government officials for the removal of content in the past six months, complying with more than half.
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TONIGHT’S FIRST DEBATE QUESTION WILL BE…Going To Hillary And It’s A Doozy! Tonight s debate questioning will start off with a question to Hillary Clinton about a videotape of Donald Trump speaking about women Oy vey!Is this election REALLY going to come down to this? Unreal!The first set of questions at Sunday night s presidential debate will be about Donald Trump s vulgar comments on a newly published 2005 videotape, and the fallout from it.And Hillary Clinton will get the first question.Moderators Anderson Cooper of CNN and Martha Raddatz of ABC have adjusted their plan for the debate in light of the Trump tape, sources told CNNMoney.While everything is subject to change until air time, an ABC source said perhaps confirming the obvious that Trump and Clinton will both be prompted to address the matter.A coin toss by the Commission on Presidential Debates determined that Clinton will speak first.Read more: Breitbart
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How Chinese hackers outed themselves by logging onto Facebook
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Syrian forces fire on protesters, at least 12 dead
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TOP 5 WAYS TRUMP Can Cut Waste ASAP!1. Disarm federal regulatory agenciesDuring an eight-year period, 53 non-military, non-law enforcement agencies spent a shocking $335 million on guns, ammunition and military-style equipment.2. Fire EPA lawyersThe EPA has more lawyers than scientists The EPA doesn t need 1,020 lawyers to harass the private sector.3. Blockade federal funds for sanctuary citiesBest was to clean up sanctuary cities!4. Cut funding for agency self-promotionCongress should tell the administration how agencies are doing through rigorous oversight. Funding self-promotional agency PR campaigns is absurd.5. Direct small business funds to small businessHere s a novel idea: Lending by the U.S. Small Business Administration should go to small businesses!Read the last 5 at: Forbes
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FLASHBACK VIDEO: Al Sharpton Assaults FOX News Reporter For Asking Baltimore Mayor Why She Allowed Thugs Loot And Burn Down BusinessesWhen did Americans decide they were okay with Democrats exempting themselves from the same laws everyone else is required to follow? Fox News reporter Leland Vittert had a brief exchange with Al Sharpton and Baltimore Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake.Vittert said he wanted Rawlings-Blake to answer a number of questions about the rioting over the past few days in the wake of Freddie Gray s death. He said he asked: What do you have to say to the number of officers injured, and what do you have to say to businesses that were looted during a reported stand down order? Why can t we ask questions? Vittert asked.Rawlings-Blake remained silent while Sharpton said they d answer questions at the press conference.Vittert added that he asked officers who shoved [him] out of the way why they were protecting the mayor from simple questions, yet decided not to protect businesses from rioters. Via: FOX News
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16 year old blogger Amos Yee, jailed in Singapore for criticising the government is now the world's youngest prisoner of conscience
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Trump to meet U.S. business leaders on infrastructure, tax reformWASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump will meet with about 20 chief executives on Tuesday as he works to gain support for a $1 trillion infrastructure program, tax reform and other administration priorities, said White House spokesman Sean Spicer. Trump will meet with the heads of General Motors Co (GM.N), International Business Machines Corp (IBM.N) and Wal-Mart Stores Inc (WMT.N), a government official briefed on the matter said. Trump has pledged to unlock $1 trillion in private and public infrastructure investments to fix bridges, improve the electrical grid and broadband internet, modernize airports and potentially rebuild hospitals for veterans. Nearly three months after his inauguration, Trump will again seek the advice and funds of the private sector for his “national rebuilding” program. Trump also wants to streamline the income tax system, cut federal regulations, reduce corporate income tax and add new taxes to prod companies to keep or move production to the United States. He has held numerous sessions with CEOs since taking office. The chief executives are part of Trump’s “Strategy and Policy Forum” that was created in December and last met with the president on Feb. 3. The business leaders from a variety of sectors will also meet in small groups with Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao, Environmental Protection Agency chief Scott Pruitt, Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross, Education Secretary Betsy DeVos and White House budget director Mick Mulvaney, Spicer said. Participants in Ross’ meeting include Wal-Mart CEO Doug McMillon and Indra Nooyi, chief executive officer of PepsiCo Inc PEP.N. Pruitt’s meeting will include GM CEO Mary Barra and Paul Atkins, CEO of Patomak Global Partners LLC and a Republican former SEC commissioner. Chao’s meeting will include Tesla Inc (TSLA.O) CEO Elon Musk. BlackRock CEO Larry Fink, who heads the world’s largest investment management firm, in a letter to shareholders Monday backed calls for private investment to rebuild U.S. infrastructure. The Trump administration plans to unveil as soon as May the $1 trillion infrastructure plan over 10 years. “Fixing crumbling roads and bridges is not enough. We need to be focused on reshaping our world, not just repairing it,” Fink wrote. Last week, Trump pitched infrastructure projects to about 50 New York area CEOs. National Economic Council Director Gary Cohn told executives that privatizing air traffic control, which the administration proposed in its budget outline in March, could be a big boost. Other chief executives taking part Tuesday include consultant EY, Boston Consulting Group, the Cleveland Clinic and Global Infrastructure Partners, an infrastructure investment fund.
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TODAY: LIST OF U.S. CITIES Where “DAY OF RAGE” Is Reportedly Planned…Scott Air Force Base Posts WarningIsn t it great when the day after a major terror attack in France, citizens can wake up in America, and fear more organized chaos and violence in cities across the nation? A group claiming to be the hacktivist group Anonymous, along with a number of other radical activist groups, is calling for a nationwide day of protesting on Friday, July 15th. Day of Rage protests are being planned by various groups in dozens of major cities throughout the country and police are gearing up for some major problems. Off Grid SurvivalScott Air Force Base has posted a warning to Facebook about a possible protest this Friday at the St. Louis Arch. The Day of Rage protests are planned at the same time in cities across the United States. A group calling itself part of Anonymous is planning protests on Friday, July 15th to stand with the Black Lives Matter movement. Other members of Anonymous say the planned protests are not going to happen.Scott Air Force Base origionally posted this message to Facebook at around 10am Thursday: Please be advised that the Air Force Office of Special Investigations has posted a safety warning not to be at the Gateway Arch in St. Louis, at 6 p.m. on Friday, July 15 due to potential protests and criminal activity. Please be safe and avoid this area during that time. They have updated the post since it went viral with this message:The potential protests are in solidarity with the Black Lives Matter movement and the victims of police brutality. It is a reaction to last week s officer involved shootings of Alton Sterling and Philando Castile. Anonymous posted a YouTube warning on Saturday: We are calling on a collective day of rage. A day of action centered around civil disobedience and the right to protest.To police departments across the United States. We are not your enemy. However, it is in your hands if you want us to stay that way or not. We will not be silenced and we will not be intimidated.To the St. Anthony and the Baton Rouge Police Departments, we ve already launched attacks on your virtual infrastructure. We are prepared to release every single piece of evidence that will expose your corruption and blatant disregard for human life.Once again we are calling upon the citizens of the United States, in conjunction with the Black Lives Matter movement as well as other civil rights activists, to participate in a day of action against the injustices of corrupt officers. On Friday, July 15th, we will all flood the streets at strategic locations in order to maximize our voice. The locations and times will be located in the description below. Tell your family, tell your friends. We will change the world together. Our freedom depends on it. Fox2NowHere is the list of cities where the #DayOfRage is supposedly planned:Please be careful if you live in these cities, and you may want to consider getting out of town on Friday:Phoenix: 5:00PM (EASTLAKE PARK, 1549 E Jefferson St , Phoenix, AZ 85034) Tuscon: 5:00PM (CATALINA PARK, 900 N 4th Avenue, Tucson, AZ 85705) Little Rock: 6:00PM (OUTSIDE STATE CAPITOL BUILDING, Dr Martin Luther King Jr Dr., Little Rock, AR 72201) San Francisco: 4:00PM (CIVIC CENTER PLAZA, 355 Mcallister St, San Francisco, California 94102) Oakland: 4:00PM (FRANK OGAWA PLAZA, 1 Frank H Ogawa Plaza, Oakland, CA 94612) Los Angeles: 4:00PM (LEIMERT PLAZA PARK, 4395 Leimert Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90008) Denver: 5:00PM (CIVIC CENTER PARK, 100 W 14th Ave Pkwy, Denver, Colorado 80204) Washington DC: 7:00PM (OUTSIDE WHITE HOUSE, 1600 Pennsylvania Ave NW, Washington, DC 20500) Atlanta: 7:00PM (OLD DECATUR COURTHOUSE, 101 E Court Sq, Decatur, GA 30030) Tampa: 7:00PM (OUTSIDE HILLSBOROUGH COURTHOUSE, 800 E Twiggs St, Tampa, FL) Orlando: 7:00PM (LAKE EOLA PARK, 195 N Rosalind Ave, Orlando, Florida 32801) Miami: 7:00PM (GWEN CHERRY PARK, NW 71 St., Miami, Florida, 33147) Chicago: 6:00PM (RICHARD J DALEY CENTER, 50 W Washington St, Chicago, Illinois 60602) Des Moines: 6:00PM (IOWA STATE CAPITOL, 1007 E Grand Ave, Des Moines, IA 50319) New Orleans: 6:00PM (LAFAYETTE SQUARE, New Orleans, LA 70130) Baltimore: 7:00PM (201 E Pratt St, Baltimore, MD 21202) Boston: 7:00PM (MASSACHUSETTS STATE HOUSE, 24 Beacon St, Boston, MA 01233) Detroit: 7:00PM (Campus Martius Park, Detroit, Michigan 48226) Lansing: 7:00PM (STATE CAPITOL BUILDING, Capitol Avenue at Michigan Avenue, Lansing, MI 48933) Ann Arbor: 7:00PM (THE DIAG, Burns Park, Ann Arbor, MI 48109) Minneapolis: 6:00PM (MINNEAPOLIS URBAN LEAGUE, 2100 Plymouth Ave N, Minneapolis, MN 55411 St. Louis: 6:00PM (GATEWAY ARCH, St. Louis 63102) Carson City: 4:00PM (NEVADA STATE CAPITOL BUILDING, 101 N Carson St, Carson City, Nevada 89701) Manhattan, NY: 7:00PM (TIMES SQUARE, Manhattan, NY, 10036) Newark: 7:00PM (NEWARK CITY HALL, 920 Broad Street, Newark, New Jersey 07102) Durham: 7:00PM (200 E. Main St. Durham, North Carolina) Columbus: 7:00PM (GOODALE PARK, Columbus, Ohio 43215) Cleveland: 7:00PM (CLEVELAND PUBLIC LIBRARY, 325 Superior Ave E, Cleveland, Ohio 44114) Portland: 4:00PM (PIONEER COURTHOUSE SQUARE, 701 SW 6th Ave, Portland, Oregon 97204) Philadelphia: 7:00PM (LOVE PARK, 1599 John F Kennedy Blvd, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19102) Pittsburgh: 7:00PM (PITTSBURGH CITY-COUNTY BUILDING, 414 Grant St, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15219) Nashville: 6:00PM (801 Broadway Nashville, TN 37203 Estes Kefauver Federal Building) Memphis: 6:00PM (Health Sciences Park Memphis, TN) Austin: 6:00PM (TEXAS STATE CAPITOL, Outside South Gate-11th and Congress Ave.) Salt Lake City: 5:00PM (SALT LAKE CITY COMMUNITY COLLEGE, 4600 S Redwood Rd, Salt Lake City, Utah 84123) Seattle: 4:00PM (QUEEN ANNE BAPTIST CHURCH, 2011 1st Ave N, Seattle, Washington 98109) Milwaukee: 5:00PM (DINEEN PARK, Milwaukee, Wisconsin)h/t Off Grid Survival
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WATCH: Sarah Palin Was Just Asked If She’ll Be Trump’s VP And Her Response Will Scare YouJust when we thought that Sarah Palin was out of our lives, she seems to have found a way to creep back in. The self-described conservative and the vice presidential running mate of Republican senator John McCain in 2008 was asked whether she would be presumptive Republican nominee Donald Trump s running mate. Palin said that she would be ready to serve but she worried about being a burden to the presumptive nominee. Palin said: I think I m pretty much as vetted as anybody in the country could be vetted. I think there are so many other great people out there in American that could serve in this position.I think if somebody wanted to choose me, they already know who I am, what I stand for. They wouldn t be in for any surprises.Palin did acknowledge that she came with lots of baggage. She said: I want to help and not hurt, and I am such a realist that I realize there are a whole lot of people out there who say, Anybody but Palin. I wouldn t want to be a burden on the ticket and I recognize that in many, many eyes, I would be that burden. So, you know, I just want the guy to win. I want America to win. Burden is an understatement. A Trump/Palin ticket already sounds like a clown show but the thought of a Trump/Palin presidency is a terrifying prospect for America. As President Obama has warned, the presidency is not reality television or entertainment. It s the most powerful position in the world where important decisions must be made. Trump and Palin do not qualify to hold these positions.Watch video here:[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9BjYkd98_tc]Featured image via video screenshot.
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Taliban kill mullah critical of suicide attacks. Religious leader slain days after preaching against oft-used tactic.
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Tech Giants Knew About Prism All Along, the NSA's Top Lawyer Says
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Israel boycotts UN racism conference, claims bias
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Tony Blair's sister-in-law thinks Blair should be tried for war crimes.
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Donald Trump Just Told His Fans They’re Stupid TO THEIR FACES – And They Cheered (VIDEO)Donald Trump s heavily-conservative base is filled to the brim with stupid people. It s one thing for polls and studies to prove that TrumpFans are absolute morons, but it s another for the billionaire 2016 hopeful to actually admit it.On Saturday at an Iowa campaign rally, Trump told his fanatical followers to their faces that they are so stupid they would even support him if he shot someone in broad daylight, in front of a crowd of people. I could stand in the middle of 5th Avenue and shoot somebody and I wouldn t lose voters, ok? It s, like, incredible. Yes, it is incredible. It s incredible in the first place that anyone regardless of political leanings could support a man who wants to ban Muslims from entering the United States (even if they are returning from vacation), waste taxpayer dollars to build a gigantic wall, make followers of Islam register in a national database and wear special badges to let everyone know their religion, and throw them in concentration camps as a temporary measure. It s almost baffling.But what is more baffling is that Trump standing before a crowd and telling them they are so stupid they would continue to support him if he murdered someone in cold blood in a scenario in which there is no question of his guilt does absolutely nothing to dissuade them from supporting him.He is right the loyalty of his fans is iron-clad, and it is clear that they love him no matter what he does or says, no matter how horrible.Trump is probably right: He could probably shoot someone in front of a crowd of people, and his followers would defend him especially if the victim was black, gay, Muslim, Jewish, or anyone who wasn t a white Christian conservative. Even then, it is unlikely their support would waver Because they re f*cking stupid.Watch Trump tell his followers how stupid they are below:Featured image via screengrab
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Benjamin Netanyahu blames Holocaust on Palestinian leader at World Zionist Congress, says Hitler only wanted to expel Jews
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Air Pollution in New Delhi Was Much Worse Than Beijing Thursday, But Indian Government Is Not Acting.
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WHAT FBI’S COMEY JUST REVEALED Should Disqualify Hillary Clinton For Any Public Office! [Video]FBI Director James Comey was literally destroyed today in his testimony on the Hill. What s even more damaging is the information about Hillary Clinton and her staff that Comey simply let go with no punishment at all. During the series of questions, Comey took heat from Gowdy, Jordan and other Republican Congressman. Out of all the testimony, the one comment that stuck out was the one regarding classified information. Comey commented that he felt like Clinton wasn t sophisticated with classified information. In other words, she had no idea what the letter C was on a classified document! Are these government employees not trained on how to handle sensitive information? PLEASE EXPLAIN HOW THIS WOMAN COULD ASK FOR YOUR VOTE YET ISN T SOPHISTICATED ENOUGH TO KNOW WHAT S CLASSIFIED? She wants the American people to TRUST her with our safety and security? No, Never! If this woman is unable to handle this then she s a danger to us!
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In Macedonia after a wiretapping scandal the president pardons all politicians, protesters break into president's office
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LOL! TRUMP GIRLS WANT Reporter To Know There’s A Big Difference Between Being “Popped” and “Touched” [VIDEO]Trump s girls, Diamond and Silk want former Breitbart reporter, Michelle Fields to know there s a big difference between being popped and being touched. And in case you don t know the difference, they ve graciously included a reenactment of the alleged Trump, Fields, Lewandowski assault following a press conference in Florida.Enjoy:
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Six more British passports used in Dubai assassination of Mahmoud al-Mabhouh
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Robert Fisk: You can't blame Gaddafi for thinking he was one of the good guys
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OBAMA’S JUSTICE DEPT. GRANTS IMMUNITY To Staffer Who Set Up Clinton E-Mail ServerThis is Barack Obama s Justice Department and Loretta Lynch is just taking orders. This is a BIG development!The Justice Department has granted immunity to the former State Department staffer who worked on Hillary Rodham Clinton s private email server, a sign the FBI investigation into possible criminal wrongdoing is progressing.A senior U.S. law enforcement official said the FBI had secured the cooperation of Bryan Pagliano who worked on Clinton s 2008 presidential campaign before setting up the server in her New York home in 2009.As the FBI looks to wrap up its investigation in the coming months, agents will likely want to interview Clinton and her senior aides about the decision to use a private server, how it was set up, and whether any of the participants knew they were sending classified information in emails, current and former officials said.Read more: Washington Post
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Russia criticizes U.S. for 'anti-Cuban' approach, says it sides with CubaMOSCOW (Reuters) - The Russian Foreign Ministry said on Sunday that “anti-Cuban” actions recently announced by Washington were regrettable and that Moscow confirmed its solidarity with Havana. The ministry also said that the new approach toward Cuba by the U.S. administration resembles a “Cold war rhetoric”. U.S. President Donald Trump on Friday ordered tighter restrictions on Americans traveling to Cuba and a clampdown on U.S. business dealings with the Caribbean island’s military, saying he was cancelling former President Barack Obama’s “terrible and misguided deal” liberalizing ties with Havana.
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South Korea's New Law Mandates Installation Of Government-Approved Spyware On Teens' Smartphones
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Nigeria will cease to exist by December 2015 Biafra Movement Leader
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U.N. to join Syria talks in Astana, with humanitarian hopesMOSCOW/GENEVA (Reuters) - U.N. special envoy on Syria Staffan de Mistura said on Thursday he would take part in the latest round of Syrian peace talks in the Kazakh capital Astana on Friday, with a month to go before he hopes to break the deadlock in political talks in Geneva. De Mistura s Geneva peace process reached deadlock this month, missing what said was a golden opportunity to close out almost seven years of war. Blaming intransigence on both sides, he told the U.N. Security Council he would start 2018 with a proposal to involve a wider constituency in constitutional and electoral reform, since the warring sides were stuck. He said on Thursday he planned to hold the next round in Geneva in the second half of January. I am planning to go to Astana just after this meeting, de Mistura said in Moscow at the start of Syrian talks with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu. U.N. timetables routinely slip, but the presence of many of the global power elite at the World Economic Forum in the Swiss resort of Davos on Jan. 23-26 could also create some political momentum. Forces loyal to President Bashar al-Assad have made big gains on the ground since Russia joined the war in late 2015, but the fighting shows no sign of ending conclusively. De Mistura s humanitarian adviser Jan Egeland said that although fewer people were now under siege or out of reach of humanitarian aid, 2017 had defied expectations by being worse than 2016 in many respects, and fewer aid convoys were going in. In December we haven t reached a single soul (in besieged areas), Egeland told reporters in Geneva. He hoped Astana might bring a cessation of hostilities in the rebel-held enclave of Eastern Ghouta, where Assad s forces are besieging almost 400,000 people. U.N. aid convoys are waiting for Syria s government to give them a green light. Food prices have risen eightfold since August, Egeland said. 495 people were on the priority lists for medical evacuations. That number is going down. Not because we are evacuating people, but because they are dying. Russia, Iran, China, Egypt, Algeria and Iraq could all bring their influence to bear, he said. If we are going to get out of this quagmire it is because there will be political agreements, really. So I hope that out of the Astana meetings in the next couple of days we will have some kind of impulse for a change on the humanitarian side.
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Intelligence report: U.S. antiterror ally Pakistan 'on the edge'
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Extremist rabbis and their followers, bent on waging holy war against the Palestinians, are taking over the Israeli army by stealth
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States discussing lawsuit over Trump immigration order(Reuters) - A group of state attorneys general are discussing whether to file their own court challenge against President Donald Trump’s order to restrict people from seven Muslim-majority countries entering the United States, officials in three states told Reuters. Democrat attorneys general are expected to be a source of fierce resistance to Trump, much as Republican AGs opposed former President Barack Obama. A lawsuit brought by states would heighten the legal stakes surrounding the president’s executive order, signed late on Friday, as courtroom challenges to the ban have so far mostly been filed by individuals. Officials in the offices of attorneys general in Pennsylvania, Washington and Hawaii said on Saturday they were evaluating what specific claims could be filed, and in which court. “We do believe the executive order is unconstitutional,” Hawaii attorney general Douglas Chin told Reuters on Saturday. He declined to give further detail. The states could decide not to file, and it is unclear how many states would ultimately sign on for such an effort. “There certainly are conversations underway,” said Joe Grace, a spokesman for Pennsylvania attorney general Josh Shapiro. A Trump representative could not be reached immediately for comment. Trump, a businessman who successfully tapped into American fears about terror attacks during his campaign, had promised what he called “extreme vetting” of immigrants and refugees from areas the White House said the U.S. Congress deemed to be high risk. He told reporters in the Oval Office on Saturday that his order was “not a Muslim ban” and said the measures were long overdue. However, his order hit a roadblock late on Saturday when a federal judge in New York said stranded travelers could stay in the country. The American Civil Liberties Union, which sought the emergency court order, said it would help 100 to 200 people with valid visas or refugee status who found themselves detained in transit or at U.S. airports after Trump signed the order. The Department of Homeland Security said in a statement it would comply with judicial orders but that Trump’s immigration restrictions remained in effect.
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WATCH: Reporter Calls Kellyanne Conway And Her Lies ‘The Darkness’ – Her Reply Is INSANELY IronicEveryone knows by now just how fast and loose Kellyanne Conway is with her words. She pioneered alternative facts. She claimed that the U.S. had never gone as long without a Treasury Secretary as we did with Trump. She made up an entire terrorist attack. She said that microwaves turn into cameras. And somehow, people still want to talk to her.Some in the press have started seeing her as the darkness, because she s such a purveyor of misinformation. That word, darkness, refers to the Washington Post s front page motto, Democracy dies in darkness. Michael Wolff, a reporter for the Hollywood Reporter, told her: I m going to tell you, when they say democracy dies in darkness, you re the darkness. So the Washington Post (and Wolff) is calling her and other purveyors of lies out in their front-page motto. Conway s response was to first say, I m not the darkness! Then she said: It s what I tell small children: Just because somebody says something doesn t make it true, and it s a great lesson for everyone. Miss Bowling Green Massacre is defending herself against accusations of lies by pointing out that people lie. The irony! It hurts! But it gets even better: You can turn on the TV more than you can read in the paper because I assume editors are still doing their jobs in most places and people literally say things that just aren t true. Yes, primarily Fox News and those that like Trump. And herself. Someone needs to get Glass House here to say all of this again while looking in a mirror.Watch below:.@MichaelWolffNYC: Democracy dies in darkness. You re the darkness. @KellyannePolls: I m not the darkness. https://t.co/dChswXBtLh pic.twitter.com/2CnvLshNpH CNN (@CNN) April 12, 2017Featured image via video screen capture
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Gerry Adams to step down in end of an era for Irish nationalismDUBLIN (Reuters) - Sinn Fein s Gerry Adams, a pivotal figure in the political life of Ireland for almost 50 years, said on Saturday he will step down as party leader and complete a generational shift in the former political wing of the Irish Republican Army (IRA). Reviled by many as the face of the IRA during its campaign against British rule in Northern Ireland, Adams reinvented himself as a peacemaker in the troubled region and then as a populist opposition parliamentarian in the Irish Republic. Adams said he would be replaced as party president, a position he has held since 1983, at a party conference next year. He would also not stand for reelection to the Irish parliament. Republicanism has never been stronger... But leadership means knowing when it is time for change. That time is now, Adams said in an emotional speech to a packed party conference. I have complete confidence in the next generation of leaders, he said. Adams stayed on stage as the 2,500-strong crowd, some in tears, gave him a standing ovation and sang a traditional Irish song about the road home, followed by the national anthem. Adams will almost certainly hand over to a successor with no direct involvement in the decades of conflict in Northern Ireland, a prospect that would make Sinn Fein a more palatable coalition partner in the Irish Republic where it has never been in power. Deputy leader Mary Lou McDonald, an English literature graduate from Trinity College Dublin who has been at the forefront of a new breed of Sinn Fein politicians transforming the party s image, is the clear favourite to take over. That would mean the left-wing party being led on both sides of the Irish border by women in their 40s after Michelle O Neill succeeded Martin McGuinness as leader in Northern Ireland shortly before the former IRA commander s death in March. Adams, who will turn 70 next October, has always denied membership of the IRA but accusations from former IRA fighters that he was involved in its campaign of killings have dogged him throughout his career. Adams was a key figure in the nationalist movement throughout the three decades of violence between Catholic militants seeking a united Ireland, mainly Protestant militants who wanted to maintain Northern Ireland s position as a part of Britain, and the British army. 3,600 died in the conflict, many at the hands of the IRA. As head of the political wing of the IRA during its bombing campaigns in 1980s Britain, Adams was a pariah and banned from speaking on British airwaves, forcing television stations to dub his voice with that of an actor. He and his party emerged from the political cold in October 1997 when he shook hands with Labour Prime Minister Tony Blair at their first meeting. A year later, he helped win sceptical elements in the IRA to the Good Friday peace deal, which largely ended the violence. Since the peace deal Adams and McGuinness turned Sinn Fein from a fringe party into the dominant Irish nationalist party in Northern Ireland and the third largest party in south of the border. While its anti-austerity platform led to a six-fold increase in its number of seats in the Republic - 23 out of 158 - suspicion of Sinn Fein s role in the Northern Ireland troubles still runs deep and the far larger ruling Fine Gael and or main opposition Fianna Fail have ruled out governing alongside them. Analysts say a change of leader could help open the way to Sinn Fein entering government in Dublin for the first time. Under a new Sinn Fein leader I think anything is possible, said David Farrell, politics professor at University College Dublin. A new Sinn Fein leader will also take over responsibility for rescuing power-sharing devolved government in Northern Ireland and avoid a return to full direct rule from London for the first time in decade. Power-sharing collapsed after Sinn Fein withdrew in January saying the Democratic Unionist Party was not treating it as an equal partner and a series of talks have failed to break the impasse.
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MSNBC Producer Reminds Idiot Trump That ‘Morning Joe’s’ Ratings Are Setting Record Highs (TWEET)Donald Trump spent his week on Twitter blasting Mika Brzezinski and Joe Scarborough, hosts of MSNBC s Morning Joe. Rather than focus on something important, like the fact that his party is trying to kick millions of people off of their health care and leave them to die, he would rather spout off about the host of a cable news show bleeding badly from a facelift. I heard poorly rated @Morning_Joe speaks badly of me (don t watch anymore). Then how come low I.Q. Crazy Mika, along with Psycho Joe, came.. Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 29, 2017 to Mar-a-Lago 3 nights in a row around New Year s Eve, and insisted on joining me. She was bleeding badly from a face-lift. I said no! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 29, 2017He continued his attack, tweeting about Morning Joe being low-rated fake news. Refusing to let it drop, he attacked again on Saturday, writing that Scarborough is crazy and Brzezinski is as dumb as a rock. Watched low rated @Morning_Joe for first time in long time. FAKE NEWS. He called me to stop a National Enquirer article. I said no! Bad show Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 30, 2017Crazy Joe Scarborough and dumb as a rock Mika are not bad people, but their low rated show is dominated by their NBC bosses. Too bad! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 1, 2017But MSNBC producer Jesse Rodriguez decided to set the record straight and remind Trump that Morning Joes is currently experiencing record high ratings. Apparently, our tweeter-in-chief missed the memo that the show had MSNBC s highest rating ever in the time period in the key demographic last quarter.Just a reminder about the @Morning_Joe ratings https://t.co/N6GTH99siw Jesse Rodriguez (@JesseRodriguez) July 1, 2017Thanks to our viewers: Morning Joe had MSNBC s highest rating ever in the time period in the key demographic last quarter. pic.twitter.com/HL2J1SciBv Jesse Rodriguez (@JesseRodriguez) June 27, 2017Ironically, Trump s own ratings have been sinking lower by the day. Maybe instead of attacking women on Twitter because he thinks are mean to him on TV, he should focus on doing his job and maybe try to not embarrass himself, the office of the presidency, and our entire country on a daily basis. Just a thought.Featured image via Getty/Olivier Douliery
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English language exit talk was only banter, says EU's JunckerLUXEMBOURG (Reuters) - European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker was only joking when he said the English language was on the way out in Europe due to Brexit, he said on Friday. Slowly but surely English is losing importance in Europe, Juncker told a conference in Florence in May, speaking in English before then switching to French and drawing applause from his audience. Asked on Friday if French would indeed be the future language of Europe, Juncker said in English: It s always dangerous to make jokes about that. I gave a speech in Florence in May and I was saying as English is slowly disappearing from Europe I will express myself in French. The French were happy. The British - I had a shitstorm coming from the other side of the Channel, he told students in his native Luxembourg. Juncker has had something of a love-hate relationship with Britain since becoming head of the EU executive almost three years ago in the face of objections from then Prime Minister David Cameron. Brexit has however raised some questions about the future status of English within the bloc, since once Britain leaves it will not be the official language of any member state for EU purposes. It is a native language in Ireland and Malta but countries can only nominate one for EU use and they chose Gaelic and Maltese respectively. The EU recognises 24 official languages and three English, French and German as working languages. In French, Luxembourg-born Juncker added: I think that the European Union s linguistic regime gives the different languages equality, except Luxembourgish.
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Human rights, killings not addressed in Duterte-Trump talks: spokesmanMANILA (Reuters) - The issue of human rights and alleged extrajudicial killings in the Philippines was not discussed during a meeting on Monday between U.S. President Donald Trump and counterpart Rodrigo Duterte, a Philippine spokesman said. Harry Roque, Duterte s spokesman, told a news conference Duterte had explained his anti-drugs policy at length to Trump, who seemed to be appreciative of his efforts . Roque described the relationship between Trump and Duterte as warm, friendly and candid and said they shared similar feelings about former U.S. President Barack Obama. Roque also said the plight of Myanmar s Rohingya Muslims was discussed between leaders of ASEAN and that Myanmar responded.
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Calling all Pakistanis - Article by Thomas L. Friedman NYT
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Defying warnings, residents refuse to leave Mumbai's crumbling buildingsMUMBAI (Reuters) - On a sunny morning last week in Mumbai after two days of incessant monsoon rain, Mohammad Altaf had come out of his home for a cigarette when he heard a terrifying crash, followed by a huge swirl of dust. The six-storey Husainee building where he had lived for the last month had collapsed, trapping nearly 50 people. Thirty-four of them were killed, including a newborn baby. It was shocking. I had come down for a smoke, and within two minutes the building was no more, said Altaf, who says he was unaware the apartment block was declared unsafe by housing authorities in India s financial hub six years ago. Across the teeming city of 20 million people, thousands of families live in crumbling buildings that have been officially declared uninhabitable - and most of them know it. Housing officials say they cannot be forced out because of lax laws. This year, the city s municipal corporation classified 791 buildings as beyond repair and too dangerous to live in, but close to 500 of these continue to be occupied, a municipal authority official said. Although regulations vary from country to country and also from state to state, authorities in most places have more powers to order evacuations. Altaf, in his mid-thirties, is a bachelor and was living with two co-workers in the apartment in the Bhendi Bazar locality, one of the oldest in the metropolis. His two flatmates survived, with minor knee and shoulder injuries, after jumping out of their apartment on the third floor. Police say they have yet to determine the cause of the collapse, which came after days of intense rain. The 117-year-old apartment block in Bhendi Bazar, a packed neighborhood of narrow streets, shops and tenements, was declared unsafe in 2011 by the regulator, the Maharashtra Housing and Area Development Authority (MHADA). Yet it continued to house Altaf and his flatmates, along with five other families, a sweet shop warehouse and even a nursery on the first floor. The owner of the building, Hakimmudin Bootwala, said seven families moved out by 2014, but other tenants refused despite his urging. One of them had sub-let the apartment to Altaf and his colleagues. The people were my friends and neighbors first, and tenants later, said the 73-year-old. I sincerely advised them to move out. The building had lots of problems, leakages. The roof was fine, but the walls had become really weak and porous. An official at MHADA said there was a law to force residents to evacuate dangerous buildings but enforcing it was impossible because of loopholes and legal challenges. For instance, evicting children and senior citizens could cause trouble, said the housing official, who declined to be identified because he was not authorized to speak to the press. We cut water and electricity supply of buildings that are identified as dangerous for living, but people manage to get water and electricity from nearby buildings, said the official. MHADA, which does a routine check of buildings that are older than 30 years, has identified more than 14,000 buildings in the city that need repair, according to its latest list. Nine thousand of these, home to nearly 250,000 families, need to be redeveloped, the housing official said, adding that the other 5,000 were relatively safe due to regular maintenance work done by landowners in consultation with the housing body. Once regulators decide a building needs to redeveloped, they have to appoint a developer to renovate or rebuild the structure in the case of public housing, or order private owners to hire one. The developer, in turn, must offer residents alternative accommodation until the work is completed, according to state law in Mumbai. But residents often complain the housing they are offered is too small, shabby or too far away. Seventy percent of tenants of both privately- and publicly-owned buildings must agree to redevelop their building according to state rules, or no redevelopment work can commence. Building owners say residents are often unrealistic, refusing to leave even if the alternative housing is adequate. Some worry they could lose their tenancy if they move. The MHADA official said the agency does everything it can to get residents and developers to clinch an agreement, but that the process often gets mired in legal challenges. The problems of the Husainee building were typical. A neighborhood body, the Saifee Burhani Upliftment Trust, had been selected by its owner in 2009 to redevelop the building along with other buildings in the neighborhood, even before the Husainee had been declared unsafe by MHADA. A trust official told Reuters it offered alternative housing to the residents in a place around 2.5 km (1.5 miles) from the building. The official said the trust repeated the offer in 2011 after MHADA declared the building unsafe. A Reuters team visited the complex where the Husainee families who had agreed to move had been relocated, a gated high-rise complex with guards and a playground for kids. Residents said they were happy with their new apartments, although they complained about the distance to work. But other Husainee families refused to move. MHADA officials said the trust was in charge of ensuring relocation and redevelopment and MHADA could not force the Husainee families to leave. The trust has said it has repeatedly tried to evict families from Husainee but some residents refused to move. This incident should be a wake-up call for the city, and a policy needs to be actioned to evict non-cooperating tenants who continue to live in dilapidated buildings, the trust said in a written reply to Reuters queries. Building owner Bootwala says the residents who refused to leave argued they did not want to upend their lives by moving to a new neighborhood. Also, they did not know how long it would take to renovate the building. Reuters was unable to talk to other residents from Husainee, but neighbors in Bhendi Bazar told similar stories. Despite knowing their buildings were unsafe, many of them did not want to leave. A man in his 50s in the neighborhood, who refused to give his name, said he was living in a more than 100-year old building that had been deemed unsafe. The developer offered him temporary housing 13 km (8 miles) away, but he said that was too far. I spent my entire life here. I know every lane in this area, the man said. My children s college, my workplace, everything is closer from here.
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Trump Threatens Actor Tom Arnold For Talking About ‘Apprentice’ Tapes That Show Him Saying The N-WordIt s going to be a long four years if Donald Trump is going to keep threatening anyone who says something bad about him.Just imagine if President Obama had filed defamation lawsuits against every conservative who ever called him the N-word. Republicans would have thrown a giant temper tantrum.But Donald Trump is apparently going to try to silence people by threatening them with lawsuits, which is something he did to actor Tom Arnold this week after Arnold revealed that he has tapes from Celebrity Apprentice showing Trump calling his own son a retard and saying the N-word. When the people sent it to me, it was funny, Arnold said during a radio show on Friday. Hundreds of people have seen these. It was sort of a Christmas video they put together. He wasn t going to be president of the United States. It was him sitting in that chair saying the N-word, saying the C-word, calling his son a retard, just being so mean to his own children. Oh, this is so funny, this is this guy. Now, Arnold never actually said that he would ever release these tapes, but that has changed because Trump escalated the issue by threatening Arnold with a defamation lawsuit.Arnold revealed on Twitter Wednesday that someone from Trump s team left a message on his voicemail at home.Wife told me there s house line VM from Trump Camp about defamation suit so it s on! Open Apprentice vaults 4 discovery! Miss Universe too!! Tom Arnold (@TomArnold) December 21, 2016So even though Trump is set to take over the presidency in January and the fact that these tapes would do nothing to change that now, Trump has such a fragile ego that he s willing to threaten people with lawsuits for simply saying they have video of Trump being a complete asshole.Trump is being petty by threatening Arnold, and the fact that Trump did so must mean Arnold has something on him that he wants to keep buried.Seriously, it s time for Trump to grow the hell up and learn to take criticism. He s about to hold public office now. Just running for office in the first place opened himself up to this stuff. So he has nobody but himself to blame.Featured Image: Mark Wallheiser/Getty Images
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Queensland kills 621 sharks in a yr under protection program - State fisheries minister denies the program is a cull but is merely aimed at catching sharks near popular beaches
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Eiji Toyoda, engineer who steered Toyota to global lead, dead at 100
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Watch Father of #Benghazi Victim Slam Hillary: “My son would still be alive…” – #NeverForget The Benghazi Heroes 9/11/12 [Video]We will never forget the men who gave everything in Benghazi EVER!Charles Woods speaks up on Hillary Clinton s ineptness and inability to properly do her job as Secretary of State: My son would still be alive if she had performed her duties and protected the people under her care and supervision in Libya. If she couldn t protect four Americans in Libya, how can she protect 330 million Americans here in our country? THIRTEEN HOURS IN BENGHAZI-THE SURVIVORS TELL THEIR STORY:FIVE FACTS ABOUT HILLARY AND BENGHAZI:THIS IS EVERYTHING IN ONE PICTURE: EVIL!
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