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netflix ceo tvs future includes hallucination pills

julian assange proof of life video a fake in todays video christopher greene of amtv reports on a fake julian assange proof of life video jump trump i saw a video on you tube today stating that julians attorney was murdered a couple days ago follow amtv truth revolt httpyoutubepsvnkmbjec theres a lot of accusations going around that the election is r netflix ceo tvs future includes hallucination pills independent the future of tv might everyone taking hallucinogenic drugs according to the head of netflix the thr

Title: netflix ceo tvs future includes hallucination pills. Text: julian assange proof of life video a fake in todays video christopher greene of amtv reports on a fake julian assange proof of life video jump trump i saw a video on you tube today stating that julians attorney was murdered a couple days ago follow amtv truth revolt httpyoutubepsvnkmbjec theres a lot of accusations going around that the election is r netflix ceo tvs future includes hallucination pills independent the future of tv might everyone taking hallucinogenic drugs according to the head of netflix the thr

not fake

German president says all parties have duty to try to form government

BERLIN (Reuters) - German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier said he expects all parties elected to parliament to be ready for talks to enable a government to be formed after talks on forging a new ruling coalition collapsed early on Monday. All political parties elected to the German parliament have an obligation to the common interest to serve our country, Steinmeier said in a statement he read out to media. I expect from all a readiness to talk to make agreeing a government possible in the near future, he added.

Title: German president says all parties have duty to try to form government. Text: BERLIN (Reuters) - German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier said he expects all parties elected to parliament to be ready for talks to enable a government to be formed after talks on forging a new ruling coalition collapsed early on Monday. All political parties elected to the German parliament have an obligation to the common interest to serve our country, Steinmeier said in a statement he read out to media. I expect from all a readiness to talk to make agreeing a government possible in the near future, he added.

fake

Yemen car bomb attack kills at least two people in Aden: residents

ADEN (Reuters) - Assailants detonated a car bomb outside the Yemeni Finance Ministry offices in the southern city of Aden on Wednesday, killing at least two people, hospital officials and residents said. They said the force of the blast shook the Khor Maksar area of Aden, the temporary capital of the internationally recognized government of President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi, and causing severe damage to the six-storey building. The force of the blast also shattered windows of adjacent houses, they said. Ambulances were seen racing to the scene, as sounds of gunfire were heard in the area, they said. No one has claimed responsibility for the explosion. An official at the city s main government-run Jumhouriya hospital said that two people have arrived dead to the hospital, while three others were in critical condition. He said that medics have said they believe that more casualties were at the scene of the blast, but no one could reach them due to an exchange of gunfire that was taking place in the area.

Title: Yemen car bomb attack kills at least two people in Aden: residents. Text: ADEN (Reuters) - Assailants detonated a car bomb outside the Yemeni Finance Ministry offices in the southern city of Aden on Wednesday, killing at least two people, hospital officials and residents said. They said the force of the blast shook the Khor Maksar area of Aden, the temporary capital of the internationally recognized government of President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi, and causing severe damage to the six-storey building. The force of the blast also shattered windows of adjacent houses, they said. Ambulances were seen racing to the scene, as sounds of gunfire were heard in the area, they said. No one has claimed responsibility for the explosion. An official at the city s main government-run Jumhouriya hospital said that two people have arrived dead to the hospital, while three others were in critical condition. He said that medics have said they believe that more casualties were at the scene of the blast, but no one could reach them due to an exchange of gunfire that was taking place in the area.

fake

FBI Agents Destroy Donald Trump After He Attacks The Agency And James Comey

Donald Trump went on quite a tweetstorm this morning, lashing out former Director of the FBI James Comey and the agency. Trump is losing his sh*t after his former national security adviser flipped in the investigation into any possible collusion between his campaign and Russia. On his former FBI Director, Trump called him a liar, writing, I never asked Comey to stop investigating Flynn. Just more Fake News covering another Comey lie! Then he claimed his FBI is the worst in History! and said it was in tatters. After years of Comey, with the phony and dishonest Clinton investigation (and more), running the FBI, its reputation is in Tatters worst in History! he wrote. But fear not, we will bring it back to greatness. After years of Comey, with the phony and dishonest Clinton investigation (and more), running the FBI, its reputation is in Tatters worst in History! But fear not, we will bring it back to greatness. Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 3, 2017That tweet prompted a statement from the President of the FBI Agents Association in a series of tweets. Every day, FBI Special Agents put their lives on the line to protect the American public from national security and criminal threats, FBIAA President Thomas O Connor wrote. Agents perform these duties with unwavering integrity and professionalism and a focus on complying with the law and the Constitution. This is why the FBI continues to be the premier law enforcement agency in the world, he continued. FBI Agents are dedicated to their mission; suggesting otherwise is simply false. James Comey also weighed in. I want the American people to know this truth: The FBI is honest. The FBI is strong. And the FBI is, and always will be, independent. Me (June 8, 2017) pic.twitter.com/OZ1ZiBrMNL James Comey (@Comey) December 3, 2017Former President Barack Obama s Attorney General Eric Holder also took a shot at Trump s tweets. Nope. Not letting this go. The FBI s reputation is not in tatters, Holder tweeted. It s composed of the same dedicated men and women who have always worked there and who do a great, apolitical job. You ll find integrity and honesty at FBI headquarters and not at 1600 Penn Ave right now. Nope. Not letting this go. The FBI s reputation is not in tatters . It s composed of the same dedicated men and women who have always worked there and who do a great, apolitical job. You ll find integrity and honesty at FBI headquarters and not at 1600 Penn Ave right now Eric Holder (@EricHolder) December 3, 2017What the FBI agents are saying is that Donald Trump is fake news.Photo by Tom Pennington/Getty Images.

Title: FBI Agents Destroy Donald Trump After He Attacks The Agency And James Comey. Text: Donald Trump went on quite a tweetstorm this morning, lashing out former Director of the FBI James Comey and the agency. Trump is losing his sh*t after his former national security adviser flipped in the investigation into any possible collusion between his campaign and Russia. On his former FBI Director, Trump called him a liar, writing, I never asked Comey to stop investigating Flynn. Just more Fake News covering another Comey lie! Then he claimed his FBI is the worst in History! and said it was in tatters. After years of Comey, with the phony and dishonest Clinton investigation (and more), running the FBI, its reputation is in Tatters worst in History! he wrote. But fear not, we will bring it back to greatness. After years of Comey, with the phony and dishonest Clinton investigation (and more), running the FBI, its reputation is in Tatters worst in History! But fear not, we will bring it back to greatness. Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 3, 2017That tweet prompted a statement from the President of the FBI Agents Association in a series of tweets. Every day, FBI Special Agents put their lives on the line to protect the American public from national security and criminal threats, FBIAA President Thomas O Connor wrote. Agents perform these duties with unwavering integrity and professionalism and a focus on complying with the law and the Constitution. This is why the FBI continues to be the premier law enforcement agency in the world, he continued. FBI Agents are dedicated to their mission; suggesting otherwise is simply false. James Comey also weighed in. I want the American people to know this truth: The FBI is honest. The FBI is strong. And the FBI is, and always will be, independent. Me (June 8, 2017) pic.twitter.com/OZ1ZiBrMNL James Comey (@Comey) December 3, 2017Former President Barack Obama s Attorney General Eric Holder also took a shot at Trump s tweets. Nope. Not letting this go. The FBI s reputation is not in tatters, Holder tweeted. It s composed of the same dedicated men and women who have always worked there and who do a great, apolitical job. You ll find integrity and honesty at FBI headquarters and not at 1600 Penn Ave right now. Nope. Not letting this go. The FBI s reputation is not in tatters . It s composed of the same dedicated men and women who have always worked there and who do a great, apolitical job. You ll find integrity and honesty at FBI headquarters and not at 1600 Penn Ave right now Eric Holder (@EricHolder) December 3, 2017What the FBI agents are saying is that Donald Trump is fake news.Photo by Tom Pennington/Getty Images.

not fake

U.S. states, Rockefellers clash with U.S. House panel on Exxon climate probes

HOUSTON (Reuters) - With a number of U.S. states proceeding with investigations of Exxon Mobil Corp’s (XOM.N) record on climate change, the attorney general of Massachusetts and investment funds of the Rockefeller family on Friday told a Congressional committee it lacked powers to oversee those probes. The pushback is the latest chapter in a high-stakes fight between the world’s largest publicly traded oil company and a coalition of state attorneys general who have said they would go after Exxon to try and force action to tackle climate change. The House Committee on Science, Space and Technology last week reiterated demands that state attorneys general hand over any records of consultations the prosecutors had with outside environmental groups before their probes were opened. Republicans on the committee have said about 20 state officials overreached when they jointly said in March they would participate in inquiries into whether Exxon executives misled the public by contradicting research from company scientists that spelled out the threats of climate change. State officials have said the committee has no right to get involved. “The Committee lacks authority to interfere with an investigation by the Massachusetts Attorney General’s Office into possible violations of Massachusetts law by ExxonMobil,” said a letter to the committee from the office of Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healey that was seen by Reuters. In another letter to the House panel seen by Reuters, the Rockefeller Brothers Fund and the Rockefeller Family Fund, two investment funds that have been critical of fossil fuels linked to climate change, said the committee’s request “imperiled the funds’ First Amendment rights” and said “Congress’s investigatory power is not unlimited.” Last week, Exxon asked a federal court to throw out a subpoena that would force it to hand over decades of documents on climate change to Healey’s office. Both sides in the standoff have sought to use the First Amendment of the Constitution, which guarantees freedom speech and freedom of assembly, among other protections, to press their cases. The House committee has complained the inquiries risk stifling free speech and scientific inquiry, and that state officials were coordinating with special interest groups. Exxon, which declined to comment on Friday, has repeatedly said that it has acknowledged the reality of climate change for years and communicated this to investors.

Title: U.S. states, Rockefellers clash with U.S. House panel on Exxon climate probes. Text: HOUSTON (Reuters) - With a number of U.S. states proceeding with investigations of Exxon Mobil Corp’s (XOM.N) record on climate change, the attorney general of Massachusetts and investment funds of the Rockefeller family on Friday told a Congressional committee it lacked powers to oversee those probes. The pushback is the latest chapter in a high-stakes fight between the world’s largest publicly traded oil company and a coalition of state attorneys general who have said they would go after Exxon to try and force action to tackle climate change. The House Committee on Science, Space and Technology last week reiterated demands that state attorneys general hand over any records of consultations the prosecutors had with outside environmental groups before their probes were opened. Republicans on the committee have said about 20 state officials overreached when they jointly said in March they would participate in inquiries into whether Exxon executives misled the public by contradicting research from company scientists that spelled out the threats of climate change. State officials have said the committee has no right to get involved. “The Committee lacks authority to interfere with an investigation by the Massachusetts Attorney General’s Office into possible violations of Massachusetts law by ExxonMobil,” said a letter to the committee from the office of Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healey that was seen by Reuters. In another letter to the House panel seen by Reuters, the Rockefeller Brothers Fund and the Rockefeller Family Fund, two investment funds that have been critical of fossil fuels linked to climate change, said the committee’s request “imperiled the funds’ First Amendment rights” and said “Congress’s investigatory power is not unlimited.” Last week, Exxon asked a federal court to throw out a subpoena that would force it to hand over decades of documents on climate change to Healey’s office. Both sides in the standoff have sought to use the First Amendment of the Constitution, which guarantees freedom speech and freedom of assembly, among other protections, to press their cases. The House committee has complained the inquiries risk stifling free speech and scientific inquiry, and that state officials were coordinating with special interest groups. Exxon, which declined to comment on Friday, has repeatedly said that it has acknowledged the reality of climate change for years and communicated this to investors.

fake

France says it wants Pence to clarify Trump's stance on EU

MUNICH (Reuters) - France said on Saturday that U.S. Vice President Mike Pence would need to clarify his administration’s stance toward the European Union when he meets officials in Brussels next week, given President Donald Trump’s previous support for Britain’s exit. Pence is due in the Belgian capital on Monday. “I don’t want to prejudge Vice President Pence’s intentions ... I hope that we will have a clear response, because Donald Trump has said he was overjoyed by Brexit and that there would be others. So we are waiting clarifications.”

Title: France says it wants Pence to clarify Trump's stance on EU. Text: MUNICH (Reuters) - France said on Saturday that U.S. Vice President Mike Pence would need to clarify his administration’s stance toward the European Union when he meets officials in Brussels next week, given President Donald Trump’s previous support for Britain’s exit. Pence is due in the Belgian capital on Monday. “I don’t want to prejudge Vice President Pence’s intentions ... I hope that we will have a clear response, because Donald Trump has said he was overjoyed by Brexit and that there would be others. So we are waiting clarifications.”

fake

What Bill O’Reilly Just Said About Women Proves He’s A Certified A**hole (VIDEO)

Bill O Reilly has said some ridiculous things on his show over the years and his so-called conservatism has translated into outright bigotry and nonsense in many cases. That tradition continued with yet another nonsensical statement, this time about women. Watch the video here:[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Za05IPc8F-U]It all started with O Reilly s interpretation of what Bernie Sanders and Hillary Clinton said during the Democratic debates on the issue of abortion, believing that both candidates say they want few limits on abortion. During an interview with Fox News analyst Kirsten Powers, O Reilly said: If you are going to say that the two Democrats running for president both favor pretty much abortion at any time, for any reason, and they hide behind the women s health issue, but that could be a migraine headache, you know. OK, I don t want to have the kid, my boyfriend left me, my husband left me, whatever it may be, I got a migraine, kid is going to be born next week. Let s get- Powers interrupted, saying, I don t think that many people get abortions because they have a migraine headache. O Reilly continued: OK, it doesn t matter. It s theoretical. When you have two candidates saying they don t want any limitations in the law place, they don t want any. That can happen. And we know what happened in Kansas, did that big investigation on Tiller you know what happened there. And so that s so radical and so far away from what the American people want. That s just one example. O Reilly has proven himself to lack any credibility whatsoever and his male privilege is disturbing to watch. When will people learn that a woman has a right to choose? After all, in the end, it s the woman s body and O Reilly s nonsense is typical of males believing they have authority over a woman s body as well as her choices.I m looking forward to the day when this guy s show gets cancelled.Featured image via video screenshot.

Title: What Bill O’Reilly Just Said About Women Proves He’s A Certified A**hole (VIDEO). Text: Bill O Reilly has said some ridiculous things on his show over the years and his so-called conservatism has translated into outright bigotry and nonsense in many cases. That tradition continued with yet another nonsensical statement, this time about women. Watch the video here:[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Za05IPc8F-U]It all started with O Reilly s interpretation of what Bernie Sanders and Hillary Clinton said during the Democratic debates on the issue of abortion, believing that both candidates say they want few limits on abortion. During an interview with Fox News analyst Kirsten Powers, O Reilly said: If you are going to say that the two Democrats running for president both favor pretty much abortion at any time, for any reason, and they hide behind the women s health issue, but that could be a migraine headache, you know. OK, I don t want to have the kid, my boyfriend left me, my husband left me, whatever it may be, I got a migraine, kid is going to be born next week. Let s get- Powers interrupted, saying, I don t think that many people get abortions because they have a migraine headache. O Reilly continued: OK, it doesn t matter. It s theoretical. When you have two candidates saying they don t want any limitations in the law place, they don t want any. That can happen. And we know what happened in Kansas, did that big investigation on Tiller you know what happened there. And so that s so radical and so far away from what the American people want. That s just one example. O Reilly has proven himself to lack any credibility whatsoever and his male privilege is disturbing to watch. When will people learn that a woman has a right to choose? After all, in the end, it s the woman s body and O Reilly s nonsense is typical of males believing they have authority over a woman s body as well as her choices.I m looking forward to the day when this guy s show gets cancelled.Featured image via video screenshot.

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ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS CAUGHT Squatting In Deployed Soldiers Home: Feces, Urine Stains And Garbage Everywhere

These creeps will be out of jail and occupying another taxpaying American citizens home faster than you can say amnesty! Five illegal immigrants have been arrested for squatting in a deployed soldier s home leaving it covered in feces and urine.The men have occupied the three-story home in Englewood, New Jersey, for at least a few weeks as its owner, a female soldier, is stationed out of the city.According to police, the conditions in the home were deplorable throughout , with evidence of partying and squalor.They discovered the disgusting scene after one of the men, 18-year-old Carlos Rosales-Campos, was arrested on Sunday following a theft at a nearby restaurant.Police determined he was squatting at the property on Lafayette Avenue, and when they went to inspect they found four more men living there.Rosales-Campos is in the country illegally from El Salvador, according to police.One of the men, 47-year-old Oswaldo Meneses-Arango, is a legal resident from Colombia.However, the other three Rosalio Valencia-Hernandez, 49; Rene Contreras-Ixtla, 39; and Evaristo Chavez, 34 are illegal immigrants from Mexico.Police have charged five men for squatting in a soldier s New Jersey home. They found them on Sunday after arresting Carlos Rosales-Campos, 18, (pictured) over a burglary. He is here illegally from El SalvadorBreak-insPolice said Rosales-Campos began his string of burglaries on Aug. 27, when he approached a manager of the Jackson Hole Diner and put a gun to his head and demanded the night s receipts. No shots were fired and the manager was not hurt, but Rosales-Campos got away with more than $1,000 in cash, police said.Other incidents include:On Sept. 28, police said, Rosales-Campos stole the cash register and less than $500 from Colpan Bakery on James Street. He is accused of stealing the cash register and less than $100 from Community Cleaners on Grand Avenue on Oct. 2. On Oct. 6, tobacco products and a cash register were taken from Crown Fish & Chicken on West Englewood Avenue, police said. The register had less than $500 in it. On Oct. 15, the Jackson Hole Diner was burglarized, and Rosales-Campos was accused of taking a $500 laptop and tampering with the cash register. On Oct. 21, he allegedly tried to break into the KNT Luncheonette on West Hudson Avenue but nothing was taken. On Oct. 29, he allegedly stole about $500 worth of clothing and a cash register with $100 from Englewood Athletics on West Palisade Avenue. A significant amount of the stolen merchandise was recovered and returned to the businesses, Torell said.Aside from Chavez, all of the men are homeless, police said.Evaristo Chavez, 34 and Rene Contreras-Ixtla, 39, are in the country illegally from MexicoOswaldo Meneses-Arango, 47, is the only legal resident of the five. He hails from Colombia. However, he was also charged with trespass alongside illegal Mexican immigrant, Rosalio Valencia-Hernandez, 49 (below)Northjersey.com reported that empty beer bottles, clothing and plastic gloves could be seen in the yard of the single-family home. At the back, someone had knocked out a glass pane of the rear door.Rosales-Campos was charged with armed robbery, second-degree possession of a weapon with intent to use against a person, second-degree illegal handgun possession, six counts of third-degree burglary, third-degree attempted burglary, several counts of theft, fourth-degree possession of a fraudulent government I.D. and one count fourth-degree criminal trespass.Via: UK Daily Mail

Title: ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS CAUGHT Squatting In Deployed Soldiers Home: Feces, Urine Stains And Garbage Everywhere. Text: These creeps will be out of jail and occupying another taxpaying American citizens home faster than you can say amnesty! Five illegal immigrants have been arrested for squatting in a deployed soldier s home leaving it covered in feces and urine.The men have occupied the three-story home in Englewood, New Jersey, for at least a few weeks as its owner, a female soldier, is stationed out of the city.According to police, the conditions in the home were deplorable throughout , with evidence of partying and squalor.They discovered the disgusting scene after one of the men, 18-year-old Carlos Rosales-Campos, was arrested on Sunday following a theft at a nearby restaurant.Police determined he was squatting at the property on Lafayette Avenue, and when they went to inspect they found four more men living there.Rosales-Campos is in the country illegally from El Salvador, according to police.One of the men, 47-year-old Oswaldo Meneses-Arango, is a legal resident from Colombia.However, the other three Rosalio Valencia-Hernandez, 49; Rene Contreras-Ixtla, 39; and Evaristo Chavez, 34 are illegal immigrants from Mexico.Police have charged five men for squatting in a soldier s New Jersey home. They found them on Sunday after arresting Carlos Rosales-Campos, 18, (pictured) over a burglary. He is here illegally from El SalvadorBreak-insPolice said Rosales-Campos began his string of burglaries on Aug. 27, when he approached a manager of the Jackson Hole Diner and put a gun to his head and demanded the night s receipts. No shots were fired and the manager was not hurt, but Rosales-Campos got away with more than $1,000 in cash, police said.Other incidents include:On Sept. 28, police said, Rosales-Campos stole the cash register and less than $500 from Colpan Bakery on James Street. He is accused of stealing the cash register and less than $100 from Community Cleaners on Grand Avenue on Oct. 2. On Oct. 6, tobacco products and a cash register were taken from Crown Fish & Chicken on West Englewood Avenue, police said. The register had less than $500 in it. On Oct. 15, the Jackson Hole Diner was burglarized, and Rosales-Campos was accused of taking a $500 laptop and tampering with the cash register. On Oct. 21, he allegedly tried to break into the KNT Luncheonette on West Hudson Avenue but nothing was taken. On Oct. 29, he allegedly stole about $500 worth of clothing and a cash register with $100 from Englewood Athletics on West Palisade Avenue. A significant amount of the stolen merchandise was recovered and returned to the businesses, Torell said.Aside from Chavez, all of the men are homeless, police said.Evaristo Chavez, 34 and Rene Contreras-Ixtla, 39, are in the country illegally from MexicoOswaldo Meneses-Arango, 47, is the only legal resident of the five. He hails from Colombia. However, he was also charged with trespass alongside illegal Mexican immigrant, Rosalio Valencia-Hernandez, 49 (below)Northjersey.com reported that empty beer bottles, clothing and plastic gloves could be seen in the yard of the single-family home. At the back, someone had knocked out a glass pane of the rear door.Rosales-Campos was charged with armed robbery, second-degree possession of a weapon with intent to use against a person, second-degree illegal handgun possession, six counts of third-degree burglary, third-degree attempted burglary, several counts of theft, fourth-degree possession of a fraudulent government I.D. and one count fourth-degree criminal trespass.Via: UK Daily Mail

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Germany against Trump's Jerusalem decision: Merkel

BERLIN (Reuters) - Germany does not support the Trump administration s decision to recognize Jerusalem as Israel s capital, German Chancellor Angela Merkel said on Wednesday. The German government does not support this position, because the status of Jerusalem is to be resolved in the framework of a two-state solution, she was quoted as saying in a tweet by the government spokesman.

Title: Germany against Trump's Jerusalem decision: Merkel. Text: BERLIN (Reuters) - Germany does not support the Trump administration s decision to recognize Jerusalem as Israel s capital, German Chancellor Angela Merkel said on Wednesday. The German government does not support this position, because the status of Jerusalem is to be resolved in the framework of a two-state solution, she was quoted as saying in a tweet by the government spokesman.

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re wheres there a crash world economy collapsing headlines october

apple holiday forecast disappoints given samsungs troubles httpwwwbloombergcomnewsarticlesappleinvestorssniffatoutlookgivensamsungsdifficulties apple slides in china as homegrown rivals up their design game httpwwwbloombergcomnewsarticlesappleslidesinchinaashomegrownrivalsuptheirdesigngame apple shares fall on lower phone prices and sliding margin httpswwwbloombergcomnewsarticlesappleseeshigherthanexpectedholidaysalesoniphonedemand us stocks fluctuate as bank rally offsets apple bonds decline httpwwwbloombergcomnewsarticlesasianandusstockfuturesdeclineasapplesmarginsslide apple said to develop car operating system in blackberry country httpwwwbloombergcomnewsarticlesappledevelopscaroperatingsysteminblackberrycountry

Title: re wheres there a crash world economy collapsing headlines october. Text: apple holiday forecast disappoints given samsungs troubles httpwwwbloombergcomnewsarticlesappleinvestorssniffatoutlookgivensamsungsdifficulties apple slides in china as homegrown rivals up their design game httpwwwbloombergcomnewsarticlesappleslidesinchinaashomegrownrivalsuptheirdesigngame apple shares fall on lower phone prices and sliding margin httpswwwbloombergcomnewsarticlesappleseeshigherthanexpectedholidaysalesoniphonedemand us stocks fluctuate as bank rally offsets apple bonds decline httpwwwbloombergcomnewsarticlesasianandusstockfuturesdeclineasapplesmarginsslide apple said to develop car operating system in blackberry country httpwwwbloombergcomnewsarticlesappledevelopscaroperatingsysteminblackberrycountry

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Hezbollah says bulk of IS convoy has left Syrian government area

BEIRUT (Reuters) - Most of an Islamic State evacuation convoy stuck in east Syria has crossed out of government territory and is no longer the responsibility of the Syrian government or its ally Hezbollah, the Lebanese Shi ite group said on Saturday. A U.S.-led coalition fighting Islamic State has been using warplanes to prevent the convoy from entering territory held by the jihadists in east Syria. Hezbollah and the Syrian army had escorted it from west Syria as part of a truce deal. The Syrian state and Hezbollah have fulfilled their obligations to transfer buses out of the area of Syrian government control without exposing them, the statement said. Hezbollah said in a statement that the U.S.-led jets were still blocking the convoy of fighters and their families, which was stuck in the desert, and were also stopping any aid from reaching it. Six buses remain in government-held territory under the protection and care of the Syrian state and Hezbollah, the statement said. There were originally 17 buses in the convoy. Hezbollah said there were old people, casualties and pregnant women in the buses stranded outside Syrian government control in the desert and called on the international community to step in to prevent them coming to harm. About 300 lightly armed fighters were traveling on the buses, having surrendered their enclave straddling Syria s border with Lebanon on Monday under a deal which allowed them to join their jihadist comrades on the other side of the country. It angered both the U.S.-led coalition, which does not want more battle-hardened militants in an area where it is operating, and Iraq, which sees them as a threat because the convoy s proposed destination of Al-Bukamal is close to its own border. The Syrian government of President Bashar al-Assad, helped by Russia and Iran-backed militias including Hezbollah, is fighting Islamic State as it pushes eastwards across the desert. A commander in the pro-Assad military alliance said earlier on Saturday that Hezbollah and the Syrian army were seeking an alternative way for the convoy to cross into Islamic State territory, having already tried two other routes. Work is under way to change the course of the convoy for a second time, the commander said. The coalition has vowed to continue monitoring the convoy and disrupting any effort it makes to cross into jihadist territory but said it would not bomb it directly because it contains about 300 civilian family members of the fighters. It has asked Russia to tell the Syrian government that it will not allow the convoy to move further east towards the Iraqi border, according to a statement issued late on Friday. On Wednesday, the coalition said its jets had cratered a road and destroyed a bridge to stop the convoy progressing, and had bombed some of the jihadists comrades coming the other way to meet it. Hezbollah and the Syrian army on Thursday changed the route of the convoy from Humeima, a hamlet deep in the southeast desert, to a location further north, but coalition jets again struck near that route, the commander said. It was considered a threat, meaning there was no passage that way, the commander said. On Friday coalition jets made mock air raids over the convoy, the commander added. It caused panic among the Daeshis. The militants are scared the convoy will be bombarded as soon as it enters Deir al-Zor, the commander said, using a plural form of the Arabic acronym for Islamic state to refer to its fighters.

Title: Hezbollah says bulk of IS convoy has left Syrian government area. Text: BEIRUT (Reuters) - Most of an Islamic State evacuation convoy stuck in east Syria has crossed out of government territory and is no longer the responsibility of the Syrian government or its ally Hezbollah, the Lebanese Shi ite group said on Saturday. A U.S.-led coalition fighting Islamic State has been using warplanes to prevent the convoy from entering territory held by the jihadists in east Syria. Hezbollah and the Syrian army had escorted it from west Syria as part of a truce deal. The Syrian state and Hezbollah have fulfilled their obligations to transfer buses out of the area of Syrian government control without exposing them, the statement said. Hezbollah said in a statement that the U.S.-led jets were still blocking the convoy of fighters and their families, which was stuck in the desert, and were also stopping any aid from reaching it. Six buses remain in government-held territory under the protection and care of the Syrian state and Hezbollah, the statement said. There were originally 17 buses in the convoy. Hezbollah said there were old people, casualties and pregnant women in the buses stranded outside Syrian government control in the desert and called on the international community to step in to prevent them coming to harm. About 300 lightly armed fighters were traveling on the buses, having surrendered their enclave straddling Syria s border with Lebanon on Monday under a deal which allowed them to join their jihadist comrades on the other side of the country. It angered both the U.S.-led coalition, which does not want more battle-hardened militants in an area where it is operating, and Iraq, which sees them as a threat because the convoy s proposed destination of Al-Bukamal is close to its own border. The Syrian government of President Bashar al-Assad, helped by Russia and Iran-backed militias including Hezbollah, is fighting Islamic State as it pushes eastwards across the desert. A commander in the pro-Assad military alliance said earlier on Saturday that Hezbollah and the Syrian army were seeking an alternative way for the convoy to cross into Islamic State territory, having already tried two other routes. Work is under way to change the course of the convoy for a second time, the commander said. The coalition has vowed to continue monitoring the convoy and disrupting any effort it makes to cross into jihadist territory but said it would not bomb it directly because it contains about 300 civilian family members of the fighters. It has asked Russia to tell the Syrian government that it will not allow the convoy to move further east towards the Iraqi border, according to a statement issued late on Friday. On Wednesday, the coalition said its jets had cratered a road and destroyed a bridge to stop the convoy progressing, and had bombed some of the jihadists comrades coming the other way to meet it. Hezbollah and the Syrian army on Thursday changed the route of the convoy from Humeima, a hamlet deep in the southeast desert, to a location further north, but coalition jets again struck near that route, the commander said. It was considered a threat, meaning there was no passage that way, the commander said. On Friday coalition jets made mock air raids over the convoy, the commander added. It caused panic among the Daeshis. The militants are scared the convoy will be bombarded as soon as it enters Deir al-Zor, the commander said, using a plural form of the Arabic acronym for Islamic state to refer to its fighters.

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Here’s What Companies Admit They Will REALLY Do With Money They Save From Trump’s Tax Break

Trump, like George W. Bush before him, thinks a tax holiday on repatriated money will spur major corporations who are currently hoarding money overseas to bring that money back and invest it in America. They fail to take into account that, like other tax breaks, companies are not going to build new factories, plants, offices or stores and hire more people if consumer demand doesn t warrant it. Instead, they ll pocket the money they save in one of any number of ways, and regular Americans won t benefit one iota from it.That s what they ll do with Trump s tax holiday. This isn t speculation or conjecture, this is something to which they literally admit. Bank of America Merrill Lynch conducted a survey of more than 300 companies over the summer, asking them what they d do with all that money they bring back from overseas. Their top two responses were the following: Pay down debt, and buy back their own stocks.The idea that they d use the money for stock buybacks is especially upsetting since this is a known method for artificially driving stock prices up. Rich executives and shareholders then get even richer. Workers see no benefit from it, and the unemployed and underemployed don t see new job opportunities popping up.Literally, the whole point of this practice is to make the rich richer.When George W. did this in 2004, companies voluntarily brought over $300 million back in from overseas. $240 million went to stock buybacks. Let that sink in for a moment 80 percent of the money brought back in from overseas went to stock buybacks. Companies took advantage of that tax holiday to inflate their stock prices and get richer. There was no economic growth from that.The companies that brought back the most money actually turned right around and laid people off.Let that sink in as well.There will be no economic growth from Trump s tax break. Companies are not so broke that they can t afford to expand without some of the money they re hoarding elsewhere and protection from repatriation taxes. They don t need this money to build anything or hire new workers. This is nothing more than the government enabling companies to enrich themselves, possibly at the expense of the Americans Trump claims to love so much. The only way to spur economic growth is to help the consumer class afford to spend their money again. But we can t expect that from Trump he parrots Republican talking points on this because he knows he can use them to make himself and his most loyal rich buddies richer.Featured image via Ron Sachs-Pool/Getty Images

Title: Here’s What Companies Admit They Will REALLY Do With Money They Save From Trump’s Tax Break. Text: Trump, like George W. Bush before him, thinks a tax holiday on repatriated money will spur major corporations who are currently hoarding money overseas to bring that money back and invest it in America. They fail to take into account that, like other tax breaks, companies are not going to build new factories, plants, offices or stores and hire more people if consumer demand doesn t warrant it. Instead, they ll pocket the money they save in one of any number of ways, and regular Americans won t benefit one iota from it.That s what they ll do with Trump s tax holiday. This isn t speculation or conjecture, this is something to which they literally admit. Bank of America Merrill Lynch conducted a survey of more than 300 companies over the summer, asking them what they d do with all that money they bring back from overseas. Their top two responses were the following: Pay down debt, and buy back their own stocks.The idea that they d use the money for stock buybacks is especially upsetting since this is a known method for artificially driving stock prices up. Rich executives and shareholders then get even richer. Workers see no benefit from it, and the unemployed and underemployed don t see new job opportunities popping up.Literally, the whole point of this practice is to make the rich richer.When George W. did this in 2004, companies voluntarily brought over $300 million back in from overseas. $240 million went to stock buybacks. Let that sink in for a moment 80 percent of the money brought back in from overseas went to stock buybacks. Companies took advantage of that tax holiday to inflate their stock prices and get richer. There was no economic growth from that.The companies that brought back the most money actually turned right around and laid people off.Let that sink in as well.There will be no economic growth from Trump s tax break. Companies are not so broke that they can t afford to expand without some of the money they re hoarding elsewhere and protection from repatriation taxes. They don t need this money to build anything or hire new workers. This is nothing more than the government enabling companies to enrich themselves, possibly at the expense of the Americans Trump claims to love so much. The only way to spur economic growth is to help the consumer class afford to spend their money again. But we can t expect that from Trump he parrots Republican talking points on this because he knows he can use them to make himself and his most loyal rich buddies richer.Featured image via Ron Sachs-Pool/Getty Images

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Obama’s ‘You Know It’s Black History Month When’ Joke Stole The Show, Made Michelle Blush (VIDEO)

The First Couple greeted an eager crowd celebrating Black History Month at the White House when the thing conservatives hate most about him became obvious once again. He s black. His wife, Michelle, is also black. They have black children. They are also wonderful parents and self-made role models as President and First Lady of the United States.The president knows it, so when the introductions included a Haaaaaaay Michelle, The President tossed a magnificent You know you re at Black History Month When joke that makes her go a bit shy. She managed to pull it off with the grace and style of the First Lady of the United States. It s important we remind the people who would use this episode to somehow call the president a race-baiter or that he is pandering to people celebrating black history:WATCH: POTUS: "We know it is black history month when we hear someone say 'heeey, Michelle! Girl. You Look so good!"https://t.co/3u36Y3iede ABC News Politics (@ABCPolitics) February 19, 2016Black History Month isn t just dedicated at the White House. It has been, for the eight time, dedicated by a black man holding the highest office in the land. Doing so under such incredible obstructionism as to make anything he could have accomplished nothing short of miraculous, he saw our country out of a financial crisis many of us thought would be the next Great Depression. He restored honor to the White House in the wake of a buffoon and his band of thieves and thugs. Who better to comment on what Black History Month means than that guy?The video is from the ABC News Twitter feed, and you can tell that ABC is hard at work deleting the racism, just by the leftover comments from people calling others out on it. The original posts about the tweet came from News One and Globalgrind, who have both disabled their comments for the story.Featured image from screen capture

Title: Obama’s ‘You Know It’s Black History Month When’ Joke Stole The Show, Made Michelle Blush (VIDEO). Text: The First Couple greeted an eager crowd celebrating Black History Month at the White House when the thing conservatives hate most about him became obvious once again. He s black. His wife, Michelle, is also black. They have black children. They are also wonderful parents and self-made role models as President and First Lady of the United States.The president knows it, so when the introductions included a Haaaaaaay Michelle, The President tossed a magnificent You know you re at Black History Month When joke that makes her go a bit shy. She managed to pull it off with the grace and style of the First Lady of the United States. It s important we remind the people who would use this episode to somehow call the president a race-baiter or that he is pandering to people celebrating black history:WATCH: POTUS: "We know it is black history month when we hear someone say 'heeey, Michelle! Girl. You Look so good!"https://t.co/3u36Y3iede ABC News Politics (@ABCPolitics) February 19, 2016Black History Month isn t just dedicated at the White House. It has been, for the eight time, dedicated by a black man holding the highest office in the land. Doing so under such incredible obstructionism as to make anything he could have accomplished nothing short of miraculous, he saw our country out of a financial crisis many of us thought would be the next Great Depression. He restored honor to the White House in the wake of a buffoon and his band of thieves and thugs. Who better to comment on what Black History Month means than that guy?The video is from the ABC News Twitter feed, and you can tell that ABC is hard at work deleting the racism, just by the leftover comments from people calling others out on it. The original posts about the tweet came from News One and Globalgrind, who have both disabled their comments for the story.Featured image from screen capture

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AG JEFF SESSIONS Warns Leakers…Taking Steps to Stop the Leaks that “Hurt Our Country” [Video]

Attorney General Jeff Sessions announced today that the DOJ is taking steps to reduce the amount of leaking from the White House:Sessions said during his Friday press briefing that everyone in government can do better and must practice more discipline when it comes to the leaking of classified information. Simply put, these leaks hurt our country, Sessions said. All of us in government can do better. To prevent these leaks every agency and Congress have to do better, Sessions said. We are taking a stand. This culture of leaking must stop. Sessions said that there are multiple steps being taken by the National Insider Threat Task Force to prosecute those who leak classified information. Since January the department has more than tripled the number of active leak investigations compared to the number pending at the end of the last administration, Sessions said. And we ve already charged four people with unlawfully disclosing classified material or with concealing contacts with federal officers, he said.AG Sessions also said he s Considering Reviewing Policies Involving Media Subpoenas:

Title: AG JEFF SESSIONS Warns Leakers…Taking Steps to Stop the Leaks that “Hurt Our Country” [Video]. Text: Attorney General Jeff Sessions announced today that the DOJ is taking steps to reduce the amount of leaking from the White House:Sessions said during his Friday press briefing that everyone in government can do better and must practice more discipline when it comes to the leaking of classified information. Simply put, these leaks hurt our country, Sessions said. All of us in government can do better. To prevent these leaks every agency and Congress have to do better, Sessions said. We are taking a stand. This culture of leaking must stop. Sessions said that there are multiple steps being taken by the National Insider Threat Task Force to prosecute those who leak classified information. Since January the department has more than tripled the number of active leak investigations compared to the number pending at the end of the last administration, Sessions said. And we ve already charged four people with unlawfully disclosing classified material or with concealing contacts with federal officers, he said.AG Sessions also said he s Considering Reviewing Policies Involving Media Subpoenas:

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Trump Has BIG Plans For Sarah Palin, And It’s Really, REALLY Terrifying (VIDEO)

If you re one of the people who saw Sarah Palin endorse Donald Trump for president and thought to yourself, oh, God, she s back with utter misery in your soul, you re most definitely not alone. She was the poison pill for John McCain s career. No, not just his presidential run in 2008, his career. He will always be the guy who put Palin on the national stage to torture all the world.Trump, being the bombastic person that he is, and not caring what anyone really thinks of him (even though he s obsessed with polls) thought it wise to bring Palin back into the spotlight after her failed attempts at everything from being a governor to a reality star, and propped her up embracing her endorsement. However, the endorsement isn t even half of his plans for her, and we, as a nation, should be f*cking mortified.Trump has now declared that there will be a role for Palin within his administration if he were to win the White House this upcoming November. He doesn t think she d actually want a role, which may actually be true considering that would require actual work and follow through, but he said the door is open to the possibility. He told NBC Today host Savannah Guthrie: She never made a deal, like so many people want to try and make deals. I mean, she just said: I really like what s going on, it s an amazing thing, I ve never seen anything like it in politics. Trump even insinuated that he may consider her as a potential vice presidential running-mate, saying: I haven t discussed it with her. No, I haven t discussed anything with her about what she d do, but she s somebody I really like and I respect. And certainly, she could play a position if she wanted to. The real estate mogul also took the chance to rub in the fact that he got Palin s endorsement over other candidates when he said: It s such an honor, because as you know, very badly, so many people are so disappointed that she didn t support them. Is it really, though? I mean, come on, look what she did to McCain.However, to drive the point home that a Trump win in November equals Palin in his administration, he said: But certainly there d be a role in the administration if she wanted, and I m not sure that she does want that. But there d certainly be a role. If Trump being the orotund racist with no policy experience wasn t enough for you to vote against him this November, his saying Palin will have an open spot in his administration should be the icing on the cake. It s more important now, than ever before, to make sure a Democrat wins the White House this fall.Would @RealDonaldTrump consider @SarahPalinUSA as a running mate? Watch what he told @SavannahGuthrie: https://t.co/KADXx3KSQy TODAY (@TODAYshow) January 20, 2016Featured image: Gage Skidmore (flickr/flickr)

Title: Trump Has BIG Plans For Sarah Palin, And It’s Really, REALLY Terrifying (VIDEO). Text: If you re one of the people who saw Sarah Palin endorse Donald Trump for president and thought to yourself, oh, God, she s back with utter misery in your soul, you re most definitely not alone. She was the poison pill for John McCain s career. No, not just his presidential run in 2008, his career. He will always be the guy who put Palin on the national stage to torture all the world.Trump, being the bombastic person that he is, and not caring what anyone really thinks of him (even though he s obsessed with polls) thought it wise to bring Palin back into the spotlight after her failed attempts at everything from being a governor to a reality star, and propped her up embracing her endorsement. However, the endorsement isn t even half of his plans for her, and we, as a nation, should be f*cking mortified.Trump has now declared that there will be a role for Palin within his administration if he were to win the White House this upcoming November. He doesn t think she d actually want a role, which may actually be true considering that would require actual work and follow through, but he said the door is open to the possibility. He told NBC Today host Savannah Guthrie: She never made a deal, like so many people want to try and make deals. I mean, she just said: I really like what s going on, it s an amazing thing, I ve never seen anything like it in politics. Trump even insinuated that he may consider her as a potential vice presidential running-mate, saying: I haven t discussed it with her. No, I haven t discussed anything with her about what she d do, but she s somebody I really like and I respect. And certainly, she could play a position if she wanted to. The real estate mogul also took the chance to rub in the fact that he got Palin s endorsement over other candidates when he said: It s such an honor, because as you know, very badly, so many people are so disappointed that she didn t support them. Is it really, though? I mean, come on, look what she did to McCain.However, to drive the point home that a Trump win in November equals Palin in his administration, he said: But certainly there d be a role in the administration if she wanted, and I m not sure that she does want that. But there d certainly be a role. If Trump being the orotund racist with no policy experience wasn t enough for you to vote against him this November, his saying Palin will have an open spot in his administration should be the icing on the cake. It s more important now, than ever before, to make sure a Democrat wins the White House this fall.Would @RealDonaldTrump consider @SarahPalinUSA as a running mate? Watch what he told @SavannahGuthrie: https://t.co/KADXx3KSQy TODAY (@TODAYshow) January 20, 2016Featured image: Gage Skidmore (flickr/flickr)

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WATCH MICHELLE OBAMA Take One Last Walk Through The House She Was Forced To Wake Up In Every Morning, Knowing It Was “Built By Slaves”

Watch the ultimate victim, Michelle Obama address a large group of college graduates at CCNY last year, bemoaning her fate as First Lady, complaining that she he has to, wake up every morning in a house built by slaves. And finally, the most divisive First Lady in history is leaving the White House that apparently tortured her every day.See ya Mooch your divisiveness and your 5-star taxpayer funded vacations won t be missed!Enjoy:Taking it in on one last walk through the People's House. pic.twitter.com/uaAn6j8Ygy First Lady- Archived (@FLOTUS44) January 18, 2017

Title: WATCH MICHELLE OBAMA Take One Last Walk Through The House She Was Forced To Wake Up In Every Morning, Knowing It Was “Built By Slaves”. Text: Watch the ultimate victim, Michelle Obama address a large group of college graduates at CCNY last year, bemoaning her fate as First Lady, complaining that she he has to, wake up every morning in a house built by slaves. And finally, the most divisive First Lady in history is leaving the White House that apparently tortured her every day.See ya Mooch your divisiveness and your 5-star taxpayer funded vacations won t be missed!Enjoy:Taking it in on one last walk through the People's House. pic.twitter.com/uaAn6j8Ygy First Lady- Archived (@FLOTUS44) January 18, 2017

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Unwavering Trump voters say they will not miss Steve Bannon

CHICAGO (Reuters) - Former White House chief strategist Steve Bannon’s firing has been met with a collective shrug by some of President Donald Trump’s most committed supporters who argue the controversial nationalist became an obstacle to the administration’s agenda. In interviews in multiple cities this weekend, Americans who voted for Trump said Bannon’s departure on Friday was the removal of an unnecessary distraction for the Trump presidency, while others saw his role as largely inconsequential and possibly overblown. Many expected Trump to stay the course without him. “Bannon was becoming too big of a story and taking the spotlight from President Trump,” Bob Janda, a 67-year-old small business owner, said in a bar in Chicago. “When that happens, your days are numbered. I think Trump will be fine.” At the same bar, Frank Cardone, 67, pointed out that Bannon had a brief tenure in Trump’s inner circle, having joined the Republican businessman’s presidential campaign as its chief executive less than three months before the Nov. 8 election. “Bannon wasn’t with Trump for too long so it’s no big loss,” said Cardone, a retired electrician. Before hitching himself to Trump, Bannon was the executive chairman of Breitbart News, a hard-right site. He immediately returned to that role after his exit from the White House, vowing to use it as a platform to defend Trump. Bannon, 63, has touted Breitbart as a conservative counterpoint to what he views as the liberal bias of U.S. news outlets and a platform for the so-called alt-right, a loose confederation of neo-Nazis, white supremacists and anti-Semites. He played a key role in some of Trump’s most contentious policy moves including the travel ban on people from several Muslim-majority nations, departure from the Paris climate accord and rejection of the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade deal. Bannon’s exit gives Trump a chance to distance himself from “fringe” politics, said Mike Corbitt, a machinist from Florida’s West Palm Beach. “He (Trump) needs to be more center-right because the far right and the far left is not where America is,” Corbitt, 48, said at a Fort Lauderdale bar. “Steve Bannon was great for getting Trump elected, but now the president needs someone who can get his policies enacted.” Bannon joined a string of senior officials who have left the Trump administration in the past five weeks, leading to the appointment of retired Marine general John Kelly as the new White House chief of staff. While some observers have characterized the moves as a sign of chaos in the White House, others see it as a sign that Trump is running his administration like a well-oiled corporation. “All these shakeups mean is that Trump is doing his job,” Liz Lingafelter, a 60-year-old nurse, said in Fort Lauderdale. “He’s a businessman and is doing what’s best for the organization.” That view was echoed by Rick Weatherly, a 61-year-old Denver maintenance technician. “I voted for Trump, not Bannon,” he said.

Title: Unwavering Trump voters say they will not miss Steve Bannon. Text: CHICAGO (Reuters) - Former White House chief strategist Steve Bannon’s firing has been met with a collective shrug by some of President Donald Trump’s most committed supporters who argue the controversial nationalist became an obstacle to the administration’s agenda. In interviews in multiple cities this weekend, Americans who voted for Trump said Bannon’s departure on Friday was the removal of an unnecessary distraction for the Trump presidency, while others saw his role as largely inconsequential and possibly overblown. Many expected Trump to stay the course without him. “Bannon was becoming too big of a story and taking the spotlight from President Trump,” Bob Janda, a 67-year-old small business owner, said in a bar in Chicago. “When that happens, your days are numbered. I think Trump will be fine.” At the same bar, Frank Cardone, 67, pointed out that Bannon had a brief tenure in Trump’s inner circle, having joined the Republican businessman’s presidential campaign as its chief executive less than three months before the Nov. 8 election. “Bannon wasn’t with Trump for too long so it’s no big loss,” said Cardone, a retired electrician. Before hitching himself to Trump, Bannon was the executive chairman of Breitbart News, a hard-right site. He immediately returned to that role after his exit from the White House, vowing to use it as a platform to defend Trump. Bannon, 63, has touted Breitbart as a conservative counterpoint to what he views as the liberal bias of U.S. news outlets and a platform for the so-called alt-right, a loose confederation of neo-Nazis, white supremacists and anti-Semites. He played a key role in some of Trump’s most contentious policy moves including the travel ban on people from several Muslim-majority nations, departure from the Paris climate accord and rejection of the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade deal. Bannon’s exit gives Trump a chance to distance himself from “fringe” politics, said Mike Corbitt, a machinist from Florida’s West Palm Beach. “He (Trump) needs to be more center-right because the far right and the far left is not where America is,” Corbitt, 48, said at a Fort Lauderdale bar. “Steve Bannon was great for getting Trump elected, but now the president needs someone who can get his policies enacted.” Bannon joined a string of senior officials who have left the Trump administration in the past five weeks, leading to the appointment of retired Marine general John Kelly as the new White House chief of staff. While some observers have characterized the moves as a sign of chaos in the White House, others see it as a sign that Trump is running his administration like a well-oiled corporation. “All these shakeups mean is that Trump is doing his job,” Liz Lingafelter, a 60-year-old nurse, said in Fort Lauderdale. “He’s a businessman and is doing what’s best for the organization.” That view was echoed by Rick Weatherly, a 61-year-old Denver maintenance technician. “I voted for Trump, not Bannon,” he said.

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U.S. military says airstrikes kill five al Qaeda militants in Yemen

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. military said on Friday it carried out airstrikes on Nov. 20 in Yemen s al Bayda province that killed five militants from al Qaeda s affiliate there, including Mujahid al-Adani, whom it described as one of the group s leaders. Al-Adani maintained a significant influence within AQAP as well as close ties to other AQAP senior leaders, the U.S. military s Central Command said in a statement, using an acronym for al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula.

Title: U.S. military says airstrikes kill five al Qaeda militants in Yemen. Text: WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. military said on Friday it carried out airstrikes on Nov. 20 in Yemen s al Bayda province that killed five militants from al Qaeda s affiliate there, including Mujahid al-Adani, whom it described as one of the group s leaders. Al-Adani maintained a significant influence within AQAP as well as close ties to other AQAP senior leaders, the U.S. military s Central Command said in a statement, using an acronym for al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula.

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Maine’s Governor Somehow Gets More Racist: I Can’t Understand Indian People Without Interpreter

Maine has a very bad governor (thanks Tea Party movement!) who just keeps getting worse.Republican Governor Paul LePage decided to take a cue from Donald Trump and spend the weekend mocking Indian people. Apparently drawing upon his own experiences and warped by LePage s truly stunning level of racism, no doubt he lamented the fact that restaurants hire immigrants. The problem, he said, was that he needs an interpreter to understand them. And, he added, people from India are the worst ones. This is right on the heels of Donald Trump s latest stab at xenophobic nationalism when at a rally he put on a stereotypical Indian accent to lament the fact that he had spoken to someone outside of America to inquire about his credit card. (Part of his plan to Make America Great Again, is to bring telemarketing jobs back to the country. A job nobody wants.) The crowd ate it up. So, it seems, did LePage, whom recently accused Ted Cruz of stabbing him in the back and is a big fan of Trump.LePage has made a name for himself as both a terrible governor in the traditional sense (he s been nearly impeached a number of times and is universally loathed by both Republicans and Democrats in the state legislature), and an unrepentant racist. Already this year he made headlines for this astoundingly offensive rant: These are guys with the name D-Money, Smoothie, Shifty these types of guys they come from Connecticut and New York, they come up here, they sell their heroin, they go back home. Incidentally, half the time they impregnate a young, white girl before they leave, which is a real sad thing because then we have another issue we have to deal with down the road. He later said he didn t mean to say white girl. Then a few days later, he said screw it and admitted that he did mean white girls but only because he knew that would make the story sound scarier.In a twisted way, LePage is probably relieved that his racism is back in the news. His last act of infamy was blocking a bill that would provide life-saving drugs for opioid overdoses to addicts. His reasoning: Why bother saving them? They ll just overdose again.Paul LePage is the worst.Featured image via YouTube screengrab

Title: Maine’s Governor Somehow Gets More Racist: I Can’t Understand Indian People Without Interpreter. Text: Maine has a very bad governor (thanks Tea Party movement!) who just keeps getting worse.Republican Governor Paul LePage decided to take a cue from Donald Trump and spend the weekend mocking Indian people. Apparently drawing upon his own experiences and warped by LePage s truly stunning level of racism, no doubt he lamented the fact that restaurants hire immigrants. The problem, he said, was that he needs an interpreter to understand them. And, he added, people from India are the worst ones. This is right on the heels of Donald Trump s latest stab at xenophobic nationalism when at a rally he put on a stereotypical Indian accent to lament the fact that he had spoken to someone outside of America to inquire about his credit card. (Part of his plan to Make America Great Again, is to bring telemarketing jobs back to the country. A job nobody wants.) The crowd ate it up. So, it seems, did LePage, whom recently accused Ted Cruz of stabbing him in the back and is a big fan of Trump.LePage has made a name for himself as both a terrible governor in the traditional sense (he s been nearly impeached a number of times and is universally loathed by both Republicans and Democrats in the state legislature), and an unrepentant racist. Already this year he made headlines for this astoundingly offensive rant: These are guys with the name D-Money, Smoothie, Shifty these types of guys they come from Connecticut and New York, they come up here, they sell their heroin, they go back home. Incidentally, half the time they impregnate a young, white girl before they leave, which is a real sad thing because then we have another issue we have to deal with down the road. He later said he didn t mean to say white girl. Then a few days later, he said screw it and admitted that he did mean white girls but only because he knew that would make the story sound scarier.In a twisted way, LePage is probably relieved that his racism is back in the news. His last act of infamy was blocking a bill that would provide life-saving drugs for opioid overdoses to addicts. His reasoning: Why bother saving them? They ll just overdose again.Paul LePage is the worst.Featured image via YouTube screengrab

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Exclusive: Koch brothers will not use funds to try to block Trump nomination

NEW YORK (Reuters) - The Koch brothers, the most powerful conservative mega donors in the United States, will not use their $400 million political arsenal to try to block Republican front-runner Donald Trump’s path to the presidential nomination, a spokesman told Reuters on Wednesday. The decision by the billionaire industrialists is another setback to Republican establishment efforts to derail the New York real estate mogul’s bid for the White House, and follows speculation the Kochs would soon launch a “Trump Intervention.” “We have no plans to get involved in the primary,” said James Davis, spokesman for Freedom Partners, the Koch brothers’ political umbrella group. He would not elaborate on what the brothers’ strategy would be for the Nov. 8 election to succeed Democratic President Barack Obama. Three sources close to the Kochs said the brothers made the decision because they were concerned that spending millions of dollars attacking Trump would be money wasted, since they had not yet seen any attack on Trump stick. The Koch brothers are also smarting from the millions of dollars they pumped into the failed 2012 Republican presidential bids of Newt Gingrich and Mitt Romney, the sources said. Donors and media reports have speculated since January, when the Kochs gathered 500 of America’s wealthiest political donors at a California resort, that they would deploy their vast political network to target Trump. The Kochs oppose his protectionist trade rhetoric and hardline views on immigration - which include building a wall along the U.S. border with Mexico and deporting millions of illegal immigrants. Many Republican figures and business backers are eager to see Trump, a political outsider who has tapped into rising anti-establishment sentiment, fail in his bid for the nomination. They prefer instead a more traditional candidate like U.S. Senator Marco Rubio of Florida. But with Trump racking up a series of wins in the early nominating contests against opponents including Rubio and U.S. Senator Ted Cruz of Texas, there is a growing sense of inevitability that he will win the party’s mantle. (Editing by Richard Valdmanis, Chris Reese and Peter Cooney) This article was funded in part by SAP. It was independently created by the Reuters editorial staff. SAP had no editorial involvement in its creation or production.

Title: Exclusive: Koch brothers will not use funds to try to block Trump nomination. Text: NEW YORK (Reuters) - The Koch brothers, the most powerful conservative mega donors in the United States, will not use their $400 million political arsenal to try to block Republican front-runner Donald Trump’s path to the presidential nomination, a spokesman told Reuters on Wednesday. The decision by the billionaire industrialists is another setback to Republican establishment efforts to derail the New York real estate mogul’s bid for the White House, and follows speculation the Kochs would soon launch a “Trump Intervention.” “We have no plans to get involved in the primary,” said James Davis, spokesman for Freedom Partners, the Koch brothers’ political umbrella group. He would not elaborate on what the brothers’ strategy would be for the Nov. 8 election to succeed Democratic President Barack Obama. Three sources close to the Kochs said the brothers made the decision because they were concerned that spending millions of dollars attacking Trump would be money wasted, since they had not yet seen any attack on Trump stick. The Koch brothers are also smarting from the millions of dollars they pumped into the failed 2012 Republican presidential bids of Newt Gingrich and Mitt Romney, the sources said. Donors and media reports have speculated since January, when the Kochs gathered 500 of America’s wealthiest political donors at a California resort, that they would deploy their vast political network to target Trump. The Kochs oppose his protectionist trade rhetoric and hardline views on immigration - which include building a wall along the U.S. border with Mexico and deporting millions of illegal immigrants. Many Republican figures and business backers are eager to see Trump, a political outsider who has tapped into rising anti-establishment sentiment, fail in his bid for the nomination. They prefer instead a more traditional candidate like U.S. Senator Marco Rubio of Florida. But with Trump racking up a series of wins in the early nominating contests against opponents including Rubio and U.S. Senator Ted Cruz of Texas, there is a growing sense of inevitability that he will win the party’s mantle. (Editing by Richard Valdmanis, Chris Reese and Peter Cooney) This article was funded in part by SAP. It was independently created by the Reuters editorial staff. SAP had no editorial involvement in its creation or production.

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LYNCH MOB WINS By Less Than 1%…Why Republicans Are To Blame For LEFTIST DOUG JONES’ Victory

They threw everything but the kitchen sink at Judge Roy Moore. Democrats outspent Moore 10-1, and more importantly, the Democrat Party unified, like they always do, to get behind their candidate (think Hillary Clinton), no matter their flaws, or how weak of a candidate he or she may be. Meanwhile, the Republicans did exactly what they always do they splintered, they argued amongst themselves, and they waited until the 11th hour to get behind Roy Moore, the Republican candidate who was accused (without evidence) by several women (one of whom admitted to committing forgery in a high school yearbook used as evidence of her claim against him) of sexual misconduct several decades ago. The media will try to blame this loss on President Trump, but the truth of the matter is, that the Republican Party came late to the game with funding and with support for Roy Moore, while half of the party either sat on their hands or openly condemned their candidate. The spineless Republican Party can take credit for the historic loss tonight in Alabama.AP In a stunning victory aided by scandal, Democrat Doug Jones won Alabama s special Senate election on Tuesday, beating back history, an embattled Republican opponent and President Donald Trump, who urgently endorsed GOP rebel Roy Moore despite a litany of sexual misconduct allegations.It was the first Democratic Senate victory in a quarter-century in Alabama, one of the reddest of red states, and proved anew that party loyalty is anything but sure in the age of Trump. It was a major embarrassment for the president and a fresh wound for the nation s already divided Republican Party.A number of Republicans declined to support him, including Alabama s long-serving Sen. Richard Shelby. But Trump lent his name and the national GOP s resources to Moore s campaign in recent days.

Title: LYNCH MOB WINS By Less Than 1%…Why Republicans Are To Blame For LEFTIST DOUG JONES’ Victory. Text: They threw everything but the kitchen sink at Judge Roy Moore. Democrats outspent Moore 10-1, and more importantly, the Democrat Party unified, like they always do, to get behind their candidate (think Hillary Clinton), no matter their flaws, or how weak of a candidate he or she may be. Meanwhile, the Republicans did exactly what they always do they splintered, they argued amongst themselves, and they waited until the 11th hour to get behind Roy Moore, the Republican candidate who was accused (without evidence) by several women (one of whom admitted to committing forgery in a high school yearbook used as evidence of her claim against him) of sexual misconduct several decades ago. The media will try to blame this loss on President Trump, but the truth of the matter is, that the Republican Party came late to the game with funding and with support for Roy Moore, while half of the party either sat on their hands or openly condemned their candidate. The spineless Republican Party can take credit for the historic loss tonight in Alabama.AP In a stunning victory aided by scandal, Democrat Doug Jones won Alabama s special Senate election on Tuesday, beating back history, an embattled Republican opponent and President Donald Trump, who urgently endorsed GOP rebel Roy Moore despite a litany of sexual misconduct allegations.It was the first Democratic Senate victory in a quarter-century in Alabama, one of the reddest of red states, and proved anew that party loyalty is anything but sure in the age of Trump. It was a major embarrassment for the president and a fresh wound for the nation s already divided Republican Party.A number of Republicans declined to support him, including Alabama s long-serving Sen. Richard Shelby. But Trump lent his name and the national GOP s resources to Moore s campaign in recent days.

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Merkel wants clear line on eurozone reform in German coalition talks

TALLINN (Reuters) - Chancellor Angela Merkel said on Friday she wanted to agree a clear line on euro zone reforms in talks on a new coalition government in Germany. Speaking at a European Union summit in Tallinn, she added: At the moment, we don t have an acute crisis to manage, and so the time we have won - with a relatively good economic situation, relatively good growth, more jobs in Europe - can be used to work on the further development of the European Union.

Title: Merkel wants clear line on eurozone reform in German coalition talks. Text: TALLINN (Reuters) - Chancellor Angela Merkel said on Friday she wanted to agree a clear line on euro zone reforms in talks on a new coalition government in Germany. Speaking at a European Union summit in Tallinn, she added: At the moment, we don t have an acute crisis to manage, and so the time we have won - with a relatively good economic situation, relatively good growth, more jobs in Europe - can be used to work on the further development of the European Union.

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UNREAL! ELDERLY HISPANIC TRUMP SUPPORTER Pepper Sprayed By Liberal Thug [Video]

The left keeps talking about how hateful the Trump supporters are but all the vitriol is coming from the commies who keep pepper spraying little kids and old people. Who does this?

Title: UNREAL! ELDERLY HISPANIC TRUMP SUPPORTER Pepper Sprayed By Liberal Thug [Video]. Text: The left keeps talking about how hateful the Trump supporters are but all the vitriol is coming from the commies who keep pepper spraying little kids and old people. Who does this?

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BOOM! JUDGE JEANINE PIRRO: “New deep divisions are created by Obama” [Video]

This is probably the best seen from Judge Jeanine she nails Obama! Police brutality is color blind Judge Jeanine

Title: BOOM! JUDGE JEANINE PIRRO: “New deep divisions are created by Obama” [Video]. Text: This is probably the best seen from Judge Jeanine she nails Obama! Police brutality is color blind Judge Jeanine

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President Trump Fires Acting Attorney General, Sally Yates

21st Century Wire says In a press release from the Office of the Press Secretary, it was revealed today that acting Attorney General, Sally Yates, was relieved of duty after instructing Department of Justice lawyers not to defend Trump s executive order on travel bans. The Press Secretary release noted that Yates betrayed the Department of Justice by refusing to enforce a legal order designed to protect the citizens of the United States. Trump took to Twitter and launched a pointed tweet saying that The Democrats are delaying my cabinet picks for purely political reasons. They have nothing going but to obstruct Yates will be replaced by Dana Boente, the US Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, to hold the position of acting attorney general. In the press release Boente is quoted as saying, I am honored to serve President Trump in this role until Senator Sessions is confirmed. I will defend and enforce the laws of our country to ensure that our people and our nation are protected. RT reports on this breaking story below: RTYates was relieved of her post Monday, just hours after news broke that she was instructing Department of Justice lawyers not to defend the executive order..@POTUS has named Dana Boente, US Attorney for the Eastern District of VA as Acting Attorney General. Sally Yates has been relieved. Sean Spicer (@PressSec) January 31, 2017Yates betrayed the Department of Justice by refusing to enforce a legal order designed to protect the citizens of the United States, a press release from the Office of the Press Secretary read.Boente, an Obama appointee, was confirmed by the Senate to his previous US Attorney post. The Trump administration told reporters Monday evening that was good enough to allow him to sign Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) warrants authorizing surveillance of perceived foreign threats in the US.This is unprecedented, as Boente s Senate confirmation did not grant him FISA approval power. That authority is reserved to the US attorney general and deputy attorney general, who until now have been directly confirmed by the Senate to those posts. It remains to be seen if this move will face a legal challenge. I am honored to serve President Trump in this role until Senator Sessions is confirmed. I will defend and enforce the laws of our country to ensure that our people and our nation are protected, Boente said as Acting Attorney General in the press release.URGENT: Acting AG tells DOJ lawyers not to defend #Trump travel ban order https://t.co/AWPRDFfvEm pic.twitter.com/8CRm4VBNgm RT America (@RT_America) January 30, 2017 I am responsible for ensuring that the positions we take in court remain consistent with this institution s solemn obligation to always seek justice and stand for what is right, Yates wrote in a letter, according to the New York Times. At present, I am not convinced that the defense of the executive order is consistent with these responsibilities nor am I convinced that the executive order is lawful. Trump responded to Yates move on Twitter, calling it an example of Democrats obstruction for purely political reasons. The Democrats are delaying my cabinet picks for purely political reasons. They have nothing going but to obstruct. Now have an Obama A.G. Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 31, 2017Former Attorney General Eric Holder, who served under President Obama, tweeted support for Yates after her termination Sally Yates: person of integrity/attorney with great legal skill. Has served this nation with distinction. Her judgment should be trusted. Eric Holder (@EricHolder) January 31, 2017Continue this report at RTREAD MORE TRUMP NEWS AT: 21st Century Wire Trump FilesSUPPORT OUR WORK BY SUBSCRIBING & BECOMING A MEMBER @21WIRE.TV

Title: President Trump Fires Acting Attorney General, Sally Yates. Text: 21st Century Wire says In a press release from the Office of the Press Secretary, it was revealed today that acting Attorney General, Sally Yates, was relieved of duty after instructing Department of Justice lawyers not to defend Trump s executive order on travel bans. The Press Secretary release noted that Yates betrayed the Department of Justice by refusing to enforce a legal order designed to protect the citizens of the United States. Trump took to Twitter and launched a pointed tweet saying that The Democrats are delaying my cabinet picks for purely political reasons. They have nothing going but to obstruct Yates will be replaced by Dana Boente, the US Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, to hold the position of acting attorney general. In the press release Boente is quoted as saying, I am honored to serve President Trump in this role until Senator Sessions is confirmed. I will defend and enforce the laws of our country to ensure that our people and our nation are protected. RT reports on this breaking story below: RTYates was relieved of her post Monday, just hours after news broke that she was instructing Department of Justice lawyers not to defend the executive order..@POTUS has named Dana Boente, US Attorney for the Eastern District of VA as Acting Attorney General. Sally Yates has been relieved. Sean Spicer (@PressSec) January 31, 2017Yates betrayed the Department of Justice by refusing to enforce a legal order designed to protect the citizens of the United States, a press release from the Office of the Press Secretary read.Boente, an Obama appointee, was confirmed by the Senate to his previous US Attorney post. The Trump administration told reporters Monday evening that was good enough to allow him to sign Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) warrants authorizing surveillance of perceived foreign threats in the US.This is unprecedented, as Boente s Senate confirmation did not grant him FISA approval power. That authority is reserved to the US attorney general and deputy attorney general, who until now have been directly confirmed by the Senate to those posts. It remains to be seen if this move will face a legal challenge. I am honored to serve President Trump in this role until Senator Sessions is confirmed. I will defend and enforce the laws of our country to ensure that our people and our nation are protected, Boente said as Acting Attorney General in the press release.URGENT: Acting AG tells DOJ lawyers not to defend #Trump travel ban order https://t.co/AWPRDFfvEm pic.twitter.com/8CRm4VBNgm RT America (@RT_America) January 30, 2017 I am responsible for ensuring that the positions we take in court remain consistent with this institution s solemn obligation to always seek justice and stand for what is right, Yates wrote in a letter, according to the New York Times. At present, I am not convinced that the defense of the executive order is consistent with these responsibilities nor am I convinced that the executive order is lawful. Trump responded to Yates move on Twitter, calling it an example of Democrats obstruction for purely political reasons. The Democrats are delaying my cabinet picks for purely political reasons. They have nothing going but to obstruct. Now have an Obama A.G. Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 31, 2017Former Attorney General Eric Holder, who served under President Obama, tweeted support for Yates after her termination Sally Yates: person of integrity/attorney with great legal skill. Has served this nation with distinction. Her judgment should be trusted. Eric Holder (@EricHolder) January 31, 2017Continue this report at RTREAD MORE TRUMP NEWS AT: 21st Century Wire Trump FilesSUPPORT OUR WORK BY SUBSCRIBING & BECOMING A MEMBER @21WIRE.TV

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Russia: Syria opposition sabotages Geneva talks to ruin proposed national congress: TASS

MOSCOW (Reuters) - Syria s opposition is sabotaging the Geneva peace talks in a bid to ruin Russia s preparations for a planned congress of national dialogue in Syria, the TASS news agency cited Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova as saying on Thursday.

Title: Russia: Syria opposition sabotages Geneva talks to ruin proposed national congress: TASS. Text: MOSCOW (Reuters) - Syria s opposition is sabotaging the Geneva peace talks in a bid to ruin Russia s preparations for a planned congress of national dialogue in Syria, the TASS news agency cited Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova as saying on Thursday.

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WOW! MALE College Professor Caught On Camera BULLYING Female Pro-Life Student: “College campuses are not free speech areas” [VIDEO]

A Fresno State University professor was recently caught on camera scrubbing pro-life message off of the sidewalk and encouraging several of his students to do the same.Here is Gregory Thatcher s profile on the Fresno State College website. We thought we d post it before they take it down. His contact information is listed below, if you d like to have a respectful free speech discussion with him. The whole idea of free speech is that we have a free speech area on campus, kay? Professor Gregory Thatcher erroneously declares in a video recorded by the school s Students for Life chapter. Free speech is free speech in the free speech area. It s a pretty simple concept, okay? This does not constitute a free speech area, okay? He and his students go on to argue that it is within their own First Amendment rights to actively remove the pro-life messages from campus, and in one instance Thatcher claims that since the pro-life group has permission to put it down he has permission to get rid of it. This is our part of free speech. Do you disagree with our part of free speech? Thatcher asked while erasing one of the club s messages, after which he proclaimed that college campuses are not free speech areas. The Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF) has since filed a lawsuit against Thatcher on behalf of the Students for Life chapter at Fresno State, arguing that his efforts to intimidate and harass members of the Student for Life chapter violated their fundamental right to free speech.***WARNING***The video you are about to see will make your blood boil. It s pretty hard to watch a full grown man employed by Fresno College sending female students out to do his dirty work. It s even harder to watch the way he aggressively approaches this young female pro-life student, while arrogantly explaining to her that he has the right to deny her free-speech in America Fresno State Students for Life received full permission to chalk pro-life messages near the library. Rather than countering with his own message, Dr. Thatcher took the illegal approach of censoring speech and inciting students to help in this, Kristan Hawkins, president of Students for Life of America, remarked in a press release, claiming that no student should have to endure this kind of intimidation and harassment for simply expressing their views. For entire story: Campus Reform

Title: WOW! MALE College Professor Caught On Camera BULLYING Female Pro-Life Student: “College campuses are not free speech areas” [VIDEO]. Text: A Fresno State University professor was recently caught on camera scrubbing pro-life message off of the sidewalk and encouraging several of his students to do the same.Here is Gregory Thatcher s profile on the Fresno State College website. We thought we d post it before they take it down. His contact information is listed below, if you d like to have a respectful free speech discussion with him. The whole idea of free speech is that we have a free speech area on campus, kay? Professor Gregory Thatcher erroneously declares in a video recorded by the school s Students for Life chapter. Free speech is free speech in the free speech area. It s a pretty simple concept, okay? This does not constitute a free speech area, okay? He and his students go on to argue that it is within their own First Amendment rights to actively remove the pro-life messages from campus, and in one instance Thatcher claims that since the pro-life group has permission to put it down he has permission to get rid of it. This is our part of free speech. Do you disagree with our part of free speech? Thatcher asked while erasing one of the club s messages, after which he proclaimed that college campuses are not free speech areas. The Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF) has since filed a lawsuit against Thatcher on behalf of the Students for Life chapter at Fresno State, arguing that his efforts to intimidate and harass members of the Student for Life chapter violated their fundamental right to free speech.***WARNING***The video you are about to see will make your blood boil. It s pretty hard to watch a full grown man employed by Fresno College sending female students out to do his dirty work. It s even harder to watch the way he aggressively approaches this young female pro-life student, while arrogantly explaining to her that he has the right to deny her free-speech in America Fresno State Students for Life received full permission to chalk pro-life messages near the library. Rather than countering with his own message, Dr. Thatcher took the illegal approach of censoring speech and inciting students to help in this, Kristan Hawkins, president of Students for Life of America, remarked in a press release, claiming that no student should have to endure this kind of intimidation and harassment for simply expressing their views. For entire story: Campus Reform

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TOWN VOTES To Change Columbus Day Name Because Of “Slavery” And “Genocide”

I ll bet you re thinking this is a joke, right? Can you believe these idiotic liberals? so happy I don t live in the towns in Massachusetts that changed Columbus Day to Indigenous Peoples Day. Just frickin ridiculous! Northampton became the second city in Western Mass to change the name of Columbus Day to Indigenous Peoples Day.A unanimous vote tonight sides with the residents who believe the change should be made based on the slavery and genocide that Christopher Columbus brought to native peoples in the Americas. Northampton is also looking into better educating children about the Native American s sacrifice to the city it is today. The school committee is also going to pick this up and probably pass a resolution of its own so that we have the commitment of educators in Northampton to actually really teach this material and get children to understand that our city is built on the foundation of these Native American peoples, said Ward 7 City Councilor Alisa Klein. In May, Amherst became the first community in the state to make the Columbus Day name change. KMOV.com Via: kmov

Title: TOWN VOTES To Change Columbus Day Name Because Of “Slavery” And “Genocide”. Text: I ll bet you re thinking this is a joke, right? Can you believe these idiotic liberals? so happy I don t live in the towns in Massachusetts that changed Columbus Day to Indigenous Peoples Day. Just frickin ridiculous! Northampton became the second city in Western Mass to change the name of Columbus Day to Indigenous Peoples Day.A unanimous vote tonight sides with the residents who believe the change should be made based on the slavery and genocide that Christopher Columbus brought to native peoples in the Americas. Northampton is also looking into better educating children about the Native American s sacrifice to the city it is today. The school committee is also going to pick this up and probably pass a resolution of its own so that we have the commitment of educators in Northampton to actually really teach this material and get children to understand that our city is built on the foundation of these Native American peoples, said Ward 7 City Councilor Alisa Klein. In May, Amherst became the first community in the state to make the Columbus Day name change. KMOV.com Via: kmov

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Canada frets over possible huge surge in asylum-seekers: sources

OTTAWA (Reuters) - Canada fears a huge surge in asylum seekers crossing the border from the United States, putting political pressure on Prime Minister Justin Trudeau ahead of a 2019 election, sources familiar with the matter said on Wednesday. The number of migrants illegally entering Canada more than tripled in July and August, hitting nearly 7,000. Haitians, who face looming deportation from the United States when their temporary protected status expires in January 2018, accounted for much of the inflow. Two sources familiar with Canadian government thinking said citizens from El Salvador, Nicaragua and Honduras, who are slated to lose their U.S. protected status in early 2018, may also head north. There is concern we ll see a huge increase, mostly from Central America, said one source. The question is, which group is next, and how are we going to deal with it, and what is the impact on Canadians? added the source, who requested anonymity given the sensitivity of the situation. Most new arrivals are going to the predominantly French-speaking province of Quebec, sparking protests from opposition politicians and anti-immigrant groups. Trudeau s Liberals need to gain support in Quebec to offset expected losses elsewhere ahead of an October 2019 election. Asked whether the Liberals were worried about losing popularity in Quebec, the source said: Absolutely. That s a concern. But if Trudeau clamps down too far, he risks tarnishing a long-cultivated reputation for openness and tolerance. He pointedly tweeted Canada s welcome of refugees after U.S. President Donald Trump unveiled a travel ban in January. The government is in a real quandary over this, said a third source familiar with official thinking. Ottawa has hardened its tone in recent days, warning people not to cross the border since they could well be deported. Trudeau said Canada was enforcing immigration rules. We are an open and welcoming country because citizens have confidence in our immigration and refugee system and we have been able to continue to defend and protect the integrity of that system, he told reporters in Montreal on Wednesday. He also said Ottawa might accelerate the process of issuing work permits for asylum seekers rather than make them wait for refugee claims to be processed, which now takes several months. Leger Marketing pollster Christian Bourque said there were no immediate signs that support in Quebec for Trudeau was weakening. I think that changes if people do not perceive the government is taking a strong stand, he said. A Reuters poll in March found nearly half of Canadians want to deport people who are illegally crossing from the United States. A Haitian-Canadian Liberal legislator is due to visit Miami on Thursday, home to a large expatriate community, in a bid to persuade people to stay put. Officials complain false stories are circulating about how easy it is to be granted permission to stay in Canada. Some of the Haitians are in temporary housing, including Montreal s Olympic Stadium and at least two tent camps near the border. Critics accuse Trudeau of encouraging would-be refugees to come to Canada without thinking through the consequences.

Title: Canada frets over possible huge surge in asylum-seekers: sources. Text: OTTAWA (Reuters) - Canada fears a huge surge in asylum seekers crossing the border from the United States, putting political pressure on Prime Minister Justin Trudeau ahead of a 2019 election, sources familiar with the matter said on Wednesday. The number of migrants illegally entering Canada more than tripled in July and August, hitting nearly 7,000. Haitians, who face looming deportation from the United States when their temporary protected status expires in January 2018, accounted for much of the inflow. Two sources familiar with Canadian government thinking said citizens from El Salvador, Nicaragua and Honduras, who are slated to lose their U.S. protected status in early 2018, may also head north. There is concern we ll see a huge increase, mostly from Central America, said one source. The question is, which group is next, and how are we going to deal with it, and what is the impact on Canadians? added the source, who requested anonymity given the sensitivity of the situation. Most new arrivals are going to the predominantly French-speaking province of Quebec, sparking protests from opposition politicians and anti-immigrant groups. Trudeau s Liberals need to gain support in Quebec to offset expected losses elsewhere ahead of an October 2019 election. Asked whether the Liberals were worried about losing popularity in Quebec, the source said: Absolutely. That s a concern. But if Trudeau clamps down too far, he risks tarnishing a long-cultivated reputation for openness and tolerance. He pointedly tweeted Canada s welcome of refugees after U.S. President Donald Trump unveiled a travel ban in January. The government is in a real quandary over this, said a third source familiar with official thinking. Ottawa has hardened its tone in recent days, warning people not to cross the border since they could well be deported. Trudeau said Canada was enforcing immigration rules. We are an open and welcoming country because citizens have confidence in our immigration and refugee system and we have been able to continue to defend and protect the integrity of that system, he told reporters in Montreal on Wednesday. He also said Ottawa might accelerate the process of issuing work permits for asylum seekers rather than make them wait for refugee claims to be processed, which now takes several months. Leger Marketing pollster Christian Bourque said there were no immediate signs that support in Quebec for Trudeau was weakening. I think that changes if people do not perceive the government is taking a strong stand, he said. A Reuters poll in March found nearly half of Canadians want to deport people who are illegally crossing from the United States. A Haitian-Canadian Liberal legislator is due to visit Miami on Thursday, home to a large expatriate community, in a bid to persuade people to stay put. Officials complain false stories are circulating about how easy it is to be granted permission to stay in Canada. Some of the Haitians are in temporary housing, including Montreal s Olympic Stadium and at least two tent camps near the border. Critics accuse Trudeau of encouraging would-be refugees to come to Canada without thinking through the consequences.

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‘Alt-Right’ Leader Richard Spencer Was Just Punched In The Head AGAIN Then Glitter Bombed

Richard Spencer, who has the most punchable face in the U.S., just got clocked upside the head again. The Alt-Right leader (neo-Nazi) was also glitter-bombed as well.On Twitter, Spencer has been vocal about his opposition to Trump s military strikes in Syria but that won t help his public image since the leader of the white supremacist faction on the right has elevated himself in the spotlight since just before the U.S. presidential election last year while promoting racist rhetoric.Spencer was confronted at a demonstration in Washington, D.C., against the military strikes against Syria. The Alti-Right leader spoke to the crowd at the rally then he was confronted by counter-protesters who shouted Go home Nazis and called him a Nazi snowflake, according to Anti-Fascist News.The confrontation between the two groups became heated then the counter-protesters chased Spencer across the park as police followed along.The police protected Spencer and his Nazi buddies.Secret Service & cops in Washington DC protecting Richard Spencer & Nazis from #NoWarNoNazis. Spencer tries to leave & fight breaks out. pic.twitter.com/ctqirN0q4U Ash J (@AshAgony) April 8, 2017Richard Spencer ran into a taxi in Washington DC & got surrounded by #Antifa. Cops came & tried to protect him. #NoWarNoNazis pic.twitter.com/yHVV0hlK5b Ash J (@AshAgony) April 9, 2017Spencer tried to get into a taxi, but counter-protesters pulled him out of the vehicle, according to the Antifa site. When he was getting into the cab he was allegedly pulled out by counter-protesters, punched, and glitter bombed, the site reports. In a video posted on Periscope shortly thereafter, Spencer said what happened was that Antifa disallowed him to get in his getaway car and the police instructed him to get in a cab. Once he was in one the cab driver (who Spencer mocked for being of Indian origin) got out of the cab, frightened of the ensuing protesters, and Spencer had to take off running. Then he was glitter bombed.Here's the gif of Richard Spencer getting glitter bombed: https://t.co/4YJzkYFdxp? pic.twitter.com/fwxlLFdUt7 Brett Banditelli (@banditelli) April 9, 2017Spencer assured his followers that he s OK.I m okay, fam. Richard ?? Spencer (@RichardBSpencer) April 9, 2017This isn t Spencer s first time being smacked upside the head. It s his third.richard spencer, with tears streaming down his face, resetting the "days since i have been punched" back to 0 again Kind Words Online (@kissesfingers) April 9, 2017In fact, Spencer was punched in the head twice in one day, one time by a woman. #PunchANaziDay quickly went viral on Twitter then memes and gifs were created.During a live interview while in D.C. for alleged president Donald Trump s Inauguration, he was punched in the face.The attack was celebrated by many, and video of Spencer being punched in the face quickly turned into a viral meme.Twitter users set the moment to music and it went crazy on the Internet.this is as patriotic as I ve felt in a long time pic.twitter.com/yiVxd8semM ron dickles (@prttybadtweeter) January 21, 2017Spencer advocates for peaceful ethnic cleansing, however, I m not sure how he would accomplish that without violence.Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images

Title: ‘Alt-Right’ Leader Richard Spencer Was Just Punched In The Head AGAIN Then Glitter Bombed. Text: Richard Spencer, who has the most punchable face in the U.S., just got clocked upside the head again. The Alt-Right leader (neo-Nazi) was also glitter-bombed as well.On Twitter, Spencer has been vocal about his opposition to Trump s military strikes in Syria but that won t help his public image since the leader of the white supremacist faction on the right has elevated himself in the spotlight since just before the U.S. presidential election last year while promoting racist rhetoric.Spencer was confronted at a demonstration in Washington, D.C., against the military strikes against Syria. The Alti-Right leader spoke to the crowd at the rally then he was confronted by counter-protesters who shouted Go home Nazis and called him a Nazi snowflake, according to Anti-Fascist News.The confrontation between the two groups became heated then the counter-protesters chased Spencer across the park as police followed along.The police protected Spencer and his Nazi buddies.Secret Service & cops in Washington DC protecting Richard Spencer & Nazis from #NoWarNoNazis. Spencer tries to leave & fight breaks out. pic.twitter.com/ctqirN0q4U Ash J (@AshAgony) April 8, 2017Richard Spencer ran into a taxi in Washington DC & got surrounded by #Antifa. Cops came & tried to protect him. #NoWarNoNazis pic.twitter.com/yHVV0hlK5b Ash J (@AshAgony) April 9, 2017Spencer tried to get into a taxi, but counter-protesters pulled him out of the vehicle, according to the Antifa site. When he was getting into the cab he was allegedly pulled out by counter-protesters, punched, and glitter bombed, the site reports. In a video posted on Periscope shortly thereafter, Spencer said what happened was that Antifa disallowed him to get in his getaway car and the police instructed him to get in a cab. Once he was in one the cab driver (who Spencer mocked for being of Indian origin) got out of the cab, frightened of the ensuing protesters, and Spencer had to take off running. Then he was glitter bombed.Here's the gif of Richard Spencer getting glitter bombed: https://t.co/4YJzkYFdxp? pic.twitter.com/fwxlLFdUt7 Brett Banditelli (@banditelli) April 9, 2017Spencer assured his followers that he s OK.I m okay, fam. Richard ?? Spencer (@RichardBSpencer) April 9, 2017This isn t Spencer s first time being smacked upside the head. It s his third.richard spencer, with tears streaming down his face, resetting the "days since i have been punched" back to 0 again Kind Words Online (@kissesfingers) April 9, 2017In fact, Spencer was punched in the head twice in one day, one time by a woman. #PunchANaziDay quickly went viral on Twitter then memes and gifs were created.During a live interview while in D.C. for alleged president Donald Trump s Inauguration, he was punched in the face.The attack was celebrated by many, and video of Spencer being punched in the face quickly turned into a viral meme.Twitter users set the moment to music and it went crazy on the Internet.this is as patriotic as I ve felt in a long time pic.twitter.com/yiVxd8semM ron dickles (@prttybadtweeter) January 21, 2017Spencer advocates for peaceful ethnic cleansing, however, I m not sure how he would accomplish that without violence.Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images

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Colbert Hilariously Humiliates Ted Cruz For Losing New York By A Landslide (VIDEO)

Ted Cruz paid dearly for insulting New York values on Tuesday night, and Stephen Colbert couldn t resist rubbing the loss in Cruz s smug face.During the Late Show on Wednesday night, the audience applauded after Colbert told Cruz to Suck it. The clearest message coming out of New York last night was: Suck it, Ted Cruz, Colbert quipped. Suck our New York values! Indeed, Ted Cruz had hoped to win New York even though he had been trashing the state throughout his campaign for not having the same values as him.And New York voters delivered a crushing defeat to the Texas Senator by voting overwhelmingly for Donald Trump.In fact, New York hated Cruz so much that Ben Carson received more votes than he did even though he hasn t been in the race for a month, a fact that Colbert found amusing. And in one county he even lost to Ben Carson, who dropped out of the race a month ago, Colbert reported. Though, to be fair, Dr. Carson may not be aware that he dropped out of the race. But even though Cruz was beaten like a speed bag in a loose suit, at the end of the night Ted Cruz managed to keep it positive, and also kind of creepy, Colbert continued before playing a clip of Cruz talking about America lying down with her back on the mat during his concession speech.Colbert smiled and chuckled and then interpreted Cruz s words. That is when America is at her best, lying down with her back on the mat, lights on and with a firm handshake and then back to your separate beds for some quiet weeping. If you know what I mean. Here s the video via YouTube.If Ted Cruz learned anything from his loss on Tuesday, it s that you should avoid insulting an entire state when you are trailing your opponent in a race you desperately want to win, especially if your opponent is a native of the state you are insulting.Cruz had hoped that New Yorkers would forget all about what he said about them and vote for him anyway. He was wrong. Featured image via screenshot

Title: Colbert Hilariously Humiliates Ted Cruz For Losing New York By A Landslide (VIDEO). Text: Ted Cruz paid dearly for insulting New York values on Tuesday night, and Stephen Colbert couldn t resist rubbing the loss in Cruz s smug face.During the Late Show on Wednesday night, the audience applauded after Colbert told Cruz to Suck it. The clearest message coming out of New York last night was: Suck it, Ted Cruz, Colbert quipped. Suck our New York values! Indeed, Ted Cruz had hoped to win New York even though he had been trashing the state throughout his campaign for not having the same values as him.And New York voters delivered a crushing defeat to the Texas Senator by voting overwhelmingly for Donald Trump.In fact, New York hated Cruz so much that Ben Carson received more votes than he did even though he hasn t been in the race for a month, a fact that Colbert found amusing. And in one county he even lost to Ben Carson, who dropped out of the race a month ago, Colbert reported. Though, to be fair, Dr. Carson may not be aware that he dropped out of the race. But even though Cruz was beaten like a speed bag in a loose suit, at the end of the night Ted Cruz managed to keep it positive, and also kind of creepy, Colbert continued before playing a clip of Cruz talking about America lying down with her back on the mat during his concession speech.Colbert smiled and chuckled and then interpreted Cruz s words. That is when America is at her best, lying down with her back on the mat, lights on and with a firm handshake and then back to your separate beds for some quiet weeping. If you know what I mean. Here s the video via YouTube.If Ted Cruz learned anything from his loss on Tuesday, it s that you should avoid insulting an entire state when you are trailing your opponent in a race you desperately want to win, especially if your opponent is a native of the state you are insulting.Cruz had hoped that New Yorkers would forget all about what he said about them and vote for him anyway. He was wrong. Featured image via screenshot

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WATCH: The View Blasts Fox News For Not Covering Racism Fairly

A Fox News host found herself squarely outnumbered on Thursday when she claimed that the conservative network covers racism fairly.The hosts of The View discussed Megyn Kelly s interview with actor and comedian D.L. Hughley the night before.During the interview, Hughley sarcastically pointed out that Fox News does not cover racism fairly. The only place racism doesn t exist is Fox News and the police department, Hughley said. That s absolutely true. Megyn Kelly called Hughley s claim insulting to which he replied, And I m insulted by the things I hear on this network, so we re even. I could care less about insulting people that insult me on a daily basis. Well, Fox News host Jedediah Bila disagreed with Hughley and told her View co-hosts that Fox is fair when it comes to covering racism. I ve hosted a bunch of shows there, we talk about issues of race all the time, she claimed. I mean, I m on with Juan Williams all the time. These are serious issues that we delve into. So, it felt like he was labeling the whole network as not willing to accept that racism is something that exists in this country. To recap, it appears Bila is using the ole I m friends with a black person defense to somehow claim that Fox fairly covers racism.Shen went on to excuse other Fox hosts lack of coverage because she said they are exercising journalistic responsibility, which most objective people know is complete bullshit because Fox News doesn t give a damn about real journalism. When you have stories coming out where you have white on black crime, before we figure out what actually happened, a lot of people in media jump to conclusions or we surmise or we guess, Bila continued. And it shapes the narrative of how the public hears that. And it s really hard then when facts emerge to go back and say, Oh, wait a minute, maybe in this particular case, this wasn t about racism. A stunned Whoopi Goldberg was quick to slap back. What shapes the narrative oftentimes is a disregard for the fact that we do have a racial issue, we do have an issue between how police are sometimes and how people of color are sometimes, and that s the discussion we don t have, Goldberg said.And even conservative host Candace Cameron-Bure, who often appears on Fox News, agreed with Goldberg that Fox does not cover racism fairly. I watch Fox News, I m a Fox News supporter. But I agree with you. I don t feel like they are inclusive of all minority groups as much as they should be. Because conservatives aren t just white rich men or women. And Fox I don t feel always represents that point of view. I thought Megyn Kelly was great but I really appreciated everything that D.L. said as well. Here s the video via YouTube.Fox News has been especially unfair to Black Lives Matter in the wake of the Dallas shooting even though it is clear that the person who murdered those five police officers was not affiliated with the movement. Many Fox hosts have disregarded that fact and have continually demonized Black Lives Matter in a way that is inflaming racial tensions even further. Fox would not be doing that if they had even a shred of real journalistic responsibility.Featured image via screenshot

Title: WATCH: The View Blasts Fox News For Not Covering Racism Fairly. Text: A Fox News host found herself squarely outnumbered on Thursday when she claimed that the conservative network covers racism fairly.The hosts of The View discussed Megyn Kelly s interview with actor and comedian D.L. Hughley the night before.During the interview, Hughley sarcastically pointed out that Fox News does not cover racism fairly. The only place racism doesn t exist is Fox News and the police department, Hughley said. That s absolutely true. Megyn Kelly called Hughley s claim insulting to which he replied, And I m insulted by the things I hear on this network, so we re even. I could care less about insulting people that insult me on a daily basis. Well, Fox News host Jedediah Bila disagreed with Hughley and told her View co-hosts that Fox is fair when it comes to covering racism. I ve hosted a bunch of shows there, we talk about issues of race all the time, she claimed. I mean, I m on with Juan Williams all the time. These are serious issues that we delve into. So, it felt like he was labeling the whole network as not willing to accept that racism is something that exists in this country. To recap, it appears Bila is using the ole I m friends with a black person defense to somehow claim that Fox fairly covers racism.Shen went on to excuse other Fox hosts lack of coverage because she said they are exercising journalistic responsibility, which most objective people know is complete bullshit because Fox News doesn t give a damn about real journalism. When you have stories coming out where you have white on black crime, before we figure out what actually happened, a lot of people in media jump to conclusions or we surmise or we guess, Bila continued. And it shapes the narrative of how the public hears that. And it s really hard then when facts emerge to go back and say, Oh, wait a minute, maybe in this particular case, this wasn t about racism. A stunned Whoopi Goldberg was quick to slap back. What shapes the narrative oftentimes is a disregard for the fact that we do have a racial issue, we do have an issue between how police are sometimes and how people of color are sometimes, and that s the discussion we don t have, Goldberg said.And even conservative host Candace Cameron-Bure, who often appears on Fox News, agreed with Goldberg that Fox does not cover racism fairly. I watch Fox News, I m a Fox News supporter. But I agree with you. I don t feel like they are inclusive of all minority groups as much as they should be. Because conservatives aren t just white rich men or women. And Fox I don t feel always represents that point of view. I thought Megyn Kelly was great but I really appreciated everything that D.L. said as well. Here s the video via YouTube.Fox News has been especially unfair to Black Lives Matter in the wake of the Dallas shooting even though it is clear that the person who murdered those five police officers was not affiliated with the movement. Many Fox hosts have disregarded that fact and have continually demonized Black Lives Matter in a way that is inflaming racial tensions even further. Fox would not be doing that if they had even a shred of real journalistic responsibility.Featured image via screenshot

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Iran's Rouhani says Sochi summit 'right step, at right time' for Syria

LONDON (Reuters) - The trilateral meeting between Iran, Russia and Turkey in the Russian resort of Sochi this week was a right step, at the right time for stability in Syria, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani told Syrian counterpart Bashar al-Assad. Russia s Vladimir Putin won the backing of Turkey and Iran on Wednesday to host a Syrian peace congress, taking the central role in a major diplomatic push to finally end a civil war all but won by Assad. Sochi summit was a right step at the right time, Rouhani was quoted as saying by state news agency IRNA on Saturday in a phone call with Tehran s main regional ally. He said a national congress to hold face-to-face talks between government and opposition could be a step towards stability and security of Syria. Iran has signed large economic contracts with Syria, reaping what appear to be lucrative rewards for helping Assad in his fight against rebel groups and Islamic State militants. Tehran is ready to have an active role in reconstruction of Syria, Rouhani added. The chief commander of Iran s Revolutionary Guards, who has sent weapons and thousands of soldiers to Syria to prop up Assad s regime, also said on Thursday that their forces were ready to help rebuild Syria and bring about a lasting ceasefire there. Syria s six-year civil war has killed hundreds of thousands of people and forced millions to flee in the worst refugee crisis since World War Two. In a joint statement in Sochi, the three leaders called on the Syrian government and moderate opposition to participate constructively in the planned congress, to be held in the same city on a date they did not specify. Saudi Arabia, Iran s arch rival in the Middle East, also sponsored a meeting on Wednesday at a luxury hotel in Riyadh for the Syrian opposition groups. Regional tensions have risen in recent weeks between Sunni Muslim monarchy Saudi Arabia and Shi ite Iran. Saudi Crown Prince called the Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei the new Hitler of the Middle East in an interview with the New York Times published on Thursday. Israel also views Iran as the main threat in the region, and a cabinet minister said this month Israel has had covert contacts with Saudi Arabia. It is very odd that a regional country considers Iranian nation as its enemy and the Zionist regime as its friend, Rouhani told Assad in the call. The next round of U.N.-backed peace talks in Geneva aimed at ending the Syrian civil war will begin on Nov. 28.

Title: Iran's Rouhani says Sochi summit 'right step, at right time' for Syria. Text: LONDON (Reuters) - The trilateral meeting between Iran, Russia and Turkey in the Russian resort of Sochi this week was a right step, at the right time for stability in Syria, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani told Syrian counterpart Bashar al-Assad. Russia s Vladimir Putin won the backing of Turkey and Iran on Wednesday to host a Syrian peace congress, taking the central role in a major diplomatic push to finally end a civil war all but won by Assad. Sochi summit was a right step at the right time, Rouhani was quoted as saying by state news agency IRNA on Saturday in a phone call with Tehran s main regional ally. He said a national congress to hold face-to-face talks between government and opposition could be a step towards stability and security of Syria. Iran has signed large economic contracts with Syria, reaping what appear to be lucrative rewards for helping Assad in his fight against rebel groups and Islamic State militants. Tehran is ready to have an active role in reconstruction of Syria, Rouhani added. The chief commander of Iran s Revolutionary Guards, who has sent weapons and thousands of soldiers to Syria to prop up Assad s regime, also said on Thursday that their forces were ready to help rebuild Syria and bring about a lasting ceasefire there. Syria s six-year civil war has killed hundreds of thousands of people and forced millions to flee in the worst refugee crisis since World War Two. In a joint statement in Sochi, the three leaders called on the Syrian government and moderate opposition to participate constructively in the planned congress, to be held in the same city on a date they did not specify. Saudi Arabia, Iran s arch rival in the Middle East, also sponsored a meeting on Wednesday at a luxury hotel in Riyadh for the Syrian opposition groups. Regional tensions have risen in recent weeks between Sunni Muslim monarchy Saudi Arabia and Shi ite Iran. Saudi Crown Prince called the Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei the new Hitler of the Middle East in an interview with the New York Times published on Thursday. Israel also views Iran as the main threat in the region, and a cabinet minister said this month Israel has had covert contacts with Saudi Arabia. It is very odd that a regional country considers Iranian nation as its enemy and the Zionist regime as its friend, Rouhani told Assad in the call. The next round of U.N.-backed peace talks in Geneva aimed at ending the Syrian civil war will begin on Nov. 28.

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COL OLIVER NORTH: FIVE FACTS That Prove Obama’s Policies Led To The Rise Of ISIS [Video]

Col Oliver North lists the 5 irrefutable facts that confirm that Obama s policies led to the rise of ISIS. Please watch and share!

Title: COL OLIVER NORTH: FIVE FACTS That Prove Obama’s Policies Led To The Rise Of ISIS [Video]. Text: Col Oliver North lists the 5 irrefutable facts that confirm that Obama s policies led to the rise of ISIS. Please watch and share!

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U.S. envoy Haley: Russia interference in elections is 'warfare'

NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley on Thursday described Russian interference in U.S. elections as “warfare.” U.S. intelligence agencies have concluded that Russia used cyber-enabled means in an attempt to help President Donald Trump win the White House, an allegation the Kremlin has denied. “We have to be so hard on this and we have to hold them accountable,” Haley said during a panel discussion with former Secretaries of State Madeleine Albright and Condoleezza Rice held by the George W. Bush Institute in New York on Thursday.  “When a country can come interfere in another country’s elections that is warfare. It really is, because you’re making sure that the democracy shifts from what the people want,” she said. “This is their new weapon of choice and we have to get in front of it.” Congressional committees and special counsel Robert Mueller are investigating alleged Russian interference in the election, including whether there was any collusion between Trump associates and Moscow. Trump has denied that there was any collusion between his campaign and associates and Russia.

Title: U.S. envoy Haley: Russia interference in elections is 'warfare'. Text: NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley on Thursday described Russian interference in U.S. elections as “warfare.” U.S. intelligence agencies have concluded that Russia used cyber-enabled means in an attempt to help President Donald Trump win the White House, an allegation the Kremlin has denied. “We have to be so hard on this and we have to hold them accountable,” Haley said during a panel discussion with former Secretaries of State Madeleine Albright and Condoleezza Rice held by the George W. Bush Institute in New York on Thursday.  “When a country can come interfere in another country’s elections that is warfare. It really is, because you’re making sure that the democracy shifts from what the people want,” she said. “This is their new weapon of choice and we have to get in front of it.” Congressional committees and special counsel Robert Mueller are investigating alleged Russian interference in the election, including whether there was any collusion between Trump associates and Moscow. Trump has denied that there was any collusion between his campaign and associates and Russia.

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Watch Chris Hayes Destroy Scott Walker’s Biggest Lie, In 16 Brutal Seconds (VIDEO)

Scott Walker emerged from the ashes of his failed Presidential campaign this week when the primaries came to Wisonsin. But MSBNC host Chris Hayes gave him a further headache, by managing to destroy Walker s biggest lie, in just 16 brutal seconds.Walker is trying to pass tough voter ID laws which are likely to effectively disenfranchise the members of the community least likely to vote Republican, all in the name of preventing a voter fraud problem which doesn t actually exist. Walker tried the argument on MSNBC host Chris Hayes this week, and got destroyed. Alright, let s look at the facts, Hayes said. There s the fact that despite dire warnings of voter fraud, a Wisconsin federal district judge ruled that the law s defenders and I m quoting could not point to a single instance of known voter impersonation occurring in Wisconsin at any time in the recent past. The ruling took just 16 seconds to recite, but if the law passes regardless, more than 300,000 people (largely people of color, and people in poverty) will be unable to vote in the primaries. It is the continuation of the GOP s plans to effectively rig the vote, by disenfranchising people least likely to vote for them.Minority and poor communities are already hit by felony disenfranchisement as the Sentencing Project reports:Nationally, an estimated 5.85 million Americans are denied the right to vote because of laws that prohibit voting by people with felony convictions. Felony disenfranchisement is an obstacle to participation in democratic life which is exacerbated by racial disparities in the criminal justice system, resulting in 1 of every 13 African Americans unable to vote.Image via The Sentencing ProjectThe no-nonsense crushing shines a light on just how far the conservative media is failing its readers and viewers, by failing to do the most basic factcheck on these issues. Whether conservative or liberal, we deserve a media which holds politicians and lawmakers to account when they lie. Instead, we see the media playing partisan if our friends said it it s true, it our enemies said it, it s a lie. The American public deserve better.Here s the video:Featured image via Flickr Creative Commons/Screengrab

Title: Watch Chris Hayes Destroy Scott Walker’s Biggest Lie, In 16 Brutal Seconds (VIDEO). Text: Scott Walker emerged from the ashes of his failed Presidential campaign this week when the primaries came to Wisonsin. But MSBNC host Chris Hayes gave him a further headache, by managing to destroy Walker s biggest lie, in just 16 brutal seconds.Walker is trying to pass tough voter ID laws which are likely to effectively disenfranchise the members of the community least likely to vote Republican, all in the name of preventing a voter fraud problem which doesn t actually exist. Walker tried the argument on MSNBC host Chris Hayes this week, and got destroyed. Alright, let s look at the facts, Hayes said. There s the fact that despite dire warnings of voter fraud, a Wisconsin federal district judge ruled that the law s defenders and I m quoting could not point to a single instance of known voter impersonation occurring in Wisconsin at any time in the recent past. The ruling took just 16 seconds to recite, but if the law passes regardless, more than 300,000 people (largely people of color, and people in poverty) will be unable to vote in the primaries. It is the continuation of the GOP s plans to effectively rig the vote, by disenfranchising people least likely to vote for them.Minority and poor communities are already hit by felony disenfranchisement as the Sentencing Project reports:Nationally, an estimated 5.85 million Americans are denied the right to vote because of laws that prohibit voting by people with felony convictions. Felony disenfranchisement is an obstacle to participation in democratic life which is exacerbated by racial disparities in the criminal justice system, resulting in 1 of every 13 African Americans unable to vote.Image via The Sentencing ProjectThe no-nonsense crushing shines a light on just how far the conservative media is failing its readers and viewers, by failing to do the most basic factcheck on these issues. Whether conservative or liberal, we deserve a media which holds politicians and lawmakers to account when they lie. Instead, we see the media playing partisan if our friends said it it s true, it our enemies said it, it s a lie. The American public deserve better.Here s the video:Featured image via Flickr Creative Commons/Screengrab

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Death toll from Vietnam storm tops 60 and dams near bursting

DANANG, Vietnam (Reuters) - The death toll from a typhoon and ensuing floods in Vietnam reached 61 on Monday and the government said some reservoirs were dangerously near capacity after persistent rain. Typhoon Damrey tore across central Vietnam at the weekend just days before the region is due to host the APEC summit of Asia-Pacific leaders, among them U.S. President Donald Trump, China s Xi Jinping and Russia s Vladimir Putin. The Communist state s Search and Rescue Committee said 61 people had been killed and 28 were recorded as missing. It said some of the victims were in vessels that capsized at sea. Others were killed in landslides. It did not give a full breakdown. More than 2,000 homes had collapsed and more than 80,000 had been damaged, it said. Roads that had been flooded or washed away caused traffic jams across several provinces. Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc chaired an emergency meeting on the disaster. Ministers said that because some dams were so full, water might need to be released to relieve pressure - potentially worsening flooding downstream. In Danang, authorities called on soldiers and local people to clean up so that the beach resort would be ready for delegates to the meetings of Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) countries, which started on Monday. Leaders are due to meet from Nov. 10 and organizers said the schedule had not been disrupted because of the weather. But in much of the ancient town of Hoi An, a UNESCO World Heritage site that spouses of APEC leaders are scheduled to visit on Saturday, muddy waters rose to head height and people boated through the streets. Hoang Tran Son, 37, who left his home there when the water reached his chest, said it was the worst flooding he had seen for decades. We re pretty much all right in the city, but people in remote areas are devastated, he said. The storm moved from the coastal area into a key coffee-growing region of the world s biggest producer of robusta coffee beans. The typhoon had damaged some coffee trees at the start of the harvest season, farm officials said. But farmers in Daklak, the heart of the region, said the damage was limited. Authorities said that more than 7,000 farm animals had been killed. Floods killed more than 80 people in northern Vietnam last month, while a typhoon wreaked havoc in central provinces in September. The country of more than 90 million people is prone to destructive storms and flooding, due to its long coastline.

Title: Death toll from Vietnam storm tops 60 and dams near bursting. Text: DANANG, Vietnam (Reuters) - The death toll from a typhoon and ensuing floods in Vietnam reached 61 on Monday and the government said some reservoirs were dangerously near capacity after persistent rain. Typhoon Damrey tore across central Vietnam at the weekend just days before the region is due to host the APEC summit of Asia-Pacific leaders, among them U.S. President Donald Trump, China s Xi Jinping and Russia s Vladimir Putin. The Communist state s Search and Rescue Committee said 61 people had been killed and 28 were recorded as missing. It said some of the victims were in vessels that capsized at sea. Others were killed in landslides. It did not give a full breakdown. More than 2,000 homes had collapsed and more than 80,000 had been damaged, it said. Roads that had been flooded or washed away caused traffic jams across several provinces. Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc chaired an emergency meeting on the disaster. Ministers said that because some dams were so full, water might need to be released to relieve pressure - potentially worsening flooding downstream. In Danang, authorities called on soldiers and local people to clean up so that the beach resort would be ready for delegates to the meetings of Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) countries, which started on Monday. Leaders are due to meet from Nov. 10 and organizers said the schedule had not been disrupted because of the weather. But in much of the ancient town of Hoi An, a UNESCO World Heritage site that spouses of APEC leaders are scheduled to visit on Saturday, muddy waters rose to head height and people boated through the streets. Hoang Tran Son, 37, who left his home there when the water reached his chest, said it was the worst flooding he had seen for decades. We re pretty much all right in the city, but people in remote areas are devastated, he said. The storm moved from the coastal area into a key coffee-growing region of the world s biggest producer of robusta coffee beans. The typhoon had damaged some coffee trees at the start of the harvest season, farm officials said. But farmers in Daklak, the heart of the region, said the damage was limited. Authorities said that more than 7,000 farm animals had been killed. Floods killed more than 80 people in northern Vietnam last month, while a typhoon wreaked havoc in central provinces in September. The country of more than 90 million people is prone to destructive storms and flooding, due to its long coastline.

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White House says Obama spoke to Trump by phone on Saturday

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Barack Obama spoke to President-elect Donald Trump by phone on Saturday, a White House spokesman said on Monday. The conversation was “one of a handful” between the two men since the Nov. 8 election, White House spokesman Josh Earnest told a regular news briefing. He declined to say what they talked about.

Title: White House says Obama spoke to Trump by phone on Saturday. Text: WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Barack Obama spoke to President-elect Donald Trump by phone on Saturday, a White House spokesman said on Monday. The conversation was “one of a handful” between the two men since the Nov. 8 election, White House spokesman Josh Earnest told a regular news briefing. He declined to say what they talked about.

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Brazil prosecutor says new audio threatens Batista leniency deal

BRASILIA (Reuters) - A leniency deal struck between the controlling shareholders of Brazilian meatpacker JBS SA and prosecutors may be partially revoked, threatening witnesses immunity but keeping their testimony, the country s top prosecutor said on Monday. Prosecutor General Rodrigo Janot said at a news conference that billionaire meat tycoon Joesley Batista and a fellow state s witness seemed to have inadvertently recorded a four-hour conversation discussing crimes not covered in their plea bargain. The audio was submitted to prosecutors on Thursday as an attachment to an unrelated matter, he said. Joesley Batista and his brother Wesley previously confessed to bribing scores of politicians in plea bargain testimony that allowed them to avoid prosecution. With their help, prosecutors got a recording of President Michel Temer apparently endorsing hush payments to a possible witness in a graft probe. Janot said the new audio was very troubling because it suggested the Batistas had not been forthcoming about all of their crimes. He also said the audio implicated someone at the Supreme Court of unspecified wrongdoing and suggested that a prosecutor in his office had aided the Batistas illegally. Janot said evidence from their plea bargain testimony, which he has used to bring corruption charges against Temer, will stand regardless of whether witnesses lose immunity after an investigation of the new audio. The prosecutor general is expected to bring a second wave of charges against Temer in coming weeks. Questions about the Batistas testimony are likely to hang over the charges against Temer, making it easier for members of Congress to prevent the president from facing trial at the Supreme Court, as they did with earlier charges. Temer declined to comment on the matter when asked by reporters in China. J&F Investimentos SA, the holding company through which the Batista family controls JBS, said Janot had hastily interpreted the recording, which contained considerations of hypotheses and did not compromise the good faith of the witnesses. The company agreed in May to pay a leniency fine of 10.3 billion reais ($3.3 billion) for its role in a political bribery scheme. Since then, Joesley Batista resigned as chairman of JBS, but his brother Wesley remains chief executive and has been fighting efforts to remove him led by state development bank BNDES, another major shareholder in the world s largest meatpacker. Janot opened an investigation on Monday into revising the leniency deals of Joesley Batista and two other J&F executives, according to a document on his office s website. Since the plea deal, J&F has been racing to sell assets in order to reduce debt and pay the leniency fine. In three months, the holding company has signed agreements to sell Havaianas flip-flops maker Alpargatas SA, dairy company Vigor Alimentos SA and pulpmaker Eldorado Brasil Celulose SA. ($1 = 3.1409 reais)

Title: Brazil prosecutor says new audio threatens Batista leniency deal. Text: BRASILIA (Reuters) - A leniency deal struck between the controlling shareholders of Brazilian meatpacker JBS SA and prosecutors may be partially revoked, threatening witnesses immunity but keeping their testimony, the country s top prosecutor said on Monday. Prosecutor General Rodrigo Janot said at a news conference that billionaire meat tycoon Joesley Batista and a fellow state s witness seemed to have inadvertently recorded a four-hour conversation discussing crimes not covered in their plea bargain. The audio was submitted to prosecutors on Thursday as an attachment to an unrelated matter, he said. Joesley Batista and his brother Wesley previously confessed to bribing scores of politicians in plea bargain testimony that allowed them to avoid prosecution. With their help, prosecutors got a recording of President Michel Temer apparently endorsing hush payments to a possible witness in a graft probe. Janot said the new audio was very troubling because it suggested the Batistas had not been forthcoming about all of their crimes. He also said the audio implicated someone at the Supreme Court of unspecified wrongdoing and suggested that a prosecutor in his office had aided the Batistas illegally. Janot said evidence from their plea bargain testimony, which he has used to bring corruption charges against Temer, will stand regardless of whether witnesses lose immunity after an investigation of the new audio. The prosecutor general is expected to bring a second wave of charges against Temer in coming weeks. Questions about the Batistas testimony are likely to hang over the charges against Temer, making it easier for members of Congress to prevent the president from facing trial at the Supreme Court, as they did with earlier charges. Temer declined to comment on the matter when asked by reporters in China. J&F Investimentos SA, the holding company through which the Batista family controls JBS, said Janot had hastily interpreted the recording, which contained considerations of hypotheses and did not compromise the good faith of the witnesses. The company agreed in May to pay a leniency fine of 10.3 billion reais ($3.3 billion) for its role in a political bribery scheme. Since then, Joesley Batista resigned as chairman of JBS, but his brother Wesley remains chief executive and has been fighting efforts to remove him led by state development bank BNDES, another major shareholder in the world s largest meatpacker. Janot opened an investigation on Monday into revising the leniency deals of Joesley Batista and two other J&F executives, according to a document on his office s website. Since the plea deal, J&F has been racing to sell assets in order to reduce debt and pay the leniency fine. In three months, the holding company has signed agreements to sell Havaianas flip-flops maker Alpargatas SA, dairy company Vigor Alimentos SA and pulpmaker Eldorado Brasil Celulose SA. ($1 = 3.1409 reais)

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SNL Perfectly SLAMS Trump Supporters With ‘Racists For Trump’ Campaign Ad (VIDEO)

If you haven t noticed by now that Donald Trump rallies have become white pride events then you are either willfully ignorant, or living under a rock. In fact, some of Trump s most fervent supporters are members of white supremacist groups, including former KKK Grand Wizard David Duke. It s gotten to the point where shouting Trump Trump Trump is synonymous with shouting white pride. And if you disagree with that sentiment, take a good long look at yourself in the mirror and think about why you disagree.Noticing how racist Trump supporters are, along with the rest of the sane world, is none other than the folks over at Saturday Night Live. They put together the perfect spoof campaign ad to attack these nincompoops head-on. In a sketch titled, Racists for Trump they start by showing what seems to be average Americans working hard and simply loving what Trump stands for. The commercial begins: The media s been saying some pretty negative things about Donald Trump, but what are real Americans saying? Trump was then labeled a winner, authentic, job creator, negotiator, an outsider, and above all else, the candidate who can Make America Great Again. It s at that point when it s revealed that all the supporters speaking are involved some way or another in a white supremacist organization. Whether it be neo-Nazis, the KKK, or simply white pride, SNL does not hold back in slamming the hate and bigotry that s been spewing out of the Trump campaign alongside his supporters.But of course, all that hate is disguised in clever coded language to make it seem like we don t notice, but guess what? We notice.Bravo to SNL, this is absolutely perfect. Well done.Featured image via image screen capture

Title: SNL Perfectly SLAMS Trump Supporters With ‘Racists For Trump’ Campaign Ad (VIDEO). Text: If you haven t noticed by now that Donald Trump rallies have become white pride events then you are either willfully ignorant, or living under a rock. In fact, some of Trump s most fervent supporters are members of white supremacist groups, including former KKK Grand Wizard David Duke. It s gotten to the point where shouting Trump Trump Trump is synonymous with shouting white pride. And if you disagree with that sentiment, take a good long look at yourself in the mirror and think about why you disagree.Noticing how racist Trump supporters are, along with the rest of the sane world, is none other than the folks over at Saturday Night Live. They put together the perfect spoof campaign ad to attack these nincompoops head-on. In a sketch titled, Racists for Trump they start by showing what seems to be average Americans working hard and simply loving what Trump stands for. The commercial begins: The media s been saying some pretty negative things about Donald Trump, but what are real Americans saying? Trump was then labeled a winner, authentic, job creator, negotiator, an outsider, and above all else, the candidate who can Make America Great Again. It s at that point when it s revealed that all the supporters speaking are involved some way or another in a white supremacist organization. Whether it be neo-Nazis, the KKK, or simply white pride, SNL does not hold back in slamming the hate and bigotry that s been spewing out of the Trump campaign alongside his supporters.But of course, all that hate is disguised in clever coded language to make it seem like we don t notice, but guess what? We notice.Bravo to SNL, this is absolutely perfect. Well done.Featured image via image screen capture

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Haha! Hot Mic Catches Schumer Saying Trump ‘Likes Us’ [Video]

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer thinks he s liked by President Trump. Haha! In fact, Schumer was caught on a hot mic today saying Trump likes us. After a couple dinners at the White House, Schumer thinks he s got a little bromance going with POTUS. Here s how it went down:The senator was speaking to staffers shortly after Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell s floor speech when, in reference to Trump, the senator said, he likes us. He likes me anyway, according to a transcription from the Washington Examiner.The comment came the day after Schumer and House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi had dinner with Trump at the White House. The topic of conversation was centered on the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) immigration amnesty program, according to the Democratic lawmakers. After the dinner, Schumer and Pelosi released a statement claiming Trump agreed to support DACA legislation in exchange for the Democrats support in passing a border security package, one without border wall funding. The White House came out afterwards, denying any such agreement was made. Look, what we said was exactly accurate, Schumer said to staffers in reference to his statement.The Democratic senator then recounted to aides what advice he gave the president. Here s what I told him: Mr. President, you are much better off sometimes stepping right and sometimes step left. [If] you have to step just in one direction, you re boxed, he said. He gets that. We are always going to work it out and it will make us more productive too, Schumer added.Read more: WFB

Title: Haha! Hot Mic Catches Schumer Saying Trump ‘Likes Us’ [Video]. Text: Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer thinks he s liked by President Trump. Haha! In fact, Schumer was caught on a hot mic today saying Trump likes us. After a couple dinners at the White House, Schumer thinks he s got a little bromance going with POTUS. Here s how it went down:The senator was speaking to staffers shortly after Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell s floor speech when, in reference to Trump, the senator said, he likes us. He likes me anyway, according to a transcription from the Washington Examiner.The comment came the day after Schumer and House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi had dinner with Trump at the White House. The topic of conversation was centered on the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) immigration amnesty program, according to the Democratic lawmakers. After the dinner, Schumer and Pelosi released a statement claiming Trump agreed to support DACA legislation in exchange for the Democrats support in passing a border security package, one without border wall funding. The White House came out afterwards, denying any such agreement was made. Look, what we said was exactly accurate, Schumer said to staffers in reference to his statement.The Democratic senator then recounted to aides what advice he gave the president. Here s what I told him: Mr. President, you are much better off sometimes stepping right and sometimes step left. [If] you have to step just in one direction, you re boxed, he said. He gets that. We are always going to work it out and it will make us more productive too, Schumer added.Read more: WFB

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Watch: Liberal American Woman in Hot Water After She Attacks Danish Man for Wearing a MAGA Hat…In Denmark [Video]

First hand account of a crazy liberal attacking a danish guy for being a Trump supporter: An American woman wanted to sit at my table. I was wearing a MAGA cap. She became visibly angry with my presence, so my friend started recording her. This took place at Unibar near Aarhus University, Denmark.We chose to take legal action the following day. A case has been opened and she will be charged with politically motivated assault (a hate crime).Political violence is never acceptable no matter ones political affiliation.Yes, she s in trouble and should be. What s wrong with these triggered babies on the left?It s like a cult of people where everyone has to follow. You can t have a free thought or else you re a bad person . This woman ripped into a man who supports OUR president Think about it. He s not even an American but a Danish citizen!Does this remind you of the last few months of the campaign last year? trump supporters were repeatedly assaulted in so many ways but the media refused to acknowledge it. We saw Trump supporters pelted with eggs, chased and tackled and punched. The woman above felt she could get away with doing the same thing. Not so fast! She s in hot water after what she did to this Danish Trump supporter.

Title: Watch: Liberal American Woman in Hot Water After She Attacks Danish Man for Wearing a MAGA Hat…In Denmark [Video]. Text: First hand account of a crazy liberal attacking a danish guy for being a Trump supporter: An American woman wanted to sit at my table. I was wearing a MAGA cap. She became visibly angry with my presence, so my friend started recording her. This took place at Unibar near Aarhus University, Denmark.We chose to take legal action the following day. A case has been opened and she will be charged with politically motivated assault (a hate crime).Political violence is never acceptable no matter ones political affiliation.Yes, she s in trouble and should be. What s wrong with these triggered babies on the left?It s like a cult of people where everyone has to follow. You can t have a free thought or else you re a bad person . This woman ripped into a man who supports OUR president Think about it. He s not even an American but a Danish citizen!Does this remind you of the last few months of the campaign last year? trump supporters were repeatedly assaulted in so many ways but the media refused to acknowledge it. We saw Trump supporters pelted with eggs, chased and tackled and punched. The woman above felt she could get away with doing the same thing. Not so fast! She s in hot water after what she did to this Danish Trump supporter.

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Trump's team blocks U.S. House appearance by Pentagon pick: officials

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. President-elect Donald Trump’s team has canceled an appearance before Congress by his nominee for defense secretary, retired General James Mattis, regarding a waiver he needs for the post, congressional officials said on Wednesday. The U.S. House of Representatives had been due to hear Mattis testify on Thursday and he had agreed to appear. Mattis, who retired from the Marine Corps in 2013, is technically ineligible to be defense secretary since he has not been a civilian for at least seven years. That means Congress would need to grant a waiver, something it has not done since 1950. House Democratic Whip Steny Hoyer said it was his understanding the Trump transition team had blocked Mattis from testifying. Congressional aides also confirmed that Mattis had agreed to testify but the appearance had been blocked. The decision appeared to be part of an effort to keep the attention on Mattis’ confirmation hearing in the Senate, which is scheduled for earlier on Thursday. “This (waiver) is not a minor issue. This is a major issue affecting the principle of civilian control of the military, and Ranking Member (Representative Adam) Smith believes deeply that General Mattis should come speak with the members about it,” said Barron Youngsmith, a spokesman for Democrats on the House Armed Services Committee. A Trump transition team spokeswoman did not speak directly to the House hearing but said Mattis’ current focus was on the Senate confirmation process and “testifying at his confirmation hearing of the Senate Armed Services Committee.” “If confirmed he looks forward to working with both the Senate and House Armed Services Committees, which play critical roles in supporting our forces and ensuring civilian control of the military,” Alleigh Marre said in a statement. Hoyer said Mattis might be the best of the nominees for top administration positions put forward by the Republican Trump, who takes office on Jan. 20. Republicans control the Senate, so Mattis is expected to be confirmed if he receives the appropriate waiver. The Senate and House must both agree to exempt him from a law written when the Department of Defense was created to ensure that the U.S. military is under civilian command. Senators expressed little opposition to Mattis’ appointment at a Senate Armed Services Committee hearing on civilian control of the military on Tuesday, as the panel considered whether to issue the waiver. Outside experts testified. Senator John McCain, the Senate panel’s chairman, said he would “fully support” the waiver legislation, which is expected to pass Congress. Mattis, 66, has been warmly received by senior defense figures among both Republicans and Democrats, who believe he will adhere to core alliances and principles, even ones challenged by Trump during his election campaign.

Title: Trump's team blocks U.S. House appearance by Pentagon pick: officials. Text: WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. President-elect Donald Trump’s team has canceled an appearance before Congress by his nominee for defense secretary, retired General James Mattis, regarding a waiver he needs for the post, congressional officials said on Wednesday. The U.S. House of Representatives had been due to hear Mattis testify on Thursday and he had agreed to appear. Mattis, who retired from the Marine Corps in 2013, is technically ineligible to be defense secretary since he has not been a civilian for at least seven years. That means Congress would need to grant a waiver, something it has not done since 1950. House Democratic Whip Steny Hoyer said it was his understanding the Trump transition team had blocked Mattis from testifying. Congressional aides also confirmed that Mattis had agreed to testify but the appearance had been blocked. The decision appeared to be part of an effort to keep the attention on Mattis’ confirmation hearing in the Senate, which is scheduled for earlier on Thursday. “This (waiver) is not a minor issue. This is a major issue affecting the principle of civilian control of the military, and Ranking Member (Representative Adam) Smith believes deeply that General Mattis should come speak with the members about it,” said Barron Youngsmith, a spokesman for Democrats on the House Armed Services Committee. A Trump transition team spokeswoman did not speak directly to the House hearing but said Mattis’ current focus was on the Senate confirmation process and “testifying at his confirmation hearing of the Senate Armed Services Committee.” “If confirmed he looks forward to working with both the Senate and House Armed Services Committees, which play critical roles in supporting our forces and ensuring civilian control of the military,” Alleigh Marre said in a statement. Hoyer said Mattis might be the best of the nominees for top administration positions put forward by the Republican Trump, who takes office on Jan. 20. Republicans control the Senate, so Mattis is expected to be confirmed if he receives the appropriate waiver. The Senate and House must both agree to exempt him from a law written when the Department of Defense was created to ensure that the U.S. military is under civilian command. Senators expressed little opposition to Mattis’ appointment at a Senate Armed Services Committee hearing on civilian control of the military on Tuesday, as the panel considered whether to issue the waiver. Outside experts testified. Senator John McCain, the Senate panel’s chairman, said he would “fully support” the waiver legislation, which is expected to pass Congress. Mattis, 66, has been warmly received by senior defense figures among both Republicans and Democrats, who believe he will adhere to core alliances and principles, even ones challenged by Trump during his election campaign.

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Trump Gets Trashed For Justifying Don Jr’s Collusion With Russia: ‘That’s Politics!’

For someone that ran on the Drain the Swamp platform, the current occupant of the White House has a funny way of showing it. Donald Trump Jr. has found himself in the middle of an email scandal (the irony is palpable, isn t it?) in which he included Trump s son-in-law Jared Kushner and former campaign manager Paul Manafort in the messages. Junior wanted to gather damaging information in 2016 against his Dad s opponent, Hillary Clinton. The problem is that he sought to collude with a hostile foreign government to get that info in order to get his father elected. It s unethical and possibly illegal. But, to Donald Trump that s politics! Which brings us full circle back to that drain the swamp campaign vow the former reality show star made. Most politicians would have gone to a meeting like the one Don jr attended in order to get info on an opponent. That s politics! It tweeted.Most politicians would have gone to a meeting like the one Don jr attended in order to get info on an opponent. That's politics! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 17, 2017No, Amateur, most people would not have met with Russians to obtain information. Most of them would call the FBI after a Russian made contact in order to arrange a meeting.One Twitter user wrote, Many people supported you because you weren t the stereotypical politician . And now, look! You ve become that stereotype. Many people supported you because you weren't the "stereotypical politician". And now, look! You've become that stereotype Luke Waltham (@lukewaltham) July 17, 2017We ve been lied to repeatedly about that meeting.If the meeting Don Jr. went to was normal, why did he lie about it over and over? Why did Kushner lie about it on his security application? Adam Best (@adamcbest) July 17, 2017Most politicians would NOT have gone to a meeting like the one Don jr attended in order to get info on an opponent. That's TREASON! Eugene Gu, MD (@eugenegu) July 17, 2017The FBI should have been called in. That s a no-brainer.No! Most people would have reported the proposition to the FBI.Only the Trumps would be fool enough to take the meeting. #NiceTryTrump val broeksmit (@BikiniRobotArmy) July 17, 2017lol no they wouldn't, this must be your team right about now. pic.twitter.com/XWA7unH0rL Brandon Keating (@BrandonTalks) July 17, 2017Meeting with Russian spies is not opposition research. Robert Caruso (@robertcaruso) July 17, 2017No, not really. True, most politicians are scumbags, but your kind is on a whole other level. You're swine, pal. pic.twitter.com/ipixj00r4Q Michael Roffman (@michaelroffman) July 17, 2017You really are off your rocker. The whole lot of you is guilty as hell and I hope you burn for it. You and your dumb son. cx (@cxcope) July 17, 2017So, is it still a witch hunt? pic.twitter.com/Uthscbr5Fm Vic Berger IV (@VicBergerIV) July 17, 20177 in 10 americans think the fbi should arrest his cel phone first because he's just making this worse the entire world is laughing at don anton newcombe (@antonnewcombe) July 17, 2017So much for draining the swamp Charles Capel (@CharlieCapel) July 17, 2017Team Trump can t even come up with a defense over Junior s scandal. When Trump was on the campaign trail, he called on Russia to hack Hillary Clinton s emails. Donald is so defensive and the signs are there that he possibly knew about the meeting before it even took place in his own building. Junior was well aware, according to the emails he released on Twitter, that the information was coming from the Russian government that the Kremlin-connected lawyer was offering him. Again, this is a no-brainer but we re dealing with the Trump administration here, and they do not understand that attempting to collude with Russia is as bad as colluding with Russia. Welcome to Amateur Hour at the White House.Photo by Andrew Harrer-Pool/Getty Images.

Title: Trump Gets Trashed For Justifying Don Jr’s Collusion With Russia: ‘That’s Politics!’. Text: For someone that ran on the Drain the Swamp platform, the current occupant of the White House has a funny way of showing it. Donald Trump Jr. has found himself in the middle of an email scandal (the irony is palpable, isn t it?) in which he included Trump s son-in-law Jared Kushner and former campaign manager Paul Manafort in the messages. Junior wanted to gather damaging information in 2016 against his Dad s opponent, Hillary Clinton. The problem is that he sought to collude with a hostile foreign government to get that info in order to get his father elected. It s unethical and possibly illegal. But, to Donald Trump that s politics! Which brings us full circle back to that drain the swamp campaign vow the former reality show star made. Most politicians would have gone to a meeting like the one Don jr attended in order to get info on an opponent. That s politics! It tweeted.Most politicians would have gone to a meeting like the one Don jr attended in order to get info on an opponent. That's politics! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 17, 2017No, Amateur, most people would not have met with Russians to obtain information. Most of them would call the FBI after a Russian made contact in order to arrange a meeting.One Twitter user wrote, Many people supported you because you weren t the stereotypical politician . And now, look! You ve become that stereotype. Many people supported you because you weren't the "stereotypical politician". And now, look! You've become that stereotype Luke Waltham (@lukewaltham) July 17, 2017We ve been lied to repeatedly about that meeting.If the meeting Don Jr. went to was normal, why did he lie about it over and over? Why did Kushner lie about it on his security application? Adam Best (@adamcbest) July 17, 2017Most politicians would NOT have gone to a meeting like the one Don jr attended in order to get info on an opponent. That's TREASON! Eugene Gu, MD (@eugenegu) July 17, 2017The FBI should have been called in. That s a no-brainer.No! Most people would have reported the proposition to the FBI.Only the Trumps would be fool enough to take the meeting. #NiceTryTrump val broeksmit (@BikiniRobotArmy) July 17, 2017lol no they wouldn't, this must be your team right about now. pic.twitter.com/XWA7unH0rL Brandon Keating (@BrandonTalks) July 17, 2017Meeting with Russian spies is not opposition research. Robert Caruso (@robertcaruso) July 17, 2017No, not really. True, most politicians are scumbags, but your kind is on a whole other level. You're swine, pal. pic.twitter.com/ipixj00r4Q Michael Roffman (@michaelroffman) July 17, 2017You really are off your rocker. The whole lot of you is guilty as hell and I hope you burn for it. You and your dumb son. cx (@cxcope) July 17, 2017So, is it still a witch hunt? pic.twitter.com/Uthscbr5Fm Vic Berger IV (@VicBergerIV) July 17, 20177 in 10 americans think the fbi should arrest his cel phone first because he's just making this worse the entire world is laughing at don anton newcombe (@antonnewcombe) July 17, 2017So much for draining the swamp Charles Capel (@CharlieCapel) July 17, 2017Team Trump can t even come up with a defense over Junior s scandal. When Trump was on the campaign trail, he called on Russia to hack Hillary Clinton s emails. Donald is so defensive and the signs are there that he possibly knew about the meeting before it even took place in his own building. Junior was well aware, according to the emails he released on Twitter, that the information was coming from the Russian government that the Kremlin-connected lawyer was offering him. Again, this is a no-brainer but we re dealing with the Trump administration here, and they do not understand that attempting to collude with Russia is as bad as colluding with Russia. Welcome to Amateur Hour at the White House.Photo by Andrew Harrer-Pool/Getty Images.

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Investigative journalist attacked in Kosovo

PRISTINA (Reuters) - A Kosovo journalist known for his investigative stories on corruption and crime was beaten in a crowded caf bar in central Pristina on Friday. Vehbi Kajtazi runs the news website Insajderi that has become one of the must trusted online media for its investigative reporting into allegations of corruption and crime among Kosovo s top officials. Local media have shown photos of him with blood on the forehead. The Kajtazi attack came just two months after the other Insajderi editor, Parim Olluri, was beaten up in the late evening as he was going home with his fianc e. I have identified the attacker and he attacked me because of the stories that I write, Kajtazi told Reuters. Kosovo declared independence from Serbia in 2008, nearly a decade after NATO mounted air strikes to drive out Serb forces and halt the killing and ethnic cleansing of Albanians in a two-year Serb counter-insurgency campaign. It is really unfortunate that journalists in Kosovo are still being physically attacked. Totally unacceptable in a democratic society, the U.S. ambassador to Kosovo Greg Delawie wrote on Twitter. Human rights organization Freedom House said in its 2017 report that the media in Kosovo is partly free . Threats against reporters have increased in recent years.

Title: Investigative journalist attacked in Kosovo. Text: PRISTINA (Reuters) - A Kosovo journalist known for his investigative stories on corruption and crime was beaten in a crowded caf bar in central Pristina on Friday. Vehbi Kajtazi runs the news website Insajderi that has become one of the must trusted online media for its investigative reporting into allegations of corruption and crime among Kosovo s top officials. Local media have shown photos of him with blood on the forehead. The Kajtazi attack came just two months after the other Insajderi editor, Parim Olluri, was beaten up in the late evening as he was going home with his fianc e. I have identified the attacker and he attacked me because of the stories that I write, Kajtazi told Reuters. Kosovo declared independence from Serbia in 2008, nearly a decade after NATO mounted air strikes to drive out Serb forces and halt the killing and ethnic cleansing of Albanians in a two-year Serb counter-insurgency campaign. It is really unfortunate that journalists in Kosovo are still being physically attacked. Totally unacceptable in a democratic society, the U.S. ambassador to Kosovo Greg Delawie wrote on Twitter. Human rights organization Freedom House said in its 2017 report that the media in Kosovo is partly free . Threats against reporters have increased in recent years.

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Canada to propose helicopters for U.N. Mali mission: sources

OTTAWA (Reuters) - Canada, under pressure from allies to boost its commitment to peacekeeping, will propose offering helicopters for use by U.N. forces in Mali and could later provide troops to work as trainers, two sources familiar with the matter said on Wednesday. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau s Liberal government, which came to power in 2015 and quickly promised to make 600 soldiers available for peace operations, last year said it would consider sending soldiers to Mali but has repeatedly put off a decision amid fears of casualties. The stalling has irritated other nations, which say it could harm Canada s efforts to win a seat on the Security Council. Canada is prepared to send six helicopters for use by the 10,000-strong U.N. force in Mali, which is helping deal with a militant threat, said the sources, who requested anonymity given the sensitivity of the situation. More than 80 members have been killed since 2013, making Mali the world s deadliest peacekeeping operation. Canada is hosting an international peacekeeping conference later this month and officials are preparing a special meeting on the sidelines to discuss the needs of the Mali mission, both in terms of providing troops and helping train local forces, the sources said. One option for Canada would be to send soldiers to act as trainers, a role they are already playing in northern Iraq, said one source. They could either be based in Mali or nearby nations. Although Ottawa has sent three separate fact-finding missions to the Mali region, Canadian officials said they have yet to take a final decision on whether to send troops. We realize there is growing impatience for a final decision, said a Canadian source familiar with government thinking. Defense Minister Harjit Sajjan told reporters that when it comes to peace support operations... we will make sure that we take our time to make a responsible decision. He declined to give further details. Defense experts said that given the scale of the Mali challenge, they doubted whether even 600 Canadian troops could make a difference on the front lines. A senior diplomat from a nation involved in peacekeeping said the Canadian government should have studied the Mali mission carefully before publicly discussing the possibility of sending troops. If soldiers start coming home in coffins, it s debatable whether Sajjan could give a coherent explanation of why Canada was there in the first place, said the diplomat.

Title: Canada to propose helicopters for U.N. Mali mission: sources. Text: OTTAWA (Reuters) - Canada, under pressure from allies to boost its commitment to peacekeeping, will propose offering helicopters for use by U.N. forces in Mali and could later provide troops to work as trainers, two sources familiar with the matter said on Wednesday. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau s Liberal government, which came to power in 2015 and quickly promised to make 600 soldiers available for peace operations, last year said it would consider sending soldiers to Mali but has repeatedly put off a decision amid fears of casualties. The stalling has irritated other nations, which say it could harm Canada s efforts to win a seat on the Security Council. Canada is prepared to send six helicopters for use by the 10,000-strong U.N. force in Mali, which is helping deal with a militant threat, said the sources, who requested anonymity given the sensitivity of the situation. More than 80 members have been killed since 2013, making Mali the world s deadliest peacekeeping operation. Canada is hosting an international peacekeeping conference later this month and officials are preparing a special meeting on the sidelines to discuss the needs of the Mali mission, both in terms of providing troops and helping train local forces, the sources said. One option for Canada would be to send soldiers to act as trainers, a role they are already playing in northern Iraq, said one source. They could either be based in Mali or nearby nations. Although Ottawa has sent three separate fact-finding missions to the Mali region, Canadian officials said they have yet to take a final decision on whether to send troops. We realize there is growing impatience for a final decision, said a Canadian source familiar with government thinking. Defense Minister Harjit Sajjan told reporters that when it comes to peace support operations... we will make sure that we take our time to make a responsible decision. He declined to give further details. Defense experts said that given the scale of the Mali challenge, they doubted whether even 600 Canadian troops could make a difference on the front lines. A senior diplomat from a nation involved in peacekeeping said the Canadian government should have studied the Mali mission carefully before publicly discussing the possibility of sending troops. If soldiers start coming home in coffins, it s debatable whether Sajjan could give a coherent explanation of why Canada was there in the first place, said the diplomat.

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Obama expands Hawaii marine reserve in final push on climate

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. President Barack Obama will dramatically expand the Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument off the coast of Hawaii on Friday, the White House said, an action that will ban commercial fishing from more than 582,500 sq miles (1.5 million sq km) of the Pacific Ocean. Obama will visit the protected area on Sept. 1 to draw attention to the threat that climate change poses to oceans, traveling to Midway Atoll - a remote coral reef that was the site of a pivotal World War Two battle and is now known for its sea turtles, monk seals, and millions of seabirds. Obama, who was born in Hawaii and spent most of his childhood there, made curbing climate change a central part of his time in the White House, which draws to a close on Jan. 20. Some of his efforts have been blocked by Congress or held up in court challenges. But preserving public space from development has been something Obama can do using his own power, and he had moved to permanently protect more than 265 million acres of land and water even before the expansion in Hawaii. Obama has also sought to use the star power of his office to raise public concern about climate issues. Trailed by camera crews, he has hiked on an Alaska glacier and walked through the Florida Everglades. His journey to Midway Atoll, a former naval base that is now a rarely visited refuge, is aimed at sending a hopeful message. “The best science shows that the ocean can recover, if you allow it to,” said Senator Brian Schatz, who worked with scientists, environmental groups and native Hawaiians to urge Obama to expand the monument. “As daunting as the problem of climate change is, and as troubling as the situation is with respect to our oceans, they show remarkable resilience, if you give them a chance,” Schatz told Reuters. The monument was first established 10 years ago by former Republican President George W. Bush, who created the world’s largest marine reserve at the time, protecting close to 140,000 sq miles of ocean around the Hawaiian archipelago and inspiring a series of similar projects around the world. The four-fold boost in territory will cover an area with more than 7,000 marine species, including a coral that is the world’s oldest-known living organism at 4,265 years old. “We think of Papahānaumokuākea’s original designation as a catalyst, and we’re hoping it will be again,” said Seth Horstmeyer, a director with Pew’s Global Ocean Legacy project. Only about 3 percent of the world’s oceans have similar protections, according to Pew. Obama is set on Wednesday to address leaders of Pacific islands and a global conference of conservation officials and environmental groups in Honolulu. “We would like the other nations to follow suit,” said Sol Kaho’ohalahala, a seventh-generation native Hawaiian. In an interview, Kaho’ohalahala explained that Papahānaumokuākea, considered a sacred place, figures large in the creation myths of his people. “We are part of this place, we’re not the beginning of this place,” he said. “Our responsibility is really as a people now how to care for this place.” Some Hawaiians had argued against the expansion. Longline commercial fishermen, who have been praised for sustainable fishing, have counted on the area for an estimated 3 to 13 percent of their annual catch of tuna, which is limited under quotas and governed by extensive conservation measures. “Excluding American citizens from American waters and forcing in this case fishermen onto the high seas to do their business - something just doesn’t quite sit right,” said Sean Martin, president of the Hawaii Longline Association, explaining the expansion could raise his costs. But Hawaiian Senator Schatz, who worked on a compromise plan to accommodate certain types of fishing and more Native Hawaiian involvement in managing the preserve, said there would be plenty of fish left for longline fishermen in other areas. “They will have very little difficulty fishing up to the limit under the tuna treaty, even with the new boundaries,” Schatz said.

Title: Obama expands Hawaii marine reserve in final push on climate. Text: WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. President Barack Obama will dramatically expand the Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument off the coast of Hawaii on Friday, the White House said, an action that will ban commercial fishing from more than 582,500 sq miles (1.5 million sq km) of the Pacific Ocean. Obama will visit the protected area on Sept. 1 to draw attention to the threat that climate change poses to oceans, traveling to Midway Atoll - a remote coral reef that was the site of a pivotal World War Two battle and is now known for its sea turtles, monk seals, and millions of seabirds. Obama, who was born in Hawaii and spent most of his childhood there, made curbing climate change a central part of his time in the White House, which draws to a close on Jan. 20. Some of his efforts have been blocked by Congress or held up in court challenges. But preserving public space from development has been something Obama can do using his own power, and he had moved to permanently protect more than 265 million acres of land and water even before the expansion in Hawaii. Obama has also sought to use the star power of his office to raise public concern about climate issues. Trailed by camera crews, he has hiked on an Alaska glacier and walked through the Florida Everglades. His journey to Midway Atoll, a former naval base that is now a rarely visited refuge, is aimed at sending a hopeful message. “The best science shows that the ocean can recover, if you allow it to,” said Senator Brian Schatz, who worked with scientists, environmental groups and native Hawaiians to urge Obama to expand the monument. “As daunting as the problem of climate change is, and as troubling as the situation is with respect to our oceans, they show remarkable resilience, if you give them a chance,” Schatz told Reuters. The monument was first established 10 years ago by former Republican President George W. Bush, who created the world’s largest marine reserve at the time, protecting close to 140,000 sq miles of ocean around the Hawaiian archipelago and inspiring a series of similar projects around the world. The four-fold boost in territory will cover an area with more than 7,000 marine species, including a coral that is the world’s oldest-known living organism at 4,265 years old. “We think of Papahānaumokuākea’s original designation as a catalyst, and we’re hoping it will be again,” said Seth Horstmeyer, a director with Pew’s Global Ocean Legacy project. Only about 3 percent of the world’s oceans have similar protections, according to Pew. Obama is set on Wednesday to address leaders of Pacific islands and a global conference of conservation officials and environmental groups in Honolulu. “We would like the other nations to follow suit,” said Sol Kaho’ohalahala, a seventh-generation native Hawaiian. In an interview, Kaho’ohalahala explained that Papahānaumokuākea, considered a sacred place, figures large in the creation myths of his people. “We are part of this place, we’re not the beginning of this place,” he said. “Our responsibility is really as a people now how to care for this place.” Some Hawaiians had argued against the expansion. Longline commercial fishermen, who have been praised for sustainable fishing, have counted on the area for an estimated 3 to 13 percent of their annual catch of tuna, which is limited under quotas and governed by extensive conservation measures. “Excluding American citizens from American waters and forcing in this case fishermen onto the high seas to do their business - something just doesn’t quite sit right,” said Sean Martin, president of the Hawaii Longline Association, explaining the expansion could raise his costs. But Hawaiian Senator Schatz, who worked on a compromise plan to accommodate certain types of fishing and more Native Hawaiian involvement in managing the preserve, said there would be plenty of fish left for longline fishermen in other areas. “They will have very little difficulty fishing up to the limit under the tuna treaty, even with the new boundaries,” Schatz said.

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Trump says tax conference will go well, 'pretty quickly'

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump said on Tuesday he expected the conference committee hammering out tax legislation in Congress will work well and get the job done fast. “I think something’s going to be coming out of conference pretty quickly,” Trump told reporters at the White House before meeting with Senate Republicans. “We’re all on the same page. There’s a great spirit in the Republican party like I’ve never seen before, like a lot of people have said they have never seen before. They’re never seen anything like this, the unity.”

Title: Trump says tax conference will go well, 'pretty quickly'. Text: WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump said on Tuesday he expected the conference committee hammering out tax legislation in Congress will work well and get the job done fast. “I think something’s going to be coming out of conference pretty quickly,” Trump told reporters at the White House before meeting with Senate Republicans. “We’re all on the same page. There’s a great spirit in the Republican party like I’ve never seen before, like a lot of people have said they have never seen before. They’re never seen anything like this, the unity.”

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FBI's Comey meets with top U.S. congressional leaders

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - FBI Director James Comey on Thursday met with senior congressional leaders, including the intelligence committee chiefs, FBI and congressional officials said. The officials declined to discuss the subject of Comey’s meeting with the group of leaders known as the “Gang of Eight”. U.S. President Donald Trump has alleged that the Obama administration wiretapped his election campaign. The Gang of Eight, who have routine access to highly classified materials, include House of Representatives Speaker Paul Ryan, Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, Intelligence Committee Chairman Devin Nunes and its top Democrat, Adam Schiff. Senate members include Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, and the top Republican and Democrat on the intelligence committee, Senators Richard Burr and Mark Warner. The House intelligence committee on Wednesday asked the Justice Department in a letter for copies of documents which if they exist could shed light on Trump’s allegation. A law enforcement source said the Federal Bureau of Investigation was in discussions with the National Security Division of the Justice Department as to how to respond to public and congressional inquiries about the existence or non-existence of such eavesdropping. If Trump’s campaign or advisers were indeed being wiretapped, the most likely legal path for the Obama administration to do so would be to have the Justice Department ask the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court for permission to eavesdrop. Trump accused predecessor Barack Obama on Saturday of wiretapping him during the late stages of the campaign, but offered no evidence for an allegation which an Obama spokesman said was “simply false”. The intelligence committee’s letter, addressed to Dana Boente, the acting Deputy U.S. Attorney General, also asks for copies of any such orders actually issued by the court and any electronic surveillance warrants related to Trump or his associates issued last year by a federal judge or magistrate under a wide-ranging anti-crime law. Reuters saw a copy of the letter, signed by Nunes and Schiff, on Thursday. The letter has not been publicly released. Nunes said on Tuesday he had seen no evidence to support Trump’s wiretapping allegation. Law enforcement sources have said that the FBI is pursuing a wide-ranging counter-intelligence investigation of alleged contacts between Trump associates and Russians, as well as two separate investigations into pre-election email hacking linked to Russia which mainly targeted Democratic political operatives.

Title: FBI's Comey meets with top U.S. congressional leaders. Text: WASHINGTON (Reuters) - FBI Director James Comey on Thursday met with senior congressional leaders, including the intelligence committee chiefs, FBI and congressional officials said. The officials declined to discuss the subject of Comey’s meeting with the group of leaders known as the “Gang of Eight”. U.S. President Donald Trump has alleged that the Obama administration wiretapped his election campaign. The Gang of Eight, who have routine access to highly classified materials, include House of Representatives Speaker Paul Ryan, Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, Intelligence Committee Chairman Devin Nunes and its top Democrat, Adam Schiff. Senate members include Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, and the top Republican and Democrat on the intelligence committee, Senators Richard Burr and Mark Warner. The House intelligence committee on Wednesday asked the Justice Department in a letter for copies of documents which if they exist could shed light on Trump’s allegation. A law enforcement source said the Federal Bureau of Investigation was in discussions with the National Security Division of the Justice Department as to how to respond to public and congressional inquiries about the existence or non-existence of such eavesdropping. If Trump’s campaign or advisers were indeed being wiretapped, the most likely legal path for the Obama administration to do so would be to have the Justice Department ask the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court for permission to eavesdrop. Trump accused predecessor Barack Obama on Saturday of wiretapping him during the late stages of the campaign, but offered no evidence for an allegation which an Obama spokesman said was “simply false”. The intelligence committee’s letter, addressed to Dana Boente, the acting Deputy U.S. Attorney General, also asks for copies of any such orders actually issued by the court and any electronic surveillance warrants related to Trump or his associates issued last year by a federal judge or magistrate under a wide-ranging anti-crime law. Reuters saw a copy of the letter, signed by Nunes and Schiff, on Thursday. The letter has not been publicly released. Nunes said on Tuesday he had seen no evidence to support Trump’s wiretapping allegation. Law enforcement sources have said that the FBI is pursuing a wide-ranging counter-intelligence investigation of alleged contacts between Trump associates and Russians, as well as two separate investigations into pre-election email hacking linked to Russia which mainly targeted Democratic political operatives.

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WATCH: Former White House Official Suggests On Hannity That Hillary Clinton Should Be Executed

While on the campaign trail, Lock her up! chants repeatedly rang out from the crowd of Trump supporters even though Hillary Clinton has not been charged with a crime of any sort. Trump s former National Security Advisor Michael Flynn also led those chants, saying, If I did a tenth of what [Hillary Clinton] did, I would be in jail then later, it was Flynn who was forced to resign over violating federal law. We re still not sure what crime team Trump thinks Hillary is guilty of, but former White House deputy assistant to Trump Sebastian Gorka suggested that Hillary Clinton deserves to be tried for treason and executed, according to ThinkProgress.Gorka made this suggestion on Hannity s show Thursday night. If this had happened in the 1950s, there would be people up on treason charges right now, Gorka said. The Rosenbergs, okay, this is equivalent to what the Rosenbergs did, and those people got the chair. Think about it giving away nuclear capability to our enemies, that s what we re talking about. Watch:Gorka is responding to the Uranium One non-scandal which was whipped up by Steve Bannon and there is zero evidence that Hillary Clinton did anything corrupt. As Judd Legum explains, the scandal comes from a book authored by Bannon in 2016 which is ridden with typos. And it was based on a fake press release. In other words, it s fake news.There are other false claims, too.6. The problem is: 1. Hillary Clinton could not have blocked the sale. She was one of NINE cabinet members on a committee Judd Legum (@JuddLegum) October 27, 2017She didn t even sit on the committee.What isn t fake news is that the White House has lawyered up amid special counsel Robert Mueller investigating any potential collusion between Russia and the Trump campaign. It s so bad that even Donald Trump s lawyer has had to lawyer up.Hannity didn t even bother pushing back on Gorka s violent rhetoric. Instead, he moved on to another guest.Arm yourself with facts, not stupidity and/or conspiracy theories. That s the only way to fight against the propaganda coming from the Trump administration and its allies because they are gaslighting America with these false accusations.Photo by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images.

Title: WATCH: Former White House Official Suggests On Hannity That Hillary Clinton Should Be Executed. Text: While on the campaign trail, Lock her up! chants repeatedly rang out from the crowd of Trump supporters even though Hillary Clinton has not been charged with a crime of any sort. Trump s former National Security Advisor Michael Flynn also led those chants, saying, If I did a tenth of what [Hillary Clinton] did, I would be in jail then later, it was Flynn who was forced to resign over violating federal law. We re still not sure what crime team Trump thinks Hillary is guilty of, but former White House deputy assistant to Trump Sebastian Gorka suggested that Hillary Clinton deserves to be tried for treason and executed, according to ThinkProgress.Gorka made this suggestion on Hannity s show Thursday night. If this had happened in the 1950s, there would be people up on treason charges right now, Gorka said. The Rosenbergs, okay, this is equivalent to what the Rosenbergs did, and those people got the chair. Think about it giving away nuclear capability to our enemies, that s what we re talking about. Watch:Gorka is responding to the Uranium One non-scandal which was whipped up by Steve Bannon and there is zero evidence that Hillary Clinton did anything corrupt. As Judd Legum explains, the scandal comes from a book authored by Bannon in 2016 which is ridden with typos. And it was based on a fake press release. In other words, it s fake news.There are other false claims, too.6. The problem is: 1. Hillary Clinton could not have blocked the sale. She was one of NINE cabinet members on a committee Judd Legum (@JuddLegum) October 27, 2017She didn t even sit on the committee.What isn t fake news is that the White House has lawyered up amid special counsel Robert Mueller investigating any potential collusion between Russia and the Trump campaign. It s so bad that even Donald Trump s lawyer has had to lawyer up.Hannity didn t even bother pushing back on Gorka s violent rhetoric. Instead, he moved on to another guest.Arm yourself with facts, not stupidity and/or conspiracy theories. That s the only way to fight against the propaganda coming from the Trump administration and its allies because they are gaslighting America with these false accusations.Photo by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images.

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Fast Food CEO CONFIRMS That Minimum Wage Hikes Are GOOD For Business (AUDIO)

A California fast-food CEO has seen the light, and now supports minimum wage increases after seeing for himself that they are good for business.Wetzel s Pretzels CEO, Bill Phelps, says he and his investors were concerned that minimum wage hikes passed by California lawmakers in 2014, and again in 2016, would negatively affect his business.Apparently, Republican fear mongering over the minimum wage got to him like it gets to many other business owners who actually believe Republicans are telling the truth.For years, Republicans have opposed raising the minimum wage because they claim doing so hurts businesses. They say it will force businesses to raise prices or lay off workers, but that s just simply not the case.In reality, the exact opposite happened. As it turns out, the minimum wage hike created a boom in business because workers had more money in their pockets to spend on things like pretzels. I was shocked, Phelps told KQED during an interview about how the law has impacted business owners. I was stunned by the business. In fact, Wetzel s Pretzels saw their profits increase significantly after each minimum wage increase, which now stands at $10.50 an hour in California. And the positive effect is being witnessed by franchise managers like Mike Jacobs. My overall sales were something like 15 percent ahead after the first minimum wage bump, and now they re about 12 percent ahead this year, Jacobs said. It isn t because I m such a great manager or smart guy, but the buying public has more money in their pocket. Here s the interview via KQED.But Donald Trump, his Labor Secretary pick Andrew Puzder, and the Republican-controlled Congress threaten all of that success.Trump has repeatedly flip-flopped when it comes to the minimum wage. He has called for it to be eliminated at the federal level, which would let Republicans drastically lower wages in states they control. He has said that he supports raising the minimum wage to $10 an hour, which would nearly match California. But Trump s choice of fast-food CEO Andrew Puzder as Labor Secretary makes it clear that he opposes minimum wage hikes. Trump and Puzder both wrongly believe that raising wages for American workers makes us unable to compete with foreign businesses.But that s a load of bullshit that corporate vultures like Trump spew as an excuse to manufacture their products in China and Mexico instead of paying American workers a fair wage to manufacture the products in the United States.The fact is that raising the minimum wage helps more people than it harms, but Puzder opposes the minimum wage and will be in a position to viciously attack it along with overtime pay rules and rules that require breaks for workers.So while business is booming in California because lawmakers there understand that paying workers more increases the amount of money people will pump back into the economy, Trump and Puzder will be working with Republicans to sabotage the economy by killing the minimum wage laws that made us an economic powerhouse in the first place.Featured image via Twitter

Title: Fast Food CEO CONFIRMS That Minimum Wage Hikes Are GOOD For Business (AUDIO). Text: A California fast-food CEO has seen the light, and now supports minimum wage increases after seeing for himself that they are good for business.Wetzel s Pretzels CEO, Bill Phelps, says he and his investors were concerned that minimum wage hikes passed by California lawmakers in 2014, and again in 2016, would negatively affect his business.Apparently, Republican fear mongering over the minimum wage got to him like it gets to many other business owners who actually believe Republicans are telling the truth.For years, Republicans have opposed raising the minimum wage because they claim doing so hurts businesses. They say it will force businesses to raise prices or lay off workers, but that s just simply not the case.In reality, the exact opposite happened. As it turns out, the minimum wage hike created a boom in business because workers had more money in their pockets to spend on things like pretzels. I was shocked, Phelps told KQED during an interview about how the law has impacted business owners. I was stunned by the business. In fact, Wetzel s Pretzels saw their profits increase significantly after each minimum wage increase, which now stands at $10.50 an hour in California. And the positive effect is being witnessed by franchise managers like Mike Jacobs. My overall sales were something like 15 percent ahead after the first minimum wage bump, and now they re about 12 percent ahead this year, Jacobs said. It isn t because I m such a great manager or smart guy, but the buying public has more money in their pocket. Here s the interview via KQED.But Donald Trump, his Labor Secretary pick Andrew Puzder, and the Republican-controlled Congress threaten all of that success.Trump has repeatedly flip-flopped when it comes to the minimum wage. He has called for it to be eliminated at the federal level, which would let Republicans drastically lower wages in states they control. He has said that he supports raising the minimum wage to $10 an hour, which would nearly match California. But Trump s choice of fast-food CEO Andrew Puzder as Labor Secretary makes it clear that he opposes minimum wage hikes. Trump and Puzder both wrongly believe that raising wages for American workers makes us unable to compete with foreign businesses.But that s a load of bullshit that corporate vultures like Trump spew as an excuse to manufacture their products in China and Mexico instead of paying American workers a fair wage to manufacture the products in the United States.The fact is that raising the minimum wage helps more people than it harms, but Puzder opposes the minimum wage and will be in a position to viciously attack it along with overtime pay rules and rules that require breaks for workers.So while business is booming in California because lawmakers there understand that paying workers more increases the amount of money people will pump back into the economy, Trump and Puzder will be working with Republicans to sabotage the economy by killing the minimum wage laws that made us an economic powerhouse in the first place.Featured image via Twitter

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PRESIDENT TRUMP’S SPEECH: “BELIEVE IN YOURSELF”…”BELIEVE IN AMERICA”

THE TRANSCRIPT OF PRESIDENT TRUMP S SPEECH TO CONGRESS: THE VIDEOS ARE BELOWMr. Speaker, Mr. Vice President, Members of Congress, the First Lady of the United States, and Citizens of America: Tonight, as we mark the conclusion of our celebration of Black History Month, we are reminded of our nation s path toward civil rights and the work that still remains.Recent threats targeting Jewish Community Centers and vandalism of Jewish cemeteries, as well as last week s shooting in Kansas City, remind us that while we may be a nation divided on policies, we are a country that stands united in condemning hate and evil in all its forms.Each American generation passes the torch of truth, liberty and justice in an unbroken chain all the way down to the present. That torch is now in our hands, and we will use it to light up the world.I am here tonight to deliver a message of unity and strength, and it is a message deeply delivered from my heart.A new chapter of American Greatness is now beginning.A new national pride is sweeping across our nation.And a new surge of optimism is placing impossible dreams firmly within our grasp.What we are witnessing today is the Renewal of the American Spirit. Our allies will find that America is once again ready to lead.All the nations of the world friend or foe will find that America is strong, America is proud, and America is free.In 9 years, The United States will celebrate the 250th anniversary of our Founding 250 years since the day we declared our Independence.It will be one of the great milestones in the history of the world. But what will America look like as we reach our 250th year? What kind of country will we leave for our children?I will not allow the mistakes of recent decades past to define the course of our future. For too long, we ve watched our middle class shrink as we ve exported our jobs and wealth to foreign countries. We ve financed and built one global project after another, but ignored the fates of our children in the inner cities of Chicago, Baltimore, Detroit and so many other places throughout our land.We ve defended the borders of other nations, while leaving our own borders wide open, for anyone to cross and for drugs to pour in at a now unprecedented rate.And we ve spent trillions of dollars overseas, while our infrastructure at home has so badly crumbled.Then, in 2016, the earth shifted beneath our feet.The rebellion started as a quiet protest, spoken by families of all colors and creeds families who just wanted a fair shot for their children, and a fair hearing for their concerns.But then the quiet voices became a loud chorus as thousands of citizens now spoke out together, from cities small and large, all across our country.Finally, the chorus became an earthquake and the people turned out by the tens of millions, and they were all united by one very simple, but crucial demand, that America must put its own citizens first because only then, can we truly, MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN. PART 1 OF THE SPEECH: Dying industries will come roaring back to life. Heroic Veterans will get the care they so desperately need.Our military will be given the resources its brave warriors so richly deserve.Crumbling infrastructure will be replaced with new roads, bridges, tunnels, airports and railways gleaming across our beautiful land.Our terrible drug epidemic will slow down and ultimately, stop. And our neglected inner cities will see a rebirth of hope, safety and opportunity.Above all else, we will keep our promises to the American People.It s been a little over a month since my inauguration, and I want to take this moment to update the nation on the progress I ve made in keeping those promises.Since my election, Ford, Fiat-Chrysler, General Motors, Sprint, Softbank, Lockheed, Intel, Walmart and many others, have announced that they will invest billions of dollars in the United States and will create tens of thousands of new American jobs.The stock market has gained almost $3 trillion in value since the election on November 8th, a record. We ve saved taxpayers hundreds of millions of dollars by bringing down the price of the fantastic new F-35 jet fighter, and will be saving billions more dollars on contracts all across our government.We have placed a hiring freeze on non-military and non-essential federal workers.We have begun to drain the swamp of government corruption by imposing a five-year ban on lobbying by Executive Branch officials and a lifetime ban on becoming lobbyists for a foreign government.We have undertaken a historic effort to eliminate job-crushing regulations, creating a deregulation task force inside of every government agency; imposing a new rule which mandates that for every one new regulation, two old regulations must be eliminated; and stopping a regulation that threatens the future and livelihoods of our great coal miners.We have cleared the way for the construction of the Keystone and Dakota Access Pipelines thereby creating tens of thousands of jobs and I ve issued a new directive that new American pipelines be made with American steel.We have withdrawn the United States from the job-killing Trans-Pacific Partnership.With the help of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, we have formed a council with our neighbors in Canada to help ensure that women entrepreneurs have access to the networks, markets and capital they need to start a business and live out their financial dreams.To protect our citizens, I have directed the Department of Justice to form a Task Force on ReducingViolent Crime.I have further ordered the Departments of Homeland Security and Justice, along with the Department of State and the Director of National Intelligence, to coordinate an aggressive strategy to dismantle the Criminal Cartels that have spread across our nation.We will stop the drugs from pouring into our country and poisoning our youth and we will expand treatment for those who have become so badly addicted.At the same time, my Administration has answered the pleas of the American people for immigration enforcement and border security.By finally enforcing our immigration laws, we will raise wages, help the unemployed, save billions of dollars, and make our communities safer for everyone.We want all Americans to succeed but that can t happen in an environment of lawless chaos.We must restore integrity and the rule of law to our borders.For that reason, we will soon begin the construction of a Great Wall along our Southern Border. As we speak, we are removing gang members, drug dealers and criminals that threaten our communities and prey on our citizens.Bad ones are going out as I speak tonight and as I have promised.To any in Congress who do not believe we should enforce our laws, I would ask you this question: What would you say to the American family that loses their jobs, their income or a loved one, because America refused to uphold its laws and defend its borders?Our obligation is to serve, protect and defend the citizens of the United states.We are also taking strong measures to protect our nation from Radical Islamic Terrorism.According to data provided by the Department of Justice, the vast majority of individuals convicted for terrorism-related offenses since 9/11 came here from outside of our country.We have seen the attacks at home from Boston to San Bernardino to the Pentagon and yes, even the World Trade Center.We have seen the attacks in France, in Belgium, in Germany and all over the world.It is not compassionate, but reckless, to allow uncontrolled entry from places where proper vetting cannot occur.Those given the high honor of admission to the United States, should support this country and love its people and its values.We cannot allow a beachhead of terrorism to form inside America we cannot allow our nation to become a sanctuary for extremists.That is why my Administration has been working on improved vetting procedures, and we will shortly take new steps to keep our nation safe and to keep out those who would do us harm.As promised, I directed the Department of Defense to develop a plan to demolish and destroy ISIS a network of lawless savages that have slaughtered Muslims and Christians, and men, women, and children of all faiths and beliefs.We will work with our allies, including our friends and allies in the Muslim World, to extinguish this vile enemy from our planet.I have also imposed new sanctions on entities and individuals who support Iran s ballistic missile program, and reaffirmed our unbreakable alliance with the State of Israel.Finally, I have kept my promise to appoint a Justice to the United States Supreme Court from my list of 20 judges who will defend our Constitution.I am honored to have Maureen Scalia with us in the gallery tonight.Her late, great husband, Antonin Scalia, will forever be a symbol of American Justice.To fill his seat, we have chosen Judge Neil Gorsuch, a man of incredible skill, and deep devotion to the law.He was confirmed unanimously to the Court of Appeals, and I am asking the Senate to swiftly approve his nomination.Tonight, as I outline the next steps we must take as country, we must honestly acknowledge the circumstances we inherited.Ninety-four million Americans are out of the labor force.Over 43 million people are now living in poverty, and over 43 million Americans are on food stamps.More than one in five people in their prime-working years are not working.We have the worst financial recovery in 65 years.In the last 8 years, the past Administration has put on more new debt than nearly all other Presidents combined.We ve lost more than one-fourth of our manufacturing jobs since NAFTA was approved, and we ve lost 60,000 factories since China joined the World Trade Organization in 2001.Our trade deficit in goods with the world last year was nearly $800 billion dollars.And overseas, we have inherited a series of tragic foreign policy disasters.Solving these, and so many other pressing problems, will require us to work past the differences of Party.It will require us to tap into the American Spirit that has overcome every challenge throughout our long and storied history.president-trump-sou-3But to accomplish our goals at home and abroad, we must restart the engine of the American Economy making it easier for companies to do business in the United States, and much harder for companies to leave.Right now, American companies are taxed at one of the highest rates anywhere in the world.My economic team is developing historic tax reform that will reduce the tax rate on our companies so they can compete and thrive anywhere and with anyone.At the same time, we will provide massive tax relief for the middle class.We must create a level playing field for American companies and workers.Currently, when we ship products out of America, many other countries make us pay very high tariffs and taxes but when foreign companies ship their products into America, we charge them almost nothing.I just met with officials and workers from a great American company, Harley Davidson.In fact, they proudly displayed five of their magnificent motorcycles, made in the USA, on the front lawn of the White House.At our meeting, I asked them, how are you doing, how is business?They said that it s good.I asked them further how they are doing with other countries, mainly international sales.They told me without even complaining because they have been mistreated for so long that they have become used to it that it is very hard to do business with other countries because they tax our goods at such a high rate.They said that in one case another country taxed their motorcycles at 100 percent.They weren t even asking for change.But I am.I believe strongly in free trade but it also has to be FAIR TRADE.The first Republican President, Abraham Lincoln, warned that The abandonment of the protective policy by the American government will produce want and ruin among our people. Lincoln was right and it is time we heeded his words.I am not going to let America and its great companies and workers, be taken advantage of anymore.I am going to bring back millions of jobs.Protecting our workers also means reforming our system of legal immigration.The current, outdated system depresses wages for our poorest workers, and putsgreat pressure on taxpayers.Nations around the world, like Canada, Australia and many others have a merit-based immigration system.It is a basic principle that those seeking to enter a country ought to be able to support themselves financially.Yet, in America, we do not enforce this rule, straining the very public resources that our poorest citizens rely upon.According to the National Academy of Sciences, our current immigration system costs America s taxpayers many billions of dollars a year.Switching away from this current system of lower-skilled immigration, and instead adopting a merit-based system, will have many benefits: It will save countless dollars, raise workers wages, and help struggling families including immigrant families enter the middle class.I believe that real and positive immigration reform is possible, as long as we focus on the following goals: To improve jobs and wages for Americans, to strengthen our nation s security, and to restore respect for our laws.If we are guided by the well-being of American citizens, instead of the unusual special interests, then I believe Republicans and Democrats can work together to achieve an outcome that has eluded our country for decades.Another Republican President, Dwight D. Eisenhower, initiated the last truly great national infrastructure program the building of the interstate highway system.The time has come for a new program of national rebuilding.America has spent approximately $6 trillion in the Middle East, all this while our infrastructure at home is crumbling.With this $6 trillion we could have rebuilt our country twice.And maybe even three times if we had people who had the ability to negotiate.To launch our national rebuilding, I will be asking Congress to approve legislation that produces a $1 trillion dollar investment in the infrastructure of the United States financed through both public and private capital creating millions of new jobs.This effort will be guided by two core principles: Buy American, and Hire American.Tonight, I am also calling on this Congress to REPEAL AND REPLACE OBAMACARE, with reforms that expand choice, increase access, lower costs, and at the same time, provide better healthcare.Mandating every American to buy government-approved health insurance was never the right solution for America.The way to make health insurance available to everyone is to lower the cost of health insurance, and that is what we will do.Obamacare premiums nationwide have increased by double and triple digits as an example, Arizona went up 116% last year alone.Governor Matt Bevin of Kentucky just said Obamacare is failing in his state it is unsustainable and collapsing.One third of counties have only one insurer on the exchanges leaving many Americans with no choice at all.Remember when you were told that you could keep your doctor, and keep your plan?We now know that all of those promises have been broken.Obamacare is collapsing and we must act decisively to protect all Americans.Action is not a choice it is a necessity.So I am calling on all Democrats and Republicans in Congress to work with us to save Americans from this imploding Obamacare disaster.Here are the principles that should guide Congress as we move to create a better healthcare system for all Americans: First, we should ensure that Americans with pre-existing conditions have access to coverage, and that we have a stable transition for Americans currently enrolled in the healthcare exchanges.Secondly, we should help Americans purchase their own coverage, through the use of tax credits and expanded Health Savings Accounts but it must be the plan they want, not the plan forced on them by the government.Thirdly, we should give our state governors the resources and flexibility they need with Medicaid to make sure no one is left out.Fourth, we should implement legal reforms that protect patients and doctors from unnecessary costs that drive up the price of insurance and work to bring down the artificially high price of drugs, and bring them down immediately.Finally, the time has come to give Americans the freedom to purchase health insurance across state lines creating a truly competitive national marketplace that will bring cost way down and provide far better care.Everything that is broken in our country can be fixed.Every problem can be solved.And every hurting family can find healing, and hope.Our citizens deserve this, and so much more so why not join forces to finally get it done?On this and so many other things, Democrats and Republicans should get together and unite for the good of our country, and for the good of the American people.My administration wants to work with members in both parties to make childcare accessible and affordable, to help ensure new parents have Paid Family Leave, to invest in women s health, and to promote clean air and clear water, and to rebuild our military and our infrastructure.True love for our people requires us to find common ground, to advance the common good, and to cooperate on behalf of every American child who deserves a brighter future.An incredible young woman is with us this evening who should serve as an inspiration to us all.Today is Rare Disease day, and joining us in the gallery is a Rare Disease Survivor, Megan Crowley.Megan was diagnosed with Pompay Disease, a rare and serious illness when she was 15 months old.She was not expected to live past five.On receiving this news, Megan s dad, John, fought with everything he had to save the life of his precious child.He founded a company to look for a cure, and helped develop the drug that saved Megan s life.Today she is 20 years old and a sophomore at Notre Dame.Megan s story is about the unbounded power of a father s love for a daughter.But our slow and burdensome approval process at the Food and Drug Administration keeps too many advances, like the one that saved Megan s life, from reaching those in need.If we slash the restraints, not just at the FDA, but across our government, then we will be blessed with far more miracles like Megan.In fact, our children will grow up in a nation of miracles.But to achieve this future, we must enrich the mind and the souls of every American child.Education is the civil rights issue of our time.I am calling upon members of both parties to pass an education bill that funds school choice for disadvantaged youth, including millions of African-American and Latino children.These families should be free to choose the public, private, charter, magnet, religious or home school that is right for them.Joining us tonight in the gallery is a remarkable woman, Denisha Merriweather.As a young girl, Denisha struggled in school and failed third grade twice.But then she was able to enroll in a private center for learning with the help of a tax credit scholarship program.Today, she is the first in her family to graduate not just from high school, but from college.Later this year she will get her masters degree in social work.We want all children to be able to break the cycle of poverty just like Denisha.But to break the cycle of poverty, we must also break the cycle of violence.The murder rate in 2015 experienced its largest single-year increase in nearly half a century.In Chicago, more than 4,000 people were shot last year alone and the murder rate so far this year has been even higher.This is not acceptable in our society.Every American child should be able to grow up in a safe community, to attend a great school, and to have access to a high-paying job.But to create this future, we must work with not against the men and women of law enforcement.We must build bridges of cooperation and trust not drive the wedge of disunity and division.Police and sheriffs are members of our community.They are friends and neighbors, they are mothers and fathers, sons and daughters and they leave behind loved ones every day who worry whether or not they ll come home safe and sound.We must support the incredible men and women of law enforcement.And we must support the victims of crime.I have ordered the Department of Homeland Security to create an office to serve American victims.The office is called VOICE Victims Of Immigration Crime Engagement.We are providing a voice to those who have been ignored by our media, and silenced by special interests.Joining us in the audience tonight are four very brave Americans whose government failed them.Their names are Jamiel Shaw, Susan Oliver, Jenna Oliver, and Jessica Davis.Jamiel s 17-year-old son was viciously murdered by an illegal immigrant gang member, who had just been released from prison.Jamiel Shaw Jr. was an incredible young man, with unlimited potential who was getting ready to go to college where he would have excelled as a great quarterback.But he never got the chance.His father, who is in the audience tonight, has become a good friend of mine.Also with us are Susan Oliver and Jessica Davis.Their husbands Deputy Sheriff Danny Oliver and Detective Michael Davis were slain in the line of duty in California.They were pillars of their community.These brave men were viciously gunned down by an illegal immigrant with a criminal record and two prior deportations.Sitting with Susan is her daughter, Jenna.Jenna: I want you to know that your father was a hero, and that tonight you have the love of an entire country supporting you and praying for you.To Jamiel, Jenna, Susan and Jessica: I want you to know we will never stop fighting for justice your loved ones will never be forgotten, we will always honor their memory.Finally, to keep America Safe we must provide the men and women of the United States Military with the tools they need to prevent war and if they must TO FIGHT AND TO WIN.I am sending Congress a budget that rebuilds the military, eliminates the Defense Sequester, and calls for one of the largest increases in national defense spending in American history.My budget will also increase funding for our Veterans.Our Veterans have delivered for this nation and now we must deliver for them.The challenges we face as a nation are great.But our people are even greater.And none are greater or braver than those who fight for America in uniform.We are blessed to be joined tonight by Carryn Owens, the widow of a U.S. Navy Special Operator, Senior Chief William Ryan Owens.Ryan died as he lived: a warrior, and a hero battling against terrorism and securing our nation.I just spoke to General Mattis who reconfirmed that, and I quote, Ryan was a part of a highly successful raid that generated large amounts of vital intelligence that will lead to many more victories in the future against our enemies. Ryan s legacy is etched into eternity.For as the bible teaches us, there is no greater act of love than to lay down one s life for one s friends.Ryan laid down his life for his friends, for his country, and for our Freedom we will never forget him.To those allies who wonder what kind of friend America will be, look no further than the heroes who wear our uniform.Our foreign policy calls for a direct, robust and meaningful engagement with the world.It is American leadership based on vital security interests that we share with our allies across the globe.We strongly support NATO, an alliance forged through the bonds of two World Wars that dethroned fascism, and a Cold War that defeated communism.But our partners must meet their financial obligations.And now, based on our very strong and frank discussions, they are beginning to do just that.We expect our partners, whether in NATO, in the Middle East, or the Pacific to take a direct and meaningful role in both strategic and military operations, and pay their fair share of the cost.We will respect historic institutions, but we will also respect the sovereign rights of nations.Free nations are the best vehicle for expressing the will of the people and America respects the right of all nations to chart their own path.My job is not to represent the world.My job is to represent the United States of America.But we know that America is better off, when there is less conflict not more.We must learn from the mistakes of the past we have seen the war and destruction that have raged across our world.The only long-term solution for these humanitarian disasters is to create the conditions where displaced persons can safely return home and begin the long process of rebuilding.America is willing to find new friends, and to forge new partnerships, where shared interests align.We want harmony and stability, not war and conflict.We want peace, wherever peace can be found.America is friends today with former enemies.Some of our closest allies, decades ago, fought on the opposite side of these World Wars.This history should give us all faith in the possibilitiesfor a better world.Hopefully, the 250th year for America will see a world that is more peaceful, more just and more free.On our 100th anniversary, in 1876, citizens from across our nation came to Philadelphia to celebrate America s centennial.At that celebration, the country s builders and artists and inventors showed off their creations.Alexander Graham Bell displayed his telephone for the first time.Remington unveiled the first typewriter.An early attempt was made at electric light.Thomas Edison showed an automatic telegraph and an electric pen.Imagine the wonders our country could know in America s 250th year.Think of the marvels we can achieve if we simply set free the dreams of our people.Cures to illnesses that have always plagued us are not too much to hope.American footprints on distant worlds are not too big a dream.Millions lifted from welfare to work is not too much to expect.And streets where mothers are safe from fear schools where children learn in peace and jobs where Americans prosper and grow are not too much to ask.When we have all of this, we will have made America greater than ever before.For all Americans.This is our vision.This is our mission.But we can only get there together.We are one people, with one destiny.We all bleed the same blood.We all salute the same flag.And we are all made by the same God.And when we fulfill this vision; when we celebrateour 250 years of glorious freedom, we will look back on tonight as when this new chapter of American Greatness began.The time for small thinking is over.The time for trivial fights is behind us.We just need the courage to share the dreams that fill our hearts.The bravery to express the hopes that stir our souls.And the confidence to turn those hopes and dreams to action.From now on, America will be empowered by our aspirations not burdened by our fears. Inspired by the future not bound by the failures of the past. And guided by our vision not blinded by our doubts.I am asking all citizens to embrace this Renewal of the American Spirit.I am asking all members of Congress to join me in Dreaming Big, and Bold and Daring things for our country.And I am asking everyone watching tonightto seize this moment and Believe In Yourselves.Believe In Your Future.And Believe, Once More, In America.Thank you, God bless you, and God Bless these United States

Title: PRESIDENT TRUMP’S SPEECH: “BELIEVE IN YOURSELF”…”BELIEVE IN AMERICA”. Text: THE TRANSCRIPT OF PRESIDENT TRUMP S SPEECH TO CONGRESS: THE VIDEOS ARE BELOWMr. Speaker, Mr. Vice President, Members of Congress, the First Lady of the United States, and Citizens of America: Tonight, as we mark the conclusion of our celebration of Black History Month, we are reminded of our nation s path toward civil rights and the work that still remains.Recent threats targeting Jewish Community Centers and vandalism of Jewish cemeteries, as well as last week s shooting in Kansas City, remind us that while we may be a nation divided on policies, we are a country that stands united in condemning hate and evil in all its forms.Each American generation passes the torch of truth, liberty and justice in an unbroken chain all the way down to the present. That torch is now in our hands, and we will use it to light up the world.I am here tonight to deliver a message of unity and strength, and it is a message deeply delivered from my heart.A new chapter of American Greatness is now beginning.A new national pride is sweeping across our nation.And a new surge of optimism is placing impossible dreams firmly within our grasp.What we are witnessing today is the Renewal of the American Spirit. Our allies will find that America is once again ready to lead.All the nations of the world friend or foe will find that America is strong, America is proud, and America is free.In 9 years, The United States will celebrate the 250th anniversary of our Founding 250 years since the day we declared our Independence.It will be one of the great milestones in the history of the world. But what will America look like as we reach our 250th year? What kind of country will we leave for our children?I will not allow the mistakes of recent decades past to define the course of our future. For too long, we ve watched our middle class shrink as we ve exported our jobs and wealth to foreign countries. We ve financed and built one global project after another, but ignored the fates of our children in the inner cities of Chicago, Baltimore, Detroit and so many other places throughout our land.We ve defended the borders of other nations, while leaving our own borders wide open, for anyone to cross and for drugs to pour in at a now unprecedented rate.And we ve spent trillions of dollars overseas, while our infrastructure at home has so badly crumbled.Then, in 2016, the earth shifted beneath our feet.The rebellion started as a quiet protest, spoken by families of all colors and creeds families who just wanted a fair shot for their children, and a fair hearing for their concerns.But then the quiet voices became a loud chorus as thousands of citizens now spoke out together, from cities small and large, all across our country.Finally, the chorus became an earthquake and the people turned out by the tens of millions, and they were all united by one very simple, but crucial demand, that America must put its own citizens first because only then, can we truly, MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN. PART 1 OF THE SPEECH: Dying industries will come roaring back to life. Heroic Veterans will get the care they so desperately need.Our military will be given the resources its brave warriors so richly deserve.Crumbling infrastructure will be replaced with new roads, bridges, tunnels, airports and railways gleaming across our beautiful land.Our terrible drug epidemic will slow down and ultimately, stop. And our neglected inner cities will see a rebirth of hope, safety and opportunity.Above all else, we will keep our promises to the American People.It s been a little over a month since my inauguration, and I want to take this moment to update the nation on the progress I ve made in keeping those promises.Since my election, Ford, Fiat-Chrysler, General Motors, Sprint, Softbank, Lockheed, Intel, Walmart and many others, have announced that they will invest billions of dollars in the United States and will create tens of thousands of new American jobs.The stock market has gained almost $3 trillion in value since the election on November 8th, a record. We ve saved taxpayers hundreds of millions of dollars by bringing down the price of the fantastic new F-35 jet fighter, and will be saving billions more dollars on contracts all across our government.We have placed a hiring freeze on non-military and non-essential federal workers.We have begun to drain the swamp of government corruption by imposing a five-year ban on lobbying by Executive Branch officials and a lifetime ban on becoming lobbyists for a foreign government.We have undertaken a historic effort to eliminate job-crushing regulations, creating a deregulation task force inside of every government agency; imposing a new rule which mandates that for every one new regulation, two old regulations must be eliminated; and stopping a regulation that threatens the future and livelihoods of our great coal miners.We have cleared the way for the construction of the Keystone and Dakota Access Pipelines thereby creating tens of thousands of jobs and I ve issued a new directive that new American pipelines be made with American steel.We have withdrawn the United States from the job-killing Trans-Pacific Partnership.With the help of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, we have formed a council with our neighbors in Canada to help ensure that women entrepreneurs have access to the networks, markets and capital they need to start a business and live out their financial dreams.To protect our citizens, I have directed the Department of Justice to form a Task Force on ReducingViolent Crime.I have further ordered the Departments of Homeland Security and Justice, along with the Department of State and the Director of National Intelligence, to coordinate an aggressive strategy to dismantle the Criminal Cartels that have spread across our nation.We will stop the drugs from pouring into our country and poisoning our youth and we will expand treatment for those who have become so badly addicted.At the same time, my Administration has answered the pleas of the American people for immigration enforcement and border security.By finally enforcing our immigration laws, we will raise wages, help the unemployed, save billions of dollars, and make our communities safer for everyone.We want all Americans to succeed but that can t happen in an environment of lawless chaos.We must restore integrity and the rule of law to our borders.For that reason, we will soon begin the construction of a Great Wall along our Southern Border. As we speak, we are removing gang members, drug dealers and criminals that threaten our communities and prey on our citizens.Bad ones are going out as I speak tonight and as I have promised.To any in Congress who do not believe we should enforce our laws, I would ask you this question: What would you say to the American family that loses their jobs, their income or a loved one, because America refused to uphold its laws and defend its borders?Our obligation is to serve, protect and defend the citizens of the United states.We are also taking strong measures to protect our nation from Radical Islamic Terrorism.According to data provided by the Department of Justice, the vast majority of individuals convicted for terrorism-related offenses since 9/11 came here from outside of our country.We have seen the attacks at home from Boston to San Bernardino to the Pentagon and yes, even the World Trade Center.We have seen the attacks in France, in Belgium, in Germany and all over the world.It is not compassionate, but reckless, to allow uncontrolled entry from places where proper vetting cannot occur.Those given the high honor of admission to the United States, should support this country and love its people and its values.We cannot allow a beachhead of terrorism to form inside America we cannot allow our nation to become a sanctuary for extremists.That is why my Administration has been working on improved vetting procedures, and we will shortly take new steps to keep our nation safe and to keep out those who would do us harm.As promised, I directed the Department of Defense to develop a plan to demolish and destroy ISIS a network of lawless savages that have slaughtered Muslims and Christians, and men, women, and children of all faiths and beliefs.We will work with our allies, including our friends and allies in the Muslim World, to extinguish this vile enemy from our planet.I have also imposed new sanctions on entities and individuals who support Iran s ballistic missile program, and reaffirmed our unbreakable alliance with the State of Israel.Finally, I have kept my promise to appoint a Justice to the United States Supreme Court from my list of 20 judges who will defend our Constitution.I am honored to have Maureen Scalia with us in the gallery tonight.Her late, great husband, Antonin Scalia, will forever be a symbol of American Justice.To fill his seat, we have chosen Judge Neil Gorsuch, a man of incredible skill, and deep devotion to the law.He was confirmed unanimously to the Court of Appeals, and I am asking the Senate to swiftly approve his nomination.Tonight, as I outline the next steps we must take as country, we must honestly acknowledge the circumstances we inherited.Ninety-four million Americans are out of the labor force.Over 43 million people are now living in poverty, and over 43 million Americans are on food stamps.More than one in five people in their prime-working years are not working.We have the worst financial recovery in 65 years.In the last 8 years, the past Administration has put on more new debt than nearly all other Presidents combined.We ve lost more than one-fourth of our manufacturing jobs since NAFTA was approved, and we ve lost 60,000 factories since China joined the World Trade Organization in 2001.Our trade deficit in goods with the world last year was nearly $800 billion dollars.And overseas, we have inherited a series of tragic foreign policy disasters.Solving these, and so many other pressing problems, will require us to work past the differences of Party.It will require us to tap into the American Spirit that has overcome every challenge throughout our long and storied history.president-trump-sou-3But to accomplish our goals at home and abroad, we must restart the engine of the American Economy making it easier for companies to do business in the United States, and much harder for companies to leave.Right now, American companies are taxed at one of the highest rates anywhere in the world.My economic team is developing historic tax reform that will reduce the tax rate on our companies so they can compete and thrive anywhere and with anyone.At the same time, we will provide massive tax relief for the middle class.We must create a level playing field for American companies and workers.Currently, when we ship products out of America, many other countries make us pay very high tariffs and taxes but when foreign companies ship their products into America, we charge them almost nothing.I just met with officials and workers from a great American company, Harley Davidson.In fact, they proudly displayed five of their magnificent motorcycles, made in the USA, on the front lawn of the White House.At our meeting, I asked them, how are you doing, how is business?They said that it s good.I asked them further how they are doing with other countries, mainly international sales.They told me without even complaining because they have been mistreated for so long that they have become used to it that it is very hard to do business with other countries because they tax our goods at such a high rate.They said that in one case another country taxed their motorcycles at 100 percent.They weren t even asking for change.But I am.I believe strongly in free trade but it also has to be FAIR TRADE.The first Republican President, Abraham Lincoln, warned that The abandonment of the protective policy by the American government will produce want and ruin among our people. Lincoln was right and it is time we heeded his words.I am not going to let America and its great companies and workers, be taken advantage of anymore.I am going to bring back millions of jobs.Protecting our workers also means reforming our system of legal immigration.The current, outdated system depresses wages for our poorest workers, and putsgreat pressure on taxpayers.Nations around the world, like Canada, Australia and many others have a merit-based immigration system.It is a basic principle that those seeking to enter a country ought to be able to support themselves financially.Yet, in America, we do not enforce this rule, straining the very public resources that our poorest citizens rely upon.According to the National Academy of Sciences, our current immigration system costs America s taxpayers many billions of dollars a year.Switching away from this current system of lower-skilled immigration, and instead adopting a merit-based system, will have many benefits: It will save countless dollars, raise workers wages, and help struggling families including immigrant families enter the middle class.I believe that real and positive immigration reform is possible, as long as we focus on the following goals: To improve jobs and wages for Americans, to strengthen our nation s security, and to restore respect for our laws.If we are guided by the well-being of American citizens, instead of the unusual special interests, then I believe Republicans and Democrats can work together to achieve an outcome that has eluded our country for decades.Another Republican President, Dwight D. Eisenhower, initiated the last truly great national infrastructure program the building of the interstate highway system.The time has come for a new program of national rebuilding.America has spent approximately $6 trillion in the Middle East, all this while our infrastructure at home is crumbling.With this $6 trillion we could have rebuilt our country twice.And maybe even three times if we had people who had the ability to negotiate.To launch our national rebuilding, I will be asking Congress to approve legislation that produces a $1 trillion dollar investment in the infrastructure of the United States financed through both public and private capital creating millions of new jobs.This effort will be guided by two core principles: Buy American, and Hire American.Tonight, I am also calling on this Congress to REPEAL AND REPLACE OBAMACARE, with reforms that expand choice, increase access, lower costs, and at the same time, provide better healthcare.Mandating every American to buy government-approved health insurance was never the right solution for America.The way to make health insurance available to everyone is to lower the cost of health insurance, and that is what we will do.Obamacare premiums nationwide have increased by double and triple digits as an example, Arizona went up 116% last year alone.Governor Matt Bevin of Kentucky just said Obamacare is failing in his state it is unsustainable and collapsing.One third of counties have only one insurer on the exchanges leaving many Americans with no choice at all.Remember when you were told that you could keep your doctor, and keep your plan?We now know that all of those promises have been broken.Obamacare is collapsing and we must act decisively to protect all Americans.Action is not a choice it is a necessity.So I am calling on all Democrats and Republicans in Congress to work with us to save Americans from this imploding Obamacare disaster.Here are the principles that should guide Congress as we move to create a better healthcare system for all Americans: First, we should ensure that Americans with pre-existing conditions have access to coverage, and that we have a stable transition for Americans currently enrolled in the healthcare exchanges.Secondly, we should help Americans purchase their own coverage, through the use of tax credits and expanded Health Savings Accounts but it must be the plan they want, not the plan forced on them by the government.Thirdly, we should give our state governors the resources and flexibility they need with Medicaid to make sure no one is left out.Fourth, we should implement legal reforms that protect patients and doctors from unnecessary costs that drive up the price of insurance and work to bring down the artificially high price of drugs, and bring them down immediately.Finally, the time has come to give Americans the freedom to purchase health insurance across state lines creating a truly competitive national marketplace that will bring cost way down and provide far better care.Everything that is broken in our country can be fixed.Every problem can be solved.And every hurting family can find healing, and hope.Our citizens deserve this, and so much more so why not join forces to finally get it done?On this and so many other things, Democrats and Republicans should get together and unite for the good of our country, and for the good of the American people.My administration wants to work with members in both parties to make childcare accessible and affordable, to help ensure new parents have Paid Family Leave, to invest in women s health, and to promote clean air and clear water, and to rebuild our military and our infrastructure.True love for our people requires us to find common ground, to advance the common good, and to cooperate on behalf of every American child who deserves a brighter future.An incredible young woman is with us this evening who should serve as an inspiration to us all.Today is Rare Disease day, and joining us in the gallery is a Rare Disease Survivor, Megan Crowley.Megan was diagnosed with Pompay Disease, a rare and serious illness when she was 15 months old.She was not expected to live past five.On receiving this news, Megan s dad, John, fought with everything he had to save the life of his precious child.He founded a company to look for a cure, and helped develop the drug that saved Megan s life.Today she is 20 years old and a sophomore at Notre Dame.Megan s story is about the unbounded power of a father s love for a daughter.But our slow and burdensome approval process at the Food and Drug Administration keeps too many advances, like the one that saved Megan s life, from reaching those in need.If we slash the restraints, not just at the FDA, but across our government, then we will be blessed with far more miracles like Megan.In fact, our children will grow up in a nation of miracles.But to achieve this future, we must enrich the mind and the souls of every American child.Education is the civil rights issue of our time.I am calling upon members of both parties to pass an education bill that funds school choice for disadvantaged youth, including millions of African-American and Latino children.These families should be free to choose the public, private, charter, magnet, religious or home school that is right for them.Joining us tonight in the gallery is a remarkable woman, Denisha Merriweather.As a young girl, Denisha struggled in school and failed third grade twice.But then she was able to enroll in a private center for learning with the help of a tax credit scholarship program.Today, she is the first in her family to graduate not just from high school, but from college.Later this year she will get her masters degree in social work.We want all children to be able to break the cycle of poverty just like Denisha.But to break the cycle of poverty, we must also break the cycle of violence.The murder rate in 2015 experienced its largest single-year increase in nearly half a century.In Chicago, more than 4,000 people were shot last year alone and the murder rate so far this year has been even higher.This is not acceptable in our society.Every American child should be able to grow up in a safe community, to attend a great school, and to have access to a high-paying job.But to create this future, we must work with not against the men and women of law enforcement.We must build bridges of cooperation and trust not drive the wedge of disunity and division.Police and sheriffs are members of our community.They are friends and neighbors, they are mothers and fathers, sons and daughters and they leave behind loved ones every day who worry whether or not they ll come home safe and sound.We must support the incredible men and women of law enforcement.And we must support the victims of crime.I have ordered the Department of Homeland Security to create an office to serve American victims.The office is called VOICE Victims Of Immigration Crime Engagement.We are providing a voice to those who have been ignored by our media, and silenced by special interests.Joining us in the audience tonight are four very brave Americans whose government failed them.Their names are Jamiel Shaw, Susan Oliver, Jenna Oliver, and Jessica Davis.Jamiel s 17-year-old son was viciously murdered by an illegal immigrant gang member, who had just been released from prison.Jamiel Shaw Jr. was an incredible young man, with unlimited potential who was getting ready to go to college where he would have excelled as a great quarterback.But he never got the chance.His father, who is in the audience tonight, has become a good friend of mine.Also with us are Susan Oliver and Jessica Davis.Their husbands Deputy Sheriff Danny Oliver and Detective Michael Davis were slain in the line of duty in California.They were pillars of their community.These brave men were viciously gunned down by an illegal immigrant with a criminal record and two prior deportations.Sitting with Susan is her daughter, Jenna.Jenna: I want you to know that your father was a hero, and that tonight you have the love of an entire country supporting you and praying for you.To Jamiel, Jenna, Susan and Jessica: I want you to know we will never stop fighting for justice your loved ones will never be forgotten, we will always honor their memory.Finally, to keep America Safe we must provide the men and women of the United States Military with the tools they need to prevent war and if they must TO FIGHT AND TO WIN.I am sending Congress a budget that rebuilds the military, eliminates the Defense Sequester, and calls for one of the largest increases in national defense spending in American history.My budget will also increase funding for our Veterans.Our Veterans have delivered for this nation and now we must deliver for them.The challenges we face as a nation are great.But our people are even greater.And none are greater or braver than those who fight for America in uniform.We are blessed to be joined tonight by Carryn Owens, the widow of a U.S. Navy Special Operator, Senior Chief William Ryan Owens.Ryan died as he lived: a warrior, and a hero battling against terrorism and securing our nation.I just spoke to General Mattis who reconfirmed that, and I quote, Ryan was a part of a highly successful raid that generated large amounts of vital intelligence that will lead to many more victories in the future against our enemies. Ryan s legacy is etched into eternity.For as the bible teaches us, there is no greater act of love than to lay down one s life for one s friends.Ryan laid down his life for his friends, for his country, and for our Freedom we will never forget him.To those allies who wonder what kind of friend America will be, look no further than the heroes who wear our uniform.Our foreign policy calls for a direct, robust and meaningful engagement with the world.It is American leadership based on vital security interests that we share with our allies across the globe.We strongly support NATO, an alliance forged through the bonds of two World Wars that dethroned fascism, and a Cold War that defeated communism.But our partners must meet their financial obligations.And now, based on our very strong and frank discussions, they are beginning to do just that.We expect our partners, whether in NATO, in the Middle East, or the Pacific to take a direct and meaningful role in both strategic and military operations, and pay their fair share of the cost.We will respect historic institutions, but we will also respect the sovereign rights of nations.Free nations are the best vehicle for expressing the will of the people and America respects the right of all nations to chart their own path.My job is not to represent the world.My job is to represent the United States of America.But we know that America is better off, when there is less conflict not more.We must learn from the mistakes of the past we have seen the war and destruction that have raged across our world.The only long-term solution for these humanitarian disasters is to create the conditions where displaced persons can safely return home and begin the long process of rebuilding.America is willing to find new friends, and to forge new partnerships, where shared interests align.We want harmony and stability, not war and conflict.We want peace, wherever peace can be found.America is friends today with former enemies.Some of our closest allies, decades ago, fought on the opposite side of these World Wars.This history should give us all faith in the possibilitiesfor a better world.Hopefully, the 250th year for America will see a world that is more peaceful, more just and more free.On our 100th anniversary, in 1876, citizens from across our nation came to Philadelphia to celebrate America s centennial.At that celebration, the country s builders and artists and inventors showed off their creations.Alexander Graham Bell displayed his telephone for the first time.Remington unveiled the first typewriter.An early attempt was made at electric light.Thomas Edison showed an automatic telegraph and an electric pen.Imagine the wonders our country could know in America s 250th year.Think of the marvels we can achieve if we simply set free the dreams of our people.Cures to illnesses that have always plagued us are not too much to hope.American footprints on distant worlds are not too big a dream.Millions lifted from welfare to work is not too much to expect.And streets where mothers are safe from fear schools where children learn in peace and jobs where Americans prosper and grow are not too much to ask.When we have all of this, we will have made America greater than ever before.For all Americans.This is our vision.This is our mission.But we can only get there together.We are one people, with one destiny.We all bleed the same blood.We all salute the same flag.And we are all made by the same God.And when we fulfill this vision; when we celebrateour 250 years of glorious freedom, we will look back on tonight as when this new chapter of American Greatness began.The time for small thinking is over.The time for trivial fights is behind us.We just need the courage to share the dreams that fill our hearts.The bravery to express the hopes that stir our souls.And the confidence to turn those hopes and dreams to action.From now on, America will be empowered by our aspirations not burdened by our fears. Inspired by the future not bound by the failures of the past. And guided by our vision not blinded by our doubts.I am asking all citizens to embrace this Renewal of the American Spirit.I am asking all members of Congress to join me in Dreaming Big, and Bold and Daring things for our country.And I am asking everyone watching tonightto seize this moment and Believe In Yourselves.Believe In Your Future.And Believe, Once More, In America.Thank you, God bless you, and God Bless these United States

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Macron calls for French food chain changes to help farmers

PARIS (Reuters) - President Emmanuel Macron called for changes to France s food chain on Wednesday to ensure that farmers, who have been hit by squeezed margins and a retail price war, are paid fairly. Macron said he supported a new type of contract, based on farmers production costs, which would require stronger producer organizations and a change in legislation. The changes are part of a wide field-to-fork review promised by Macron during his presidential campaign as he sought to appease farmers, an important constituency in French politics, who have also complained of excessive red tape. Last year a third of farmers earned less than 350 euros ($403) a month, the Agricultural Mutual Assistance Association (MSA) said, a third of the net minimum wage. Macron endorsed a proposal from the workshops to create a reversed contract starting from farmers, to food processors and to retailers. This would ensure a better spread of added value along the chain. We should allow farmers not to rely on subsidies anymore and therefore ensure than they be paid a fair amount for their work, Macron told farmers and food industry players at the Rungis food market near Paris. Prices are currently defined by buyers tempted to pressure prices, leaving many farmers unable to cover their costs. Answering a proposal by a majority of French retailers to raise the minimum prices they can charge on products, a move which they say could benefit those lower down the supply chain, Macron said he would limit it to food products and only favor if each sector proposes organization plans by year-end. Macron s office said on Tuesday he had delayed until the end of the year his decision on retailers proposal as he sought guarantees it will meet his promise to boost farm income and food quality while minimizing retail inflation. Raising the threshold of resale at a loss without asking for any effort, no accompaniment, no transformation, is a form of blank cheque, he added. Company and industry representatives, unions, non-governmental organizations and officials, gathered at the so-called Food Convention since the summer to discuss topics ranging from food quality to farm income and export strategy. A second phase will start next week with debates focusing on healthy, safe and sustainable food and will last until year-end. ($1 = 0.8449 euros)

Title: Macron calls for French food chain changes to help farmers. Text: PARIS (Reuters) - President Emmanuel Macron called for changes to France s food chain on Wednesday to ensure that farmers, who have been hit by squeezed margins and a retail price war, are paid fairly. Macron said he supported a new type of contract, based on farmers production costs, which would require stronger producer organizations and a change in legislation. The changes are part of a wide field-to-fork review promised by Macron during his presidential campaign as he sought to appease farmers, an important constituency in French politics, who have also complained of excessive red tape. Last year a third of farmers earned less than 350 euros ($403) a month, the Agricultural Mutual Assistance Association (MSA) said, a third of the net minimum wage. Macron endorsed a proposal from the workshops to create a reversed contract starting from farmers, to food processors and to retailers. This would ensure a better spread of added value along the chain. We should allow farmers not to rely on subsidies anymore and therefore ensure than they be paid a fair amount for their work, Macron told farmers and food industry players at the Rungis food market near Paris. Prices are currently defined by buyers tempted to pressure prices, leaving many farmers unable to cover their costs. Answering a proposal by a majority of French retailers to raise the minimum prices they can charge on products, a move which they say could benefit those lower down the supply chain, Macron said he would limit it to food products and only favor if each sector proposes organization plans by year-end. Macron s office said on Tuesday he had delayed until the end of the year his decision on retailers proposal as he sought guarantees it will meet his promise to boost farm income and food quality while minimizing retail inflation. Raising the threshold of resale at a loss without asking for any effort, no accompaniment, no transformation, is a form of blank cheque, he added. Company and industry representatives, unions, non-governmental organizations and officials, gathered at the so-called Food Convention since the summer to discuss topics ranging from food quality to farm income and export strategy. A second phase will start next week with debates focusing on healthy, safe and sustainable food and will last until year-end. ($1 = 0.8449 euros)

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WATCH THIS DEMOCRAT Call For Trump’s Impeachment With No Credible Reason Why [Video]

Spewing falsehoods has become the favorite pastime of Democrats It s really pitiful to watch Last night, following the release of the Washington Post fake news on Trump and Russia, several videos immediately came out repeating the same fake news. It s uncanny that the media could be so coordinated in their reports on President Trump Of course, we believe there s something to that.Two Congresscritters have come out to call for the impeachment of President Trump .With ZERO evidence of ANY wrongdoing, it s laughable One of our favorites is Maxine Waters but this next Congressman runs a close second. Al Green claims Trump was hobnobbing with the Russians Haha!Congressman Al Green just released a statement on why he believes President Trump should be impeached. This statement is laughable. Was Al Green elected because of his name? Voters can be that way, ya know This guy is the definition of clueless! Who elects these brainiacs?Rep. Maxine Waters (D-CA) has suggested impeachment during TV interviews, but Green is the first member of Congress to formally call for impeachment hearings.Green said Trump s own public statements showed he fired Comey over the Russia investigation, which he said was grounds for impeachment:Waters and Green are a total joke! These are just two of the jokers running Washington. This is truly scary.

Title: WATCH THIS DEMOCRAT Call For Trump’s Impeachment With No Credible Reason Why [Video]. Text: Spewing falsehoods has become the favorite pastime of Democrats It s really pitiful to watch Last night, following the release of the Washington Post fake news on Trump and Russia, several videos immediately came out repeating the same fake news. It s uncanny that the media could be so coordinated in their reports on President Trump Of course, we believe there s something to that.Two Congresscritters have come out to call for the impeachment of President Trump .With ZERO evidence of ANY wrongdoing, it s laughable One of our favorites is Maxine Waters but this next Congressman runs a close second. Al Green claims Trump was hobnobbing with the Russians Haha!Congressman Al Green just released a statement on why he believes President Trump should be impeached. This statement is laughable. Was Al Green elected because of his name? Voters can be that way, ya know This guy is the definition of clueless! Who elects these brainiacs?Rep. Maxine Waters (D-CA) has suggested impeachment during TV interviews, but Green is the first member of Congress to formally call for impeachment hearings.Green said Trump s own public statements showed he fired Comey over the Russia investigation, which he said was grounds for impeachment:Waters and Green are a total joke! These are just two of the jokers running Washington. This is truly scary.

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APPARENTLY “NEVER AGAIN” DOESN’T RESONATE WITH MAJORITY OF JEWS IN AMERICA, As Shocking Poll Shows Majority Of Jews Are Okay With Iran Deal

This is what happens when making abortion legal becomes more important than the threat of the elimination of your faith A new poll sponsored by the Los Angeles Jewish Journal reveals that a strong plurality of American Jews support the Iran nuclear deal, 49% to 31%. That compares to much smaller support among Americans in general, who split 28% to 24% for the deal. When asked if Congress should vote for the deal, most American Jews say yes, 53% to 35% (as compared to a 41% to 38% among Americans in general). The poll included 1,000 adults, split between Jews and non-Jews, and was conducted via telephone (and cell phone) from July 16 through July 20.The results among American Jews contrast with polls among Israeli Jews, who are strongly against the Iran deal. A recent poll of Israeli Jews indicated that 78% believe the Iran deal endangers the country. A strong plurality of Israeli Jews favored a military strike against Iran, 47% to 35%. The rift, says Jewish Journal columnist Shmuel Rosner, is the first damaging impact of a troubling agreement with Iran. One obvious reason for the split is that Israeli Jews are directly exposed to the threat of a nuclear Iran. American Jews, for whom Israel is an issue of diminishing importance, view the Iran deal primarily through the prism of domestic politics. Aside from blacks, American Jews are the most loyal supporters of President Barack Obama.Rosner notes: Jews like most other humans tend to understand the world in a way that is compatible with their beliefs.If they support Obama, they believe Obama. If they believe Obama, they also believe him when he says that the deal is good for Israel s security. Rosner s conclusion is supported by one of the most interesting results of the poll: among those American Jews who don t know whether the Iran deal will make Israel safer, 66% favor the deal while only 8% do not.Via: Breitbart News

Title: APPARENTLY “NEVER AGAIN” DOESN’T RESONATE WITH MAJORITY OF JEWS IN AMERICA, As Shocking Poll Shows Majority Of Jews Are Okay With Iran Deal. Text: This is what happens when making abortion legal becomes more important than the threat of the elimination of your faith A new poll sponsored by the Los Angeles Jewish Journal reveals that a strong plurality of American Jews support the Iran nuclear deal, 49% to 31%. That compares to much smaller support among Americans in general, who split 28% to 24% for the deal. When asked if Congress should vote for the deal, most American Jews say yes, 53% to 35% (as compared to a 41% to 38% among Americans in general). The poll included 1,000 adults, split between Jews and non-Jews, and was conducted via telephone (and cell phone) from July 16 through July 20.The results among American Jews contrast with polls among Israeli Jews, who are strongly against the Iran deal. A recent poll of Israeli Jews indicated that 78% believe the Iran deal endangers the country. A strong plurality of Israeli Jews favored a military strike against Iran, 47% to 35%. The rift, says Jewish Journal columnist Shmuel Rosner, is the first damaging impact of a troubling agreement with Iran. One obvious reason for the split is that Israeli Jews are directly exposed to the threat of a nuclear Iran. American Jews, for whom Israel is an issue of diminishing importance, view the Iran deal primarily through the prism of domestic politics. Aside from blacks, American Jews are the most loyal supporters of President Barack Obama.Rosner notes: Jews like most other humans tend to understand the world in a way that is compatible with their beliefs.If they support Obama, they believe Obama. If they believe Obama, they also believe him when he says that the deal is good for Israel s security. Rosner s conclusion is supported by one of the most interesting results of the poll: among those American Jews who don t know whether the Iran deal will make Israel safer, 66% favor the deal while only 8% do not.Via: Breitbart News

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Democratic champion of 1986 tax reform says Trump plan may backfire

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Former U.S. Senator Bill Bradley, a Democrat who helped bring about former Republican President Ronald Reagan’s bipartisan tax reform more than 30 years ago, said on Wednesday that President Donald Trump’s tax plan could backfire on Republicans. Bradley said the lack of detail in the nine-page plan and the ambitious goal of passing legislation before January could give lawmakers little time to digest the implications of the tax overhaul. The details are expected to be unveiled next week when lawmakers introduce legislation. “That’s like handing somebody a Molotov cocktail with the fuse going,” he told Reuters in an interview. “Nobody will know what it is. You hand this to somebody. They’re supposed to vote. Then they vote and the whole thing explodes,” said Bradley who represented New Jersey and was a former professional basketball star and presidential candidate. As a senator, Bradley co-sponsored a bill in 1983 that moved Reagan and Congress toward tax reform. He worked with the Republican administration and a Republican-led Senate to get a final bill enacted. By contrast, Trump and senior Republicans plan to pass their bill over a span of several weeks with little support from Democrats. Earlier on Wednesday, House of Representatives Speaker Paul Ryan lamented the absence of “Bill Bradley Democrats” in Congress, saying in a separate Reuters interview that the Republican plan would see significant bipartisan support if today’s Democrats were more like Bradley. But Bradley criticized Republicans for not providing details to Democrats and for pursuing a tax reform plan that he said lacks concrete principles and an effective strategy. “We haven’t seen anything specific. In the 1980s, you had three separate extremely detailed proposals,” Bradley said, referring to two in-depth Treasury Department reports on tax reform and his own legislation. The Senate Finance Committee also held more than 30 days of hearings. “You can’t work bipartisan unless you have something to work with,” Bradley added. “And the whole strategy is, ‘Do what I say or I’m going to come into your state and defeat you.’ That’s the whole strategy. That’s not a strategy. What about the country?” Bradley dismissed Trump’s four principles of tax reform: simplification; middle-class tax relief; international repatriation and competitive business tax rates. “Those aren’t principles. Those are objectives,” Bradley said. In the 1980s, lawmakers’ tax reform principles included equal incomes having equal taxes, those who earn more paying more in tax and the market as the best allocator of resources. Since Reagan, other presidents and Congresses have tried to thoroughly reform the tax code, but all have failed. Democrats and Republicans generally agree the code is too complex and inefficient. But each of its many tax breaks is zealously defended by lobbyists and lawmakers representing special interests, making comprehensive reform difficult. Bradley’s advice to Trump and Republicans? “Put something out and wait three months, four months, five months. See what the reaction is. And then you’re probably going to have to modify it because certain things are not going to work,” he said.

Title: Democratic champion of 1986 tax reform says Trump plan may backfire. Text: WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Former U.S. Senator Bill Bradley, a Democrat who helped bring about former Republican President Ronald Reagan’s bipartisan tax reform more than 30 years ago, said on Wednesday that President Donald Trump’s tax plan could backfire on Republicans. Bradley said the lack of detail in the nine-page plan and the ambitious goal of passing legislation before January could give lawmakers little time to digest the implications of the tax overhaul. The details are expected to be unveiled next week when lawmakers introduce legislation. “That’s like handing somebody a Molotov cocktail with the fuse going,” he told Reuters in an interview. “Nobody will know what it is. You hand this to somebody. They’re supposed to vote. Then they vote and the whole thing explodes,” said Bradley who represented New Jersey and was a former professional basketball star and presidential candidate. As a senator, Bradley co-sponsored a bill in 1983 that moved Reagan and Congress toward tax reform. He worked with the Republican administration and a Republican-led Senate to get a final bill enacted. By contrast, Trump and senior Republicans plan to pass their bill over a span of several weeks with little support from Democrats. Earlier on Wednesday, House of Representatives Speaker Paul Ryan lamented the absence of “Bill Bradley Democrats” in Congress, saying in a separate Reuters interview that the Republican plan would see significant bipartisan support if today’s Democrats were more like Bradley. But Bradley criticized Republicans for not providing details to Democrats and for pursuing a tax reform plan that he said lacks concrete principles and an effective strategy. “We haven’t seen anything specific. In the 1980s, you had three separate extremely detailed proposals,” Bradley said, referring to two in-depth Treasury Department reports on tax reform and his own legislation. The Senate Finance Committee also held more than 30 days of hearings. “You can’t work bipartisan unless you have something to work with,” Bradley added. “And the whole strategy is, ‘Do what I say or I’m going to come into your state and defeat you.’ That’s the whole strategy. That’s not a strategy. What about the country?” Bradley dismissed Trump’s four principles of tax reform: simplification; middle-class tax relief; international repatriation and competitive business tax rates. “Those aren’t principles. Those are objectives,” Bradley said. In the 1980s, lawmakers’ tax reform principles included equal incomes having equal taxes, those who earn more paying more in tax and the market as the best allocator of resources. Since Reagan, other presidents and Congresses have tried to thoroughly reform the tax code, but all have failed. Democrats and Republicans generally agree the code is too complex and inefficient. But each of its many tax breaks is zealously defended by lobbyists and lawmakers representing special interests, making comprehensive reform difficult. Bradley’s advice to Trump and Republicans? “Put something out and wait three months, four months, five months. See what the reaction is. And then you’re probably going to have to modify it because certain things are not going to work,” he said.

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LEFTIST ACTRESS ALYSSA MILANO Gets BLASTED On Twitter For Calling President Trump’s “National Prayer Day” For TX Hurricane Victims: “National A**hole Day”

Last week, President Trump announced that by Presidential proclamation, Sunday, September 3, would be known as a National Day of Prayer for the Texas victims of Hurricane Harvey. He asked all Americans to pray for the victims who, in many cases, lost everything. It was a beautiful gesture that was met with positivity by many Americans of faith.Here is President Trump s tweet asking people to pray for the victims, reminding them: Remember, Sunday is National Prayer Day (by Presidential Proclamation)! Remember, Sunday is National Prayer Day (by Presidential Proclamation)! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 3, 2017Of course, even asking Americans to pray for their fellow Americans who are suffering was more than at least one Hollywood liberal could bear. Has been actress turned leftist activist, Alyssa Milano, whose short stint at fame took place much earlier in her career when she had starring roles in Who s the Boss?, Melrose Place and Charmed took to Twitter to rename President Trump s National Day of Prayer by telling her followers: Remember, Sunday is National Asshole Day (by Presidential Proclamation)!Remember, Sunday is National Asshole Day (by Presidential Proclamation)! https://t.co/1DlYAJiEAa Alyssa Milano (@Alyssa_Milano) September 4, 2017Milano was immediately rebuffed on Twitter by people who were disgusted by her tweet:What's wrong with prayer? No matter who suggested it! TabzKatz (@KatzTabz) September 4, 2017National Day of Prayer was about praying for ppl hurting from hurricane Harvey. Shame on you for making it about your hatred for Trump! WellBlessYourHeart (@kc2775) September 5, 2017This Twitter user told Milano that her tweet was the ugliest tweet ever posted on Twitter. She went on to tell Milano that, You have lost yourself & your moral compass due to your hateful heart. This is the ugliest tweet ever posted on Twitter. Just absolutely foul. You have lost yourself & moral compass due to your hateful heart. CovfefeNanceBased (@NancyLCouch1) September 5, 2017There is no more room in the world for hate or HYPOCRICY Love is love And prayers & religion isn't a bad thing Its people who manipulate it TeamZayn (@ZLNLH0009) September 5, 2017This Twitter user used an image to let Milano know what they think of opinions by celebrities. pic.twitter.com/jgdtGLQpRw Deplorable KVT (@sgtkvt) September 5, 2017This Twitter user reminded the broke actress that maybe she should stop worrying about President Trump and pay her taxes:Way to keep killing your career. You think you are broke now ..https://t.co/l68c3q30CX Long little doggie (@54Doggie) September 5, 2017

Title: LEFTIST ACTRESS ALYSSA MILANO Gets BLASTED On Twitter For Calling President Trump’s “National Prayer Day” For TX Hurricane Victims: “National A**hole Day”. Text: Last week, President Trump announced that by Presidential proclamation, Sunday, September 3, would be known as a National Day of Prayer for the Texas victims of Hurricane Harvey. He asked all Americans to pray for the victims who, in many cases, lost everything. It was a beautiful gesture that was met with positivity by many Americans of faith.Here is President Trump s tweet asking people to pray for the victims, reminding them: Remember, Sunday is National Prayer Day (by Presidential Proclamation)! Remember, Sunday is National Prayer Day (by Presidential Proclamation)! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 3, 2017Of course, even asking Americans to pray for their fellow Americans who are suffering was more than at least one Hollywood liberal could bear. Has been actress turned leftist activist, Alyssa Milano, whose short stint at fame took place much earlier in her career when she had starring roles in Who s the Boss?, Melrose Place and Charmed took to Twitter to rename President Trump s National Day of Prayer by telling her followers: Remember, Sunday is National Asshole Day (by Presidential Proclamation)!Remember, Sunday is National Asshole Day (by Presidential Proclamation)! https://t.co/1DlYAJiEAa Alyssa Milano (@Alyssa_Milano) September 4, 2017Milano was immediately rebuffed on Twitter by people who were disgusted by her tweet:What's wrong with prayer? No matter who suggested it! TabzKatz (@KatzTabz) September 4, 2017National Day of Prayer was about praying for ppl hurting from hurricane Harvey. Shame on you for making it about your hatred for Trump! WellBlessYourHeart (@kc2775) September 5, 2017This Twitter user told Milano that her tweet was the ugliest tweet ever posted on Twitter. She went on to tell Milano that, You have lost yourself & your moral compass due to your hateful heart. This is the ugliest tweet ever posted on Twitter. Just absolutely foul. You have lost yourself & moral compass due to your hateful heart. CovfefeNanceBased (@NancyLCouch1) September 5, 2017There is no more room in the world for hate or HYPOCRICY Love is love And prayers & religion isn't a bad thing Its people who manipulate it TeamZayn (@ZLNLH0009) September 5, 2017This Twitter user used an image to let Milano know what they think of opinions by celebrities. pic.twitter.com/jgdtGLQpRw Deplorable KVT (@sgtkvt) September 5, 2017This Twitter user reminded the broke actress that maybe she should stop worrying about President Trump and pay her taxes:Way to keep killing your career. You think you are broke now ..https://t.co/l68c3q30CX Long little doggie (@54Doggie) September 5, 2017

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Texas attorney general backs Trump in travel ban litigation

(Reuters) - President Donald Trump acted well within his authority in issuing his executive order on immigration, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton told a federal appeals court on Wednesday. Paxton, a Republican, attached a brief in asking the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in California for permission to argue in support of Trump’s temporary ban on travelers from seven predominantly Muslim countries. Texas is the first state to back Trump in the closely watched litigation. A group of 15 states and the District of Columbia have filed papers with the appeals court in support of Washington state’s challenge to Trump’s Jan. 27 order, saying it harms their educational institutions and economies. Paxton said the full court should reconsider whether a lower court judge was justified in halting the ban. U.S. District Judge James Robart in Seattle suspended Trump’s order across the country on Feb. 3. Washington state argued that it violated constitutional protections against religious discrimination. That ruling was upheld by a three-judge panel of the 9th Circuit in San Francisco last week, raising questions about Trump’s next step. The appeals court will soon vote on whether to reconsider the case with an 11-judge panel. Trump’s directive, which he said was necessary to protect the United States from attacks by Islamist militants, barred people from Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen from entering the country for 90 days. Refugees were banned for 120 days, except those from Syria, who were banned indefinitely. The rulings put the order on hold until the courts can rule on the underlying merits. Ultimately, they will have to address questions about the extent of the president’s power on matters of immigration and national security. Traditionally, judges have been extremely cautious about stepping on the executive branch’s authority in such matters, legal experts said. In the brief, Paxton said the order had a clear national security goal, to ensure proper vetting of foreigners seeking entry into the United States. It “reflects national-security interests implicated by the ongoing War on Terror against radical Islamic terrorists.” Paxton rejected any claim that the order discriminates against Muslims while favoring Christian minorities. If that argument is accepted, he said, it would jeopardize the government’s ability to help persecuted religious minorities abroad by granting them refugee status. Texas led the legal fight against President Barack Obama’s plan to protect up to four million immigrants from deportation, joined by 25 other Republican-led states. The challengers won a February 2015 nationwide injunction blocking the program before it was due to go into effect.  In June 2016, the Supreme Court split 4-4 in the case, leaving in place an appeals court ruling in favor of the states.. A major question in that litigation was whether Texas had legal standing to sue, an issue that the Supreme Court did not resolve. In Wednesday’s brief, Texas did not address whether Washington and other states had standing to sue over Trump’s ban.

Title: Texas attorney general backs Trump in travel ban litigation. Text: (Reuters) - President Donald Trump acted well within his authority in issuing his executive order on immigration, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton told a federal appeals court on Wednesday. Paxton, a Republican, attached a brief in asking the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in California for permission to argue in support of Trump’s temporary ban on travelers from seven predominantly Muslim countries. Texas is the first state to back Trump in the closely watched litigation. A group of 15 states and the District of Columbia have filed papers with the appeals court in support of Washington state’s challenge to Trump’s Jan. 27 order, saying it harms their educational institutions and economies. Paxton said the full court should reconsider whether a lower court judge was justified in halting the ban. U.S. District Judge James Robart in Seattle suspended Trump’s order across the country on Feb. 3. Washington state argued that it violated constitutional protections against religious discrimination. That ruling was upheld by a three-judge panel of the 9th Circuit in San Francisco last week, raising questions about Trump’s next step. The appeals court will soon vote on whether to reconsider the case with an 11-judge panel. Trump’s directive, which he said was necessary to protect the United States from attacks by Islamist militants, barred people from Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen from entering the country for 90 days. Refugees were banned for 120 days, except those from Syria, who were banned indefinitely. The rulings put the order on hold until the courts can rule on the underlying merits. Ultimately, they will have to address questions about the extent of the president’s power on matters of immigration and national security. Traditionally, judges have been extremely cautious about stepping on the executive branch’s authority in such matters, legal experts said. In the brief, Paxton said the order had a clear national security goal, to ensure proper vetting of foreigners seeking entry into the United States. It “reflects national-security interests implicated by the ongoing War on Terror against radical Islamic terrorists.” Paxton rejected any claim that the order discriminates against Muslims while favoring Christian minorities. If that argument is accepted, he said, it would jeopardize the government’s ability to help persecuted religious minorities abroad by granting them refugee status. Texas led the legal fight against President Barack Obama’s plan to protect up to four million immigrants from deportation, joined by 25 other Republican-led states. The challengers won a February 2015 nationwide injunction blocking the program before it was due to go into effect.  In June 2016, the Supreme Court split 4-4 in the case, leaving in place an appeals court ruling in favor of the states.. A major question in that litigation was whether Texas had legal standing to sue, an issue that the Supreme Court did not resolve. In Wednesday’s brief, Texas did not address whether Washington and other states had standing to sue over Trump’s ban.

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WATCH: Kellyanne Conway Pathetically Begs People To Buy Ivanka Trump’s Products On Fox News

Donald Trump is clearly using the office of the presidency to enrich himself and his family, a clear violation of the Constitution.In January, the retailer Nordstrom informed Ivanka Trump of their decision to drop her product line from their stores. A boycott of Ivanka s products and any retailer who sells them contributed to the decision. That s the way the free market works.But after the decision became public earlier this week Trump lost his shit over it on Wednesday.My daughter Ivanka has been treated so unfairly by @Nordstrom. She is a great person always pushing me to do the right thing! Terrible! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 8, 2017Nordstrom responded by announcing that the decision was made purely for business reasons and that Ivanka was informed last month and understood the choice they made. Since then, Nordstrom s stock has risen and other retailers have also dropped Ivanka s products.And so, Donald Trump sent Kellyanne Conway on Fox News on Thursday to give free advertising to Ivanka s business. They are using the most prominent woman in Donald Trump s life, Conway began. Using her, who has been a champion for empowerment of women in the workplace, to get to him. I think she s gone from 800 stores to a thousand stores, or a thousand places where you can buy. You can buy her goods online, she continued before literally telling Fox viewers to go buy her products. Go buy Ivanka s stuff is what I would tell you. I hate shopping, I m going to go get some myself today. This is just wonderful line. I own some of it. I fully I m going to give a free commercial here. Go buy it today, everybody. You can find it online. Here s the video via YouTube.Seriously. Kellyanne Conway actually shilled for Ivanka s products during an interview. This is not only an unconstitutional conflict of interest, it s completely unfair. Trump is literally using his platform to advertise his daughter s business, a business she was supposedly going to walk away from because she joined Trump s White House team. Clearly, she lied just like her daddy did.The fact that Conway appeared on Fox to advertise for the Trumps demonstrates that Donald Trump only sees the presidency as a way to enrich himself and his family. He doesn t give a damn about the economy or foreign policy or any other problems we face. He only cares about personal profit and this is proof of his selfishness.Featured Image: Yana Paskova/Getty Images

Title: WATCH: Kellyanne Conway Pathetically Begs People To Buy Ivanka Trump’s Products On Fox News. Text: Donald Trump is clearly using the office of the presidency to enrich himself and his family, a clear violation of the Constitution.In January, the retailer Nordstrom informed Ivanka Trump of their decision to drop her product line from their stores. A boycott of Ivanka s products and any retailer who sells them contributed to the decision. That s the way the free market works.But after the decision became public earlier this week Trump lost his shit over it on Wednesday.My daughter Ivanka has been treated so unfairly by @Nordstrom. She is a great person always pushing me to do the right thing! Terrible! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 8, 2017Nordstrom responded by announcing that the decision was made purely for business reasons and that Ivanka was informed last month and understood the choice they made. Since then, Nordstrom s stock has risen and other retailers have also dropped Ivanka s products.And so, Donald Trump sent Kellyanne Conway on Fox News on Thursday to give free advertising to Ivanka s business. They are using the most prominent woman in Donald Trump s life, Conway began. Using her, who has been a champion for empowerment of women in the workplace, to get to him. I think she s gone from 800 stores to a thousand stores, or a thousand places where you can buy. You can buy her goods online, she continued before literally telling Fox viewers to go buy her products. Go buy Ivanka s stuff is what I would tell you. I hate shopping, I m going to go get some myself today. This is just wonderful line. I own some of it. I fully I m going to give a free commercial here. Go buy it today, everybody. You can find it online. Here s the video via YouTube.Seriously. Kellyanne Conway actually shilled for Ivanka s products during an interview. This is not only an unconstitutional conflict of interest, it s completely unfair. Trump is literally using his platform to advertise his daughter s business, a business she was supposedly going to walk away from because she joined Trump s White House team. Clearly, she lied just like her daddy did.The fact that Conway appeared on Fox to advertise for the Trumps demonstrates that Donald Trump only sees the presidency as a way to enrich himself and his family. He doesn t give a damn about the economy or foreign policy or any other problems we face. He only cares about personal profit and this is proof of his selfishness.Featured Image: Yana Paskova/Getty Images

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Bette Midler’s Brilliant Tweet Perfectly Exposes The Sad Irony Of Jeb Bush’s Gun (TWEET)

Let s just say, hypothetically, that Donald Trump is right about something. Let s say that Jeb Bush is a low energy dweeb who nobody seems to want to get behind. Let s assume that Jeb Bush will, in fact, do or say anything to bring his campaign into double digits, with the exception of refraining from that goofy head tilt and nod thing he s got going on.If that were true, Jeb Bush would probably go the route of route of Ted Cruz, whose ripped off machine gun bacon stunt gave him a boost with hill folk and other rednecks who just love guns and bacon. If Jeb Bush were to do it, it wouldn t be wearing full camo so the bacon can t see the dangerous predator ready to kill it. At least the noble already-dead beast will not go to waste.Jeb Bush would post a picture of his beloved gun with the caption America, because Jeb Bush is a desperate fool at this point who would claim to be getting regular visits from Jesus Christ in a Volkswagen bus if it were trendy:America. pic.twitter.com/TeduJkwQF3 Jeb Bush (@JebBush) February 16, 2016How sad is that? That Jeb Bush could choose to Tweet that garbage goes miles in showing what he would look like in the White House. Not to mention he d look with his terrible posture firing that thing.Who better to school him on the sad irony of his nifty little gun than Bette Midler:Jeb Bush tweeted a pic of his handgun with the caption "America." With over 300 mass shootings last year, maybe that IS our national symbol. Bette Midler (@BetteMidler) February 17, 2016I mean seriously. Who couldn t see that coming? The Divine Miss M went ahead and pointed out the obvious, extremely disturbing elephant in the room that stupid Jeb tweets is sitting in guns are undeniably and embarrassingly American. Argue about the murder rate in Honduras all you want, conservatives. Show a picture of that gun to people around the world and ask them the first country that comes to mind.Bette Midler is incredibly insightful. Her laser-guided efforts to humiliate anything GOP are becoming legendary. It s always a pleasure to have her weigh in to make Jeb Bush look stupid.Featured images from Twitter screen captures

Title: Bette Midler’s Brilliant Tweet Perfectly Exposes The Sad Irony Of Jeb Bush’s Gun (TWEET). Text: Let s just say, hypothetically, that Donald Trump is right about something. Let s say that Jeb Bush is a low energy dweeb who nobody seems to want to get behind. Let s assume that Jeb Bush will, in fact, do or say anything to bring his campaign into double digits, with the exception of refraining from that goofy head tilt and nod thing he s got going on.If that were true, Jeb Bush would probably go the route of route of Ted Cruz, whose ripped off machine gun bacon stunt gave him a boost with hill folk and other rednecks who just love guns and bacon. If Jeb Bush were to do it, it wouldn t be wearing full camo so the bacon can t see the dangerous predator ready to kill it. At least the noble already-dead beast will not go to waste.Jeb Bush would post a picture of his beloved gun with the caption America, because Jeb Bush is a desperate fool at this point who would claim to be getting regular visits from Jesus Christ in a Volkswagen bus if it were trendy:America. pic.twitter.com/TeduJkwQF3 Jeb Bush (@JebBush) February 16, 2016How sad is that? That Jeb Bush could choose to Tweet that garbage goes miles in showing what he would look like in the White House. Not to mention he d look with his terrible posture firing that thing.Who better to school him on the sad irony of his nifty little gun than Bette Midler:Jeb Bush tweeted a pic of his handgun with the caption "America." With over 300 mass shootings last year, maybe that IS our national symbol. Bette Midler (@BetteMidler) February 17, 2016I mean seriously. Who couldn t see that coming? The Divine Miss M went ahead and pointed out the obvious, extremely disturbing elephant in the room that stupid Jeb tweets is sitting in guns are undeniably and embarrassingly American. Argue about the murder rate in Honduras all you want, conservatives. Show a picture of that gun to people around the world and ask them the first country that comes to mind.Bette Midler is incredibly insightful. Her laser-guided efforts to humiliate anything GOP are becoming legendary. It s always a pleasure to have her weigh in to make Jeb Bush look stupid.Featured images from Twitter screen captures

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Democrats Are Spending MILLIONS To Destroy Trump With These 2 Ads (VIDEO)

Democrats are days away from launching a multi-million dollar advertising campaign designed to completely destroy Donald Trump and render him impotent in the general election. The organization leading the charge will be Priorities USA, the Super PAC that backed President Obama s re-election campaign in 2012.The original plan was reportedly to start releasing ads after the California primary, but now the timetable has been moved up.Priorities USA will spend $6 million on ads between May 18 and June 8, hitting Trump in Ohio, Florida, Virginia and Nevada, all general election battleground states. The ads will try to do what no Republican could: Take down the businessman who beat a scrum of veteran politicians to all-but-win the Republican nomination. Respect is a more traditional ad, highlighting Trump s divisive speech, including his campaign rallies where he has gone after minorities, women, and Muslims among others. Speak showcases Trump s anti-woman comments, many of them from his appearances on shock jock Howard Stern s radio show. In the ad women are shown, sometimes with their families, mouthing along with Trump.Guy Cecil, the Clinton campaign veteran who runs the super PAC, appeared on MSNBC s The Rachel Maddow Show to debut the ads. He explained that while ads in the Republican primary had not stopped Trump, the effort began far too late in the process and often Republicans had been far too reluctant to go after the candidate.Priorities USA, in addition to its own focus groups and research, has also been using the Republican primary as a testing ground for what has and hasn t worked against Trump in the hopes of hitting on the winning formula that will hurt him as much as a similar campaign did against Mitt Romney in 2012.The group reportedly plans to spend at least $130 million in advertising over the next six months.Featured image via YouTube

Title: Democrats Are Spending MILLIONS To Destroy Trump With These 2 Ads (VIDEO). Text: Democrats are days away from launching a multi-million dollar advertising campaign designed to completely destroy Donald Trump and render him impotent in the general election. The organization leading the charge will be Priorities USA, the Super PAC that backed President Obama s re-election campaign in 2012.The original plan was reportedly to start releasing ads after the California primary, but now the timetable has been moved up.Priorities USA will spend $6 million on ads between May 18 and June 8, hitting Trump in Ohio, Florida, Virginia and Nevada, all general election battleground states. The ads will try to do what no Republican could: Take down the businessman who beat a scrum of veteran politicians to all-but-win the Republican nomination. Respect is a more traditional ad, highlighting Trump s divisive speech, including his campaign rallies where he has gone after minorities, women, and Muslims among others. Speak showcases Trump s anti-woman comments, many of them from his appearances on shock jock Howard Stern s radio show. In the ad women are shown, sometimes with their families, mouthing along with Trump.Guy Cecil, the Clinton campaign veteran who runs the super PAC, appeared on MSNBC s The Rachel Maddow Show to debut the ads. He explained that while ads in the Republican primary had not stopped Trump, the effort began far too late in the process and often Republicans had been far too reluctant to go after the candidate.Priorities USA, in addition to its own focus groups and research, has also been using the Republican primary as a testing ground for what has and hasn t worked against Trump in the hopes of hitting on the winning formula that will hurt him as much as a similar campaign did against Mitt Romney in 2012.The group reportedly plans to spend at least $130 million in advertising over the next six months.Featured image via YouTube

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JOHN BOLTON GETS IT: ‘This is the First Attempted Coup D’etat in America’s History’…Who’s Behind It? [Video]

Ambassador Bolton gets it! He and so many others see what s going on and how the left is trying to destroy the Trump administration Ambassador Bolton: They are trying to prove the administration is illegitimate.Lou Dobbs: That s what you can see.Ambassador Bolton: They are the ones who are illegitimate The Wall Street Journal says this is the first coup d tat in American History. It s a mini coup d tat but it goes right along with the idea that they should have won the election.. And one recalls the famous scene in the debate where during the debates where, I believe it was Chris Wallace, who asked both candidates if you lose will you accept the result LOU DOBBS WHO S BEHIND IT? THIS IS HUGE! Lou Dobbs joined Sean Hannity to discuss the constant effort to destroy President Trump. Dobbs has mentioned a coup before (SEE BELOW) but is doubling down on his concern that the deep state and lefty media are in a full court press to get Trump out of office ASAP.Lou Dobbs had this to say about the effort to destroy Trump: The double standard is more than that by a long measure. This is an effort to subvert the administration of President Donald Trump. It is nothing less. It is an effort by the Deep State to roll over a duly elected president and a legitimate government and to break the will of the American people. This is no longer about Republicans and Democrats, conservatives and liberals, this is about a full-on assault by the left, the Democratic party to absolutely carry out a coup d etat against President Trump.LOU DOBBS AND CLINTON CASH AUTHOR DISCUSS THE DEEP STATE AND THE EFFORT TO TAKE DOWN TRUMP: Never in American history has there been a more highly organized group of people, the deep state , attempting to subvert the will of the American people, in this case, the Trump presidency. Peter Schweizer discusses the efforts of the deep state , their conspiracy campaign against Donald Trump and its potential impact on President Trump s administration.TAKE NOTES AND CALL OUT YOUR CONGRESSMEN IF THEY RE NOT SUPPORTING PRESIDENT TRUMP!

Title: JOHN BOLTON GETS IT: ‘This is the First Attempted Coup D’etat in America’s History’…Who’s Behind It? [Video]. Text: Ambassador Bolton gets it! He and so many others see what s going on and how the left is trying to destroy the Trump administration Ambassador Bolton: They are trying to prove the administration is illegitimate.Lou Dobbs: That s what you can see.Ambassador Bolton: They are the ones who are illegitimate The Wall Street Journal says this is the first coup d tat in American History. It s a mini coup d tat but it goes right along with the idea that they should have won the election.. And one recalls the famous scene in the debate where during the debates where, I believe it was Chris Wallace, who asked both candidates if you lose will you accept the result LOU DOBBS WHO S BEHIND IT? THIS IS HUGE! Lou Dobbs joined Sean Hannity to discuss the constant effort to destroy President Trump. Dobbs has mentioned a coup before (SEE BELOW) but is doubling down on his concern that the deep state and lefty media are in a full court press to get Trump out of office ASAP.Lou Dobbs had this to say about the effort to destroy Trump: The double standard is more than that by a long measure. This is an effort to subvert the administration of President Donald Trump. It is nothing less. It is an effort by the Deep State to roll over a duly elected president and a legitimate government and to break the will of the American people. This is no longer about Republicans and Democrats, conservatives and liberals, this is about a full-on assault by the left, the Democratic party to absolutely carry out a coup d etat against President Trump.LOU DOBBS AND CLINTON CASH AUTHOR DISCUSS THE DEEP STATE AND THE EFFORT TO TAKE DOWN TRUMP: Never in American history has there been a more highly organized group of people, the deep state , attempting to subvert the will of the American people, in this case, the Trump presidency. Peter Schweizer discusses the efforts of the deep state , their conspiracy campaign against Donald Trump and its potential impact on President Trump s administration.TAKE NOTES AND CALL OUT YOUR CONGRESSMEN IF THEY RE NOT SUPPORTING PRESIDENT TRUMP!

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Commentary: Trump can't fight Islamic State without wading into Syria's war

Over the course of the U.S. presidential campaign, Donald Trump changed his mind on many issues. But he’s been consistent on one foreign policy question: he wants to end American support for Syrian opposition groups fighting Bashar al-Assad’s regime. Trump argues that the United States should expend all of its efforts on fighting Islamic State instead. "I’ve had an opposite view of many people regarding Syria,” Trump told the Wall Street Journal on Nov. 11, in his first interview after he won the White House. “My attitude was you’re fighting Syria, Syria is fighting ISIS, and you have to get rid of ISIS. Russia is now totally aligned with Syria, and now you have Iran, which is becoming powerful, because of us, is aligned with Syria. … Now we’re backing rebels against Syria, and we have no idea who these people are.” Even if Trump goes ahead with his threat to cut off aid to Syrian rebels fighting the Assad regime – especially those supported by a covert CIA program which provides training and anti-tank missiles – the president-elect will face another major test of his Syria policy soon after he’s inaugurated on Jan. 20. The United States is supporting two military campaigns simultaneously in Syria: one against Assad’s government and the other against Islamic State. Trump has made clear that he doesn’t view the fight against Assad as a U.S. priority. But will Trump continue a separate Pentagon support and training program for the Syrian Democratic Forces, a coalition of rebel groups, which is leading a ground offensive to oust Islamic State from the city of Raqqa, capital of its self-proclaimed caliphate? That campaign started on Nov. 6 with a mobilization of about 30,000 rebels to encircle Raqqa and cut it off from all sides, to deny Islamic State the ability to resupply weapons and fighters. The battle to push the jihadists out of Raqqa could take months. If it falters under a fledging Trump administration, Islamic State would have a safe base from which it would unleash new attacks in Syria and Iraq, and against the West. U.S. military planners pushed for the Raqqa offensive to start soon after the long-awaited invasion to recapture Iraq’s second-largest city, Mosul, from the militants began in mid-October. Pentagon officials say they fear that Islamic State operatives, including some who fled the Mosul offensive, will use Raqqa to plot attacks against Western targets. “There’s a sense of urgency about what we have to do here because we’re just not sure what they’re [jihadists] up to, and where, and when,” the top U.S. military commander in Iraq, Lt. General Stephen Townsend, said at a news conference on Oct. 26  in Baghdad. “But we know that this plot planning is emanating from Raqqa.” Trump says he wants to avoid direct U.S. involvement in the Syrian conflict, which has expanded into a regional proxy war. Russia and Iran, along with allied militias like Lebanon’s Hezbollah, are helping Assad consolidate control and recapture territory he lost to the rebels and jihadist groups. Assad and his backers have rarely fought directly against Islamic State, which controls Raqqa and other parts of eastern Syria. Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the United States are backing various rebel factions that are fighting Assad and his allies, and, at times, Islamic State. Under Barack Obama’s administration, the CIA has funneled up to $1 billion a year in weapons, including light arms, ammunition and anti-tank missiles, to Syrian rebel groups fighting the Assad regime that were deemed moderate by U.S. officials. But some of these rebels have been forced into battlefield alliances with jihadists, including al Qaeda affiliated groups. While the offensive against Islamic State in Raqqa began in the waning days of the Obama administration, it needs support from the incoming Trump administration to bear fruit. But the Raqqa operation is already alienating American allies, especially Turkey, which is critical of the Syrian Democratic Forces. The SDF is a coalition of Kurdish, Sunni Arab, Christian and Turkmen rebel groups that is anchored by the People’s Protection Units (known by its Kurdish acronym, YPG), which includes thousands of Syrian Kurdish fighters. Turkish leaders view the YPG and other Syrian Kurdish groups as allies of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (known as the PKK), which has waged an insurgency against the Turkish government since the 1980s, seeking autonomy for Kurdish areas. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan insists that Washington must not allow the YPG to take a leading role in expelling Islamic State from Raqqa, a largely Sunni Arab city. During the presidential campaign, Trump argued the United States should arm and help Kurdish factions, both in Iraq and Syria. “I’m a big fan of the Kurdish forces,” he said in July. If Trump follows through on his praise of the Kurds, that would be good news for the SDF and its largest militia, the YPG. But once in office, Trump would also have to balance the objections of allies like Turkey and Erdogan, its increasingly autocratic president. Among his first top appointments, Trump named Michael Flynn, a retired general and former head of the Defense Intelligence Agency, as his national security adviser. Flynn, who once worked as a paid lobbyist for a prominent Turkish businessman, has expressed strong support for Erdogan’s government and argued that Washington should be more sympathetic to its concerns. In late August, Turkey sent several hundred of its special forces into Syria, and began carrying out air strikes to help rebel factions allied with Ankara consolidate control of territory near the Turkish-Syrian border. The Turkish-backed rebels have fought both Islamic State jihadists and occasionally the U.S.-backed YPG militia. In October, Erdogan said he told Obama in a phone call that Turkey was capable of ousting Islamic State from Raqqa on its own. Other Turkish officials argued that the campaign to retake Raqqa should not begin until Iraqi forces complete their offensive against Islamic State in Mosul, which has slowed in recent weeks. But U.S. officials are keen to isolate Raqqa and use Syrian forces to encircle it, mainly because of worries about Islamic State operatives fleeing from Mosul and plotting new attacks against the West. That concern is genuine because the jihadist group – even as it was weakened over the past year, after intensive U.S.-led bombing and defeats by its opponents in Iraq and Syria – has shown a significant ability to adapt and inflict new terror. In the coming months, Islamic State will find new ways to endure an American-orchestrated offensive on Raqqa. It will try to take advantage of the change in U.S. administration. And once he’s in office, Trump will discover that fighting and containing Islamic State inevitably means wading into Syria’s complicated war.

Title: Commentary: Trump can't fight Islamic State without wading into Syria's war. Text: Over the course of the U.S. presidential campaign, Donald Trump changed his mind on many issues. But he’s been consistent on one foreign policy question: he wants to end American support for Syrian opposition groups fighting Bashar al-Assad’s regime. Trump argues that the United States should expend all of its efforts on fighting Islamic State instead. "I’ve had an opposite view of many people regarding Syria,” Trump told the Wall Street Journal on Nov. 11, in his first interview after he won the White House. “My attitude was you’re fighting Syria, Syria is fighting ISIS, and you have to get rid of ISIS. Russia is now totally aligned with Syria, and now you have Iran, which is becoming powerful, because of us, is aligned with Syria. … Now we’re backing rebels against Syria, and we have no idea who these people are.” Even if Trump goes ahead with his threat to cut off aid to Syrian rebels fighting the Assad regime – especially those supported by a covert CIA program which provides training and anti-tank missiles – the president-elect will face another major test of his Syria policy soon after he’s inaugurated on Jan. 20. The United States is supporting two military campaigns simultaneously in Syria: one against Assad’s government and the other against Islamic State. Trump has made clear that he doesn’t view the fight against Assad as a U.S. priority. But will Trump continue a separate Pentagon support and training program for the Syrian Democratic Forces, a coalition of rebel groups, which is leading a ground offensive to oust Islamic State from the city of Raqqa, capital of its self-proclaimed caliphate? That campaign started on Nov. 6 with a mobilization of about 30,000 rebels to encircle Raqqa and cut it off from all sides, to deny Islamic State the ability to resupply weapons and fighters. The battle to push the jihadists out of Raqqa could take months. If it falters under a fledging Trump administration, Islamic State would have a safe base from which it would unleash new attacks in Syria and Iraq, and against the West. U.S. military planners pushed for the Raqqa offensive to start soon after the long-awaited invasion to recapture Iraq’s second-largest city, Mosul, from the militants began in mid-October. Pentagon officials say they fear that Islamic State operatives, including some who fled the Mosul offensive, will use Raqqa to plot attacks against Western targets. “There’s a sense of urgency about what we have to do here because we’re just not sure what they’re [jihadists] up to, and where, and when,” the top U.S. military commander in Iraq, Lt. General Stephen Townsend, said at a news conference on Oct. 26  in Baghdad. “But we know that this plot planning is emanating from Raqqa.” Trump says he wants to avoid direct U.S. involvement in the Syrian conflict, which has expanded into a regional proxy war. Russia and Iran, along with allied militias like Lebanon’s Hezbollah, are helping Assad consolidate control and recapture territory he lost to the rebels and jihadist groups. Assad and his backers have rarely fought directly against Islamic State, which controls Raqqa and other parts of eastern Syria. Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the United States are backing various rebel factions that are fighting Assad and his allies, and, at times, Islamic State. Under Barack Obama’s administration, the CIA has funneled up to $1 billion a year in weapons, including light arms, ammunition and anti-tank missiles, to Syrian rebel groups fighting the Assad regime that were deemed moderate by U.S. officials. But some of these rebels have been forced into battlefield alliances with jihadists, including al Qaeda affiliated groups. While the offensive against Islamic State in Raqqa began in the waning days of the Obama administration, it needs support from the incoming Trump administration to bear fruit. But the Raqqa operation is already alienating American allies, especially Turkey, which is critical of the Syrian Democratic Forces. The SDF is a coalition of Kurdish, Sunni Arab, Christian and Turkmen rebel groups that is anchored by the People’s Protection Units (known by its Kurdish acronym, YPG), which includes thousands of Syrian Kurdish fighters. Turkish leaders view the YPG and other Syrian Kurdish groups as allies of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (known as the PKK), which has waged an insurgency against the Turkish government since the 1980s, seeking autonomy for Kurdish areas. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan insists that Washington must not allow the YPG to take a leading role in expelling Islamic State from Raqqa, a largely Sunni Arab city. During the presidential campaign, Trump argued the United States should arm and help Kurdish factions, both in Iraq and Syria. “I’m a big fan of the Kurdish forces,” he said in July. If Trump follows through on his praise of the Kurds, that would be good news for the SDF and its largest militia, the YPG. But once in office, Trump would also have to balance the objections of allies like Turkey and Erdogan, its increasingly autocratic president. Among his first top appointments, Trump named Michael Flynn, a retired general and former head of the Defense Intelligence Agency, as his national security adviser. Flynn, who once worked as a paid lobbyist for a prominent Turkish businessman, has expressed strong support for Erdogan’s government and argued that Washington should be more sympathetic to its concerns. In late August, Turkey sent several hundred of its special forces into Syria, and began carrying out air strikes to help rebel factions allied with Ankara consolidate control of territory near the Turkish-Syrian border. The Turkish-backed rebels have fought both Islamic State jihadists and occasionally the U.S.-backed YPG militia. In October, Erdogan said he told Obama in a phone call that Turkey was capable of ousting Islamic State from Raqqa on its own. Other Turkish officials argued that the campaign to retake Raqqa should not begin until Iraqi forces complete their offensive against Islamic State in Mosul, which has slowed in recent weeks. But U.S. officials are keen to isolate Raqqa and use Syrian forces to encircle it, mainly because of worries about Islamic State operatives fleeing from Mosul and plotting new attacks against the West. That concern is genuine because the jihadist group – even as it was weakened over the past year, after intensive U.S.-led bombing and defeats by its opponents in Iraq and Syria – has shown a significant ability to adapt and inflict new terror. In the coming months, Islamic State will find new ways to endure an American-orchestrated offensive on Raqqa. It will try to take advantage of the change in U.S. administration. And once he’s in office, Trump will discover that fighting and containing Islamic State inevitably means wading into Syria’s complicated war.

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[FLASHBACK VIDEO] MICHELLE OBAMA TO HILLARY: “If You Can’t Run Your Own House, You Certainly Can’t Run The White House!”

Last night the press swooned over Bitter Mooch s speech at the DNC She s such an asset to Hillary s campaign. The Democrat party should feel good about the fact that it took several innocent cops lives to be lost, riots, race wars and cities being burned to the ground before Mooch was finally proud of her country.https://youtu.be/uLm4w-z91B4Here s Mooch explaining how the next victim in line for Presidency deserves to be the leader of the free world simply because she was born with a vagina. Watch her as she stirs up the racial strife and division last night at the DNC.Here s the truth about how Mooch feels about Hillary, and how she wanted Biden to give her a whooping' in the primaries:

Title: [FLASHBACK VIDEO] MICHELLE OBAMA TO HILLARY: “If You Can’t Run Your Own House, You Certainly Can’t Run The White House!”. Text: Last night the press swooned over Bitter Mooch s speech at the DNC She s such an asset to Hillary s campaign. The Democrat party should feel good about the fact that it took several innocent cops lives to be lost, riots, race wars and cities being burned to the ground before Mooch was finally proud of her country.https://youtu.be/uLm4w-z91B4Here s Mooch explaining how the next victim in line for Presidency deserves to be the leader of the free world simply because she was born with a vagina. Watch her as she stirs up the racial strife and division last night at the DNC.Here s the truth about how Mooch feels about Hillary, and how she wanted Biden to give her a whooping' in the primaries:

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UK customs ready for 'no deal' Brexit, finance minister says

LONDON (Reuters) - British customs authorities will be able to cope even if the government is unable to reach a deal with the European Union to smooth Britain s departure from the bloc, finance minister Philip Hammond said on Tuesday. (Customs agency) HMRC is preparing for all eventualities, including for a no-deal scenario, Hammond told the economic affairs committee of Britain s upper legislative chamber. We recognize that the timescales are very challenging, and in a no-deal scenario, not everything we would want to put in place will be in place on day one. But we will have a working system in place on day one, I have that assurance from HMRC. Hammond said the government was seeking the smoothest possible customs arrangements as part of a negotiated exit from the EU, which is due to take place in March 2019.

Title: UK customs ready for 'no deal' Brexit, finance minister says. Text: LONDON (Reuters) - British customs authorities will be able to cope even if the government is unable to reach a deal with the European Union to smooth Britain s departure from the bloc, finance minister Philip Hammond said on Tuesday. (Customs agency) HMRC is preparing for all eventualities, including for a no-deal scenario, Hammond told the economic affairs committee of Britain s upper legislative chamber. We recognize that the timescales are very challenging, and in a no-deal scenario, not everything we would want to put in place will be in place on day one. But we will have a working system in place on day one, I have that assurance from HMRC. Hammond said the government was seeking the smoothest possible customs arrangements as part of a negotiated exit from the EU, which is due to take place in March 2019.

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RARE BEHIND THE SCENES LOOK: President Trump Visits Netanyahu Family…“I’m a Big League fan of both of you.” [Video]

POTUS AND FLOTUS visited the Israeli PM residence and got a very warm welcome! The video below is a rare behind the scenes look at the visit. The Netanyahu family greeted the First couple and then enjoyed a visit with the family including the son. You can hear the Netanyahu s son when he meets President Trump. He says, I m a Big League fan of both of you. Melania replies that Mrs. Netanyahu is fantastic . PM Netanyahu and Mrs Sara Netanyahu welcome @POTUS Donald Trump and @FLOTUS Melania Trump to the Prime Minister's Residence in Jerusalem. pic.twitter.com/1HIOUmCJvd PM of Israel (@IsraeliPM) May 22, 2017 Lots of mutual respect and admiration was visible between these two families. Wow1 What a difference between Obama and Trump!

Title: RARE BEHIND THE SCENES LOOK: President Trump Visits Netanyahu Family…“I’m a Big League fan of both of you.” [Video]. Text: POTUS AND FLOTUS visited the Israeli PM residence and got a very warm welcome! The video below is a rare behind the scenes look at the visit. The Netanyahu family greeted the First couple and then enjoyed a visit with the family including the son. You can hear the Netanyahu s son when he meets President Trump. He says, I m a Big League fan of both of you. Melania replies that Mrs. Netanyahu is fantastic . PM Netanyahu and Mrs Sara Netanyahu welcome @POTUS Donald Trump and @FLOTUS Melania Trump to the Prime Minister's Residence in Jerusalem. pic.twitter.com/1HIOUmCJvd PM of Israel (@IsraeliPM) May 22, 2017 Lots of mutual respect and admiration was visible between these two families. Wow1 What a difference between Obama and Trump!

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Newly found emails in FBI probe not on Clinton server: U.S. source

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Newly discovered emails related to an investigation into a private email server used by Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton were found on a separate device during an unrelated probe, a U.S. government source said on Friday. The FBI said on Friday it will investigate the additional emails that have surfaced, in a new twist to the U.S. presidential campaign with 11 days to go before Election Day.

Title: Newly found emails in FBI probe not on Clinton server: U.S. source. Text: WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Newly discovered emails related to an investigation into a private email server used by Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton were found on a separate device during an unrelated probe, a U.S. government source said on Friday. The FBI said on Friday it will investigate the additional emails that have surfaced, in a new twist to the U.S. presidential campaign with 11 days to go before Election Day.

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Obama, EU leaders agree to stick together, stay tough on Russia

BERLIN (Reuters) - U.S. President Barack Obama and European leaders on Friday underscored the importance of working together in NATO and chided Russia for its bombing of Syria and failure to implement a Ukrainian peace accord. The White House statement followed a meeting at which Obama sought to reassure his counterparts from Germany, Britain, Spain, Italy and France that his successor Donald Trump would not break up the transatlantic alliance. Trump raised concerns during the campaign when he said he could withhold military aid from NATO allies if they had not met their defense commitments and said he would forge closer ties with Russian President Vladimir Putin. “President Obama expressed confidence that, even at a moment of great change, democratic values have done more to advance human freedom and progress than any other system in history, and will continue to do so going forward,” the White House said. The leaders agreed on the need to work together to stabilize the Middle East and North Africa, as well as securing diplomatic resolutions for the conflicts in Syria and eastern Ukraine. European leaders had sought Obama’s support as they prepare to extend sanctions imposed on Russia by Washington and Brussels in 2014 following its intervention in eastern Ukraine, and consider fresh sanctions over Russia’s actions in Syria, where it backs Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. German Chancellor Angela Merkel told a news conference with Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy that no decisions had been made about extending the Ukraine sanctions, but actions to implement the Minsk peace accord were not sufficient. Merkel said the leaders discussed their concerns about Syria during their meeting on Friday, but did not talk about imposing Syria-related sanctions against Russia that have been sought by the Syrian opposition. Obama and the EU leaders called for an immediate end to attacks on rebel-held parts of the city of Aleppo by Syrian government forces and their allies Russia and Iran that monitoring groups say have killed dozens this week alone. Syrian opposition officials on Friday met EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini and other officials and urged them to focus on protecting civilians and lifting the siege, said Anas al-Abdah, who heads the Syrian National Coalition. He said he had hoped for stronger words from Obama and the EU leaders, and called for Washington and Brussels to put more “real pressure” on Russia and Iran. U.S. and EU officials have stressed the need for a political solution, including the departure of Assad, but Trump has said he views the fight against Islamic State as a bigger priority. EU leaders are expected to extend sanctions related to Ukraine in December or January. Obama and the European leaders “unanimously agreed on the continued need for Russia to fully meet its commitments under the Minsk agreements and that Ukraine-related sanctions against Russia must remain in place until it does so,” the White House said. They said a durable ceasefire in eastern Ukraine was needed to move forward with free and fair local elections in the occupied regions of Donetsk and Luhansk.

Title: Obama, EU leaders agree to stick together, stay tough on Russia. Text: BERLIN (Reuters) - U.S. President Barack Obama and European leaders on Friday underscored the importance of working together in NATO and chided Russia for its bombing of Syria and failure to implement a Ukrainian peace accord. The White House statement followed a meeting at which Obama sought to reassure his counterparts from Germany, Britain, Spain, Italy and France that his successor Donald Trump would not break up the transatlantic alliance. Trump raised concerns during the campaign when he said he could withhold military aid from NATO allies if they had not met their defense commitments and said he would forge closer ties with Russian President Vladimir Putin. “President Obama expressed confidence that, even at a moment of great change, democratic values have done more to advance human freedom and progress than any other system in history, and will continue to do so going forward,” the White House said. The leaders agreed on the need to work together to stabilize the Middle East and North Africa, as well as securing diplomatic resolutions for the conflicts in Syria and eastern Ukraine. European leaders had sought Obama’s support as they prepare to extend sanctions imposed on Russia by Washington and Brussels in 2014 following its intervention in eastern Ukraine, and consider fresh sanctions over Russia’s actions in Syria, where it backs Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. German Chancellor Angela Merkel told a news conference with Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy that no decisions had been made about extending the Ukraine sanctions, but actions to implement the Minsk peace accord were not sufficient. Merkel said the leaders discussed their concerns about Syria during their meeting on Friday, but did not talk about imposing Syria-related sanctions against Russia that have been sought by the Syrian opposition. Obama and the EU leaders called for an immediate end to attacks on rebel-held parts of the city of Aleppo by Syrian government forces and their allies Russia and Iran that monitoring groups say have killed dozens this week alone. Syrian opposition officials on Friday met EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini and other officials and urged them to focus on protecting civilians and lifting the siege, said Anas al-Abdah, who heads the Syrian National Coalition. He said he had hoped for stronger words from Obama and the EU leaders, and called for Washington and Brussels to put more “real pressure” on Russia and Iran. U.S. and EU officials have stressed the need for a political solution, including the departure of Assad, but Trump has said he views the fight against Islamic State as a bigger priority. EU leaders are expected to extend sanctions related to Ukraine in December or January. Obama and the European leaders “unanimously agreed on the continued need for Russia to fully meet its commitments under the Minsk agreements and that Ukraine-related sanctions against Russia must remain in place until it does so,” the White House said. They said a durable ceasefire in eastern Ukraine was needed to move forward with free and fair local elections in the occupied regions of Donetsk and Luhansk.

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Australia MPs rush to disclose parentage amid citizenship crisis

SYDNEY (Reuters) - Several lawmakers filed family history documents in Australia s parliament to meet a government deadline on Tuesday to try to prove their citizenship and stem a crisis that has so far claimed nine MPs and cost the government its majority. Australia s 116-year-old constitution bans dual citizens from holding national office and the High Court adopted a strict interpretation of it in October in a country where half the population were either born overseas or have a parent who was. The crisis may yet plunge Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull s Liberal-National coalition into minority rule, should it lose another lawmaker, or a crucial by-election set for Dec. 19. The ruling center-right pairing lost its one-seat lower-house majority when the High Court found Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce to be a New Zealander and therefore ineligible for office. He has since rescinded his New Zealand citizenship and regained his seat in parliament. But another member has since quit his place and now as many as a dozen more now face referral to the court after the deadline to disclose the birthplace of parents and grandparents passed on Tuesday. The disclosures show that nearly every lawmaker has at least one foreign parent or grandparent. While some provide citizenship records dating back to the 19th century, others give few details or documents, prompting calls for the High Court to consider their cases. There are a few grey areas, there s no doubt about that, MP Christopher Pyne said on Perth radio station 6PR, adding that parliament would decide on Thursday which cases to send to the court. One opposition Labor Party member has already told parliament it remains unclear whether he is British, after the Home Office could not find the paperwork to prove he renounced his citizenship a decade ago. Labor argues that seven government lawmakers filed unconvincing or incomplete disclosures, while the government raised doubts over four opposition MPs, and there is a cloud over another independent lawmaker. Although Joyce easily regained his seat at a by-election on Saturday, the crisis still has the government precariously clinging to power and has already dented its ability to pursue its political agenda. If it loses a by-election in Sydney on Dec. 19, or the court ousts another lower-house MP, it would be forced to depend on a handful of independent lawmakers to retain power and pass laws.

Title: Australia MPs rush to disclose parentage amid citizenship crisis. Text: SYDNEY (Reuters) - Several lawmakers filed family history documents in Australia s parliament to meet a government deadline on Tuesday to try to prove their citizenship and stem a crisis that has so far claimed nine MPs and cost the government its majority. Australia s 116-year-old constitution bans dual citizens from holding national office and the High Court adopted a strict interpretation of it in October in a country where half the population were either born overseas or have a parent who was. The crisis may yet plunge Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull s Liberal-National coalition into minority rule, should it lose another lawmaker, or a crucial by-election set for Dec. 19. The ruling center-right pairing lost its one-seat lower-house majority when the High Court found Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce to be a New Zealander and therefore ineligible for office. He has since rescinded his New Zealand citizenship and regained his seat in parliament. But another member has since quit his place and now as many as a dozen more now face referral to the court after the deadline to disclose the birthplace of parents and grandparents passed on Tuesday. The disclosures show that nearly every lawmaker has at least one foreign parent or grandparent. While some provide citizenship records dating back to the 19th century, others give few details or documents, prompting calls for the High Court to consider their cases. There are a few grey areas, there s no doubt about that, MP Christopher Pyne said on Perth radio station 6PR, adding that parliament would decide on Thursday which cases to send to the court. One opposition Labor Party member has already told parliament it remains unclear whether he is British, after the Home Office could not find the paperwork to prove he renounced his citizenship a decade ago. Labor argues that seven government lawmakers filed unconvincing or incomplete disclosures, while the government raised doubts over four opposition MPs, and there is a cloud over another independent lawmaker. Although Joyce easily regained his seat at a by-election on Saturday, the crisis still has the government precariously clinging to power and has already dented its ability to pursue its political agenda. If it loses a by-election in Sydney on Dec. 19, or the court ousts another lower-house MP, it would be forced to depend on a handful of independent lawmakers to retain power and pass laws.

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If Your Biological Plumbing Doesn’t Match Sign On Door You’ll Have To Use Another Bathroom If This Bill Passes

PC is killing our country. This is called fighting back While counterculture crackpots are working themselves into a lather over the prospect that, in some places, men who think that they re women can go tinkle in the same restroom where a 6-year-old girl is pulling down her panties, one state legislator has decided that it might be time to push back.Indiana State Sen. Jim Tomes, who probably accepts basic biology and believes that people born with a penis are male, proposed a bill that would make it a Class A misdemeanor for trannies to use a bathroom that doesn t correspond to their birth gender.Last week, Tomes uttered the following line that s sure to ignite tempers among the social justice mob: If you were born a man, then you are obliged to use the males restroom. What s next? A hereditary monarchy?Anyone convicted of a Class A misdemeanor could face a year in prison and as much as a $5,000 fine.It should be noted, though, that the language in the legislation makes exceptions for janitors, first aid providers, and parents accompanying children under the age of 8.The bill does, however, cover schools. So if it passes and Little Boy Twinkletoes decides that he needs to use the girls locker room after gym class, then he s facing charges.Indiana saw some action in the culture war last year when the state passed a religious freedom law. That law was widely opposed by American liberals, who hate religious freedom.Via: DownTrend

Title: If Your Biological Plumbing Doesn’t Match Sign On Door You’ll Have To Use Another Bathroom If This Bill Passes. Text: PC is killing our country. This is called fighting back While counterculture crackpots are working themselves into a lather over the prospect that, in some places, men who think that they re women can go tinkle in the same restroom where a 6-year-old girl is pulling down her panties, one state legislator has decided that it might be time to push back.Indiana State Sen. Jim Tomes, who probably accepts basic biology and believes that people born with a penis are male, proposed a bill that would make it a Class A misdemeanor for trannies to use a bathroom that doesn t correspond to their birth gender.Last week, Tomes uttered the following line that s sure to ignite tempers among the social justice mob: If you were born a man, then you are obliged to use the males restroom. What s next? A hereditary monarchy?Anyone convicted of a Class A misdemeanor could face a year in prison and as much as a $5,000 fine.It should be noted, though, that the language in the legislation makes exceptions for janitors, first aid providers, and parents accompanying children under the age of 8.The bill does, however, cover schools. So if it passes and Little Boy Twinkletoes decides that he needs to use the girls locker room after gym class, then he s facing charges.Indiana saw some action in the culture war last year when the state passed a religious freedom law. That law was widely opposed by American liberals, who hate religious freedom.Via: DownTrend

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UK PM May to listen to concerns on EU bill, but is vital legislation: spokesman

LONDON (Reuters) - British Prime Minister Theresa May will listen to concerns from lawmakers about legislation to sever political, financial and legal ties with the European Union, but it is a vital bill, her spokesman said on Thursday. Parliament is due to begin debating the repeal bill, which is central to the government s plan to exit the bloc in 2019, later on Thursday but some lawmakers have expressed concerns about the powers it will give the government. She has said she will listen to the concerns of MPs (lawmakers) but we believe the bill is the right way to go about delivering a smooth exit from the European Union which is in everybody s interest, the spokesman told reporters.

Title: UK PM May to listen to concerns on EU bill, but is vital legislation: spokesman. Text: LONDON (Reuters) - British Prime Minister Theresa May will listen to concerns from lawmakers about legislation to sever political, financial and legal ties with the European Union, but it is a vital bill, her spokesman said on Thursday. Parliament is due to begin debating the repeal bill, which is central to the government s plan to exit the bloc in 2019, later on Thursday but some lawmakers have expressed concerns about the powers it will give the government. She has said she will listen to the concerns of MPs (lawmakers) but we believe the bill is the right way to go about delivering a smooth exit from the European Union which is in everybody s interest, the spokesman told reporters.

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foods that naturally unclog arteries and prevent heart attacks

during a debate between rep tammy duckworth and sen mark kirk ril for his us senate seat in springfield illinois kirk mocked duckworths ancestry saying in rebuttal of her comments on the true cost of war i had forgotten that your parents came all the way from thailand to serve george washington his remark came in response to her statement that my family has served this nation in uniform going back to the revolution i am a daughter of the american revolution watch courtesy of deadspin senator mark kirk mocks disabled iraq war vet tammy duckworth in debate for her mixedrace heritage httpstcoznpduvfq pictwittercomcpwybkril deadspin deadspin october kirk of course has claimed to receive military honors he did not in fact receive for him to attack duckworth is not only the height of hypocrisy but mocking her ancestry is appalling the republican position as restated here by kirk is that its okay to come from another country as long as youre white neither kirk nor his campaign has apologized kirk has said trump should quit over his misogynist comments apparently its okay to make racist comments when duckworth said her family had served since the american revolution she wasnt joking and she set kirk straight in a tweet my mom is an immigrant and my dad and his family have served this nation in uniform since the revolution ilsen pictwittercomehebhswfms tammy duckworth tammyforil october the illinois senator has unendorsed donald trump one malignant clown calling another a malignant clown and this latest move has given kellyanne conway a rare opportunity to gloat tweeting the same mark kirk that unendorsed his partys presidential nominee and called him out in paid ads gotcha good luck httpstcoivmils kellyanne conway kellyannepolls october with a single sentence mark kirk proved you dont have to support donald trump to be a deplorable

Title: foods that naturally unclog arteries and prevent heart attacks. Text: during a debate between rep tammy duckworth and sen mark kirk ril for his us senate seat in springfield illinois kirk mocked duckworths ancestry saying in rebuttal of her comments on the true cost of war i had forgotten that your parents came all the way from thailand to serve george washington his remark came in response to her statement that my family has served this nation in uniform going back to the revolution i am a daughter of the american revolution watch courtesy of deadspin senator mark kirk mocks disabled iraq war vet tammy duckworth in debate for her mixedrace heritage httpstcoznpduvfq pictwittercomcpwybkril deadspin deadspin october kirk of course has claimed to receive military honors he did not in fact receive for him to attack duckworth is not only the height of hypocrisy but mocking her ancestry is appalling the republican position as restated here by kirk is that its okay to come from another country as long as youre white neither kirk nor his campaign has apologized kirk has said trump should quit over his misogynist comments apparently its okay to make racist comments when duckworth said her family had served since the american revolution she wasnt joking and she set kirk straight in a tweet my mom is an immigrant and my dad and his family have served this nation in uniform since the revolution ilsen pictwittercomehebhswfms tammy duckworth tammyforil october the illinois senator has unendorsed donald trump one malignant clown calling another a malignant clown and this latest move has given kellyanne conway a rare opportunity to gloat tweeting the same mark kirk that unendorsed his partys presidential nominee and called him out in paid ads gotcha good luck httpstcoivmils kellyanne conway kellyannepolls october with a single sentence mark kirk proved you dont have to support donald trump to be a deplorable

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U.S. says troubled by reports of another U.S. citizen jailed by Iran

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States is troubled by reports that an Iranian-American man may have been sentenced by Iran to 18 years in prison, a State Department spokesman said on Tuesday, a week after an Iranian-American businessman and his father were also jailed by an Iranian court. “We are troubled by reports that Robin Reza Shahini, a person reported to be a U.S. citizen, may have been convicted and sentenced to 18 years in prison,” spokesman John Kirby told a daily briefing. He called on Tehran to halt “arbitrary and politically motivated detentions.” California-based Shahini was detained while visiting his mother in Gorgan in July, according to Shahini’s friends. Last week, businessman Siamak Namazi and his 80-year-old father Baquer Namazi, a former Iranian provincial governor and former UNICEF official, were sentenced to 10 years in prison on charges of cooperating with the United States. Iran does not recognize dual nationality, which prevents Western embassies from visiting such detainees. Washington secured the release of five U.S. citizens from Iran in January in a prisoner exchange and has said it raises the detention of other Americans held by Tehran during meetings with Iranian officials. Major world powers, including the United States, reached a landmark nuclear deal with Iran in July last year, which lifted some international sanctions against Iran. “Nobody is turning a blind eye here, but what is behind this, I don’t think any of us know with certainty,” Kirby said, when asked why Iran keeps detaining dual citizens. “I can’t speak to the motivation behind these detentions but if one of the motivations was to secure ransom, it is a false perception. It is wrong.” Republican leaders of the U.S. House of Representatives plan a vote as soon as mid-November on a 10-year reauthorization of the Iran Sanctions Act, congressional aides told Reuters. The move could increase frustrations in Iran, which has been complaining for months that remaining U.S. sanctions have frightened away trade partners.

Title: U.S. says troubled by reports of another U.S. citizen jailed by Iran. Text: WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States is troubled by reports that an Iranian-American man may have been sentenced by Iran to 18 years in prison, a State Department spokesman said on Tuesday, a week after an Iranian-American businessman and his father were also jailed by an Iranian court. “We are troubled by reports that Robin Reza Shahini, a person reported to be a U.S. citizen, may have been convicted and sentenced to 18 years in prison,” spokesman John Kirby told a daily briefing. He called on Tehran to halt “arbitrary and politically motivated detentions.” California-based Shahini was detained while visiting his mother in Gorgan in July, according to Shahini’s friends. Last week, businessman Siamak Namazi and his 80-year-old father Baquer Namazi, a former Iranian provincial governor and former UNICEF official, were sentenced to 10 years in prison on charges of cooperating with the United States. Iran does not recognize dual nationality, which prevents Western embassies from visiting such detainees. Washington secured the release of five U.S. citizens from Iran in January in a prisoner exchange and has said it raises the detention of other Americans held by Tehran during meetings with Iranian officials. Major world powers, including the United States, reached a landmark nuclear deal with Iran in July last year, which lifted some international sanctions against Iran. “Nobody is turning a blind eye here, but what is behind this, I don’t think any of us know with certainty,” Kirby said, when asked why Iran keeps detaining dual citizens. “I can’t speak to the motivation behind these detentions but if one of the motivations was to secure ransom, it is a false perception. It is wrong.” Republican leaders of the U.S. House of Representatives plan a vote as soon as mid-November on a 10-year reauthorization of the Iran Sanctions Act, congressional aides told Reuters. The move could increase frustrations in Iran, which has been complaining for months that remaining U.S. sanctions have frightened away trade partners.

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DONALD TRUMP WAS RIGHT AGAIN: U.S. Funds NATO In The Hundreds Of Billions

Arkansas Senator Tom Cotton came out in agreement with Donald Trump last week on our role in NATO. They disagree on a solution but it s a great idea and about time they bring this to the forefront. SENATOR TOM COTTON ON AMERICA S ROLE IN NATO:Arkansas Sen. Tom Cotton on Friday discussed his participation in a meeting with Donald Trump earlier this week, remarking that he and the Republican presidential frontrunner have similar concerns when it comes to the United States role in the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. You know, he had spoken earlier that day to The Washington Post editorial board and raised some serious questions about NATO. I share some of those questions, Cotton said in an interview with MSNBC s Morning Joe. We used to split our costs 50/50 between the U.S. and Europe. Today, it s 70-30 between the U.S. and Europe. Read more: PoliticoIn an interview with The Washington Post editorial board, Donald Trump made an accurate statement about the U.S. subsidization of fellow NATO members:TRUMP: Look, I see NATO as a good thing to have I look at the Ukraine situation and I say, so Ukraine is a country that affects us far less than it affects other countries in NATO, and yet we are doing all of the lifting, they re not doing anything. And I say, why is it that Germany is not dealing with NATO on Ukraine? Why is it that other countries that are in the vicinity of the Ukraine not dealing with why are we always the one that s leading, potentially the third world war, okay, with Russia? Why are we always the ones that are doing it? And I think the concept of NATO is good, but I do think the United States has to have some help. We are not helped. I ll give you a better example than that. I mean, we pay billions hundreds of billions of dollars to supporting other countries that are in theory wealthier than we are.DIEHL: Hundreds of billions?TRUMP: Billions.Trump s GOP opponents jumped on his comments and accused him of suggesting that the U.S. should leave NATO, or at least cut back its support of the alliance.In fact, Trump was correct that the U.S. is paying hundreds of billions of dollars to supporting other countries via NATO each year, never mind additional military subsidies to non-NATO allies.In 2014, the collective GDP of all NATO members was US$37.5 trillion. During the same year, the alliance spent a total of US$924 billion on military expenditures, of which the U.S. spent the majority ($610 billion), according to the SIPRI Military Expenditure Database.Consequently, the alliance collectively spent 2.47% of GDP on defense. The U.S. was the only member above this value, coming in at 3.5% of GDP. In other words, the U.S. subsidizes each and every other member of NATO.This leads us to the following chart, showing the individual defense spending deficits toward the common defense in 2014 for each NATO member note that the U.S. has a surplus of US$180 billion that equals the sum of all other member deficits.Unsurprisingly, Germany (US$47 billion per year) and Canada (US$26 billion per year) are the biggest NATO laggards, followed closely by Spain and Italy at $US21 billion per year each. These four countries constitute almost two thirds of the total NATO deficit that has to be covered by the United States.Trump had good instincts on this.Read more: American Thinker

Title: DONALD TRUMP WAS RIGHT AGAIN: U.S. Funds NATO In The Hundreds Of Billions. Text: Arkansas Senator Tom Cotton came out in agreement with Donald Trump last week on our role in NATO. They disagree on a solution but it s a great idea and about time they bring this to the forefront. SENATOR TOM COTTON ON AMERICA S ROLE IN NATO:Arkansas Sen. Tom Cotton on Friday discussed his participation in a meeting with Donald Trump earlier this week, remarking that he and the Republican presidential frontrunner have similar concerns when it comes to the United States role in the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. You know, he had spoken earlier that day to The Washington Post editorial board and raised some serious questions about NATO. I share some of those questions, Cotton said in an interview with MSNBC s Morning Joe. We used to split our costs 50/50 between the U.S. and Europe. Today, it s 70-30 between the U.S. and Europe. Read more: PoliticoIn an interview with The Washington Post editorial board, Donald Trump made an accurate statement about the U.S. subsidization of fellow NATO members:TRUMP: Look, I see NATO as a good thing to have I look at the Ukraine situation and I say, so Ukraine is a country that affects us far less than it affects other countries in NATO, and yet we are doing all of the lifting, they re not doing anything. And I say, why is it that Germany is not dealing with NATO on Ukraine? Why is it that other countries that are in the vicinity of the Ukraine not dealing with why are we always the one that s leading, potentially the third world war, okay, with Russia? Why are we always the ones that are doing it? And I think the concept of NATO is good, but I do think the United States has to have some help. We are not helped. I ll give you a better example than that. I mean, we pay billions hundreds of billions of dollars to supporting other countries that are in theory wealthier than we are.DIEHL: Hundreds of billions?TRUMP: Billions.Trump s GOP opponents jumped on his comments and accused him of suggesting that the U.S. should leave NATO, or at least cut back its support of the alliance.In fact, Trump was correct that the U.S. is paying hundreds of billions of dollars to supporting other countries via NATO each year, never mind additional military subsidies to non-NATO allies.In 2014, the collective GDP of all NATO members was US$37.5 trillion. During the same year, the alliance spent a total of US$924 billion on military expenditures, of which the U.S. spent the majority ($610 billion), according to the SIPRI Military Expenditure Database.Consequently, the alliance collectively spent 2.47% of GDP on defense. The U.S. was the only member above this value, coming in at 3.5% of GDP. In other words, the U.S. subsidizes each and every other member of NATO.This leads us to the following chart, showing the individual defense spending deficits toward the common defense in 2014 for each NATO member note that the U.S. has a surplus of US$180 billion that equals the sum of all other member deficits.Unsurprisingly, Germany (US$47 billion per year) and Canada (US$26 billion per year) are the biggest NATO laggards, followed closely by Spain and Italy at $US21 billion per year each. These four countries constitute almost two thirds of the total NATO deficit that has to be covered by the United States.Trump had good instincts on this.Read more: American Thinker

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Thousands of Romanians protest ruling party's judicial overhaul plans

BUCHAREST (Reuters) - Thousands of Romanians were protesting in the capital Bucharest and cities across the country on Sunday against plans by the ruling Social Democrats to overhaul judicial legislation. The plans, initially announced by the justice minister in August and currently in under debate in parliament, could put the judicial system under political control in one of the European Union s most corrupt states. Thousands of magistrates, centrist President Klaus Iohannis, the European Commission and diplomats have all expressed concern about the proposed legal changes. An estimated 12,000 people were marching towards parliament in Bucharest on Sunday shouting We don t want to be a nation of thieves . Thousands more were protesting across the country. The ruling Social Democrat Party has said it aims to approve the judicial overhaul by the end of this parliamentary session. The most contested changes include overhauling a judicial inspection unit, which oversees magistrates conduct and the way in which chief prosecutors are appointed. Earlier this year, attempts by the ruling coalition to weaken a crackdown on high-level corruption triggered Romania s largest street protests in decades. Judicial and fiscal changes have dominated the Social Democrats agenda since coming to power following an election last December. Plans to significantly overhaul the country s taxes have put pressure on Romanian assets. The president and major investors associations have urged the government to scrap the changes which they have said will throw the economy into upheaval and strain the budget deficit. A major trade union has started the process of calling a general strike and other unions have announced protests set for later this month. The government postponed a meeting to discuss the fiscal changes until Nov. 6.

Title: Thousands of Romanians protest ruling party's judicial overhaul plans. Text: BUCHAREST (Reuters) - Thousands of Romanians were protesting in the capital Bucharest and cities across the country on Sunday against plans by the ruling Social Democrats to overhaul judicial legislation. The plans, initially announced by the justice minister in August and currently in under debate in parliament, could put the judicial system under political control in one of the European Union s most corrupt states. Thousands of magistrates, centrist President Klaus Iohannis, the European Commission and diplomats have all expressed concern about the proposed legal changes. An estimated 12,000 people were marching towards parliament in Bucharest on Sunday shouting We don t want to be a nation of thieves . Thousands more were protesting across the country. The ruling Social Democrat Party has said it aims to approve the judicial overhaul by the end of this parliamentary session. The most contested changes include overhauling a judicial inspection unit, which oversees magistrates conduct and the way in which chief prosecutors are appointed. Earlier this year, attempts by the ruling coalition to weaken a crackdown on high-level corruption triggered Romania s largest street protests in decades. Judicial and fiscal changes have dominated the Social Democrats agenda since coming to power following an election last December. Plans to significantly overhaul the country s taxes have put pressure on Romanian assets. The president and major investors associations have urged the government to scrap the changes which they have said will throw the economy into upheaval and strain the budget deficit. A major trade union has started the process of calling a general strike and other unions have announced protests set for later this month. The government postponed a meeting to discuss the fiscal changes until Nov. 6.

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NO KIDDING! HERE’S WHY HILLARY SUPPORTERS Will Get Us ALL KILLED [VIDEO]

Wow! The Dems are so out of touch

Title: NO KIDDING! HERE’S WHY HILLARY SUPPORTERS Will Get Us ALL KILLED [VIDEO]. Text: Wow! The Dems are so out of touch

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Trump ignites political fight over U.S. banking law reforms

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump on Friday ordered reviews of major banking rules that were put in place after the 2008 financial crisis, drawing fire from Democrats who said his order lacked substance and squarely aligned him with Wall Street bankers. Though the order was short on specifics, financial markets embraced Trump’s signal that looser banking regulation is coming and pushed bank stocks higher. The Dow Jones U.S. Banks stocks index closed up 2.6 percent. .DJUSBK [.N] At a White House forum on Friday with U.S. business leaders, including JPMorgan Chase’s (JPM.N) CEO Jamie Dimon, Trump said his administration expects “to be cutting a lot out of Dodd-Frank.” That will involve a lot more than issuing an order, said former Democratic congressman Barney Frank, co-author of the 2010 Dodd-Frank Wall Street reform law that raised capital requirements for banks, restricted their trading by means of the “Volcker Rule,” and created the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau to guard against predatory lending. Trump “can’t make any substantial change in the financial reform bill without Congress,” Frank told Reuters. “The language in the order doesn’t do anything. It tells the secretary of the Treasury to give them something to read. The tone of it is to weaken the bill.” Trump and other critics of the Dodd-Frank law say its regulations have hindered lending. At the meeting with CEO’s on Friday Trump said, “I have so many people, friends of mine, that have nice businesses that can’t borrow money...because the banks just won’t let them borrow because of the rules and regulations in Dodd-Frank.” Despite such criticisms, recent data from the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis showed U.S. commercial-bank lending at a 70-year high, climbing steadily since late-2010. Democratic Senator Elizabeth Warren who lobbied for the creation of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau accused Trump of forsaking middle and lower-income individuals to help banks. “The Wall Street bankers and lobbyists whose greed and recklessness nearly destroyed this country may be toasting each other with champagne, but the American people have not forgotten the 2008 financial crisis - and they will not forget what happened today,” she said in a statement. Trump’s adviser leading the deregulation effort, National Economic Council Director Gary Cohn, was previously a top official at Goldman Sachs (GS.N). Billionaire investor Carl Icahn, meanwhile, is counseling Trump on regulation across the government. One order signed by Trump requires the U.S. Treasury Secretary to submit possible regulatory changes and legislation modifying Dodd-Frank in 120 days, according to a White House official. Trump’s pick for Treasury secretary, Steve Mnuchin, also a former Goldman banker, has yet to be confirmed by the full Senate. Meanwhile, a memo tells the Labor Department to review a “fiduciary rule” for brokers offering retirement advice that was finalized in 2016. While early reports said Trump wanted to push off the rule’s implementation, originally slated for April, by 180 days, the order did not mention any delay. The Labor Department late on Friday said it was considering legal options for delaying. Representatives of the six largest U.S. banks – JPMorgan Chase & Co (JPM.N), Bank of America Corp (BAC.N), Citigroup Inc (C.N), Wells Fargo & Co (WFC.N), Goldman Sachs Group Inc (GS.N) and Morgan Stanley (MS.N) – either declined to comment or did not have an immediate comment. Bankers, lawyers and lobbyists privately said Trump’s order would not do much immediately. Also they said that they would prefer less-extensive modifications to Dodd-Frank after spending billions of dollars complying with the law. Many want to make it “a little bit more user-friendly,” said John Kanas, chairman of BankUnited (BKU.N), a lender with less than $20 billion in assets. House of Representatives Financial Services Committee Chairman Jeb Hensarling, a Republican, told reporters at the White House that Trump’s approach reflects legislation he has drafted to review Dodd-Frank. Hensarling is expected to re-introduce his bill allowing banks to choose between complying with Dodd-Frank and holding more capital later this month. Trump could also make changes simply by appointing new personnel or not enforcing rules. “A lot of the regulations of Dodd-Frank required a bit of a cop-on-the-beat if you will, to ensure enforcement and if you have a different cop-on-the-beat, they enforce different rules, or they enforce the rules differently,” said FBR & CO financial policy analyst Edward Mills. Many regulators, though, were appointed by Trump’s predecessor, President Barack Obama, and intend to complete their terms. Trump cannot fire heads of independent agencies, including the three top bank regulators: Federal Reserve Chair Janet Yellen, Comptroller of the Currency Thomas Curry, and Federal Deposit Insurance Corp Chairman Martin Gruenberg. In addition, the term for Richard Cordray, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau director, stretches into next year. Republican lawmakers are pushing Trump to fire Cordray, but a federal court’s decision allowing him to has been stayed pending appeal. Meanwhile, some U.S. financial policy leaders want to keep the law. Chicago Fed President Charles Evans said on Friday Dodd-Frank “has largely been helpful” and led to a banking system with “more and better capital.”

Title: Trump ignites political fight over U.S. banking law reforms. Text: WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump on Friday ordered reviews of major banking rules that were put in place after the 2008 financial crisis, drawing fire from Democrats who said his order lacked substance and squarely aligned him with Wall Street bankers. Though the order was short on specifics, financial markets embraced Trump’s signal that looser banking regulation is coming and pushed bank stocks higher. The Dow Jones U.S. Banks stocks index closed up 2.6 percent. .DJUSBK [.N] At a White House forum on Friday with U.S. business leaders, including JPMorgan Chase’s (JPM.N) CEO Jamie Dimon, Trump said his administration expects “to be cutting a lot out of Dodd-Frank.” That will involve a lot more than issuing an order, said former Democratic congressman Barney Frank, co-author of the 2010 Dodd-Frank Wall Street reform law that raised capital requirements for banks, restricted their trading by means of the “Volcker Rule,” and created the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau to guard against predatory lending. Trump “can’t make any substantial change in the financial reform bill without Congress,” Frank told Reuters. “The language in the order doesn’t do anything. It tells the secretary of the Treasury to give them something to read. The tone of it is to weaken the bill.” Trump and other critics of the Dodd-Frank law say its regulations have hindered lending. At the meeting with CEO’s on Friday Trump said, “I have so many people, friends of mine, that have nice businesses that can’t borrow money...because the banks just won’t let them borrow because of the rules and regulations in Dodd-Frank.” Despite such criticisms, recent data from the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis showed U.S. commercial-bank lending at a 70-year high, climbing steadily since late-2010. Democratic Senator Elizabeth Warren who lobbied for the creation of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau accused Trump of forsaking middle and lower-income individuals to help banks. “The Wall Street bankers and lobbyists whose greed and recklessness nearly destroyed this country may be toasting each other with champagne, but the American people have not forgotten the 2008 financial crisis - and they will not forget what happened today,” she said in a statement. Trump’s adviser leading the deregulation effort, National Economic Council Director Gary Cohn, was previously a top official at Goldman Sachs (GS.N). Billionaire investor Carl Icahn, meanwhile, is counseling Trump on regulation across the government. One order signed by Trump requires the U.S. Treasury Secretary to submit possible regulatory changes and legislation modifying Dodd-Frank in 120 days, according to a White House official. Trump’s pick for Treasury secretary, Steve Mnuchin, also a former Goldman banker, has yet to be confirmed by the full Senate. Meanwhile, a memo tells the Labor Department to review a “fiduciary rule” for brokers offering retirement advice that was finalized in 2016. While early reports said Trump wanted to push off the rule’s implementation, originally slated for April, by 180 days, the order did not mention any delay. The Labor Department late on Friday said it was considering legal options for delaying. Representatives of the six largest U.S. banks – JPMorgan Chase & Co (JPM.N), Bank of America Corp (BAC.N), Citigroup Inc (C.N), Wells Fargo & Co (WFC.N), Goldman Sachs Group Inc (GS.N) and Morgan Stanley (MS.N) – either declined to comment or did not have an immediate comment. Bankers, lawyers and lobbyists privately said Trump’s order would not do much immediately. Also they said that they would prefer less-extensive modifications to Dodd-Frank after spending billions of dollars complying with the law. Many want to make it “a little bit more user-friendly,” said John Kanas, chairman of BankUnited (BKU.N), a lender with less than $20 billion in assets. House of Representatives Financial Services Committee Chairman Jeb Hensarling, a Republican, told reporters at the White House that Trump’s approach reflects legislation he has drafted to review Dodd-Frank. Hensarling is expected to re-introduce his bill allowing banks to choose between complying with Dodd-Frank and holding more capital later this month. Trump could also make changes simply by appointing new personnel or not enforcing rules. “A lot of the regulations of Dodd-Frank required a bit of a cop-on-the-beat if you will, to ensure enforcement and if you have a different cop-on-the-beat, they enforce different rules, or they enforce the rules differently,” said FBR & CO financial policy analyst Edward Mills. Many regulators, though, were appointed by Trump’s predecessor, President Barack Obama, and intend to complete their terms. Trump cannot fire heads of independent agencies, including the three top bank regulators: Federal Reserve Chair Janet Yellen, Comptroller of the Currency Thomas Curry, and Federal Deposit Insurance Corp Chairman Martin Gruenberg. In addition, the term for Richard Cordray, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau director, stretches into next year. Republican lawmakers are pushing Trump to fire Cordray, but a federal court’s decision allowing him to has been stayed pending appeal. Meanwhile, some U.S. financial policy leaders want to keep the law. Chicago Fed President Charles Evans said on Friday Dodd-Frank “has largely been helpful” and led to a banking system with “more and better capital.”

fake

British parliament: respected institution or 'den of vice'?

LONDON (Reuters) - From William Pitt to Winston Churchill, Britain s finest prime ministers have risen to greatness in the Palace of Westminster, heightening its reputation as one of the world s most respected parliaments. But with nine centuries of history come traditions, and a culture that is now under fire for concentrating power in the hands of lawmakers who can make or break the careers of aides, interns and party activists. The resignation of Britain s defense minister, who admitted repeatedly touching a radio presenter s knee in 2002, and a series of accusations against other members of parliament, from alleged extramarital affairs to sexual assaults, have prompted calls for change. Parliament is an old and famous institution, said Brendan Chilton, a Labour activist and general secretary of Labour Leave, a pro-Brexit group. However it has in recent years become a den of vice. We should all seek to make parliament the envy of the world again. The ornate Palace of Westminster, beside the River Thames in the heart of London, is home to both the upper and lower houses of parliament and is seen by some historians as one of the birthplaces of modern democracy. But allegations about British politicians, many of them unsubstantiated, have surfaced since sexual abuse claims against Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein prompted women and men in British politics to share stories about improper behavior. Claims of sexual harassment have prompted some newspapers to refer to parliament as Pestminster . Michael Fallon resigned as defense minister on Wednesday over past behavior he said had fallen below the high standards we require of the armed forces . Two more ministers are under investigation by the governing Conservative Party into allegations of inappropriate behavior and the opposition Labour Party and Scottish National Party are looking into similar reports about party members. AWE-INSPIRING The Palace of Westminster s debating chambers, its lavish tea rooms and its maze of corridors with portraits of long-gone politicians and prime ministers can inspire and confuse in equal measure. Like a self-contained village, it has it own post office, hairdresser, gym, restaurants and bars. There is little reason to leave and for many workers, days are spent in its offices and evenings are spent in its bars. Drinking culture is both fun and a bit depressing, one parliamentary researcher wrote on the Glassdoor website where employees and former employees anonymously review companies and their management. You will miss out on networking if this is not something you want to do. It is a heady mix, and many relationships have grown in an environment where people work closely together, and often under pressure, for long hours. But the allegations that have surfaced in recent weeks also depict it as an environment where inappropriate behavior is widespread and a laddish culture, where what one person sees as a joke is offensive to another, prevails. The accusations describe parliament as a place where careers of researchers, interns and aides can be decided by the member of parliament or minister they work for - and suggest some fear for their future if they refuse sexual advances. Many female lawmakers have welcomed the opportunity to share their experiences, some of which they have kept silent about for years for fear of, if not reprisals, criticism from colleagues or officials for bringing parties into disrepute. There is obviously a problem, it s a good thing that it s been exposed, Labour lawmaker Harriet Harman told parliament this week. No one should have to work in the toxic atmosphere of sleazy sexist or homophobic banter. Scandals involving members of British politicians are not new. The Profumo Affair, involving sex, a Soviet spy and the secretary of state for war, helped bring down the Conservative government in 1963. Twenty years later, Conservative Cecil Parkinson resigned as trade and industry minister over an affair with his secretary, who became pregnant. But Fallon told the BBC that what had been acceptable 15, 10 years ago is clearly not acceptable now . The government is introducing measures to tackle sexual harassment, including measures to enforce a code of conduct and to set up an independent grievance procedure. But critics say the power disparity between lawmaker and employee will remain.

Title: British parliament: respected institution or 'den of vice'?. Text: LONDON (Reuters) - From William Pitt to Winston Churchill, Britain s finest prime ministers have risen to greatness in the Palace of Westminster, heightening its reputation as one of the world s most respected parliaments. But with nine centuries of history come traditions, and a culture that is now under fire for concentrating power in the hands of lawmakers who can make or break the careers of aides, interns and party activists. The resignation of Britain s defense minister, who admitted repeatedly touching a radio presenter s knee in 2002, and a series of accusations against other members of parliament, from alleged extramarital affairs to sexual assaults, have prompted calls for change. Parliament is an old and famous institution, said Brendan Chilton, a Labour activist and general secretary of Labour Leave, a pro-Brexit group. However it has in recent years become a den of vice. We should all seek to make parliament the envy of the world again. The ornate Palace of Westminster, beside the River Thames in the heart of London, is home to both the upper and lower houses of parliament and is seen by some historians as one of the birthplaces of modern democracy. But allegations about British politicians, many of them unsubstantiated, have surfaced since sexual abuse claims against Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein prompted women and men in British politics to share stories about improper behavior. Claims of sexual harassment have prompted some newspapers to refer to parliament as Pestminster . Michael Fallon resigned as defense minister on Wednesday over past behavior he said had fallen below the high standards we require of the armed forces . Two more ministers are under investigation by the governing Conservative Party into allegations of inappropriate behavior and the opposition Labour Party and Scottish National Party are looking into similar reports about party members. AWE-INSPIRING The Palace of Westminster s debating chambers, its lavish tea rooms and its maze of corridors with portraits of long-gone politicians and prime ministers can inspire and confuse in equal measure. Like a self-contained village, it has it own post office, hairdresser, gym, restaurants and bars. There is little reason to leave and for many workers, days are spent in its offices and evenings are spent in its bars. Drinking culture is both fun and a bit depressing, one parliamentary researcher wrote on the Glassdoor website where employees and former employees anonymously review companies and their management. You will miss out on networking if this is not something you want to do. It is a heady mix, and many relationships have grown in an environment where people work closely together, and often under pressure, for long hours. But the allegations that have surfaced in recent weeks also depict it as an environment where inappropriate behavior is widespread and a laddish culture, where what one person sees as a joke is offensive to another, prevails. The accusations describe parliament as a place where careers of researchers, interns and aides can be decided by the member of parliament or minister they work for - and suggest some fear for their future if they refuse sexual advances. Many female lawmakers have welcomed the opportunity to share their experiences, some of which they have kept silent about for years for fear of, if not reprisals, criticism from colleagues or officials for bringing parties into disrepute. There is obviously a problem, it s a good thing that it s been exposed, Labour lawmaker Harriet Harman told parliament this week. No one should have to work in the toxic atmosphere of sleazy sexist or homophobic banter. Scandals involving members of British politicians are not new. The Profumo Affair, involving sex, a Soviet spy and the secretary of state for war, helped bring down the Conservative government in 1963. Twenty years later, Conservative Cecil Parkinson resigned as trade and industry minister over an affair with his secretary, who became pregnant. But Fallon told the BBC that what had been acceptable 15, 10 years ago is clearly not acceptable now . The government is introducing measures to tackle sexual harassment, including measures to enforce a code of conduct and to set up an independent grievance procedure. But critics say the power disparity between lawmaker and employee will remain.

fake

U.S. government shifts $81 million to Zika vaccine research

CHICAGO/WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has shifted $81 million in funds from other projects to continue work on developing vaccines to fight Zika in the absence of any funding from U.S. lawmakers. In a letter addressed to Nancy Pelosi, a Democrat and minority leader of the U.S. House of Representatives, HHS Secretary Sylvia Burwell said she was allocating $34 million in funding to the National Institutes of Health and $47 million to the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA) to work on Zika vaccines. Burwell said the funding was intended to keep Zika vaccine research going despite the lack of funding from U.S. lawmakers, who left for summer recess before allocating any funding to Zika research and preparedness. The mosquito-borne Zika virus has spread to more than 50 countries and territories since the outbreak began last year in Brazil. On Thursday, Governor Rick Scott said state health officials have identified three additional people in the affected area with locally transmitted Zika, bringing the total to 25. The Obama administration in February requested $1.9 billion to fight Zika, but congressional lawmakers have been considering a much smaller sum. A bill providing $1.1 billion was blocked by Democrats after Republicans attached language to stop abortion-provider Planned Parenthood from using that government funding for healthcare services, mainly in U.S. territories like Puerto Rico. The Republican legislation also would siphon off unused money under President Barack Obama’s signature 2010 healthcare law to combat Zika. In addition, Democrats balked at a Republican provision that they said would gut clean water protections. The new bolus of funds from HHS comes on top of the $589 million in repurposed funds previously allocated for Ebola efforts. HHS has said these funds will run out at the end of August. At a press briefing in Washington, Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, said he needs $33 million to prepare to move the first potential Zika vaccine to the second phase of human clinical trials. The first phase of that testing is expected to end in late November or December. Fauci said the health secretary has the authority to transfer 1 percent of NIH’s $33 billion budget per year from one Institute to the other. He said the director of the NIH, Dr. Francis Collins, will decide which existing programs the funds will be drawn from. “He will probably do it on a prorated basis across the Institutes,” he said. Fauci said the budget transfer will not fill the longer-term NIH funding needs to fight the virus and to develop a second or third potential vaccine candidate. Drugs frequently fail to realize the promise they show in early trials. “We still need about $196 million more,” he said. Fauci said the health secretary’s action was essentially one of desperation given the failure of Congress to authorize additional funding. Taking money from other research programs “is extremely damaging to the biomedical research enterprise,” he said. “We’re taking money away from cancer, diabetes, all those things.” Dr. LaMar Hasbrouck, executive director of the National Association of County and City Health Officials, said at the briefing that local health authorities are similarly siphoning off money from other programs. “We’re robbing Peter to pay Paul,” he said. In her letter, Burwell said the $47 million in funding for BARDA will allow the agency to enter into contracts with key partners to develop vaccines. But, she said BARDA will need an estimated $342 million in additional funding to continue its work with outside partners in the development of vaccines, diagnostics and pathogen inactivation technology used to protect the U.S. blood supply.

Title: U.S. government shifts $81 million to Zika vaccine research. Text: CHICAGO/WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has shifted $81 million in funds from other projects to continue work on developing vaccines to fight Zika in the absence of any funding from U.S. lawmakers. In a letter addressed to Nancy Pelosi, a Democrat and minority leader of the U.S. House of Representatives, HHS Secretary Sylvia Burwell said she was allocating $34 million in funding to the National Institutes of Health and $47 million to the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA) to work on Zika vaccines. Burwell said the funding was intended to keep Zika vaccine research going despite the lack of funding from U.S. lawmakers, who left for summer recess before allocating any funding to Zika research and preparedness. The mosquito-borne Zika virus has spread to more than 50 countries and territories since the outbreak began last year in Brazil. On Thursday, Governor Rick Scott said state health officials have identified three additional people in the affected area with locally transmitted Zika, bringing the total to 25. The Obama administration in February requested $1.9 billion to fight Zika, but congressional lawmakers have been considering a much smaller sum. A bill providing $1.1 billion was blocked by Democrats after Republicans attached language to stop abortion-provider Planned Parenthood from using that government funding for healthcare services, mainly in U.S. territories like Puerto Rico. The Republican legislation also would siphon off unused money under President Barack Obama’s signature 2010 healthcare law to combat Zika. In addition, Democrats balked at a Republican provision that they said would gut clean water protections. The new bolus of funds from HHS comes on top of the $589 million in repurposed funds previously allocated for Ebola efforts. HHS has said these funds will run out at the end of August. At a press briefing in Washington, Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, said he needs $33 million to prepare to move the first potential Zika vaccine to the second phase of human clinical trials. The first phase of that testing is expected to end in late November or December. Fauci said the health secretary has the authority to transfer 1 percent of NIH’s $33 billion budget per year from one Institute to the other. He said the director of the NIH, Dr. Francis Collins, will decide which existing programs the funds will be drawn from. “He will probably do it on a prorated basis across the Institutes,” he said. Fauci said the budget transfer will not fill the longer-term NIH funding needs to fight the virus and to develop a second or third potential vaccine candidate. Drugs frequently fail to realize the promise they show in early trials. “We still need about $196 million more,” he said. Fauci said the health secretary’s action was essentially one of desperation given the failure of Congress to authorize additional funding. Taking money from other research programs “is extremely damaging to the biomedical research enterprise,” he said. “We’re taking money away from cancer, diabetes, all those things.” Dr. LaMar Hasbrouck, executive director of the National Association of County and City Health Officials, said at the briefing that local health authorities are similarly siphoning off money from other programs. “We’re robbing Peter to pay Paul,” he said. In her letter, Burwell said the $47 million in funding for BARDA will allow the agency to enter into contracts with key partners to develop vaccines. But, she said BARDA will need an estimated $342 million in additional funding to continue its work with outside partners in the development of vaccines, diagnostics and pathogen inactivation technology used to protect the U.S. blood supply.

fake

Trump wants border tax to pay for wall with Mexico: White House

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump wants a new 20 percent tax on all imports from Mexico to pay for a wall on the southern U.S. border, White House spokesman Sean Spicer told reporters on Thursday. No details were available on how the tax would work, but Spicer said Trump wanted it to be part of a tax reform package that the U.S. Congress is contemplating.

Title: Trump wants border tax to pay for wall with Mexico: White House. Text: WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump wants a new 20 percent tax on all imports from Mexico to pay for a wall on the southern U.S. border, White House spokesman Sean Spicer told reporters on Thursday. No details were available on how the tax would work, but Spicer said Trump wanted it to be part of a tax reform package that the U.S. Congress is contemplating.

fake

Get used to drills, China tells Taiwan; Taipei says it seeks peace

BEIJING/TAIPEI (Reuters) - Taiwan will gradually get used to Chinese air force drills that encircle the island, China said on Wednesday, while Taiwan s premier reiterated the self-ruled island s desire for peaceful relations with its giant neighbor. China considers democratic Taiwan to be its sacred territory and has never renounced the use of force to bring what it views as a wayward province under Chinese control. It has taken an increasingly hostile stance toward Taiwan since Tsai Ing-wen, from the island s pro-independence Democratic Progressive Party, won presidential elections last year and has stepped up its rhetoric and military exercises. Beijing suspects her of pushing for the island s formal independence, a red line for China. Tsai says she wants peace with China, but also that she will defend Taiwan s security and way of life. Chinese state media has given broad coverage to island encirclement exercises near Taiwan this month, including showing pictures of Chinese bomber aircraft with what they said was Taiwan s highest peak, Yushan, visible in the background. Asked about the continuing drills and the footage released by the air force, China s policy-making Taiwan Affairs Office said it and the defense ministry had repeatedly described the exercises as routine. Everyone will slowly get used it, spokesman An Fengshan told a routine news briefing, without elaborating. China s air force has carried out 16 rounds of exercises close to Taiwan in the past year or so, Taiwan s defense ministry said in a white paper this week. China s military threat was growing by the day, it warned. Proudly democratic Taiwan has shown no interest in being run by autocratic China, and Taiwan s government has accused Beijing of not understanding democracy when it criticizes Taipei. Taiwan Premier William Lai told a year-end news conference in Taipei that the United States, Japan and South Korea were all paying close attention to the activities of China s air force. Lai said his government would take its lead from the president, who was in charge of relations across the Taiwan Strait. Under the president s leadership the Executive Yuan pushes forward government affairs, stabilizing cross-strait relations toward peaceful development, Lai said, using the formal name for Taiwan s cabinet.

Title: Get used to drills, China tells Taiwan; Taipei says it seeks peace. Text: BEIJING/TAIPEI (Reuters) - Taiwan will gradually get used to Chinese air force drills that encircle the island, China said on Wednesday, while Taiwan s premier reiterated the self-ruled island s desire for peaceful relations with its giant neighbor. China considers democratic Taiwan to be its sacred territory and has never renounced the use of force to bring what it views as a wayward province under Chinese control. It has taken an increasingly hostile stance toward Taiwan since Tsai Ing-wen, from the island s pro-independence Democratic Progressive Party, won presidential elections last year and has stepped up its rhetoric and military exercises. Beijing suspects her of pushing for the island s formal independence, a red line for China. Tsai says she wants peace with China, but also that she will defend Taiwan s security and way of life. Chinese state media has given broad coverage to island encirclement exercises near Taiwan this month, including showing pictures of Chinese bomber aircraft with what they said was Taiwan s highest peak, Yushan, visible in the background. Asked about the continuing drills and the footage released by the air force, China s policy-making Taiwan Affairs Office said it and the defense ministry had repeatedly described the exercises as routine. Everyone will slowly get used it, spokesman An Fengshan told a routine news briefing, without elaborating. China s air force has carried out 16 rounds of exercises close to Taiwan in the past year or so, Taiwan s defense ministry said in a white paper this week. China s military threat was growing by the day, it warned. Proudly democratic Taiwan has shown no interest in being run by autocratic China, and Taiwan s government has accused Beijing of not understanding democracy when it criticizes Taipei. Taiwan Premier William Lai told a year-end news conference in Taipei that the United States, Japan and South Korea were all paying close attention to the activities of China s air force. Lai said his government would take its lead from the president, who was in charge of relations across the Taiwan Strait. Under the president s leadership the Executive Yuan pushes forward government affairs, stabilizing cross-strait relations toward peaceful development, Lai said, using the formal name for Taiwan s cabinet.

fake

These Veterans Have Some VERY Choice Words For Palin Blaming Obama For Her Son’s Behavior

The reason Republican presidential frontrunner Donald Trump decided to bring Sarah Palin back into the limelight is still unclear. She was the poison pill for John McCain in 2008, and has made a career off saying wildly moronic things.The latest wildly moronic thing she said happened when she decided to blame President Obama for her son s domestic violence arrest. She said: They come back wondering if there is that respect for what their fellow soldiers and airmen and every other member of the military have given so sacrificially to this country, and that starts at the top. It s a shame that our military personnel even have to question, have to wonder if they re respected anymore. It starts from the top. The question, though, it comes from the top, the question, though, that comes from our own president where they have to look at him and wonder, Do you know what we go through? Do you know what we re trying to do to secure America and to secure the freedoms that have been bequeathed us? So when my own son is going through what he goes through coming back, I can certainly relate with other families who kind of feel these ramifications of PTSD and some of the woundedness that our soldiers do return with, and it makes me realize more than ever, it is now or never for the sake of America s finest that we ll have that commander-in-chief who will respect them and honor them. She s more than implying that President Obama doesn t currently respect our troops, which is just an outright lie. And it is also not the president s fault if her son may suffer from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). Nor was it his fault her son was arrested. Knowing this, and calling Sarah Palin out for this uncalled for and vicious attack, is the head of the New York City-based veteran s organization Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America (IAVA). Paul Rieckhoff said: It s not President Obama s fault that Sarah Palin s son has PTSD. PTSD is a very serious problem, a complicated mental health injury and I would be extremely reluctant to blame any one person in particular. Also stating: It s important to recognize that Track may need help like many veterans. This is a great opportunity for Sarah Palin to sound the alarm about PTSD. Now that she has endorsed Mr. Trump, I would encourage her to talk with him about it. Mr. Trump s campaign is pretty light on specifics about what he would do for veterans. Adding: I hope this doesn t become a political chew toy in a political campaign. Reickhoff seems to really hope that Palin chooses to discontinue her efforts of politicizing PTSD. Hopefully, Palin can recognize that she is a public figure and can use her position in politics to not just become famous, but rather promote positive change in the lives of veterans nationwide. Outright blaming the president for PTSD is petty and wrong, and thankfully she was called out on it.Featured image: Gage Skidmore (flickr)

Title: These Veterans Have Some VERY Choice Words For Palin Blaming Obama For Her Son’s Behavior. Text: The reason Republican presidential frontrunner Donald Trump decided to bring Sarah Palin back into the limelight is still unclear. She was the poison pill for John McCain in 2008, and has made a career off saying wildly moronic things.The latest wildly moronic thing she said happened when she decided to blame President Obama for her son s domestic violence arrest. She said: They come back wondering if there is that respect for what their fellow soldiers and airmen and every other member of the military have given so sacrificially to this country, and that starts at the top. It s a shame that our military personnel even have to question, have to wonder if they re respected anymore. It starts from the top. The question, though, it comes from the top, the question, though, that comes from our own president where they have to look at him and wonder, Do you know what we go through? Do you know what we re trying to do to secure America and to secure the freedoms that have been bequeathed us? So when my own son is going through what he goes through coming back, I can certainly relate with other families who kind of feel these ramifications of PTSD and some of the woundedness that our soldiers do return with, and it makes me realize more than ever, it is now or never for the sake of America s finest that we ll have that commander-in-chief who will respect them and honor them. She s more than implying that President Obama doesn t currently respect our troops, which is just an outright lie. And it is also not the president s fault if her son may suffer from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). Nor was it his fault her son was arrested. Knowing this, and calling Sarah Palin out for this uncalled for and vicious attack, is the head of the New York City-based veteran s organization Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America (IAVA). Paul Rieckhoff said: It s not President Obama s fault that Sarah Palin s son has PTSD. PTSD is a very serious problem, a complicated mental health injury and I would be extremely reluctant to blame any one person in particular. Also stating: It s important to recognize that Track may need help like many veterans. This is a great opportunity for Sarah Palin to sound the alarm about PTSD. Now that she has endorsed Mr. Trump, I would encourage her to talk with him about it. Mr. Trump s campaign is pretty light on specifics about what he would do for veterans. Adding: I hope this doesn t become a political chew toy in a political campaign. Reickhoff seems to really hope that Palin chooses to discontinue her efforts of politicizing PTSD. Hopefully, Palin can recognize that she is a public figure and can use her position in politics to not just become famous, but rather promote positive change in the lives of veterans nationwide. Outright blaming the president for PTSD is petty and wrong, and thankfully she was called out on it.Featured image: Gage Skidmore (flickr)

not fake

OSCE watchdog criticizes German social media law as too broad

VIENNA (Reuters) - The OSCE media watchdog on Wednesday criticized a German law designed to fine social media networks for dragging their feet in removing hateful postings for being too broad and called on lawmakers to consider amending it. The German parliament in June approved legislation, in force since the beginning of the month, that allows authorities to punish groups such as Facebook or Twitter if they do not promptly delete hate postings. Harlem Desire, the media freedom chief of the 57-state Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe, said he hoped the German law would encourage providers to speedily process users complaints, but added its effects could be excessively restrictive. I appeal to the German authorities to take steps to ensure the careful implementation of the law, evaluate its effects and be ready to amend it in parliament, if necessary, as in its current form, the law may have a chilling effect on freedom of expression, Desire said in a statement. According to the law s provisions, decisions to remove content considered unlawful or illegitimate from social networks rests with the operators of those networks, who may remove more than is necessary or proportionate, and the list of offences for which content may be deleted is very broad. Germany has some of the world s toughest laws covering defamation, public incitement to commit crimes and threats of violence, with prison sentences for Holocaust denial or inciting hatred against minorities. However, few online cases are prosecuted. The new law gives social media networks 24 hours to delete or block obviously criminal content and seven days to deal with less clear-cut cases, with an obligation to report back to the person who filed the complaint about how they handled the case. Failure to comply could see a company fined up to 50 million euros ($59 million), and the company s chief representative in Germany fined up to 5 million euros. Critics of a new hate speech law in Germany are optimistic that it can be revised after its Social Democratic sponsors vowed to drop out of the ruling coalition following last month s national election and go into opposition.

Title: OSCE watchdog criticizes German social media law as too broad. Text: VIENNA (Reuters) - The OSCE media watchdog on Wednesday criticized a German law designed to fine social media networks for dragging their feet in removing hateful postings for being too broad and called on lawmakers to consider amending it. The German parliament in June approved legislation, in force since the beginning of the month, that allows authorities to punish groups such as Facebook or Twitter if they do not promptly delete hate postings. Harlem Desire, the media freedom chief of the 57-state Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe, said he hoped the German law would encourage providers to speedily process users complaints, but added its effects could be excessively restrictive. I appeal to the German authorities to take steps to ensure the careful implementation of the law, evaluate its effects and be ready to amend it in parliament, if necessary, as in its current form, the law may have a chilling effect on freedom of expression, Desire said in a statement. According to the law s provisions, decisions to remove content considered unlawful or illegitimate from social networks rests with the operators of those networks, who may remove more than is necessary or proportionate, and the list of offences for which content may be deleted is very broad. Germany has some of the world s toughest laws covering defamation, public incitement to commit crimes and threats of violence, with prison sentences for Holocaust denial or inciting hatred against minorities. However, few online cases are prosecuted. The new law gives social media networks 24 hours to delete or block obviously criminal content and seven days to deal with less clear-cut cases, with an obligation to report back to the person who filed the complaint about how they handled the case. Failure to comply could see a company fined up to 50 million euros ($59 million), and the company s chief representative in Germany fined up to 5 million euros. Critics of a new hate speech law in Germany are optimistic that it can be revised after its Social Democratic sponsors vowed to drop out of the ruling coalition following last month s national election and go into opposition.

fake

Racist High Schoolers Chant ‘Trump! Trump! USA!’ At Racially Diverse Basketball Team (VIDEO)

It s becoming clearer and clearer that an America under a Donald Trump presidency would be racist and nasty. After seven years of an African-American president it seems all racists everywhere have come out from hiding, and now Trump is making them think its okay to be as horrible as they want to be.There s no greater example of this than in a recent story where an opposing high school basketball teams fans starting chanting Trump! Trump! Trump! and USA! at the home teams players who happen to be very diverse, with players who are Latino, Native American, and African-American. Trump! seems to now be synonymous with white pride! Perry, Iowa is a small town, but very diverse. Their high school principal, Dan Marburger, describes the school as, really more of an urban school in a rural setting. Here at the high school, we are 48 percent minority. And they embrace the diversity with open arms. Unfortunately, not everyone who visits the school for sporting events feels the same way.The visiting basketball team from Dallas Center-Grimes apparently brought a long with them their fans who seem to hold Donald Trump s hatred of immigrants and really anyone who isn t white.Unfortunately, these sort of chants aren t new to the players of Perry High School. Senior Shammond Ivory said: It s honestly disrespectful. That s how I take it. I hear it during the game, on and off the court. Everywhere I go. However, he takes what he hears and turns it around, saying as soon as I hear something like that, it just triggers me and it makes me strive for more and to do it for my team, coaches and my community. With the acceptance of Trump as a legitimate candidate for President of the United States knowing how openly racist not only his rallies are, but he is himself, we as a nation need to prepare ourselves for more and more racists thinking it s okay to be assholes. We, as a nation, need to make sure he gets nowhere near the Oval Office.Watch WHO s report of the story here:Featured image via screen capture

Title: Racist High Schoolers Chant ‘Trump! Trump! USA!’ At Racially Diverse Basketball Team (VIDEO). Text: It s becoming clearer and clearer that an America under a Donald Trump presidency would be racist and nasty. After seven years of an African-American president it seems all racists everywhere have come out from hiding, and now Trump is making them think its okay to be as horrible as they want to be.There s no greater example of this than in a recent story where an opposing high school basketball teams fans starting chanting Trump! Trump! Trump! and USA! at the home teams players who happen to be very diverse, with players who are Latino, Native American, and African-American. Trump! seems to now be synonymous with white pride! Perry, Iowa is a small town, but very diverse. Their high school principal, Dan Marburger, describes the school as, really more of an urban school in a rural setting. Here at the high school, we are 48 percent minority. And they embrace the diversity with open arms. Unfortunately, not everyone who visits the school for sporting events feels the same way.The visiting basketball team from Dallas Center-Grimes apparently brought a long with them their fans who seem to hold Donald Trump s hatred of immigrants and really anyone who isn t white.Unfortunately, these sort of chants aren t new to the players of Perry High School. Senior Shammond Ivory said: It s honestly disrespectful. That s how I take it. I hear it during the game, on and off the court. Everywhere I go. However, he takes what he hears and turns it around, saying as soon as I hear something like that, it just triggers me and it makes me strive for more and to do it for my team, coaches and my community. With the acceptance of Trump as a legitimate candidate for President of the United States knowing how openly racist not only his rallies are, but he is himself, we as a nation need to prepare ourselves for more and more racists thinking it s okay to be assholes. We, as a nation, need to make sure he gets nowhere near the Oval Office.Watch WHO s report of the story here:Featured image via screen capture

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THE GEORGE COSTANZA OF CNN Destroyed On His Own Show: “We have a one-party system, and the media as the other party.” [Video]

CNN Host Brian Stelter was destroyed by former NY Observer Editor Ken Kurson today on Stelter s own show! This was truly epic! Stelter calmly laid out a damning indictment of the mainstream media in the age of Trump Beautiful!Host Stelter pushed back trying to make the claim that the attacks on Trump are just harmless opinion We all know and have watched the BRUTAL and BITTER editorializing from CNN and MSNBC. It s clearly more than that.HERE S A BIT OF THE TRANSCRIPT FROM THE KURSON/STELTER EXCHANGE:KEN KURSON: So the idea here is that the media has become the opposition to Trump. Just listening to the intro to this show, listening to Fareed s show before it, it s no longer that the Republican point of view holds forth, and the Democrats hold them accountable, and the media covers it. It s that the president and the White House put forth their point of view, the media argues with them, and the Democrats have become totally irrelevant to that discussion. It s a stunning thing to watch unfold during this presidency.BRIAN STELTER: About the irrelevancy of the Democratic party?KURSON: Totally! And the way the press has assigned itself the chore of undoing the results of this election, which they simply don t accept. And I think the shame of it is, we no longer have even a two-party system, which many think is too few. We have a one-party system, and the media as the other party.KURSON: During these breaks, when I watch you go on Twitter. The way journalists reward each other for stabbing and needling there s a new system of reward that is out there for journalists that has very little to do with policy and very little to do with advancing this country.STELTER: Where do you go from that to, the media is the opposition.KURSON: Because when I look at the tone, and the way these attacks are launched, and I ve cited a couple of examples for you, or the way that whenever there s a need for the appearance of balance, NPR will hire some conservative who hates the president. Or the New York Times will go get Bret Stephens, whose main contribution is that he hates the president.Whenever there s the need for the appearance of fairness, there s no real effort to where are the pro-Trump journalists in the mainstream media? They don t exist! Because the entire mainstream media is against Trump. And that I think is not just bad for American policy. I think it s bad for journalism.STELTER: I think a lot of journalists are against lying, are against deceit. That s where we are right now.KURSON: I m against lying and deceit. I think the function of the journalist to hold the administration accountable is a critical function enshrined in our Bill of Rights. But when you have a system where the most outrageous attack is what s rewarded with likes on Facebook and followings on Twitter, you re setting yourself up.STELTER: Those are opinion columns! Those are opinion columns!KURSON: No, they re not just opinion columns. It s reporters. And they audition for each other, and they audition for popularity.Kurson couldn t be more right! Have you noticed that since the daily White House press briefings are not televised that the questions and tone from reporters has gotten so much calmer and less dramatic? Playing for the cameras to get that gotcha moment has disappeared so the reporters are focused and civil.Wouldn t it be great if the news would return to the facts?Read more: Legal Insurrection

Title: THE GEORGE COSTANZA OF CNN Destroyed On His Own Show: “We have a one-party system, and the media as the other party.” [Video]. Text: CNN Host Brian Stelter was destroyed by former NY Observer Editor Ken Kurson today on Stelter s own show! This was truly epic! Stelter calmly laid out a damning indictment of the mainstream media in the age of Trump Beautiful!Host Stelter pushed back trying to make the claim that the attacks on Trump are just harmless opinion We all know and have watched the BRUTAL and BITTER editorializing from CNN and MSNBC. It s clearly more than that.HERE S A BIT OF THE TRANSCRIPT FROM THE KURSON/STELTER EXCHANGE:KEN KURSON: So the idea here is that the media has become the opposition to Trump. Just listening to the intro to this show, listening to Fareed s show before it, it s no longer that the Republican point of view holds forth, and the Democrats hold them accountable, and the media covers it. It s that the president and the White House put forth their point of view, the media argues with them, and the Democrats have become totally irrelevant to that discussion. It s a stunning thing to watch unfold during this presidency.BRIAN STELTER: About the irrelevancy of the Democratic party?KURSON: Totally! And the way the press has assigned itself the chore of undoing the results of this election, which they simply don t accept. And I think the shame of it is, we no longer have even a two-party system, which many think is too few. We have a one-party system, and the media as the other party.KURSON: During these breaks, when I watch you go on Twitter. The way journalists reward each other for stabbing and needling there s a new system of reward that is out there for journalists that has very little to do with policy and very little to do with advancing this country.STELTER: Where do you go from that to, the media is the opposition.KURSON: Because when I look at the tone, and the way these attacks are launched, and I ve cited a couple of examples for you, or the way that whenever there s a need for the appearance of balance, NPR will hire some conservative who hates the president. Or the New York Times will go get Bret Stephens, whose main contribution is that he hates the president.Whenever there s the need for the appearance of fairness, there s no real effort to where are the pro-Trump journalists in the mainstream media? They don t exist! Because the entire mainstream media is against Trump. And that I think is not just bad for American policy. I think it s bad for journalism.STELTER: I think a lot of journalists are against lying, are against deceit. That s where we are right now.KURSON: I m against lying and deceit. I think the function of the journalist to hold the administration accountable is a critical function enshrined in our Bill of Rights. But when you have a system where the most outrageous attack is what s rewarded with likes on Facebook and followings on Twitter, you re setting yourself up.STELTER: Those are opinion columns! Those are opinion columns!KURSON: No, they re not just opinion columns. It s reporters. And they audition for each other, and they audition for popularity.Kurson couldn t be more right! Have you noticed that since the daily White House press briefings are not televised that the questions and tone from reporters has gotten so much calmer and less dramatic? Playing for the cameras to get that gotcha moment has disappeared so the reporters are focused and civil.Wouldn t it be great if the news would return to the facts?Read more: Legal Insurrection

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Russia's Putin says hard to hold dialogue with U.S. administration

MOSCOW (Reuters) - It is hard to hold a dialogue with the current U.S. administration because it prefers diktat to dialogue, Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Wednesday. Saying that Russia was worried about the worsening of its relations with the United States, Putin said Washington had financed Ukraine’s radical opposition and assisted a coup d’etat there. Russia was then forced to protect ethnic Russians living in Ukraine, he told an economic forum. “There is a need to behave like partners and take each other’s interests into account,” Putin said, referring to U.S.-Russian ties. “We are ready for that.”

Title: Russia's Putin says hard to hold dialogue with U.S. administration. Text: MOSCOW (Reuters) - It is hard to hold a dialogue with the current U.S. administration because it prefers diktat to dialogue, Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Wednesday. Saying that Russia was worried about the worsening of its relations with the United States, Putin said Washington had financed Ukraine’s radical opposition and assisted a coup d’etat there. Russia was then forced to protect ethnic Russians living in Ukraine, he told an economic forum. “There is a need to behave like partners and take each other’s interests into account,” Putin said, referring to U.S.-Russian ties. “We are ready for that.”

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New Study Shows Why Major Insurers Hate The ACA – It Actually Forces Them To Help Sick People

Major insurers everywhere have dumped massive cash into lobbying against the ACA. Their corporate-owned Republicans have insisted it would destroy America in any number of strange and unusual ways. Now a new study reveals why they say helping sick people afford to see a doctor is bad for the country.Data has become available for 2014 and 2015 enrollees to Blue Cross and Blue Shield, who were picked up through the Affordable Care Act s health insurance exchanges. It shows that the people who the ACA was specifically created to help are actually going to the doctor and using medical services. Huge shock, right? The entirety of the Republican and corporate establishment s opposition to the ACA resides in a single thing money. More for them, and none for regular people. If the poor and middle class suffer and die needlessly, that s just their cost of doing business.People who got back into the insurance market, thanks to the ACA, were shown to have a 22 percent higher medical cost than those with employer-based coverage in 2015. The average monthly spending numbers for the new enrollees was $559 in 2015 compared to $457 for group members who had it through an employer. The same new enrollee segment increased from $501 in 2014 to the previously mentioned $559 in 2015.The irony of the situation is that the very corporations who are whining about having to pay the bills of sick people were the primary engineers of their own self-imposed disaster. These are the same corporations that spiked health insurance costs, causing people to be unable to afford it. They are also the same corporations that outright refused to sell people coverage, because of pre-existing conditions. Pre-existing conditions that could be literally anything they wanted them to be. After sometimes decades of unmanaged health issues, these new enrollees are consuming services at elevated rates. Insurers basically screwed themselves for short-term profits, and now they have to pay some of it back. Pardon me if I am less than sympathetic towards them.This shows just how desperately needed the ACA is, and how incredibly dishonest health insurers are about their business model. The fact insurance payouts rose as much as they did in as short a time is proof just how many Americans were suffering without need. That is where the darker truth of the health insurance industry comes into plain view. These companies are still wildly profitable. They just want to keep more money for themselves. Simply put, they ve become a caricature of their own greedy reputations.The tragedy of this all is that the same data showing how desperately needed the ACA is, also is being used as misinformation to completely lie to America about how bad it is for the country. The only tidbit being presented is that it is increasing costs to insurance companies, which does mean their premiums might go up. However, the overall increase in premiums is at a slower rate than before Obamacare became law, even with the increased payouts for more consumption of services.Right wingers and unscrupulous insurance companies are taking the very truth about why it is a good law, and perverting it into a lie about how it is bad by purposefully omitting all context until the truth is whatever they want it to be. If you add in the fact that initial expenditures are going to be higher until we catch up with decades of a lack of care, you can argue a case that premiums would have actually dropped if all other things were equal, due to massive amounts of new customers spreading out the cost burden.As more new data becomes available, and initial over-consumption tapers off, the last arguments to be made against the law will ultimately boil down to profit over people. If anything will prove how obsolete the American health insurance industry is, and why single-payer is needed, that will be it.Featured image via Joe Raedle / Getty

Title: New Study Shows Why Major Insurers Hate The ACA – It Actually Forces Them To Help Sick People. Text: Major insurers everywhere have dumped massive cash into lobbying against the ACA. Their corporate-owned Republicans have insisted it would destroy America in any number of strange and unusual ways. Now a new study reveals why they say helping sick people afford to see a doctor is bad for the country.Data has become available for 2014 and 2015 enrollees to Blue Cross and Blue Shield, who were picked up through the Affordable Care Act s health insurance exchanges. It shows that the people who the ACA was specifically created to help are actually going to the doctor and using medical services. Huge shock, right? The entirety of the Republican and corporate establishment s opposition to the ACA resides in a single thing money. More for them, and none for regular people. If the poor and middle class suffer and die needlessly, that s just their cost of doing business.People who got back into the insurance market, thanks to the ACA, were shown to have a 22 percent higher medical cost than those with employer-based coverage in 2015. The average monthly spending numbers for the new enrollees was $559 in 2015 compared to $457 for group members who had it through an employer. The same new enrollee segment increased from $501 in 2014 to the previously mentioned $559 in 2015.The irony of the situation is that the very corporations who are whining about having to pay the bills of sick people were the primary engineers of their own self-imposed disaster. These are the same corporations that spiked health insurance costs, causing people to be unable to afford it. They are also the same corporations that outright refused to sell people coverage, because of pre-existing conditions. Pre-existing conditions that could be literally anything they wanted them to be. After sometimes decades of unmanaged health issues, these new enrollees are consuming services at elevated rates. Insurers basically screwed themselves for short-term profits, and now they have to pay some of it back. Pardon me if I am less than sympathetic towards them.This shows just how desperately needed the ACA is, and how incredibly dishonest health insurers are about their business model. The fact insurance payouts rose as much as they did in as short a time is proof just how many Americans were suffering without need. That is where the darker truth of the health insurance industry comes into plain view. These companies are still wildly profitable. They just want to keep more money for themselves. Simply put, they ve become a caricature of their own greedy reputations.The tragedy of this all is that the same data showing how desperately needed the ACA is, also is being used as misinformation to completely lie to America about how bad it is for the country. The only tidbit being presented is that it is increasing costs to insurance companies, which does mean their premiums might go up. However, the overall increase in premiums is at a slower rate than before Obamacare became law, even with the increased payouts for more consumption of services.Right wingers and unscrupulous insurance companies are taking the very truth about why it is a good law, and perverting it into a lie about how it is bad by purposefully omitting all context until the truth is whatever they want it to be. If you add in the fact that initial expenditures are going to be higher until we catch up with decades of a lack of care, you can argue a case that premiums would have actually dropped if all other things were equal, due to massive amounts of new customers spreading out the cost burden.As more new data becomes available, and initial over-consumption tapers off, the last arguments to be made against the law will ultimately boil down to profit over people. If anything will prove how obsolete the American health insurance industry is, and why single-payer is needed, that will be it.Featured image via Joe Raedle / Getty

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Trump’s GOP Mega Donors Are Demanding A Full Refund

Now that Donald Trump has shot himself in the foot by picking a fight with the entire Republican Party (after leaked revelations showed him gleefully admitting to sexually assaulting women), the party s mega-donors are demanding Trump give them their money back.According to NBC News, two big-moneyed donors want a refund, and one who raised tens-of-thousands for the candidate wrote the campaign an angry email titled Trump support withdrawal and blasted the candidate:I cannot express my disappointment enough regarding the recent events surrounding Mr. Trump. I regret coming to the Trump support event, and in particular allowing my son to be a part of it. I respectfully request that my money be refunded.The donor, who was not identified by NBC, said he was repulsed by Trump s comments and that as a father to two daughters preparing to marry, just couldn t support him any longer.The second donor who emailed the campaign (also anonymous) cited the leaked tapes as reasoning behind their buyers remorse, and also demanded they be reimbursed:I can not (sic) support a sexist man. I have three young children and will not support a crude sexist man. I expect a refund of my donation. Please process immediately and I thank you for your help.A third donor, a mega-bundler who s raised also $1 million for Trump, said that he will cease raising money for Trump cold turkey, but has not (as of yet) asked for the money back.While already struggling to attract the support of the Republican donors, the latest example of buyer s remorse from a slew of mega-fundraisers could spell trouble for the Trump campaign with 3 weeks left in the campaign.Who can blame them? After 16 months of convincing weary Republican donors that he was their guy, his ugly fa ade was peeled back to expose an even more nefarious side that liberals tried to warn them about. The donors were duped, humiliated, and have now had their reputations sullied. No wonder they want their money back.I would feel bad for them except they knew, all along, he was a snake.Featured image via Ethan Miller/Getty Images

Title: Trump’s GOP Mega Donors Are Demanding A Full Refund. Text: Now that Donald Trump has shot himself in the foot by picking a fight with the entire Republican Party (after leaked revelations showed him gleefully admitting to sexually assaulting women), the party s mega-donors are demanding Trump give them their money back.According to NBC News, two big-moneyed donors want a refund, and one who raised tens-of-thousands for the candidate wrote the campaign an angry email titled Trump support withdrawal and blasted the candidate:I cannot express my disappointment enough regarding the recent events surrounding Mr. Trump. I regret coming to the Trump support event, and in particular allowing my son to be a part of it. I respectfully request that my money be refunded.The donor, who was not identified by NBC, said he was repulsed by Trump s comments and that as a father to two daughters preparing to marry, just couldn t support him any longer.The second donor who emailed the campaign (also anonymous) cited the leaked tapes as reasoning behind their buyers remorse, and also demanded they be reimbursed:I can not (sic) support a sexist man. I have three young children and will not support a crude sexist man. I expect a refund of my donation. Please process immediately and I thank you for your help.A third donor, a mega-bundler who s raised also $1 million for Trump, said that he will cease raising money for Trump cold turkey, but has not (as of yet) asked for the money back.While already struggling to attract the support of the Republican donors, the latest example of buyer s remorse from a slew of mega-fundraisers could spell trouble for the Trump campaign with 3 weeks left in the campaign.Who can blame them? After 16 months of convincing weary Republican donors that he was their guy, his ugly fa ade was peeled back to expose an even more nefarious side that liberals tried to warn them about. The donors were duped, humiliated, and have now had their reputations sullied. No wonder they want their money back.I would feel bad for them except they knew, all along, he was a snake.Featured image via Ethan Miller/Getty Images

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Message to President Trump from Syria’s Assad: ‘You Also Need Our Help to Defeat Terrorism’

21st Century Wire says The following interview is the first western media appearance by Syrian President Bashar al Assad since Donald Trump took office in the US. In an exclusive interview with Yahoo News at the president s office in Damascus, Assad said President Trump s freeze on refugees into his country part of an executive order that has drawn widespread protests and is being challenged in federal court is an American issue on which he would not take sides. But asked if some of those who fled are aligned with terrorists, Assad quickly replied, Definitely. What is clear from this interview is that the President Assad has a much deeper and more realistic understanding of the real threat of terrorism, and the causes of terrorism far and away beyond the shallow, childish rhetoric we hear on a daily basis from those US officials still openly supporting radical Islamist terrorists in Syria like US Senators like John McCain, Lindsey Graham, Bob Corker and other who are still clinging to the fictional narrative of the moderate rebel in Syria. It is also clear that Assad has a much more intelligent handle on the concept of safe zones than the Trump Administration so far, as well as a better understanding of the totality of refugee issue, who Assad said is partly fuelled by the crippling sanctions imposed by the US. Watch:

Title: Message to President Trump from Syria’s Assad: ‘You Also Need Our Help to Defeat Terrorism’. Text: 21st Century Wire says The following interview is the first western media appearance by Syrian President Bashar al Assad since Donald Trump took office in the US. In an exclusive interview with Yahoo News at the president s office in Damascus, Assad said President Trump s freeze on refugees into his country part of an executive order that has drawn widespread protests and is being challenged in federal court is an American issue on which he would not take sides. But asked if some of those who fled are aligned with terrorists, Assad quickly replied, Definitely. What is clear from this interview is that the President Assad has a much deeper and more realistic understanding of the real threat of terrorism, and the causes of terrorism far and away beyond the shallow, childish rhetoric we hear on a daily basis from those US officials still openly supporting radical Islamist terrorists in Syria like US Senators like John McCain, Lindsey Graham, Bob Corker and other who are still clinging to the fictional narrative of the moderate rebel in Syria. It is also clear that Assad has a much more intelligent handle on the concept of safe zones than the Trump Administration so far, as well as a better understanding of the totality of refugee issue, who Assad said is partly fuelled by the crippling sanctions imposed by the US. Watch:

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KELLYANNE CONWAY Hits Back On Claims Russia Has Compromising Info On Trump [Video]

Not fake news, just fake! Team #Trump hits back on claims #Russia has compromising material on #DonaldTrump. pic.twitter.com/ZjHssN2uS6 Jon Williams (@WilliamsJon) January 11, 2017

Title: KELLYANNE CONWAY Hits Back On Claims Russia Has Compromising Info On Trump [Video]. Text: Not fake news, just fake! Team #Trump hits back on claims #Russia has compromising material on #DonaldTrump. pic.twitter.com/ZjHssN2uS6 Jon Williams (@WilliamsJon) January 11, 2017

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Duterte berates Canada's Trudeau at end of Philippines summit

MANILA (Reuters) - Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte attacked Canada’s Justin Trudeau at the end of a summit of Asian and Western nations for raising questions about his war on drugs, a topic skirted by other leaders, including U.S. President Donald Trump. At the traditional news conference by the host nation at the end of the summit on Tuesday, Duterte was asked how he had responded to the Canadian prime minister raising the issue of human rights and extra-judicial killings in his anti-drugs drive. “I said I will not explain. It is a personal and official insult,” the Philippines president said in the course of a rambling answer, although he did not refer to Trudeau by name. “I only answer to the Filipino. I will not answer to any other bullshit, especially foreigners. Lay off.” Earlier in the day, Trudeau told a news conference that during his meeting with Duterte “the president was receptive to my comments and it was throughout a very cordial and positive exchange”. Human rights activists had been hoping that leaders at the summit, including Trump, would raise the issue of the thousands of users and small-time pushers killed in the campaign that was launched by Duterte after he took office in mid-2016. His government says the police act in self-defense during drug-busts, but critics say executions are taking place with no accountability. There was no pressure from Trump on the drugs war when he met Duterte on Monday and the U.S. president later said the two had a “great relationship”. A joint statement after the meeting only said the two sides “underscored that human rights and the dignity of human life are essential, and agreed to continue mainstreaming the human rights agenda in their national programs.” Duterte cursed Trump’s predecessor, Barack Obama, last year for raising concerns about the war on drugs and he subsequently declared that he was breaking ties with the United States, a close ally of the Philippines since World War Two. The relationship appears to have got back on track after the bonhomie between him and Trump. Trudeau also said that he raised the issue of the exodus of Rohingya during a meeting with Myanmar leader Aung San Suu Kyi, another sensitive topic bypassed by most other leaders, although he did not mention the Muslim minority by name. “This is a tremendous concern to Canada and to many, many countries around the world,” he said. The government in mostly-Buddhist Myanmar regards the Rohingya as illegal immigrants from Bangladesh and does not recognize the term. Over 600,000 Rohingya have fled to refugee camps in Bangladesh since military clearance operations were launched in response to attacks by Rohingya militants on Aug. 25. The plight of the Rohingya has brought outrage from around the world and the United Nations has called the operations ethnic cleansing. There have been calls for democracy champion Suu Kyi to be stripped of the Nobel peace prize she won in 1991 because she has not condemned the military’s actions. Some countries in the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), particularly Muslim-majority Malaysia, have voiced strong concern over the issue recently. However, in keeping with ASEAN’s principle of non-interference in each others’ internal affairs, it appeared to have been put aside at the summit, which brought Southeast Asian nations together with the United States, Russia, Japan, China, India, Australia, New Zealand and Canada. Duterte reported that China had agreed at the summit to work on a code of conduct in the South China Sea with ASEAN nations to ease tensions over disputed claims to the busy and resource-rich waterway. The group also signed agreements on protecting migrant labor and fighting terrorism and cybercrime. Trump skipped the plenary session of the summit because of scheduling delays, but he said his marathon trip to Asia had been a “tremendous” success. He told reporters on Air Force One that he had delivered his prepared remarks during a lunch before the summit meeting. Trump said at least $300 billion, possibly triple that figure, of deals had been agreed in the trip. He did not elaborate. “We’ve explained that the United States is open for trade but we want reciprocal, we want fair trade for the United States,” he said. Trade and concern about possible protectionism under Trump’s “America First” agenda have come up during his visit to the region, which included stops in Japan, South Korea, China, Vietnam before concluding in the Philippines. After Trump left Manila, a group of Asia-Pacific nations pursuing a separate Beijing-backed trade deal that does not include the United States agreed to “intensify efforts” in 2018 to bring their negotiations to a conclusion. The Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) appeared to have been given new impetus at the summit by Trump’s withdrawal from the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) trade agreement, to which China is not party. The two trade deals are not mutually exclusive. ASEAN is joined in the RCEP talks by China, India, Australia, New Zealand, Japan and South Korea.

Title: Duterte berates Canada's Trudeau at end of Philippines summit. Text: MANILA (Reuters) - Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte attacked Canada’s Justin Trudeau at the end of a summit of Asian and Western nations for raising questions about his war on drugs, a topic skirted by other leaders, including U.S. President Donald Trump. At the traditional news conference by the host nation at the end of the summit on Tuesday, Duterte was asked how he had responded to the Canadian prime minister raising the issue of human rights and extra-judicial killings in his anti-drugs drive. “I said I will not explain. It is a personal and official insult,” the Philippines president said in the course of a rambling answer, although he did not refer to Trudeau by name. “I only answer to the Filipino. I will not answer to any other bullshit, especially foreigners. Lay off.” Earlier in the day, Trudeau told a news conference that during his meeting with Duterte “the president was receptive to my comments and it was throughout a very cordial and positive exchange”. Human rights activists had been hoping that leaders at the summit, including Trump, would raise the issue of the thousands of users and small-time pushers killed in the campaign that was launched by Duterte after he took office in mid-2016. His government says the police act in self-defense during drug-busts, but critics say executions are taking place with no accountability. There was no pressure from Trump on the drugs war when he met Duterte on Monday and the U.S. president later said the two had a “great relationship”. A joint statement after the meeting only said the two sides “underscored that human rights and the dignity of human life are essential, and agreed to continue mainstreaming the human rights agenda in their national programs.” Duterte cursed Trump’s predecessor, Barack Obama, last year for raising concerns about the war on drugs and he subsequently declared that he was breaking ties with the United States, a close ally of the Philippines since World War Two. The relationship appears to have got back on track after the bonhomie between him and Trump. Trudeau also said that he raised the issue of the exodus of Rohingya during a meeting with Myanmar leader Aung San Suu Kyi, another sensitive topic bypassed by most other leaders, although he did not mention the Muslim minority by name. “This is a tremendous concern to Canada and to many, many countries around the world,” he said. The government in mostly-Buddhist Myanmar regards the Rohingya as illegal immigrants from Bangladesh and does not recognize the term. Over 600,000 Rohingya have fled to refugee camps in Bangladesh since military clearance operations were launched in response to attacks by Rohingya militants on Aug. 25. The plight of the Rohingya has brought outrage from around the world and the United Nations has called the operations ethnic cleansing. There have been calls for democracy champion Suu Kyi to be stripped of the Nobel peace prize she won in 1991 because she has not condemned the military’s actions. Some countries in the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), particularly Muslim-majority Malaysia, have voiced strong concern over the issue recently. However, in keeping with ASEAN’s principle of non-interference in each others’ internal affairs, it appeared to have been put aside at the summit, which brought Southeast Asian nations together with the United States, Russia, Japan, China, India, Australia, New Zealand and Canada. Duterte reported that China had agreed at the summit to work on a code of conduct in the South China Sea with ASEAN nations to ease tensions over disputed claims to the busy and resource-rich waterway. The group also signed agreements on protecting migrant labor and fighting terrorism and cybercrime. Trump skipped the plenary session of the summit because of scheduling delays, but he said his marathon trip to Asia had been a “tremendous” success. He told reporters on Air Force One that he had delivered his prepared remarks during a lunch before the summit meeting. Trump said at least $300 billion, possibly triple that figure, of deals had been agreed in the trip. He did not elaborate. “We’ve explained that the United States is open for trade but we want reciprocal, we want fair trade for the United States,” he said. Trade and concern about possible protectionism under Trump’s “America First” agenda have come up during his visit to the region, which included stops in Japan, South Korea, China, Vietnam before concluding in the Philippines. After Trump left Manila, a group of Asia-Pacific nations pursuing a separate Beijing-backed trade deal that does not include the United States agreed to “intensify efforts” in 2018 to bring their negotiations to a conclusion. The Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) appeared to have been given new impetus at the summit by Trump’s withdrawal from the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) trade agreement, to which China is not party. The two trade deals are not mutually exclusive. ASEAN is joined in the RCEP talks by China, India, Australia, New Zealand, Japan and South Korea.

fake

Totally-Not-Running-For-President Pence Signals Yet Again He’s Running For President

Speculation about Vice-President Mike Pence s political aspirations to position himself in Trump s Oval Office chair will likely get another jolt after it was reported that he tapped campaign operative, Nick Ayers, to be his chief of staff.Ayers spent months quietly bending Pence s ear to warn him that Donald Trump s troubles could cause collateral damage and that he needed to take a more aggressive position on a range of issues in order to ensure that he enters the post-Trump era on solid ground, according to two White House officials, Politico reports.There s been a lot of speculation that Pence will run in 2020 if Trump cannot, considering that his boss is plagued with scandals while only on the job for 7 months. Even political satirist Andy Horowitz wrote a piece titled, Mike Pence considering running for president in 1820. But, President Pence emphatically denied the possibility of a 2020 run.In a statement released by the White House, Pence said Sunday s story in The New York Times is disgraceful and offensive to me, my family, and our entire team. He added that the allegations in this article are categorically false. However, just before Anthony Scarmucci was kicked of Trump Island as the White House communications director, he suggested to New Yorker writer Ryan Lizza that the Vice-President can t believe what s going on with his boss. Why do you think Nick s there, bro? Scaramucci told Lizza in an interview last month, shortly before being fired. Are you stupid? Why is Nick there? Nick s there to protect the Vice-President because the Vice-President can t believe what the f*ck is going on. On top of that, Pence is headed to Latin America after requesting to secure 700 visas for his team.A diplomatic source called the number of visas curious because it dwarfed even the advance teams for President Barack Obama s trip to Brazil, Chile and El Salvador combined in 2011.But yeah, he s totally not preparing to sit in the Oval Office. Nope. Not at all. How long will it take before Trump lashes out at his Vice-President? We re pretty sure he cannot fire Pence. Another question: How much does/did Pence know about the Russia scandal as it happened? He might be a bigoted jerkface but he s not stupid.Whatever you do, do NOT tweet Donald Trump to ask about President Pence. That would be wrong and we never do wrong things here.Photo by Drew Angerer/Getty Images.

Title: Totally-Not-Running-For-President Pence Signals Yet Again He’s Running For President. Text: Speculation about Vice-President Mike Pence s political aspirations to position himself in Trump s Oval Office chair will likely get another jolt after it was reported that he tapped campaign operative, Nick Ayers, to be his chief of staff.Ayers spent months quietly bending Pence s ear to warn him that Donald Trump s troubles could cause collateral damage and that he needed to take a more aggressive position on a range of issues in order to ensure that he enters the post-Trump era on solid ground, according to two White House officials, Politico reports.There s been a lot of speculation that Pence will run in 2020 if Trump cannot, considering that his boss is plagued with scandals while only on the job for 7 months. Even political satirist Andy Horowitz wrote a piece titled, Mike Pence considering running for president in 1820. But, President Pence emphatically denied the possibility of a 2020 run.In a statement released by the White House, Pence said Sunday s story in The New York Times is disgraceful and offensive to me, my family, and our entire team. He added that the allegations in this article are categorically false. However, just before Anthony Scarmucci was kicked of Trump Island as the White House communications director, he suggested to New Yorker writer Ryan Lizza that the Vice-President can t believe what s going on with his boss. Why do you think Nick s there, bro? Scaramucci told Lizza in an interview last month, shortly before being fired. Are you stupid? Why is Nick there? Nick s there to protect the Vice-President because the Vice-President can t believe what the f*ck is going on. On top of that, Pence is headed to Latin America after requesting to secure 700 visas for his team.A diplomatic source called the number of visas curious because it dwarfed even the advance teams for President Barack Obama s trip to Brazil, Chile and El Salvador combined in 2011.But yeah, he s totally not preparing to sit in the Oval Office. Nope. Not at all. How long will it take before Trump lashes out at his Vice-President? We re pretty sure he cannot fire Pence. Another question: How much does/did Pence know about the Russia scandal as it happened? He might be a bigoted jerkface but he s not stupid.Whatever you do, do NOT tweet Donald Trump to ask about President Pence. That would be wrong and we never do wrong things here.Photo by Drew Angerer/Getty Images.

not fake

Chris Christie Is REALLY Mad Michelle Obama Is Forcing Fruits And Veggies Down Kids Throats

Republican presidential candidate Gov. Chris Christie is mad. He is so mad, in fact, at Michelle Obama for wanting kids to eat healthy, that he has just openly come out against her initiative for healthier children. Sound crazy? Because it is.Never mind the fact that it was only a few short years ago when Christie lauded the First Lady on her healthy eating agenda when he said: I think it s a really good goal to encourage kids to eat better. You know, I ve I ve struggled with my weight for thirty years and it s a struggle. And if a kid can avoid that in his adult years or her adult years, more power to them. And I think the first lady is speaking out well. I mean, I don t want the government deciding what you can and what you can t eat. I still think that s your choice. But I think Mrs. Obama being out there encouraging people in a positive way to eat well and to exercise and to be healthy, I don t have a problem with that. Now he s trying to run for president and knows that the people he needs nationally to vote for him don t want some commie agenda of healthy eating. After all, Eve ate the forbidden apple, but there is NOTHING in the Bible against eating Twinkies for dinner.While campaigning in Iowa on Monday, Christie told a young child in the crowd that he ll be able to eat whatever he wants if Christie were to be elected. He told the kid: The First Lady has no business being involved in this. Using the government to mandate her point of view on what people should be eating every day is none of her business, it just isn t. I want people to eat healthier. I ve been trying to eat more healthy. We all should be trying to do that. It makes us better, makes us living longer, better quality of life, all the rest of it. But in the end, it s your choice. I don t care what you re eating for lunch every day. I really don t. I want you to eat whatever your mother wants you to eat and your father want you to eat. And if your parents want you to eat gum drops and Mountain Dew as a balanced meal, go for it. Who cares if kids get sick from malnutrition or get diabetes and raise health costs nationwide? At the end of the day, fruits and vegetables are yucky, and if you don t want your kid eating yucky food, vote for Chris Christie! (please note the sarcastic tone before angry commenting)Let s get to the point here, folks. First Lady Michelle Obama and her push of healthy eating isn t a forced agenda, it s a suggestion. Her Let s Move campaign is also just a suggestion. Just like former First Lady Laura Bush promoted reading, and Nancy Reagan was a against drug use, it s not a communist plot to take over the minds of our youth. It s to suggest and promote positive actions in the lives of children. That s all. Calm down. And Christie, really? This pandering is just outright pathetic.Featured image: Gage Skidmore (flickr)

Title: Chris Christie Is REALLY Mad Michelle Obama Is Forcing Fruits And Veggies Down Kids Throats. Text: Republican presidential candidate Gov. Chris Christie is mad. He is so mad, in fact, at Michelle Obama for wanting kids to eat healthy, that he has just openly come out against her initiative for healthier children. Sound crazy? Because it is.Never mind the fact that it was only a few short years ago when Christie lauded the First Lady on her healthy eating agenda when he said: I think it s a really good goal to encourage kids to eat better. You know, I ve I ve struggled with my weight for thirty years and it s a struggle. And if a kid can avoid that in his adult years or her adult years, more power to them. And I think the first lady is speaking out well. I mean, I don t want the government deciding what you can and what you can t eat. I still think that s your choice. But I think Mrs. Obama being out there encouraging people in a positive way to eat well and to exercise and to be healthy, I don t have a problem with that. Now he s trying to run for president and knows that the people he needs nationally to vote for him don t want some commie agenda of healthy eating. After all, Eve ate the forbidden apple, but there is NOTHING in the Bible against eating Twinkies for dinner.While campaigning in Iowa on Monday, Christie told a young child in the crowd that he ll be able to eat whatever he wants if Christie were to be elected. He told the kid: The First Lady has no business being involved in this. Using the government to mandate her point of view on what people should be eating every day is none of her business, it just isn t. I want people to eat healthier. I ve been trying to eat more healthy. We all should be trying to do that. It makes us better, makes us living longer, better quality of life, all the rest of it. But in the end, it s your choice. I don t care what you re eating for lunch every day. I really don t. I want you to eat whatever your mother wants you to eat and your father want you to eat. And if your parents want you to eat gum drops and Mountain Dew as a balanced meal, go for it. Who cares if kids get sick from malnutrition or get diabetes and raise health costs nationwide? At the end of the day, fruits and vegetables are yucky, and if you don t want your kid eating yucky food, vote for Chris Christie! (please note the sarcastic tone before angry commenting)Let s get to the point here, folks. First Lady Michelle Obama and her push of healthy eating isn t a forced agenda, it s a suggestion. Her Let s Move campaign is also just a suggestion. Just like former First Lady Laura Bush promoted reading, and Nancy Reagan was a against drug use, it s not a communist plot to take over the minds of our youth. It s to suggest and promote positive actions in the lives of children. That s all. Calm down. And Christie, really? This pandering is just outright pathetic.Featured image: Gage Skidmore (flickr)

not fake

Trump refers to a 'Pocahontas' in Congress at meeting with veterans

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Donald Trump said there was a “Pocahontas” in the U.S. Congress during a meeting on Monday with Native American World War Two veterans in an apparent derogatory reference to Democratic Senator Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts. After listening to one veteran speak at length about his experience as a “Navajo code talker” during the war, Trump heaped praise on the veterans and said he would not give prepared remarks himself. “You were here long before any of us were here,” Trump said. “Although we have a representative in Congress who they say was here a long time ago. They call her Pocahontas.” Trump repeatedly referred to Warren as “Pocahontas,” the name of a famous 17th-century Native American, during his presidential campaign in a mocking reference to Warren’s having said in the past that she had Native American ancestry. Warren, one of the Senate’s most prominent liberal Democrats, is a noted legal scholar who taught at Harvard Law School and served as an adviser to former President Barack Obama before she was elected to the Senate in 2012. “It is deeply unfortunate that the president of the United States cannot even make it through a ceremony honoring these heroes without having to throw out a racial slur,” Warren said on MSNBC. White House spokeswoman Sarah Sanders disputed the characterization of Trump’s remark as a racial slur. “I think what most people find offensive is Senator Warren lying about her heritage to advance her career,” Sanders told reporters. Jefferson Keel, president of the National Congress of American Indians, questioned the “use of the name Pocahontas as a slur ... Once again, we call upon the president to refrain from using her name in a way that denigrates her legacy.” Trump’s comment immediately trended on social media. The word “Pocahontas” appeared 12 times on Twitter every second, according to social media analytics company Zoomph. Trump’s knock at Warren came as his administration is embroiled in controversy over the Consumer Financial Protection Board, which Warren helped develop before entering politics. The agency, set up to protect Americans from abusive lending practices after the financial crisis, has been under attack by Trump since he took office in January. On Friday, Trump named his budget director as the interim head of the agency, after its outgoing chief named someone else to the job, setting up a court battle.

Title: Trump refers to a 'Pocahontas' in Congress at meeting with veterans. Text: WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Donald Trump said there was a “Pocahontas” in the U.S. Congress during a meeting on Monday with Native American World War Two veterans in an apparent derogatory reference to Democratic Senator Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts. After listening to one veteran speak at length about his experience as a “Navajo code talker” during the war, Trump heaped praise on the veterans and said he would not give prepared remarks himself. “You were here long before any of us were here,” Trump said. “Although we have a representative in Congress who they say was here a long time ago. They call her Pocahontas.” Trump repeatedly referred to Warren as “Pocahontas,” the name of a famous 17th-century Native American, during his presidential campaign in a mocking reference to Warren’s having said in the past that she had Native American ancestry. Warren, one of the Senate’s most prominent liberal Democrats, is a noted legal scholar who taught at Harvard Law School and served as an adviser to former President Barack Obama before she was elected to the Senate in 2012. “It is deeply unfortunate that the president of the United States cannot even make it through a ceremony honoring these heroes without having to throw out a racial slur,” Warren said on MSNBC. White House spokeswoman Sarah Sanders disputed the characterization of Trump’s remark as a racial slur. “I think what most people find offensive is Senator Warren lying about her heritage to advance her career,” Sanders told reporters. Jefferson Keel, president of the National Congress of American Indians, questioned the “use of the name Pocahontas as a slur ... Once again, we call upon the president to refrain from using her name in a way that denigrates her legacy.” Trump’s comment immediately trended on social media. The word “Pocahontas” appeared 12 times on Twitter every second, according to social media analytics company Zoomph. Trump’s knock at Warren came as his administration is embroiled in controversy over the Consumer Financial Protection Board, which Warren helped develop before entering politics. The agency, set up to protect Americans from abusive lending practices after the financial crisis, has been under attack by Trump since he took office in January. On Friday, Trump named his budget director as the interim head of the agency, after its outgoing chief named someone else to the job, setting up a court battle.

fake

U.S. nuclear arsenal to cost $1.2 trillion over next 30 years: CBO

(Reuters) - Modernizing and maintaining the U.S. nuclear arsenal over the next 30 years will cost more than $1.2 trillion, according to a report released on Tuesday by the Congressional Budget Office. The report said current plans for the modernization of the aging planes, ships and missile silos that make up the U.S. nuclear arsenal would cost 50 percent more than if the U.S. only operated and maintained its current equipment in the field. The CBO study reviewed the Obama’s Administration’s plans for modernization of the nuclear arsenal. President Donald Trump in January directed Secretary of Defense James Mattis to conduct his own review the U.S. nuclear forces. The results could be published in the coming months. U.S. House Armed Services Committee member Adam Smith, a Democrat from Washington, said of the Obama-era plan: “Congress still doesn’t seem to have any answers as to how we will pay for this effort, or what the trade-offs with other national security efforts will be.” The report said costs would rise from $29 billion in 2017 to $47 billion in 2027, before peaking at around $50 billion a year through the early 2030s. Trump has said he wants to ensure the U.S. nuclear arsenal is at the “top of the pack,” saying the United States has fallen behind in its weapons capacity. U.S. officials have noted that America’s nuclear modernization is lagging behind Russia’s upgrade of its own nuclear triad. General Paul Selva, vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, told Congress in August he believed Moscow was already two-thirds of the way through its nuclear modernization process. In August, the U.S. Air Force awarded Boeing Co and Northrop Grumman Corp separate contracts to continue development work on the replacement of the aging Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missile system one leg of the nuclear triad. Days later the Air Force awarded Lockheed Martin Corp and Raytheon Co separate $900 million contracts to continue work on a replacement for the AGM-86B air-launched nuclear cruise missile. That detailed development contract allows the companies to continue work on the long range standoff weapon yet another leg of the triad.

Title: U.S. nuclear arsenal to cost $1.2 trillion over next 30 years: CBO. Text: (Reuters) - Modernizing and maintaining the U.S. nuclear arsenal over the next 30 years will cost more than $1.2 trillion, according to a report released on Tuesday by the Congressional Budget Office. The report said current plans for the modernization of the aging planes, ships and missile silos that make up the U.S. nuclear arsenal would cost 50 percent more than if the U.S. only operated and maintained its current equipment in the field. The CBO study reviewed the Obama’s Administration’s plans for modernization of the nuclear arsenal. President Donald Trump in January directed Secretary of Defense James Mattis to conduct his own review the U.S. nuclear forces. The results could be published in the coming months. U.S. House Armed Services Committee member Adam Smith, a Democrat from Washington, said of the Obama-era plan: “Congress still doesn’t seem to have any answers as to how we will pay for this effort, or what the trade-offs with other national security efforts will be.” The report said costs would rise from $29 billion in 2017 to $47 billion in 2027, before peaking at around $50 billion a year through the early 2030s. Trump has said he wants to ensure the U.S. nuclear arsenal is at the “top of the pack,” saying the United States has fallen behind in its weapons capacity. U.S. officials have noted that America’s nuclear modernization is lagging behind Russia’s upgrade of its own nuclear triad. General Paul Selva, vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, told Congress in August he believed Moscow was already two-thirds of the way through its nuclear modernization process. In August, the U.S. Air Force awarded Boeing Co and Northrop Grumman Corp separate contracts to continue development work on the replacement of the aging Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missile system one leg of the nuclear triad. Days later the Air Force awarded Lockheed Martin Corp and Raytheon Co separate $900 million contracts to continue work on a replacement for the AGM-86B air-launched nuclear cruise missile. That detailed development contract allows the companies to continue work on the long range standoff weapon yet another leg of the triad.

fake

New York mayor to back $2.5 billion light rail in key speech

NEW YORK (Reuters) - New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio will back a $2.5 billion plan to create a light rail service linking the city’s outer boroughs when he gives his annual keynote speech on Thursday The 16-mile track would run from Astoria in Queens, tracing a line along the East River and New York’s upper harbor to link up with Sunset Park in Brooklyn. It would pass through popular neighborhoods like Williamsburg and Brooklyn Heights. The plan is not new but the mayor’s emphasis reflects the growing importance of the outer boroughs. It also makes good on his pledge to address the gap between wealthy Manhattan and the rest of the city, a longstanding gripe with many New Yorkers. “This is about equity and innovation. We are mapping brand new transit that will knit neighborhoods together,” de Blasio said in a statement. The introduction of a light rail service would be a new development for the city. It would mirror the increasing use of such services in New Jersey, especially connecting the growing commuter towns along the Hudson River, an area real estate developers have dubbed the “Gold Coast.” The mayor’s office said the city will offset costs with tax revenues from increased property values along the proposed line. Major upgrades are being planned to aging transport infrastructure throughout the state. Governor Andrew Cuomo has embraced around $100 billion of projects including a $20 billion rail tunnel under the Hudson River. De Blasio, who comes from the liberal wing of the Democratic party, has emphasized social issues since taking office in 2014 such as free schooling for four year olds and reforming the city’s police. He will likely use Thursday’s state of the city address to hone in on some of those issues. Homelessness will likely be a focus after the mayor faced accusations he was not doing enough to address the problem. De Blasio is also likely to revisit public safety. He and his police commissioner, Bill Bratton, cited new statistics on Wednesday showing this January was the safest ever. De Blasio shifted Thursday’s speech to 7 p.m. from its usual daytime spot in the hope of reaching more New Yorkers. It will be held at the Lehman Center for the Performing Arts, a concert venue in the Bronx. (This version of the story corrects day of speech in paragraphs 1, 9 and 11)

Title: New York mayor to back $2.5 billion light rail in key speech. Text: NEW YORK (Reuters) - New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio will back a $2.5 billion plan to create a light rail service linking the city’s outer boroughs when he gives his annual keynote speech on Thursday The 16-mile track would run from Astoria in Queens, tracing a line along the East River and New York’s upper harbor to link up with Sunset Park in Brooklyn. It would pass through popular neighborhoods like Williamsburg and Brooklyn Heights. The plan is not new but the mayor’s emphasis reflects the growing importance of the outer boroughs. It also makes good on his pledge to address the gap between wealthy Manhattan and the rest of the city, a longstanding gripe with many New Yorkers. “This is about equity and innovation. We are mapping brand new transit that will knit neighborhoods together,” de Blasio said in a statement. The introduction of a light rail service would be a new development for the city. It would mirror the increasing use of such services in New Jersey, especially connecting the growing commuter towns along the Hudson River, an area real estate developers have dubbed the “Gold Coast.” The mayor’s office said the city will offset costs with tax revenues from increased property values along the proposed line. Major upgrades are being planned to aging transport infrastructure throughout the state. Governor Andrew Cuomo has embraced around $100 billion of projects including a $20 billion rail tunnel under the Hudson River. De Blasio, who comes from the liberal wing of the Democratic party, has emphasized social issues since taking office in 2014 such as free schooling for four year olds and reforming the city’s police. He will likely use Thursday’s state of the city address to hone in on some of those issues. Homelessness will likely be a focus after the mayor faced accusations he was not doing enough to address the problem. De Blasio is also likely to revisit public safety. He and his police commissioner, Bill Bratton, cited new statistics on Wednesday showing this January was the safest ever. De Blasio shifted Thursday’s speech to 7 p.m. from its usual daytime spot in the hope of reaching more New Yorkers. It will be held at the Lehman Center for the Performing Arts, a concert venue in the Bronx. (This version of the story corrects day of speech in paragraphs 1, 9 and 11)

fake

WATCH: Obama Takes A PERFECT Shot At Trump’s Never Ending Tweeting

President Obama appeared at a campaign rally alongside Hillary Clinton, and just couldn t resist getting in a dig or two about our wannabe Tweeter-in-Chief (because really, he makes it so easy). He said that generally, people don t understand the job that is being President of the United States, and then went into expert-marksman mode to hit Trump for his tweeting and lack of experience: Everybody can tweet, but nobody actually knows what it takes to do the job until you sit behind the desk. I mean, Sasha tweets, but she doesn t think that she s thereby should be sitting behind the desk. The implication is that his daughter, Sasha, is smarter than King Dunce because she knows tweeting is just tweeting. King Dunce uses Twitter as a weapon, talking himself up and tearing down anybody he doesn t like with childish namecalling, complete ignorance, and outright lies. What his tweeting does is actually show him for the fraud he is.Watch him hit Drumpf below, via ABC News:.@POTUS takes shot at Donald Trump at Clinton rally: Everybody can tweet https://t.co/i2lNlfUQnT https://t.co/Lr5grwuuQz ABC News Politics (@ABCPolitics) July 5, 2016Obama also talked up Hillary s qualifications in that speech, explaining how he s come a very long way in how he sees her since the 2008 election cycle, when they were opponents. She, likewise, praised Obama, saying she d been privileged to see him in so many different roles. Then she took her own shot at the Dunce-in-Chief s birtherism and tweeting, saying: And Donald, if you are out there tweeting, it is Hawaii. The snark is strong in these two. Tweetle-Drumpf hasn t tweeted a response to this yet, but if he does, it will lack the sharp edge of experience and intelligence that Obama and Hillary display, even in their snarkiness.Featured image via screen capture from embedded video

Title: WATCH: Obama Takes A PERFECT Shot At Trump’s Never Ending Tweeting. Text: President Obama appeared at a campaign rally alongside Hillary Clinton, and just couldn t resist getting in a dig or two about our wannabe Tweeter-in-Chief (because really, he makes it so easy). He said that generally, people don t understand the job that is being President of the United States, and then went into expert-marksman mode to hit Trump for his tweeting and lack of experience: Everybody can tweet, but nobody actually knows what it takes to do the job until you sit behind the desk. I mean, Sasha tweets, but she doesn t think that she s thereby should be sitting behind the desk. The implication is that his daughter, Sasha, is smarter than King Dunce because she knows tweeting is just tweeting. King Dunce uses Twitter as a weapon, talking himself up and tearing down anybody he doesn t like with childish namecalling, complete ignorance, and outright lies. What his tweeting does is actually show him for the fraud he is.Watch him hit Drumpf below, via ABC News:.@POTUS takes shot at Donald Trump at Clinton rally: Everybody can tweet https://t.co/i2lNlfUQnT https://t.co/Lr5grwuuQz ABC News Politics (@ABCPolitics) July 5, 2016Obama also talked up Hillary s qualifications in that speech, explaining how he s come a very long way in how he sees her since the 2008 election cycle, when they were opponents. She, likewise, praised Obama, saying she d been privileged to see him in so many different roles. Then she took her own shot at the Dunce-in-Chief s birtherism and tweeting, saying: And Donald, if you are out there tweeting, it is Hawaii. The snark is strong in these two. Tweetle-Drumpf hasn t tweeted a response to this yet, but if he does, it will lack the sharp edge of experience and intelligence that Obama and Hillary display, even in their snarkiness.Featured image via screen capture from embedded video

not fake

Trump Put An American Flag On His Birthday Tweet To Melania – There’s Just ONE Problem (TWEETS)

It seems that Donald Trump is often incapable of avoiding really stupid, but public, mistakes on Twitter. Oftentimes those are spelling errors, and sometimes they re factual errors, but sometimes they re just bizarre. April 26 is Melania s birthday, and to look like a good husband, he tweeted a happy birthday message to her. Across the bottom of the image is a banner that reads, First Lady Melania Trump 4.26.2017, with an American flag.HAPPY BIRTHDAY to our @FLOTUS, Melania! https://t.co/rYYp51mxDQ pic.twitter.com/np7KYHglSv Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) April 26, 2017See the problem? The flag on that banner there never existed. It only has 39 stars the U.S. has never had a 39-star flag. In 1889, flag makers were making 39-star flags in anticipation of North and South Dakota becoming states, but they thought that they would be admitted as one state, not two. In addition, three other states were added to the Union in 1890. We went from 38 states to 43, which made the 39-star flag useless before it was even official.As is always the case, Twitter locked onto the fact that the man in the White House, who holds the highest office in the land, tweeted a fake flag:@christinawilkie @chrislhayes @FLOTUS @eventsforgood How soon before we find out a 39-star American flag is some sort of alt-right meme? Greg Saunders (@waltisfrozen) April 27, 2017The US flag in Trump s tweet is missing 11 stars; it only has 39. h/t @christinawilkie (https://t.co/05dwk78JSD) pic.twitter.com/nvyuOBT3Eu southpaw (@nycsouthpaw) April 27, 2017@realDonaldTrump @FLOTUS @mauriciomacri @WhiteHouse @HillaryClinton Did he tell you that there are actually 50 stars on the American flag, not 39?https://t.co/pTB5Dy5PUn pic.twitter.com/sAkF5V8rgQ ? Dustin Miller ? (@spdustin) April 27, 2017There are only 39 stars on that flag, is pre-1889 the last time America was great? pic.twitter.com/R5f2EtusYq Daniel Holland (@DannyDutch) April 27, 2017@christinawilkie @FLOTUS @eventsforgood Oh my god. WE NEVER EVEN HAD A 39 STAR FLAG. ND (39) and SD (40) Were admitted on the SAME DAMN DAY. Taylor (@DizzyCars) April 27, 2017There are only 39 stars on that flag, sir. https://t.co/KATgoLIQUv Dan Zak (@MrDanZak) April 27, 2017@realDonaldTrump @FLOTUS What s with the 39 stars on this flag? #FALSENEWS #IDIOTINCHEIF DMen (@dmenkens) April 27, 2017@realDonaldTrump @FLOTUS 39 stars on flag bro. And ur responsible for the nuclear football???! TheWood (@TheWood52925) April 27, 2017So apparently #DonaldTrump s tweet had a flag with only 39 stars on it. Is he giving us a hint of what s to come or something? https://t.co/AVPHcTUx3u Politics Village (@PoliticsVillage) April 27, 2017@ALT_uscis And there s a 39-star flag being featured on official WH documents! His plan is to save money by eliminating STATES. Like Hawaii. Now PR? actor1 (@Actor1) April 27, 2017THE IDIOT THINKS THE FLAG ONLY HAS 39 STARS Even DT s birthday tweet to Melania has a factual error it in https://t.co/KDu5zmWHjf via S. Best-James, Ph.D. (@JoylynBest) April 27, 2017@Brasilmagic It s brutal finding a clipart flag with 50 stars. The hilarious part is you probably have to work pretty hard to find one with 39. ?? Terry Hannan (@terryhannan) April 27, 2017@realDonaldTrump @FLOTUS why are there only 39 stars in that flag? what 11 states are you removing for her birthday? TJ Liwanag (@TimothyJLiwanag) April 27, 2017@realDonaldTrump @FLOTUS Really, a 39 star flag. Someone on your staff needs to purge his computer, since this is 2nd time this has happened Lewis Shatzer (@Shatzer667192) April 27, 2017Maybe the 39-star flag is the last one that Russia recognizes. https://t.co/ENenQx2hGS CharlieL (@CharlieLevenson) April 27, 2017LOL what s worse is that the flag has NEVER had 39 stars, on July 4th 1890 it went from 38 to 43 stars w/ addition of ID MT WA ND SD #USA https://t.co/tcenf9u70j Lonnie H. (@dcufan) April 27, 2017Featured image by Mark Wilson via Getty Images

Title: Trump Put An American Flag On His Birthday Tweet To Melania – There’s Just ONE Problem (TWEETS). Text: It seems that Donald Trump is often incapable of avoiding really stupid, but public, mistakes on Twitter. Oftentimes those are spelling errors, and sometimes they re factual errors, but sometimes they re just bizarre. April 26 is Melania s birthday, and to look like a good husband, he tweeted a happy birthday message to her. Across the bottom of the image is a banner that reads, First Lady Melania Trump 4.26.2017, with an American flag.HAPPY BIRTHDAY to our @FLOTUS, Melania! https://t.co/rYYp51mxDQ pic.twitter.com/np7KYHglSv Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) April 26, 2017See the problem? The flag on that banner there never existed. It only has 39 stars the U.S. has never had a 39-star flag. In 1889, flag makers were making 39-star flags in anticipation of North and South Dakota becoming states, but they thought that they would be admitted as one state, not two. In addition, three other states were added to the Union in 1890. We went from 38 states to 43, which made the 39-star flag useless before it was even official.As is always the case, Twitter locked onto the fact that the man in the White House, who holds the highest office in the land, tweeted a fake flag:@christinawilkie @chrislhayes @FLOTUS @eventsforgood How soon before we find out a 39-star American flag is some sort of alt-right meme? Greg Saunders (@waltisfrozen) April 27, 2017The US flag in Trump s tweet is missing 11 stars; it only has 39. h/t @christinawilkie (https://t.co/05dwk78JSD) pic.twitter.com/nvyuOBT3Eu southpaw (@nycsouthpaw) April 27, 2017@realDonaldTrump @FLOTUS @mauriciomacri @WhiteHouse @HillaryClinton Did he tell you that there are actually 50 stars on the American flag, not 39?https://t.co/pTB5Dy5PUn pic.twitter.com/sAkF5V8rgQ ? Dustin Miller ? (@spdustin) April 27, 2017There are only 39 stars on that flag, is pre-1889 the last time America was great? pic.twitter.com/R5f2EtusYq Daniel Holland (@DannyDutch) April 27, 2017@christinawilkie @FLOTUS @eventsforgood Oh my god. WE NEVER EVEN HAD A 39 STAR FLAG. ND (39) and SD (40) Were admitted on the SAME DAMN DAY. Taylor (@DizzyCars) April 27, 2017There are only 39 stars on that flag, sir. https://t.co/KATgoLIQUv Dan Zak (@MrDanZak) April 27, 2017@realDonaldTrump @FLOTUS What s with the 39 stars on this flag? #FALSENEWS #IDIOTINCHEIF DMen (@dmenkens) April 27, 2017@realDonaldTrump @FLOTUS 39 stars on flag bro. And ur responsible for the nuclear football???! TheWood (@TheWood52925) April 27, 2017So apparently #DonaldTrump s tweet had a flag with only 39 stars on it. Is he giving us a hint of what s to come or something? https://t.co/AVPHcTUx3u Politics Village (@PoliticsVillage) April 27, 2017@ALT_uscis And there s a 39-star flag being featured on official WH documents! His plan is to save money by eliminating STATES. Like Hawaii. Now PR? actor1 (@Actor1) April 27, 2017THE IDIOT THINKS THE FLAG ONLY HAS 39 STARS Even DT s birthday tweet to Melania has a factual error it in https://t.co/KDu5zmWHjf via S. Best-James, Ph.D. (@JoylynBest) April 27, 2017@Brasilmagic It s brutal finding a clipart flag with 50 stars. The hilarious part is you probably have to work pretty hard to find one with 39. ?? Terry Hannan (@terryhannan) April 27, 2017@realDonaldTrump @FLOTUS why are there only 39 stars in that flag? what 11 states are you removing for her birthday? TJ Liwanag (@TimothyJLiwanag) April 27, 2017@realDonaldTrump @FLOTUS Really, a 39 star flag. Someone on your staff needs to purge his computer, since this is 2nd time this has happened Lewis Shatzer (@Shatzer667192) April 27, 2017Maybe the 39-star flag is the last one that Russia recognizes. https://t.co/ENenQx2hGS CharlieL (@CharlieLevenson) April 27, 2017LOL what s worse is that the flag has NEVER had 39 stars, on July 4th 1890 it went from 38 to 43 stars w/ addition of ID MT WA ND SD #USA https://t.co/tcenf9u70j Lonnie H. (@dcufan) April 27, 2017Featured image by Mark Wilson via Getty Images

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New York LGBT bar becomes first U.S. monument to gay rights

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Barack Obama on Friday designated the site of a watershed event in the history of U.S. gay rights, the 1969 Stonewall riots in New York City, as a national monument, the first to honor the contributions of gay Americans. The Stonewall Inn gay bar in Manhattan’s Greenwich Village was the scene of a police raid that triggered riots and ignited a long struggle to bring lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people into the American mainstream and guarantee their rights. “Welcome to the family,” the National Park Service said in a tweet welcoming its 412th site. LGBT rights advocacy groups hailed the national recognition, saying it will help highlight the gay communities’ continued struggles, especially in the aftermath of the June 12 mass shooting at a gay nightclub in Florida that killed 49 people. “This new national monument will be a source of inspiration to a new generation of Americans across the country standing up for equality and uniting to show the world that love conquers hate,” Human Rights Campaign President Chad Griffin said. The move was the latest of several steps Obama has take on gay rights during his presidency. In 2010, he signed a law repealing a policy that had banned gays from serving openly in the U.S. military. In 2012, he became the first president to support gay marriage, a stance he has admitted took time to evolve. His administration also supported the legal challenge that led to the 2015 U.S. Supreme Court ruling legalizing gay marriage nationwide. “There is important distance yet to travel, but through political engagement and litigation, as well as individual acts of courage and acceptance, this movement has made tremendous progress toward securing equal rights and equal dignity,” Obama said in a proclamation officially designating the historic site. The events of late June and early July 1969 in New York helped start the modern American gay rights movement. A week of violent clashes on Christopher Street between patrons of the Stonewall Inn and police, who had periodically raided the bar, arresting gays under morals laws of the era, became known as the Stonewall riots. The crackdown was also tied up in a dispute between the Mafia, which owned the bar, and corrupt police officers seeking payoffs for protection. But it unleashed a year of protests, culminating with the first gay pride parade in 1970. This year’s weekend LGBT pride festivities started in New York on Friday with a street fair and were to culminate with Sunday’s parade through Lower Manhattan. Events were scheduled across the country in San Francisco, Minneapolis, Oklahoma City and elsewhere. Obama’s designation protects about 7.7 acres (3.1 hectares) of land, including the Stonewall Inn and nearby Christopher Park. U.S. lawmakers representing New York, in a statement, called the site “a beacon for liberation.” It drew renewed attention in the wake of this month’s massacre in Orlando at another gay venue, a nightclub called Pulse. Mourners in New York flocked to the inn and created a makeshift memorial after the shooting, the worst such attack in modern U.S. history. In honor of the new monument, the White House will release a video that will be played on billboards in New York’s Times Square on Saturday. U.S. officials will also hold a designation ceremony at Stonewall on Monday.

Title: New York LGBT bar becomes first U.S. monument to gay rights. Text: WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Barack Obama on Friday designated the site of a watershed event in the history of U.S. gay rights, the 1969 Stonewall riots in New York City, as a national monument, the first to honor the contributions of gay Americans. The Stonewall Inn gay bar in Manhattan’s Greenwich Village was the scene of a police raid that triggered riots and ignited a long struggle to bring lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people into the American mainstream and guarantee their rights. “Welcome to the family,” the National Park Service said in a tweet welcoming its 412th site. LGBT rights advocacy groups hailed the national recognition, saying it will help highlight the gay communities’ continued struggles, especially in the aftermath of the June 12 mass shooting at a gay nightclub in Florida that killed 49 people. “This new national monument will be a source of inspiration to a new generation of Americans across the country standing up for equality and uniting to show the world that love conquers hate,” Human Rights Campaign President Chad Griffin said. The move was the latest of several steps Obama has take on gay rights during his presidency. In 2010, he signed a law repealing a policy that had banned gays from serving openly in the U.S. military. In 2012, he became the first president to support gay marriage, a stance he has admitted took time to evolve. His administration also supported the legal challenge that led to the 2015 U.S. Supreme Court ruling legalizing gay marriage nationwide. “There is important distance yet to travel, but through political engagement and litigation, as well as individual acts of courage and acceptance, this movement has made tremendous progress toward securing equal rights and equal dignity,” Obama said in a proclamation officially designating the historic site. The events of late June and early July 1969 in New York helped start the modern American gay rights movement. A week of violent clashes on Christopher Street between patrons of the Stonewall Inn and police, who had periodically raided the bar, arresting gays under morals laws of the era, became known as the Stonewall riots. The crackdown was also tied up in a dispute between the Mafia, which owned the bar, and corrupt police officers seeking payoffs for protection. But it unleashed a year of protests, culminating with the first gay pride parade in 1970. This year’s weekend LGBT pride festivities started in New York on Friday with a street fair and were to culminate with Sunday’s parade through Lower Manhattan. Events were scheduled across the country in San Francisco, Minneapolis, Oklahoma City and elsewhere. Obama’s designation protects about 7.7 acres (3.1 hectares) of land, including the Stonewall Inn and nearby Christopher Park. U.S. lawmakers representing New York, in a statement, called the site “a beacon for liberation.” It drew renewed attention in the wake of this month’s massacre in Orlando at another gay venue, a nightclub called Pulse. Mourners in New York flocked to the inn and created a makeshift memorial after the shooting, the worst such attack in modern U.S. history. In honor of the new monument, the White House will release a video that will be played on billboards in New York’s Times Square on Saturday. U.S. officials will also hold a designation ceremony at Stonewall on Monday.

fake

Marvel Vows To Boycott Georgia If Discriminatory Religious Liberty Bill Becomes Law

The studio of superheroes will leave Georgia rather than make movies in a state that bullies gay people.The First Amendment Defense Act passed the Republican-dominated Georgia legislature earlier this month, but has yet to be signed by Governor Nathan Deal.Should the bill become law, it will allow conservative Christians to use their religion as a shield to justify bigotry and discrimination toward same-sex couples and give religious organizations the ability to fire gay employees at will.The bill has caused an uproar and many companies have stopped or are threatening to stop doing business with the state if it becomes law.That includes the NFL, which promptly told Georgia officials that such a blatantly discriminatory law would cost Atlanta the Superbowl bid they have been desperately seeking.And now Marvel and Disney have made an even bigger threat.As most of us know, many of Disney s Marvel films are shot in Georgia because of the state s advantageous tax incentives. Captain America: Civil War was just recently filmed at Pine Wood studios in Atlanta and such a massive production means jobs for people in Georgia and a boost in the economy.But if Georgia chooses to enshrine bigotry into law, Marvel will take their heroes elsewhere. Disney and Marvel are inclusive companies, and although we have had great experiences filming in Georgia, we will plan to take our business elsewhere should any legislation allowing discriminatory practices be signed into state law, Disney said in a statement that should worry Georgia officials to the core.It makes sense that Disney would pull the Marvel Cinematic Universe away from Georgia if this bill passes. After all, it s hard to imagine trying to film characters who believe in equality, fairness, and inclusiveness in an environment that promotes the exact opposite.Georgia would be well-advised to scuttle this bill before it costs them dearly. Because pissing off Captain America is not a good idea.Featured Image: Marvel s The Avengers

Title: Marvel Vows To Boycott Georgia If Discriminatory Religious Liberty Bill Becomes Law. Text: The studio of superheroes will leave Georgia rather than make movies in a state that bullies gay people.The First Amendment Defense Act passed the Republican-dominated Georgia legislature earlier this month, but has yet to be signed by Governor Nathan Deal.Should the bill become law, it will allow conservative Christians to use their religion as a shield to justify bigotry and discrimination toward same-sex couples and give religious organizations the ability to fire gay employees at will.The bill has caused an uproar and many companies have stopped or are threatening to stop doing business with the state if it becomes law.That includes the NFL, which promptly told Georgia officials that such a blatantly discriminatory law would cost Atlanta the Superbowl bid they have been desperately seeking.And now Marvel and Disney have made an even bigger threat.As most of us know, many of Disney s Marvel films are shot in Georgia because of the state s advantageous tax incentives. Captain America: Civil War was just recently filmed at Pine Wood studios in Atlanta and such a massive production means jobs for people in Georgia and a boost in the economy.But if Georgia chooses to enshrine bigotry into law, Marvel will take their heroes elsewhere. Disney and Marvel are inclusive companies, and although we have had great experiences filming in Georgia, we will plan to take our business elsewhere should any legislation allowing discriminatory practices be signed into state law, Disney said in a statement that should worry Georgia officials to the core.It makes sense that Disney would pull the Marvel Cinematic Universe away from Georgia if this bill passes. After all, it s hard to imagine trying to film characters who believe in equality, fairness, and inclusiveness in an environment that promotes the exact opposite.Georgia would be well-advised to scuttle this bill before it costs them dearly. Because pissing off Captain America is not a good idea.Featured Image: Marvel s The Avengers

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